Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Making Trouble, Time for You to Show Your Loyalty

Those who had finished signing up and registering their information moved to the back.

The awning was huge. Stella Sterling had seen it when buying supplies from Mr. Cheney and had him get some for her. It was certainly coming in handy now.

There was plenty of space in the back, so those who moved there were shielded from the rain.

Only after they moved to the back did they notice someone else lying there.

The person was lounging leisurely in a rocking chair. Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought she was on vacation, enjoying the scenery.

She seemed completely out of place in the current environment. Compared to them, who were all wretchedly struggling to survive, she looked like she was from another world entirely.

Even though they didn’t know who she was, her composed demeanor made their hearts tighten. They sensed she was no ordinary person.

The two men at the front were bustling about, yet this woman could be so relaxed.

It was clear at a glance that she was someone important.

And so, the people watched Stella Sterling with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.

Sensing their gazes, Stella Sterling opened her eyes and waved at them. "Hello, and welcome!"

Even though Stella Sterling had deliberately darkened her face, she was still beautiful. Her relaxed air stood in stark contrast to their own tension.

Everyone stared blankly for a moment. Then, a bolder girl waved back at Stella Sterling. "H-Hello, Miss."

Stella Sterling looked at the young woman. She seemed to be in her early twenties, a little younger than Stella herself.

She was rail-thin, but her large eyes were bright. She wore a long-sleeved black shirt and pants and was still dripping wet from the rain.

As she looked at Stella, her gaze held both apprehension and curiosity. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Stella Sterling waved again. "Hello. What’s your name?"

Her voice was cool and pleasant.

"Seven Locke. My name is Seven Locke."

The woman answered Stella Sterling earnestly. Though nervous, she still asked the question on everyone’s mind, "Are you with Caeluna? Or does that mean... you’re the leader of Caeluna?"

"That’s right. Congratulations. From now on, you roll with me."

Her words were unconventional; to others, they sounded arrogant.

For a moment, the others were stunned. Some felt a pang of regret that they weren’t the ones who had caught her attention.

This was the leader of Caeluna. Now that they were part of the faction, leaving a good impression on her would be beneficial, even if they couldn’t get on her good side.

But it was too late. They had missed their chance.

So, no one else spoke up. Instead, they studied Stella Sterling even more intently.

No one underestimated her just because she was a woman.

Stella Sterling’s gaze also swept over these people.

They were all a wretched, disheveled sight, but she appreciated the determination in their eyes.

It was her first time recruiting, but she was quite satisfied with this batch.

"Caeluna, huh? Who the hell gave you permission to recruit here? What kind of bullshit faction is that? I’ve never even heard of it."

"This is Sea Gang territory now. If you know what’s good for you, get lost. Otherwise, I’ll smash this whole operation to pieces."

At the front, Stephen Lawrence and the others were still maintaining order. The crowd was growing, now numbering seventy or eighty people.

Just then, some people couldn’t stand by any longer. A group calling themselves the Sea Gang began to surround them.

There were a dozen or so of them, wielding steel pipes and knives, glaring menacingly at Stephen Lawrence and Shane Lawrence.

One of them looked at the people in line. "If you know what’s good for you, you’ll scram, too."

Some were afraid and didn’t want trouble. Seeing this, they immediately backed away, watching from a distance.

It wasn’t the first time factions had fought over recruits, but this time, over a dozen men showed up at once. They were clearly looking to make a huge scene.

The leader ignored Stephen Lawrence and Shane Lawrence, turning to those who had already filled out their forms. "Are you idiots really going to join some faction no one’s ever heard of? I’ll give you one chance: you can leave now. You aren’t official Caeluna members yet, anyway. Otherwise, when the fighting starts, we won’t be holding back."

"What is the meaning of this? We’re recruiting our own people. It has nothing to do with you. Are you looking for trouble?"

Stephen Lawrence’s face darkened. He slammed his hand on the table and stared at the short man leading the group.

Stella Sterling also looked over, her expression calm.

Her gaze swept around the area.

She saw that the twenty-plus people who had just joined were also watching closely, as if to gauge Caeluna’s strength.

Besides this self-proclaimed Sea Gang, several other groups were also moving in, forming a loose encirclement.

She chuckled softly. ’Looks like we’ve been too conspicuous and drawn their ire. Are they planning to team up and teach me a lesson?’

’Good. That’s exactly what I had in mind!’

"You broke the rules. Naturally, you’re not welcome here,"

the short man said to Stephen Lawrence. He didn’t know Stella Sterling was behind them and naturally assumed Stephen was the one in charge.

He sneered inwardly. ’Just two people, and they dare try to snatch meat from our jaws? They’re courting death.’

As for the new Caeluna recruits, he didn’t even count them.

They were new members with no sense of belonging. Why would they risk their lives for a faction named Caeluna?

He figured that once they beat up these two from Caeluna, the new recruits would scatter in fear, and this Caeluna faction would become a complete joke.

Shane Lawrence looked to Stephen Lawrence, wondering what they should do.

Stephen Lawrence sneered. He was angry but not the least bit afraid. The master behind him was not to be trifled with.

He remembered his master’s ruthlessness vividly!

Just as he was about to speak, Stella Sterling walked up beside him. He froze for a second, then took a few steps back, yielding the floor to her.

The shifty, short man leading the Sea Gang saw the woman’s sudden appearance and noticed Stephen Lawrence’s deferential attitude. He narrowed his eyes.

’Looks like I was wrong before. This woman is the real leader of Caeluna.’

But Stella Sterling didn’t pay any mind to the Sea Gang members. Instead, she turned to the twenty-plus people who had just signed up. "Now is the time to show your loyalty. Someone has come to bully Caeluna, right on our doorstep. What do you think we should do?"

Those twenty-plus people had been preparing to observe the situation and gauge Caeluna’s strength before truly deciding whether to join.

They never expected Caeluna’s female leader to suddenly put them on the spot.