Doctor, I'm really strong!

"At your command!"

W almost burst out laughing; these people had no idea they'd fallen into a trap.

In the days that followed, these mercenaries received the same training as the Red Guards, and they also had instructors and political commissars to teach them and communicate with them.

At first, it certainly won't be about recruiting or enlisting people. Instead, it's about chatting with them casually, talking about topics that interest you, and quickly becoming one of them. When the time is right, the two sides can then discuss some ideological issues.

These mercenaries are basically tasked with suppressing bandits. Liu Jiuli has a particular fondness for bandits because they are excellent material for training soldiers. They can also be refreshed regularly for free. After being defeated, they can provide a lot of labor and can also train soldiers. On the side, there can be a lot of spoils. There is no greater philanthropist than this.

After prolonged contact with the Red Guards, the mercenaries' thinking gradually began to change, especially when the Sarkaz, who had already settled down and started families, appeared before them, their attraction was immediately amplified.

If given a choice, who would want to live a life of constant danger, risking their life?

Once they start to admire and acknowledge it, it's only a matter of time before these mercenaries disband.

Even if a mercenary leader discovers the problem, they are powerless against such an open conspiracy. Moreover, sometimes they themselves want to join, or even take the lead in joining, so there is no way out. It is common for the entire mercenary group to be taken away.

These people will then be screened. The best ones who are willing to stay and serve in the army will join the Red Guards, while the rest will be incorporated into the militia. At the same time, they will be given jobs, training, and opportunities to earn a living through their labor.

Of course, there are also pure scum, but after several rounds of testing, those who pass all reform and turn over a new leaf, while those who fail either choose to leave or leave the human world altogether.

Liu Jiuli's actions caused the price of mercenaries within the Ursus Empire to rise sharply. Because too many mercenaries were absorbed and absorbed, those who remained were either substandard or required additional payment, which inadvertently helped the local mercenaries achieve a pay rise.

After finishing his workday, W got up and stretched, then went to the nearby Kazdel bar.

As you can tell from the name, those who frequently come here are former Sarkaz mercenaries. Kazdel is a name that all Sarkaz aspire to, so it carries a beautiful sentiment.

"Hey old Pete, are you planning to drink yourself into a stupor today too?"

"Captain, come, come, let me toast you. I brought some good wine."

"Could it be vodka he found?"

The lives of Sarkaz mercenaries are mostly difficult. Old Pete, a drunkard, used to be unable to live without alcohol, but the money he earned was not enough for him to squander. So he often rummaged through trash cans during missions to find something usable, and used the remaining money to buy alcohol. Occasionally, he would be lucky enough to find some unfinished alcohol.

Don't expect any quality from this kind of wine; vomiting and diarrhea are common after drinking it. But for him, it's an effective way to forget his pain. In his drunken dreams, he often sees many beautiful things.

"Get out of here, I can drink as much as I want now."

Despite saying that, W noticed that old Pete's wine glass was unusually small today.

"Are you kidding me with this little cup? Did you lose your money?"

Old Pete blushed and stammered, "It's nothing, I just don't want to drink anymore."

"Because you're getting married, right?"

"I saw it yesterday, you know. The girl you're pursuing is really something."

"Oh, you're getting married, right? How old are your kids?"

"Screw you! This is...this is...yes, it's free love!"

"Haha, congratulations! Old Pete is getting married! Come on, let me treat everyone to a drink to celebrate Old Pete's happy life."

W laughed loudly, and unlike before, her smile this time was genuine.

They used to seek salvation in their dreams; now they can feel happiness simply by being alive.

And all of this was actually caused by that man...

At that moment, a Sarkaz remarked, seemingly casually, "It would be wonderful if our leader could be our Demon King."

The entire bar instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Chapter 125: The Voices of the Sarkaz

(Third update! Comrades, shouldn't we give them some kind of reward? (?ω?))

After a brief silence, the first reaction was not to refute, but to start discussing the possibility.

W instinctively wanted to refute, but just as she was about to speak, the image of someone flashed into her mind.

Theresia, the heroine of the Sarkaz, the queen of Kazdel, and the creator of the Tower of Babel.

"A world where there are no barriers of identity, no racial conflicts, and everyone can live happily."

Isn't this the dream she's pursued her whole life?

W was stunned. She had no idea that the world Liu Jiuli was building was actually the dream that countless people had strived for during the Tower of Babel era.

Back then, the dream could only exist in dreams, a mere illusion, but now, the dream has become reality.

Look at the pedestrians on the street, the busy workers in the factory, and the people coming and going at the port. Although there are still conflicts among them, they are not conflicts between ordinary people and infected people, nor are they conflicts between races. They are all conflicts based on their own lives, and they can be reconciled, like conflicts that are seasonings in life.

Have we all unknowingly become living in such a world?

For the Sarkaz, this was the first time they had such a life, such a way of living. For the first time, they felt like human beings, not something else, not cannon fodder on the battlefield, not bargaining chips in a transaction, but complete human beings capable of fighting for their own happiness.

"Captain, what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong?" W asked instinctively.

Someone handed W a tissue, and only then did W realize that she was actually crying.

Strange... why did I suddenly start crying?

"What are you looking at? I'm happy for you. You old bachelors are finally getting to settle down and start families!"

W's voice was loud, as if he was deliberately trying to cover something up, but no one noticed because they were also quite agitated.

It's the excitement of seeing the future, the excitement of embracing hope.

"Alright, considering the few tears I shed for you, let's drink until we drop tonight!"

The crowd cheered, "We won't leave until we're drunk!"

As a result, W didn't drink too much. She ran out halfway through her drink, bought a can of juice from a vending machine on the side of the road, and then sat on a bench, staring blankly at the night sky.

The night sky is so beautiful tonight. Before... ah, we never had this kind of leisure and elegance before.

W opened the can, took a few sips of juice, and choked because he drank too fast, and started coughing.

"Cough cough cough cough cough..."

"W, are you alright?"

Hearing someone call his name, W turned around and instinctively asked, "Who are you?"

"I am mudstone."

"Mudstone!?"

W knew about Mudrock, but she knew the Gundam Mudrock with the Hammer 80. The beautiful girl in front of her, dressed in an elegant dress, with a baby face and huge breasts, was no match for Mudrock's image.

You'd be more likely to say you're her daughter.

After all, after Liu Jiuli took over the Integration Movement, Niyan was sent to the Future Technology Agriculture Department of Lungmen because of his excellent farming ability. He returned a couple of days ago because he had business in Steel Grid.

Steel Grid has changed a lot. Mudrock felt like he didn't recognize the city anymore, so he went out for a walk in the evening and unexpectedly ran into W there.

After briefly explaining his situation, W burst into laughter.

“So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is. That makes sense. Those guys wouldn’t obey a little girl like you. Your sledgehammer-like image is the most intimidating leader.” After a moment of reflection, W murmured, “It’s so good to be myself. It’s so good to be myself.”

Sitting next to W, Mudrock smiled and said, "If W wants it, that's fine too."

W shook her head: "No, I'm a restless girl, this kind of life isn't for me."

If I continue down this path of indulgence, some people's blood will have been shed in vain.

"By the way, Mudrock, what do you think if, I mean if, Liu Jiuli became the Demon King of the Sarkaz?"

Mudstone was stunned, and after a long while, he finally spoke: "Can W hear you too?"

This time, W was stunned and asked, "What did you hear?"

Mudrock gestured erratically with her hands, indicating that she herself couldn't describe it well. In the end, she said, "Sarkaz, there are two voices."

W was completely bewildered: "Is that political jargon?"

Mudstone shook his head: "No, I... I can hear the voices of my compatriots, the voices of many, many voices converging, in the same direction, the wish of all of us, but recently, it seems that this wish has become two."

W was even more confused: "What are you trying to say?"

Mudrock frowned, trying to describe it in his own words: "Although the Sarkaz were scattered in different places in the past, their voices could be gathered together and concentrated in one person, or projected onto that person, who would be the Demon King or someone who could become the Demon King, but..."

"Recently, the voice has become two."

"Some Sarkaz still cherish their original homeland, while others have begun to pursue a new future."

"Those Sarkaz who are pursuing a new future are all calling out a common name..."

"Liu Jiuli".

W understood now, but she was shocked.

"Wait, wait a minute! You said the Sarkaz are calling for that man! But, but he's not a Sarkaz!"

Mudstone shook his head and said, "I don't know, but I did hear such a sound. I was wondering if it was some kind of ominous sign, but now I'm not worried at all."

W was stunned and asked, "Why?"

Mud Rock looked up into the distance, where the streets of Steel Grider were at night. He could see people out strolling around, in twos and threes, whether in groups or alone, and their faces were full of smiles.

"No sin, no famine, no natural disasters, no war—if such a person could become the Demon King, it would be a blessing for all Sarkaz. What do you think?"

"I……"

W was somewhat angry because the one who initially put in all of this effort was Theresa. She had been working hard, fighting for this dream, and even sacrificing her life. What she couldn't achieve despite her best efforts, Liu Jiuli achieved so easily.

Was he able to do these things before, but deliberately didn't, or did His Highness give him something that allowed him to create the miracle he has now after waking up?

This is definitely not the work of one person; it was clearly His Highness who did it first!

Mudstone looked at W: "Your emotions seem complicated. You're angry. What happened?"

"It's nothing, I just feel like I've been deceived."

How to put it? It's like the person you trust most is hiding something from you and has made a pact with someone else. As a staunch Theresa fan, W's current feelings are as complicated as the trajectory of an Indian ballistic missile.

But the fact that there are two voices within the Sarkaz...

We need to figure out what's going on.

At this stage, the only one who can answer this question is that old lynx.