The afternoon sun shone on the city ruins, filled with new greenery, and the surrounding silence made even the faint sound of the wind distinctly audible.

Countless collapsed buildings resembled rough burial mounds, one after another, stretching into the distance.

This was the most severely damaged Old World relic Jiang Baimian had ever seen.

Of course, she hadn't been to the cities directly covered by high-yield missiles during the Old World's destruction. Few people on the graylands were willing to go to such places, partly because the radiation pollution in those areas was exceptionally severe and hadn't fully decayed even to this day, and partly because the damage was so exaggerated that it was unlikely to yield any gains.

Standing beside the jeep, Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and said to Long Yuehong and the others:

"There's nothing worth excavating here. Let's go straight to the Second Food Company.

"Don't be careless on the road. Be fully prepared. Don't think that just because this place is deserted and there are few ordinary beasts, you won't encounter attacks.

"Intelligence indicates that extremely powerful 'Higher Mindless' occasionally appear in this area."

Many relic hunters suspected that during the repeated "sweeps" of the Tieshan City ruins by various human forces, the "Mindless" were not completely eliminated. Some retreated into the nearby deep mountains, and their "Higher Mindless" had evolved over the past decade or two to the point where some could contend with "Mind Corridor" level awakeners.

Jiang Baimian was quite skeptical of this because the "Mindless" lacked intelligence and were unlikely to pass through the islands of fear on the "Origin Sea."

And apart from a very few places like the Tieshan City ruins, humans had never encountered "Higher Mindless" comparable to "Mind Corridor" level awakeners.

So, Jiang Baimian believed that either the relic hunters who encountered "Higher Mindless" in the Tieshan City ruins were not strong enough or experienced enough, and blindly attributed them to the "Mind Corridor" level based on the special abilities they displayed, or the power didn't lie in the "Higher Mindless" themselves, but in something special about the place, such as the Buddhist holy site here.

Thinking of the "professional woman" Liu Lu that Shang Jianyao encountered in the "522" room's psychological shadow, Jiang Baimian leaned towards the latter possibility.

——The "professional woman" Liu Lu was active in the "Tieshan City Second Food Company" during the chaotic years. After Shang Jianyao triggered a mutation with the Ironworks Ruins medical record, she revealed her true colors, having long suffered from "Mindless Disease." And the abilities she had previously displayed could indeed contend with "Mind Corridor" level awakeners, even stronger, causing Shang Jianyao to pass out twice without any resistance and be sent back to the starting point.

When the team members nodded to indicate they understood, Jiang Baimian added in a deep voice:

"Even if the probability of encountering such 'Higher Mindless' is very low, and it's unlikely we'll run into them, we still have to pay attention to the surrounding changes.

"The Eighth Research Institute may have already organized a new, stronger team of special envoys to 'silence' us."

Her silencing referred not only to killing them but also to destroying the "Tieshan City Second Food Company" Buddhist holy site.

Compared to the rumored special "Higher Mindless," the Eighth Research Institute was clearly a more realistic and likely enemy to encounter. Long Yuehong didn't dare to be negligent and immediately suggested putting on their equipment now.

Shang Jianyao was very pleased and turned to look at Genaeva:

"Old Ge, you can try that 'Chameleon' biomimetic intelligent armor.

"An intelligent person assassin who can blend into the environment at any time, making it difficult to detect in advance. Just thinking about it is so powerful it's like cheating."

Then what will I wear… Long Yuehong wanted to interject, but Genaeva was "moved":

"Sounds pretty good…"

Luckily, he didn't suggest the intelligent robot wear a military exoskeleton… Jiang Baimian first nodded in agreement, then joked:

"In our group, intelligent people also have the right to wear equipment."

Genaeva moved his metal neck up and down, very satisfied with this statement.

Jiang Baimian then said to Long Yuehong:

"You wear that 'Black Swamp Iron Serpent' biomimetic intelligent armor."

The right palm of this equipment had also been specially treated so that Long Yuehong's mechanical palm could extend out.

Jiang Baimian originally intended to use this biomimetic intelligent armor herself, relying on its super defense to get close to the enemy and use abilities like "Spatial Illusion," but later she discovered that there was a very serious problem:

She might get lost…

In comparison, the military exoskeleton with automatic navigation was more suitable for her.

Jiang Baimian was now quite fortunate that before leaving "Pangu Biology," she had considered that different scenarios had different usage needs. Long Yuehong couldn't be limited to the "Chameleon" biomimetic intelligent armor, so she had the company's people also modify the "Black Swamp Iron Serpent" armor.

After that, Bai Chen put on the "M-45," a newer military exoskeleton, Jiang Baimian used the "AC-45" model, and Shang Jianyao chose the oldest "AC-42"—he mainly provided remote control and didn't have much need for close combat.

The "Old Task Force" didn't skimp on power and prepared to go to the "Tieshan City Second Food Company" fully armed. Anyway, it was only a few hours' drive from the "Underground Ark" Tieshan entrance. If they really reached the alert line, they could retreat to recharge.

"Drive," Jiang Baimian in the passenger seat looked at Shang Jianyao, who was sitting next to her in a daze.

Originally, it should have been Long Yuehong's turn to drive, but based on the fact that Shang Jianyao had "been" here and was familiar with the terrain, Jiang Baimian had him, who had only rested for an hour and a half on the way, "take the field" again.

Shang Jianyao replied with a solemn face:

"The starting point is wrong.

"When I entered the psychological shadow, I appeared in the middle of the city."

"I knew it…" Jiang Baimian said in a tone of someone who had long expected it.

She took the tactical backpack to her front and pulled out the Tieshan City map she had drawn with the help of a large amount of intelligence:

"First, see which section you're familiar with, and then go directly there."

Shang Jianyao immediately said:

"The environment is also wrong. Most of the buildings hadn't collapsed at that time."

Now he lacked sufficient references.

Before Bai Chen could proactively suggest, "Let me do it," Shang Jianyao revealed a smile:

"Such a challenging thing, that guy just now was making excuses!"

There, another internal conflict… If it weren't for the price of being a bad roadfinder, Jiang Baimian would have liked to push this bastard out of the car and do it herself.

The jeep started slowly, heading in a general direction.

Shang Jianyao complained as he drove:

"The roads here are too difficult to drive. I don't know how long it's been since anyone came through here.

"I really want to interfere with matter, lift the car directly, drive five centimeters above the ground, so there's no friction.

"Too bad, it can't be done."

Honest one? Jiang Baimian looked back and saw Long Yuehong sitting between Bai Chen and Genaeva, and burst out laughing.

Afterward, the "Old Task Force" spent nearly two hours finding their way in this ruined city. It was a very monotonous job. If it weren't for Shang Jianyao's wisecracks and solo crosstalk performance, Jiang Baimian and the others wouldn't have felt so relaxed.

Finally, they arrived at their destination and saw the somewhat ancient but still standing seven-story building.

Greenery had begun to spread across the surface of the building but hadn't completely covered it. Some places still showed traces of withered yellow.

At the entrance to the lobby on the first floor, the sign "Tieshan City Second Food Company" was long gone, chopped into firewood and burned by someone.

If Shang Jianyao hadn't patted his chest to guarantee that this was the Second Food Company, Long Yuehong would have mostly suspected that they had gone to the wrong place.

He looked up at the outside and saw scattered stones and overgrown weeds. He couldn't help but sigh:

"It's been a long time since anyone came here."

Hearing this sentence, Jiang Baimian's expression suddenly became serious.

"Don't, don't say it!" Shang Jianyao tried to stop Long Yuehong with a "terrified" expression.

Just as Long Yuehong was about to retort to this guy, Jiang Baimian said in a deep voice:

"The 'Salvation Army' group set off two days ago."

"This…" Long Yuehong's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

Given the distance from Redstone Collection to the Tieshan City ruins, the "Salvation Army" group should have arrived long ago and explored the Second Food Company several times.

Why does this place still look so deserted?

Bai Chen tentatively said:

"They got lost?

"There aren't any signs here."

This was a super-large city ruin. It was normal not to find a destination they hadn't been to in a day or two.

"Possible." Jiang Baimian nodded, then said as she pushed the door open and got out of the car, "Anyway, be careful."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Shang Jianyao throwing the tactical backpack in front of him and tearing open the zipper.

"You, what are you doing?" Jiang Baimian instantly became vigilant.

Shang Jianyao smiled:

"Take out the little jade Buddha."

"Don't…" Jiang Baimian took a breath.

She composed herself and added:

"Let's do a normal search first, and then try to see what changes the medical record and the little jade Buddha can bring."

Who could handle it if it was so exciting from the start?

"Alright." Shang Jianyao regretfully withdrew his hand.