To give an inappropriate example.
Some people are like Zero's rebellious bastard eldest son, always jumping left and right on his bottom line.
They clearly know their father has the elderly above and children below, has to bear house loans and car loans, working like a dog every day for his boss, yet still insist on courting death.
The bastard eldest son secretly took his father's remaining savings and smashed it all on gacha games.
The father's blood pressure directly maxed out.
What made him angrier was not that the bastard eldest son played games, but that he registered with his father's ID card. There was no way to request a refund for minors.
Zero, 'Isn't he sick in the head?!'
Fighting against the Mara-struck for a whole month, his HP bar had never been full, always slaying monsters on critical health.
He checked the map, adjusted the formations, tried everything to reduce losses for the Cloud Cavalry Army, until he was dizzy and his eyes blurred, yet there were still places he couldn't take care of, people he couldn't save.
Many were injured, some even lost their lives.
When he thought about himself and his subordinates fighting like hawks without rest, only to protect such a group of things, a killing intent immediately rose.
At the same time, he also thought about those troublemaking scoundrels before.
Why is there always someone who jumps out, again and again, to provoke him?
Is there something fishy behind it? Or is this just their nature?
Zero opened the quest log, his gaze falling on the words, "Inside there is 'Joy' making trouble."
He considered himself a kind-hearted person, couldn't bear to see people suffer grievances, always wanted to fulfill their wishes.
So, Zero directly shook awake the strategist, who had just fallen asleep, and told him this matter.
The strategist, "…So you came all the way from the Alchemy Division at three in the morning, climbed in through my window, woke me up after I stayed up three nights in a row, just for this?"
Zero nodded with a serious face.
The strategist took a deep breath. He felt he was not a subordinate, but being treated like a donkey.
He had long known that the general had the ability to see through lies at a glance.
And also had a mysterious intelligence network, able to know all the big and small matters in Xianzhou without anyone noticing.
He had once tried to find out who was supplying intelligence to the general, but… had never found a single clue.
The strategist had always been anxious, but seeing the general charge into battle without regard for his safety, he finally put his heart at ease.
But people have tempers.
The general took this private matter, someone wanting Xianzhou to open entertainment establishments, something only fit to be whispered under the bed, and woke him up with it.
At this moment, the resentment of a wage slave reached its peak.
"I think everyone should get their retribution."
Zero, "Ah?"
The strategist sneered, "This person must be severely punished. The immigration matter and the rainfall matter you asked me to investigate before were both secretly stirred up by this scum. General, how about we interrogate him first, then deal with him?"
Written as "interrogate," read as "torture."
Zero thought for a moment, shook his head in disapproval.
"You... your methods are too extreme."
The strategist smiled.
'Those people you stripped bare and threw out of Xianzhou, if they heard this, they probably couldn't even keep their coffin lids closed.'
'Oh, almost forgot, you literally threw them out whole, they didn't even have coffins.'
"With great power comes great responsibility. We are in these positions, so of course we must do our best to meet everyone's needs. Unfortunately, Xianzhou cannot tolerate such establishments, "
Zero shook his head.
The strategist was right, everyone should get their retribution.
Send them all to school!
He was waiting for experts to come out and develop technology.
If even one person was lost, he'd feel pain for half a day, and they still wanted him to open shady venues? What a joke.
Zero continued, "Like women? Want joy? Then make him a prostitute! He can even earn money with his love, isn't that wonderful? I think that Zerg planet is pretty good, send him there after interrogation."
The strategist, who had seen the appearance of the natives of the Zerg planet, fell silent.
That appearance, enough to drop one's sanity with a single glance, and still become a prostitute…
He had to admit, this method was truly satisfying.
It not only fulfilled the culprit's desire, but also removed the harm.
This was a win-win.
'To come up with such a brilliant plan, this general was truly extraordinary! Xianzhou really picked up a ghost!'
"…As expected of the general, even if I trained for a hundred years, I could never become as broad-minded as you."
Zero was very modest, waved his hand, "This is simply what a general should consider for the people."
After resolving this major problem, Zero strolled back to the Alchemy Division. When he woke up the next day, the game customer service sent four consecutive messages.
[The one who came for fun turned into the fun.]
[Dying of laughter]
[You're really an interesting person]
[Even Aha became a prostitute for the first time hahahaha]
Zero, following the principle of "don't understand, just ask," once again went to shake awake the strategist, who had worked all night helping people fulfill their dreams.
The strategist, "…The 'Elation' Aeon Aha was sent by us to be a prostitute? You might as well believe I'm a reincarnated emperor of an ancient kingdom."
Zero thought about it. 'True, an Aeon wouldn't be crazy to that extent.'
'If it really was an Aeon, Xianzhou's tiny patch of land wouldn't even be enough for them to mess with.'
Still, he needed firepower…
His thoughts turned again to the collapsed Neutron Annihilation, his face darkened. He asked, "Do we still have money left for the Colossus Project? What about the money we confiscated before? Any left?"
The strategist shook his head, "No, there are too many facilities that need repairs this time, the previously confiscated funds are far from enough."
"Not to mention the subsidies we need to give to the wounded and fallen… In the next year, don't even mention income covering expenses, if we don't go into debt, that will already be good enough. Moreover, the technology you mentioned, I've never even heard of."
Being able to instantly annihilate organic matter without damaging buildings… simply fantasy.
Earlier the general had put up half of the funds, intending to invest everything into the Colossus Project. If not for the sudden disturbance by the Mara-struck, that money wouldn't have been recovered.
Zero sighed.
"Alright, I'll think of something. You continue your sleep."
He wandered around and eventually came to the residential district of Xianzhou's wealthy.
Staring at the gem-inlaid, incomparably luxurious stone lions at the gates, Zero let out a deep sigh.
A passing wealthy man slowly typed out a question mark, eyes probing, face carrying a flawless smile, "General? Do you have some business?"
Zero nodded repeatedly, then deliberately shook his head in difficulty, sighing, "I just thought of that person who donated all his property, and felt ashamed."
The rich man played along, "You mean that one who donated all his assets before leaving Xianzhou?"
Afraid his acting wasn't good enough, Zero relied on being a head taller, tilted his head up forty-five degrees to look at the sky, his tone deep, "As the general, yet, sigh…"
The wealthy man hurried to praise Zero, "The general's bravery, who in Xianzhou does not know? Fighting the Mara-struck with the Cloud Cavalry for a month without rest, even while injured..."
Zero continued shaking his head, "But what use is bravery… sigh, I had long heard of that person's character, I even thought he might have had the chance to work with the Sky-Faring Commission..."
His words abruptly stopped, with some regret on his face, as if regretting what he had just said.
The wealthy man was shocked inside. The Sky-Faring Commission? If there was a chance to cooperate with them, he could earn money even in his sleep.
His eyes turned, deliberately skipped over this topic, and warmly chatted with Zero, looking as if he had known the general all his life.
Soon, the wealthy said he had urgent matters, reluctantly said goodbye to Zero.
Zero continued strolling around the gathering places of the wealthy, meeting them one after another. After chatting, they all expressed regret at not meeting the general sooner.
The rich men, hands as withered as tree bark, eyes brimming with tears, faces written with, not seeking to live another year, another month, another day, only seeking to die another year, another month, another day!
Seeing their posture, they almost wanted to become sworn brothers with the general on the spot.
By nightfall, Zero strolled back to the general's mansion, just in time to run into the strategist.
The strategist's eyes were meaningful, he asked, "General, a dozen wealthy men voluntarily donated, with total credit points reaching ten digits. Do you have any idea why?"
Zero's face didn't change, his heart didn't skip a beat.
"How could I know? Xianzhou people care about Xianzhou, as their general, I am deeply touched."
"…Then, will this money go into the Colossus Project?"
Zero shook his head, voice light, "This money is for the families of the Cloud Cavalry."
The strategist was silent.
"How can human lives be compared with money? It's just a drop in the bucket…" Zero sighed, "I'll think of something else."
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