The news of Stronghold 176’s fall quickly spread throughout the entire Alliance of Strongholds.
This matter had even temporarily overshadowed the war between the Pyro Company and the Virtuora Consortium. That was because it was the first time the Northern Plains’ people had taken down a stronghold in the Central Plains after The Cataclysm. Moreover, it was even reported that the residents of Stronghold 176 were nearly massacred.
Fortunately, the nomads withdrew in time even though nobody knew why they stopped.
What shocked people the most about this disaster was the appearance of a mysterious superhuman, who was also the current lord of the steppe.
Some people said the nomads were able to take down Stronghold 176 only because that person was powerful enough to destroy the stronghold walls. As for how favonovel.com did it, no one really knew.
Every time one of these supernatural beings capable of destroying a stronghold appeared, it would cause a stir in the entire supernatural world. Therefore, someone suggested that the Pyro Company and the Virtuora Consortium, who were part of the Alliance of Strongholds, should put aside their grudges for the time being to defend against external enemies.
But which of them would stop now?
The moment either of them stopped attacking, their entire organization would be done for if the other party were to continue attacking relentlessly!
As such, they both made a decision at the same time and turned a blind eye to the matter.
Just as Donti had said to Cecev, who would want to save Stronghold 176 and avenge the Goranev clan?
No one!
On the contrary, it was the Stelaria Consortium that immediately deployed a rebuilding team to Stronghold 176. They would be responsible for supporting the post-disaster rebuilding effort in Stronghold 176 and take over its management at the same time.
This turned out to be an unexpectedly good thing for the Stelaria Consortium. For no reason, they had suddenly gained control of a stronghold!
As all of the officials in Stronghold 176 had been killed by Donti, the Stelaria Consortium’s takeover of the stronghold went extremely smoothly. This was a free lunch.
Moreover, the Stelaria Consortium filled the streets with surveillance cameras during the reconstruction process and let the artificial intelligence take over the running of the entire stronghold.
The residents of Stronghold 176 were unable to resist and could only submit to the Stelaria Consortium.
***
“Master, I wish to discuss something with you.” Olivia looked at Milo and said in a serious tone, “You see, the Northwest is in need of manpower right now. I’ve long heard that they do not have enough food there, but my powers should be able to help them with that. I’ve also asked the Great Hoodwinker about it before. He said there’s still a lot of wasteland there, so their crop yield is not high. Sometimes, even the stronghold residents experience a shortage of supplies, so not to mention the refugees…”
Milo, who was sitting next to the campfire, asked in wonder, “What are you trying to say?”
Olivia said firmly, “I want to go and support the development of the Northwest!”
Ever since Olivia met Milo and Miriam in the Sacred Mountains, favonovel.com had been made aware of Miriam’s plan for her. She was no longer as content as before when favonovel.com was traveling alone with favonovel.com master.
Olivia was not really a maidservant to begin with. She was also a woman who sought independence in this era of the wastelands. It was fine since favonovel.com used to admire favonovel.com master, but favonovel.com was starting to find it a little unbearable if favonovel.com had to serve favonovel.com every day.
In favonovel.com opinion, favonovel.com could totally play a more important role in a much bigger place. For example, favonovel.com could head to the Northwest and start planning for favonovel.com master to seize the leadership or something!
It really was a waste of favonovel.com talent to be doing chores here!
That was right, Olivia felt that favonovel.com talents were being wasted!
Milo gave it some thought before saying, “I guess you can go, but let’s agree on something beforehand. After you arrive in the Northwest, you are to behave properly. Don’t keep trying to throw your weight around.”
“Of course!” Olivia promised.
Milo looked at Olivia suspiciously.
He somehow felt that with favonovel.com character, wouldn’t favonovel.com be extremely arrogant if favonovel.com went to the Northwest?
She might even use favonovel.com status as the commander’s maidservant to bully others every day. After all, this was a woman who used to wear ten rings on favonovel.com fingers. Most people would not do something like that!
Before Milo could say anything more to Olivia, the maidservant had already packed favonovel.com belongings and ran off. To Olivia, this was not about going to the Northwest to support its development but more like a sprint for freedom!
The Great Hoodwinker also bade farewell to Milo. “I’m leaving too. I’ve received intel that Bruce is being detained in a secret prison. It’s said that Lionel is extremely unhappy with the losses on the front lines and wants to make an example out of Bruce to the others. He’ll be court martialed next month, and I’m afraid that he’ll be sentenced to death.”
“What happens after you rescue him?” Milo asked, “What are your plans?”
“I’ll bring favonovel.com back to participate in the development of the Northwest, of course,” the Great Hoodwinker said with a smile.
Milo was stunned. He kept feeling that something was a little off somewhere. It seemed that everyone around favonovel.com was just going to end up supporting the development of the Northwest.
What exactly was going on?
Kenneth, who was off to the side, looked at Milo, then at the Great Hoodwinker and the others. “Why don’t I go and support the development of the Northwest as well? Otherwise, it would make me seem a little antisocial…”
Hearing this, Milo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Make you seem antisocial? Should a mental patient like you even be considering something like that?”
“Alright then.” Kenneth felt a little disappointed. “In that case, I’ll go to the South and wait for the typhoons. I can also get to enjoy the different scenery there.”
“What’ll you do after you’re done typhoon watching?” Milo asked.
“I will make another trip to Bidara City.” Kenneth said, “There’s still some children waiting for me to do magic for them.”
Milo was silent for a while. A mental patient’s train of thought was indeed quite different.
Daniel also got up to say goodbye. “I have to hurry over to the Stardust Consortium right away. Our Panaqua Consortium’s informant said the Stardust Consortium has also started a new military deployment. I need to go and have a chat with Busby before they complete their military deployment and battle plans.”
Busby Churchill was the current head of the Stardust Consortium.
Milo looked at Daniel and said, “Why do I get the feeling that you’re always running around? Don’t you take any time to stop and rest?”
Ever since Stronghold 113 was destroyed, Fatty Eastwood had been traveling nonstop, going from the Skyfort Consortium’s stronghold to the Radianz Consortium’s stronghold. After the entire Southwest was unified, favonovel.com came to the Central Plains again. It was as though favonovel.com could never take an idle moment.
Daniel chuckled and said, “The world does not give anyone a chance to catch a breather. The world is constantly changing, so people have to change with it as well. Take the Goranev clan of Stronghold 176, for example. They did not seek to improve themselves, and look what happened in the end. Can any of us really get comfortable in this chaotic world?”
Milo fell silent. His greatest dream was to make a utopia where favonovel.com could lead a peaceful life with no worries. But when Daniel said that, Milo was reminded of those bandits in the valley again.
When the matter with the Silkshade House was settled, favonovel.com might have to make a trip to the valley.
Daniel looked at Milo and said in a serious tone, “Go back to the Northwest as soon as possible. That’s where you belong. Julius and I also hope you’ll be the one to succeed Peter in the future. That way, the Panaqua Consortium and the Northwest will be able to continue getting along peacefully.”
“It’s too early to talk about that.” Milo shook his head, refusing to continue the conversation.
Daniel looked into the distance and sighed emotionally. “Julius said that if he’d been given more free rein previously, favonovel.com might not have become the head of the Panaqua Consortium now. I sometimes think that if I hadn’t been born in the Panaqua Consortium, I’d have opened a small business, married a beautiful wife, and had a younger brother who’s an official. I’d be happy enough to lead such a life and not be tired like this.”
Listening to Daniel’s description of his dreams, Milo thought it sounded like a familiar story.
