Complete Control of the Underworld

Who was that boy?

Why did that name make her heart tighten?

Why had she felt happy when she first saw him, only to become inexplicably furious afterward?

Why?

Stelle silently ate her meal, but her thoughts drifted far away.

Chapter 47: Complete Control of the Underworld

Jiang Mo sat there for a long time. Only when he saw the small, thin shadow cast against the tent did he come back to his senses.

He began sorting through his thoughts.

Previously, through Natasha, he had already firmly brought Wildfire under his control.

After this battle, Wildfire seized supplies and eliminated its greatest rival, allowing it to swiftly take control of the mining areas formerly occupied by Iron Claw, along with several other key locations.

Wildfire was no longer merely a local organization in Boulder Town. It had become the Underworld's undisputed largest force.

Jiang Mo's goal was clear: expand Wildfire until it could speak to those people in the Upper District as equals.

Or even make them unable to ignore his existence.

Mm, the plan was already in place. All that remained was to wait for the right opportunity...

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Jiang Mo! I'm back!"

The door was flung open, and biting cold air swept inside.

Seele appeared in the doorway. Her blue-black short hair was slightly tousled, but her face was full of excitement.

She had now fully integrated into Wildfire and had become Oleg's most capable young member.

"Today, we cleared out a huge area in the northern junkyard! We found quite a few usable parts!"

As she spoke, she skillfully took off her coat and casually hung it on the wall.

Under Wildfire's training, she had become more agile and had also learned better how to work with others.

"Is that so? That's great."

Jiang Mo walked over and took the bag she handed him. Inside were some scavenged scrap materials and tools.

"Uncle Oleg said we have enough people now, so we're going to start expanding into the surrounding areas! We'll be going to places farther away and more dangerous."

"There are more monsters in those places, and they're stronger too."

Jiang Mo handed her a steaming hot baked bun.

"Be careful, Seele."

Seele took the bun and held it in her hands to warm them, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.

"Mm, I know. Uncle Oleg and everyone else take good care of me."

She took a bite of the bun, and the warmth instantly drove the chill from her body.

"But it's really tiring... Training every day, patrolling, and going to all those dangerous places."

She sighed, then quickly perked up again.

"But when I see the people in town able to sleep peacefully, and when I see the supplies we bring back helping everyone eat their fill, it all feels worth it!"

She raised her head. "Jiang Mo, do you know? Before, I only thought about how I could survive, how I could become stronger so no one could bully me."

"Now it's different. In Wildfire, I feel like I'm fighting for more people."

"Uncle Oleg said that Wildfire is the hope of the Underworld! We have to make this place better!"

Jiang Mo listened quietly without interrupting her.

This was good. A warrior with conviction was more valuable than a mere thug.

Before long, Seele finished the bun and felt much warmer.

She chatted with Jiang Mo about Wildfire's daily affairs, such as who had made a fool of themselves during training today and who had rendered great service during an expedition.

Soon, exhausted from talking, the two returned to their own beds.

Jiang Mo lay down and quickly fell asleep.

The days passed one by one, and Wildfire's reputation and scale expanded rapidly.

However, new management problems came with it.

How should they fairly distribute seized supplies? How could they unite newly joined members from vastly different backgrounds?

Oleg was an outstanding warrior and leader, but when it came to complex organizational management, he seemed somewhat rough around the edges.

Natasha, meanwhile, relayed the problems to Jiang Mo.

"A point system? Distributing supplies based on contributions? Isn't that too coldhearted?"

In the clinic, Natasha frowned tightly as she listened to Jiang Mo's management proposal.

"We're Wildfire, not an interest group. Everyone gathered here so the Underworld could survive."

Jiang Mo calmly said, "Survival itself is the greatest interest. Without rules, there can be no order. Without order, Wildfire will collapse."

"Tell Oleg that the point system will let everyone understand their own value and motivate them. At the same time, divide responsibilities into groups so everyone has a clear task and internal friction is reduced."

"This is the most efficient method, Sister Natasha. Trust me."

Natasha fell silent.

She knew Jiang Mo had a point.

Wildfire had indeed experienced some friction due to uneven distribution and unclear responsibilities.

Afterward, she relayed the proposal to Oleg.

Though Oleg found it somewhat impersonal, considering Wildfire's current situation, he decided to give it a try.

The facts proved that Jiang Mo's proposal worked.

The point system stirred the members' competitive spirit, while the responsibility groups made Wildfire operate more smoothly.

Rather than declining, Wildfire's cohesion grew stronger because its goals were clear and its rewards and punishments were distinct.

Seeing these results, complicated emotions surged within Natasha.

Jiang Mo's abilities earned a measure of her admiration. This child always seemed able to offer the most efficient solution.

But at the same time, she felt a deep fear.

How could a twelve-year-old child possess such cold, seasoned calculation?

It was as though he had not grown up in this frozen wasteland, but had come from a world filled with schemes and power struggles.

In the end, that fear became an even deeper dependence.

Because her only hope was still in this child's hands.

After Wildfire established itself firmly in Boulder Town,

Jiang Mo began considering longer-term plans.

Controlling Boulder Town alone was not enough. He needed more resources and greater strength to truly contend with the Upper District.

"Sister Natasha, Wildfire needs stronger armaments. We can't rely only on our fists and scavenged weapons."

Jiang Mo offered Natasha a bold suggestion.

"I know there are abandoned armories and large machines in the Underworld. We can organize people to explore them, search for usable weapons and equipment, and even modify some machinery into defensive fortifications."

This proposal carried great risks.

Those abandoned areas were usually inhabited by stronger Riftworld Monsters, and other forces might also be eyeing those resources.

Listening to him, Natasha felt they were moving too fast.

But when she thought of Vahk, she clenched her teeth.

"Alright. I'll arrange it."

Wildfire began carrying out Jiang Mo's new plan.

They organized expedition teams and headed for abandoned areas marked as extremely dangerous on the map.

These missions were far more dangerous than their previous patrols.

They encountered more vicious Riftworld Monsters and clashed with other forces that also coveted these resources.

During one mission to explore an abandoned factory, the team Seele was assigned to encountered a group of unusually powerful Riftworld Monsters.

The Wildfire members were caught completely off guard.

The captain was injured, and the team was split apart and surrounded.

Seele had to make a choice: retreat to save herself, or risk her life to rescue the surrounded teammates?

She did not hesitate.

Relying on her agility, she charged into the monster horde, drawing their attention and buying time for her teammates to escape.

Though she suffered multiple injuries, she and most of her teammates ultimately escaped safely.

This experience made Seele more mature.

The courage and sense of responsibility Uncle Oleg displayed during the battle further strengthened her faith in Wildfire.

She wanted to become stronger and protect more people.

When she returned to the shelter, Seele was covered in exhaustion and wounds.

Jiang Mo had already prepared steaming meat soup and simple bandages for her.

"You're hurt?" Jiang Mo walked over and handed her a cup of hot water.

Seele accepted the cup, warmth flowing in from her palms.

She shook her head, her blue-black hair swaying with the motion.

"Just minor injuries. It's nothing."

She sat beside Jiang Mo, leaned against the wall, and let out a long breath.

This was the only place where she could completely relax.

"Today's mission was very dangerous..."

Jiang Mo listened while wiping away the blood that had seeped through her bandages.

He did not interrupt her, only softly replying with a word or two when she reached important points.

His words seemed casual, yet they guided Seele to consider the details of the mission, analyze the enemy's weaknesses, and summarize her combat experience.

"You're right, Jiang Mo." Seele looked at him seriously. "Next time, we can try going around from that direction. The old road there might let us avoid the monsters."

Jiang Mo nodded, a gentle smile on his face.

Seele felt a familiar sense of reassurance by his side.

No matter how dangerous the outside world was, no matter how difficult Wildfire's missions became, when she returned here and stayed with Jiang Mo, she could find a moment of peace.

Although she had never known what a home felt like and had never enjoyed one,

at this moment, she inexplicably felt a sense of belonging to a home.

Time continued to move forward.

Jiang Mo turned eleven.

The Underworld fell completely under Wildfire's control.

Wildfire's membership surged. Patrol teams spread across every corner of the Underworld. The various forces that had once existed were either absorbed or driven out, and the entire Underworld entered a rare period of relative stability.

Jiang Mo turned twelve...