Chapter 57 - Exchange Of Intelligence

Chapter 57: Exchange of Intelligence

Shang Jianyao and the others met the 23rd Companys OC outside Blackrat Town. He was in his thirties and wore a grayish-black uniform with a name tag with two stars.

Wang Beicheng. He offered his right hand to Jiang Baimian.

Jiang Baimian also stretched out her hand and shook it. Jiang Baimian.

Ive long heard of your reputation. Wang Beicheng smiled and retracted his hand. He was about the same height as Shang Jianyao. His facial features were considered handsome, but his entire body was tanned and gave off a rugged feeling.

I hope its mostly good, said Jiang Baimian humbly. She then introduced Shang Jianyao and the others. These are members of our Old Task Force.

Wang Beicheng was not arrogant at all. He greeted Bai Chen, Shang Jianyao, and Long Yuehong one after another.

He then cast his gaze at Jiang Baimian again. To be honest, we were all surprised when we heard that you applied to establish a new Old Task Force. This is one of the most dangerous missions, so theres no need for you to do something like that.

Long Yuehongs face involuntarily turned a little pale when he heard one of the most dangerous missions.

Jiang Baimian smiled. This is my personal pursuit. There are still some idealists above the Ashlands.

Sometimes, your purity leaves me envious. Wang Beicheng smiled and sighed. Unfortunately, people like us have wives and children. We cant be willful anymore.

Their small talk ended there.

Jiang Baimian began to talk about her experiences, hoping that the colleague opposite her could obtain useful information from her recount.

She first mentioned how she had heard the howling the first night they camped out in the wilderness and had suspected that something abnormal happened north of Yuelu Station. She then skipped the battle involving the wilderness bandit wearing an exoskeleton. She didnt even mention anything related to Moat Town. She only mentioned that she had encountered a Blackmarsh Iron Snake midway and successfully killed it. The Blackmarsh Iron Snakes skin was on the jeeps roof; one couldnt miss it.

After describing the initial plot, Jiang Baimian directly talked about the trip to the steelworks factory ruins. She repeated the information provided by the bald Ruin Hunter, Harris Brown. Apart from using different words, there was no reduction in the content.

Wang Beicheng listened attentively. The polite smile on his face gradually disappeared.

Jiang Baimian then changed the topic to the mechanical monk, Jingfa.

In the beginning, she truthfully recounted Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Jingfas conversation, emphasizing Jingfas mind-reading abilitywhich was suspected to be an Awakened ability.

But when Jingfa caught up to her and used his Hungry Ghost Realm abilities to control the four of them, Jiang Baimian secretly concealed Shang Jianyaos performance. She only said that she had determined Jingfas hatred for women not because of the Eternal technology, but because his lustful nature and physical condition were incompatible. This resulted in him having a warped mental state.

Jiang Baimian then said that she deliberately angered Jingfa and made him start unleashing uncontrollable violence. She then seized the opportunity to insert her left index finger into a certain socket on Jingfas neck. She used the high-voltage electric current stored in the electric eel-like prosthetic limb to destroy his main control system and body structure.

Here, Jiang Baimian had deliberately modified the facts. She did not mention that she had only wanted to hack into the mechanical monks internal information network and directly control him because she was worried that Jingfa had an emergency backup system and redundant body structure.

She then skipped the middle process and grafted on the subsequent outcome. As Jingfa had an emergency backup system and a redundant body structure, he still managed to escape from the jeep after suffering heavy damage. Thus, he was not destroyed on the spot.

If it were me, I might not have as good a result as you guys even if I led a combat platoon. After hearing about the mechanical monk, Wang Beicheng couldnt help but sigh with emotion. Combat robots coupled with real human intelligence and Awakened abilities simply make him a killing machine.

This was also a result of pressure. Otherwise, we would have been violated and tortured to death by the mechanical monk. How can that be justified? Jiang Baimian laughed self-deprecatingly. After we escaped Jingfa, we wanted to come to Blackrat Town and use the radio transceiver here to transmit the information we obtained to the company. On the way, we encountered two strange people while camping out in the wilderness. One of them was Du Heng, who called himself an antiquarian and a historian. The other came from First City. Her name is Galoran, and she called herself a Daoist priest

Her focus was not on how strange the two people were but on obtaining some information regarding the Awakened.

After that, the Old Task Force arrived in Blackrat Town and realized that it had been massacred. Therefore, they searched the scene and launched an emergency flare.

Jiang Baimian didnt hide the results of her investigation and pointed out her suspicions regarding the Hyena bandits.

Towards the end, she talked about her real nightmare. However, she did not mention how Shang Jianyao had relied on his Awakened abilities to break free. She only talked about their good luck. It happened to be a change of shifts. Long Yuehong and Bai Chen realized that something was amiss and woke them up in time.

Finally, she related her real nightmare to the anomaly north of Yuelu Station and shared her guesses.

This does resemble an Awakeneds ability Wang Beichengwho was nearly a generation older than Shang Jianyao and the othersrecalled what he had seen and heard. He hesitated and said, When I was young, I followed a battalion and participated in a major transaction between large factions. I chanced upon a sect called Dawns Morning Star. They were afraid of dreams but also used them. Back then, the parishioner I conversed with was an Awakened. He called himself a Dream Guardian and believed that he was fighting for the sake of preventing people from being swallowed by nightmares. The nightmare he described is a little like what you described.

Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others looked at each other and asked Wang Beicheng, He didnt show you his abilities?

No. Wang Beicheng shook his head. This might have something to do with me being more vigilant.

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and inquired, Which Kalendaria do they worship?

Wang Beicheng already knew that Shang Jianyao and the others had obtained information regarding the Kalendaria from the mechanical monk, Jingfa. Therefore, he didnt hide anything and frankly replied, Its Dawn. A deity who rules over February.

They say that this Kalendaria is the light that illuminates a dream. At this point, Wang Beicheng looked at the already dark sky. Any other information?

No. Jiang Baimian smiled slightly. Im thirsty from all the speaking.

Wang Beicheng laughed. Ill skip the pleasantries. Its almost night. Find a place to camp and rest. As for me? I have to arrange for a few reconnaissance sections to go out and gather information based on the information you provided. I cant waste any time.

Ah, right. Its best to sleep under the watch of your companions on night duty. This way, you can be woken up in time if anything abnormal happens.

Wang Beicheng didnt mention how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in such a fashion. In the Ashlands, such matters werent a problem at all. Every experienced person knew that survival was better than shame or embarrassment.

Dont worry; we have experience. Jiang Baimian waved her hand and bade Wang Beicheng farewell with Shang Jianyao and the others before returning to the parked jeep.

After they found a place and finished setting up the tent, Long Yuehong finally couldnt suppress his confusion and asked, Team Leader, why did you hide the matter regarding the exoskeleton?

Their internal consensus was to hide Shang Jianyaos secret, so there was no need to elaborate on it.

Jiang Baimian replied casually, Theres too much to say. Theres no need for that. It might even end up involving Moat Town.

Bai Chenwho was less emotionalasked in concern, Didnt we already discuss reporting Moat Town? However, we said we wouldnt mention the exact location and only talk about how we encountered their hunting team in the wilderness.

Jiang Baimian laughed. Theres no rush. This will have to wait until we return to the company. Thats when we report it following procedures. Also, whats the use of telling Wang Beichengs team? It will only increase the risk of information leaking.

It wont be a problem even if its leaked, right? Bai Chen didnt understand.

Jiang Baimian sighed and pointed at Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong with a smile. Tell me about the employees attitude towards wilderness nomads.

Shang Jianyaowho was in charge of guarding the areadidnt hide anything. We are a little xenophobic. We are afraid that taking in too many wilderness nomads will result in a resource reduction in all aspects.

Long Yuehong glanced at Bai Chen and spoke softly. Thats right. Although we are lacking in manpower, everyone thinks that we can continue living like this. There will be more and more newborns in the future. Theres no need to take in a large number of wilderness nomads.

Jiang Baimian then waved her right hand at Bai Chen. You heard that, right? If we are only sporadically taking in the best wilderness nomads like you and using your experience, knowledge, and abilities, the employees wont object. They might even find it highly understandable. However, it would be unacceptable if we were to take in all the wilderness nomads in an entire settlement at once.

Although the Security Departments combat platoons and companieswho are active outsidemight have feelings of sympathy after knowing about the various settlements situations, they are still humans. They also have parents, wives, and children living in the company. They are also affected by all kinds of commentary.

If they leak the news of Moat Town to their relatives and friends before the Board of Directors makes a decision and there is public opinion on this matter, its very easy to end up with negative effects.

Bai Chen was still a little confused. Can an ordinary employee influence the Board of Directors decision?

From her point of view, such high-ranking personnel would not be affected by the low-ranking masses public opinion.

Jiang Baimian smiled. Currently, youre still more accustomed to the wilderness nomads ways. You arent used to some of how things work in the company. Pangu Biology might not be small, but its not big either. Which board member doesnt have relatives and friends who are ordinary employees? Besides, internal stability is imperative. This will directly affect the combat platoons and companies status and position.

If there is negative public opinion, the plans details will definitely be different, even if the Board of Directors insists on taking in all of Moat Town. Whether they are given official employee treatment or treated as a peripheral vassal force, there will be divisions to a certain extent. Whether they directly send people to manage it or have it be like Blackrat Town means big differences.

Bai Chen didnt say anything else. She lowered her head slightly and thought carefully about Jiang Baimians words. In her experience as a wilderness nomad, those in power and status had absolute say.

At this moment, Long Yuehong muttered, But I still think thats just one reason.

As he was already used to it, he did not lower his voice when muttering to himself.

Maybe Team Leader is afraid that Wang Beicheng will take our exoskeleton for his use. Shang Jianyao deliberately glanced at Jiang Baimian and smiled.

Jiang Baimian raised her eyebrows slightly. Im afraid of him?