"You have quite an imagination... No, I mean... Your ideas are very profound, Jarvis."
Sergeant Mars snapped out of his contemplation:
"However, this is not for us to worry about, that is the job of Sergeant Major Alvin Stafford and his guards. While we are exploring the second underground layer, they should be deep into studying the skeletons at the first underground level.
"By the time we finish exploring the second underground layer, their investigation results should just be ready. By then, we'll know whether the undead creatures on the first underground level possess the effects of 'Bone Supply' and 'Death Supply'."
"So that's how it is... I guess I was over-thinking."
Noland Lee breathed a sigh of relief. He sincerely praised the Empire Army's cautious and meticulous working attitude, slightly improving his score for the Empire Army.
Mars took strides forward, once again leading the team:
"Jarvis, you're very smart and eager to learn. Can you tell me why you became a Sin Soldier? ...Honestly, I'm curious, because in your personal record, it only mentioned that you were marked as a Sin Soldier for violating the Debt Act.
"But honestly, I rarely see someone who is passionate about knowledge, eager to learn, defaulting on debts. I don't see any traces of crime on you. Your speech, habits, behavior, everything, gives me the impression of a bona fide scholar."
All the soldiers looked at Noland Lee, their eyes all filled with curiosity.
A Sin Soldier like Lee was really rare, almost a unique existence.
"As for me... huh... I'm unlucky, Chief."
Lee chuckled bitterly.
Whenever he had a spare moment now, he would flip through the original master's memory to help himself assimilate into the new world more quickly.
The more he looked, the more uncomfortable he felt, this original master was an ill-fated existence, very bad luck.
Noland Lee strongly suspected that the continuous dangers he encountered after crossing over were entirely due to the karma created by the original host...
"My parents have three children, sir. I had the misfortune to be the middle one, the second child of the family."
Noland Lee's statement struck a chord.
Most of the soldiers in the team had their own siblings.
They knew, except for the oldest and the youngest child, other children are often overlooked and blamed by their parents... these kids often end up being ostracized, none of their growth history is happy..
"I had a strained relationship with my parents, and my relations with my brother and sister were also very poor... So after I was admitted to Bowerthain City's City College, I moved out and lived alone, severing all contact with my family.
"While working part-time as a private home tutor to earn tuition, I also studied Tatis history and archaeology at the college. After graduation, I became a teaching assistant at the college."
Noland Lee saw a different glint in the soldiers' eyes... it was a admiration and shock that a struggling student suddenly found before them stood an academic deity...
Noland Lee was clearly just over 20 years old.
At such a young age, he was able to complete his college studies on his own, without any help from his parents, and was retained by the college as a teaching assistant, a testament to his amazing IQ and self-control.
It is worth noting, the college hires teaching assistants by written invitation, not by open recruitment to the public.
One must have a high level of scholarship to be valued by the academy.
It could be said, given a bit more time to gain seniority in the academy, publish a few papers in academic society, find a responsible professor to guide him, then it would only be a matter of time before he became a professor."
But how did a person like this... become a Sin Soldier?
The soldiers were on guard while they were listening.
"One day after class, an officer from Bowerthain City found me and took me to the police station. The officer regretfully and mournfully told me that my parents, brother, and sister had perished in a tragic accident during a long trip."
Noland Lee took a deep, depressed breath, as if these things had truly happened to him:
"My family didn't leave me any property. All their savings had been taken away by the Weston Group. The reason was, my parents, as dealers of the Weston Group, had caused severe damage to a batch of precious goods due to a car accident."
"According to the contract signed between the group and the dealers, any accidental loss of the goods during the transportation process must be compensated by the dealers toward the Group."
"My parents' property was taken away by the Weston Group, as was the personal assets of my brother and sister. I, unable to escape the Debt Inheritance Act, ended up in the same penniless state."
Noland Lee spread his hands, expressing his helplessness.
The laws of this Empire were really absurd.
It's said that when a person dies, their debts are extinguished, but it's different in this Empire, where the children are made to pay the debts of their parents.
That car accident ended up saddling the original Master's parents with more than 4 million New Solon debts. After their assets were used to cover the debts, there still remained a substantial amount of debt unpaid. This debt ended up falling on the original Master due to the workings of the Debt Inheritance Act...
"I am deeply sorry for your misfortune, Jarvis," Corporal Mars patted Noland's shoulder:
"The name of the Weston Group, I have heard of too. It's a large scale high-end chemical firm that is fully controlled by the Weston family, and it seems that they are in cahoots with Division Intelligence Unit Three.
"Even though you left your native family and have nothing to do with your parents' business, the legal department of the Weston Group would still find various ways to register you as a joint debtor... such is the morality of a major corporation. "
"Yeah, how could I possibly withstand such a behemoth? The lawyer hired by the Academy for me chickened out at the name of Weston. So here I am..." Noland chuckled bitterly.
Private Second Class Corbin, who was on the side, chimed in:
"The debt you owe should not be much, right? I believe you can pay it back. Our Korabo Legion is a mercenary organization, our salaries are not high, but bonuses are always generous."
"Uh...Corbin, I owe 3.11 million New Solon coins," Noland Lee admitted.
"Hiss..."
Private Second Class Corbin was left dumbfounded.
Corporal Mars and a number of other military officers also went into a protracted stunned state.
Some were left with their eyes wide open, looking at Noland in utter shock, treating him as they would a person who has been declared a life sentence for a case of injustice.
"Three...Three hundred thousands New Solon coins... On this mission we can only share twenty thousand at the most..." Corporal Mars opened his mouth...
Even if he wanted to console his new team member, at this moment, he didn't know where to start:
"Alright, Jarvis, this is indeed a large sum of money... but as long as you can stay alive, there will always be hope to pay it off... don't lose faith in life just because you are burdened with debts."
"Yes, Chief Officer, I understand this principle," Noland Lee nodded, mentally cursing the creators of the Debt Inheritance Act...
Corporal Mars gathered his thoughts and waved at the soldiers next to him:
"Let's move on, ladies and gentlemen. For our fallen comrades, for the glory of the Empire... for... Jarvis's debt, let's go meet the Undead Creatures on the second underground layer."