So he had to settle for the next best thing. He requested that the base he was joining must not commit such inhumane atrocities. Otherwise, he couldn’t live with himself.
He had no desire to throw his life away for a base like that.
The re thought that his research would one day be used to harm others was unacceptable to him.
That was absolutely not sothing he wanted to see happen.
Stella Sterling was taken aback for a mont, not expecting him to make such a request. Then, she laughed heartily. "You can rest assured. I abhor such things as well and would never allow them to happen."
Hearing this, Professor Lawrence felt a bit more at ease, but he was still worried. "Can you actually make the decisions for your base?"
No matter how capable this young woman was, if she had no real authority within the base, her promise ant nothing.
Stella Sterling looked at him, her expression as confident as ever. "Of course. I have the final say in this matter."
Seeing Stella Sterling’s unwavering certainty, Professor Lawrence began to believe her.
’Judging by the respectful attitude of the others in her group, this young woman might just be a high-ranking mber of the base—soone who could actually make decisions.’
His voice was calm. "I’ll trust you, young lady. I’m only joining your base because I’m putting my faith in you. I hope you won’t let down. If I ever find out you’ve broken the promise you made today, I would rather destroy all of my work than let you people benefit from it."
His words carried a hint of a threat, but Stella Sterling didn’t get angry at all. Instead, her deanor seed to grow even more serious. "Don’t worry. That will never happen. If it does, I’ll be the first one to take care of the person responsible."
As she spoke, she tapped her fingers lightly, her mood souring as if she had thought of sothing unpleasant.
’Being penned up like livestock, ready to be taken as rations at any mont.’
’She had experienced that herself.’
’How could she ever beco the very thing she once feared most?’
’However, today’s discovery did remind her of sothing. Had any of the people who joined the base ever done sothing like this before?’
’If they had, she would never allow such people to exist within her base.’
’First, because she herself had once nearly been eaten, she despised people like that. Second, because those who had consud human flesh were a huge potential threat for the future.’
’They had to be eliminated before they turned.’
’After returning to the base this ti, she had to resolve this issue.’
’She would also have to discipline the base’s administrators and warn them that such acts were absolutely forbidden.’
Seeing Stella Sterling’s unwavering confidence, Professor Lawrence grew more curious about her identity. He asked directly, "What’s your position at your base? Is it high? Young lady, I’m only joining because I trust you. You have to look out for once we’re at the base."
Stella Sterling snapped back to the present, understanding his concerns, and decided to be frank. "High. Very high. At Caeluna Base, what I say goes."
’Caeluna Base.’
Professor Lawrence’s eyes flickered. ’He’d heard that na before.’ When he had just gotten out of his lab, people around him were all talking about this base, and its reputation was quite good.
’So this young woman... she’s from Caeluna Base.’
’And what she just said...’
A shocked expression appeared on his face. He never would have imagined that the leader of Caeluna Base was such a young woman.
This person... she had truly given him yet another unexpected surprise.
This ti, Professor Lawrence finally let out a genuinely relieved laugh. "In that case, I can finally put my worries to rest. I have a feeling that my collaboration with you all will be very pleasant."
"Trust yourself. Your feeling isn’t wrong."
Stella Sterling tilted her head back. The rain hitting her face didn’t sting like before. She held out her hand, and the raindrops landing on her palm were much smaller than they had been.
"Help! Let go of my sister! Let her go!"
"You animals! You deserve to die!"
"If you’re going to eat soone, eat ! Let my sister go!"
Just then, a commotion erupted up ahead, the cries shrill and desperate.
Hearing the word "eat," Stella thought of sothing and looked over in that direction.
In a clearing to the side, a dozen or so people were gathered around a tent.
In their midst was a huge fire pit with a large pot set over it.
Nearby, seven or eight people were tied up with ropes and left lying in the rain.
Among them were n and won, old and young, including two small children a few years old.
The one screaming was a boy of about nine. He struggled furiously, roaring at the large n.
One of the brutes was carrying a five- or six-year-old girl and walking toward the large pot.
Seeing this, Stella Sterling’s gaze turned icy. The very issue she and Professor Lawrence had just been discussing was now unfolding right before them.
The ones they had encountered before were all already dead.
But this group in front of them had actually captured living people and were about to kill and eat them.
Professor Lawrence looked at Stella Sterling, hoping she would intervene.
Even though he himself was now in her custody, he couldn’t just stand by and watch this happen.
"Young lady, you..."
"Go tell Nathan Cheney to steer the boat over there."
Before Professor Lawrence could finish, Stella Sterling had already spoken. The professor’s eyes lit up as he understood her intent, and he imdiately went to do as she said.
Stella Sterling pulled out a gun and aid it in that direction.
The dozen or so brutes noticed the boat passing by, but they only glanced over once before looking away, paying it no mind.
They had seen plenty of boats pass by these last few days. All those people had been sensible enough not to ddle, and they believed these new people would be the sa.
anwhile, the boy was still shouting and struggling, and the little girl was wailing in terror.
The other bound captives watched the scene with a mix of emotions: so with indignation, so with heartache, and so with schadenfreude, secretly feeling relieved it wasn’t them.
Just as the little girl was about to be thrown into the boiling pot, Stella Sterling quickly fired her gun and took down the man holding her.
"Who—?! Who’s ddling?!"
The n looked around frantically, their gazes finally landing on Stella Sterling as her boat pulled up to the shore.
Ignoring the little girl who had fallen to the ground, the n stood up, drew their weapons, and walked toward Stella Sterling with grim expressions.
anwhile, the rescued girl scrambled up, crying as she ran toward her brother, trying to untie his ropes.
Stella Sterling leaped off the boat. Nathan Cheney and Shane Lawrence followed close behind, weapons in hand, flanking her protectively.
Professor Lawrence remained on the boat.
Stella Sterling’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "I didn’t expect to find so many animals gathered in such a small place!"
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