Earth’s Redemption: Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Relocation

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake

“From now on, you’re officially part of our Legion.” The Second Legion’s representative patted Ning Buwen on the shoulder, clearly pleased with him.

An S-Rank evaluation, a special constitution—if it weren’t for his connection to Cheng Yuxue, recruiting him might have taken some effort.

The other Legion representatives remained silent.

They really didn’t want to fight over him. Who would willingly bring home such a powerful but troublesome figure? Cheng Yuxue was already hard enough to handle!

Cough.

Still, with the recruitment concluded, some had gained many recruits, while others had none. Overall, it had been a resounding success. After all, the death toll this time was unusually low, and most Legions had managed to recruit at least one promising newcomer.

“Since there’s nothing more to discuss, let’s wrap it up.”

“Hope we see you all at the next recruitment—don’t die before then.”

“Get lost, you jinx!”

…

Ning Buwen disappeared with the Second Legion’s representative.

Typical of a large Legion—teleport cards seemed endless.

“Don’t worry, they really are free. We have an item card that can infinitely replicate teleport cards. However, since those cards can easily be misused for crime, they’re strictly for internal use. Each card is marked with a serial number, allowing us to track its teleportation history.”

“You can read my mind.” Ning Buwen was sure he hadn’t shown any expression when thinking about these things—controlling his emotions had been second nature to him since childhood.

So, this person’s ability had to involve hearing thoughts.

“Special constitution.” The Second Legion’s representative shrugged casually. “But human thoughts are complex. I can only hear surface-level thoughts. Anything deeper is out of reach unless your constitution surpasses mine.”

Well, that explained it. Only the Second Legion would have people like this.

“Since you’re now part of the Legion, you can move to our headquarters. We provide food, lodging, and training for game-related instances, like puzzle-solving and physical fitness.” The Second Legion’s representative gave Ning Buwen a sympathetic look. “But you’ll be staying at 111 Changjiang Road with Cheng Yuxue. Your mental and physical abilities are already top-tier, so just maintaining them will suffice. You’ll mainly visit the Legion to familiarize yourself with the members. I’ll send Pandora-related data and course materials to your phone.”

Ning Buwen had no objections.

His primary reason for joining this Legion—besides hoping to die without regret—was to access their research on Pandora.

Venturing alone in the game provided limited data.

One person couldn’t compete with the resources of an entire Legion.

“Alright. After you’ve settled in, come to the Legion. We’ll assign you to a team and have you participate in an instance to build teamwork skills. Trust me, the longer you survive in Pandora, the more you’ll appreciate having reliable comrades.”

“I understand.” Ning Buwen was even a little eager.

“Why don’t you tell me more about the Second Legion?” he asked, curious. “Someone who invited me earlier mentioned that our commander has a fondness for peculiar things?”

“Ahem, well… our commander is a bit eccentric, with a collecting obsession. But when it comes to us Legion members, he’s generous and powerful. He’s just lazy and avoids responsibilities, which is why we’re still the Second Legion.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?” Ning Buwen was intrigued. Most Legion commanders rarely appeared publicly—only the First Legion’s commander showed up occasionally. Day-to-day affairs were handled by former officials from before the apocalypse, now working in the Legions’ logistics.

“Did you know? We secretly call the First Legion ‘The Nanny Legion.’”

“Na… Nanny Legion?”

Ning Buwen was genuinely stunned.

That nickname was unbelievably awful.

“The First Legion really has it rough. They’re the most famous, but they also have the most responsibilities. Recruiting new members, handling family compensation when someone dies, conducting rankings assessments for every Legion, and even dealing with criminals judged by the Judge—all of this falls under the First Legion’s jurisdiction. If there’s a conflict between Legions, the first is the mediator. Essentially, they’re the ‘nanny’ for the other forty-eight Legions. If finances ever get tight, the First Legion would rather cut their own budget than delay paying the other Legions’ salaries…”

The name brought them glory, but it also came with immense obligations.

Uh…

Come to think of it, the nickname kind of fits.

“Our commander gets a headache just hearing about their workload. He always tells us not to compete with the First Legion. If you meet someone from the First Legion, be polite. If they hand their work over to you, you’ll probably go crazy,” The Second Legion’s representative said earnestly. “Some young folks in the Legion don’t realize how good they have it. No need to convince them—they’ll figure it out after a few more experiences.”

“Are we heading back to the Second Legion’s base now?”

“No, didn’t I just tell you?” The Second Legion’s representative paused, confused.

“You didn’t say anything.”

“Ah, sorry, I forgot again,” The Second Legion’s representative apologized, embarrassed. “This is the final review before officially entering the Legion. I have to take you to the Judge to check if you’ve committed any crimes. If not, you’re in. Think of it as a background check, like before the apocalypse.”

The Judge was perhaps Pandora’s greatest gift to this dystopian world, no contest.

It was an SS-Grade item, the core of a god-demon game instance.

It could recreate crime scenes, identify criminals from billions of people, and leave no escape for offenders.

Before the apocalypse, humanity dreamed of crime-free utopian cities. The Judge made that dream a reality.

Because of its existence, even in a high-pressure society, crime rates were so low they were negligible.

It was also the cornerstone that allowed the forty-nine Legions to remain stable in their respective bases and continually supply talent to the Pangu Legion.

There was only one way to evade the Judge: Immersing yourself endlessly in Pandora’s Game. If you returned to reality, you’d be arrested immediately.

Of course, if a wanted criminal encountered a Legion member in the game… well, condolences.

Attempting to escape meant an even harsher sentence. No Legion would protect a criminal in the game.

“…I remember gambling counts as a crime, right?” Ning Buwen felt guilty. He’d definitely done things that weren’t exactly legal.

But… but that was when he was young and ignorant! He was still underage at that time!

“Pfft, no, as long as it’s not murder or arson, minor crimes don’t matter. What the Judge mainly checks for is something else.”

“What crime?”

“Betrayal,” The Second Legion’s representative said slowly and deliberately.

For the Legions now, loyalty was everything.

“Betraying the Legion or betraying humanity—both are the gravest of crimes.”  

Ning Buwen picked up on something subtle.  

It seemed the Legions had deep undercurrents. Where there were humans, there was conflict. Beyond this region, other external Legions were likely eyeing them like hungry predators.  

Before long, they arrived.  

The Arbiter was located at the center of all the Legion territories, ensuring its surveillance could cover the widest possible range. Within its barrier, no criminal could escape detection.  

It was Ning Buwen’s first time seeing the Arbiter.  

Despite his reputation, he was a law-abiding citizen after the apocalypse, earning his living diligently without breaking any laws.  

The Arbiter was housed in a specially constructed building, heavily guarded by Legion members. If not for following the Second Legion’s representative, Ning Buwen would have been captured just by approaching.  

The representative presented his card, and they passed the inspection smoothly.  

“When you officially join our Legion, you’ll get an ID card too. It’ll let you access places ordinary people can’t enter,” the Second Legion’s representative explained.  

“Alright, let’s go.” He paused for ten seconds in front of the building housing the Arbiter, then turned and gestured for Ning Buwen to follow.  

Ning Buwen: ???  

“Wait… that’s it? I don’t need to answer questions or undergo any tests?”  

“Nope. As long as it doesn’t react, you’re fine,” the representative said innocently. “Or were you hoping for a reaction?”  

No.  

But wasn’t it you who made it sound so serious and mysterious earlier?  

Ning Buwen had nowhere to roast.  

Then again, the Second Legion always seemed a bit… odd.  

“Alright, it’s confirmed. You’re clear. Go pack up and move,” the representative waved. “Uh, hope you arrive at our Legion in one piece.”  

“…Is that a blessing?”  

“No, it’s a prayer.”  

Ning Buwen realized he was utterly defeated in the art of verbal sparring and left, sulking, to head home.  

But fate wasn’t about to grant him peace.  

“Well, if it isn’t Ning Xiongdi! You’re finally back.”  

As Ning Buwen returned to his apartment with Xiao Xin, he looked up to see a line of attractive security team members standing at his door, drawing curious stares from his neighbors.  

Fortunately, they were good-looking; otherwise, anyone passing by might think he owed a massive debt and was being hounded by collectors.  

“What are you all doing here?” Ning Buwen suspected the answer but didn’t want to guess.  

“Of course, the King sent us to help you move.”  

So it was exactly as he feared!  

He knew they wouldn’t let him off easily.  

But wasn’t this overkill?  

“The King wanted to come help personally…” The captain noticed Ning Buwen’s displeasure and quickly changed his tone. “Want us to switch with him?”  

“…Oh, come on! It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. Thank you so much for coming to help me move!” Ning Buwen forced a smile and gave the captain a big hug.  

Happiness is all about perspective.  

“How long have you been waiting here?”  

“Not long, two or three hours,” the captain replied. Seeing Ning Buwen’s face darken, he added awkwardly, “The King’s interested in you right now. Bear with it for a bit. His interests come and go quickly. Be patient.”

“Do you even believe what you’re saying?” Ning Buwen gave him a long, meaningful look.  

“The King’s mind is not for guessing. You never know,” the captain replied bluntly.  

Hehe.  

Right now, I’m nothing more than a novelty. Cheng Yuxue must find it amusing to see me in this flustered state.  

Ning Buwen understood the situation well, but he was powerless.  

Because he couldn’t afford to provoke him.  

When a lion wants to toy with an ant, the ant’s consent is irrelevant.  

“I was going to move even if you didn’t come,” Ning Buwen said, rubbing his forehead. “Give me ten minutes. I’ll pack up, and we can leave.”  

“Only ten minutes?”  

“Yeah, I don’t have much.”  

Ning Buwen wasn’t exaggerating. He really didn’t have much.  

Those ten minutes were mostly for gathering Xiao Xin’s toys and dog food. As for himself, two sets of clothes were his entire belongings.  

Aside from the provided furniture, his room was bare.  

“Alright, let’s go.” Ning Buwen emerged in less than five minutes.  

The door remained open, and a couple of the security guards peeked inside, only to see nothing but a bed.  

Strange. Ning Buwen didn’t seem poor ah.  

“It’s not my home, so why would I bother buying anything?” Ning Buwen noticed their puzzled expressions and offered a rare explanation.  

“But wouldn’t it be more comfortable to buy a few things for yourself?”  

“No need.” Ning Buwen shrugged. “Doesn’t matter where I live.”  

Fair enough.  

The guards exchanged glances, thinking, No wonder the King is interested. He really is different.

Two guards lingered behind, sneaking back into Ning Buwen’s room for a closer look.  

“Lao He, see anything?”  

“Can’t believe Ning Buwen lives like this,” Lao He frowned. “Even vagrants gather things to fill their space, but he has nothing. That’s not normal. And look—his walls are almost entirely bright red.”  

“What’s wrong with red?”  

“Short-term, nothing. But humans are sensitive to colors, especially in a world like ours. Living in a place like this long-term means either he has exceptional willpower or, like the King, he’s a madman.”  

“Probably half and half,” the other guard muttered, scratching his nose. “If the King ever took a liking to a normal person, that would be unusual.”  

“You’ve got a point.”  

Ning Buwen walked with the security team to the hospital at 111 Changjiang Road, feeling a mix of emotions.  

“Never thought I’d end up moving in here.”  

“Most people who come here end up moving in eventually,” the captain said bluntly. “The King doesn’t invite people to the hospital on a whim. You’re not getting away. Just accept it.”  

Heh. Ning Buwen mentally flipped him off.  

Laozi refuses to accept misfortunes decreed by fate.  

“You don’t get to refuse misfortunes decreed by fate,” a familiar voice chimed in.  

Ning Buwen turned to see Cheng Yuxue sitting in a tree, grinning mischievously down at him.

The author has something to say:

Ning Buwen: What the hell, does he have mind-reading powers too? 
Cheng Yuxue: Humans are so interesting. (Cheng is human, though sometimes he forgets he’s one himself.)

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