Entrusting the Future

"Vivian, the personnel stationed at the Insect Nest will be changing shifts tomorrow morning. We'll be going back to the Banyan Forest together. You can pack your things tonight."

Linsey called Vivian over and told her about her plans.

Aside from occasional diplomatic missions, Vivian now stays with Linsey the whole time whenever she's at the camp.

The girl was already familiar with this way of being raised as an heir.

Upon hearing the plan, she simply asked with a calm expression:

"This time, I got back a few days earlier than last time."

"Is it because of Mr. Sand Dune, or is there some urgent matter in the territory?"

Linsey nodded and said:

"In a little over a month, the Banyan Forest will be preparing to hold another Sports Meet, and we need to go there in advance to make arrangements. Also, several factions from the Wasteland have recently chosen to join us, and it's not convenient to handle their acceptance ceremonies here at the Insect Nest."

"And then there's the Sand Dune you mentioned."

Linsey paused for a moment at this point.

He stood on the fungal carpet, the green fluorescence making his face look somewhat eerie:

"Vivian, do you remember what I said at the beginning about the purpose of our actions in this world?"

Vivian, whose face had also turned green, immediately nodded:

"Of course I remember!"

"You must find an item with immense Life Force to repair the broken connections between worlds!"

Linsey then continued to explain:

"According to the Sand Dune, the land of the Green Swamp retains considerable vitality, and there is no sign of Awakened Ones interfering with it using their skills. My preferred explanation is that there are treasures there with such effects."

Upon hearing about the Green Swamp, Vivian's pent-up emotions, which had been building up since yesterday, finally couldn't be contained any longer.

She clenched her fists and raised her head slightly.

Ask Linsey questions like a real little child:

"Then... is there any news about my father?"

"And Bull and Sister Fanny, they were both captured by the people of the Green Swamp..."

Vivian's eyes flickered slightly.

Linsey patted the other person's head to calm them down before continuing:

"Here is some good news."

"The Green Swamp sees Awakened as a very valuable source of labor. Although they are treated like slaves, their lives are not in danger. In the future, when we defeat the Green Swamp, we will be able to free your father and those friends!"

"..."

Vivian was clearly a little excited.

But after receiving the answer, the child quickly suppressed his emotions and instead adopted the mindset expected of a successor to a powerful position:

"So, what other news is there about the Green Swamp?"

"Given the current state of development of our territory, we are probably no match for them in a direct confrontation."

Vivian is telling the truth.

While the Forest City and the Zerg Mother Nest are developing well, the Green Swamp has accumulated power over decades, and the world's strongest Awakened Ones are also located there.

It's not time for a direct confrontation yet.

Linsey began:

"Things are fine over there; it takes time for news to spread."

"The information Green Swamp has received so far is still based on the situation in the Banyan Forest. Even taking into account the time it took to turn back from the Sand Dune, they are probably only just now learning that we have sent a mission."

Vivian naturally came to the conclusion:

"So that means there will be at most six months before a new campaign is planned?"

Linsey shook her head again:

"No, our activities will last longer than six months."

"According to the information gathered by Sand Dune, the true ruler of the Green Swamp has not shown his face for a long time. His high-level Awakened subordinates dare not disturb the infamous Snake King. At present, they have simply established their own strongholds in the Green Swamp and govern according to the laws promulgated by the other party."

"For a newly emerging power like us," Linsey said, a rare smile appearing on his lips, "It will take them at least a year and a half to actually send troops to fight us after going through all the complicated procedures!"

"At that time..."

Linsey glanced at the fluorescent fungal carpet around her and let out a cold laugh.

One year!

At that time, the Zerg population will reach 3,000, completing the upgrade to a Level 3 Civilization.

With the power of the Zerg, a true war machine.

In Wasteland where top-level forces are almost scarce, it will probably truly be a scene of 'How can you lose with a hydralisk push? in?'

Today, Vivian has come to a profound understanding of the power and terrifying nature of Linsey's skills.

Given enough time.

The girl was not surprised at all by the outcome of the war.

So she returned to the initial topic, focusing the questions on Linsey's personal future direction:

"Mr. Linsey, are you heading to the Dust Road World immediately after you've repaired the world connection?"

Linsey nodded in agreement:

"To be precise, it is the City of Law, the Dust Road World, which is just one of the places I must cross."

Vivian could tell from Linsey's tone that she was determined to leave!

The girl immediately panicked:

"But, Mr. Linsey, you..."

Linsey abruptly interrupted Vivian's hesitation:

"Vivian, this Wasteland was once called the Moon Weeping Mountain Range World, and it once had a prosperous Civilization and happy people living there. But because of war, this beautiful world has fallen to its current state."

As she spoke, Linsey stepped forward.

He stepped onto the fungal carpet and led Vivian back to the ground, leaving the Insect Nest.

Finally, standing at the entrance to the canyon, he pointed to the distant east:

"Look over there."

"That was the true heart of the war, the place that triggered all the tragedies."

"If we want tragedies like the Moon Weeping Mountain Range World to never happen again, we must go straight to the source and deal with what's going on there!"

Vivian still wanted to try to persuade him to stay:

"But, if that's the case, you should stay here and manage the territory with us. Your skills are so powerful; as long as we develop slowly and work together..."

Linsey shook her head again.

"Vivian, you're wrong."

"A true high-level awakened being is not the same concept as a soldier in the ordinary sense. Just like the Zerg army is winning one victory after another, but once a sixth or Seventh Stage awakened being emerges from among the Mutated Ones, all advantages will vanish."

"At that point, there will be no other way but for me to take the risk and try it."

Linsey paused slightly at this point.

He couldn't possibly spout nonsense like developing territory out of pity or helping him find something that brings together Life Force.

Linsey then revealed the cruel reality of the world:

"Although I don't want to admit to so-called heroism, in such a world, when an individual's abilities are strong enough, they can affect everything."

Linsey turned to look at Vivian.

As the sun set, its dim light fell precisely between him and the canyon.

Linsey's tone was extremely serious, and this was the first time she had directly entrusted her life to the girl in front of her:

"Vivian, the territory remains here; I cannot take it with me."

"It must also be controlled, managed, and developed by reliable and trustworthy people."

"Although Hammer and the others are also my capable assistants, their personal views are objectively constrained by their age because they come from the barren Wasteland. People like Ryan have no problem with their thinking, but they are too old."

"So no matter when or where, only young people like you are the future."