Nelson and the others weren't particularly surprised by Li Wei's question. If anything, being consulted by the Lord felt like an honor.
Over the past few months, everyone had found their footing. They had stable expectations for the future. Watching the camp grow and flourish — the satisfaction of building sothing from nothing, of having a ho — was sothing no slogan or speech could adequately describe.
As a group of people who had survived the apocalypse for fifteen years, they understood exactly how rare this new beginning was.
The Profession Card binding had opened a new world for them. But what made it even better was that this new system didn't replace everything — it still needed the old experience, the old-world knowledge and tools to function. Everyone could find their place here. Everyone felt a sense of ownership, of purpose and responsibility. That kind of cohesion, that genuine enthusiasm rising from deep within — that was the rarest thing of all.
"My Lord, I have a suggestion — I'm not sure if it's appropriate. I may say sothing wrong. Please forgive in advance."
Nelson spoke first. As Freeman Administrator, his standing among the Freen was the highest.
"I believe this is actually quite complicated. The natural persons in the Sica City underground base have depended on the Fla Duke's protection for so long that they've developed a kind of warped dependency. You should know — Sica City originally had close to a hundred thousand survivors. A great deal of terrible things happened over the years. I won't go into detail now. Many of the people from our Base 349 originally fled from Sica City."
"So, with respect, you'll need to find a way to correct that warped dependency. Because they've been conducting their own experints — trying to manufacture Ability Users to serve as their protectors. The things they've done for that purpose are horrifying."
"Mark and Grant would know best about that."
"Mark! Mark!" Mark burst out, agitated, gesturing wildly. Grant gave a bitter smile and stayed silent — only the creak of his clenched fists spoke for him.
"My Lord — what Mark ans is: that place is a cesspit. If most survivor bases in the apocalypse are cesspits, that one is the biggest and most foul of all. He was forced to beco an Ability User and eventually lost his mind. If not for you, My Lord, what difference would there be between him and a zombie?"
"Most of the people in that base are probably pitiable — but at least half of them deserve to die. If you'll allow it, I'll go judge them myself. I'll hang every last one of those bastards."
Grant, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. He too had been an early-stage infected. Over the past month, his combat performance, strategic thinking, and command ability had earned high praise from Li Yue, Liang Yuzhi, Thomas, and Leon alike — a rare talent with genuine leadership potential.
He had placed first on this month's comndation list, which was why he was included in this eting.
"Speak freely."
"Thank you, My Lord. My suggestion is this: in the na of the Frost Duke, demand that the Sica City underground base provide twenty people per month as tribute. That way, those scum will prioritize sending out the innocent natural persons first. Those people will be terrified — they'll think they're being sent to their deaths, just like we were. But the facts will prove them wrong. They'll turn out to be the lucky ones."
"Slow and steady, like a soft blade through flesh. It won't take long to extract the people worth saving. Then we can force our way in and put the rest on trial."
"Wait — Grant, aren't you forgetting sothing? Sica City is already My Lord's territory. One word from him and we break open that underground base. I'll lead the charge myself. Anyone who resists gets cut down. Why does it need to be this complicated?"
Benjamin frowned. This suggestion felt far too timid.
"Ha."
Grant shook his head. "Young man, you don't understand. You should ask your father what makes Sica City base so dangerous."
Linus gave a bitter smile. "My Lord — yes, Sica City is a special case. There are two small nuclear power plants inside, and they've been fitted with self-destruct devices. Those were installed during the original power struggle against the Fla Duke, and they're controlled by sothing called the Sica City Survivor Managent Committee."
"As Nelson said — their psychology has been warped to the point where they only recognize the Fla Duke's model of protection. Forcing the doors open won't work. Trying to relocate them won't work. Talk to them about rules and reason, and they'll play dumb. Threaten force, and they'll detonate. Those people are capable of anything."
"My Lord, with respect — these maggots aren't worth wasting our breath on. Grant's thod is the right one."
Linus was blunt about it — he was busy enough with the electric truck production plans, sleeping only a few hours a night. Being called over to discuss the future of that garbage was the last thing he wanted.
"That's on . Alright — that's what we'll do. Tomorrow, Santiago, Benjamin, Mark, Grant, and Xavier — take the electric buses to the Sica City base and collect people. One hundred of them. Thomas and Leon will support you."
Li Wei ended the eting cleanly. No further discussion needed.
The rest of the ti passed quickly. The clouds overhead cleared even faster. By evening, only a few scattered wisps remained, and golden sunset light poured down — as if the month's gloom had finally burned away. Even the children ca running outside, laughing and chasing each other.
The sll of dinner drifted through the air like a beautiful song.
Many people stood on the first-floor platform, breathing in the fresh air, gazing at the blazing sunset. Soone started playing a harmonica. Soone else began to dance. It was a natural person tradition — surviving the hardest month of the year ant you'd likely live another year. How lucky they were.
This ti, Li Wei didn't join the Freen in raising a cup to celebrate. This month-end was different.
Up on the fifth floor, in the dining room, Li Wei, Li Yue, Li Feng, Zhao Guozhu, Liang Yuying, Thomas, Leon, Zhao Xuanxuan, and Zhang Jinjun — nine people in total — sat around the table. Except for Zhang Jinjun, who seed entirely unbothered, no one had much appetite.
The mood was difficult to put into words.
They ate in a subdued silence. When everyone set down their utensils at roughly the sa mont, the bright light fixture above the table suddenly released a single droplet of light — soft, like a water drop falling.
The mont it touched the table, more tiny droplets scattered outward like golden serpents, leaving behind fold after fold of golden light — like pages of a book being turned by so invisible hand.
The dining room where they sat — real just a mont ago — suddenly felt as though they were inside an illustration in a book.
And stranger still: they watched themselves being pulled out of that illustrated world.
They felt nothing throughout. But they had already, invisibly, shifted between worlds.
It was a void. They still sat motionless at the table — but it was no longer the sa world. The room around them, the dishes and food, the kitchen staff nearby — all gone.
Then, in the void ahead, a door opened. Behind it was a world of brilliant gold and towering grandeur — but it wasn't Weir City.
The person who stepped through the door was soone they all recognized imdiately.
Night Owl — the Ministry of Internal Affairs' chief Internal Affairs Officer. But she was no longer dressed in her usual black. If the Night Owl of before had been like a deadly phantom in the darkness, the woman before them now was a dangerous, thorned rose — a different kind of striking beauty.
What Li Wei and Li Yue both noticed imdiately was the special emblem on her chest. It hadn't been there before.
So Night Owl's position had changed?
Because Li Wei had locked in his victory early — had she won as a result?
"Everyone — congratulations. You've witnessed a settlent that, in Weir City alone, hasn't been seen in at least a century."
Night Owl spoke calmly. Her gaze settled on Li Wei first, and she gave a slight smile — sothing like approval. Then she looked at Li Yue. The smile remained, but there was an inexplicable chill beneath it.
"You all know who I am, but I think an introduction is still in order. I am now the Chief Casting Witch of the Royal Capital's Ministry of Magic, Weir City Branch — and the Guardian of Thorns Pass in Weir Province."
"I had no need to personally oversee this month-end settlent. But one of you is my most prized disciple, and another is the dearest companion of my life. I had no choice but to co."
"Now — anyone who wants to settle and leave right now, go ahead. Don't waste my ti."
As her words fell, a large standing mirror appeared behind her, its surface shimring like water — so kind of magic mirror.
At that, Li Feng and Liang Yuying didn't hesitate. They lowered their heads and slipped away. Chief Casting Witch — that ant Third-Order, soone who had already forged a Witch Card. And Thorns Pass in Weir Province was a critical frontier against the northern Barbarians. She had gotten exactly the position she wanted. This competition was over.
Zhao Guozhu glanced at Night Owl with a mix of awe and fear, but didn't move. He had only been here one month. By every asure — personal, professional, public, private — he didn't want to settle yet. He still wanted to build goodwill with Li Wei.
Night Owl paid him no attention. She turned to Thomas, Leon, and Zhao Xuanxuan. Her tone softened. "You three perford well. But since you've chosen the Five-Star Retention Cards, you'll still need to settle — and then remain as rcenaries. Work out the specifics of your compensation with Li Wei."
"Thank you, My Lord!"
The three rose and bowed, then stepped into the magic mirror for settlent. They weren't worried — Li Wei wasn't going to shortchange them.
"Zhao Guozhu — out you go."
Night Owl waved him off. If he didn't want to settle, there was no reason to stand around here.
Finally, she looked at Zhang Jinjun, who had been watching the whole scene with detached amusent. Her voice went cold.
"And you — planning to freeload here forever? Get in there and settle."
Zhang Jinjun snapped out of his daze and scrambled to flee — but—
Crack.
A bolt of golden lightning struck him. Zhang Jinjun's limbs convulsed, his hair standing on end, and he fled howling like a kicked dog.
rciless.
And then, at last, Night Owl ca around to sit across from Li Wei and Li Yue, and settled calmly into her chair.
"Now," she said, "we can talk."
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