Jiang Baimian glanced at Shang Jianyao and instructed Long Yuehong:

“Since you have corresponding concerns, you need to be skillful when asking questions so as not to arouse suspicion.”

“Okay.” Long Yuehong nodded emphatically.

Shang Jianyao looked “worried”:

“I’m not too confident in your communication skills. Are you really okay with handling this kind of thing?”

Long Yuehong hesitated a bit, not daring to guarantee it with confidence. After all, in the Ashlands, he rarely needed to be responsible for external communication.

To put it mildly, he was ranked fifth in the ‘Old Task Force’ for external communication.

Shang Jianyao revealed a smile:

“I have two methods that guarantee foolproof results.”

Although Long Yuehong didn’t quite trust this guy’s methods, he still asked proactively with the mentality of “listening won’t hurt, and maybe it will be enlightening”:

“What methods?”

Shang Jianyao looked at Bai Chen beside him:

“First, you take Little White with you and let her be your external brain, helping you negotiate.”

Jiang Baimian, who was drinking water, almost choked.

Long Yuehong seriously considered the feasibility of this method and slowly shook his head:

“Not a good idea.

“It’s not good to bring Little White to my house suddenly without prior notice. Anyway, it’s already scheduled for the weekend, so we’ll talk about it then.”

He felt that Bai Chen’s first meeting with his parents should be formal enough and shouldn’t rashly change plans, as it would affect Bai Chen’s image in his parents’ eyes.

“Then you can wait until the weekend to ask,” Bai Chen offered her suggestion.

Long Yuehong was silent for a few seconds before saying:

“If there’s really a problem with this, delaying it will cause even bigger trouble.”

Clap clap clap, Shang Jianyao applauded:

“Not bad, you have your own opinion!”

You’re trying to provoke other people's feelings... Jiang Baimian muttered, planning to forcibly hold Shang Jianyao down if he kept saying things like that.

Long Yuehong was about to explain when Shang Jianyao had already shifted the topic:

“The second method is that I implant a set of external communication thinking into you, with the reference object being…”

He paused for a moment and said:

“Ta-da! Me!”

“Then forget it,” Long Yuehong replied without hesitation. “Even if you implant the corresponding thinking into me, I won’t be able to use ‘Reasoning Clown’.”

“Then, what about Big White’s?” Shang Jianyao enthusiastically promoted.

Long Yuehong was tempted, and Bai Chen nodded slightly.

Jiang Baimian then “Heh”ed:

“Can you weave out my entire set of thinking when dealing with external affairs?”

Even I can’t do that!

“No,” Shang Jianyao admitted frankly.

He then sighed:

“It would be great if Lao Ge was here. He has the corresponding models and databases.”

Long Yuehong took a subtle deep breath:

“I’ll do it myself. I’ll be careful and pay attention to the environment and reactions. If the scene isn’t suitable, I’ll leave it for the weekend.”

Jiang Baimian and Bai Chen were about to nod when Shang Jianyao’s eyes suddenly lit up:

“How about we change our thinking?”

“Change what thinking?” Long Yuehong always knew that Shang Jianyao’s thinking was unrestrained and unpredictable.

Shang Jianyao’s smile became brilliant:

“I’ll directly replace you and ask.”

“Don’t joke around,” Long Yuehong instinctively reacted.

Shang Jianyao added an explanation:

“I’ll use ‘Thought Guidance’ to make your grandparents, parents, younger brother, younger sister, and other relatives think I am you.

“Isn’t that equivalent to you asking?”

He spread out his palms, with a face that said, “Believe me, I’m right.”

Long Yuehong subconsciously began to analyze and discovered that it was indeed feasible. However, when he thought about the scene of his family, relatives, and friends treating Shang Jianyao as himself and talking and laughing with him, he felt that it was extremely terrifying and hurriedly shook his head:

“No, no, no.”

Shang Jianyao tried to persuade:

“Life is short, why not give it a try?”

Pa, Jiang Baimian slapped his arm with her right hand:

“Don’t bully Little Red, go busy yourself with your own things.”

Seeing that she stood up, Shang Jianyao shifted his focus:

“Where are you going?”

“Minister Xi Yu asked me to go over and report on my work, to chat about the things that weren’t written in so much detail in the report,” Jiang Baimian replied casually.

According to the process, this was the second to last stage, followed by calculating contributions and issuing rewards.

“Oh, oh,” Shang Jianyao asked, “Do you want me to lead the way?”

Jiang Baimian was furious:

“Isn’t it just the Deputy Minister’s office on the 646th floor?

“I can find it!”

Go slowly, think more, no big deal!

Saying that, she crossed the office and walked out of the room.

After walking dozens of meters, she encountered a former comrade-in-arms and chatted for a few words.

After chatting, she lost her way without paying attention.

Looking at the familiar rooms around her, Jiang Baimian had an idea and observed the room numbers.

She was still relatively good at counting.

After walking back to where she got lost along the room numbers, Jiang Baimian saw Shang Jianyao standing there with his hands in his pockets.

“What are you doing here?” Jiang Baimian asked first.

Shang Jianyao looked innocent:

“Came out to go to the toilet.”

He pointed in the direction he came from.

Jiang Baimian received the “hint”, distinguished it slightly, and confirmed the correct path, so she waved her hand and said:

“Go ahead.”

She turned her body and walked towards the correct stairwell.

While waiting for the elevator, she went through the layout of the 647th floor in her mind.

The closest toilet to us doesn’t seem to be at that intersection… Jiang Baimian suddenly “Uh”ed.

At this time, at the door of room 14, Long Yuehong looked at Shang Jianyao who was walking back and asked suspiciously:

“What did you go over there for?”

“Got lost,” Shang Jianyao smiled with a face that deserved a beating.

Long Yuehong could only say, “It’s a good thing the team leader isn’t here.”

…………

646th floor, in Xi Yu’s Deputy Minister’s office.

After knocking on the wrong door once, Jiang Baimian finally found the right place.

Xi Yu, who had long chestnut hair and looked only thirty years old, did not politely ask Jiang Baimian to sit in the sofa area but pointed to the chair opposite the desk and said:

“Sit down.”

“Minister, is there anything else you want to ask? Everything is written in detail in the report,” Jiang Baimian preemptively asked.

Xi Yu picked up the celadon ceramic teacup and gently sipped it:

“I’m mainly concerned about your health.

“How many islands have you broken through in the ‘Sea of Origins’?”

“Three,” Jiang Baimian didn’t hide it. “I’m on the way to find the fourth one.”

Xi Yu showed an approving expression:

“Your psychological quality has always been good, so it’s both expected and unexpected that you’re progressing so quickly.

“Well, don’t be too hasty. As the number of islands you break through increases, your negative costs will gradually become more serious. Spending more time adapting will be more friendly to your daily life.”

“I understand,” Jiang Baimian knew the priorities.

Xi Yu turned and asked:

“What are your next plans?”

Jiang Baimian said solemnly:

“First, to find Linhe Village in Dajiang City, the only remaining of the five holy lands. Second, to go to the ice sheet again to try to lock down the specific location of the Eighth Research Institute. On the way, we will stop by the city destroyed by ‘Heartless Disease’ where Shang Jianyao’s father last appeared to look for clues.”

Xi Yu pondered for a few seconds and said:

“It’s not like going to the ice sheet once or twice will definitely reveal where the Eighth Research Institute is hidden. Collecting data and extracting clues in advance is a very important step.

“Also, this season, the ice sheet is not suitable for human survival. You’d better wait until spring before setting off.”

“We wouldn’t go even if you asked us to this season,” Jiang Baimian responded with a smile.

She didn’t mind staying in the company for a few months. Since she revealed that she wouldn’t have to go out frequently after the next mission ended, her parents had been so good to her, even skipping the routine introductions to potential partners.

Xi Yu asked about the situation of the four holy lands, focusing on some of the more detailed things, such as whether there had been any human entry or exit in the frozen warehouse of the Holmes Reproductive Medical Center in recent years.

At the end of the conversation, Jiang Baimian took the initiative to mention:

“Minister, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen from our team have become a couple and are planning to register soon. Can they be transferred to an internal affairs position afterward?”

Xi Yu smiled and said:

“With your contributions, that’s definitely not a problem. Moreover, newlyweds are not suitable for field work.”

“I’m relieved to hear that,” Jiang Baimian revealed a smile.

That’s the promise she wanted.

…………

495th floor, Area C, No. 11.

Long Yuehong and his parents and younger sister were having dinner and chatting about various things.

He mentioned as if casually:

“Mom, the many sons and grandsons talisman you gave me doesn’t look old.”

“What old?” Gu Hong didn’t understand.

Long Yuehong simply explained:

“I thought it was a many sons and grandsons talisman that Grandpa and Grandma used, but I found it was quite new.”

Gu Hong recalled for a moment:

“I didn’t pay attention. Ask your grandma when you get back.”

“Maybe someone was re-commissioned to draw it,” Long Dayong guessed.

“Who?” Long Yuehong tried to make himself sound like he was chatting casually.

Long Dayong replied indifferently:

“Some ancestors drew this, passed down the craft, and many people also seek good luck during festivals.”

“I see…” Although Long Yuehong didn’t think there was anything wrong with this, he felt that this was too simple of an answer.

After dinner, he brought a bag of fruit exchanged for contribution points and went to the 417th floor where his grandparents lived.