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

Chapter 96 Death at Home
The big boss caught Leiliana's weakness.

From an orphan girl in the wilderness who was sold like a commodity since childhood and had no dignity or sense of security.

To the hostess of the Rolling Stone Club, the builder and guardian of the Rolling Stone Castle, the "good-hearted Leiliana" who is praised by everyone and needed by everyone.

She has put in countless efforts to climb step by step to her current position, and she will never allow herself to fall again.

Faced with the cruel reality, she learned to deceive herself.

"Those patients with advanced spiritual erosion were already going to die, so what's the problem with us giving them hope of survival and happiness before their death?
"There are underground laboratories and secret research institutes throughout various planning areas, far more than just the Rolling Stone Club. Our resistance and struggle are meaningless!
"In order to revitalize Heroic Civilization, we have to pay the necessary price. As long as we make breakthrough progress in the research of Evil Spirit Forbidden Cards and Spiritual Corruption, millions of people can be saved!"

"Even if I can't save everyone, at least I've defended Rolling Stone Castle, and I've defended—my home!"

In this way, Leiliana learned to talk to herself in the tone of a big boss.

I have learned to turn a blind eye to unidentified experimental subjects, overly radical treatments, and deformed and ugly monsters.

I learned to turn myself into an emotionless card-making machine.

"This is my story. Unfortunately, I'm not the kind-hearted, pure and innocent 'Aunt Leiliana' that Chris and the others described."

Leiliana's soul seemed to float away into the sky along with her honesty just now.

At this moment, standing in front of Xu Yan, there was only an empty shell.

"I must be very disappointing to you."

She smiled and said, "It's okay, feel free to despise me, I deserve it."

Xu Yan was stunned for a long time.

"What you said is too complicated. I'm afraid I need to think about it carefully."

He asked carefully, "But why did you suddenly want to send me away? Did something unexpected happen?"

"Yes, the Black Dream Organization."

Leiliana wasn't too clear about the recent accident and spoke briefly about it.

But Xu Yan had a lot of information in advance, and he was able to piece together the full picture based on her fragmentary words.

The big boss has been working in Rolling Stone Castle for more than ten years, and has made the business of "selling experimental data" very prosperous. He has two trusted subordinates.

One of them is Leiliana, who is responsible for the daily operation of the Rolling Stone Club and serves as a mascot and living signboard.

The second is "Silver Tongue" Riley, who is responsible for finding suitable experimental subjects in the wilderness, organizing supply, contacting gangs, etc., which are more secretive and dirty activities.

Leiliana deceived herself and paralyzed herself by studying technology, not daring to cause trouble for the big boss.

"Silver Tongue" Riley, however, has a wide circle of friends and uses the big boss's reputation to continuously expand his network. Over time, his desire for money gradually surpasses his loyalty to the big boss.

Maybe it's lack of money.

Perhaps it was his ever-growing ambition, which was stimulated by Dr. Hyde, that made him think of "relying on the Black Dream Organization to replace the big boss."

In short, he sold twenty experimental subjects that were supposed to be scrapped to Dr. Hyde without telling the big boss and Leiliana.

Unexpectedly, Dr. Hyde's operation failed and his entire army was wiped out, causing him to lose his greatest support.

What's more troublesome is that the Security Bureau followed the clues and noticed the Rolling Stone Club.

This incident caused the Rolling Stones' behind-the-scenes financiers and major clients, those prestigious card-making and pharmaceutical companies located in safe zones, to doubt the management ability of their big boss.

They are even more worried that the underground laboratory will be exposed in broad daylight, which will cause a scandal of varying degrees.

According to the big boss, the other party was eager to cut off the business and discarded them mercilessly like medical waste.

In order to save his life, the big boss chose to join the Black Dream Organization.

"You really shouldn't have stepped into this vortex at this critical moment, and you certainly shouldn't have displayed such advanced card-making skills."

Leiliana sighed, “Although I begged the big boss to let you go, and he readily agreed, I know this terrible man very well.

"If he explodes on the spot and beats me up, it might actually satisfy my condition.

"But he agreed to let you go without hesitation, and my heart sank. I knew he had made up his mind to send you to the Black Dream Organization as a gift.

"You are the most talented card-making apprentice I have ever met. The more I get along with you, the more I can't bear to see a future card-making master die prematurely.

“I originally wanted to take advantage of the chaos to send you out.

"Unfortunately, the boss's caution exceeded my expectations. You can see that fate has closed the door to you and me. We can't escape." Leiliana told Xu Yan that the Black Dream Organization has incorporated the notorious "Swamp Gang" in the wilderness area.

Within twenty-four hours, the Swamp Gang would be here and take away everything of value, including these two.

After that, their fate can only be decided by the illusory God.

As a card maker, his life should not be in danger for the time being.

However, the Black Dream Organization's card-making methods have always been radical, and they like to go deep into contaminated areas to capture highly mutated and extremely ferocious old monsters to conduct all kinds of crazy research.

They are likely to suffer from spiritual corruption during the escalating research process, or be killed by deformed and mutated experimental subjects.

If he was lucky and hadn't died, he would probably become a technical expert of the Black Dream Organization - and of course, a permanent guest on the Alliance's wanted list.

Seeing Leiliana's despair, Xu Yan pondered for a long time, pretending to be confused: "The Black Dream Organization... is it so terrifying?"

"You don't understand. The Black Dream Organization firmly believes that a doomsday catastrophe a hundred times more terrifying than the catastrophe a hundred years ago will soon strike and destroy the entire world."

Leiliana said, "They are shouldering the sacred mission of 'smashing the apocalypse' and must do whatever it takes to save our civilization.

"Since destruction is inevitable, that means they can use any means, even if they are unorthodox or even insane in the eyes of ordinary people. In any case, the situation cannot get worse.

"In the most extreme case, even if what they did killed 99.99% of the world's population, leaving only 0.01% alive, it would still be worth it - because if they did nothing, 100% of the world would die.

"You see, the Black Dream Organization is different from ordinary profit-seeking gangs. They are a group of irrational and unpredictable lunatics, fanatics who believe they are righteous and correct.

"If they fall into the hands of ordinary gangs, we can still use our card-making techniques to deal with them and slowly find an opportunity to escape.

"If we fall into the hands of the Black Dream Organization, we're completely finished!"

Xu Yan was stunned when he heard this.

"So, you don't believe in this 'Doomsday' and you don't want to join the Black Dream Organization?"

he asked tentatively.

"I'm just a card maker. The beliefs of the Black Dream Organization and the ideals of the Heroic Alliance are too far away for me."

Leiliana smiled bitterly, "I just want to stay in Rolling Stone Castle and protect my...home."

"Then ask Captain Long of the patrol for help!"

Xu Yan looked into her eyes and said seriously, "Aunt Leiliana, this is our only chance!"

"Long Jianhuan..."

Leliana hesitated, "Will she help us?"

"I haven't known Captain Long for long, but I know her quite well."

Xu Yan thought for a moment and said, "If you have truly committed an unforgivable crime, then even if you flee to the ends of the earth, she will bring you to justice. But if you are innocent, or were forced into this vortex and your crime does not deserve death, she will do her best to give you justice!
"So, how much she can help you depends on how deeply you are involved in this whole thing.

"For example, was he involved in the capture and trafficking of experimental subjects? Was he forced to conduct illegal experiments on innocent people? Was he involved in the deal between 'Silver Tongue' Riley and Dr. Hyde? Did he trample on the bottom line of humanity? And so on and so forth."

"I, I don't know. I did provide a lot of technology, and there are many people suffering from spiritual erosion. It was the Big Boss and 'Silver Tongue' Riley who deceived their trust under my name and were willing to sign the contract. Perhaps I am a heinous criminal like the Big Boss!"

Leiliana's face turned pale, as if she had given up on herself.

After a pause, as if not wanting Xu Yan to look down on him, he continued, "However, I have never participated in the capture and trafficking of experimental subjects. According to the big boss, I should dress up as a clean mascot, without being stained with dirty blood.

"Also, in recent years, I've grown increasingly disgusted with these dirty dealings. I've wanted to break free from the constraints of the big boss, and even left the Rolling Stones to open a small, independently run spiritual card shop. Even if the conditions were limited, at least it would buy me freedom. Because of this, I've had several conflicts with the big boss, and it's been very unpleasant.

“My skills are gradually falling behind and I can’t keep up with the big bosses.

"Furthermore, with the instructions of the financial backers and major clients behind the scenes, the big boss brought in an experienced technical team from the safe zone. Led by a senior card maker named 'Director Monk', they are responsible for the operation of the underground laboratory.

"Nowadays, I spend most of my time at Rolling Stone Castle, either grinding cards in the club or distributing supplies at the garbage dump. I use this self-deception to cover up my guilt. Unless the big boss summons me, I rarely come here.

"As for the deal between 'Silver Tongue' Riley and Dr. Hyde, he hid it from even the big boss, let alone me."

"Then what are you worried about?"

Xu Yan immediately said, "It's better to fall into the hands of the patrol than into the hands of the Black Dream Organization, right?"

"I'm not afraid of the patrols. The planning area has its own rules. Honestly, I don't think my actions warrant being brought back to the alliance for trial. But if I anger those medical and card-making companies, who knows how they'll retaliate!"

Leiliana thought for a moment, her eyes growing firmer. "But perhaps you're right. There's no worse outcome than falling into the hands of the Black Dream Organization. Turning myself in to the patrol will bring me the fate I deserve. Even if I die, at least I can die in my own home!"

(End of this chapter)