Frankly, Jiang Baimian was quite puzzled after reading the telegram. Lehman wasn't a first-time arms smuggler, he had a significant network of connections in First City, a group of capable and heavily armed subordinates, and his actions were far from high-profile, even cautious. How could he suddenly and inexplicably run into danger?
“What exactly happened that made Lehman ask for help, and allowed him time to send this telegram?” Bai Chen voiced his doubts.
Jiang Baimian turned her head to look at Shang Jianyao and Genava.
The two of them shook their heads in perfect synchronization:
“Insufficient information, unable to analyze.”
Long Yuehong, seeing this, said tentatively:
“Could this telegram be fake? Someone captured Lehman, interrogated him for our contact information, and sent a telegram specifically to lure us into a trap?”
Jiang Baimian first nodded, then said:
“That also indicates Lehman is in danger.”
Before she finished speaking, Shang Jianyao said with a look of grief:
“Our military exoskeletons and T1-type mechanical arm are also in danger.”
For some reason, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen felt that this sentence hit the nail on the head.
Genava began to analyze another possibility:
“Could it be that our enemies have approached Lehman, and the two sides have reached an agreement to deal with us?”
He meant that the telegram was a trap in another sense.
“There's no need to do that, they can directly choose our transaction site,” Long Yuehong, now quite sharp-minded, said.
Jiang Baimian hummed in agreement:
“But when we do business with Lehman, we won't completely do as he says, we will definitely keep the initiative in our own hands.”
She looked at the telegram again and didn't say any more:
“No matter what, we'll go to Korner Street first and take a look, but don't rush to show ourselves, focus on observing from the shadows.”
“Yes, Team Leader!” Shang Jianyao was very attentive to this matter.
...
Korner Street is located at the intersection of the Red Giant Wolf District and the Golden Wheat District, and has the dual characteristics of good security and a complex population.
After several rounds of secret observation, the Old Task Force preliminarily confirmed that apartment 55 was not being monitored by anyone.
--They used the Ring of Blindness to greatly increase Shang Jianyao's range of perception, confirming whether there were any human consciousnesses in those places that were convenient for monitoring and sniping and relatively far away.
Having completed this task, the Old Task Force once again split up. Bai Chen and Long Yuehong put on their military exoskeletons and monitored the surroundings from high points, ready to provide support at any time. Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Genava went directly into apartment 55.
Reaching the second floor, Jiang Baimian immediately saw Lehman's two subordinates.
--They and the four members of the Old Task Force, excluding Genava, had met in Redstone Collection.
“Long time no see!” Shang Jianyao greeted them with a pleased expression.
One of Lehman's subordinates nodded with a serious expression:
“Why did you suddenly come here? Hasn't the transaction location and time been confirmed yet?”
Isn't your boss asking for help? Jiang Baimian raised her eyebrows slightly and said sternly:
“If we hadn't agreed to trade here, how would we know you were here?”
Lehman's two subordinates both showed confused and puzzled expressions, as if things had exceeded their expectations and they didn't know how to handle them.
“Where is Lehman?” Jiang Baimian didn't give them a chance to think.
“The boss is on the third floor,” one of Lehman's subordinates answered instinctively.
He immediately emphasized:
“But you can't go up.”
Jiang Baimian's eyes flickered slightly, and she exchanged a glance with Shang Jianyao.
Shang Jianyao immediately retorted:
“Why can't we go up?
“We are familiar with Lehman; we have agreed to do a deal; why can't we go up?”
Lehman's two subordinates fell into thought, and after several seconds, they said:
“Indeed, we can…”
Shang Jianyao said no more and took the lead, passing between the two men.
Jiang Baimian and Genava followed closely behind.
There were six rooms on the third floor. Shang Jianyao wanted to shout "Lehman, Lehman, where are you," but Jiang Baimian grabbed him.
“Let Old Ge scan first…” Jiang Baimian said in a low voice.
Before she could finish speaking, the wooden door of one of the two rooms farthest from the stairs creaked open.
Lehman, who looked like a simple farmer, poked his head out and looked at them.
The arms dealer immediately showed a happy expression, beckoned repeatedly, and said in a low voice:
“Here, here.”
Seeing that Lehman was safe and sound but looked very anxious, Jiang Baimian led Shang Jianyao and Genava over with a stomach full of doubts and guesses and entered the room.
During this process, they did not relax their observation, perception, and scanning of the surroundings.
As soon as the three entered the room, Lehman looked outside twice and quickly closed the wooden door.
“You've finally come!” The arms dealer from United Industrial clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
“A cloud-piercing arrow brings thousands of troops to meet,” Shang Jianyao said in a serious tone in Ashlands language.
Although Lehman could speak basic Ashlands language, he didn't understand what Shang Jianyao meant at all.
Jiang Baimian didn't explain and instead asked:
“Mr. Lehman, you don't seem to be in any trouble, why did you ask us for help?”
Before speaking, she had looked around and taken in the situation in the room.
It was a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment with complete furniture and a clean environment, and there was even a TV that could receive the only channel from First City's official television station.
Lehman showed a confused and frightened expression:
“Some strange things have happened that make me feel very dangerous.”
Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully and pointed to the floor:
“Your subordinates have betrayed you?”
“I don't know if it counts as betrayal…” Lehman frowned and replied.
He further explained:
“Every time I come to First City, I won't be careless. I will definitely bring enough manpower and hire trusted Awakened Bodyguards to ensure the safety of myself and my goods.
“This time is the same. Well, everything was normal for a while, but after moving into this apartment, some strange things happened.”
Lehman once again showed a look of fear:
“First, Richardson's gaze at me became strange, as if I were a prisoner and he wasn't a bodyguard, but a jailer.
“He looked at me and didn't allow me to leave the room, saying that it was all for my safety.
“I admit that he has a self-consistent logic, but considering the identities of the employer and the bodyguard, everything seems so absurd.”
“He's crazy,” Shang Jianyao sincerely gave the “answer.”
“No, he's not,” Lehman shook his head and said, “I took advantage of his going to the bathroom and found Longdar. He's one of my men, and I've known him for many years.
“When I told him that Richardson was abnormal, Longdar actually said: 'Boss, Richardson is right, you should stay in the room'.”
When retelling Longdar's words, Lehman's face was filled with horror and fear, as if he still had nightmares about it now.
His tone suddenly became agitated:
“Everyone else has changed, they have all become strangers, trapping me here!
“I don't know what will happen next, so I had to find a chance to steal the radio transceiver and ask you for help.”
Jiang Baimian listened quietly and said in a comforting tone:
“I can understand your fear. These strange things can easily make people afraid.
“Don't panic. Do you remember who Richardson came into contact with before the problem occurred?”
Lehman had thought about this question for a long time and shook his head:
“Apart from some pedestrians I met on the road, he didn't come into contact with anyone.”
Jiang Baimian nodded and said with a smile:
“Then let's talk to Longdar and the others.”
At the same time, she looked at Shang Jianyao.
The reason why they didn't look for Richardson first was that he was an Awakened, and Lehman wasn't too clear about his abilities and price.
Longdar was one of the people who had stopped Jiang Baimian and the others before, with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing black clothes and looking quite sturdy.
“The transaction is complete,” Shang Jianyao said with a smile as he walked over, “We have established a friendly cooperative relationship with Lehman; you are Lehman's trusted subordinates; so…”
Longdar and his companion both suddenly understood and said with a sincere smile:
“You don't have to be polite, is there anything you need us to do?”
Shang Jianyao then asked:
“I heard you don't let Lehman go out?”
“Yes,” Longdar said with a look of course, “It's so dangerous outside, how can the boss go out easily?”
He didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with doing so, and still put himself in the position of Lehman's trusted subordinate.
Jiang Baimian listened with a slight frown and thought for a while before saying to Shang Jianyao:
“Why does it feel a bit like yours?”
She was referring to the ability characteristics of the Reasoning Clown.
“Really?” Shang Jianyao asked back with an expectant tone.
Just then, Longdar looked at the doorway of a room on the second floor, smiled, raised his hand, and greeted:
“Richardson, you're awake?”