Infinite Range: The Sniper Mage

Chapter 86 86: The Last Stronghold

In Baiguo City, Rank Studio.

Lauren stood by the window, her gaze absent as she murmured to herself, "The number one player in Infinite Dimensions—just a week ago, he was still one of my subordinates. It's really laughable. What did I even do for fate to play such a joke on me?"

"Um... Lauren, is there something you need to discuss with me?" Charles's voice came from behind her.

Lauren snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see him. Her lips twitched, unsure of what to say.

"Charles... my Charles, you're putting me in a very awkward position!" Lauren said with a smile that barely concealed her frustration. She was about to snap at him when Charles did something that made her hold her tongue.

Lauren's gaze shifted downwards, where she saw Charles standing upright with a serious look on his face, kneeling in front of her with great form. His posture was impeccable, the kind of thing he had clearly practiced many times.

"You've left me speechless. The way you're kneeling is just perfect—did you rehearse it privately?" Lauren asked awkwardly.

Charles had been working for her for five or six years, known for his competence in handling things. Who would've guessed he'd ruin her big plans over something so small?

"I... I deserve to die a thousand deaths! I have elderly parents and young children, please don't fire me!" Charles started crying, his voice breaking as he poured out his troubles.

He was a clever man, and as Orson's rise to power in Infinite Dimensions became more obvious, Charles knew that he was entirely to blame for what had happened. He was the one who had driven Orson away, and now, everything had turned on its head.

"Uh... Orson... didn't Boss Lin say he'd sell us a stronghold for cheap?" Charles hesitated, still trying to hold onto a shred of hope.

Lauren's face darkened immediately. "What are you talking about? He's the king of Infinite Dimensions now! Even with Dragon's Kiss Guild and SSR teaming up, they can't take him down. Do you really think he'd care about us, the minnows?"

"Well... yesterday I went to his place to talk about his sister, but when I got there... I found he had... moved out." Charles said, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. Seeing the change in Lauren's expression, he didn't dare continue.

Lauren felt as though she might burst into tears. If Orson were still at the studio...

She didn't even dare think about how glorious her life could've been if things had gone differently. Those capitalists who once looked down on her would probably be begging to kiss her feet now.

But alas, there was no "what if."

With a sigh, Lauren set aside her brief moment of naive hope. She understood now that someone like Orson was not just another player in the game. Even if he hadn't clashed with Charles, it was hard to imagine keeping him around.

Bradley rolled his eyes. "I'm just here wondering who the hell kept shouting about splitting off from the guild."

Iron Cavalry, undeterred, continued with an exaggerated expression, "Godslayer's glory, brother here to protect it! To the death, to eternity!"

The rest of the guild quickly drowned him out with jeers, ignoring him completely as they focused on the guild's first red envelope—1000 gold coins, with one million votes attached.

As soon as the announcement was made, everyone rushed to click on the red envelope in the chat, eager to collect as much as they could. Some even tried to open multiple envelopes at once.

After the excitement died down, Madman approached Orson with a serious expression, followed by Bradley, both clearly puzzled by Orson's decision to sell the stronghold.

"I still don't get it," Madman said, his tone urgent. "Why sell such an important asset? Aren't these strongholds crucial to our success?"

Orson calmly explained, "It's simple. Small strongholds are useless to us. Even if we control every stronghold in the first battlefield, they're just a waste of resources."

Madman furrowed his brow. "But didn't you hear? Each stronghold contains important dungeon entrances."

"You're talking about the underground ruins, right? But every player can only enter once a day," Orson replied with a slight smile.

The bigger the guild's stronghold, the more resources the guild could gather from the ruins. However, owning too many strongholds would spread resources too thin.

"The Bone Dragon Stronghold is the most valuable of all the strongholds. But managing multiple strongholds dilutes our focus. Having one major one is better."

Madman considered this for a moment. "But think about it, Orson. Having multiple strongholds means we can have more guild members. The larger the guild, the more we can field in battle, and that's a huge advantage."

Orson nodded. "I understand your concerns. But don't worry. The Bone Dragon Stronghold is by far the most valuable. And once a certain project is completed, we'll need a lot of funding. A few billion gold might not even be enough."

"Are you serious? That place is just a large stronghold; what's so special about it?" Bradley asked, confused.

"You all forgot the official description of the stronghold battle, didn't you?" Orson grinned, looking at the two of them.

"The Hundred Stars?" Madman suddenly gasped. "Wait... do you mean there's a hidden stronghold?"

"Exactly," Orson said, his smile widening. "Right under our feet, at the Bone Dragon Stronghold." He looked over at the NPC guarding the stronghold—an imposing middle-aged warrior whose mere presence commanded respect.