As an employee of "Pangu Biology," Jiang Baimian was no stranger to nuclear warheads. She knew that several major forces possessed them, legacies from the Old World, and that they themselves seemed to have mastered the corresponding maintenance technology.
However, for many years, except for the Chaotic Era when there seemed to be records of nuclear weapon use, after entering the New Calendar, these truly massive weapons of mass destruction created by Old World humans had not reappeared, existing only as a deterrent.
Intelligence personnel from "Pangu Biology" had once suspected that with the passage of time, the nuclear warheads left over from the Old World had gradually become ineffective and could no longer be used, and that neither "First City" nor the "Salvation Army" had the ability to manufacture them again.
Now, suddenly hearing the term "nuclear warhead," and that it had appeared in the current city, Jiang Baimian couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
"Nuclear warhead?" Long Yuehong was equally startled.
In his mind, this was a weapon capable of destroying the heavens and the earth. Many cities in the Old World had become ruins because of them.
In the various rumors of the Old World's destruction, this was a source of nightmares on par with "Heartless Disease."
If someone detonated that nuclear warhead, the entire Wubei might be affected, and the "Old Task Force" within the city would likely be unable to stay out of it.
Bai Chen blurted out:
"What's the yield?"
According to her habits, talking about bombs without mentioning the yield was just fooling around, except for those whose mission was to create radiation or chemical pollution.
Shang Jianyao, on the other hand, looked curious:
"Is it using uranium, plutonium, or, uh, hydrogen isotopes?"
He momentarily forgot how to write that word, or what its pronunciation was.
Ding Ling shook her head:
"I'm not too clear on that. I just heard this rumor.
"I'm telling you this mainly as a reminder, so you don't have grievances about being stuck in the hotel and unable to go out."
"Now I don't have any grievances; I just want to run away," Shang Jianyao answered honestly.
Yes, yes! Long Yuehong shouted frantically in his heart.
He just wanted to leave Wubei now and escape the range of the nuclear warhead's power.
Hearing this, Ding Ling comforted him:
"Don't believe the rumors in the wilderness. The power of nuclear warheads isn't that great. A single one can't destroy a city. And the nuclear warheads that can be stolen must be miniaturized, with a yield estimated to be only a fraction of the original."
But Wubei now can't be compared to the big cities of the Old World. Whether it's even one-tenth the size is questionable... Jiang Baimian muttered in her heart, but didn't say it out loud.
Wubei, like First City, was rebuilt on a relatively well-preserved city ruin, but its population is significantly different from First City's. Currently, it only uses the area of the ruins near the Moonscale River.
Seeing the "Old Task Force" members silent for a moment, Ding Ling added:
"After you meet with a member of our Wubei Materials Coordination Committee today, if you're willing to accept a stricter inspection, I can take you out of the city ahead of time.
"Don't worry, I've already reported the matter of those military exoskeletons and bionic intelligent armor, and there are no problems."
Just as Long Yuehong was about to say "Okay, okay," Shang Jianyao suddenly spoke with righteous indignation:
"No!
"How can we desert our posts? There are hundreds of thousands of humans here!"
Ding Ling was speechless.
You're the one who said the bad things, and you're the one who said the good things. What exactly do you want?
Jiang Baimian cleared her throat:
"A member of your Wubei Materials Coordination Committee wants to see us?"
"Yes." Seeing the topic return to the right track, Ding Ling quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "He's in charge of military supplies statistics and distribution, and he wants to understand your experiences in the No. 13 Ruins in the wasteland in detail."
Uh, why is he seeing us? We won't contribute military supplies to him... Long Yuehong was a little surprised.
Jiang Baimian, who knew a lot about the Old World, understood what was going on.
“Military” linked to “Statistics” likely represents an intelligence agency.
The name is often just a code name.
"No problem." Shang Jianyao answered on behalf of Jiang Baimian in a tone that suggested they were all one family, so there was no need to be so polite.
Jiang Baimian glared at him, took a breath, and said:
"Go over now?"
"Yes." Ding Ling nodded. "You can't bring your military exoskeletons and bionic intelligent armor. Uh, it's best to leave two people here to watch over them. Although our 'Salvation Army' has good law and order, and there aren't many theft cases, many of the people staying in this hotel are foreign ruin hunters, and you should be well aware of their style."
Most ruin hunters often moonlight as robbers when they're in the wilderness, but they turn into petty thieves when they enter larger settlements.
Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said to Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava:
"You stay here to guard the supplies. Wei and I will go with Captain Ding to meet that committee member."
She actually wanted an Awakened on each side, just in case, but she was worried that Shang Jianyao would have a brain fart and want to go out and help find the missing nuclear warhead and save all the residents of Wubei, and no one would be able to control him.
Bai Chen and the others immediately agreed.
…………
Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao didn't drive their own jeep, but got into Ding Ling's green mountain car. After several twists and turns, they saw the Wubei Management Committee building they had been to before.
This time, Ding Ling didn't stop, but chose to bypass it and arrived at a secluded courtyard on the next street.
In the depths of the courtyard stood a three-story building, with a vertical plaque hanging at the entrance that read "Wubei Materials Coordination Committee" and other words.
After being checked by several soldiers on duty at the door, surrendering their weapons, and registering, Ding Ling drove the green mountain car in and parked it in a corner of the courtyard.
Then, she led Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao to the west wing of the building, and exchanged a few words with a young man wearing a "Salvation Army" black uniform.
The young man turned and disappeared around the corner of the corridor, returning after a few minutes and saying to Ding Ling:
"Committee Member Huang is in the reception room. Come with me."
After passing through three hidden or overt guard posts along the way, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao followed Ding Ling into the reception room with the door ajar.
Inside the reception room, in the main seat was an old man, also wearing a black uniform representing a "Salvation Army" soldier, but without shoulder boards.
Ding Ling respectfully placed her right hand on her left chest and saluted:
"For all mankind!"
Shang Jianyao wanted to follow suit, but Jiang Baimian's left hand was secretly holding his right arm, preventing him from moving at all.
Ding Ling then said:
"Committee Member Huang, Xue Shiyue and Zhang Qubing have arrived."
Committee Member Huang wasn't too tall, probably not even 1.7 meters, but he had an imposing presence. When he was still, he was as deep as an abyss, and when he looked around, he made people afraid to speak. It was clear that he had come through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
He had his white hair combed relatively neatly, and without any airs, he stood up, returned Ding Ling's salute with the same courtesy, and then pointed to the sofa opposite him and said:
"Sit down."
After Ding Ling motioned for Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao to sit down, she exited the reception room and closed the door.
Committee Member Huang sat down again, the sharpness of his gaze undiminished by his advanced age.
He laughed and said:
"Don't be nervous. Back then, we all came from different places. What distinction was there between locals and outsiders?"
He glanced around and then said:
"The older I get, the more impatient I become, so I won't beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point.
"How did you discover that the secret laboratory had a 'New World' node?
"Don't even mention normal people. Even most Awakened can't detect it."
Jiang Baimian turned her head and looked at Shang Jianyao.
This was indeed one of the few loopholes in her previous, somewhat selective account.
Shang Jianyao tacitly took off his tactical backpack and took out the seemingly ordinary silver angel pendant.
"We have this prop," Jiang Baimian explained before he could.
This was the absolute truth, but not the whole truth.
Committee Member Huang narrowed his eyes slightly, as if sensing the aura within the "Angel of Life" necklace.
"Do you need to hold it for inspection?" Shang Jianyao asked kindly.
Committee Member Huang opened his eyes and glanced at him, answering with great composure:
"Okay."
He wasn't worried about it being a trap in the slightest.
Shang Jianyao pushed off with both hands and hopped towards Committee Member Huang on one foot.
One foot.
Committee Member Huang was well-informed and didn't lose color because of this. After a slight pause, he nodded as he took the "Angel of Life" necklace:
"The price is paralysis of one of the limbs?"
Seeing that he really took the "Angel of Life" necklace to examine it, Jiang Baimian finally confirmed one thing:
This committee member should also be an Awakened, otherwise he wouldn't be able to discover anything by holding the prop, and would only suffer the price.
After a few seconds, Committee Member Huang returned the "Angel of Life" necklace to Shang Jianyao, who was still standing in front of him on one foot.
He nodded with satisfaction and said:
"You didn't lie. The aura of this prop is indeed quite special and can help you sense the 'New World' node."
He didn't ask where they got this prop from. The "Salvation Army" had that much magnanimity.
But the "Old Task Force" had a traitor. With his back to Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao found an opportunity and took the initiative to confess:
"We got this from a special envoy from the Eighth Research Institute."
Committee Member Huang raised an eyebrow and said:
"A special envoy from the Eighth Research Institute?"
There was some surprise in his tone.