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"Commander Liam, take a look at this, how is it? The quality is good, right? It was brought back today by our privately sponsored explorer team, very fresh. And don't just look at this small plant; the team lost seven or eight people just to bring it back!"
In a large mansion within the Ashen Base, in a study, a smiling rchant was admiring a plant with another elegantly dressed leader.
Its appearance was similar to a rose, but the petals were a deeper blood red, and the stem and buds were twisted in an eerie manner. Despite there being no wind in the room, the blood flower still gently swayed.
Blood Lysi, a creation of the Miasma, but unlike other vegetation corrupted by the Miasma, although highly contaminating, mostly affects the ntal state. After consumption, one's body does not mutate into a Miasma corpse; instead, the mind becos erratic and mad.
The middle-aged man, referred to as "Commander Liam" by the rchant, first brought his nose close to the Blood Lysi and took a deep breath, showing satisfaction with a nod. Then, skillfully putting on gloves, he plucked a petal from the Blood Lysi and placed it in his tea cup. After shaking it slightly, he eagerly took a sip of the tea, which was dyed blood red by the petal.
After one sip, a look of intoxication imdiately appeared on Commander Liam's face. He closed his eyes, as if in a trance. It took several seconds before the feeling passed. Although he looked a bit more haggard, his spirit was extrely excited.
"Mmm, Stan, I can see you've put effort into this. This Blood Lysi is indeed excellent."
"Right? Even you can approve, I believe the other commanders of the Ashen Base will definitely like it too. If we cultivate this species, it's definitely going to be a big deal!"
"Alright, Stan, just say it. How much purification resource do you want?"
"Heh, Commander Liam, you know, the rarer the species, the higher the quality of soil required. To cultivate Blood Lysi, we need to provide at least seven units each month."
The rchant rubbed his hands together, nad his price, and looked over with an expectant gaze.
"Seven units per month," Commander Liam frowned slightly, seemingly hesitant because of the high number.
Purification resources are the most precious resources in the old era, as implied by the na, capable of purifying the Miasma. They are essential for survival, used in everything from food production and water resources to weapon forging and equipnt maintenance.
Seven units of purification resources is not a small number. If Converted, it could change the drinking water for tens of thousands of people from heavily polluted to lightly polluted, and maintain over a hundred machines corroded by Miasma.
Seeing Commander Liam's reaction, the rchant imdiately said, "Who doesn't know that Commander Liam was one of the earliest veterans to follow Lord Ashen! Others might not be able to afford it, but for you."
"Just a re seven units, isn't it just a word from Commander Liam?"
"You're good at talking, but when it cos to following Lord Ashen, hmm, indeed no one can compare to . I am one of the first survivors of the Ashen gathering place. Back then, many looked down on Lord Ashen, thinking the gathering place had no hope, only I have always been consistent, closely following Lord Ashen's pace."
The rchant's words seed to evoke Commander Liam's mories, and when speaking of this experience, Commander Liam's face was filled with pride and satisfaction.
Seeing this, the rchant quickly added a few more flattering remarks:
"That's right! Who can compare to Commander Liam's vision? As a veteran like you, Lord Ashen must trust you very much. Even if there really is sothing, it's impossible to bla you, at most just saying a word or two."
"Haha, look at how you talk! As if I'm doing sothing to betray Lord Ashen! Allocating purification resources to cultivate these Blood Lings is to better serve the core mbers of our base, to improve our work efficiency. Only then can we serve Lord Ashen better, to...cough, better take back the world from the Miasma!"
Commander Liam glared at the rchant, although, especially when ntioning "taking back the world," even he felt a bit embarrassed, but there was no help, this was Lord Ashen's original words, they had to morize it.
As for believing it.
No, it should be said that no one would really believe it, right?
"Oh right, right, right! Look at my mouth, you're right, all of these are to fight against the Miasma, to save the world!"
Afterwards, the rchant and Commander Liam hit it off imdiately, beginning to discuss where to "squeeze out" these seven units of purification resources.
In addition to using Commander Liam's own authority, they also planned to launch an educational campaign within the base.
Encouraging the survivors within the base to be more willing to endure hardships and have a spirit of sacrifice, hoping they would voluntarily give up drinking low-pollution water, to drink dium or even heavily polluted water, and the sa for food.
With the high-ranking officials setting an example, the civilians will surely follow, thus under the guise of "saving," they managed to squeeze out a batch of purification resources.
Of course, Commander Liam didn't dare to pocket all these resources; he first had to return all the high-ranking officials' purification resources in full, and then split the civilians' into a thirty-seventy split, using thirty percent for so real work, and seventy percent for "serving" them.
Just as the two were getting into the swing of the conversation, suddenly a commotion ca from outside the mansion, many guards seed to be trying hard to stop soone from breaking in.
The two in the study were startled by such a disturbance, and when they heard the na "Vice Leader Nova" from outside, the rchant's face changed several tis, becoming sowhat panicked.
"This is bad, Commander Liam! It's Vice Leader Nova! She has been interrogating and arresting several base officials lately, how could she even... She's too bold!?"
"Don't panic, what's the rush? Let her co. Do you think she dares to touch ?"
Commander Liam's face darkened. Being barged into like this, no one would be in a good mood. He flicked his hand and directly opened the door, stepping outside ahead of the others.
Outside in the courtyard, Nova, followed by only two civilians instead of guards, was surrounded by a group of Commander Liam's servants.
Even so, they didn't dare to stop Nova from advancing. Fortunately, Commander Liam ca out directly, and Nova stopped.
"What does Vice Leader an by this? If there's an issue, we could have scheduled a..."
Liam initially tried to smooth things over with so pleasantries, but Nova didn't pay him any mind and directly cut to the chase:
"Commander Liam, you have severely violated nurous regulations set by Lord Ashen. Effective imdiately, you are stripped of your position. Please co with to the detention room for interrogation."
"I violated regulations? Ha, Vice Leader, accusations require evidence. Slandering others isn't good."
No sooner had Commander Liam finished speaking than Nova took out a scanner from her booba.
Pointing it at Commander Liam, the device quickly emitted a familiar electronic synthesized voice.
[New garbage detected, classifying garbage. Parasitic garbage, initiating thorough cleanup mode, configuring cleaning tools]
This chanical voice gave Commander Liam a bad feeling. The device in Nova's hands then began projecting nurous violations committed by Liam, including but not limited to unauthorized use of purification resources, illegally assembling exploration teams, privatization of communal resources, etc., amounting to no less than twenty charges.
'Damn robot!'
The only one capable of this was Zero, that maid. Liam cursed inwardly. Faced with the blatant evidence of corruption, he found it difficult to maintain his composure, angrily saying:
"So what? Ha, I called you Vice Leader out of respect, but what are you really? Don't think I don't know about your filthy background. Since you want to tear off the facade, then don't bla !"
"Listen up, everyone. I've already investigated our Vice Leader here. Guess what, this dragon woman is actually a slave! Just a gladiator slave bought by Lord Ashen from the arena on a whim!"
"You think just because of your looks, you were favored by Lord Ashen and given a vice commander position to play with. You wouldn't really take it seriously, would you? Really think you can investigate ?"
"I'll tell you, when we were fighting Miasma monsters in the wilderness with Lord Ashen, you didn't even know where you were! Lord Ashen's achievents today, isn't it all thanks to the support of us veterans? Arrest ? Do you even qualify!"
"Not to ntion you, even if Suthia herself ca, she would still have to call Uncle Liam. You? What are you worth! Get lost!"
Commander Liam unleashed a torrent of abuse, his tone and montum reaching the peak. Under normal circumstances, indeed, no one would dare to move against such an elder close to Ashen. Unfortunately for him, he was dealing with Nova.
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