The sky gradually brightened, and after Han Wanghuo put away the walkie-talkie, he looked at Shang Jianyao and the others:

"They have indeed retreated. Next, just leave some people to be responsible for guarding and scouting."

He meant that this war had temporarily come to an end.

Although Jiang Baimian was wearing a mask, she still raised her hand to cover her mouth before letting out a yawn.

She put down the "Death" individual rocket launcher, stood up, and said with a smile:

"Does that mean our employment contract is over?"

"If there are no unforeseen circumstances." Han Wanghuo answered cautiously.

At this time, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen also put away their weapons.

Jiang Baimian smiled and said:

"We will stay in Redstone Town for a few more days. Remember to settle the final payment then."

This included a military exoskeleton and a week's worth of food for four people.

"No problem." Han Wanghuo answered without hesitation.

In his opinion, if it weren't for these four "mercenaries," Redstone Town would likely have suffered a catastrophic disaster.

Of course, the premise was that the Vigilance Church could not come up with a solution in the most critical moment.

Jiang Baimian glanced at the strangely quiet Shang Jianyao, then turned to Han Wanghuo and said:

"Then we'll leave first. Uh, remember to notify us when those prisoners recover. I want to ask them something."

Because a small number of the wounded had fallen within Redstone Town's defense line, the Allied Forces of the Sub-Humans couldn't take them away when they retreated.

"Alright." Han Wanghuo had the authority to do this.

After exiting the defense line and arriving at the parking spot, Long Yuehong was a little dumbfounded.

The place was unlucky. It seemed to have been swept by stray artillery fire. The glass of the tan all-terrain vehicle was completely shattered, and the tires were deflated.

The "Old Task Force's" jeep was sturdy, though. With the protection of thick armor, bulletproof glass, special tires, and the adjacent vehicle, it only suffered minor damage.

"This car can't be driven anymore..." Jiang Baimian glanced at it and said with relief, "Fortunately, it's not ours."

While speaking, she walked to the jeep and opened the driver's seat door:

"I'll drive. Xiaobai stayed up all night; we have to keep an eye on her."

"Actually, I'm fine." Under Jiang Baimian's daily persistence, Bai Chen had completely accepted her nickname.

Shang Jianyao took the initiative to "explain" for Jiang Baimian:

"She's still a bit excited."

"Hmph." Jiang Baimian made a disdainful sound. "You're alive? Why did you look so listless just now? Are you hungry?"

It was time for breakfast.

Shang Jianyao answered seriously:

"I was thinking about a problem."

"What problem?" Jiang Baimian regretted asking as soon as the words left her mouth.

She quickly sat down and started the car.

This didn't stop Shang Jianyao. He said from the back seat:

"How to make the people of Redstone Town coexist peacefully with the Fishmen and Hill Giants."

"...That's very difficult." Jiang Baimian paused for a moment and sighed. "Even if you rely on 'Reasoning Clown' to make them half-siblings from different mothers and complete the circular argument, this effect won't last long, because you will eventually leave."

And if you don't rely on Awakened abilities, just look at the corpses carried away during the previous battlefield cleanup and the dark blood that stained the ground, and think about how many similar things have happened in the past, you should understand that the difficulty of this matter breaks through the sky. It will take at least several generations of persistent effort to resolve the hatred between them.

Shang Jianyao listened quietly and sighed regretfully:

"It's a pity I can't separate multiple 'me's' and leave one here."

Is your focus the same as what I wanted to say? Jiang Baimian was speechless.

The two sides were thinking from completely different perspectives.

Watching the jeep travel through the ruined city and listening to the conversation between the team leader and Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong took off his mask and said with a rather complicated expression:

"A Hill Giant said something to me before he died."

"Hmm?" Jiang Baimian made a cooperative sound.

Long Yuehong truthfully told the Hill Giant's dying answer and his own thoughts.

Jiang Baimian listened carefully and said with a half-smile and half-sigh:

"Do you have a deeper understanding of the meaning of our work?

"Only by figuring out the cause of the disease can we find a more effective way to cure this messed-up world!"

As she spoke, her emotions fluctuated uncontrollably.

Shang Jianyao then laughed:

"So, are you going to save all of humanity with me in the future?"

Jiang Baimian laughed:

"How can we miss something so meaningful?

"When we find out the cause of the Old World's destruction and the pathogenesis and treatment of 'Heartless Disease,' we'll go save the world!"

Long Yuehong smiled and, like Bai Chen, didn't answer.

He felt that he couldn't bear such a thing yet.

What he wanted to do most now was to manage his own life well.

Ending the topic, Jiang Baimian glanced at the rearview mirror:

"Take out the items on that Fishman Awakened. I felt something was wrong when I looked at it earlier."

"You have to say 'Wei'." Shang Jianyao emphasized.

"Huh?" Jiang Baimian couldn't keep up with his train of thought again.

Shang Jianyao explained seriously:

"Didn't you say it? His team nickname is Xiaohong, hers is Xiaobai, and mine is Wei."

"..." The expression under Jiang Baimian's mask changed repeatedly, both amused and annoyed.

At this time, the corner of her eye saw Bai Chen's cheek muscles faintly rising.

--Their masks were not fully enclosed, and part of their faces could be seen from the side.

"Are you, are you smiling?" Jiang Baimian was angry and embarrassed.

Bai Chen pursed her lips, neither admitting nor denying it.

The atmosphere in the jeep became a little more cheerful, and Shang Jianyao then took out the sun-dried fruit, some kind of herb roots, simply packaged green candies, and several thick, long needles.

"What are all these things?" Jiang Baimian looked back.

Was this what a powerful Awakened carried?

Bai Chen turned her body and studied it for a while:

"This should be dried plums."

She pointed to the black fruit and said.

Of course, she didn't dare to taste unknown things directly, but picked it up and sniffed the scent lightly.

Dried plums? Jiang Baimian suddenly felt an increase in saliva secretion in her mouth.

As for what the herb roots and green candies were, they couldn't figure it out for a while.

Thus, they drove the jeep to the fortress-like Vigilance Church.

At this time, Vigilant Song He had returned with the church's armed forces.

Compared to when they set off, this team was missing several people.

"I heard you solved that Fishman Awakened?" Seeing the four familiar masks enter the hall, Song He, who had just finished paying his respects to the "Yougu" symbol, asked.

Jiang Baimian, who had answered this question for the third time, "hmm" and nodded.

Song He sighed:

"If it weren't for you, I would have to consider retreating to the church and letting Bland leave the room."

"I thought you were a hidden expert." Shang Jianyao expressed regret.

Although I also thought so, don't say it out loud... Jiang Baimian wanted to stop him, but it was too late.

Song He paused for a moment, but he wasn't angry. He smiled bitterly:

"I was afraid of the price increasing, so I never dared to continue improving myself.

"Being able to receive the grace of the Year Star is already enough for me. I can't ask for more."

Afraid... he also mentioned before that the older people get, the more timid they become... While Jiang Baimian was lost in thought, Shang Jianyao took out the pile of items from the Fishman Awakened and sincerely asked for advice:

"Do you recognize them?"

"Where did this come from?" Song He took a few steps forward and carefully observed.

"The Fishman Awakened." Shang Jianyao answered truthfully.

Song He became more focused. After a while, he pointed to the simply packaged green candies and said:

"This is plum candy from 'United Industries.' The children love it."

In the many wilderness settlements, sugar is also a luxury item.

Plum candy? Jiang Baimian frowned slightly.

Song He continued to identify:

"This should be dried plums, this is a needle, nothing to say.

"This, this, this is a kind of herb root produced in the nearby mountains and forests. We call it 'Baichi.' It has a slight toxicity and can cause diarrhea, but it's very refreshing. When I was young, I followed them to hunt in the wild. If I needed to stay up all night waiting, I would chew a piece of it when I was most sleepy."

"Baichi" means that eating it is equivalent to eating nothing, because you will quickly poop it out, and even empty your reserves.

After Jiang Baimian heard this, she looked at Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and the others:

"Plum candy, dried plums, refreshing herb roots, thick and long needles, what can these explain?"

Shang Jianyao immediately answered:

"Pregnant!"

"What does a needle have to do with pregnancy? Also, which pregnant woman would eat something that can cause diarrhea?" Jiang Baimian couldn't understand Shang Jianyao's train of thought.

Shang Jianyao explained in a serious tone:

"It's easy to get constipated during pregnancy.

"The needle is used to sew children's clothes."

Jiang Baimian couldn't find a flaw in Shang Jianyao's words for a moment.

This was a formal member of the "Life Sacrifice" cult.

"These should all be used to refresh the mind." Bai Chen gave her own idea in a timely manner. "Dried plums and plum candy can provide some stimulation to keep us awake for a short time. Needles can also do that."

She had slapped herself several times in order to guard a prey, the purpose was not to let herself fall asleep.

Jiang Baimian "hmm" and glared at Shang Jianyao:

"That Fishman Awakened carried so many similar things with him, indicating that he often needs to stay awake.

"The price he paid is that he is easily sleepy? Easily fatigued?"

"Perhaps that's true." Vigilant Song He agreed.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Jiang Baimian introduced the topic:

"Vigilant Song, that Fishman Awakened had some strange changes after he passed out..."

She described the phenomenon of strange auras emerging from the Fishman Awakened's body and parasite-like things squirming under his skin after he passed out, and emphasized that Shang Jianyao's first few shots encountered invisible barriers and failed to hit the target.

Song He listened quietly, thinking:

"You, do you want to ask what exactly is going on?"

Before Jiang Baimian could respond, he hesitated and said:

"I heard from the person who led me into the church that he is now a member of the Fear Bishop's group.

"He said that those powerful Awakeners who explore the depths of the 'Mind Corridor' can leave their aura in the 'Mind Corridor' and even in the real world. This kind of aura can combine with objects to produce strange and terrible effects.

"I suspect that the Fishman Awakened is combined with this kind of aura. He himself should not have entered the 'Mind Corridor' yet."