Chapter 861: The Red Heart Society
“The Red Heart Society?”
Meng Chao searched his memory bank.
He could not find the name.
“That’s right. It’s the Red Heart Society.”
Lu Fanghui continued, “If most of the gangs that were born during the apocalypse were more or less stained with blood because of the cruel reality, then the Red Heart Society would simply be the weirdo that never got stained by mud.
“It was an organization of true idealists. Most of the Red Heart Society’s members rebelled against the law of the jungle and the depravity during the apocalypse. They believed that the darker the world was, the more we should inspire the brilliance of humanity so that we could uphold the ideals of civilization.
“At that time, many members of the gangs were a bunch of lawless thugs, bullies, and selfish scoundrels. The members of the Red Heart Society, on the other hand, were nothing but ‘saints’ and ‘virgins.’
“They lived like ascetics. They did not pursue personal enjoyment and strength. Instead, they made helping the ordinary people their highest purpose and greatest pleasure.
“After the victory over the Blood Alliance and the generous inheritance, the Red Heart Society did not devote too many resources to their own cultivation. Instead, they devoted them to every ordinary citizen in the area under their control without discrimination.
“While the other gangs fought for resources in the open and in the dark, and the broken buildings grew even more dilapidated, the Red Heart Society worked hard to rebuild their home. They cleaned up the ruins, repaired the houses, and arranged a small, but clean and solid residence for the displaced citizens.
“A former hero like my father, Lu Zhongqi, plundered a lot of resources and devoted himself to his own cultivation, growing stronger and stronger at an unbelievable speed and becoming more inhuman. Meanwhile, the Red Heart Society used precious resources to treat children who still had more than ten years to grow up and the elderly who were about to die in three to five years.
“When the citizens in the areas controlled by the other gangs shivered in the cold wind because they were naked, swallowed soil because they did not have enough food to eat, and wailed in the night because of a lack of medicine, long-lost songs and laughter echoed in the areas controlled by the Red Heart Society.
“Such a place was undoubtedly the only pure land in the b.l.o.o.d.y apocalypse.
“My friends and I were all high-level disciples of the righteous sects. However, we were all disappointed and even resentful of our parents who gradually turned into evil dragons. We transferred the admiration that surged like the Red Dragon River from our parents to the president of the Red Heart Society.
“We regarded the Red Heart Society as a holy land that could realize our dreams.
“One day, we couldn’t stand our parents’ rebellious behavior any longer. We all betrayed our families and joined the Red Heart Society together.
“The Red Heart Society did not create any obstacles for us because of our ident.i.ty. Instead, it welcomed all the people who fought for Dragon City, and we built a better tomorrow together.
“We became ordinary members of the Red Heart Society.
“We lived like ascetics and saints.
“Together with thousands of ordinary citizens, we cleaned up the ruins, excavated the caves, opened underground farms, and guided the spirit energy in the underground veins to pour into the underground farms. In the absence of sunlight, the crops grew well.
“We built brand-new high-rise buildings to shelter the citizens from the wind and rain. We also trained in clean schools and well-equipped hospitals. The most talented brains among us were all used to think about how to treat diseases and repair the disabilities of the ordinary citizens with crystals and runes. It was so that they would not have to endure excruciating pain day and night.
“Now that I think about it, those days were really hard. In order to help the citizens, we worked hard and could only sleep for two to three hours on average every day. Everyone carried an embroidery needle with them to p.r.i.c.k their thighs to keep themselves awake.
“There was no food. All the canned food and compressed military rations brought by the old world had to be eaten first by the sick, the elderly, the weak, the women, and the children. We could only eat sweet potatoes that were grown underground in the Other World. At that time, we had not mastered the secret of planting in the Other World. The sweet potatoes that we grew were hard and bitter. No matter how hard we cooked them, they were like stones that could not be boiled. If we bit them too hard, our teeth would break.
“Many of our brothers and sisters remained in their original families. They relied on the strength of the gangs to enjoy luxurious clothes and food. They squandered astronomical cultivation resources and became stronger than us.
“Those who had a strained relationship with us came to see us as a joke, and they mocked and ridiculed us.
“Those who had a good relationship with us earnestly advised us to go back, lower our heads and admit our mistakes to our parents, and stop this ridiculous farce.
“But they had no idea that, although our bodies were suffering, our spirits were happier than ever before.
“Seeing the dozens of communities under the Red Heart Society’s control get better and better day by day under our hard work, the citizens who were tortured to the brink of death by the apocalypse gradually recovered their vigor and laughter. The joy that came from the bottom of my heart was something that I had never experienced anywhere else in my life.
“Although life was so hard, some of the girls among us still took time off and planted flowers in the broken buildings in the past. As time pa.s.sed, they gathered into a sea of flowers.
“Meng Chao, I promise you that it was the most beautiful sea of flowers that I have ever seen in my life.
“My days in the Red Heart Society were also the happiest, most sincere, and cleanest days of my life!”
It was not that Meng Chao did not believe Lu Fanghui’s guarantee.
He was confused by what he heard.
The man next to him was driving a luxury car and tasting famous wine. Conservatively speaking, he was wearing at least a dozen weapons and armor made of top-quality materials. Even the seats were made of the most precious soft leather from Apocalyptic Beasts. Which leadership among the ‘big nine’ will most likely take over Sky Pillar Corporation?
“What happened next?” Meng Chao could not help but ask.
The second half of his question was—was it not idealism? Was it not hot-blooded? Was it not very happy, sincere, and clean? Was he not determined to break up with his parents?
Why did he return?
“Later, the Red Heart Society grew larger and larger. After all, the ordinary citizens were neither blind nor stupid. Everyone could see how prosperous and beautiful the ten or so communities under our banner were. The citizens there who were full of food and drinks, and the citizens who lived in the areas under the control of the so-called ‘respectable sects,’ formed a sharp contrast
Lu Fanghui said, “Therefore, more and more citizens escaped the control of the ‘righteous sects’ and moved to the Red Heart Society’s territory.
“The whole community even announced that they would join the Red Heart Society, including people and land.
“The Red Heart Society did not refuse anyone who came and treated them equally.
“Everyone in the gang was selfless and worked overtime. They swore that no matter how hard they worked, they would make sure that all the people in the city could live a secure, dignified, and hopeful life.
“Just like that, the Red Heart Society became one of the most influential gangs in Dragon City in a very short time.
“At its peak, it was said that even Battle G.o.d Lei Zongchao wanted to join us.
“At that time, Lei Zongchao was already recognized as the number one expert in Dragon City and the greatest contributor to the victory over the Blood Alliance. Everyone admired his character and respected his strength.
“If Lei Zongchao joined the Red Heart Society, the unification of Dragon City by the Red Heart Society would be just around the corner.
“I’m not afraid that you will laugh at us. At that time, we were not worried about other issues, but that the nine major gangs would interfere and stop the Red Heart Society from unifying Dragon City.
“We, the high-level disciples who betrayed the nine major gangs, gathered together and discussed for a long time. Everybody agreed that if our parents really wanted to stop the Red Heart Society for their own selfish reasons, we would definitely stand on the side of ideals, justice, and light. We would wage a war with our parents and fight to the death!”
Recalling the days when his pa.s.sion was burning, Lu Fanghui could not help but laugh.
But soon, as the wine that was as red as blood rippled in his gla.s.s, his smile turned sarcastic.
“Then… the monsters came.
“The monsters were a terrifying threat that we had never seen before.
“In the past, our enemies were mainly zombies and evil extraordinary humans.
“Other than their ugly appearance and the ability to spread viruses, zombies do not have much combat ability. As long as they wear thick protective gear and carry out epidemic prevention work, ordinary citizens can kill three to five zombies at once.
“Of course, evil superhumans are scarier than zombies, but they are human beings after all. They have brains and can communicate. To a certain extent, they can be traded and compromised. If they can take excessive profits easily under the rules of the game, who would be willing to take over the mountain and lick their own blood?
“But the monsters are as ugly as zombies. They are hungry, crazy, and as powerful as evil superhumans.
“The overwhelming beast horde has descended upon the entire Dragon City, every gang, and every community.
“Of course, we will fight back.
“At the beginning, the monsters that appeared were all ordinary monsters. At most, they were led by the Nightmarish Beasts.
“By relying on the unity of everyone and going forward one after another without fear of sacrifice, we can still win with great difficulty.
“Although we paid an extremely tragic price, and many of our brothers and sisters who spent their days together fell on the battlefield, we still thought that the monsters were only so-so. We were completely capable of protecting the citizens. All the sacrifices were worth it.
“But..
“The h.e.l.l Beasts and Apocalyptic Beasts have appeared one after another.
“Meng Chao, do you know what ‘despair’ is?”
When Lu Fanghui said that, the red wine in his gla.s.s was trembling slightly.
After so many years, the monster civilization had suffered a crushing defeat.
However, he was still deeply shocked by the sight of the Apocalyptic Beasts for the first time and could not extricate himself.
“The so-called despair is when the Apocalyptic Beasts are roaring in the clouds, but you feel that they are blowing the horn of death in your ear.”
“Despair is when the skysc.r.a.pers that you and your companions have built with great difficulty collapse like poorly designed blocks after being pushed by the Apocalyptic Beast.
“Despair is when the ordinary citizens that you have devoted all your efforts to save and think that you can protect them for the rest of their lives are trampled on by the Apocalyptic Beast and turned into minced meat. But you are frozen into an ice sculpture by fear and can’t do anything.
“Despair is when the strongest person among you, the combat maniac whom you admire the most, has killed thousands of zombies. The guy whom you thought you would never be able to catch up with in your life, explodes 300% of his combat strength and lunges at the Apocalyptic Beasts with a roar. However, he is sneezed by the apocalyptic beasts, so much so that not even his bones are left
“Watching the Apocalyptic Beasts wreak havoc in our home, razing the communities that we had rebuilt with all our might to the ground.
“Watching the most beautiful girl among us, the sea of flowers that she planted, turn into a raging sea of fire, and this girl, right in the middle of the sea of fire, turn into a black skeleton.
“I finally realized something.
“We… are too weak.
“Yes, we have a firm will, a lofty spirit, a shining humanity, and a determination to die. Millions of citizens are standing on our side, fighting side by side with us, and fighting against the Apocalyptic Beasts together.
“So What?
“If you can’t win, you can’t win. Fighting ability will not be improved by a single cent just because you stand on the side of ‘justice’ and ‘the public!’
“My companions and I, all the high-level disciples who betrayed the nine major gangs, finally realized painfully that we had wasted too much time and resources on the ordinary citizens in the past long period of time. We were rebuilding our beautiful home, in the cheers, laughter, and praises.
“We were too eager to be recognized and praised by the citizens. We were too eager to uphold the so-called morality and humanity. We were too addicted to the cheap sense of justice and the overflowing sympathy, but we neglected the most important thing in the cruel apocalypse—power.”