Chapter 109

Lappland possesses Night Vision, allowing her to escape in the dark without needing any light. She reached the steps, paused for a moment upon seeing what was outside, then went back inside to rest.

In the darkness, two Redstone Golem and twelve White Stone Golem filled the plaza to capacity. Their massive bodies formed an insurmountable defensive line.

Hey Mudrock, are you a sore loser?!

Promise me, okay?. jpg

166 Lone Wolf (3K)

April 2nd, 8:02 AM

Lappland smelled the faint aroma of food, opened her eyes, and sat up in bed.

Today's breakfast was vegetable and meat porridge, plus a steamed bun. Since the meat itself is flavorful, not much salt was added, making it quite mild.

She didn't find it offensive; on the contrary, she ate it with relish.

Since leaving his family, Lappland had been wandering between cities and wilderness for a long time, living a life comparable to eating raw meat and drinking blood.

There wasn't much meat in the porridge, and Lappland also found other vegetables. These ingredients were all packed and brought back by Mudrock yesterday.

She felt the warm porridge slide down her esophagus, bringing a warm current to her stomach. She licked her lips, a little reluctant to leave, and walked happily into the kitchen.

"Give me another bowl, please."

The Sarkaz mercenaries didn't make things difficult for Lappland, giving her their last bit of food. Lord Shi Lei had specifically instructed that food be provided to this Female Lupo.

They showed no fear of Lappland, who had been disarmed and burdened with weights; on the contrary, they felt a pang of pity for her. Not only were her limbs heavy, but even her claws were covered in finger guards.

The colossal statues in the square stood motionless, giving everyone a strong sense of security. Originally there were only two red and two white statues, but overnight ten more White Stone Golem suddenly appeared.

The mercenaries and infected were not surprised; they knew it was Originium Arts creation of Mudrock and were already used to it.

After breakfast, everyone went about their own business.

Only Lappland, holding her secure job, sat on the steps of the low building. When she braced herself with her hands on the ground, she could minimize the feeling of weight.

After she finished eating, she returned the bowl to the Sarkaz mercenary and politely thanked him.

"The food was delicious. Thank you for your hospitality."

His refined and easygoing demeanor is completely unrelated to the rumored bloodthirsty Silver-haired Lupo.

"Uh~"

Lappland let out a burp and sat back down on the steps. She braced herself with her hands on the ground and looked up at the rows of enormous red and white statues in the courtyard.

Knowing the Stone Statues moved slowly, Mudrock simply built ten to fill the area. A forced breakout would come at a devastating cost if it failed.

Last time, just a glancing blow from the Redstone Golem's palm tip resulted in several broken ribs. If I were to take a full slap, wouldn't I be instantly killed?

To prevent her from escaping the stronghold, they actually went to such lengths; it's really a bit much to them.

There was no way to escape, Lappland resigned herself to it. Since she was already here, she figured she should just focus on recovering.

Around nine o'clock, the Sarkaz mercenaries began their jogging exercise in the courtyard. Obstructed by numerous red and white Stone Statues, the laps turned into an obstacle course.

These Stone Statues are only directed at Lappland and will not act in response to the actions of the mercenaries.

Two other little girls also ran along, but they were not very strong and stopped after a short while.

Lappland watched for more than half an hour, and only spoke when the running group passed by.

Asked:

"Do you exercise like this every day?"

V stopped and walked over. Hearing this, he considered it a break after exercise to recover his strength.

"Yes, if it rains that day, we will exercise indoors."

Lappland, somewhat puzzled, asked:

"You all have such capable leaders, why do you still work so hard?"

V smiled, knowing that the Silver-haired Lupo couldn't understand them, after all, their situations were different:

"We used to be mercenaries in Kazdel, and we would train hard when we weren't on missions. We've kept it up for so many years, it's become a habit. On the battlefield, limited endurance often means death."

Furthermore, we insist on exercising every day so that we may have the opportunity to repay Lord Shi Lei in the future. Right now, we are still too weak and lack strength; we want to become stronger.

"It is indeed very weak, but it is still much better than those henchmen who can be killed in one move."

Lappland wasn't being sarcastic; she was objectively stating the facts. After a moment, she continued, "..."

Who is Shi Lei?

V twitched the corner of his mouth, but still explained normally:

"Lord Shi Lei's code name is Zhongli."

"Oh, it's him."

Upon hearing the name Shi Lei, Lappland immediately became interested, sat up straight, and asked:

"Could you tell me about him?"

V shook his head and decisively refused:

"If you want to know, you can ask our boss. I still have 10 laps left, I'm going to go for a run now."

After saying that, he didn't linger and continued to the obstacle course.

"Tch, boring."

By 10 a. m., the infected individuals had finished their exercise. Each of them brought their own small stool and found a well-lit spot in the courtyard to sit and read.

This hideout was originally used by the Cat Gang to hold hostages, and the building had very poor lighting. During the day, they needed to turn on the lights to read indoors. So they all moved outside to study using natural light.

Lappland Tai He and had no intention of joining in the fun; he remained seated on the steps, lost in thought.

But she didn't move; other people's voices still drifted to her ears on the wind. It sounded like she was learning to read.

Hehe.

Mercenaries have to learn this?

In Kazdel, a country ravaged by war, education was a privilege enjoyed only by the children of nobles.

Many Sarkaz are orphans who have never attended school. The first skill they master is often not literacy, but how to kill.

"Uncle, what's this pronounced like?"

"It seems to be called a 'horse beast,' used for transporting things."

"Oh, what about this one?"

"Hmm, it seems to be called 'Steam Cockroach'."

Lappland couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Pfft, is that steam armor?"

Hearing the Silver-haired Lupo laugh, the Sarkaz mercenaries turned their faces away in shame. Knowing their own limited education, they didn't become angry or embarrassed.

A little girl approached, clutching a magazine, and tentatively eyed Lappland. Only after noticing the Originium on her leg did she timidly ask:

"Sister, did you go to school?"

"Um."

"Can you read it to me?"

Lappland shook her head, refusing. When others asked her for favors, it was always for murder or assassination. Teaching people to read and write was too childish.

"No, thank you."

Children are always very stubborn.

To give an imperfect analogy, it's like a child eyeing a toy they like. Even if you clearly state that you don't want to buy it, the child will still try to get the adult to give in by crying, making a fuss, throwing a tantrum, or begging.

"Sister, can you read it to me?"

"Please, sister, you're the best."

Lappland refused several times, but he wouldn't let her go. Normally, she would have run away long ago.

But now that they couldn't leave the base, and with all four little girls surrounding them, they had no choice but to reluctantly agree:

"Okay, but I'll only read one book."

Lappland beckoned with her finger, and the little girl obediently handed over the magazine with both hands. She took it and glanced at it, discovering it was a magazine documenting the cuisines of various regions of Terra.

"You really want me to read this?"

"Um!"

Lappland had no interest in reading the whole book; what should have been a simple turn of the page turned into dozens of pages.

"I'm familiar with this dish; it's called 'The Syracusan's Wrath.' Originally, it should be called 'Syracuse Noodles,' a common dish made with macaroni noodles and a secret meat sauce."

But then a Syracuse Noodles shop opened in the capital of Gaul. You know Gaul, right? It's the country that has since been destroyed.

To cater to the tastes of the Gallic Noble, the noodle shop owner mixed the noodles with a sauce made from chocolate sauce and Originium Crawler liver, which proved to be very popular with the Gallic Noble.

However, the Syracuse considered this modification heretical and incongruous. They called this modified version of Syracuse Noodles "the Syracusan's Wrath."

Lappland used to come from a wealthy family; she was the Eldest Daughter of the Saluzzo family. Although she hadn't traveled all over Terra, she had the opportunity to eat food from many different places. She read from a food magazine, occasionally adding her own comments.

"This Ursus Ryeba is terrible; it has a strong fermented taste and is extremely sour."

"And this Sandworm Canned Food, it has olive oil in it, and the taste is really strange. I..."

I don't know how to describe it, but that bursting, juicy feeling was unpleasant.

"These Gaul Small Round Biscuits are shockingly high in sugar. It's okay to eat them occasionally, but eating too many can easily lead to weight gain. They're usually served to wealthy ladies, but I personally don't really like them."

"And this Feathered Beast Liver Paste..."

Lappland had actually eaten these foods before, and she spoke with great expertise. Her commentary and numerous references made her far more impactful than simply showing pictures of the food.

The little girl licked her lips and kept swallowing, as if she were the one enjoying the delicious food.

Kazdel, a war-torn industrial district, catered entirely to the nobility. Forget pastries and desserts; neither the women nor the mercenaries had ever tasted sugar.

Two weeks ago, V used the money he earned from odd jobs to buy a bag of cheap candy in Lower City. After bringing it back, he shared it with everyone, making them happy for several days.

Before she knew it, Lappland had turned to the last page of the food magazine. She handed the magazine back to the little girl, indicating that today's reading session was over.

"Thank you, sister."

Lappland didn't care about any of that. He deliberately showed a fierce expression, baring his teeth at the little girl and saying:

"I'm a bad guy, extremely cruel. Maybe once I'm healed, I'll kill you all! Even so, do you still want to thank me?"

The Sarkaz mercenary glared at her, thinking she was a crazy woman who would talk to a child like that.

The little girl was clearly frightened. She turned to the side and hugged her mother's waist, saying in a soft, sweet voice:

"But Sister Mudrock told me that I must say thank you when I receive help, it's basic etiquette."

"Etiquette? Hahahaha!"

After Lappland burst into laughter, her attitude softened instantly. The speed of her change was astonishing.

"Alright, I should thank you for taking care of me these past few days; it's basic courtesy. A simple thank you now will suffice, no need for any further explanation."

The Sarkaz mercenaries heeded Shi Lei's instructions and refrained from making a move. The morning's study session ended in a pleasant yet somewhat unpleasant atmosphere.

April 2nd, 11:52 AM

Around noon, a group of infected members under Lin Gerei's command arrived at the stronghold.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they were startled by the numerous red and white giant statues in the square.

Holy crap!

The Sarkaz guarding the gate recognized them; he knew they were subordinates under Mudrock's command. He asked:

"Friend, what's the matter?"