From Gotham to Night City, my infamy is known to all.

I simply couldn't bring myself to refuse.

Finally, he relented: "That's good. Have a nice day, sir."

"No problem, proceed!"

Upon seeing the middle-aged police inspector's coded gesture indicating "money received," the officers quickly raised the barrier.

They even provided complimentary smiling service.

The two vehicles successfully entered the eastern suburbs and sped away.

Inside the car, V muttered speechlessly, "You don't actually need to give him money; he's clearly already scared."

Leo chuckled, then leaned over and lay down on her lap: "Training dogs requires skill; you can't just hit them. You also have to feed them well, instilling a sense of dependence and loyalty. Only then can you train a loyal dog to bite the enemy for me."

V knew he couldn't win the argument, so he simply gave up.

As they continued deeper along Highway 9, they saw that passing vehicles seemed to be converging on Stone Ridge.

Leo knew perfectly well why: "It seems quite a few people have come to join the fun today."

"That's right. Free food and drinks, and you can even find job opportunities in the rebuilt town. Mercenaries and drifters with free time have all come. Not to mention the homeless people who already support you."

Vera provided the answer; she had been participating in the team discussion via walkie-talkie.

A dozen minutes later, they arrived at the western entrance of the town. Those not on the whitelist had to park their cars outside the town and walk in.

Leo and others, of course, do not need to do this.

They not only have access to a green channel that eliminates the need to queue, but also have drones flying in front of their vehicles to guide them.

They drove smoothly into the town and arrived at the same hovercar docking point as yesterday.

The abandoned outdoor sports field was transformed in just one day – the homeless brought out all their kitchen utensils and temporarily converted it into an open-air restaurant.

Parnam is also here helping out.

She rushed over to meet him after being notified, and was stunned when she first saw the incredibly flashy extended limousine.

The car was beautiful, but somewhat impractical and out of place in the atmosphere of the Badlands. It was better suited for cruising around the company square than for driving up Stone Ridge.

She waved numbly, directing the car into the pre-reserved parking space.

Then, the ingredients in the truck behind her stunned her again.

"Is this real meat, real fruits and vegetables? Are you sure you want to use this kind of high-quality ingredients for the victory celebration?"

Leo glanced casually at the mountain of ingredients. These were all ones he had selected; none of them were particularly precious, just supermarket goods.

"Use it, it's our... no, our company's main product, consider it advertising."

"Ugh..."

Panan uttered a string of unintelligible murmurs and turned to call Thor over.

Thor, the head of the Bright family and a second-class warrant officer of the Wings of Liberty, walked over. His originally radiant expression turned blank when he saw the truckload of ingredients.

Leo had to repeat what he had just said, urging him to find someone to handle the ingredients.

Thor scratched his head, hesitated, and turned to leave. In a short while, he found all the women in the family.

These homeless women, who usually work part-time as cooks, had never seen such luxurious ingredients before. They became hesitant and lost their usual efficiency.

Leo ignored them and started asking Thor about the small outpost.

Upon learning that the Wings of Liberty recruits had already occupied those strategic locations, he immediately declared that after the victory celebration here, he would bring prepared ingredients to reward the soldiers stationed elsewhere.

Saul tried to dissuade him a few times but failed, so he offered to prepare an escort convoy for him.

Leo nodded in agreement, telling him to handle the arrangements.

As they talked, the aroma of barbecue filled the sports field.

More and more people gathered around, deeply impressed by Leo's extravagant gesture.

Real meat, real vegetables and fruits... these are precious ingredients that homeless people, no, ordinary citizens, rarely see.

Before joining the Wings of Liberty, they were lucky to be able to eat flavored fruits and vegetables made from algae; they never imagined they would have such good days.

A leader who can casually use such expensive ingredients to hold a victory celebration banquet must be rich beyond measure!

Following such a big shot guarantees a bright future!

Various positive emotions surged within me, and the budding loyalty grew stronger without my noticing.

Chapter 301: Escape

Dozens of pots were lit at the same time, and various kinds of skewers were arranged in a long line several meters long on the giant grill.

The delicate aroma wafted into people's nostrils, awakening their appetites.

The incredible aroma completely captivated the guests, who lost all interest in conversation. The older children were especially anxious, repeatedly trying to approach the kitchen area, refusing to leave despite being chased away.

All of this was transmitted to Leo's eyes through the drone's perspective.

The atmosphere was great, but there were more people than expected.

Since the Bright family's camp was moved to the east side of the town, the total number of wanderers has exceeded five hundred, comparable to a tribe.

In addition, there are at least two hundred mercenaries, a construction team of over one hundred people, and locals from the eastern suburbs who are just there for the fun, so there may be nearly a thousand people in the town.

He brought enough ingredients, but if he wanted to feed a thousand people at the same time, even if the cooks worked themselves to death, it probably wouldn't be enough.

Since that's the case, let's have the meals in batches. Extending the celebration banquet can also provide cover for our operation.

After making his decision, Leo piloted more than a dozen drones to fly over the crowd.

He shouted a loud "Let the banquet begin!"

There were no speeches or lengthy discourses; just this simple and unadorned phrase instantly ignited the atmosphere.

People cheered and jumped for joy, flocking to the long table laden with delicious food.

Some people couldn't wait to grab the sizzling, oily meat skewers, take a big bite, and feel the tender meat juices burst in their mouths, revealing a satisfied smile on their faces.

Some people carefully select brightly colored fruits, take a small bite, and the sweet juice slides down their throat, making them close their eyes in contentment.

Others put fresh vegetable salads into their mouths, the refreshing taste dispelling the desert heat.

The homeless people, who were used to hardship, now found the food on the table to be delicacies they had never tasted before.

The few elderly people sat to one side, looking dazed, as if they were recalling the wonderful world before the Fourth Corporate War.

Leo, holding a skewer of roasted lamb, smiled as he watched the lively scene unfold, his eyes filled with satisfaction—he believed that the experience of today's celebration banquet would be deeply imprinted in the hearts of the participants, making them feel nostalgic and nostalgic every time they thought of it.

Because that is "hope".

Hope is the cure for all suffering; once they have experienced it firsthand, they will never forget the heartfelt satisfaction and warmth it brings.

Just like a traveler lost in the darkness who sees a lighthouse shining in the distance, even if the light seems faint, he will run towards it without hesitation.

When interests and hopes are combined, these people will unite more and more closely around him and dare to fight to the death with any enemy!

One six shrimp noon (E eight?) neighbor u thought dark gull branch invincible——

"Stop it, stop grinning like an idiot, the lamb skewers won't taste good when they get cold!"

V's words brought Leo back to reality.

He touched his cheek with his free right hand and realized that his mouth was stretched almost to his ears.

Damn it... I need to be more careful next time and maintain a cool and aloof image!

He quickly put on a serious face and elegantly ate his lamb skewers in small bites.

To be honest, it is indeed a bit chilly...

The members of the Immortal Squad were all VIPs; they were assigned a large round table, and a dedicated chef served them food. While the main group was still scrambling and betraying their friends and family for a few skewers, they had already eaten until they were about 70% full.

Seeing that it was almost midnight, Leo sent a notification in the team channel, telling his teammates to get ready for action.

He then beckoned Thor over.

"Warrant Lieutenant Saul, have the prepared ingredients been loaded onto the truck?"

"Yes, everything is ready! The washed fruits and vegetables, the skewers, and all kinds of alcoholic beverages are all loaded into a small truck!"

“Very good, prepare for action. Go counter-clockwise, following the route from the cave north of Stoneridge Mountain to the Union Railroad Tower, the camp east of Edgewood Farm, the abandoned factory, and back to Stoneridge Mountain. Stop at all the outposts along the way so that the soldiers stationed outside can also share in the joy of victory.”

"Understood! Your escort convoy has been arranged. Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform them right away!"

Leo nodded and waited patiently.

Five minutes later, an escort convoy consisting of ten armored vehicles was ready.

He also saw several acquaintances among them.

“Mann, Rebecca, you’re here too…” Leo was a little numb. Although the stand-in robot was quite effective, bringing acquaintances along still posed a risk of being exposed. “I’m just delivering some supplies. I don’t need this many people. You guys should stay and attend the celebration banquet.”

"It's alright, it's alright! We're all full!"

Rebecca stood with her hands on her hips, looking smug.

"I disguised myself as a child and sneaked into the kitchen to get food directly from the source. I was much more efficient than those people outside!"

"..."

Leo was speechless; he hadn't expected Rebecca to be so adept at utilizing her strengths.

It would seem deliberate to send them away again, so let them all come together. Having a group of acquaintances around might come in handy at a crucial moment.

"Alright then, everyone get on the bus, let's get ready to go."

At Leo's command, the convoy drove off in an orderly fashion.

Four cars led the way, four cars provided cover from behind, and one car on each side acted as a mobile team, guarding the Eternal Life Squad's extended limousine and van in the middle.

Those who participated in the operation were all skilled individuals selected from mercenaries and wanderers; elites with military backgrounds, such as Scorpion and Mitch, were also incorporated into Thor's convoy.

If Leo hadn't insisted that he stay to host the victory banquet, the leader would have originally intended to accompany Leo on his journey.

Throughout the journey, Leo instructed Vera to control the car's speed, keeping the estimated travel time to around two hours.

Upon arriving at the Wings of Liberty's stronghold, Leo stepped onto the makeshift platform and delivered a passionate speech.

Then he distributed boxes of supplies to the soldiers and even took off his mask to have a drink with the enthusiastic soldiers.

After a while of merriment, he bid farewell to the soldiers stationed there, saying he had to go to the next outpost.

Then, they continued to the next location, repeating the cycle of speeches, drinking, and farewells.

Each stop took an average of six minutes, and by the time the convoy reached the vicinity of Edgewood Farm, it was already 1 p.m.

The real action should begin.

After delivering another speech, Leo staggered down from the platform, intending to offer a toast to the soldiers.

But V loudly stopped him, saying, "You've already drunk about ten glasses of wine in such a short time, you can't drink anymore."

"I can drink!"

Leo interrupted her, annoyed, and took off his mask.

Everyone could see his flushed cheeks, and those nearby could smell the strong aroma of wine; he had clearly drunk quite a bit.

With the leader already so drunk, the sensible subordinates naturally wouldn't dare let him continue drinking.

After much persuasion, everyone finally convinced Leo to give up the idea of ​​having another drink.

He reluctantly put on the mask, apologized to the soldiers, and then, feeling unwell, borrowed a tent to rest for a while.

The extended limousine stopped naturally close to the main entrance of the tent, blocking any possible prying eyes.

No one thought there was anything wrong with it; they continued to laugh and share their joy.

A few minutes later, the "Leo" ball reappeared after three kicks, urging everyone to continue.

Both the escorting personnel and the stationed troops admired this leader who treated his soldiers like his own children and cheered loudly for him.

Later, the convoy escorted the two stand-in robots to the next base.

Unbeknownst to them, the six members of the Immortal Squad were no longer in the car, and the limousine was now driving in autonomous mode.

the other side,

A blind spot "happened" to appear in the patrol route, and the drones and surveillance systems ignored the six people on the whitelist, letting them swagger away.

Once they left the area of ​​the stronghold, they found the two cars that had been hidden in advance in a concealed underpass.