After a few rounds of drinks, everyone was quite satisfied and gradually shifted from small talk to the main topic.

Jacob gently wiped his mouth with a napkin and said with a smile, “Xiaosu, I’ve worked at the Public Security Bureau for so many years and have seen many mercenaries, but it’s rare to see Lady Countess value a newcomer like she does you. She really appreciates you.”

Su Mo seized the moment to raise his glass towards Audiana: “Thank you, Lady Countess, for your care all along. Without you, there would be no me today.”

These words were not an exaggeration.

If it wasn’t for Audiana giving him the chance to steal the black core from Research Base 101, he would probably have been captured and dissected by the Hegemony Company.

Of course, this toast should also be for Nuobai, but unfortunately, she wasn’t here, and he didn’t know when he would see her again.

Audiana smiled broadly and clinked glasses with Su Mo: “No need to be polite, it’s all your own efforts. Keep it up.”

Jacob rubbed his chin, squinting as he said, “Xiaosu, I heard from Lady Countess that you were threatened by Crow’s Nest a few days ago?”

Su Mo smiled helplessly, “They set a trap at a dining place, wouldn’t let me leave without filming a video. Later, I found a way to escape.”

Jacob nodded in approval: “To escape unscathed from Crow’s Nest, that takes both courage and wit. Lady Countess invited us here today to see if there’s anything we can help you with.”

Su Mo didn’t bother with pleasantries and said directly: “If the Director has connections and can say a few words for me to Crow’s Nest, I would be extremely grateful.”

Jacob sighed lightly and spoke with a heavy undertone: “Everyone here is a trusted guest of Lady Countess, we’re our own people, so I’ll speak frankly.”

“If this were over a decade ago during the honeymoon period between the borderlands and the Inner City, all major groups were considerate to the authorities. A casual word from my side would have the big shots treating you politely.”

“But in recent years, society has deteriorated. Eight years ago, Crow’s Nest rose to power and has been increasingly defiant towards the authorities, and the relationship between the borderlands and the Inner City has rapidly deteriorated. It’s not just you mercenaries, even I’m close to having a headache.”

Su Mo was well familiar with the past, present, and future situation of New Moon City.

But to keep the conversation going, he still asked, “Why doesn’t the authorities eliminate Crow’s Nest and support a controllable group to power? Wouldn’t that improve the borderlands?”

Jacob sighed: “Xiaosu, you’re too young and think of things too simply.”

“Eh, let me ask you and Dongdong a question. In your opinion, why has the borderland become the way it is today?”

This topic made Dongdong sullen, muttering with her eyes down, “It’s all because of the rich people in the Inner City… monopolizing resources, not giving us borderlanders a chance to develop.”

Jacob smiled wryly: “That’s not quite right. What do you mean by monopolizing resources? There is land, the borderland has that. There are lots of natural resources in the borderland too.”

“As for technological monopolies, that’s even more of a myth. Top organizations like Crow’s Nest have even set up factories in the Northern Industrial Development Zone, with complete light and heavy industrial production chains, their technological level isn’t far off from the Inner City.”

“Yet for all these years, the borderland remains in decay, fires of war everywhere, major groups fighting viciously, and residents living every day in dire conditions.”

“Why is this? Why can’t the borderland ever unite and remains in chaos? There’s only one reason…”

Jacob pointed upwards, his tone wistful: “Someone doesn’t want to see the borderland united.”

Dongdong asked blankly: “What do you mean?”

Jacob cleared his throat and slowly said: “You know how we at the Public Security Bureau handle newcomers each year so that they quickly submit to management?”

“It’s simple. If there are 10 newcomers, we separate 9 of them and then relentlessly suppress that 1 remaining.”

“No matter what that person does, no matter how earnest or hardworking, we will reprimand them, insult them, not giving any chance to turn over, making them the clown of the team.”

“Then we tell the others—you don’t work hard, you’ll end up like him.”

“And that’s it. Set up a sacrifice in the team, show everyone the miserable end, and everyone else will desperately stay away from him, lean towards you, obeying orders.”

“Managing a team is like this, managing a city is the same.”

Dongdong unconsciously clenched her fists: “You mean, the borderland is the chosen sacrifice? The City Council is behind this?”

Jacob, in the middle of drinking, was choked, coughing while laughing: “You misunderstood, the City Council doesn’t have that power. The City Council is at best the middle structure of this city, there are giants standing above.”

Dongdong murmured softly: “You mean the three major corporate giants?…”

Jacob nodded: “The Hegemony Company, Iron Blood Alliance, Black Domain Group… they are the true rulers.”

“The borderland has developed into its current state, in some aspects it is their will.”

“You think our City Council doesn’t want the borderland to prosper? My God, we want the borderland to be as prosperous and stable as the Inner City more than anyone. Then, New Moon City’s living happiness index wouldn’t bottom out every year, and we wouldn’t be cursed annually.”

“But the three giants won’t allow the borderland to prosper, because they need a devastated borderland to better control the lives of the Inner City’s residents.”

“They also won’t allow borderland forces to get too close to the City Council, otherwise, if the people below unite, what would happen to those high above?”

“So many questions have answers now. Why has the borderland become what it is today? And why do groups like Crow’s Nest arise with an extremely adversarial relationship with the authorities?”

“Some things aren’t convenient to say too plainly, but you both are smart, you should be able to figure it out.”

Su Mo couldn’t help sighing.

Jacob had already laid bare the situation in the borderland.

The borderland was indeed a barren land, but one that was artificially created.

Millions of people abandoned, struggling and decaying in the borderland.

The more the borderland people fall, the more the Inner City people despise them.

The more the Inner City people despise, the more the borderland people hate them.

This malicious connection formed an unbreakable chain, trapping both the borderland and Inner City within, unable to get free.

Whoever tries to break this chain, whether it’s a borderland group, mercenaries, or even the City Council, will face a thunderous crackdown.

The three major corporate giants stand aloof, letting those below hinder each other and consume in internal conflict.

The more humans hate each other, the less they can unite, and the stronger these human elites become.

This is the truth of the borderland.

The Human Realm has five grand metropolises, and hundreds upon thousands of smaller cities.

Every city has a similar area.

The borderland of New Moon City is merely a microcosm of the darker side of the Dawn Realm.

Perhaps feeling the atmosphere was getting heavy, Audiana lightly sipped the red wine and changed the subject: “However, with Wolf Assault joining the king selection race this year, it’s uncertain if Crow’s Nest can hold their position. Perhaps dramatic change is just around the corner.”

Jacob exhaled the alcohol, waving his hand: “Wolf Assault… just hearing the name gives me a headache. Little sister, I’ve heard you grew up in the borderlands, have you ever dealt with people from Wolf Assault before?”

Dongdong shook her head: “No, but I’ve heard of them. Their leader is called ‘Fenrir’, sounds like a man’s name, but it’s actually a woman, everyone calls her ‘Wolf King’.”

“Other groups usually rely on smuggling or selling contraband to start up, but Wolf Assault rose entirely through fighting, every inch of territory was won with blood.”

Jacob shrugged: “To be honest, if Crow’s Nest were the sole dominator, that wouldn’t be much of an issue, as there’s a rusty wall dividing us, they go their way and we go ours, no large-scale conflict would break out.”

“But this year, Wolf Assault has risen dramatically, making the borderland king selection situation extremely complicated. These two sides trying to prove their dominance to the major groups, who knows what craziness they’ll do.”

At this moment, Su Mo was silently recalling the date.

Today is October 3rd, Dawn 152nd Year.

Jacob didn’t know, but his words were on the verge of becoming prophetic.

A week later, on October 10th, an unprecedented upheaval will occur in New Moon City.

The craziest chapter of the borderland king selection will also begin then.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep