Recognizing Jiāng Bái Mián's concerns, Gérnǎwǎ immediately said:
“I can make some modifications to gain the ability to interfere with surveillance.”
He spoke of making modifications as easily and naturally as a normal human would talk about changing clothes.
“I’ve considered it, but I’m afraid there won’t be enough time, and the corresponding equipment isn’t that easy to come by.” As Jiāng Bái Mián spoke, a smile gradually appeared on her face. “This was indeed a problem before, but now I have a better idea.”
“What is it?” Lóng Yuèhóng asked with a learner's mindset.
Jiāng Bái Mián turned her eyes and said with a smile:
“Since our approach to the 'Underground Ark' probably can’t escape DiMǎ’ěrkē's perception, then let's not hide it. We'll go there openly and honestly.”
“Ah?” Lóng Yuèhóng looked puzzled. Neither Bái Chén nor Gérnǎwǎ responded.
How could they carry out the “decapitation strike” by going there openly?
Jiāng Bái Mián looked at Shāng Jiàn Yào:
“What are your thoughts?”
Shāng Jiàn Yào nodded solemnly:
“Tactical deception!”
“Ha.” Jiāng Bái Mián didn’t argue with him. Instead, she smiled and explained, “What I mean is, we can find an excuse to be openly active in the Vigilance Church's ventilation ducts.”
Hearing about the ventilation ducts, Lóng Yuèhóng immediately thought of a name:
Víyé’ěr!
Before he could have other thoughts, Jiāng Bái Mián smiled and looked around:
“For example, we can take on the task of finding Víyé’ěr from Song Jǐngshìzhě.
“As everyone knows, Víyé’ěr likes to be active in the ventilation ducts, so it’s very reasonable for us to look for him in the church’s ventilation system.
“During this process, because the church’s ventilation ducts and the 'Underground Ark’s' ventilation ducts are heavily connected, we will inevitably get close to the 'Underground Ark' and be sensed by DiMǎ’ěrkē. This will allow him to become familiar with our presence, figure out our purpose in advance, at least the superficial one.
“When he gets used to this situation, is no longer so vigilant, and no longer has a conditioned response, we will take advantage of the dead of night and quietly enter the Ark through the predetermined vents.”
Bái Chén nodded slightly after listening:
“That’s a way.”
Jiāng Bái Mián smiled even more obviously:
“More importantly, if something unexpected happens and the operation fails, we can also raise the banner of the Vigilance Sect to deter DiMǎ’ěrkē and strive for everyone to retreat safely.”
Saying this, she simulated a possible speech with an obvious smile, pretending that she was talking to the people of the “Underground Ark”:
“We were entrusted by the Vigilance Sect to suspect that Víyé’ěr’s disappearance is related to your Ark, so we sneaked in to look for clues!
“If you think this is wrong, then communicate with the sect and let them punish us.
“Do you want to overstep your bounds?”
Lóng Yuèhóng was stunned. He felt as if a pair of black wings had grown out of his team leader’s back, and a black tail had curled up.
At this moment, Jiāng Bái Mián made a summary:
“In short, it’s just pulling a tiger's skin to flaunt one's power!”
Clap clap clap, Shāng Jiàn Yào's applause arrived as expected.
Lóng Yuèhóng sincerely felt that he shouldn’t offend his team leader, no matter who else he offended. Fortunately, the team leader was always tolerant, with a stomach that could hold a boat. The fact that Shāng Jiàn Yào was still alive was proof of this… Lóng Yuèhóng muttered, thinking of a question:
“What if Víyé’ěr has already returned?”
“Then, we’ll communicate with the Vigilance Sect. If they are indeed as we expected, not only will they not protect DiMǎ’ěrkē, but they may also provide us with some help. Then, we’ll let Víyé’ěr disappear for a while longer. If it’s different from what we expected, then there’s no need to continue the 'decapitation strike.' Contending with the Vigilance Sect is something that only the company has the right to consider.” Jiāng Bái Mián had already considered this.
Let Víyé’ěr disappear for a while longer? Lóng Yuèhóng’s teeth ached a little.
…
The next morning, inside the red and gold Vigilance Church.
The Old Task Force met this Jǐngshìzhě in Song He’s room.
“Song Jǐngshìzhě, has Víyé’ěr returned?” Jiāng Bái Mián asked straight to the point.
Song He shook his head and said with a slightly worried expression:
“I was just about to arrange for people to look for him. Something’s not quite right.”
While Lóng Yuèhóng quietly breathed a sigh of relief, Jiāng Bái Mián volunteered:
“Why don’t you entrust this task to us?
“We were the ones who found Víyé’ěr before.”
Although Víyé’ěr had taken the initiative to come out at the time, it was still after the Old Task Force had taken on the task and started searching.
Song He thought for a moment and said:
“What kind of reward do you need?”
“A little bit of 'Yōugū's' protection.” Jiāng Bái Mián deliberately made her words seem meaningful.
“Hmm?” Song He was a little hard to understand.
Jiāng Bái Mián didn’t answer and instead asked:
“The most likely place for Víyé’ěr to hide is in the church’s various ventilation ducts. We want the authority to freely enter and exit the church and search every ventilation duct.”
Song He was silent for a few seconds, seemingly understanding Jiāng Bái Mián's implication.
He weighed his words and said:
“I can’t make a decision on this matter and the reward you want. I’ll go to Bishop Antuoniola to discuss it now. Please wait here for a moment.”
“Alright.” Jiāng Bái Mián, wearing a monk's mask, smiled.
Almost ten minutes later, Antonuoniola, wearing a black cloak and a simple mask, entered the room with Song He.
He said bluntly:
“'Yōugū’s' protection is for those who devoutly believe in Her and do things for Her. I can’t promise you on behalf of the Great Authority.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Shāng Jiàn Yào clasped his hands together in front of his chest and took a step back:
“Vigilance forever!”
“…” Antuoniola didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
After a few seconds, he changed the subject:
“I can give you the authority to search the church’s ventilation ducts. I only hope that you can find Víyé’ěr as soon as possible, and I also hope that you don’t cause any damage here.”
He didn’t mention what kind of reward he would give in the end, as if it wasn’t something worth caring about.
Jiāng Bái Mián’s eyes flickered, as if she was thinking, and said:
“The layout of the ventilation ducts here is complex and connected to the 'Underground Ark'. What if we get lost and enter places we shouldn’t?”
Antuoniola was silent for nearly ten seconds, and his tone contained a hint of a smile:
“Let it be a one-off.”
Jiāng Bái Mián smiled and said:
“Okay, let it be a one-off.”
…
Vigilance Church, first basement level.
Slave trader Huo Zhi looked at the forty or fifty young men and women in front of him and said with a smile:
“You’ve all seen it. Even just a place for training is better than where you used to live. There are beds of about the same size, mattresses, quilts, pillows, and punctual three meals.
“What is this called? This is called paradise! This is your good fortune, and you can’t let Mr. DiMǎ’ěrkē down.
“In short, train hard and strive to enter the Ark. If you’re not selected, hehe, you might only be able to go to places like mines.”
The eyes of the forty or fifty men and women in ragged clothes shone with hope.
They were also worried about the consequences of not being selected.
Just as the people of the “Underground Ark” began to arrange for these men and women to move into different rooms, Huo Zhi and his subordinates saw the relic hunter team that had a robot and could destroy the entire Redstone Town arrive here by elevator.
What were they doing here? Huo Zhi subconsciously took two steps back and made way, while the slaves he brought shrank into different doorways, looking at the “visitors” with uneasy and blank expressions.
Shāng Jiàn Yào stopped and glanced over the faces that were fairly clean but looked malnourished.
“What are you doing here?” An executive of the “Underground Ark” walked over and said, “Now is when our Ark trains servants.”
The ownership of the first basement level belonged to the Ark. They only lent it to the Vigilance Church for Mass when they weren’t training and examining servants.
Shāng Jiàn Yào, wearing a monkey mask with a hairy face and pointed mouth, smiled and raised his hand:
“Repairing the ventilation ducts.”
The executive and Huo Zhi were stunned by this answer, and for a short while, no one spoke.
Jiāng Bái Mián took two steps forward and explained:
“A child was lost in the church. He likes to crawl through the ventilation ducts. We’re here to find him.”
As she spoke, she took out the certificate written by Antuoniola.
The executive of the “Underground Ark” took it, glanced at it, and nodded slightly:
“Don’t disturb us.”
“Okay.” Jiāng Bái Mián agreed with a smile.
This interlude was deliberately done by Jiāng Bái Mián and Shāng Jiàn Yào, the purpose being to inform the people of the “Underground Ark” of their “mission” and strive to get it to DiMǎ’ěrkē’s ears as soon as possible.
Next, the Old Task Force began searching in the ventilation ducts in different areas according to the layout map.
During this process, they repeatedly reached the vents that could enter the “Underground Ark”, but after “confirming” that there was no trace of Víyé’ěr, they left and went elsewhere, acting like a normal relic hunter team fulfilling their contract.
As outsiders who weren’t adapted to living in ventilation ducts, the Old Task Force’s progress in finding people was undoubtedly not too fast. Every two to three hours, they had to go out to get some air, move their bodies, and rest their minds.
They were busy until 11 o’clock at night, with only the last two or three areas left.
One of the areas corresponded to the vents where their inside men, Yu Tian and Bode, were responsible.
At this time, the Vigilance Church had closed, and all the clergy had returned to their rooms to rest. Only some of the church’s armed forces were still patrolling and on duty.
In the empty, red and gold hall, Jiāng Bái Mián, who had adjusted her condition, stood up and led Shāng Jiàn Yào, Bái Chén, and the others to the emblem of 'Yōugū'.
Looking at the vaguely visible female figure behind the door, she lowered her head, suppressed her voice, and said sincerely:
“The 'Underground Ark' worshiped you in the past, worships you now, and will worship you in the future.
“We just want to make your believers live better and more peacefully, without having to fear being killed at any time.”
After confessing, the five members of the Old Task Force raised their heads at the same time.
The 'Yōugū' emblem, with a female figure hidden in the darkness behind the door, still hung there quietly.
Lóng Yuèhóng muttered in disappointment:
“There’s no response…”
Although he knew that this was wishful thinking, after all, even the most devout 'Yōugū' believers might not be able to gain the Great Authority’s attention, let alone them, the heretics and non-believers. But people always like to expect things to go in a good direction.
In fact, if 'Yōugū' really turned her attention here, the first person to be frightened would definitely be Lóng Yuèhóng himself.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Shāng Jiàn Yào smile and heard him say with excitement:
“The Great Authority has silently approved!”
After saying that, Shāng Jiàn Yào put on his monkey mask with a hairy face and pointed mouth and turned to walk towards the first basement level.