Chapter 542: 542

Chapter 542: Absolutely Won’t Trust Them

“No wonder…” Su Mulian mumbled under her breath. “We always got a lot of special medicine from the outside world every year. Many of them were useful and could at least alleviate pain for the time being, but some of the special medicine came with strong side effects and consequences. They brought out secondary mutations in their users.

“Since these patients were already critically ill, even I could do nothing to treat them. I forced myself to try all sorts of methods, but if the pills were useless, only the Gods could save those people.

“So, these special medicines were given to us for testing?”

“That’s right. Decades ago, the old village chief signed an agreement with the mega corporations and the peerless elites behind them through the gangs. The villagers would test the newest gene medicines and cultivation methods, and the precious test data would then be exchanged for food, drinkable water, and all sorts of things necessary for our survival,” Wild Wolf said gravely.

“Ms. Mulian, don’t blame your grandfather. He did this for the survival of the villagers. If it weren’t for the testing of the gene medicine and cultivation methods, in that lawless era when order had crumbled, it would have been impossible for Leprosy Village to survive. Back then, the world was brutal and only the strong could go on.

“Meng Chao, don’t go thinking that I’m lying either. Think about it carefully. Dragon City has transmigrated to the Other World for a little over half a century, but we have turned from a society with nothing to a society with a complete spirit energy cultivation system.

“Even with the help from the advanced technology discovered in the ancient ruins under the Supernatural Tower, if no one conducted repeated tests and continued perfecting the system, it would have been impossible for the superhuman circle to be as developed as it is today.”

“That’s…” Meng Chao gritted his teeth. “Wild Wolf, tell me, did the people who participated in the tests knew the truth?”

“They knew, but they had no other choice,” Wild Wolf said. “It’s true that the mega corporations never hid the truth about the cultivation methods and gene medicine, and they didn’t force anyone to join their tests either. All the people who received the tests signed the informed consent and confidentiality forms. They also knew about the possible side effects and sequelae from the tests, so everything looks legal on the surface.

“But the mega corporations have completely monopolized the food, drinkable water, and all daily necessities of the village. If we didn’t agree to be test subjects, we could only starve and die of thirst. What’s the point of all the legality, then?

“The villagers aren’t ignorant brats. We know that there is no such thing as free lunch in the world. We don’t mind taking up some really dangerous jobs to have a chance at survival. There’s no difference in essence when it comes to us becoming test subjects and you becoming hunters.

“But just like how we only get the smallest bits of leftovers from the weapons deals after the numerous subcontracts, the test subjects who risk their lives get little rewards too.

“When the mega corporations develop a new gene medicine and send it into the village for tests, many of the villagers have to endure different degrees of pain. Some of them get irreversible sequelae.

“In the end, when the new gene medicine is sold in the market, more than 90% of the profit ends up in the hands of those who control the mega corporations, while only less than 1% reach the villagers’ hands.

“The owners of the mega corporations and their children can then use that 90% of the profit to get more resources and become stronger. They can evolve into existences that are greater than humans. Meanwhile, Leprosy Village can only continue struggling in this badly polluted shithole, just like every other day. We become even more deformed, ugly, and less like humans. Is this fair?”

Meng Chao had nothing to say to that.

“I’m not telling you this because I want to use the chance to complain about the ‘crimes’ of the mega corporations. I’m not that naive. After all, we’re willing to be oppressed, and the other side is willing to oppress us. This is just an unfair trade. The only thing to blame is that we’re weak. It’s no reason to blame others,” Wild Wolf said coldly.

“But saying that the mega corporations don’t know the truth about Leprosy Village… That’s impossible. They are constantly paying attention to the test data of the villagers, and they know about the deformities and suffering they cause.

“Unfortunately, not a single one of the mega corporations wants to change our fate. They just want to use the tragic fates of the villagers and squeeze out the last drops of profit from our deformed bodies to become stronger and stand above all humans. That’s all they want!”

Meng Chao still had nothing to say.

He did not know what he would choose if he were in their shoes and had grown up in Leprosy Village.

Now, he felt too ashamed to tell Wild Wolf and the villagers to be united and maintain order.

Wild Wolf continued, “You were not born in the nine great cultivation families, and the remarks about you online are pretty good. That’s why I was willing to tell you so many things. In fact, I’m willing to trust you, Meng Chao.

“But the villagers behind me and I absolutely don’t believe that those mega corporations will have even a shred of kindness for us and want to save us.

“Reinforcements won’t come, or at least, they won’t arrive soon. The mega corporations have invested astronomical figures in the mining and developing bases at the borders of Dragon City. Their wealth is there, and once the mining and developing bases take shape, they will provide endless supplies of cultivation resources to the mega corporations and the peerless elites.

“Then, they will continue growing so that they can control Dragon City forever. In time, they will be able to rule the whole Other World, which you mentioned just now.

“So, the borders of Dragon City are the main focus, and they’re essential to the mega corporations, so they will risk everything to defend them.

“Besides, if they manage to kill Apocalyptic Beasts in the pitched battle at the borders, they might be able to move from a Deity Realm superhuman to a whole new realm.

“In comparison, Leprosy Village and the lair are both of little value, and providing reinforcements to this place is just too bothersome. There is no peerless elite who will enter the lair to fight against the abnormal beast. It’s a troublesome and unrewarding task, after all.

“Let me put this in not so flattering terms—to the mega corporations and the peerless elites, Leprosy Village and the lair are like chamber pots. When they need us, they will bring us out from underneath the bed, but once they’re done using us, they will think that we’re dirty and smelly. They’ll kick us into a corner. No one will do everything they can to save a chamber pot.

“If you still don’t trust me, then think about the hunting operation you joined this time. Based on what you said, aside from you, the group consisted of veteran hunters from insurance companies and powerful fighters from the gangs.

“Then, what about the abnormal beast research department and the secret police? What about the tactical squads of the mega corporations? What about the special forces from the Red Dragon Army? What about your close comrade, the model superhuman Lu Siya? She has always been with you.”

“Well, I can explain this,” Meng Chao said. “It’s because there have been multiple robberies in Dragon City over the past few days. Signs of monster hordes have also been discovered at the forward operating bases around the city. We just can’t mobilize more forces.”

“Is that so? They can’t mobilize more forces?” Wild Wolf snorted. “If Leprosy Village wasn’t the one in trouble today but Dragon City No.1, would they really be unable to mobilize more forces?”

Meng Chao was rendered speechless.

“Listen, I’m not complaining about anything. I don’t detest the world and think that Leprosy Village can be compared to Dragon City No.1. Humans are born into different social classes, just like how monsters are divided into Crystalline Nine-headed Dragons and Demonic Halberd Pigs,” Wild Wolf said.

“If you’re a Demonic Halberd Pig, then you should have the awareness of one. When a Demonic Halberd Pig’s nest is in trouble, don’t go thinking that a Crystalline Nine-headed Dragon Will descend from the sky to save its nest. Even if a supreme Crystallin Nine-headed Dragon releases a kind whine to the Demonic Halberd Pigs and tells them to wait patiently for it to save them, don’t trust a single word from it. At the end of the day, humans must depend on themselves!”

When Meng Chao heard Wild Wolf’s unyielding words and sensed his firm determination, he was silent for a while. “Wild Wolf, have you already decided to lead the villagers out?”

“What else?” Wild Wolf retorted. “If you give me a method that will allow most of the villagers to survive, I’ll listen as long as we’re not required to stay here and wait for our deaths.”

“But if you rush out recklessly, you will definitely have to fight against the surprised gangs,” Meng Chao said. “Trust me. The abnormal beast and its puppets have definitely disguised themselves and are lurking among the panicking villagers. Even if you don’t want to fight against the gangs, the abnormal beast will definitely force you to fight. Both of you will be heavily injured, and then, things will escalate to the point where you won’t be able to turn back.”

“I believe you, but I want to escalate things to the point where there will be no return,” Wild Wolf said. “Over the past few decades, the mega corporations have ignored Leprosy Village. If we obediently stay in the village this time, they will absolutely leave us to our own devices. They will probably arrive when the village is about to be destroyed by the abnormal beast.

“But if we cause a major ruckus and spread the chaos from Leprosy Village to the entire lair or perhaps all of Dragon City, then maybe the mega corporations and the peerless elites will risk it all to provide us with reinforcements.”

“Wild Wolf, don’t be rash, if you do that, many people will die!” Meng Chao hissed in exasperation.

“I don’t think I’m being rash. On the contrary, my mind has never been clearer and I’ve never been more rational. A lot of people will die, but having 99 people die is better than having 100 people die, and having 999 people die is better than having 1,000 people die. This is a simple mathematical question, and even an elementary school student can figure it out,” Wild Wolf answered calmly.

Meng Chao was worked up. “We should try and talk to the gangs first and tell them what happened in Leprosy Village, then have them tell the government outside to open up a temporary shelter in the lair and hurry with the reinforcements!”

“I’ve already sent someone over for negotiations. Bai Shan went, but she didn’t even see the leader of the other side before she was chased back,” Wild Wolf hissed.

“I’ll go!” Meng Chao blurted out. “If you trust me, then do this for the sake of countless villagers who shouldn’t die like this. Let me talk to the gangs. I swear that I will definitely find the Underground Emperor. Saber Jin Wanhao is their leader, and he will think of a way to find a place for all the villagers to settle down!”