Seeing this, not only Han Wanghuo, but also Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen were stunned.
This wasn't a matter of keeping up with the brain circuits anymore; it was as if the two parties were in different worlds, with completely different states and rhythms.
In the next second, Jiang Baimian suddenly realized that following Shang Jianyao and turning around to leave seemed like the best option at the moment.
After listening to Han Wanghuo's confession just now, she didn't know what kind of expression or language to use to face him.
Apologize? It didn't seem necessary; the "Old Task Force" hadn't done anything excessive, just came to ask a simple question. Make a joke and smooth things over? It seemed insincere. Skip the topic and ask about other things? Jiang Baimian felt it was even worse—Han Wanghuo had said so much with such emotion, but everyone was acting like nothing had happened, which was simply an insult. If she really responded, Jiang Baimian felt very complicated, thinking that nothing she said could match Han Wanghuo's life, after all, they were pure "humans," and any language would sound like they were speaking without knowing the pain.
Therefore, it was better to follow Shang Jianyao, who suddenly started dancing and turned around to leave, letting the story end in absurdity.
This was better for both parties.
As her thoughts raced, Jiang Baimian turned her body and followed Shang Jianyao, walking out of the small building.
Long Yuehong and Bai Chen naturally chose to follow when the team leader made a decision.
In just ten seconds or so, only Han Wanghuo was left in the house.
Han Wanghuo looked at the footprints remaining in the kitchen, then at the empty living room, and finally fixed his gaze on the open door.
He was still a bit dazed, not sure if a group of visitors had really come, danced in front of him, and then left.
Instinctively, he pulled down his sleeve, covering the amber scales on his arm again.
Just then, a mask suddenly poked out from the doorway.
It was a delicate monk's mask.
Jiang Baimian chuckled dryly and raised her index finger:
"One last question."
As soon as she finished speaking, a monkey mask with a hairy face and pointed mouth, and a fat pig mask with nostrils big enough to hold garlic, appeared next to her.
In addition, Bai Chen, wearing a fierce man's mask, also walked back to the door.
Han Wanghuo felt a complex mix of emotions, not knowing whether to be angry or laugh, and replied:
"Go ahead."
Jiang Baimian cleared her throat and pretended to be nonchalant:
"Did you sell the information about Bishop Renato returning to the Vigilance Church headquarters to the Fishmen or Hillmen?"
Han Wanghuo scoffed:
"What good would it do me to sell it to them? To go back and be a subhuman?"
"I knew it wasn't you!" Shang Jianyao said in a very cheerful tone.
Although Han Wanghuo might be lying, Jiang Baimian thought that the ideas he had mentioned earlier should be genuine, which meant that his inner stance was human.
This was not a confirmation made by relying on Awakened abilities, but a judgment made by combining Han Wanghuo's usual performance and the logic contained in his words just now.
So, Jiang Baimian breathed a sigh of relief:
"We still believe you, but some things need to be asked.
"Actually, we have a suspect; it's not you."
Han Wanghuo had been investigating this matter yesterday, and upon hearing this, he forgot the emotions he had just burst out with and asked:
"Who?"
"DiMarco, or someone representing the 'Underground Ark'," Jiang Baimian replied truthfully.
Han Wanghuo nodded thoughtfully:
"I've considered it too. Subhuman invasions are a disaster for both the Red River people and the Gray Language people, but not necessarily for the 'Underground Ark'."
"As long as the subhumans can't break into the 'Underground Ark', as long as the 'Underground Ark' can still occupy a large part of the smuggling business in this area through its external material exchanges, the subhumans will most likely negotiate with them and eventually reach a certain cooperation agreement. Anyway, for the Fishmen and Hillmen, these guys are always hiding underground and won't get in their eyes," Jiang Baimian echoed. "And for DiMarco in the 'Underground Ark', who they cooperate with is just cooperation?"
At this time, Bai Chen interjected:
"The relationship between the Fishmen, Hillmen, and the 'Underground Ark' is closer than the relationship between the current townspeople of Redstone Collection and the 'Underground Ark'."
"That's right; their ancestors, like DiMarco's ancestors, were originally residents of this city," Jiang Baimian said in agreement after a brief recollection.
Han Wanghuo followed up:
"In recent years, because of competition in the smuggling business, both the Red River people and the Gray Language people have had unpleasant incidents with the 'Underground Ark'.
"It's normal for the 'Underground Ark' to want to reshuffle the deck."
Speaking of this, Han Wanghuo suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly:
"I shouldn't have to worry about this matter; I'll leave it to you later."
Jiang Baimian immediately said:
"Actually, you don't need to think that way.
"Alert Song has always had a peaceful attitude towards subhumans and doesn't mind your background. Moreover, he appreciates your previous performance and thinks you've done a good job as the sheriff of Redstone Collection. He hinted to us that as long as you haven't done anything to betray Redstone Collection, he'll pretend he doesn't know you're a subhuman.
"You know Weller too; he's easy to talk to. As long as you don't have a beautiful wife, he's trustworthy.
"Well, for now, only Alert Song, Weller, and the four of us know, and we'll be leaving Redstone Collection in a few days, and we may never have the chance to come back in our lifetime."
Han Wanghuo fell silent, and after a while, he said slowly:
"I can't get over this hurdle myself.
"When my identity as a subhuman is discovered, even if only a few people know, I'll feel like I'm walking outside without clothes on, especially when I try to be brave, upright, and fair. When I think that someone here knows I'm a subhuman, I feel like I'm a clown, performing a farce."
He paused, his voice becoming a little deeper:
"Moreover, I can't help but think, what if, what if one day Alert Song tells the new bishop about me, what if one day Weller gets alcohol from the smugglers, gets drunk, and accidentally blurts it out….
"If things develop to that point, my thinking will definitely become: if Alert Song and Weller were not in this world, there would be no accidents or risks."
Han Wanghuo exhaled and chuckled softly:
"Evil thoughts are a terrible thing; it's better for me to stay away as soon as possible."
With the conversation reaching this point, Jiang Baimian couldn't persuade him any further and could only say:
"We'll try our best to investigate the matter before you leave."
Han Wanghuo nodded slightly:
"Since Alert Song doesn't have any malicious intentions, then there's no need for me to rush to escape. I can stay a few more days and take care of everything that needs to be taken care of, including the 'Mechanical Paradise' information I promised to help you collect."
…………
After saying goodbye to Han Wanghuo and returning to the jeep, Long Yuehong looked back at the small building with the door still open and sighed sincerely:
"This is the first time I've realized that the identity of a 'human' is so important."
Jiang Baimian hummed in agreement:
"The ancestors of those subhumans were originally normal humans, but when disaster struck, mutations occurred, and the old world was destroyed, their fate and the fate of their descendants were permanently changed.
"I admire Han Wanghuo. He didn't succumb to that fate and has been fighting hard all along."
Shang Jianyao leaned against the car window, watching the small building get further and further away, and suddenly said:
"Should we develop him back to the company?"
"We can give it a try," Jiang Baimian didn't object. "I'll send a report back this afternoon and see what the company says. We can't take matters into our own hands with this kind of thing; otherwise, it'll be troublesome if we bring someone to the front door but can't get them in."
Although the employees of "Pangu Biology" inevitably have some dislike and rejection towards subhumans, at least they won't have feelings of hatred.
Among the major forces in the Ashlands, this is considered very enlightened. "Pangu Biology" even actively accepts subhuman groups as vassals.
Moreover, strictly speaking, most of the employees of "Pangu Biology" are no longer "pure" humans. In some forces that believe that genetic optimization violates natural laws, the "Chosen" have a status similar to that of subhumans.
After deciding on this matter, Jiang Baimian suddenly smiled:
"I've discovered something interesting."
"What?" Long Yuehong asked helpfully.
Jiang Baimian, in the passenger seat, looked at the rearview mirror:
"Han Wanghuo keeps saying that he's selfish and that all his good behavior is just to make himself look like a human."
At this time, Bai Chen, who was driving, calmly interjected:
"A subhuman from the wilderness with no strong strength who can survive until joining Redstone Collection will definitely not be a kind person."
Bai Chen would also use these words to evaluate himself, at most removing the word "sub" from "subhuman."
"I understand," Jiang Baimian said, expressing her understanding. "Back then, he must have been described with words like 'fierce' and 'cunning', but now, haven't you guys noticed? After acting for so long, uh, as a 'knight', his perspective on issues has completely changed, like that sentence 'Evil thoughts are a terrible thing; it's better to stay away as soon as possible'."
Long Yuehong recalled for a moment and asked back in slight astonishment:
"Did he fake it until he made it?"
"Almost," Jiang Baimian chuckled. "This can almost be used as a research blueprint: how behavior changes psychology."
"Isn't this a good thing?" Shang Jianyao asked with a smile, taking off his mask.
Jiang Baimian rolled her eyes:
"If it wasn't a good thing, I wouldn't even consider sending a report to the company, asking if they could give him a trial spot."
Speaking of this, she turned her head and looked at Bai Chen:
"Bai, how did you get in touch with the company back then?"
Bai Chen hesitated for a moment:
"I just applied for a job…."
"Ah?" Jiang Baimian was shocked.
Shang Jianyao then began to imagine the scene with great interest:
"The company set up a stall on the streets of Wildgrass City, hung up a banner that said 'Pangu Biology Recruitment Point'?"
Jiang Baimian wanted to scold him for how outrageous the scene was, but she was too embarrassed to say it, because that's pretty much what she had imagined too.
Bai Chen shook his head:
"I joined a ruin hunter team, thinking I could take on some missions that required a certain number of people.
"Later, after completing several missions, the boss found me and asked me if I was willing to join 'Pangu Biology'.
"After passing the initial assessment and entering the underground building, I learned that a ruin hunter I used to know had recommended me to the company, saying that I knew the Black Marsh Wilderness very well.
"The conditions for that ruin hunter team to find new members were tailored to me."
Jiang Baimian nodded:
"So that's how it was. I thought you had run into a task force from the company and become friends after fighting."
As they spoke, their jeep drove unhurriedly towards the Vigilance Church in the north of the city ruins.