Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

On the way to escort Gilder and his group of refugees, who were trapped by the demon of fear, back to the city, they once passed by an abandoned human town.

Time had granted them the ability to repair that human town, but the precondition was that they needed to find... or rather build the things necessary to activate the city's functional buildings.

Then came the issue of population.

No matter how many and how good the buildings were, there needed to be people to use them. The former residents of Black Street clearly weren't suitable for direct relocation. Asking them to abandon the safety and warmth of the city's periphery for a completely new and strange wilderness was something normal people would probably not accept, and the city wouldn't sit idly by as so many people abruptly left.

But now... these refugees, abandoned by the city, were exactly in a situation of having nowhere to go.

Having them build a place for themselves with their own hands and becoming the first masters of that land was something they would presumably be eager to do.
Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

"I can't take them back to Black Street directly," Bai E shook his head, his gaze heavy as he looked at Dai Lian, Kuang Xin, Gong Yan, and the others gathered around.

Even if it was refusal, their sincere gaze was filled with strength. After spending a long time together, these players held absolute trust in their leader.

Even in refusal, the leader would certainly not abandon them.

"But I will give them another option..."

"Using your own hands, to create an alternative belonging to your city," Bai E looked at the crowd of refugees who were staring at him. Perhaps to the city, these refugees were insignificant, but for an individual, the gaze of over a thousand people already carried enough weight.

In that weight, there was full expectation.

"You will be the first masters of that land, and your homes will be governed by yourselves.

The new homeland is currently a wild frontier, which you will need to cultivate for yourselves.

But don't worry, I will help you.

There are no endlessly spewing volcanoes there, nor gangs that are constantly planning to eat people.

In this new land, you can freely breathe the fresh air without worrying about being discovered as unmodified.

In this new land, you can use your hands to gain wealth that belongs to you without fearing it will be seized by the powerful.

The fresh and free air will belong to you, as will the sweet and delicious bread.

In the future, there may be more people joining your homeland. In the new homeland, I will ensure one thing:

All of you will gain fairness... and freedom— the freedom to say 'no'!

We are human and thus have the right to remain human!"

The wind hummed quietly over the silent land, yet what was brewing in everyone's hearts was indeed a leaping flame.

"A new... homeland?"

"Built by our own hands?"

Confusion was evident in the refugees' eyes.

They had never dared to dream that their future could be so bright.

At most, they had shifted from one city that devoured people to another that wasn't so bad.

But cities... are probably all grey, right?

Even if not so black?

Cities are just like that, always have been, here and everywhere.

Endless drudgery and barely enough food to prevent starvation.

They were born, grew up, and lived in such cities, and the rumors they heard about other cities were all of the same sort, with some even sounding scarier...

But now...

An untouched, pure land?

A home built by their own hands...?

Isn't the wilderness very frightening?

All those endless beasts and the bugs they've heard about...

Oh! That's right!

Looking at the so-called "leader" in front of them, the refugees' eyes lit up again.

Beasts? Bugs? Beastmen?

What just happened?

Those hundreds of beastmen who could easily have captured them were like immature children in the face of this leader, being unilaterally slaughtered.

If they hadn't run fast, they'd probably all have joined the great fire not far away by now, becoming fuel for its all-consuming flames, right?

With such a powerful leader to protect them, they should be able to survive in the wilderness of this era... probably.

"Leader, please guide us."

"Leader, we are willing!"

Some of the sharper refugees even rushed to the front and prostrated themselves, shouting loudly.

And that caused a great resonance.

"Bang!" A gunshot interrupted those who were trying to bend their knees. Bai E's face remained calm as he swept his eyes over everyone's faces before he raised his eyebrows and commanded, "No kneeling! The city made you kneel, but I want you to stand up! You do not need to bow to anyone, and no one is worthy of your kneeling!"

Then, turning around and waving his hand, he added, "Let's go, set out! The road is long, and we don't have much time."

Murmurs rose softly from inside the lead vehicle driving slowly ahead, "The captain is so cool..."

"He's a natural-born leader," You murmured softly, pausing for a moment before adding in a sticky tone, "Our former captain said so."

Rose glanced through the rear-view mirror and nodded, "He truly is a natural-born leader..."

Then, she pressed down on the accelerator with her military boots and sped up.

They needed to be on guard ahead.

Since they had arrived, those less professional refugees didn't need to do that kind of work themselves anymore.

...

[Side quest - Genetic Collapse (Combat/Resource Compound Commission) has been completed, rewards have been distributed.]