Shang Jianyao heard this and said as if he was thinking:
“Fierce, efficient, clean. Is this a premeditated revenge?”
In his opinion, it might not be revenge, but it was definitely premeditated and targeted.
Jiang Baimian looked at the bright cave entrance and thought for a moment, then said:
“Not necessarily.
“It’s also possible that the residents of Black Rat Town exposed their whereabouts due to certain events and someone discovered this cave. Whether it’s their status as subhumans or the weapons, ammunition, and winter food they exchanged from the company, it’s enough to attract strong malice.
“The attackers probably didn’t initially plan to conceal their identities or eliminate traces, because possessing thermobaric bombs is a relatively obvious characteristic. Perhaps, after the battle ended and they were searching for supplies, they discovered the radio telegraph and suspected that Black Rat Town had established contact with a major power and become a vassal. Then, in order to avoid retaliation, they hastily cleared the battlefield.”
Bai Chen couldn’t distinguish whether this matter was premeditated or accidental, and could only provide some relatively obvious conclusions from his own perspective:
“Without considering the motives for now, what can be勉强 confirmed is:
“First, the attacker team has above-average order, otherwise it would be impossible to clean the battlefield so cleanly, leaving us almost no clues. This basically eliminates the possibility that they were temporarily pieced together by several bandit gangs.
“Second, being able to possess thermobaric bombs and individual combat weapons indicates that the attacker team’s strength is also above average, and their reputation won’t be small.”
Seeing that Shang Jianyao seemed a little puzzled, Bai Chen added an explanation:
“In the Ashlands, there are very few teams that hide their strength. Only by fully demonstrating their power can they deter followers and surrounding enemies and occupy sufficient resources.
“In this regard, perhaps only major powers, loners, and small teams of a few people are exceptions. However, among the former, most of them initially built themselves up with every bullet and every ounce of strength. Only after their strength reached a certain level did they engage in some strategic concealment. As for the latter two types, they mostly didn’t hide their strength during battles, but there were fewer witnesses, allowing for effective control.”
Jiang Baimian “Hmm”ed once:
“In addition, the current situation allows us to deduce a detail:
“The attackers are at least twenty, no, thirty or more people, otherwise they wouldn’t have resolved the guards around Black Rat Town so cleanly and neatly, nor would they have allowed the residents of Black Rat Town to actively retreat into the cave, not trying to counterattack, only considering evacuating through the alternate passage.”
Shang Jianyao couldn’t help but nod his head as he listened.
This kind of reasoning seemed so simple, yet he hadn’t thought of it just now:
If there were few attackers, with the scale of two or three hundred people in Black Rat Town, plus the various weapons provided by “Pangu Biology,” even if the opposing equipment was stronger, they could completely push back.
“That’s right.” Bai Chen glanced at the area not illuminated by the flashlight. “Judging from the gunshot wounds on some of the corpses, the attacker team’s weapons are also relatively mixed, which almost eliminates the possibility of a major power’s army. Of course, maybe the attackers used finishing shots just to create this kind of trace, but the army of a major power isn’t afraid of being retaliated against, so there’s no need to do this.”
Shang Jianyao gradually got used to such discussions and began to join in:
“‘Slave Catching Teams’ can also be excluded. For them, the most valuable thing is the population. Slaughtering the entire Black Rat Town doesn’t fit their style.”
“Yes, even subhumans can mine, especially the residents of Black Rat Town, who are experts in this area. Even if they can’t get past the psychological barrier, fearing infection and deformity, they can separate them from ordinary mine slaves, form separate squads, and have remote weapon supervisors,” Jiang Baimian said casually, not paying attention to grammar.
She immediately asked:
“Anything else?”
Shang Jianyao thought for a moment and said:
“The attacker team might not really have more than thirty people, I mean the core members.
“They can completely coerce dozens of external vassals with seven or eight core members. Anyway, it just needs to look impressive on the surface.
“When the battle ends and they clean the battlefield and deal with the traces, the seven or eight core members can personally do it or supervise, which can also achieve very good results.”
Jiang Baimian nodded in satisfaction:
“That possibility can’t be ruled out.
“Combining what was said earlier, and considering the dialogue in the recording pen, we can initially sketch out some characteristics of the attacker team:
“First situation: A human team, with more than thirty people, a considerable reputation, ruthless actions, rich experience, possessing relatively powerful equipment such as thermobaric bombs and individual combat weapons, not belonging to or dependent on a major power, and currently not too short on food.
“The second situation adds the point that the core members are less than ten, and there are a large number of vassals or cooperating teams.”
After summarizing, the corners of Jiang Baimian’s mouth slightly curved upwards, but she said without the slightest smile:
“In the first situation, although there are many similar teams in the Ashlands, there are definitely not many. Those located nearby and recently arrived nearby can be counted. As long as we have more contact with the surrounding wasteland wanderers and ruin hunters, we should be able to quickly filter out the main suspects, and then investigate them one by one.
“In the second situation, having vassals and cooperating teams means that many things can’t be truly kept secret. Too many people means too much talk is definitely not just a saying. In addition, the materials those people harvest, in addition to being used for their own use, will also be traded out in part. These are all clues.
“Right, carefully search the area near this small mountain later. If it’s the second situation, it can’t be ruled out that the seven or eight core members killed the vassals and collaborators after the matter was completed in order to maintain secrecy.”
While speaking, Jiang Baimian walked towards the cave entrance, muttering:
“You guys are really something, why didn’t you go outside to discuss it? Isn’t it uncomfortable to talk here with your backs bent and knees bent?”
Shang Jianyao was still a little immersed in the shock brought about by the slaughter of Black Rat Town. He didn’t expect the team leader to have basically returned to normal, at least on the surface, so he had to hurry up and follow.
After arriving outside and telling Long Yuehong the general situation, Shang Jianyao took the initiative to ask:
“Team Leader, what do we do next? Besides searching the surrounding area to see if there are any traces of murder and elimination of evidence.”
Jiang Baimian looked back at the cave:
“This is a major event. Doesn’t the car have emergency flares? Fire them off to let the company know that there’s a situation here. Hmm, we need to go to a higher place, so that even if the company’s outer sentries don’t notice it because they’re too far away, affiliated forces in different locations will see it and notify them by telegraph.”
“This, will attract a lot of wasteland wanderers, bandit gangs, and ruin hunters…” Bai Chen looked towards the entrance of Black Rat Town with some worry.
Jiang Baimian nodded lightly:
“That’s right. For those guys who need to stockpile food for the winter, this is all good meat. Wash it clean, marinate it, and dry it, and it’s a great harvest.”
“Team Leader, what you’re saying is so scary…” Long Yuehong couldn’t help but take a breath.
Jiang Baimian glanced at him:
“I’m saying this on purpose, so that you and Shang Jianyao can adapt as soon as possible, so as not to be strongly impacted when you see similar scenes with your own eyes and not be able to recover for a while.
“Heh, in the Ashlands, the probability of encountering similar things isn’t low.”
She didn’t say much more about this aspect and thought for a moment:
“This way, we’ll go to the top of the small mountain or hill next door to set off flares and lead the ruin hunters and wasteland wanderers in that direction.
“As for the company, Black Rat Town is the only collaborator in this area. As long as it doesn’t exceed the corresponding range, no matter where the emergency flares are fired from, it will only guide them to think of Black Rat Town first.”
As she spoke, Jiang Baimian looked at Long Yuehong, who was wearing an exoskeleton:
“Find some larger stones around and move them all back to block the cave entrance. Oh right, the alternate passage also needs to be blocked. This will not only prevent wild animals from coming over because of the smell and destroying the traces, but also prevent ruin hunters and wasteland wanderers who search here from directly discovering the existence of the cave. Hmm, with the equipment they have, even if they discover it, it will be quite difficult to open the blocked entrance, while the people from the company are very professional.”
Long Yuehong easily understood what the team leader said and began to look for large stones that exceeded the limits of human beings and could only be moved with the exoskeleton.
After moving all the corpses outside back to Black Rat Town, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and others, while dealing with bloodstains, watched Long Yuehong, covered in a dark iron metal skeleton, transport the stones, first blocking the alternate exit and then sealing the cave entrance.
“Alright, let’s go back to the jeep and set off the flares elsewhere.” Jiang Baimian stared at the pile of disguised stones for a few seconds and turned to leave.
As she was about to get into the car, she stopped and turned back to say:
“After setting off the flares, we’ll find a hidden place nearby to set up camp.
“After that, before the company’s people arrive, we have to stay here to prevent accidents and avoid the scene being destroyed. In addition, we can also submit the intelligence about the city ruins and the Monastic Order.”
Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen had no objections to this arrangement, believing that it was an inevitable development.
Compared to small tasks such as delivering water purifier filter chips, which didn’t matter if they were delayed for a few days or even half a month, the matter here was obviously more important.
“It’ll probably take two or three days.” Jiang Baimian showed a slight smile. “Just right, it can train your wilderness survival skills.”
Without waiting for Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong to respond, she went around to the driver’s seat, opened the car door, and sat down.
More than ten minutes later, on top of a hill further to the southwest, Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong stood quietly to the side.
Jiang Baimian didn’t immediately use the grenade launcher to fire the emergency flares carried by the “Old Task Force,” but waited for a while, until the clouds floated over, covering the sun, and the light became dim, before pulling the trigger.
With a bang, a scarlet dazzling light exploded in the high altitude, like a blooming bloodthirsty flower.
ps: Seeking recommendation tickets~