The leader

At the question, Zhou Yun suddenly smiled with pride:

"Our leader is a great man!"

"He was among the first to enter the Realm of the Dead."

"Back then, there were no Administrators yet."

"At first, there weren't that many people in the first group to enter the Realm of the Dead."

"Some of them quickly secured resources and discovered how to upgrade their rings."

"They also built the black houses, where newcomers were born."

"And they held the Death Game to select outstanding players to join them."

"And so, their influence kept growing."

"They also kept a firm grip on the power of Mutation, along with the secrets and resources needed to upgrade rings."

"They were the original Administrators."

"The Administrators believed that because the Realm of the Dead was barren and desolate, everything from food and water to the energy needed to upgrade Mutations was extremely scarce and limited,"

"Resources should therefore remain firmly in the hands of the strong."

"And the weak should be eliminated in the Death Game."

"Our leader refused to take part in such a system."

"He believed that we were all equal."

"Resources should be shared with everyone, not monopolized by those at the top."

"Besides, he didn't want to participate in this competitive game. He believed we shouldn't waste our time in this world."

"Rather than rack our brains fighting over resources here, we should spend more time thinking about how to get back."

"So he left those greedy people and founded the Realm of Life."

"The Realm of Life has a widely known slogan-"

"The living endure forever."

"Our leader believes we're all living people, and we don't belong here."

"We belong in the real world."

"The mission of the Realm of Life is to find a way to leave the Realm of the Dead and return to where the living belong."

"Oh, right. I think the leader mentioned that he knows you."

Lin Jie raised his eyebrows in puzzlement. "He knows me?"

"That's impossible. This is only my second day here. I don't know anyone."

Zhou Yun smiled. "He didn't meet you here."

"To be precise, it was before he died."

They entered an office building and stopped outside a room.

"Here we are. This is the leader's office."

"He's getting on in years, but he still insists on working late every day."

"Wait outside for a moment. I'll go report to him first."

With that, Zhou Yun pushed open the door and entered the room.

Lin Jie waited outside.

The door wasn't very soundproof, and muffled sounds of discussion came from within.

Lin Jie had no intention of eavesdropping, but his hearing was simply too good.

The conversation still reached his ears.

"Da Zhou, you're back? How did the mission go?"

"What happened to your face? Did something go wrong?"

An elderly voice rang out.

Judging by his voice, the leader had to be at least sixty.

He knew me before he died? Lin Jie didn't remember having any elderly friends he knew well in the real world.

"Ah, it's just a scratch. Never mind that. The mission went smoothly. Lin Jie is perfectly safe." That was Zhou Yun's voice.

"As long as you're both all right."

"By the way, Leader, there's something important I need to report." Zhou Yun's tone suddenly grew serious.

"We encountered people from the Aurora Church on the way. They lay in ambush along our route and launched a surprise attack on our troops."

The Aurora Church?

Lin Jie keenly picked up on the name.

So that was the name of the organization One-Eyed Dragon's army belonged to?

Zhou Yun continued, "We suffered some losses, but they weren't particularly severe."

The leader sounded surprised. "You came under enemy attack?"

"That's strange. The entire plan was carried out in secret. Only our people knew about today's operation. How could the Aurora Church have set up an ambush in advance?"

"That's why, Leader, I suspect..." Zhou Yun suddenly lowered his voice. "Could someone among us have leaked the information?"

"Impossible! Everyone in our Realm of Life is a brother or sister. How could there be a traitor among us?" The leader's voice was firm.

"Besides, this mission was top secret. No one outside the Realm of Life's top leadership knew the details."

"Da Zhou, there are only a few of us in the top leadership. We all know each other inside out. We were comrades who faced life and death together. Who would leak information?"

Zhou Yun didn't sound confident either. "I find it strange too. But it's the only possibility."

"After all, this mission had the Secrecy Mutation applied to it. Not even the Oracle could predict what would happen during the mission."

"I can't think of any possibility other than an insider leaking the information."

But the leader sighed. "I still don't believe there's a mole among the leadership."

"After all, trust is the foundation that has carried us this far."

"We'll discuss this in detail another time."

"By the way, where's that boy Lin Jie?"

Zhou Yun answered, "He's waiting right outside."

"What are you waiting for, then? Hurry and let him in."

"I haven't seen him in over a decade. I wonder if he still remembers me."

The conversation ended there, and Lin Jie heard footsteps approaching the door.

Zhou Yun opened the door. "Lin Jie, come in."

Lin Jie stepped inside.

When he saw the leader's face, his eyes widened.

"Uncle Yan?!"

The leader was a kindly little old man over fifty, with graying hair.

But his eyes were bright, and his every movement was full of vitality.

"Ha! You really haven't forgotten your uncle, kid!"

"Where's that girl Lin Zhi? Didn't she come with you?"

"My sister went ahead to the refugee apartments," Lin Jie said excitedly. "Uncle Yan, I never imagined you'd come to the Realm of the Dead too!"

Uncle Yan, whose full name was Yan Sheng, had raised Lin Jie and his sister.

Lin Jie and his sister had lost their parents when they were little.

It was Uncle Yan who had brought them up.

Uncle Yan had treated them as his own children and had never treated them poorly.

It could be said that Uncle Yan was Lin Jie's second father.

But good people died young. Before Lin Jie turned ten, Uncle Yan had died of illness.

As a result, Lin Jie had been forced to shoulder the responsibility of raising his sister alone.

Even the house Lin Jie and his sister now lived in had been left to them by Uncle Yan.

Uncle Yan smiled kindly.

"Lin Jie, when you count it up, it's been almost ten years since we last saw each other."

"When I learned you were coming, I felt both joy and sorrow."

"Joy because we could finally reunite."

"Sorrow because, kid, how could you have died so young?"

Lin Jie looked a little embarrassed. "It's a long story..."

"And my sister... I'm sorry, Uncle Yan. I promised you back then that I'd take good care of her after you were gone."

"But I never expected Lin Zhi to have an accident too..."

Uncle Yan waved a hand. "Let's not dwell on sad things. Look, our family can still be reunited."

"And I promise you, the Realm of Life will get everyone out."

His tone suddenly grew somewhat serious.

"Lin Jie, there are some things I need to tell you."

Lin Jie grew serious too. "Go ahead, Uncle Yan. I'm listening."

Uncle Yan's eyes shone.

"Though you may already know."

"You are this world's-"

"Savior."