Jiang Baimian finished reading the telegram and smiled:
“This is as good as saying nothing. Apart from letting us better understand what kind of abilities awakeners in the corresponding fields will possess, it doesn't help our current analysis and judgment at all.
“In Redstone Town, the Ash Speakers are followers of 'Old Woman You,' they are vigilant people, as are the Red River people. There is a possibility that someone from these two groups might awaken by chance.”
Shang Jianyao said with some regret:
“I thought their awakened abilities would be related to hide-and-seek.”
“Vigilance from fear, hiding from fear, how can there be no connection?” Jiang Baimian casually replied, "Besides, this is just the part of the intelligence that the company has. It doesn't represent everything. Maybe the awakeners of the Vigilance Sect really have the ability to conceal themselves.”
She held the paper, looked around, and said again:
“Well, this telegram isn't completely useless either. At least it confirms that awakeners in the 'Old Woman You' field can cause people to be excessively frightened.
“Uh… after this, everyone should carry a Non-Kal Biological Agent with them. It has a heart-strengthening effect and might save your life at a critical moment.”
Non-Kal Biological Agent was the kind of medicine injected into Town Chief Tian in Shuiwei Town.
While Long Yuehong marveled at the company's powerful research and development capabilities and the "Old Task Force" bringing enough first-aid medicines, he asked with slight confusion:
“But if they are excessively frightened, they must have already fainted and are in a near-death state. How can they inject themselves with Non-Kal?”
Jiang Baimian chuckled:
“So you can't act alone, at least in pairs.
“That way, when you're about to be scared to death, your partner can drive away the enemy and buy time to inject you with Non-Kal.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Shang Jianyao raising his hands, stiffening there, seeming very hesitant.
“What do you want to do?” Jiang Baimian asked vigilantly.
Shang Jianyao answered seriously:
“I'm thinking about which sect's way to pray with.”
After speaking, he made up his mind, bent his arms, and made a rocking-baby gesture.
“You really like 'Life Ritual'.” Jiang Baimian said amusingly.
Shang Jianyao gave a serious reason:
“Among the sects we've encountered, the sacrament of 'Life Ritual' tastes the best.”
As expected of you… Long Yuehong wasn't surprised at all.
He subconsciously asked:
“Why do you suddenly want to pray?”
“To pray that the fear ability in the 'Old Woman You' field is not area-of-effect, but only one-on-one,” Shang Jianyao said truthfully.
This sentence simultaneously made Jiang Baimian and Bai Chen frown.
After a few seconds, Jiang Baimian sighed with a smile:
“Then there's no way to save yourself. That's why fighting with awakeners is really annoying, completely unreasonable. Sometimes, whoever activates their ability first wins.”
Speaking of this, she smiled slightly:
“Actually, I still have a chance to save myself successfully.”
Seeing Long Yuehong a little confused, she raised her left arm:
“With so much current stored, isn't it normal to have an additional electric shock defibrillation ability? Isn't it also reasonable for the auxiliary chip to have corresponding body status monitoring functions? I remember some electronic watches in the Old World could do this kind of thing.”
Long Yuehong listened in a daze. Jiang Baimian once again tempted him and Bai Chen:
“How about it? Are you tempted?
“When we get back to the company this time, you can use the accumulated merits to exchange for biological prosthetics. Although it's unlikely to be my experimental model, the others aren't weak either.”
“I'm hesitating.” Shang Jianyao answered in their place.
“Oh?” Jiang Baimian glanced at him.
Shang Jianyao said with distress:
“Mechanical arms have more of a man's romantic feel.”
“The company can't do that. Unless we have the opportunity to go to places like Initial City,” Jiang Baimian discussed this issue with him.
Bai Chen listened quietly, pursed her lips, and said:
“Can we choose the type and model ourselves?”
Obviously, she was really tempted.
Jiang Baimian immediately nodded:
“Yes, as long as you accumulate enough merits or contribution points.”
Losing limbs during an away mission allows free replacement with a biological prosthetic, but there's no room for personal choice.
After discussing this matter, they continued to eat lunch.
Just as they were cleaning up their lunch boxes and other tableware, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao simultaneously turned their gazes towards the door.
A dozen seconds later, the door of room “05” was knocked.
Shang Jianyao quickly picked up the monkey mask, put it on his face, and rushed to the door.
He looked left and right, unable to help but sigh:
“No stick.”
Jiang Baimian ignored him, put on her mask, and asked loudly:
“Who is it?”
She asked in both Ashlander and Red River language.
The person outside the door was very polite and directly announced his name:
“Han Wanghuo.”
He's finally back… Jiang Baimian said in relief:
“Come in.”
At this time, Bai Chen and Long Yuehong had put on their masks and stood on either side of her.
There was more than just Han Wanghuo outside the door. There was also an Ashlander in his twenties.
He had black hair and brown eyes, was less than 1.7 meters tall, and his skin was rough from sun and rain. He had a baby face, but he didn't show much expression.
“And this is?” Jiang Baimian asked proactively.
Han Wanghuo immediately introduced him:
“Tan Jie, a member of the police station, an Ash Speaker.”
The key point was the last three words.
Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully:
“Please come in.”
While they were taking their seats, Shang Jianyao remained at the door, arms crossed, like a bodyguard.
“I heard from Weller that you have important matters to discuss with me?” Han Wanghuo asked politely.
Jiang Baimian “Mm” and told the story of being attacked by rocket launchers from beginning to end, without concealing the fact that the other party didn't seem to want to kill them.
Han Wanghuo glanced at Tan Jie and said thoughtfully:
“It may be to stimulate you, to make you investigate the two cases in your hands with care. Or it may be to scare you away, so you don't get involved in the muddy waters of Redstone Town.”
He spoke quite frankly, without concealing what kind of situation Redstone Town was.
“The attackers seem to be very sure that those two cases will cause a stir,” Tan Jie said coldly.
Jiang Baimian immediately laughed:
“Was it you who put the note warning us in our room before?”
She asked very directly.
Tan Jie was silent for two seconds and said:
“This was because we are fellow Ash Speakers.
“You are too weak. Getting involved in this matter will cost you your lives.”
At this time, Shang Jianyao sincerely said:
“Thank you.”
Taking advantage of Tan Jie being a little dazed by this sudden gratitude, Jiang Baimian asked directly:
“Don't you want to find out the truth?
“If you are sure you haven't done anything, helping us figure out the ins and outs of the matter can prove your innocence.”
Tan Jie said without a change in expression:
“Some people just want an excuse, not the truth.
“Over the years, everyone has done things that crossed the line. No one is truly innocent.”
For Bai Chen, this was a very understandable state—on the barren Ashlands where survival is difficult, groups clashing with each other for resources is something that happens all the time.
Jiang Baimian stopped pursuing this topic and switched to Baz's matter.
When mentioning that Herwig and An Hebas might be working together to set up a trap, killing two birds with one stone, Tan Jie laughed without a smile:
“I wouldn't be surprised by anything they did.
“It's a pity that Herwig died too easily.”
Jiang Baimian didn't respond and continued to talk about the trip to the Vigilance Church.
She kept her promise and didn't mention that Bishop Renato suffered from "Heartless Disease." She only said that they happened to meet the Vigilant Song He.
In addition, she didn't hide the clue given by Lopes and spoke about the awakening ability of fear in the "Old Woman You" field.
“That's right,” Tan Jie gave an affirmative answer.
Han Wanghuo also didn't seem surprised, seemingly having already obtained the corresponding intelligence from the Ash Speakers.
He considered it and said:
“It may be that the living conditions in Redstone Town are very close to the teachings of the Vigilance Sect, leading to a larger number of awakeners here than normal.
“This is my personal suspicion. There is no evidence.”
Jiang Baimian “Mm” and said:
“This makes things more complicated.
“Let's not consider these for now. Let's only talk about An Hebas. If he really has that batch of Herwig's weapons, he probably won't dare to go to the Vigilance Church today. Obviously, he has some understanding of awakeners.
“In this situation, what will he do?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiang Baimian regretted it.
This was because it was a heuristic tone she often used when discussing issues with her team members, and now the people she was communicating with were from Redstone Town.
Han Wanghuo was very supportive and said thoughtfully:
“If I were him, I would quickly send that batch of weapons to the Town Guard and say it was accumulated supplies from before. That way, the Vigilance Sect would definitely turn a blind eye.”
“He might also throw out outsiders like Lopes and say they did it behind his back,” Tan Jie added calmly.
Jiang Baimian nodded slightly:
“Is there a possibility that An Hebas will take advantage of tonight to send the weapons out of Redstone Town, hand them over to the Mountain Barbarians, and then refuse to go to the Vigilance Church no matter what, but allow investigators to search at will?”
“No, if he never goes to the Vigilance Church, it means he has a guilty conscience and doesn't dare to face the gaze of the Ruling God. That way, the townsfolk under him will definitely be suspicious. Then, he won't sleep peacefully. Moreover, he is well aware of the strength of the Vigilance Sect,” Han Wanghuo gave a negative answer.
“I see,” Jiang Baimian then asked, "Where does An Hebas usually stay?”
“He often changes where he lives, but when he encounters a more critical situation, he will mostly choose the Lakeside Villa. The underground parking lot there leads to the pier, and there are boats at the pier,” Tan Jie answered simply.
Uh, you've been watching An Hebas for a long time… Jiang Baimian thought for a while and suddenly asked:
“Captain Han, regarding those cases of death by excessive fright more than two years ago, the Vigilance Sect couldn't have guessed that it was done by an Awakener. Do you remember their reaction?
“During that time, did they suddenly have an extra Vigilant?”
While Han Wanghuo frowned in recollection, Tan Jie suddenly stood up:
“About half a year after the last case, the Sect had an extra 'Umbra.'\
“This is a cleric who cultivates bitterly in a dark room.”
His tone was a little agitated, but he still didn't show much expression.
Hearing this, Han Wanghuo's expression changed. He also stood up and said urgently:
“He is An Hebas's younger brother, Brand!”
ps: Last day asking for monthly tickets~ Update will be ahead of schedule at midnight~