Chapter 70: Intelligence

Jiang Baimian took precautions when she heard An Ruxiangs question. She turned around and glared at Shang Jianyao, indicating for him not to speak. She then pursed her lips and said to An Ruxiang, When we met him, he was sleeping by the side of the road. We were just about to wake him up when his face suddenly contorted. His body convulsed a few times before he completely stopped moving.

H-he died just like that. At this point, Jiang Baimian suddenly felt that her description was ridiculous. She immediately felt a little apprehensive and quickly added, Do you believe what I just said? No, I mean, you have to trust us.

Frankly speaking, Jiang Baimian wouldnt have believed such a thing if she hadnt experienced it herself or seen it with her own eyes. After all, very few mutated monsters in the Ashlands had such strange abilities. Furthermore, it hadnt even been three years since Jiang Baimian was transferred to the Security Department. The number of missions she had undertaken was considerable, but not numerous. The mutated creatures she had encountered were considered relatively common.

An Ruxiangs cold and indifferent face had already changed at the beginning of Jiang Baimians description. Her expression gradually became complicated and difficult to hide.

Although Jiang Baimian couldnt understand what all of the other partys microexpressions meant, she immediately felt strong, intense, and uncontrollable sadness.

Jiang Baimian had met An Ruxiang only once, but she had previously determined that An Ruxiang was very reserved and never revealed her feelings. Now, she saw An Ruxiangs expression for the first timean expression of losing control.

An Ruxiang took two deep breaths and said, I believe you. This is because we encountered something similar after entering this city ruin. If you didnt witness it with your own eyes, I believe you wouldnt have fabricated such an experience.

An Ruxiangs voice was deep and hoarse as if she was trying her best to hold back something within her.

The man beside her had a mixed expression of grief and fear.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged An Ruxiangs words and didnt offer any condolences. Instead, she asked, What exactly did you encounter?

An Ruxiang wiped the corners of her eyes, and her expression returned to normal. We drove into this city ruin from a road deep in the swamp. We didnt plan on exploring any of the secrets hidden here. We only planned on plundering at the ruins edges and returning with some valuable items.

Just as we got a pile of supplies, Little Guangone of our teammatessuddenly fell asleep. He fell asleep while moving a box of thick clothes. We thought he had an ailment attack and didnt wake him up immediately.

In the end, after we confirmed that he was only sleeping, his closed eyes distorted as if he had encountered something extremely terrifying. Th-then, he died.

Jiang Baimian wanted to say, It seems only one person can be forced to fall asleep at a time. However, she looked at An Ruxiangs eyes and resisted the urge.

An Ruxiang continued, We were terrified after Little Guang died. We arent afraid of fighting Heartless and monsters head-on. But this kind of attackwhich we have zero knowledge of or defenses against, much less know who is going to be nextis really terrifying and breakdown-inducing.

We decided to leave this city ruin on the spot. After all, we had already made a sufficient harvest. To our surprise, we strongly believed that something abnormally precious was at the corner of the street ahead of us and that we had to obtain it. It was as if we were possessed.

We went over just like that and saw a Heartless. She was female, looking somewhere between 17 and 26 years old. As you know, it is difficult to determine a Heartlesss age based on their looks.

She was dressed better than the two Heartless we encountered while searching for items. Her clothes werent that dirty, and her face was relatively clean. However, her eyes remained turbid and bloodshot.

Yes, she was wearing a white, shriveled down jacket. Back then, we felt like the abnormally precious item was somewhere on this Heartless. Therefore, we accelerated and approached her, prepared to shoot. However, we didnt expect a large number of Heartless to appear. They appeared to have been laying an ambush nearby.

It was a trap!

Be it An Ruxiang or the man beside her, they couldnt help but show a little fear at this point.

Jiang Baimian didnt make a judgment or a guess and asked, And then?

An Ruxiang took another deep breath. When the Heartless lying in ambush appeared, the feeling of being blinded by greed vanished. We no longer felt like the special Heartless had anything abnormally precious that we needed to get our hands on.

Fortunately, only a portion of the Heartless had guns. Among them, some even used the guns as iron rods. This was probably because they were out of bullets. In short, we managed to get under cover in time. Hence, we didnt die in the first wave of gunfire.

What followed was an intense battle. Originally, we wouldve died there after killing multiple Heartless. However, the heavens favored us. For some reason, a mechanical monk in a red kasaya suddenly rushed over from nowhere and attacked all the female Heartless in an extremely brutal manner.

I could sense that he was also filled with malice toward me.

Jiang Baimian finally couldnt help but blurt out, Jingfa?

That mechanical monk repaired himself and came to join in the newly-discovered city ruins bustle?

You know him? An Ruxiang asked in surprise.

Weve met before, Jiang Baimian replied briefly.

Qiao Chuwho didnt stop them from conversingquietly listened by the side as if he wanted to obtain useful information.

An Ruxiang didnt ask any further and returned to the topic at hand. With the mechanical monk joining us, we found an opportunity to escape. Shoushi took the initiative to cover our retreat. We had agreed upon a rendezvous place and time, but Heh heh, he always said that hes a punctual person, but hes definitely going to be late this time

At this moment, Shang Jianyao took a few steps forward and said seriously, Maybe its because he doesnt wear a watch.

An Ruxiang was stunned for a moment before she suddenly laughed. Yeah, his precious watchs strap broke during the ambush and dropped there.

An Ruxiang smiled and wiped her eyes. After a few seconds, she spoke with an increasingly hoarse voice. Back then, it wasnt dark yet. We first found a place to hide for a while. When all the commotion subsided, we circled around and rushed to the rendezvous point. However, we ended up encountering you guys before we even arrived.

Werent the gunshots fired by you guys? Jiang Baimian sighed thoughtfully. She then cursed herself.

Seriously, why have I been neglecting things these past two days? I havent been careful enough.

Perhaps it was due to Qiao Chu saying that a Nightmare Horse created the real nightmares, but my train of thought has been limited to mutated monsters. From An Ruxiang and the others encounters, its very possible that there are mutated Heartless in this city ruin. Furthermore, they are very special and have strange abilitiesthe kind thats rare in the outside world.

Apart from monsters that can forcefully make one fall asleep, theres also the possibility of mutated Heartless. Jiang Baimian said this to Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Shang Jianyao. At the same time, she reminded An Ruxiang to be careful of such mutated creatures.

Bai Chen nodded and said, In First City and its affiliated factions, they call such Heartless Superior Heartless.'

Long Yuehong felt another wave of horror.

An Ruxiang took a deep breath and said, Ive said everything I can. I believe it will give you some ideas and be of some use to you. Can you tell me where Shoushi is now?

Jiang Baimian turned around and pointed at the street. Walk straight and turn right. In the only outlet that has its shutters closed on the right side of the street. However, that street is relatively dangerous. There are many Heartless. Its best you circle around them.

Thank you, An Ruxiang and the man replied in unison.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao took a few steps forward and took out the folded piece of paper. This was on him.

His Hunter badge. Jiang Baimian also took out Wu Shoushis Ruin Hunter badge.

An Ruxiang reached out to take the items. She instinctively unfolded the piece of paper and brought it close to her eyes. She scanned it under the not-too-weak moonlight.

I owe Ruxiang a canned beef.

I owe Ah Gang two payments and a large bag of compressed biscuits.

I owe Cripple Zhang half a bowl of oil.

I owe Olenc a pistol and ten rounds.

I owe Little Guang one serving of meat.

I owe Ruxiang a flower

An Ruxiangs mouth twitched, but she pursed her lips tightly and didnt open them. This made her expression slightly odd. Something seemed to be reflecting the moonlight in and around her eyes.

Jiang Baimian and the others didnt say a word as they quietly waited for An Ruxiang to compose herself.

After a while, An Ruxiang exhaled and said, Thank you. Theres no need to give me the rest of the items.

With that said, she turned her head and spoke to the man beside her. Ah Gang, lets go find Shoushi.

Alright, replied the man in a deep voice.

An Ruxiang didnt stay any longer, nor did she bid farewell. She quickly ran toward the faraway street, planning to circle around and avoid the danger.

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and reminded her teammates, The most important piece of information we received just now was that the ability to forcefully make one fall asleep is likely single-target.

At this moment, Qiao Chuwho was wearing a helmet and a black metal skeletonsuddenly asked, Whos Jingfa?

A mechanical monk and an Awakened at the same time Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen fought to be the first to tell Qiao Chu the information regarding Jingfa. Finally, they said, The price he paid was enhanced lust. Since he became a mechanical monk by uploading his consciousness and lost the ability to satisfy his desires, his mind has become extremely warped. He also abhors women.

Abhors women Qiao Chu repeated and didnt ask any further. He pointed ahead and said, Continue. Well reach our destination if we circle around it.

Shang Jianyao and the others started jogging with their weapons once again.

An Ruxiangwho had entered another streetsuddenly slowed down and raised her hand to rub her temples in confusion.

Whats wrong? the man beside her asked curiously.

An Ruxiang replied with a solemn expression. Dont you think theres a problem? Just now, we actually lowered our guard and even wanted to follow the person in the exoskeleton. At that moment, I forgot Shoushi and only wanted to gain that persons favor.

The man beside An Ruxiang gradually frowned. Yeah. I-I You know I like women, but I actually thought that it wouldnt be too bad if it were him Isnt that too odd?