Chapter Fifty: Arrangements Before Departure (Part One)

After a day of revelry, the following morning everyone gathered beneath the great tree. To their surprise, there were now two additional large trees compared to the day before. These new trees were much smaller than the Tree of Life, only about twenty meters tall, but like the Tree of Life, they each bore a human face on their trunks. Beside the trees stood two peculiar structures—the Assassin’s Hall and the Armory—that Guo Lang had established just the day before.

Almost everyone had arrived, including the ordinary civilians who had trickled in later. Guo Lang stood opposite the crowd. The soldiers, led by Thomas and Abel, formed neat rows on either side, while the civilians, whom Guo Lang had brought from the prison, gathered loosely in the center—about seventy people in all. Counting the prison guards and a few sensible town policemen who had joined them, Guo Lang estimated nearly three hundred people in total. However, he only had two hundred doses of the inferior serum. Exchanging more from the Main God would be too costly; producing it himself using the technology from the Tree of Knowledge was the only viable path.

Yet the existence of the gene serum was already common knowledge among the civilians, making it an urgent issue. After all, people everywhere share the same nature: it is not scarcity, but inequality, that breeds discontent. Guo Lang had no illusions that those under his protection would remain eternally grateful or content. Were he in their place, he would feel the same.

Such is human nature. Though Guo Lang had provided them safety and shelter in these chaotic times, people are rarely satisfied. Once their security is assured, they inevitably demand more. Guo Lang had already noticed the change—the grateful respect in the civilians’ eyes had faded, replaced by dissatisfaction.

Though this annoyed him, Guo Lang knew he must not resist it, for this was the nature of humanity: everyone is selfish in some way; it is only a question of what they pursue.

He cleared his throat. “Ahem! I will now announce the policies of our base. These are my own decrees. They are non-negotiable. If you are dissatisfied, you are free to leave. But do not entertain any clever ideas—anyone who disrupts the stability of the base is, in my eyes, no different from the undead. Do not think you will get away with it.”

Thomas and Abel both stiffened in surprise, sensing a newfound assertiveness in their leader.

“You… this is dictatorship! The Federation is a people’s democracy!” A middle-aged man in a town police uniform summoned his courage to object.

Guo Lang fixed him with a cold gaze. “What is your name?”

“Dane,” the man replied, refusing to back down, a hint of provocation in his eyes.

“Kelly,” Guo Lang called.

“At your command, sir!” Kelly stepped forward with a formal military salute.

“Remove this man’s name from the records.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dane flickered with panic but forced himself to sneer. “Remove my name? What does that mean? Are you going to erase me as well?” He spread his arms and shouted, “Go ahead, shoot me! You tyrant!”

His words sparked a murmur among the civilians. Their faces grew cold, and their eyes toward Guo Lang became even more distant.

Guo Lang watched Dane’s performance without expression. “Mr. Dane, from this moment you are exiled. You have one day to leave our base. If you are seen near here again, you will be considered a threat and executed on sight.”

“You’re trying to scare me?” Dane tried to bluff.

Guo Lang ignored him and gestured to Kelly, who nodded and directed two soldiers to approach Dane.

“What are you doing? Don’t do anything reckless, I’m warning you!” Dane finally began to lose his composure.

“Sir, you have thirty minutes to pack your belongings. If you are still in the base after that, we will use force to remove you. Do not attempt to resist—do not underestimate our resolve,” Kelly said calmly, her words leaving no doubt as to her seriousness.

“Hey, did you see that?” Dane shouted at the civilians, his face pale and panic rising. “Now you see their true colors—everything in the town was a façade. If you submit now, you’ll be oppressed forever… even worse in the future!”

“Sir,” Kelly interrupted him again, her tone icy, “I advise you not to complain, and you had better not spread rumors. Otherwise, I will execute you immediately, depending on the seriousness of the offense.”

Dane fell silent, slumping to the ground in defeat. He looked to the crowd for support, but found that everyone avoided his gaze.

A chill ran through him. From afar, Guo Lang shook his head. To manipulate people’s selfishness, one must understand its true nature. The onlookers might be easily incited, but when it comes to paying the price and standing united, expecting them to act is a joke. That’s why they’re called bystanders. This man simply had no skill—if he really wanted to use public opinion to start something, he would need far more cunning and strategy. If he had such ability, would he have been a lazy, do-nothing policeman in a small town?

Self-satisfied fools, thought Guo Lang, flicking his hand in boredom. The soldiers understood and moved to escort Dane away. Dane now seemed limp and empty, his eyes dull, muttering, “You’ll regret this, all of you will regret this…”

“Does anyone else wish to leave?” Guo Lang asked coldly, looking at the civilians. In truth, he was unafraid—even if they all left, it wouldn’t matter much to him. He needed people, but that didn’t mean these frail and feeble folk were worth compromising for.

There was silence. No one stepped forward.

Having achieved his purpose, Guo Lang nodded and said in a deep voice, “Very well. Now I will announce the rest of the policies.”

Everyone, including the soldiers, pricked up their ears. This would determine their future and their fate.

“First, let’s address what you all care about most—the gene serum.” Guo Lang paused deliberately.

At this, the crowd’s eyes lit up, nearly bulging with anticipation.

Seeing that he had their attention, Guo Lang continued, “First of all, every combatant must receive one dose of the gene serum. They are on the front lines, risking their lives to secure your survival. Now and always, combatants will be the first to receive the genetic enhancement serum.”

The civilians paused, but then nodded in agreement—Guo Lang’s reasoning was perfectly fair and unassailable. The soldiers, meanwhile, were visibly moved, their worth at last acknowledged.

“Next, the families of soldiers will also have priority in receiving the gene serum.” Guo Lang glanced meaningfully at the women in the crowd.

The single women’s eyes lit up; some even began appraising the soldiers boldly, as if selecting prey. The soldiers, unused to such attention, blushed. Abel laughed boisterously, “I knew following the boss was the right choice—there’s a future here!”

Kelly rolled her eyes at him, chiding with a smile, “Have some dignity!”

“Sir, if I may ask—what about those of us who aren’t military families? Will ordinary people never have a chance, or will we always get what’s left over?”

Guo Lang turned to see a young man with delicate features speaking up. The young man, nervous under the crowd’s gaze, mustered his courage to continue, “I mean it realistically. After all, there’s only one female soldier among you, and over twenty of us men—it’s fierce competition!”

The crowd burst into laughter at this remark.

Guo Lang was amused as well. He looked at the young man and asked gently, “What is your name?”

An elderly man beside the youth hurried forward, pressing him back and smiling apologetically. “This is my son, Anderson. He’s young and impulsive—please don’t hold it against him, Chief.”

Guo Lang found the old man interesting; not even Thomas and his crew had ever addressed him as “Chief.” This old fellow certainly knew how to show respect.

Guo Lang softened his expression and said quietly, “Don’t worry, your son is very promising. I’m only asking.”

“I’m Anderson, a second-year graduate student at Missouri Institute of Technology,” the young man replied.

“Oh?” Guo Lang’s eyes lit up. “What’s your field?”

“My undergraduate was in biological sciences; my graduate studies are in microbiology.”

Just what he needed! Guo Lang was delighted—someone with a solid foundation would progress much faster in the Tree of Knowledge, and Anderson’s academic achievements implied strong learning ability. Far better than recruiting complete novices.

Looking at his first research-oriented talent, Guo Lang nodded with satisfaction. “Let me tell you two things. First, about competition—you’re out of luck. The only female soldier is already spoken for by someone in our team, so you have no chance.”

A round of good-natured heckling broke out among the soldiers familiar with Kelly, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.

“Boss, why be so coy? ‘Someone in the team’? Just say it! Our leader is shameless enough, he won’t mind!” someone teased, prompting more laughter.

For once, Kelly, usually so composed, lowered her head, a rare blush coloring her cheeks. Even the towering Thomas scratched his bald head awkwardly and laughed.

Among the civilians, Mary—once Thomas’s wife—stood pale and desolate. Their relationship was over for good, and given her identity, despite her looks, no one else would dare approach her now. If not for Thomas’s consideration for their daughter and securing a serum dose for her, Mary would have no hope of obtaining one.

“Second,” Guo Lang continued once the crowd quieted, raising a finger, “ordinary civilians are not without opportunities.”