Chapter 284
"Officer Chen, what I meant by not taking the lead is not refusing to accept the case. You just said that this plan has already been approved by the Longmen Governor. If I don't accept the case, won't you resort to other extreme measures?"
What I mean is, I'll accept the request normally, but I'll use a different identity to negotiate with the Patriot. That way, once they leave Lungmen, I won't have to complete the request.
Upon hearing this, Chen suddenly realized what was going on.
"I see, I understand. But I need to remind you that there are currently about five or six hundred drones monitoring the border checkpoints and surrounding areas in Lungmen in real time. Be careful if you leave the city, so you don't get photographed."
"Okay, that's all for now, bye."
After the communication ended, Exusiai, lying on her workstation, asked with a grin:
"Zhongli, what kind of request requires you to negotiate? Has anyone been kidnapped?"
We're all on the same side, Shi Lei has no need to hide anything. He shook his head slightly and answered truthfully:
"No, it's the Patriot's guerrillas who have come to Lungmen. They're probably here to find me. You can have lunch on your own. I have to go out for a bit."
"Oh, what are they doing here?"
Exusiai was puzzled and quickly asked the question that concerned her most, "Are we going to fight later? If we're going to fight, I have to be in."
Texas was speechless. Shi Lei had saved the guerrillas several times already. Besides, FrostNova lived in the warehouse; how could she possibly be here to cause trouble?
She picked up her car keys and stood up, saying:
"Let's go, I'll drive you."
Shi Lei politely declined the offer, noting that surveillance cameras and drones were everywhere on the roads and around the city.
"No need, I'll just leave from the company. If you need anything, call me or send me a private message."
After saying that, he got up and walked to the company's rooftop, leaped up to three or four thousand meters, and stood above the clouds.
Shi Lei determined the location and prepared to circle around, appearing from behind the guerrillas to create confusion.
December 25th, 0:18 pm
A group of several thousand people stood one kilometer from the Lungmen border checkpoint. Those in front were mostly guerrillas, while those behind, numbering over a thousand, were patients from the Azazel Clinic.
Broca and Hegre stood at the front, gazing at the distant Mobile Cities.
Shortly afterward, the two Scout returned. One of them clasped his hands in a fist and reported to Patriot:
"Sir, we can't communicate with Lungmen. They open fire as soon as anyone gets within 200 meters, without giving us a chance to shout. Not only that, the refugees in line can't get close either. They're isolated outside the border checkpoint and can't help relay messages."
"You've worked hard, get back to the team."
"Yes, sir!"
Broca no cell phone and no way to contact Zhongli. This was the only way he could lead the guerrillas to the outskirts of Lungmen City. He hoped that Doctor Zhong would receive the news and arrive as soon as possible.
Seeing Lungmen's tense and prepared demeanor, Hegre felt a little worried and turned to look at Patriot:
"Captain, you've known Mr. Zhong longer than I have. Do you think he'll agree to our oath of allegiance? What if he refuses?"
The red eyes inside the Antler Helmet flickered for a moment, then looked towards the distant Mobile Cities:
"General, you're right. He may not take our loyalty seriously. But the infected on this land are still living in dire straits. If things continue to deteriorate, I fear even more people will die. The infected desperately need a Spiritual Leader, but that person won't be Talulah. Only Mr. Zhong can bring hope to the infected."
Hegre had not received treatment from Shi Lei and was unaware of many things. He offered his judgment solely from a personal perspective:
"Captain, we've all been through this before. When we do something like this today, we should consider the feelings of our benefactor. I'm here to repay his kindness. If he doesn't mind, I'm willing to give my life and serve him to the death. But if he doesn't accept our gratitude, I'll thank him and then leave."
The destruction of Azazel Clinic will likely lead the Patriot to form a united front with Hegre. Some things can't be said explicitly, but can be hinted at:
"General, you don't understand. I was originally terminally ill and only had a few years left to live. It was Doctor Zhong's treatment that gave me a new lease on life. On this land, he is the only one with such medical skills."
Doctor Zhong is far too kind; he has saved countless infected people. Even if I don't pressure him now, other infected people will do the same in the future.
Hegre pondered this statement and found it quite surprising:
"You? Are you terminally ill?"
This was the first time he had ever heard of anyone who could significantly alleviate the infection of Originium-related illness.
If Mr. Zhong truly possesses such extraordinary abilities, he will undoubtedly become a highly sought-after figure by various powerful forces. Rather than being exploited by others, it's better to establish his own business.
"Yes, he gave me a second life. If it weren't for Mr. Zhong, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, a guerrilla member suddenly ran to the front to report:
"Sir, Mr. Zhong has arrived; he's at the back."
Broca and Hegre were over 1.9 meters tall. Looking behind them, they could indeed vaguely see a man wearing a golden mask.
The two exchanged a glance and immediately led their men to the back of the entire formation.
This action quickly attracted the attention of the refugees who were lined up in long queues, who all cast curious glances at him.
Although the border checkpoint is now closed, these refugees are still queuing in an orderly manner. This is not because they are particularly well-behaved, but because of the strict requirements imposed by the Lungmen authorities.
A few days ago, there were many people cutting in line when entering the Lower City, so the authorities established a rule: anyone who cuts in line will not be allowed in. Some refugees were fined, and only then did those behind them follow suit.
Seeing Broca and Hegre approach, Shi Lei preemptively spoke before they could speak:
What are you doing here?
"Mr. Zhong, we have come to repay a debt of gratitude."
Shi Lei placed one hand on his forehead and solemnly emphasized:
"I remember telling you that you don't need any repayment afterward. I helped you because I wanted to, not for anything in return. The fact that thousands of you are here has caused a terrible impact. If you want to see FrostNova, I'll bring her back tonight."
"No, sir, that's not what I meant."
Shi Lei spoke with obvious emotion, expressing his displeasure at the Patriot's unauthorized act of repaying a debt of gratitude:
"Then what do you mean? You brought a large force here, scaring Longmen into closing its Lungmen. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were going to attack Lungmen."
The Patriot, who was usually dignified in front of his subordinates, now hung his head like a child who had done something wrong.
After venting his emotions, Shi Lei saw the women and children around him and ultimately softened.
"Don't you have anywhere to stay? I can give you a hundred million yuan. Go back to where you came from, and don't bother me in Lungmen again."
Hegre had been forced to accept gold bars once before, and he would never accept them again under any circumstances.
"Mr. Zhong, you have misunderstood. My patients and I are very grateful for your kindness and want to do something for you in any way we can. We are not here to ask for money."
Patriot seized the opportunity and echoed:
"Sir, you have saved me and the entire guerrilla force. We sincerely want to follow you, even if it costs us our lives. We will do anything you give the order. We promise not to be a burden and will be self-sufficient in supplies."
"No, what would I do with your lives? I've already said I don't need you to repay my kindness. But you insist on repaying my kindness, aren't you just going against me?"
When Patriot saw that Shi Lei was very angry, his voice even sounded slightly choked up:
"I know this will cause you a lot of trouble, but we truly want to follow you. I, Broca, swear in the name of the Wendigo ancestors. From this day forward, I will serve Lord Zhongli as my master."
After saying this, he knelt down on one knee before Shi Lei, covering his heart with his right hand, signifying his willingness to offer his heart.
Other guerrilla members followed suit, swearing oaths in the name of their racial ancestors.
Hegre also knelt on one knee, swearing allegiance in the name of the Liberi Ancients. Since most of the more than one thousand infected under his command were patients, he did not require them to do the same.
In an instant, the sound of oaths resounded. The sight of thousands kneeling left the refugees in the distance utterly astonished.
Just as Shi Lei was about to speak, a long-lost system notification suddenly rang in his mind.
[Bite!]
[Detection indicates the host now possesses their first armed force exceeding 1000 personnel. Should all of these individuals be designated as the Qianyan Army?]
[The 'Qianyan Army' buff will be granted when both of the following conditions are met simultaneously.]
[Requirement 1: Loyalty 100.]
[Requirement 2: Trust level reaches 200%.]
[Buff Effect 1: All Qianyan Army receive a 20% increase in effectiveness when using Thousand Rock series equipment.]
[Buff Effect 2: All eligible Qianyan Army receive a 5% increase in personal attributes.]
[Note 1: When the Qianyan Army regards the host as a faith, it will accumulate varying amounts of "Faith Power".]
[Note 2: "Faith Power" can enhance the overall combat capabilities of the Qianyan Army and requires the Seven Archons Realm to unlock.]
[Note 3: Before reaching the Seven Archons Realm, the maximum storage capacity of "Faith Power" is affected by the number of years of cultivation.]
Shi Lei has no ambition to conquer the world and is quite content with his current peaceful life.
He just wants to relax and retire, what's wrong with that?
Genshin Impact beautiful pictures. jpg
351 The Sarkaz Exotic King 3K
Staring at the guerrillas kneeling in a row, Shi Lei didn't give a direct answer. He was very aware of the meaning behind acceptance, which was why he disliked such a scene.
Give me a reason.
"Ah?"
Seeing that Broca and Hegre were looking up at him, he began to explain:
"If you're using the guise of repaying a debt of gratitude to swear allegiance to me, I can't accept that excuse. You need to come up with another reason that can convince me."
Shi Lei accepted Mudrock's allegiance because her Rock-type abilities were similar to his own, allowing him to bind her as a familiar and gain benefits. Furthermore, she and her Sarkaz mercenaries were few in number, posing little pressure.
Accepting the loyalty of ten people is a completely different concept from accepting the loyalty of thousands. First of all, how to settle such a large group of people is a very difficult problem.
Shi Lei knew that refusing to pledge allegiance would deduct Roleplay Value, but he didn't need them right now. His daily Roleplay Value gain was halved to only 2 points if he didn't carry money or read books. With the guaranteed 1 point from his companion Mudrock, he steadily gained 3 points daily.
Even if 20 points of Roleplay Value were deducted at once, they could be recovered in seven days. He refused because he thought it was troublesome and because he felt that accepting loyalty was pointless.
In terms of strength, he surpasses all of them combined. In terms of wealth, he can forge high-purity Pure Gold by hand. By any measure, none of these people can be of any help to him.
"This..."
Seeing that Broca and Hegre were deep in thought, Shi Lei continued:
"If I were to actively ask you to pledge your allegiance, I wouldn't be asking these questions. Because subsequent actions and policies would all revolve around my personal interests."
The problem is, I didn't do it voluntarily. Your allegiance is tantamount to me becoming the leader of a new organization.
Every organization should possess three basic elements: clear organizational goals, a well-defined action plan, and organizational philosophy or values.
Let's start with organizational goals. School clubs are formed because of shared interests, while social groups are formed because of mutual benefits. So, what makes you want to pledge allegiance to me? If it's just to curry favor, that won't convince me.
An action plan is essentially about how you, after pledging allegiance to me, can achieve organizational goals. What specific steps are involved in achieving these goals?
If an organization only has empty slogans, lacks a clear ideology and action plan, and makes decisions on the fly, what's the difference between it and Rhodes Island? I might as well agree to your terms and establish a New Rhodes Island.
Shi Lei's last sarcastic remark secretly pleased Broca. Because those words struck a chord with him.
Talulah's Rhodes Island lacked these qualities. Sometimes it acted without considering the consequences, going about things haphazardly and impulsively. The two had many arguments about this.
For example, when the Patriot entered Chernobyl, they only found out there was a supply depot in the city after they arrived. What if there were no supplies? Wouldn't everyone have made a wasted trip?
The Rhodes Island only offers empty slogans like rescuing the infected and rebuilding a better home. To achieve this, they lack both short-term goals and strategic direction, relying entirely on Talulah's impulsive decisions.
Seeing that the two did not refute, Shi Lei continued:
"There are many types of organizational ideologies, such as socialism which emphasizes fairness and justice, democracy which emphasizes democracy and freedom, conservatism which emphasizes tradition and maintaining the status quo, progressivism which emphasizes leading innovation, and environmentalism which emphasizes ecological protection, etc."
"If you want me to lead you, you need to figure out what this organization exists for. I need to feel capable of leading this team before I'll even consider accepting your allegiance. That's not an unreasonable request, is it?"
Broca shook his head, finding his request reasonable. After all, loyalty isn't one-sided; mutual agreement is essential for a long-term relationship.
"Not at all, not at all. Lord Zhong, to be honest, I have always hoped that you would become the Exotic King who leads the Sarkaz to revival."
This answer was somewhat unexpected by Shi Lei.
He thought Broca would use his status as an infected person to expand his thinking and make some use of it.
"Exotic King? What's the story behind that? I have no intention of conquering everywhere or starting wars."
Patriot lean forward to show respect:
"As far as I know, you have already brought the descendants of the Child of Earth and Stone under your command, which includes many mercenaries and a red-haired Sarkaz of exceptional strength. Coincidentally, most of the guerrillas are also Sarkaz."
We are all stuck in Ursus and have not returned to Kazdel because we refuse to acknowledge Theresis, the 'new king' who murdered Empress Theresia Theresis.