The sound of screeching tires cut through the air as the jeep abruptly changed direction, nearly throwing itself off balance.

Wobbling precariously, the vehicle maintained its speed, charging towards the left, its original course, bumping and lurching along the uneven road.

The next second, the rocket landed.

Boom!

A crimson fireball rapidly expanded, illuminating the surroundings, and the outward shockwave rattled the jeep's windows.

Fortunately, the "Old Task Force" had replaced the glass with bulletproof versions at the "Rootless" camp.

Jiang Bai Mian saw the explosion in the rearview mirror, her brow furrowing slightly.

Immediately after, Bai Chen steered the jeep behind a collapsed building.

This completely removed them from the attacker's line of sight.

Boom!

Another rocket exploded on the road the jeep had just traversed.

Then, silence descended.

"Stop!" Jiang Bai Mian called out.

Bai Chen didn't ask why, stepping on the brake and halting the jeep behind the "natural cover."

Shang Jian Yao and Long Yue Hong simultaneously rolled down the windows and positioned their "Berserker" assault rifles, prepared for any potential attackers in the vicinity.

At the same time, Shang Jian Yao said with a hint of regret:

"They really should hire a shooting coach."

Jiang Bai Mian not only didn't refute him but even nodded:

"That attacker didn't seem to genuinely want to kill us."

"Why?" Long Yue Hong remained true to his spirit of asking questions whenever he didn't understand.

Jiang Bai Mian explained:

"Even if I hadn't spotted it in advance, the jeep would have been off course when the first rocket landed."

Shang Jian Yao thoughtfully came up with a reason:

"Maybe he anticipated your anticipation and gave it a lead?"

Jiang Bai Mian glanced at him:

"Unless I'm crazy, I wouldn't let Xiao Bai drive the car into the building.

"The first rocket exploded at the entrance of that tall building diagonally in front of us."

"Okay, I get it." Shang Jian Yao clenched his right fist and hit it against his left palm. "It's just that his skills are bad, not accurate at all."

"Then why would they find someone like that to attack us?" Jiang Bai Mian asked, amused and exasperated.

Shang Jian Yao pondered for a few seconds, then clasped his palms together:

"For a hero to save the beauty!"

"..." Although Jiang Bai Mian understood Shang Jian Yao's meaning after a moment's thought, she still found his thinking peculiar.

No wonder he's a certified mental patient... she muttered inwardly.

Long Yue Hong, on the other hand, could probably guess where Shang Jian Yao got his theory from:

Those radio dramas!

At this moment, Bai Chen broke the brief silence:

"It was probably to scare us."

"Yeah." Jiang Bai Mian nodded. "This might be a warning, similar to the previous note, or it could be a trap, hoping to provoke us into investigating the stolen arms case or Hervig's death more deeply."

"Then what do we do?" Long Yue Hong asked, sounding slightly worried. "This place is much more chaotic than Weed City."

Following the plan to find the arms and complete the mission seemed like getting caught in a dangerous whirlpool, but giving up just like that and leaving Redstone Town felt a bit... unsatisfying.

Jiang Bai Mian replied:

"Isn't that something we knew a long time ago?"

As she spoke, a smile appeared on her face:

"What I want to do most right now is:

"Find that attacker and the person who ordered him, tie them up, and launch rockets around them, so they can taste the same feeling."

Shang Jian Yao's eyes lit up:

"That's good, that's good."

Jiang Bai Mian suddenly had a bad feeling and quickly changed the subject:

"Let's go back to Redstone Town first and tell Han Wanghuo about this, see his reaction, and then decide what to do."

"Okay." Long Yue Hong breathed a sigh of relief.

It's enough to have one dangerous madman like Shang Jian Yao in the team, the team leader must not like getting into trouble!

...

Redstone Town, inside the Security Office.

"Captain Han is not here?" Jiang Bai Mian asked Dr. Weller.

Weller still hadn't shaved, looking quite rugged:

"He took a team to the lakeside, said he was checking if there were any changes on the Fishman side."

"When will he be back?" Jiang Bai Mian pressed.

Weller shook his head:

"It depends on whether the Fishmen really make a move."

He then sighed:

"If I couldn't go back to United Industries, I really wouldn't want to stay in this broken place.

"There are Artificials outside, internal strife inside, and you hardly see anyone all day long, and even if you do, you don't know what they look like..."

Clearly, the amorous doctor was upset that he couldn't have any romantic encounters.

In Redstone Town, it's a matter of luck—you can't even be sure if someone is male or female before they take off their mask and clothes.

Moreover, the townspeople of Redstone Town, who believe in the "Nether Lady" and value vigilance, won't easily sleep with someone unless their goal is to rob them.

Jiang Bai Mian didn't feel uncomfortable with Weller's complaints, but instead asked with interest:

"I'm curious, how do the residents of Redstone Town meet, fall in love, and eventually get married and have children?"

Weller sighed again:

"When fighting side by side against Artificials and foreign bandits, when doing some smuggling business together, when hunting outside, when accidentally meeting in the ruins, maybe feelings develop.

"Well, I heard that the Vigilance Sect also organizes activities, gathering believers who want a partner but don't have a suitable target, uh, they separate by groups, men on one side, women on the other, and draw lots to decide who finds whom to hide.

"The person in charge of finding gets one chance, and whoever they find, they're together with.

"They believe this is the Nether Lady's revelation and dare not disobey the result."

It can be like this? Long Yue Hong's mouth was half-open as he listened, feeling that the world is full of wonders.

"Interesting customs." Jiang Bai Mian didn't make a good or bad assessment.

Shang Jian Yao then asked:

"What if they can't find anyone?"

"Then it means that the Year Star thinks you're not suitable for marriage for the time being," Weller replied casually.

"The Year Star is so busy." Shang Jian Yao said with feeling.

Huff... Long Yue Hong quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought Shang Jian Yao would take the opportunity to mock him, saying that Long Yue Hong was destined not to find anyone.

Having learned more about the local customs, Jiang Bai Mian was satisfied and told Weller:

"When Captain Han comes back, tell him to find us at the hotel camp, we have something important."

"Okay." Weller was quite alert and didn't ask what it was.

...

Hotel camp, the four members of the "Old Task Force" parked the car and headed towards rooms "05" and "06".

Before they were really close, Jiang Bai Mian suddenly turned her head and glanced at Shang Jian Yao.

Shang Jian Yao didn't respond immediately, but walked a few more steps before nodding.

Then, he slung his tactical backpack in front of him, and while taking out a small speaker, he shouted loudly:

"You are surrounded!"

Bai Chen and Long Yue Hong had already drawn their pistols at the same time.

After so much practice, they could easily guess that Jiang Bai Mian and Shang Jian Yao had discovered intruders in the room.

After a brief silence, the door of room "06" creaked open.

A man wearing a dull black iron mask walked out, his flaxen hair messy, as if he hadn't cleaned it for a long time.

Seeing the dark gun muzzle aimed at him, he hurriedly took a step back and said in a suppressed voice:

"I'm Baz."

"Huh? What did you say?" Jiang Bai Mian asked loudly.

Baz was silent for two seconds, then raised his voice:

"I'm Hervig's subordinate, Baz, you came to find me."

"The one who likes to dig tunnels?" Jiang Bai Mian had actually recognized the other party from various characteristics.

"Yes." Baz nodded heavily.

"What do you want from us?" Jiang Bai Mian walked over, seemingly relaxed.

Baz looked around and said with slight fear:

"Someone wants to kill me!"

Jiang Bai Mian, wearing a delicate monk mask, immediately responded:

"Let's talk inside."

After entering the room where Bai Chen and Long Yue Hong lived, Jiang Bai Mian didn't rush to ask questions. While having Shang Jian Yao guard the door, she said with a smile:

"How did you get in here?"

"The electronic lock here is very easy to crack." Baz took out a white card and shook it twice.

Jiang Bai Mian said "Oh" and then smiled:

"Shouldn't you take off your mask?

"Otherwise, how can I be sure you are Baz?"

"You haven't seen what I look like before..." Baz said this, but still obediently took off the iron mask.

He had a slightly square face and flaxen eyes, his beard was cleanly shaved, and his face was covered with many freckles. He didn't seem too old, probably not over thirty.

"Okay, tell me what's going on." Jiang Bai Mian finally got to the point.

Baz said with a flustered expression:

"You didn't even say Hervig was dead when you came to find me."

"That's not the point," Jiang Bai Mian replied thoughtfully.

Baz's tone suddenly became urgent:

"That's the point.

"I can guess who killed Hervig.

"He wants to kill me too!"

"Who is it?" Jiang Bai Mian cooperated.

Baz's face darkened:

"This is what happened:

"The arms weren't lost at all, this is all a show."

Jiang Bai Mian and the others laughed at the same time, but unfortunately, Baz couldn't see their smiles.

Baz continued:

"The arms were originally going to be sold to the Hill Men, and if they weren't dealt with like this, the rest of the team would hate him.

"Hervig cooperated with Anhebas, asked his people to pretend to be robbers, steal the arms, find an opportunity to send them to the Hill Men, and then he fabricated clues, issued a mission back in town, wanting to point the finger at the Gray People or the Underground Ark, to accumulate everyone's dissatisfaction, but, but, he actually died!"

Jiang Bai Mian asked at the right time:

"Who is Anhebas?"

"He's a Red River man with a high position in the town, mainly smuggling energy, and he has a cooperative relationship with Hervig," Baz introduced. "The Hill Men control several coal mines and have had many transactions with him."

Speaking of this, Baz became resentful:

"It must be him! He killed Hervig and wants to swallow the arms!

"I was attacked this morning, if I hadn't dug enough tunnels, I would have died! If I die, no one will know about this."

After listening, Jiang Bai Mian turned her head and glanced at Shang Jian Yao at the door.

Shang Jian Yao understood her meaning, took off the monkey mask, and slowly walked towards Baz, showing a friendly smile.

Baz suddenly became alert and took a step back, saying:

"You, what do you want to do?"