The First Order

Ren Xiaosu did not know what this “therapy” was about. He just felt the Wang Consortium’s methods were too overbearing.

Ren Xiaosu felt it was only natural that there were people in the world who did not like doing things they were good at. For example, Qing Zhen often said he did not like wars, but he was good at resolving them. For example, even though Zhang Baogen was a supernatural being, he felt that his calling was to bring joy to children living in the orphanage.

Even though Zhang Baogen’s saliva bubble power had become extremely powerful, and even though it smelled like celery, everyone should be able to make their own choices.

Alright, maybe having such choices and preferences was insignificant in your Wang Consortium’s stronghold.

But what subtle impression would you give to those people by putting them in therapy? “If you think that you don’t like your current job, that’s because there’s something wrong with your mentality, so you need therapy.”

You would be implying that they were in the wrong, so we, the Wang Consortium, would help you to get back on track by giving you therapy.

Ren Xiaosu could not agree with this method. For example, if someone were to say to him, “Ren Xiaosu, since you’re so good at killing people, you should help everyone kill people.”

Ren Xiaosu would definitely smash that person’s head in.

Moreover, at this moment, Ren Xiaosu felt that the word “therapy” had suddenly become a very taboo word in the stronghold. This was something he found difficult to accept.

He could even imagine that if a very stubborn person were to suddenly appear in this stronghold and was not willing to do the job that was assigned to him by the artificial intelligence, that person might just end up getting “counseled” endlessly.

What a horrifying feeling this was.

It was no wonder the stronghold residents would subconsciously lower their heads when they saw the Wang Consortium’s vehicle.

Ren Xiaosu did not make any further comments on this matter. He was not the savior of the world, nor did he have any better or more reasonable suggestions. He only wanted to fulfill his promises quickly and leave this place.

The off-road vehicle drove for nearly 40 minutes as Ren Xiaosu silently mapped out the route in his mind.

When he was here with Zhou Yingxue the previous time, he had memorized the map of Stronghold 61. Although he did not have a photographic memory like Wang Yun, he could still roughly memorize it.

At this moment, the female celebrity, Li Ran, who was walking out of a villa on the side of the road, was taken aback when she saw the off-road vehicle driving past her.

Her new assistant, who was standing beside her, asked, “Ranran, what’s the matter?”

Li Ran looked in the direction of the departed off-road vehicle. “I think I saw someone familiar, an acquaintance.”

Li Ran had already been living in Stronghold 61. She was rescued by Ren Xiaosu and Zhou Yingxue during the creeper vine crisis. Later, she came back after the stronghold was rebuilt. After all, she would have some feelings for the place where she grew up.

When Li Ran saw Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin sitting inside the Wang Consortium’s vehicle, she felt a little jealous for some reason.

She used to look down on Ren Xiaosu. But later, she realized she was unable to understand the world he was living in.

The assistant turned to look at Li Ran. “Is it just an acquaintance?”

“Mhm.” Li Ran calmed herself down and replied, “Come on, let’s head to the event.”

The assistant had some thoughts about this. Judging by Li Ran’s disappointed expression, it was apparent that the person was no ordinary acquaintance.

The off-road vehicle stopped at a quiet street after driving down the avenue. When Wang Run got out of the vehicle, he said to Ren Xiaosu, “We’ve arranged these two courtyard houses as your accommodation. This is specifically where our Wang Consortium receives our distinguished guests.”

Ren Xiaosu had a look at the two courtyard houses. They were not big, but they stood secluded and elegant.

However, he felt that something was off. “Something’s not right!”

Wang Run was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

“Why are there two courtyard houses?” Ren Xiaosu said earnestly, “One courtyard house should be sufficient for the two of us. We’re only here on a visit. If we also take up your resources used for receiving distinguished guests, isn’t that such a waste? No, no, you can go and tell your higher-ups that the two of us can stay together.”

Wang Run was stunned and did not know how to respond. He saw Yang Xiaojin push open the door to her courtyard house. As she walked in, she said scornfully, “You’re making it sound like you have the balls to stay with me.”

Yang Xiaojin knew Ren Xiaosu too well. From his behavior in the wilderness, how could she not know how cowardly he was? Now that they were here, he actually even put in a request like that?

Ren Xiaosu stood on the street looking confused. Wang Run said, “You two can rest up first. I’ll come and deliver the two of you to the boss’s residence when it’s time for the party.”

After that, Wang Run went away.

Ren Xiaosu stood still and started thinking about the accommodations. It must have been Yang Xiaojin’s aunt who arranged for them to stay in two separate courtyard houses.

How could anyone do something like that? How could he waste the stronghold’s resources when there were still so many homeless people? This would make him feel bad!

Thinking of this, Ren Xiaosu walked over to Yang Xiaojin’s courtyard house and tried to push the door open. However, he realized she had already locked it from the inside.

Ren Xiaosu’s expression darkened. “Why did you lock the door? You scared or something?!”

Yang Xiaojin, who was inside, said, “Well done, you’ve become braver today. You even know to come over and open the door yourself.” Then she returned to the house with a smile without any intention of opening the door for Ren Xiaosu.

In the end, when Ren Xiaosu went back over and was about to enter his courtyard house with his head down, a familiar voice rang out from the other side, “Ren Xiaosu?”

Ren Xiaosu turned around and was surprised to see Jiang Xu walking out from another courtyard house with several reporters next to him. Curious, he asked, “Why are you also here at Stronghold 61?”

Jiang Xu said with a smile, “I came to see what the Wang Consortium’s AI is about and took the opportunity to hold some classes here as well. Just as I was getting bored, you arrived. So, what are you doing here?”

“It’s a long story.” Ren Xiaosu sighed and said, “I promised someone I’d do three things for them within my power.”

…

Yan Liuyuan led Hassan, Bulan Zir, Kirghiz Yan, and the others back to the imperial court in the grasslands in the North. But when they arrived, they noticed the women and children in the tribe were all looking a little flustered.

Yan Liuyuan’s voice came from under his black faceplate, “What’s the matter? What happened?”

Xiaoyu came out from the royal tent to welcome back Yan Liuyuan. She took a look at Yan Liuyuan first to see if he was injured before saying, “I told you about that newly discovered salt pool a few dozen kilometers away from here before. But our people who went there to harvest salt two days ago never returned. I sent out some of the warriors to go and investigate, but they only brought back a few bodies.”

Yan Liuyuan was taken aback. “Was it the wolves?”

“No.” Xiaoyu shook her head. “They were slash wounds. The right ears of the bodies were also cut off.”

Yan Liuyuan suddenly looked at Bulan Zir. “Are there any other tribes on the steppe?”

Bulan Zir shook his head and said, “No, they’re all here. However, there were similar incidents during earlier years. But I heard it happened somewhere further north. After that, it became too cold and was inhabitable to people. There was always a legend on the steppe that our north is not the steppe. There’s in fact still some humans living in that freezing place, but no one has ever seen them before. Or rather, those who encountered them all ended up dead.”

Yan Liuyuan looked north of the grasslands. To many in the Central Plains, the boundary of the Northern Plains was the grasslands, and the enemies were the nomads.

However, many of them had neglected one thing: There was still the north further north of the grasslands.