Chapter 286

"Of course, I remember everything you said behind my back."

"Ah, this..."

Exusiai a social death on the spot, burying her head in her workstation and pretending to be dead. She was so engrossed in her work that she wanted to disappear into the ground. She'd been with the company for years and only now realized how good the boss's hearing was.

The Emperor knew that Exusiai's complaints behind her back weren't malicious; they were mostly just grumbling and complaining.

It didn't seem inclined to delve deeper, simply smiling and nodding at Shi Lei. Then, with its hands behind its back, it returned to its office to continue composing music.

Lungmen, the Core City.

After leaving Penguin Logistics, Wei Yenwu secretly contacted his personal guards. The Shadow Guard, an elite unit composed of former Yan imperial guards, launched an investigation into the incident.

They went deep into the grassroots, talking to refugees outside the city to learn about the situation at the time, hoping to obtain firsthand information.

Unfortunately, the refugees were afraid of the guerrillas and kept a safe distance, not daring to get too close.

All they saw was a vast, dark mass of people kneeling before a figure wearing a golden mask. They had no idea why they were kneeling or what they were saying.

The shadow guards, having found nothing, could only report back truthfully.

Whether driven by curiosity or for the safety of Lungmen, Wei Yenwu wanted to find out who the mysterious man wearing the golden mask was.

353 Yet they knew the suffering of the common people. 3K

December 26, 8:40 pm

Broca's guerrillas and the infected led by Hegre retreated to a wasteland about 20 kilometers from Lungmen, as agreed yesterday.

There are many rolling hills here, the vegetation looks bare, and the view is very open.

They set up camp here and sent out numerous Scout to ensure that no suspicious individuals would appear within a three-kilometer radius of the camp.

Winter nights are longer than summer nights. The pale moonlight shines selflessly upon the land. The flames in the fire flicker in the wind, like a struggle against an undying hope.

Broca and Hegre sat around the campfire in the center of the camp.

Two former high-ranking Ursus officers, veterans of countless battles and distinguished service, now seemed like students facing their graduation defense, filled with anxiety.

Because the answers they would submit would directly affect the future of thousands of them, Zhongli, who had the power to decide everything, naturally became a strict mentor.

"Captain, I must solemnly declare."

Hegre, fearing he might say the wrong thing, reminded him:

"When Lord Zhong arrives, you must not bring up any topic related to 'repaying kindness.' It's true that we are willing to be loyal, and it's also true that we depend on him for survival. Lord Zhong doesn't seem to like hearing empty words, so just say what actually happened."

Broca grinned wryly and sighed:

"General, I understand. Yesterday's operation was indeed ill-considered and too hasty. I assure you, I will not mention repaying the favor later."

After leaving Lungmen, the two reflected deeply. Only then did they gradually understand why Lord Zhong had seemed so unhappy at the time.

They talked about repaying a debt of gratitude, saying they were willing to risk their lives, even their hearts. But in reality, they just wanted to rely on Shi Lei to secure their survival.

"Lord Zhong must think that our repeated emphasis on repaying kindness was very hypocritical. We might as well be more honest later and tell him what we need. That way, he won't be disgusted and might understand our difficulties."

Hegre looked up at the sky and, seeing that Broca silent, continued to remind him:

"Also, when you ask about the organization's ideology later, don't mention anything about reviving the Sarkaz. In my humble opinion, Lord Zhong is a peace lover. He won't start a war, but he will stop people from doing bad things. I'm afraid only saying that the organization's ideology is pacifism will satisfy him."

Broca knew it was his fault and humbly accepted Hegre's accusations.

Reviving the Sarkaz race is a lofty ideal cherished by almost every Sarkaz.

The Sarkaz, who once inhabited this land, were suppressed by an Allied Forces of nations for thousands of years. This desire to reclaim their racial glory is deeply ingrained.

But looking at it from another perspective, it's already quite generous of Lord Zhong to provide them with shelter. To ask him to do anything more would be really pushing his luck.

Broca didn't respond, Hegre remained silent as well. It was almost nine o'clock; Lord Zhong should be arriving soon. He should quickly review the entire plan now, lest he say something wrong later.

Patriot thought they had considered many things at the time, but after calming down, they realized they were very wrong.

The issue of having no fixed abode is actually the simplest one. Lord Zhong built a sturdy fortress at Lake Baikal in just a few minutes, so it must not have been a difficult task for him.

Establishing a base in the mountains presents numerous challenges. How will scarce resources be replenished? What crops are suitable for the mountainous environment? Where will the seeds come from? How will the generated waste be disposed of?

If a water source can be found, the water problem will be solved. But how can a stable food source be obtained? How can modern electricity be acquired? Even without electricity, how can a communication network be established?

Considering future human traffic, how should roads and bridges be planned and arranged? What local specialties exist in the mountains that can be traded for value? If Lord Zhong chooses to let the livestock roam freely and doesn't come frequently, how can the several thousand people leverage their strengths and avoid their weaknesses to achieve self-sufficiency using existing resources?

Furthermore, for those wishing to reside there long-term, challenges such as public safety, security management, fire prevention, and education must be considered. Building a city capable of accommodating tens of thousands of infected individuals is no less difficult than rebuilding Kazdel.

Both faced almost identical predicaments, but the latter failed. Countless compatriots fled to other countries, unwilling to stay. This place, once considered the home of the Sarkaz, is now a dilapidated nation riddled with problems.

Hegre might not understand, but Patriot, having lived for so many years, knew the difficulties all too well.

The most significant problem was the shortage of supplies. Secondly, there was the trade blockade, which prevented them from trading with neighboring countries.

They built cities within Ursus, so they certainly couldn't expect to trade with the Mobile Cities on the mainland.

The Emperor of Ursus might refrain from sending troops to conquer the mountain cities, considering the risks outweigh the benefits. But expecting him to open the ports for trade is nothing short of wishful thinking.

"Lord Zhong has arrived!"

A short while later, a shout interrupted their thoughts.

Shi Lei, dressed in a black silk robe and wearing a gold mask, walked in from the perimeter of the camp.

Good evening, Lord Zhong!

"This way, Lord Zhong!"

He nodded in response to their warm greetings and casually created a rock table and chairs for the meeting.

In fact, Shi Lei's concerns had already been addressed by his boss before he even arrived. However, he still wanted to know what solutions Patriot and Hegre could offer:

Have you considered those three questions?

The two former Ursus generals exchanged a glance, and finally, Hegre stepped forward to answer. Broca rarely communicated with his subordinates and feared making a mistake, only took responsibility for a small part of the explanation.

"Lord Zhong, we've thought it through. The organization's goal is to build a beautiful home where there are no racial barriers and everyone can live together peacefully. Regardless of whether future members are infected or not, as long as they love peace and can put aside all prejudices, they can be accepted by our organization."

"Well, how exactly do you plan to implement this? I'd like to hear your general ideas."

What follows might be offensive. This was requested by Broca to be said:

"Lord Zhong, if you want to build a home, you must first choose a suitable location. Ursus has a large territory, bordering Sami to the west, Kazimierz to the southwest, Sargon to the south, and Yan to the southeast. After repeated discussions, we feel that the first three are not good choices, so we have decided to build a new city on the high mountains on the border between Ursus and Yan."

Building a home is an enormous burden for us. We hope you can lend a helping hand and build a city that can accommodate tens of thousands of people.

Regarding water, we will obtain it from nearby rivers, lakes, and groundwater. For food, we can hunt and raise Fowlbeast. However, these two methods are insufficient to meet the daily needs of several thousand people, so we will need your help to purchase grain and crop seeds. We cannot provide the money directly, but we can provide an IOU in advance.

Regarding electricity and communication, we haven't found a solution. I could go to the ruins of Chernobyl and see if I can find any usable electrical parts.

We also want to establish caravans to trade with Yan and Higashi. However, I don't know if there's a road leading to Higashi from the mountains; this requires on-site investigation. We also need your help with economic matters..."

Broca aside pleasantries, conveyed to Lord Zhong the various difficulties they were currently facing. These difficulties covered more than ten aspects.

As General Hella said, it's better to be frank than to hide it. Making excuses or remaining silent will definitely lead to rejection. But if you speak up, there's a 50% chance of success.

"Hmm, what about organizational ideology?"

Shi Lei knew that both of them were highly skilled military commanders adept at battlefield command. Asking such talented individuals about domestic affairs was indeed asking the impossible.

But what he wanted wasn't a perfect plan. Anything he could come up with would be a lie.

If there are difficulties, find a way to solve them. Avoidance and cover-ups are ways of dealing with problems that Shi Lei dislikes.

He wanted to understand Broca and Hegre's attitudes when facing difficulties through these questions.

If, at this point, one still cannot be honest and instead makes various excuses, Shi Lei will not accept that person, no matter how strong their military capabilities are.

Broca answered the second question, while Hegre stepped forward to answer the third:

"Lord Zhong, I don't quite understand this. I'm not sure if the organization's guiding ideology falls under the category of pacifism. Our team loves peace and will not take actions like the Rhodes Island that proactively attack other Mobile Cities. If any force dares to invade our home, we will fight back with our lives."

Furthermore, we treat all new members equally. Regardless of race or whether they are infected, there will be no discrimination. When resources are scarce, we will manage them centrally and distribute them according to the principle of "the more you work, the more you get." As the population grows, we will assign jobs centrally. We hope that every member will contribute to building a better home together...

Before Hegre could finish speaking, Shi Lei suddenly heard the cries of children and women outside the camp.

His hearing is more acute than that of ordinary people, especially when his Psychic Power is activated.

"Excuse me, please wait a moment."

Shi Lei interrupted him and turned to leave the camp.

Hegre, unaware of what was going on, thought he had said something wrong. He exchanged a worried look with Broca and then chased after him.

Shi Lei followed the sound of crying and came to the outside of the camp.

A middle-aged woman was found crying as she fed sawdust and chaff to a three- or four-year-old child. The child's mouth was pricked by the sawdust, and he was crying loudly in pain.

Hegre was very surprised to recognize the Originium-related illness from the Azazel Clinic:

Why are you feeding this to your child?

The middle-aged woman raised her head, her eyes slightly red and swollen:

"I'm sorry, I'm out of food. The child is very hungry, so I can only feed her a little bit of what I have to eat."

"What? Didn't I send out food?"

"I shared the steamed bun with my husband. He had a flare-up of his Originium-related illness and was very weak."

Shi Lei frowned beneath his mask, feeling as if an invisible force was tightening around his heart.

Although I have no intention of vying for power, I am aware of the suffering of the common people.

Why.

354 The Temptation of Money 3K

Seeing Hegre standing right in front of her with a very serious expression, the middle-aged woman wondered if she had done something wrong, letting her leader see something he shouldn't have.

She hugged the wailing child tightly and kept apologizing to Shi Lei, who was wearing a mask.

"My lord, I'm so sorry. Did I say something wrong? I'm so sorry, I..."

Seeing the woman's frightened expression, Shi Lei comforted her:

"It's okay, don't be so nervous. I just heard crying and came to see what was going on."

Having said that, he turned his head to look at Broca and Hegre, and gave the order:

"Go and call all the infected and guerrillas over here. I have something important to tell you."

"Yes, Lord Zhong!"

The two men dared not delay and quickly went to greet them.

Since the Scout teams are scattered around the area, it will probably take a little longer to get them back.

While waiting, Shi Lei secretly created 20 Geo Treasure Chests using the Rock Element. He then filled them with extremely pure gold bars and closed the lids.

After waiting for about half an hour, the guerrillas and patients from Azazel Clinic arrived. The two groups together numbered nearly three thousand.

Since there were no loudspeakers on site, Broca worried that people far away wouldn't hear it. So he arranged for a small team to relay what they heard.

"Lord Zhong, the entire guerrilla force has arrived."

"My lord, all my men have arrived."

After listening to their reports, Shi Lei nodded. He looked around, then turned his gaze to the shadows where there was no light:

"Some of you know who I am, and some don't, but that doesn't matter. In the days to come, we plan to travel to the mountains and forests within Ursus to build a brand new city. This will be a paradise that doesn't care about race or the identity of the infected, a place that seeks to eliminate barriers and pursue peace."

However, building this city will involve many unknown hardships. For example, resource scarcity and a complete economic blockade are all unavoidable challenges.

I've gathered you all here today so you can make choices about your own lives. If you're willing to join us in building a better home and strive for it, then you can step back and await further instructions.

If you don't want to come along, I absolutely won't force you. Anyone who wants to leave the group can come to me and collect a gold bar.

The money should last a long time if I exchange it for local currency. From now on, whether we go to nearby Lungmen or other cities, we will have no further connection.

I guarantee that no one will obstruct you throughout the entire process, and I won't cause you any trouble afterwards. Whether you choose to leave and wait or take your money and leave is up to you.

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Lei suddenly lifted the lid of the box.