Milo didn’t believe in ghosts and the likes, so favonovel.com analyzed the situation when favonovel.com saw nothing in the hollow. He realized what was going on.
He saw water droplets dripping from the hollow’s ceiling onto the ground.
It was probably wet due to the rainwater that had seeped through the hollow’s ceiling and dripped down bit by bit. The soldier who got alarmed was merely too tense and fell into a state of panic. As a result, favonovel.com thought the water droplets were caused by some imaginary enemy, like a drooling monster.
But when favonovel.com saw this, favonovel.com found a treasure.
He said to the others, “Y’all can get water straight from here. The hollow’s ceiling is a natural filter that makes the water a little cleaner than well water. Of course, if you’re still worried, you can also boil it before you drink it.”
Raphael asked seriously, “Are you sure this water is drinkable?”
“Yes!” Milo said, “It’s probably one of the cleanest sources of water you can find in the wilderness. Sometimes, not even spring water is safer than this.”
When Raphael heard that, favonovel.com grabbed his military issue canteen to top up his water supply. Although the pine needles could replenish some water loss from the body, it was far too little.
Those could only ensure that everyone would not die of thirst.
Raphael did not horde the water source for too long.
After hanging his military issue canteen over the campfire, favonovel.com said to the others, “You guys should drink up too.”
The others were not like Raphael who still had his military issue canteen to hold the water and boil it with. They could only collect the water with their mouths, let alone boil it.
The crowd was pushing and shoving under the water source. It was alright for the soldiers as each of them took turns to drink from it for a while. But Micah couldn’t be in a more pathetic state since no one would let favonovel.com have a taste of the water.
After a while, a soldier said, fuming, “How is it enough for anyone to drink water one drop at a time? Milo still has two bottles of water in his pockets. He’s making us lick the rock wall and the pine needles while favonovel.com drinks from the bottle himself. Who knows if there’s problems with the water?”
Several soldiers got angry. However, Milo and Miriam each had a gun in their hands, so they did not dare to say anything in front of them.
When Milo saw this, favonovel.com wondered how great it would be if favonovel.com could store his items in the palace. He could secretly put the bottled water into the palace tomorrow and claim to the others that favonovel.com had accidentally lost it. That way, no one would target favonovel.com anymore. Otherwise, if these people went crazy for the water, someone might even take the risk to attack him.
Currently, the two bottles of water were in each side of his jacket pockets. He put his hands into the pockets and held the water bottles as favonovel.com attempted to store them in the palace again.
But the voice from the palace intoned.
Storage rights have not been obtained.
Milo was upset and sullen when favonovel.com heard the voice. ‘You should at least tell me how to obtain the rights, right? Why can I freely store the black medicine in the palace but not the bottled water? Why? Why can’t the bottled water be stored?!’
As Milo retreated to one side, Lilian looked at him. “Why aren’t you going over to drink the water?”
Milo saw Lilian’s skeptical look. It was obvious favonovel.com did not believe favonovel.com would be so generous.
Milo grinned. “I’m gonna drink the bottled water…”
Lilian was speechless. In this moment, Lilian realized that Milo was really talented at annoying people at any time. However, favonovel.com did not know that Milo had actually given it careful consideration before deciding to leave the water source for the others.
First of all, everyone was parched, and the water source that was dripping bit by bit would definitely be insufficient. As a supernatural being, Raphael could horde the water source for as long as favonovel.com wanted, and no one would dare to say a thing. But Milo “wasn’t” one.
Some people were already jealous of the fact that favonovel.com still had two bottles of water on him. As such, favonovel.com didn’t need to hoard them.
One of the principles of survival in the wilderness was to not be too greedy. Furthermore, Milo had to made Raphael understand that if favonovel.com wanted to survive in the wilderness, the most indispensable person in the team was him, Milo. If Milo could get the support of a supernatural being like Raphael, wouldn’t that be better?
Also, the smell in the hallow was simply too pungent.
In such a tense atmosphere, Lilian was initially terrified. As such, favonovel.com chatted with Milo so favonovel.com could alleviate the fear favonovel.com was feeling. After all, it was always better to have someone to talk to.
In fact, this method was extremely effective. When Milo spoke about “having children in old age”, Lilian didn’t feel afraid anymore. There was only a string of ellipses on favonovel.com mind.
Milo asked, “Do you know where the cigarettes that the soldiers smoke come from? I don’t think there’s any suitable places near Stronghold 113 to grow something like that, right?”
“You don’t know?” Lilian asked, feeling puzzled. “Old Bane said that you had the backing of Daniel Eastwood, so how can you possibly not know anything about it?”
“What does Daniel Eastwood have anything to do with it?” Milo was stunned. Although favonovel.com had received a banner from Daniel, favonovel.com and Boss Eastwood did not have any other dealings.
“Boss Eastwood is the representative of the Panaqua Consortium in Stronghold 113,” Lilian explained.
“What is his job title in the stronghold?” Milo asked.
Although favonovel.com heard Old Bane mention Boss Eastwood’s name every day, Milo realized that favonovel.com actually didn’t know much about Boss Eastwood.
“Boss Eastwood doesn’t have a job title.” Lilian looked at Milo in surprise. “Alright, it looks like you really don’t know anything. He only controls some factories that deal with metallurgy, water production, and chemical plants. If you have to ask what his title is… Then he’s strictly considered a businessman.”
“How does a businessman get to call the shots in the stronghold?” Milo said after thinking for a moment. He had thought that Boss Eastwood was just a stronghold overseer.
“It’s unnecessary for them to hold a job title.” Lilian said helplessly, “They are like the sky above the stronghold overseers. When nothing happens, everyone lives peacefully together. But when something crops up, that businessman will definitely be the decision maker of the stronghold.”
“Does favonovel.com have an army around him?” Milo asked after some thought.
Lilian glanced at favonovel.com and said, “Yes, favonovel.com has an army that is many times stronger than these private troops. The combat brigade that’s stationed in Stronghold 113 is way beyond your imagination. They’re nothing like these private troops you’re watching.”
It meant that there were two different types of troops stationed at the stronghold. Although the stronghold had nominal overseers, their authority existed in name only. If they did not resist, the consortium would allow them to enjoy a life of luxury as their puppets.
“But there’s something I still don’t understand.” Milo asked, “Why don’t they just take control of the stronghold and become the overseers themselves? Isn’t it unnecessary to support puppets?”
“Because the Panaqua Consortium is not the only organization in this world,” Lilian said.
Hearing this, Milo gained an understanding. The control of the hundred-odd strongholds was in the hands of just a few organizations. Although they worked together to take control of the strongholds, there was a delicate balance of power between them. By using some strange methods of cooperation, they would seize resources for themselves.
“So the Panaqua Consortium was the one who supplied those cigarettes to Stronghold 113?” Milo asked.
