However, even if he didn't want to become a ghoul due to the side effects, couldn't it still be used for trading?
Just as some people would accept consuming ghoul blood to become a ghoul for power, naturally, there would be others willing to become ghouls for power.
Moreover, compared to the inability to act during the day after becoming a ghoul, the side effect of needing to eat humans as a ghoul, as long as one could overcome the psychological and spiritual fear and rejection, the price was even smaller than becoming a ghoul.
Bai Ye thought as he followed Kirishima Ayato into the factory.
Looking up, he could see a large number of ghouls inside the factory, at least two to three hundred, but their faces were unclear, as everyone was wearing masks.
This was also why Kirishima Ayato immediately took Bai Ye for a ghoul.
Ghouls, when not hunting humans, were demi-humans with no difference from humans, possessing normal human identities in human society.
Therefore, to avoid exposing their identities and to live normally outside of hunting, ghouls would wear masks when hunting.
This way, they wouldn't expose their identities and be chased by doves.
When Kirishima Ayato saw Bai Ye, Bai Ye had previously scanned Lan Qing's information with the Predator's bio-mask, so Kirishima Ayato naturally assumed Bai Ye, wearing a mask, was a ghoul.
Secondly, the way the Steel Slime solidified items with a mud-like wriggling had similarities to the process of ghouls releasing their kagune, which also gave Kirishima Ayato a false impression.
They walked through the factory to the front.
The executives of Aogiri Tree were gathered here.
"Ayato, well done." A girl, completely wrapped in bandages, wearing a red bodysuit and a mask, leaped down from a steel pipe and looked at Bai Ye, saying, "Are you the Eater?"
Bai Ye nodded, "Yes."
The girl smiled and jumped back onto the steel pipe, saying, "Everyone, Owl wants me to tell you, it's time to usher in a new era!"
The One-Eyed Owl, the leader of Aogiri Tree, possessed immense strength but was very mysterious, having almost never appeared.
As the girl's voice spread, the surrounding ghouls suddenly became excited.
They cheered loudly, whistled, and applauded continuously.
The girl continued, "Owl wants me to tell you that soon, a new era will descend, and we will no longer have to hide. We will be able to live under the sun, and those doves will no longer be able to do as they please with us."
The cheers from the surroundings instantly reached their peak.
At this moment, an executive asked, "What is Owl's command?"
"Ghoul containment facility!" the girl replied, "In that ghoul prison, a large number of S-class and SS-class ghouls are held. Their hatred for the doves is no less than anyone else's. Therefore, what we need to do is to release them and make them a part of our fighting force."
After speaking, the girl jumped down from the pile of steel pipes and walked up to Bai Ye, pointing at him.
"Newcomer, to show your strength to everyone, so..." the girl said with a smile, "You will lead people to carry out this matter, no problem?"
"You have received a Forbidden Zone activation mission."
"Lead people to break into the ghoul containment facility. Mission reward: Forbidden Zone (Ghoul Containment Facility) Activation x1."
A Forbidden Zone!
This was interesting!
Bai Ye grinned and looked at the girl, asking, "Location."
The girl's eyes flashed with crimson light, and she suddenly smiled, "I like straightforward people. Of course, I will tell you the address. Let's act tonight."
Bai Ye nodded, "Okay!"
Since he encountered a Forbidden Zone, Bai Ye naturally wouldn't refuse. The reward was secondary.
Since he was already involved, it would be good to get some Divine Stone fragments by activating the Forbidden Zone.
After all, the cost of milk powder was not easy to earn these days, and the Steel Slime ate too much.
There was still some time before nightfall, which was for the chosen ones to prepare and adjust their states.
As the activator of the Forbidden Zone, there were certain advantages at this time.
At least other chosen ones who were forcibly pulled into the Forbidden Zone had no preparation time.
However, Bai Ye pondered for a moment, and it seemed he had nothing to prepare. It wasn't time to draw from the gacha yet, and nightfall referred to after dusk. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be done before drawing from the gacha.
Bored and with nothing to do, Bai Ye could only yawn in a corner.
Bai Ye felt he could act immediately, but since time was given, it meant it was a rule.
Two hours later, Kirishima Ayato came to Bai Ye and said, "It's time to go!"
"Ah, time to go?" Bai Ye opened his eyes groggily and said, "We should have left long ago!"
Not all executives of Aogiri Tree would participate in this action; Bai Ye and Kirishima Ayato would be leading.
However, what use could these pawns of Aogiri Tree be?
Bai Ye speculated based on his past life's experience.
The first possibility was that the Forbidden Zone mission was likely a personal mission, but to create a chaotic "prison" environment, both factions needed to clash.
The ghouls in this area of Aogiri Tree were mainly for this purpose.
The second possibility was that this was a Forbidden Zone with faction opposition.
Such Forbidden Zones were not uncommon. Bai Ye had encountered them before, such as the Order faction and the Sin faction in the City of Sin.
Here, it would naturally be the ghoul faction and the dove faction.
Chosen ones entering the Forbidden Zone would likely be automatically divided into two factions for confrontation.
Of course, there was also a possibility that the chosen ones active in this area had already taken sides.
This was because Bai Ye remembered Lan Qing.
It was understandable that the ghoul investigators thought he had killed that woman last night and arrested him, but why would Lan Qing, a chosen one, join the fun?
It was clear that Lan Qing was likely also a dove.
Chosen ones active in this area would either follow the ghouls or follow the doves.
Bai Ye felt he had guessed the general situation more or less, and the next step was to see how the Forbidden Zone would present its challenges.
While Bai Ye was lost in thought, Kirishima Ayato suddenly spoke, "We're almost there."
Bai Ye's group had a total of three trucks, all container trucks. The containers naturally held ghouls.
The target was ahead, a building that looked like a research institution, but was actually one of the largest facilities for imprisoning ghouls, with walls and guards outside.
Kirishima Ayato said, "We need to break through the outer guards first."
Bai Ye said, "That's not difficult. You can just drive forward. You don't even need to let anyone else out of the car; I can handle it alone."