"Stop calling me benefactor. My name is Zhou You. Are you all children from the Zhu family's orphanage?"

The young man gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Yes, we were adopted by the Zhu family. We thought they'd protect us, but they used us as pawns. We owe them our lives and even our freedom."

"The Zhu family gave us shelter and food, so serving them was our duty. But they went too far. They not only forced us into unspeakable services but also made us fight mutated beasts. Many died during these training sessions. Only the survivors get support and training from the Zhu family. They aim to turn us into elites for the Shadow Guard camp, where we'd have to fight to the death. Out of every hundred, only ten come out alive."

Zhou You scoffed, "What's the Zhu family trying to do? Train their version of ancient imperial guards?"

"They don't see themselves as royalty but as the rulers of Yang City. While the city is currently under the Xu family, they have no heirs. Rumor has it that a child from the Zhu family is the most likely successor. In a few decades, they aim to control the city."

Zhou You was speechless, "I never knew a city's leadership could be inherited. Are they trying to revert to feudal times?"

"Their ambitions likely go beyond just this; perhaps they even harbor dreams of becoming emperor themselves."

Zhou You quickly attended to the injured children. The oldest among them was sixteen, while the youngest was only ten. It was said that thirty-nine came today, but now only a bit over twenty remained. Nearly half had perished in a mere two hours. There was no telling how many, if any, Shao Qi had managed to save.

Speaking of the devil, Shao Qi arrived, carrying a child in one arm. He handed one of the children to Zhou You, saying, "First, cut away the necrotic flesh from his wounds. He encountered a mutated toad, and much of his skin has been corroded. We need to act quickly."

Zhou You took the boy, who looked no older than twelve or thirteen, and set him down gently. A few youths gathered around, anxiously calling out, "Xi Yanqing... Xi Yanqing..."

"Step back, all of you! Why the crowding?" Shao Qi waved them off, instructing, "Check your injuries and tell me what you need. I only have one box of medicine and didn't bring any medical equipment. If the injuries are severe, it's best to get them out as soon as possible."

Zhou You channeled his inner energy to protect Xi Yanqing's vital arteries, had him bite on a twig, and slowly cut away the rotting flesh. Only then did he apply medicine and dress the wound. The child didn't cry out once during the entire ordeal, his resilience was heart-wrenching.

Chapter 145: Livestock Farm

"Did you spot the boundary of this forest from above? How does the Zhu family domesticate these mutated beasts?" Zhou You asked Shao Qi.

"The Zhu family chose this land wisely. They have a lake on one side, cliffs on another, and a livestock farm to the north. The other side is fenced with high-voltage electrification. The area is vast and flat. The livestock farm serves as a cover, making it hard for outsiders to discover anything amiss."

"Exactly, their public excuse is that they took us to intern at the livestock farm. As the farm is outside the base, it's a job many avoid. The Zhu family claimed they're training us for future roles at the farm. Many applauded this initiative. However, as we came and went often, most of us used secret passages," the tallest boy, named Yan Shuo, replied. Clearly, he was the leader of this group of children, and the others respected his word.

"A livestock farm—never would've guessed. Even if someone noticed the mutated beasts here, it wouldn’t raise eyebrows. Many warriors eat mutated beast meat, so it's entirely plausible to keep a few lower-tier ones domestically."

Shao Qi nodded, "Exactly, the livestock farm has government approval and even receives subsidies. I bet the mutated beasts these children killed end up on someone's dining table. Who would ever suspect the real activities here?"

"Even if someone saw a child killed by a mutated beast, it could be explained away as an accident given the inherent risks of farm work. They really thought this through," Zhou You remarked before turning to Yan Shuo, "How were you brought here? We only saw a small boat on the lake."

Yan Shuo looked puzzled, "Are you talking about the lake to the west? We don't come by that route. After alighting from the railcar, we switched vehicles and drove for nearly half an hour to get here."

After doing some mental math regarding the distance, Zhou You realized they must've been brought in from the livestock farm side. "Then what about the bodies and clothes in the lake?"

Yan Shuo took a moment before replying somberly, "Some might've tried to escape by swimming across the lake. However, I know there are mutated beasts in there too. No one has ever made it."

Zhou You had already surmised as much and sighed. Shao Qi then inquired, "Do you know if, before you, the Zhu family trained any proper covert agents?"

"Certainly," Yan Shuo confidently responded, "I don’t know specifics, but a trainer once mentioned that three batches of trainees had completed their trials before us. They'd become assassins, spies, and infiltrators for the Zhu family, positioned across various sectors."

"So that's how covert agents are utilized. It's no wonder the Zhu family not only gained control over the military but has also penetrated the government in recent years. Could Xu Yintian, who oversees Yangcheng Base, really be oblivious to all of this?" mused Shao Qi.

Zhang Dingshan and his team went hunting a couple of days ago. Hearing a heavy snowstorm was approaching, they hurried back. Unfortunately, their armored vehicle broke down midway, and by the time they reached near the base, the entire team was utterly exhausted.

"Captain, let’s rest at the livestock farm ahead," someone suggested. Everyone frequently used this route and knew of the nearby farm.

Being outside the base, the livestock farm was fully equipped. Even if no mechanics were available, at least they could get a meal there.