As soon as the Human Emperor Banner came out, I became the Lord of the Old Ones

Chapter 94 The Fate of the Wilderness

Leliana was silent for a long time.

"No, I'm not leaving."

Her voice trembled, but her tone was more resolute than ever before. "We've invested so much effort in Rolling Stone Castle. Countless people here rely on the Rolling Stone Club for their livelihoods, and there are so many refugees in the wilderness who need resettlement and relief. If we all leave, what will happen to them?

"You can leave if you want. Anyway, I have nothing to do with your dirty deeds!"

"Haha, Leliana, I never knew you could be so naive."

The big boss laughed exaggeratedly. "Everyone knows you're the founder of the Rolling Stone Club. So many refugees were recruited in your name, and a large amount of hidden funds are also involved in your accounts. Do you think you can just say 'It's okay' and get away with it?"

"You used me!"

Leiliana gritted her teeth, "You've been using me from the beginning to the end!"

"That's right, and you knew this from the beginning, and were willing to be used by me."

The big boss said coldly, “After all, while I was using you, I paid a fair enough price.

"I used your cover to recruit quite a few wilderness refugees to serve as drug testers and even experimental subjects, but I also kept my promise and distributed enough supplies to the remaining wilderness refugees so that they could survive.

"Over the years, only 5 to 10% of the refugees who died here have died. 90% of them have survived, praising the name of 'Kindhearted Leliana' day and night. Isn't all this a tacit understanding between us?"

Leliana was speechless.

"Listen, Rolling Stone Castle is beyond saving. Whether you stay or not, it won't change the outcome."

The big boss lowered his voice and said, "But as long as we pack up the entire club and take it away—all the data, resources, manpower, and experimental subjects, and bring them all to the Black Dream Organization, we will definitely be able to exchange them for rich rewards.

“We can find another town and rebuild the club on a larger scale with the support of the Black Dream.

"When the time comes, you can go find another group of refugees in the wilderness to satisfy your compassion. After all, there are more dying refugees in the wilderness than starving locusts. Do you understand?"

"But--"

Leiliana seemed to be backed into a corner and said distractedly, "Director Monk won't agree to this. He's the one in charge here."

"Of course, this guy is unreliable."

The big boss snorted coldly, "He and his technical team all have backgrounds in large companies in the safe zone, and they are all official citizens of the Heroic Alliance. It's impossible for them to abandon everything and follow us to join the Black Dream Organization.

"But don't worry. I've already prepared a way to deal with Director Monk. Your task is to wait until I control him, then take over the entire laboratory and take away everything here."

He lowered his voice.

He seemed to whisper something to Leiliana.

Then, raising his voice slightly, he soothed, "Don't worry, Director Monk and his technical team are all selling goods to the Black Dream Organization. Over the years, the only card-making expert I trust and cannot do without is you, my dear Leliana."

In the thermal imaging, the big boss stretched out his big hand, as thick as a bear paw, towards Leiliana's cheek.

Leiliana dodged instinctively.

The big boss snorted heavily, changed direction, spread his five fingers, and grabbed Leiliana's head.

Leliana groaned in pain.

"obedient."

The big boss squeezed Leiliana's skull and said with a smile, "In these extraordinary times, there shouldn't be any more unpleasantness between us, right?"

"I, I have a condition."

Leiliana endured the severe pain and said in a trembling voice, "Release Xu Yan."

"Ok?"

Leiliana's conditions not only surprised the big boss.

Even Xu Yan was stunned for a moment in the card-making room.

"I can promise to help you pack up the lab, take all the data and test subjects, and join the Black Dream Organization together, but Xu Yan is innocent."

Leiliana said quickly, "He has nothing to do with this matter and doesn't know our secret. There's no need to drag him into this. Let him go!"

The big boss's breathing became heavier.

Xu Yan could fully imagine that this bear-like strong man must have a frighteningly gloomy face.

Leiliana, however, acted like a madman, not caring at all. She grabbed the boss' wrist, which was thicker than her thigh, and growled, "Xu Yan is the most talented card maker I've ever seen. He shouldn't be involved in the vortex of the Black Dream Organization.

"If I am destined to fall into the abyss, at least I should release him and let him have an extremely bright life as my substitute.

"This is my only condition. As long as you agree, I will cooperate and meet all your requirements.

"Otherwise, I would rather die here. I don't know how to face the gazes of Xu Yan and other refugees in the wilderness!"

Her courage shocked the big boss.

The bear-like man finally let go of his prey.

"Don't get excited, my Leliana."

The big boss spread his hands and said, "We have been partners for more than 20 years. Don't destroy our common future for a little card-making apprentice.

"I can let him go, but to be on the safe side, I have to wait until Director Monk and his technical team are under control and the transfer is completed.

"Satisfied, dear Leliana?"

He wanted to touch Leliana's cheek again.

Leiliana said nothing, opened the door, and the footsteps gradually faded away.

The big boss stood alone in the middle of the room.

"You bitch, wait until we get to the Black Dream Organization..." The big boss's voice was extremely sinister.

Three seconds later, the sound of a wheel turning and a mechanical lock opening and closing came from the southwest corner of the room.

Three minutes later he left the room and slammed the door.

Xu Yan then ordered "Jelly" to extend a tentacle to scan everything below.

This is the big boss's office.

There are at least four secret sealing arrays deployed, and it is unknown how many guardian spirits are lying in ambush.

The cool metal cube in the southwest corner is a safe cast together with reinforced concrete.

The roulette and mechanical sounds just now were the boss opening the safe, and I don't know what information he took out from it.

Xu Yan's heart moved.

Judging from the conversation just now, the twenty cannon fodder provided to Dr. Hyde did come from this secret laboratory.

But the big boss and Leiliana were unaware of this. It was their subordinate "Silver Tongue" Riley who was blinded by greed and acted on his own.

Having said that, now that the situation has escalated and the big boss has been forced to join the Black Dream Organization, he should have the identities of the twenty cannon fodders.

Perhaps, the original body's information is locked in a safe?

As Xu Yan was thinking this, he heard footsteps and the sound of unlocking the door again.

Xu Yan's pupils contracted, and he had no time to recall the "Jelly". He could only raise his head from the messy card-making table and look at Lei Lianna with a frosty face in confusion.

"Aunt Leliana—"

Before Xu Yan could ask any questions, Leiliana stopped him with a gesture.

"Listen, what I'm going to say next is very important. Remember every detail of what I say. It may save your life."

She stuffed a washed-out military satchel into Xu Yan's arms and said, "Take this first!"

Xu Yan unzipped his pants.

In the satchel were two cans of compressed rations, a waterproof map, and a box of water purification tablets.

"I'll take you out later. Don't say anything or act surprised at anything you see along the way."

Leiliana used a thick headscarf to cover the fingerprints left by the boss's vigorous squeezing, but it couldn't hide the fine beads of sweat that trickled down her forehead. She didn't bother to wipe them off and said quickly, "After leaving here, head east for about five kilometers. You'll see three stone pillars in the wilderness. To the southwest of the stone pillars is a mound. Behind the mound is a yellow-brown oilcloth, and underneath is a cave.

"There's some food in the cave, as well as equipment for the long journey. Do your best to take everything you can carry and leave Rolling Stone Castle as far away as possible. Do you understand?"

She grabbed Xu Yan's shoulders.

Xu Yan felt that her palms were cold, but her palms were as hot as a red-hot iron.

"Aunt Leiliana, what happened? Where do you want me to go?" Xu Yan was puzzled.

"Only God knows."

Leiliana's smile was bitter. "Perhaps you can find opportunities in other planning areas, or perhaps you will die in the hands of the Old Ones and the Wilderness Bandits. From the Shadow Ruins to the Rolling Stone Castle, haven't you seen enough of this kind of thing?"
"Born in the wilderness, die in the wilderness, this is our destiny!"

She no longer gave Xu Yan the chance to ask questions.

He pulled Xu Yan and walked out.

However, an uninvited guest blocked their way outside the door.

Manager Green of the Rolling Stone Club had a professional smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as two knives, cutting back and forth between Leiliana and Xu Yan.

"Ms. Leliana, what are you doing?"

he asked with a smile.

Xu Yan felt that Leiliana's hand, which was holding his shoulder, trembled obviously.

But her expression and tone were not at all disturbed.

"The club needs to overhaul its equipment these days, so I'm here to give Xu Yan some instructions to avoid any trouble. Any questions?"

"Absolutely not."

Manager Green said humbly, "The maintenance work is very arduous, and the boss asked me to help you. If you or Mr. Xu need anything, please let me know. I will always be here to serve you."

"Then you stay here. Let's clean up the card making room."

Leiliana snorted coldly and slammed the door shut.

The moment the door lock clicked, her expression completely fell.

"It's over."

She gave Xu Yan a wry smile and said, "I'm afraid you can't leave."

"Why are you leaving?"

Xu Yan's face was full of curiosity. "Director Green came here just now and told me that the club's problems have been solved. I want to stay and make a lot of money. I didn't plan to leave!"

"You do not understand……"

Leiliana's eyes were glazed over.

Perhaps it was the fact that she joined the Black Dream Organization that completely broke down her mental defenses.

Or perhaps it was because of the coercion she had endured for so many years by the big boss that the regret, anger, and fear accumulated in her heart had already crushed her.

She couldn't control herself anymore and told everything.

(End of this chapter)