Chapter 310 - Return (1/2)

Chapter 310: Return

The answers to all the questions are in the New World… Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others silently repeated this sentence.

Their conversation with Viel convinced the Ark citizens present that the act of overthrowing DiMarco’s tyranny was indeed under the orders of a deity!

After a brief silence, Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a monkey mask—suddenly looked at Viel and asked, “You have the Awakened ability, Extreme Terror?”

Jiang Baimian quickly asked, “You killed Helvig?”

She remembered that during the few days when Viel was missing while the Vigilance Church held a hiding Mass, Helvig had died from shock during that period!

It was originally very difficult to put these two matters together. After all, Viel was young and had no feud with Helvig. Furthermore, it only made people feel that he had secrets but not signs of being an Awakened.

Now, Viel’s words clearly revealed that he had the ability of Extreme Terror.

Helvig had died under the influence of this ability!

Viel replied casually, “Blame it on him; always mocking me for being short. He should’ve died long ago. Most people here want him dead, including his wife.”

You killed him because he mocked you for being short? Over-sensitive? Jiang Baimian muttered to herself in enlightenment.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao laughed and stared at Viel before taking two steps forward.

Viel jumped in fright and instinctively retreated. “What are you trying to do?”

“Guess.” Shang Jianyao pressed the smug monkey mask on his face.

Viel could imagine the smile that spread out from under his mask. He hurriedly said, “D-do you want to avenge Helvig? He’s a devil. Most people in Redstone Collection will only applaud me for killing him!”

Shang Jianyao didn’t respond. He wore the monkey mask and took two more steps forward.

Viel’s expression changed a few times before he snapped, “If you come any closer, I’ll use Extreme Terror!”

Shang Jianyao laughed and pointed at Genava beside him. “See that? He won’t be afraid. I also prepared a FECA shot to prevent me from being shocked to death so easily.”

Viel’s gaze swept across the silver-black smart bot, Genava, and he blurted out, “I-I’m a reserve Oracle!”

He arched his back slightly, and he looked like he would attack at any moment.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao laughed. “What’s wrong? There’s no need to be nervous. I’m not Redstone Collection’s sheriff; I have no right to judge you.”

As he spoke, he took off his tactical backpack and took out his beloved small speaker. “I will only drive around Redstone Collection and make it constantly repeat ‘it was Viel who killed Helvig.’”

Viel was momentarily speechless. After a long time, he said hatefully, “Up to you!”

As he spoke, he turned around, ran a few steps, jumped up, climbed to the ceiling, and disappeared into the ventilation duct.

Shang Jianyao watched him leave before turning around and walking back to Jiang Baimian and the others.

“You said so much just to tease him?” Jiang Baimian touched her metal cochlear implant. “Why bother? This fellow bears grudges.”

With a beaming smile, Shang Jianyao replied, “It’s only interesting when you bully such dangerous children.”

Jiang Baimian was just about to roll her eyes when she saw a large group of servants rush over.

Their expressions were filled with unease and worry, but their eyes appeared rather numb.

After slowly sweeping their gazes across DiMarco’s corpse—which was wearing a black, white-patterned mask—their eyes gradually lit up.

…

A few days later.

In a field near the lake northwest of Redstone Collection.

“From today onward, this piece of land will be yours.” Yu Tian—who had become a member of the Underground Ark Management Committee—pointed ahead and said to the two sisters, Ge Lin and Ge Miao, “We will organize people to clear the ditches here and do all kinds of work with you in clearing out the weeds. However, you will mainly have to rely on yourselves in the future.

“Don’t worry. The first year’s seeds will be distributed for free. You can also apply to Redstone Collection or the cathedral to borrow all kinds of machinery. The corresponding fees will be subsidized by the annual smuggling business. Therefore, apart from the first year, you will have to submit a portion of your harvest every year after that. It will feed the members in charge of the smuggling business and the Ark guards…”

“O-okay!” Ge Lin and Ge Miao looked at each other and replied in surprise. For them, who came from small settlements, the value of arable land was obvious.

After receiving the corresponding title deed, the two sisters returned to the Vigilance Cathedral. They faced Eidolon Nun’s Sacred Emblem and sincerely prayed.

They didn’t choose to live in the Ark because they weren’t accustomed to living underground and were still very afraid.

They planned on staying in the basement of the Vigilance Cathedral first. When spring came, they would find a relatively intact abandoned house near their fields that was conducive for hiding. They would tidy it up and hire people to repair and wire it up.

Under the Vigilance Church’s mediation, Redstone Collection barely acknowledged the Underground Ark Management Committee’s existence and allowed them to use uninhabited buildings and reclaim the currently abandoned farmlands. Of course, the Underground Ark also paid a certain price and gave up many of its smuggling businesses.

After returning to their assigned temporary housing, Ge Lin—who had been busy the entire day—picked up a tattered towel and said to Ge Miao, “Go wash your face first.”

“Let me lie down for a while longer, pretty please? I’m so exhausted.” Ge Miao lay on the bed and wheedled.

It was unknown how long it had been since Ge Lin had seen her sister acting this way. She recalled the past and smiled. “You can go when I return.”

She briskly walked to the nearest bathroom and washed her face and hands with cold water.