Chen Shijie’s fingers tightened around the receiver.
“Commander Pei, you just said the Terminal Station might have Level 4 Ability Users, perhaps even more than one—”
“But that’s just your speculation, isn't it?”
Pei Su remained silent, giving Chen Shijie room to continue.
“Reporting this to the Area without concrete evidence... what if the Terminal Station isn't actually that dangerous?”
“What if the people you sent didn't die but just lost contact due to other reasons?”
“What if...”
“Dr. Chen,” Pei Su interrupted, his voice tinged with a hint of feigned difficulty.
“I’ve thought about everything you’ve said, but the problem is, we can't afford to gamble.”
“If the Terminal Station really is that dangerous and we fail to report it in time, the responsibility for whatever disaster follows...”
He intentionally left the sentence hanging, letting Chen Shijie’s imagination fill in the blanks.
Chen Shijie fell silent.
He knew Pei Su’s point was valid.
But he knew even better that if this matter fell into the hands of the Area C City Defense Force, those vagrants would ultimately belong to Area C’s Boneng Research Institute!
To any research institute, living people were the most precious experimental subjects!
How could the Boneng Research Institute possibly share experimental subjects with the Deep Blue Research Institute?
When that time came, his institute wouldn't get a single living soul!
Furthermore, the one he wanted most—Su Wan, that Level 3 Late Stage female Ability User—would certainly be taken by the Boneng Research Institute!
Level 3 Late Stage! A female Ability User!
In this world, such an experimental subject was far too rare!
If he missed this one, who knew when he would encounter another!
He would be left with nothing!
Over two thousand vagrants and a Level 3 Late Stage female Ability User would slip through his fingers just like that!
Chen Shijie could not allow that to happen.
His voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an unquestionable firmness: “Commander Pei, do not act rashly just yet.”
“Regarding the issue of combat power and the matter of taking down the Terminal Station Shelter—”
“Our Research Institute will solve it.”
“Just wait for our word.”
Pei Su was overjoyed inwardly, but his voice still sounded hesitant: “Dr. Chen, is... is that appropriate?”
“What’s inappropriate about it?” Chen Shijie’s voice carried a trace of impatience.
“Commander Pei, don’t forget that the overall status of the Research Institute is higher than that of the City Defense Force.”
“Since I said we will solve it, we will solve it.”
“You just need to do your job. You don’t need to worry about the rest.”
Pei Su was silent for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh.
The sigh was filled with a sense of helplessness.
“Fine then, Dr. Chen, since you’ve put it that way...”
“I’ll temporarily hold off on the report.”
“But you have to give me a definite answer. When will this be resolved?”
“Tomorrow!” Chen Shijie’s voice regained its composure, though it carried a suppressed rage.
“I will definitely give you an answer tomorrow! Just wait.”
The communication cut off.
Pei Su put down the communicator and leaned back against his chair.
He slowly looked up at the harsh fluorescent light on the ceiling, his mouth slowly stretching into a grin like an old fox.
He smiled happily, freely, and... triumphantly.
Report to the Area?
Of course he didn't want to.
He was the Commander of the Panshi City City Defense Force. He had spent decades climbing the ranks in this city, rising from a common soldier to his current position.
If he couldn't even handle a vagrant shelter in the Ruin Zone and had to report it to the Area—
Wouldn't that prove he was incompetent?
Once word of this got out, what would the commanders of other cities think of him?
What would the Sector C Chief think of him?
His career would be effectively over.
So, unless it was a last resort, he would never do such a thing.
His words just now were merely to provoke Chen Shijie.
Chen Shijie was nothing more than a bookworm who spent all day soaking in the lab with jars, cell sections, and gene sequences, his head filled with nothing but data and formulas.
He had no concept of power struggles and had never experienced them.
The games of power—the mutual deception, the intrigue, the tactical retreats—simply didn't exist in Chen Shijie’s world.
In Chen Shijie’s world, if there was a problem, you solved it; if there was a difficulty, you overcame it; if there was a goal, you achieved it.
He was straightforward and didn't know how to navigate around obstacles.
Such a person was a genius in the laboratory but an idiot in the arena of power.
Therefore, Chen Shijie was no match for him at all.
He only needed to give a gentle push, and Chen Shijie would follow the path he set.
Pei Su closed his eyes, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest as his mind raced through the next steps of his plan.
Chen Shijie said the Research Institute would solve the combat power issue.
How would they solve it?
By sending more gene-modified organisms?
Or by deploying those secret weapons he had never seen before?
Pei Su didn't know, and he didn't care.
He opened his eyes, picked up the communicator on the desk, and dialed another number.
“Hello, it’s me.”
“Pass down the order. During the Cold Wave, all City Defense Force operations are to avoid Area A7 of the Ruin Zone as much as possible.”
“If anyone asks, say that area is temporarily outside the purge zone.”
Zhuang Heng’s low voice came from the other end: “Yes, Commander. I understand.”
Pei Su put down the communicator and leaned back again.
...
In the Outer City, at the Night Owl mercenary team base.
Ever since Lei Lie and Scarface entered the Inner City, the development of the Night Owl team in the Outer City had been left to the remaining few Level 1 members.
Following Su Wan’s instructions, they had re-established the Night Owl sign, recruited some hands, and taken on some scattered missions, barely managing to keep things running.
However, their strength was too weak, and they lacked the authority to hold their ground in the Outer City.
That was until Iron Bone arrived.
Iron Bone had disguised himself and joined the Night Owl team with the identity of a commoner.
His strength was a solid Level 3 Late Stage.
On Iron Bone’s first day, he had thoroughly disciplined several small gangs near the base that frequently caused trouble.
He had cornered the leaders of those gangs in an alleyway alone and beaten them until they were howling in pain. From then on, they never dared to step within half a block of the Night Owl base again.
The members of the Night Owl team were completely won over by Iron Bone and unanimously elected him as their new captain.
Iron Bone didn't decline and accepted the role of captain.
At this moment, Iron Bone was sitting on a chair on the first floor of the base, his eyes closed as the Ability Core within him slowly circulated.
He had already consumed the Strength Strengthening Potion, and his strength had stabilized at Level 3 Late Stage.
He wore his Alloy Battle Armor as his innermost layer, covered by a tattered cotton coat, making him look completely unremarkable.
Suddenly, A-Qing ran in from outside, his expression looking somewhat grim.
“Brother Iron Bone, Liu Sen is here.”
Iron Bone opened his eyes. “Bring him in.”
Rate on N.U.
