Chapter 354: Sword Drawn, Crossbow Bent

Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Sword Drawn, Crossbow Bent

"I’m not sure either." Tang Huai coughed and asked, "Is Captain Tan there? Do you know the situation with Territories 158 and 159?"

Investigation team member Su Ming replied, "Our captain is in a meeting. Both Territory 158 and 159 have qualified heirs and will not be allocated to refugees. Specific arrangements for refugee settlement will be announced later. Please be patient."

"These refugees are all citizens of Hua Country who have lost the protection of the Safe Zone walls. They are our compatriots. No matter how difficult things get for the country, it will do its utmost to protect the safety of every citizen. This is the country’s duty, and also a right every citizen deserves. In the face of this Natural Disaster, we must be more united to survive."

The investigation team represented the authorities, so Su Ming’s words confirmed that Tang Huai’s information was true. After listening, the Lords had very mixed feelings. They could barely feed themselves, so how could they have the capacity to help their compatriots?

Tang Huai, the acting representative for the Second Territory, was the first to state his position. "The Second Territory will actively respond to the policy’s call, recruiting refugees into the territory to clear land and farm. I can’t promise much, but we can at least provide the refugees with housing to shelter them from the wind and rain."

Tang Huai’s words were positive on the surface, but his tone told a completely different story. It indicated that recruiting refugees was the Su Feng Team’s decision, and Tang Huai was reluctant.

’The Su Feng Team must find this area too peaceful and want to stir up trouble again.’

Damn!

Luo Pei spoke up, his voice faint but full of the smell of gunpowder, "No.1 Territory will also answer the call and accept refugees."

’Green Dragon and Su Feng are at odds. Excellent.’

Just when everyone thought the Lord channel was about to become a battlefield between No.1 Territory and the Second Territory, Lord No.9, Li Si, spoke up coolly, "No. 9 Territory will answer the call and accept refugees."

Huh? Huh? Huh?!!!

Xiaqing, who had just started to relax, frowned again. The combination of No. 9 Territory and refugees made her more uneasy than the news about the Second Territory.

No. 9 Territory’s rival, Lord No.7, Zhang San, came online languidly. "Is anyone from the investigation team still here?"

Su Ming immediately responded, "This is Su Ming, from the Sixth Hazard Investigation Squad. Besides our captain, all six members of the investigation team and thirty-three reinforcement guards are present. Lord No.7, please speak."

The usually laid-back Zhang San’s tone was uncharacteristically severe. "Given No. 9 Territory’s criminal record of storing massive quantities of dangerous chemicals, I have reason to suspect their motives for taking in refugees are sinister. I request the investigation team to report this and recommend that the Territory Management Department carefully consider No. 9 Territory’s application to accept refugees, and also increase the supervision and inspection of No. 9 Territory."

’That’s my idol for you. So awesome!’ Xiaqing wiped the water from her hands and returned to the living room.

"Understood." Su Ming replied loudly, his voice filled with a biting killing intent.

Li Si was furious, his voice dripping with icicles. "We are just answering the territory’s call, taking in our compatriots who are about to starve to death. Zhang San, you’re just a farming Lord now. I suggest you don’t overstep your bounds."

This was the first time since entering the territory that Li Si had called Zhang San by his name directly in the Lord channel. The tension instantly reached its peak; a single spark could have caused an explosion.

Zhang San seemed to be hungry again. His voice was listless, but his words were lethal:

"I am indeed just a farmer now, with limited abilities, so I can only manage what’s right under my nose. Within my line of sight, whoever dares to use our defenseless compatriots for unethical experiments won’t have to waste food anymore."

And who doesn’t need to waste food? The dead!

’Threatening me not to overstep? I’ll just take your life. How’s that? Is that overstepping enough for you?’

"Idol, that’s my idol! Leader, did you hear that? That’s my idol, a top-tier idol on Blue Star!" Xiaqing shouted excitedly, slamming the table.

The Sheep Leader on the tatami mat twitched its ears, continuing to chew its cud with a blank expression.

The Head Wolf stood up, ready for a fight, because of the clearly aggressive human voice coming from the Lord channel. But its killing intent was scattered by Xiaqing’s excited shouts.

The Sick Wolf, who had stood up with the Head Wolf, ready to fight, also broke into a grin because Xiaqing was happy.

And the broken leg wolf’s sister? She was in the sheep pen, doing who-knows-what.

The living room of the Third Territory was bustling with excitement, while the atmosphere in the Lord channel remained tense and confrontational.

Li Si was not intimidated by Zhang San. "Su Ming of the investigation team. You heard Lord No.7’s statement just now. I believe Zhang San harbors extreme malice toward No. 9 Territory. No. 9 Territory hereby requests: to prohibit Zhang San from entering No. 9 Territory with the investigation team for inspection."

Su Ming replied in a very official manner, "Understood. The investigation team will report Lord No.9’s request to the Territory Management Department."

Li Si then turned his attack on Zhang San. "It is also illegal for a Lord to kill a non-invader of their territory and is subject to severe legal sanctions."

Desperate times call for desperate measures. After the Natural Disaster began, the country increased the severity of punishments for illegal and criminal acts. A Lord maliciously killing someone would, of course, also be punished.

Zhang San replied languidly, "When the time comes, I’ll request the relevant departments to give me a chance to turn over a new leaf. I’m getting tired of this place anyway and was thinking of a change of scenery."

Zhang San was a top-tier talent in the field of medicine. After killing someone, he definitely wouldn’t be sentenced to death or forced labor. It would really just be a matter of relocating him, keeping him well-fed and happy, and coaxing him to continue his research. Li Si was left speechless.

Li Si fell silent, but the other Lords in the area grew anxious. Who was Zhang San? He was the source of their Special Medicine, the one who could pull them back from the gates of hell when they were seriously injured.

If Zhang San left, it would be like each of them losing several lives.

Zhao Ze whined, "Brother San, you can’t leave! We don’t want to lose you."

Xiaqing, a die-hard fan whose devotion ran as deep as Blue Star’s core, immediately showed her idol the most sincere affection. "Brother San, the Green Light sweet potatoes in my territory are ready to eat. I’ll dig one up and send it to you right away. You can make some fried sweet potato balls for a late-night snack."

Kuang Qingwei actively tried to persuade his good neighbor to stay. "Brother San, the Cat Princess really likes to sharpen her claws on a pine tree in my territory. I’ll chop the tree down right now and send it over to the princess."

Qi Fu also found a reason for Zhang San to stay. "Brother San, this area of ours is selenium-rich land, so the crops we grow are high-quality. If you move, you won’t be able to eat the fresh Green Light vegetables that we grow ourselves."

Shi Du, who relied on Zhang San’s medicine to treat his father, was brimming with killing intent. "Brother San, you don’t need a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken. My life is cheap. Just say the word if you want someone dead, and I’ll go trade my life for theirs."

Luo Pei also showed his stance. "Brother San, No.1 Territory and the Green Dragon Team are on standby at any time."

The rarely-speaking Lord No.8, Xin Yu, also came online. "Brother San, Xin Yu is on standby."

Tang Huai, the acting representative of the Second Territory and the first to announce he would take in refugees, also chimed in, fired up, "I, Tang Huai, am also on standby!"

Although Zhang San was so frail he could barely withstand a stiff breeze, if he wanted to kill someone, he had plenty of blades.

No. 9 Territory, the "chicken" in Shi Du’s analogy, was now utterly silent.