A Maybach on a rainy night? Talk to my Levadin!

On this land ravaged by Oripathy, gentleness cannot buy survival. Sometimes, one must become the one who can devour others in order to protect those they want to protect.

Back at the Reunion camp, Talulah stood by the campfire, with infected people coughing wrapped in old blankets behind her and warriors holding rusty machetes in front of her. She slowly raised her hand, palm up, towards the flickering campfire, the warm orange-red flames flowing from her fingertips and reflected in the eyes of each infected person.

“Everyone knows about this mining company,” Talulah’s voice broke the silence of the camp. “These greedy bloodsuckers want to drive us out of the new home we finally found. And our fellow infected who stayed behind are being enslaved like livestock in their mines right now.”

"You all know what life is like in the mines."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the people with their heads bowed. "They were whipped out of bed before dawn every day, forced to watch helplessly as those around them collapsed, without even the strength to dig a hole to bury them; they were deprived of the right to utter a sound of pain when their skin was torn and bleeding from the whip, because in their eyes, we didn't even deserve the right to cry out in pain."

The people around the campfire fell silent. Some lowered their heads, their shoulders trembling slightly; others raised their hands to wipe their faces, and when they looked up again, their eyes were already burning with fire.

"I often think about what the future of the Reunion Movement should be like. After we finally get the life we ​​yearn for, after everyone can build a stable tomorrow for themselves with their own hands, after we can live openly in the sunlight... what kind of organization should the Reunion Movement become?"

But today, I think I've found the answer.

"Our brothers and sisters come from every corner of this land, regardless of race, birth, age, or nationality... we all share one identity—Infected."

"Therefore, our cause has never been just for ourselves,"

Talulah's voice suddenly rose, carrying a power that pierced the heart, "It's not for the sake of our fellow Infected who are still suffering! As long as there is darkness in this world, the campfire around us will never go out! As long as there is even one fellow countryman being enslaved and harmed, the struggle of the Reunion Movement will never stop! As long as the tragedy on this land continues to repeat itself, then the tomorrow we long for will surely come in our hands!"

She raised one hand high, shouting, "We must rescue our compatriots in the mine! We must reclaim our homes! We must let those people know that the infected are not lambs to the slaughter. Our lives, our livelihoods, our future—"

She paused, then her voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap piercing the night sky: "Only we can make this decision!"

"Reclaim our homeland!"

Someone shouted it out first.

"Save our compatriots!"

More people joined in the chant.

The fire is burning.

Zhao Zizhan leaned against the tree, quietly watching this scene.

Sometimes you have to admit that some people are born with leadership qualities, and the charisma they exude during speeches is irresistible to everyone present.

If Ta Zi's knowledge level catches up, she'll definitely be a Chinese succubus.

Ⅰ澪弌⒉２叭⒊○⑼/

On the other side, in the office of the mining operations center, the inferior air purifier could not suppress the pervasive smell of nicotine at all, and the ashtray was full of cigarette butts that had long since overflowed, forming a small pile of ash stains on the edge of the solid wood executive desk.

"waste!"

An ashtray was thrown at him, and the Rupert man Richard quickly ducked to avoid it. The glass ashtray shattered into pieces against the wall behind him.

Behind the boss's desk, Scarface Willie slammed his hand on the table. This male Lupo with a bushy gray-black wolf head had bloodshot eyes that almost overflowed, and spittle flew onto the reports in front of him with his roar: "I sent you to ask for compensation, and you came back like this, slinking back after being taught a lesson? You can't even handle this little thing. Do you think I'm paying you to eat here for free?"

Richard looked at his boss, who had a wronged expression, and said, "Boss, you really can't blame me. I mentioned your name and Victoria's name, but they didn't listen at all. They even said that Scarface Willie was just a stray dog."

At this point, he secretly glanced at Willie's face and saw that the other man's wolf ears were taut. He quickly added, "How could we listen to them insult you? Of course not! The brothers immediately fought back against them, but there were too many of them. We brothers... we were no match for them, and that's why we suffered this loss!"

Scarface Willie's expression darkened upon hearing this: "They really said that?"

Two security guards who were bandaged up their burns quickly straightened up. Their burns were wrapped up tightly, but they nodded hurriedly: "Yes, boss! It's true! They not only insulted you, but also said they would take over our mine and make you get out of this area!"

Scarface Willie paced back and forth in his office, slamming his fist on the desk: "This is outrageous!! A bunch of country bumpkins from who-knows-where dare to talk back to me like that! I have to show them what happens when they mess with Victoria!"

……

"Froststar, you and Father are still injured in this battle, so for now you'll be in the reserve. We'll make further arrangements if the situation changes."

①檪⒈㈡卍/彡○㈨卌

Shuangxing glanced at her father. It was one thing for the child to be ignorant and call her whatever he wanted, but her father, at his age, didn't say a word and just let him call her that. What did he mean by that?

Didn't we agree that I was a stay-at-home daughter?

"Everyone, our primary goal this time is to rescue our enslaved fellow miners, and secondly, to seize this mining platform from them!"

“A complete mining platform can save us an immeasurable amount of time, manpower, and resources in mining. The smelting furnaces and transport rails in the platform are already in place. I don’t need to say how many jobs it can create for our brothers after it’s repaired, do I?”

"Therefore, everyone should try to restrain their large-scale Originium Arts and avoid causing too much damage to the mining platform. However, this does not mean that you should hold back. No matter how troublesome it is to repair the platform, it is not as important as the lives of our brothers! When it really comes to a life-or-death situation, don't hold back your skills. Even if you have to dismantle this broken platform, you must bring everyone out safe and sound!"

Behind a hillside, looking at the roaring mining platform in the distance, Zhao Zizhan was explaining some key points of combat to the Reunion Movement members and distributing smoke grenades to them one by one.

"This is a smoke grenade! Pull the pin here and throw it. This one is red. Throw this when you encounter the enemy's main force to mark key units. This one is green. Throw this when someone is injured or needs to evacuate. Someone will come to pick you up. The white one is used to block the line of sight. This is very important. As long as the signal is given, I will definitely send you out!"

"Everyone in position. We'll begin the operation when it gets dark!"

P.S.: I just made it to the deadline...

Chapter 156 Miners, the Great Iron Nation, and the Battlefield.

That night, in the miners' camp, a group of Caterpillar miners were having a meal together in front of a special, huge minecart. The minecart was covered with old canvas, and green and white radishes were piled up like small mountains, covered with mud and still carrying the dampness of the mine. In the charcoal brazier at the bottom, the charcoal was burning red-hot, and sparks occasionally splashed onto the iron sheet of the minecart and went out with a "sizzle". The warmth spread among the crowd along with the sweet smell of radishes.

"Come on! Let's make the charcoal fire burn even brighter!"

The leader, Uncle Cartes with droopy ears, squatted by the fire, his paws covered in soot. He rummaged through the charcoal, looked up and glanced around, and said, "Is everyone here? It's not lively without one person!"

"Everyone's here! Let's dig in!"

A tall, thin man named Carter next to him rubbed his hands together, his eyes fixed on the pile of radishes. "I haven't eaten all afternoon, I've been waiting forever!"

Someone suddenly glanced around the crowd, scratched their ear, and said, "Hey, where did the missing hand go? I just saw him squatting here picking up radish leaves."

"I went to the restroom to make room in my stomach before the dinner party."

"That old bastard!"

The droopy-eared uncle couldn't help but laugh, patting the side of the minecart with his paw. "You may have lost your hands, but you haven't lost a bit of your cunning!"

"Forget it, forget it,"

Someone sighed and touched the top green radish with their fingertip. "It's rare that the mine can gather so many radishes. If he wants to eat them, let him. We'll wait for him to come back and eat together."

"Where's the golden carrot? Why isn't it on the plate?"

"The company is very strict; we can't leave the mine and can't catch any more Crimson Gold Originium Bugs. We'll just have to make do with this."

"That won't do! Without the golden carrot, can this still be called the Great Iron Kingdom?"

"Yes, yes," the people around them echoed.

"Well... there's no other way..."

Uncle Carter's ears drooped, and the coworkers who had been gathered around him with great enthusiasm now felt dejected.

The Golden Radish is an important ritual for the miners of Cartes during their journey through the Great Iron Kingdom. They paint the radishes gold to thank the land for bestowing upon them radishes and mineral veins, allowing the miners to survive. This is an important custom that has been passed down for generations among the local miners of Rembiton.

The Great Iron Kingdom is an important way for every Rembitonian to connect with their families and colleagues. The Rembitonians love this custom so much that Rembiton's first mobile city, which is also Rembiton's largest capital, is called the Ultimate Great Iron Village.

Just as everyone was hanging their heads in dejection, someone suddenly shouted, "Make way! Make way! Make way!" A figure, bracing himself against the edge of the minecart with one arm, suddenly squeezed into the circle—it was Carter, who had lost an arm. His remaining hand was tightly tucked into his chest, and he was still breathing slightly heavily.

"Hey, you crawled out of the latrine without a hand?"

"What are you talking about! You're the one who fell into the latrine!"

Carter, who had lost an arm, glared at him, but a sly smile crept across his lips. He rummaged through his sleeve and pulled something out of the minecart. "I'm off to do something big! Look what this is!"

Under the dim light of a miner's lamp, a palm-sized insect crawled in his palm, its shell gleaming with a golden light, leaving behind a few glistening secretions where it crawled—it was a Crimson Gold Originium Insect!

"Oh my god!! You're Goat!!"

"That's incredible! You lost a hand! Where did you find this thing?!"

"I told you I was going to do something big. So, did I lie to you guys about pushing that big iron pot?"

"Quickly! Quickly extract the secretions!"

①0壹二㈡八э０9㈧

Uncle with droopy ears perked up immediately, quickly pulling out a small porcelain bowl with his paws. "If we paint the radishes gold, we can build the Great Iron Kingdom again!"

"What's all the noise about!?"

An impatient shout suddenly rang out from outside the mine, like a bucket of cold water being poured over it. The lively atmosphere inside instantly froze. Everyone turned around and saw a mine security guard in a black uniform walking in from outside. His leather boots clicked on the gravel. He glanced at the miners surrounding the mine cart, his brow furrowed: "Didn't I tell you to go home and rest after work? Why are you all gathered here again?"

The middle-aged man with droopy ears quickly stepped forward, pressing his ears even lower and rubbing his hands together in front of him, while speaking in a humble and obsequious tone: "Sir, we...we're just having a meal together, we'll leave after we finish eating, we'll leave after we finish eating..."

"Dinner party?"

The security guard raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the pile of carrots on the minecart. "All food rations in the mine are strictly per person. Where did you get extra carrots for a feast? Oh, so you're hoarding food, huh!"

"You're finished! Just you wait, I'll report this right now and you'll regret it!"

"Sir! Sir, please don't!"

The middle-aged man with droopy ears quickly grabbed his arm, his hands trembling. "We all work in the mine, we see each other all the time, please be lenient... It's been a long time since we've all gotten together, we just wanted to start a big iron kingdom..."

"What does that have to do with me?"

The security guard shoved his hand away, and the middle-aged man with droopy ears staggered back two steps, almost bumping into the miners behind him. "Don't you know the company's rules?"

"Sir, we just want to hold a grand Iron Kingdom event, why are you being so aggressive..."

"Yo ho?"

The security guard, as if he'd heard a joke, stepped forward and looked down at the young miner. "You bunch of country bumpkins, you dare criticize me? Without our company developing the mines and engaging in foreign trade, you'd all starve to death in the mountains, living on air, you know?! You don't know how to follow the rules, always up to these useless little tricks, and now you dare say I'm being aggressive? I haven't accused you of hoarding food or colluding with foreign enemies, I've been more than lenient! You're all going to die!"

The security guard flicked his sleeve, gave a light snort, and turned to walk out of the mine: "I'll notify the authorities right now and have them confiscate all your stuff... Grandpa... please spare my life..."

Before they could even leave the mine, the security guard gave a Gallic salute, raised his hands, and slowly retreated into the mine. The miners finally saw the figure that emerged slowly from the darkness as the security guard moved.

The miners followed his gaze, their hearts leaping into their throats—in the darkness, a figure slowly emerged, its outline gradually becoming clear in the dim light of their miners' lamps. It was a very young-looking man, dressed in a sharply tailored black combat uniform, the fabric clinging to his body and outlining his tall, slender frame. His face was handsome, yet there was a hint of youthful naiveté in his brows. Most striking was the black gun he held, its muzzle firmly pointed at the security guard's head, without the slightest wavering.

The gun looked quite strange. In addition to the main structure of a normal firearm, a long, thick, matte black barrel extended from the front of the muzzle. But despite this, anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that it was a gun.

The security guard's voice trembled like a leaf. He swallowed hard, trying to steady himself with his trembling voice: "May I ask who you are? If you... if you're looking to rob someone, you've come to the wrong place. You need to go to the mining platform up there! This is just a run-down mine, there's nothing valuable here... If you don't know the place, I... I can take you there, and I guarantee you'll find something good!"

"He's lying!"

A loud shout suddenly came from a corner of the mine. A young man named Carter poked his head out from the crowd, his furry ears perked up with anger. "He's never been to the upper echelons of the mining platform! Last time I heard him complaining to someone that the higher-ups wouldn't let low-level security guards like them get close! Don't let him fool you!"

"These damn country bumpkins..."

The security guard gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. Seeing that his pretense was about to crumble, he stealthily shifted his position, seemingly preparing to launch a counterattack. But before he could make a move, *thud!*

A muffled thud suddenly erupted in the mine. The gun bullet pierced his brain with pinpoint accuracy. Immediately afterward, the blood on the bullet's surface exploded inside his skull. The security guard's body stiffened abruptly, his limbs rigidening, before he crashed heavily to the ground. His eyes widened in disbelief, and he remained motionless, with only warm blood slowly spreading across the gravel.

Zhao Zizhan didn't even glance at the corpses at his feet. He sheathed his gun, his gaze sweeping over the panicked miners. His voice was calm yet carried an undeniable authority: "Thank you for reminding me. Who's in charge here?"

The crowd flinched, the Carters looking at each other. Finally, a slightly overweight Carters slowly stepped forward. It was the same droopy-eared uncle from before. His hands were still trembling slightly, and his voice was a little nervous: "It's...it's me."

"What do you call it?"

Zhao Zizhan asked.

"Love...love pushing the big iron pot"

"?"

Zhao Zizhan was stunned for a moment before realizing that the other person was referring to his name. He held back his laughter only because of a strong sense of conviction.

Before they arrived, the Cartes on the island had already explained to Zhao Zizhan the unique naming habits of the local people of Rembito. Due to the Cartes' strong reproductive ability, the number of Cartes family members is often quite large. In such a large member structure, naming the members becomes a very difficult task.

Especially when everyone is not very educated.

Thus, the naming of Rembitox's Cartes has become what it is now, based on individual behavior and characteristics. For example, the one who lost a hand was named after losing a hand in a machine while working in the mine.

"Very good. Notify everyone to take your food and necessary supplies and follow me to evacuate. This place is about to become a battlefield."

"battlefield!!"

The two words exploded in the miners' ears like thunder. The Cartesians screamed instantly, their long ears bobbing up and down like waves. Some even jumped back in fear, and the mine was thrown into chaos.

"This...what is going on?"

Ai pushed the big iron pot and asked in a panic.

Zhao Zizhan looked at him and explained, word by word, "Our investigation revealed that this mining company has long oppressed its miners, not only defaulting on project payments and withholding wages, but also severely lacking in safety measures, resulting in a large number of miners contracting Oripathy. In addition, they have also used force to threaten surrounding businesses, committing numerous atrocities. Therefore, after joint research by the Reunion Movement and Rhodes Island, it was decided to directly carry out a military expulsion against them."

A brief silence fell over the mine. The miners stood there, stunned, seemingly still processing the news. A few seconds later, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd: "Mother Earth above!!!"

"My God! Did you hear that?!"

Another Carter jumped up excitedly, "Those damn Victorians are going to be driven away! We'll never have to put up with them again!"

"That's wonderful! That's the best news I've ever heard!!"

"Building a great iron kingdom was the right thing to do!! If we had done it sooner, they would have been driven out long ago!!"

The miners hugged each other, tears welling in their eyes. None of the miners here wore helmets because the mining companies were unwilling to spend a lot of money to buy miner helmets that could match the soft, long ears of the Cartes. Everyone worked bareheaded in the mine.