Unlike the last time Jiang Baimian and the others left, the Iron Mountain entrance to the "Underground Ark" was no longer so hidden. A renovated road, wide enough for two trucks to pass side by side, stretched from the foot of the mountain all the way into the cave.
After all, this place was now known to everyone in Redstone Town and among the Mountain Herds. It could no longer serve as a secret access point. It was better to improve the surrounding environment to facilitate driving away quickly when encountering problems.
Thus, the Old Task Force drove the jeep all the way to the entrance.
There stood four guards in olive-green uniforms, armed with submachine guns. They now belonged to the Ark Management Committee.
"Stop!" Although they found this jeep somewhat familiar, they still dutifully blocked the way.
Behind them, deep within the cave, several cannons and cluster rocket launchers were adjusted and ready to fire, following the programmed settings.
Yes, the program coded by Genava.
As the former temporary president and current honorary president of the Ark Management Committee, he had single-handedly transformed the "Underground Ark's" defense system.
"Don't you recognize us?" Jiang Baimian asked with a smile, pushing open the car door.
The four guards, wearing different masks, sized up her height and confirmed the number of group members. They probably realized who had come.
However, as followers of "Motherly Maiden" and members of the Vigilance Church, they couldn't possibly believe them so easily. They remained wary, keeping a friendly distance while remaining vigilant.
At this moment, Jiang Baimian felt someone gently, cautiously, and very vigilantly poke her upper arm.
Without any deduction, the image of Shang Jianyao immediately appeared in her mind.
She turned her head and, sure enough, it was him.
Shang Jianyao had already taken out his monkey mask with a hairy face and pointed snout, and said in a low voice:
"Put it on.
"Vigilance is eternal!"
Watching this guy put on the monkey mask, Jiang Baimian didn't want to imitate him, but still followed the local customs and found her delicate monk mask, placing it on her face.
Luckily, I didn't throw it away… Long Yuehong put on the pig mask, half with relief and half with sorrow.
At the same time, he saw Bai Chen taking out a fierce-looking man's mask from her tactical backpack.
As soon as the Old Task Force members finished their "disguises," the guards standing at the cave entrance simultaneously took a step back, relaxing most of their vigilance and shouting loudly:
"Greetings, Presidents!"
Now, they had completely matched Jiang Baimian and the others' images with their previous appearances, confirming their identities.
--They didn't cross their arms and place them on their chests while taking a step back because they felt that this gesture was not suitable when greeting the presidents. After all, it needed to be paired with the corresponding prayer.
Finally… Jiang Baimian straightened the mask on her face.
She was immediately filled with rather complicated feelings:
Only someone like Shang Jianyao can seamlessly integrate into this magical place and be in his element…
Her only comfort was that the guards of the "Underground Ark" still retained the habits developed during DiMarco's era, adhering to the corresponding regulations, unlike the armed forces of the Vigilance Church, the town guards at the entrance of Redstone Town, and those in the security bureau, who all had to hide when performing guard duties, making it impossible to find them.
"Vigilance is a reminder from God!" Shang Jianyao responded with the Vigilance Church's greeting without any reservation.
Jiang Baimian adjusted her mindset and asked:
"Where do we park the car?"
One of the guards pointed to his left:
"There's a parking lot around the back."
Then, he remembered something and quickly reported:
"Reporting, President Xue, the cemetery has been completed. It's right behind the parking lot."
When the Old Task Force last left Redstone Town, they had asked the Ark Management Committee to organize people to build a cemetery for those who had died unjustly as servants during the slack season.
"Very good." Jiang Baimian didn't skimp on her praise.
She then asked:
"Are there so many cars to park that you specifically built a parking lot?"
The guard who had spoken earlier replied with a comical mask on his face:
"Yes.
"Now, except for a few people who are used to living underground, everyone has moved to the ruins, guarding their fields. But we still choose to store many important items in the Ark, as it's safer and easier to defend here."
The "Underground Ark" is now equivalent to a backup warehouse, last refuge, and psychological support for all members—several key departments of the Management Committee are located here. Therefore, members often need to enter and exit, and many of them have cars.
This is partly due to the accumulation of DiMarco's era and partly because the Management Committee, considering the needs for escorting goods, wilderness hunting, and traversing the urban ruins, specifically used some of the reserve ammunition to trade for a batch of dilapidated vehicles from the Old World and repaired them.
Impressive… Jiang Baimian nodded with great satisfaction.
As they parked the car and prepared to pass through the entrance, one of the guards suddenly said:
"Wait a moment!"
"What's wrong?" Jiang Baimian asked, tilting her head, wearing the delicate monk mask.
The guard pointed to Long Yuehong's right arm and said quickly:
"I, I remember that President Gu didn't have a mechanical arm last time.
"Could he be someone disguised?"
"…" Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong were speechless.
You're being too vigilant!
Shang Jianyao understood and respected the customs of Redstone Town, and helped explain:
"He saved a damsel in distress last time and had his arm blown off, so he had to replace it with a mechanical arm."
Hearing "saved a damsel in distress," Long Yuehong's face flushed, and he was especially glad that he was wearing a mask.
The customs of Redstone Town are sometimes quite good…
Seeing that the other three honorary presidents were willing to vouch for Gu Zhiyong, the guards opened the way and no longer suspected him.
…………
Inside the Ark, on the second underground level, in the reception room where DiMarco had met the Old Task Force before.
Opposite Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others, Ulrich, Yu Tian, and Bode, the three members of the Ark Management Committee who happened to be underground today, were sitting on the long sofa.
Among them, although Ulrich had once been one of DiMarco's three stewards, he hadn't aided and abetted him. He would only help appease the servants after DiMarco vented his emotions. Therefore, he gained everyone's approval and, as a key figure familiar with smuggling and possessing the corresponding channels, he entered the Ark Management Committee.
Compared to the other members who were servants or guards, he was experienced, skilled in handling affairs, and trustworthy. He was elected as the temporary president when Genava left.
After he completes his two-year term without making any mistakes, the word "temporary" will be removed.
Yu Tian and Bode were the first guards to surrender and provide assistance to the Old Task Force. They were the two signposts they had erected. Therefore, when Genava was still in the Ark, he had specifically advised them according to Jiang Baimian's instructions. After receiving Genava's teachings, they could competently fulfill their duties as committee members.
"Have people from the 'Savior Army' been coming to Redstone Town recently?" After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Baimian asked.
Ulrich was in his forties, his black hair still neatly combed, and he was wearing a dark suit, but he no longer wore a tie like before, and his formal attire was crisp.
His blue eyes flickered slightly as he pondered:
"I'm not sure if they're from the 'Savior Army' because they didn't interact with us. They went directly to those ash-tongues, uh, ashlanders.
"There are fewer than twenty of them, all ashlanders. They're staying in an abandoned building near the Tan family members' place, not in the hotel camp."
The Savior Army had Red River members, reflecting their idea of a common human destiny, but because their current sphere of influence in the Old World was in what was broadly considered the ashlander-controlled region, the number of non-ashlanders was small.
"Do you know what they're here to do?" Shang Jianyao was quite curious, looking like he was going to offer help.
Of course, because he was wearing a mask, no one could see that.
Ulrich shook his head:
"I don't know, but we can observe what the Tan family members or other ashlanders are collecting later."
Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and glanced at the ceiling above her head:
"Have some strangers been coming to the Vigilance Church recently?"
"Yes." Yu Tian, who had a square face, immediately replied, "Several groups of people from other places have moved directly into the church, but Bishop Antoniola hasn't told anyone the reason, nor has he introduced them."
Inside the Ark, all three committee members were not wearing masks.
"What about Song, the Herald of Vigilance? What did he say?" Jiang Baimian thought for a moment.
"He didn't say anything." It was Bode, who had freckles, who eagerly answered.
Shang Jianyao suddenly lowered his voice, as if he were wary of someone, and asked:
"Have those people been arguing with each other?"
Yu Tian recalled for a few seconds and said:
"I encountered it once.
"They were sitting on either side of the Saint Emblem of the Year Arbiter, pointing fingers at each other.
"One said that vigilance is the result, not the cause, another said that vigilance is the most important goal, and another was there trying to persuade the arguing people to get along peacefully."
For some reason, Jiang Baimian immediately thought of Kannah, who kept parrots that swore.
This Awakened at the "Mind Corridor" level had once demonstrated an ability that made people friendly.