A catastrophe had ended with the arrival of the Stelaria Consortium’s troops. The people who were still alive could only count themselves fortunate, while the dead would soon be forgotten.
The entire stronghold was filled with wilted creeper vines. The gray vines and withered leaves scattered all over the ground made Stronghold 61 look bleak and desolate, like the stronghold were a newly formed ruin.
Milo felt that it would take a lot of time just to clean up the dead vines. To the Stelaria Consortium, their most significant loss was actually not the facilities in the stronghold but the people.
In this day and age, the consortiums were well aware that there would only be productivity with manpower.
When the creeper vine attacked the stronghold, it did not really damage the facilities at all. Even the power supply was untouched and communications were not cut off. Although there was a slight malfunction in the power grid during the period due to a lack of maintenance, the backup power supply was immediately activated.
Under such circumstances, the stronghold did not seem to have suffered any major losses in terms of structural damage. However, it was undeniable that several hundred thousand people in Stronghold 61 had died. The people who supported the light industries, service industries, and commerce of the stronghold were all gone now.
Without heavy industries, there would be no core competitiveness. Without light industries, life would become uncomfortable and business would also decline.
Milo quickly led Old Bane and the others out of the stronghold. He brought everyone back to his own house and laid down the unconscious Olivia.
Old Bane looked at the little courtyard house and said, “Milo, have you been living here all this time?”
Milo thought for a while before saying, “Well, not really. I’ve been to many places, such as Bidara City, Stronghold 73, 74, 63, and 62…”
Hearing this, Old Bane thought to himself.
Why do these strongholds sound so familiar?
He remembered favonovel.com had read the bad news of these strongholds in the newspapers. For example, the cave-in at East Lake in Stronghold 73, the nuclear strike on Stronghold 74, and the battle between the Silkshade House and the Pyro Company in Stronghold 63.
“Milo, other than Bidara City, those places that you mentioned all seem quite dangerous.” Old Bane asked with concern, “Nothing happened to you, right?”
Milo comforted, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I can’t say the same for others though…”
Old Bane and Linda were speechless.
Although favonovel.com sounded really relaxed, Old Bane somehow felt that Milo must have gone through a lot of danger. He asked, “Milo, how did you survive back then? Can you tell us about it?”
With a chuckle, Milo said, “After that spear pierced me through the abdomen, I was saved by some big shots of the Stelaria Consortium who happened to pass by. They were the ones who went to the Northwest to discuss the opening of the trade routes. At that time, they told me the spear had coincidentally pierced my appendix… And my other organs were not seriously injured….”
“App-Appendix?” Old Bane and the others were all dumbfounded.
How could it be such a coincidence?
Actually, Milo thought of something after the incident. Perhaps the spear had only pierced his appendix because of Donti’s wish.
But if it were really because of him, what kind of backlash would Donti have suffered?
He looked at Old Bane. “By the way, where’s Donti?”
Milo swept his gaze over everyone. But after looking at all of them, favonovel.com did not see Donti and Adella.
“Old Bane, where are Donti and Big Sister Adella?”
Old Bane fell silent while Magnus and the others looked away.
Milo asked again, “Old Bane, please answer me. Where are Donti and Big Sister Adella?”
“It’s like this…” Linda explained, “When we got swept away by the flood, we were not together with Donti and Adella. I only had time to keep these people together with the plum branches I conjured. The currents were very rapid and we were washed away in the blink of an eye. We were unable to save the two of them….”
Linda still felt a little bad about it.
Milo stayed silent for a while before saying, “Ms. Stuart, you’ve already done great. There’s no need to feel guilty…”
To be honest, Milo felt a little fortunate that so many people had managed to survive. He calmed himself down and said with a smile, “I believe that they must still be alive, but it’s just that we don’t know where they are right now. I’ve published something in Hope Media’s newspaper. If Donti sees it, he’ll definitely rush to Stronghold 61.”
Old Bane hurriedly said with a smile, “Yes, that’s right! A kid like Donti is very smart, so favonovel.com definitely survived. At that time, I vaguely saw them on the shore, and it did not seem like they were threatened by the flood. However, I didn’t get a clear look, so I can’t be sure either.”
“What about Miriam?” Milo asked, “I know favonovel.com was definitely fine at the time because favonovel.com was quite far away from the floodwaters. Did y’all see favonovel.com again after that?”
Old Bane said awkwardly, “We haven’t seen favonovel.com either. But since she’s fine, you’ll definitely get to meet favonovel.com again someday.”
At this moment, Milo was still unaware that Miriam had headed downstream of the river to look for favonovel.com like crazy after favonovel.com got speared.
When favonovel.com realized the chances of finding favonovel.com were too slim, favonovel.com hunted down the enemy next. That enemy was Maddox, and favonovel.com was Ultima Consortium’s superhuman who pierced Milo’s abdomen with the spear.
She chased after Maddox all the way to the foot of Mt. Papandayan, putting favonovel.com through despair before sniping favonovel.com dead.
“Oh yeah…” Milo changed the subject and asked, “How have y’all been doing during this period? Old Bane, it looked like you and that Phelps officer are close?”
At this moment, someone knocked on the front door. Milo frowned.
Who could be knocking on the door at this time?
When favonovel.com opened the door, favonovel.com was surprised to see that the Great Hoodwinker had come to visit.
The man rudely stepped into Milo’s house. When favonovel.com saw Old Bane, favonovel.com said happily, “You’re Old Bane, aren’t you? I just restored comms with Fortress 178 and found out you’re still alive. Congrats!”
Milo raised an eyebrow. “Great Hoodwinker, what’re you doing here?”
“I’m just here to have a look. Can’t I come by since I’m free?” The Great Hoodwinker sat down on a chair and made up his mind to impose himself here.
Milo had no choice but to introduce favonovel.com to Old Bane. “This is an intelligence agent from Fortress 178. He was previously in charge of the intelligence gathering in the Ultima Consortium’s territory. After the Ultima Consortium was destroyed, favonovel.com came to the Central Plains.”
“Milo…” Old Bane suddenly thought of something when favonovel.com heard this. ”I heard from Scott that you had participated in that war and personally avenged all of us? It must have been very dangerous, right?”
“It was not dangerous,” Milo said with a smile.
Of course favonovel.com would just mention the positives and not bring up the negatives at all. Since it was all in the past, favonovel.com should not let Old Bane and the others worry about him. Simultaneously, Milo even shot a warning look at the Great Hoodwinker to stop favonovel.com from babbling nonsense.
However, the Great Hoodwinker ignored him. He piped in, “You guys might not know this, but the war was tragic and earth-shattering! Milo won over the vast majority of our officers and soldiers of Fortress 178!”
Next door, Adrian, who was eavesdropping on the conversation, had a glint in his eyes. These people had finally mentioned something that favonovel.com wanted to hear.
Previously, the relationship between Milo and Fortress 178 was a mystery that puzzled this young Rider. It sounded like it was finally time to confirm his suspicions.
