Bai Chen's concerns were very valid, and they were also what Long Yuehong was worried about.
Although Pangu Biology couldn't openly subject them to memory checks, no one could be sure whether there would be covert verification procedures for key personnel in private.
Bai Chen and Long Yuehong were able to resist those responsible for reviewing their memories by occasionally recalling "You Gu's" gaze and "Zhuang Sheng's" dreamscape, but firstly, they couldn't avoid sleeping, and once asleep, they would lose control. Secondly, the resistance itself had the obvious implication of hiding something. If the person reviewing their memories was frightened and something went wrong, Pangu Biology would definitely pay even more attention.
"Yeah, yeah." Long Yuehong didn't hide his worry.
"What do we do?" The honest Shang Jianyao didn't try to act tough at all.
Jiang Baimian chuckled:
"Why are you all looking at me?
"I don't have the Awakened ability to manipulate memories."
"Your expression doesn't say that," the honest Shang Jianyao pointed out.
Long Yuehong nodded quietly.
The team leader's expression clearly said, "This problem is very easy to solve."
Jiang Baimian smiled and said:
"I don't have a solution, but that doesn't mean others don't.
"Teacher Du Heng is mysterious, experienced, and knowledgeable. Perhaps he knows how to deal with similar predicaments."
"That's right!" Shang Jianyao slammed his right fist into his left palm.
Long Yuehong and Bai Chen nodded in succession.
With a big shot who can chase Xiao Chong all over the place, why should they rack their brains in distress?
If Teacher Du Heng really doesn't have a solution, they can consider other countermeasures.
The "Old Task Force" finalized their subsequent action plan and left the rooftop, returning to the suite.
Du Heng sat on a single sofa, leisurely gazing at the relatively clean sky outside the window, lost in thought.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned his head and asked with a smile:
"How is it? Have you made a decision?"
As the representative of the "Old Task Force," Jiang Baimian put on a smile:
"Teacher Du Heng, we've decided to split into two teams. One team will follow you to the Eighth Research Institute headquarters, and the other team will take care of other matters."
Du Heng nodded lightly and said with a smile:
"Alright, as long as there's a spot for me in the car."
Shang Jianyao seized the opportunity and immediately helped Jiang Baimian add:
"But that other small team is likely to encounter Awakened from the 'Endwalker' domain. We don't want some of our memories to be dug up, but we can't make it too obvious and can't directly resist.
"Teacher Du Heng, you're knowledgeable and experienced. Do you have any good suggestions?"
Du Heng thought for a few seconds and chuckled:
"That's simple."
Simple... Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen instantly felt like their eyes had been blinded.
They controlled their expressions and listened to Du Heng continue:
"Just attach a status to that part of the memory.
"That way, when an Awakened from the 'Endwalker' domain reviews that part of the memory, their subconscious will be affected, and they'll directly ignore it and skip over it."
Clap clap clap, Shang Jianyao applauded.
Genava, disguised as an ordinary robot, barely resisted the urge to provide a duet.
"But we don't have the ability to attach a special status to a specific part of our memory," Jiang Baimian admitted.
Her implication was that if it was convenient for him, he might as well "demonstrate" it directly.
"I can help with that," Du Heng said with a smile. "Which part of the memory do you want to attach a special status to?"
While observing Du Heng's reaction, Jiang Baimian pointed to Long Yuehong and Bai Chen:
"The part of the memory related to the mystery of the Year Suppressor raising humans."
Hearing about the mystery of the Year Suppressor raising humans, Du Heng's eyelids twitched as if he had fallen into some memory.
After a dozen seconds, he returned to normal and nodded to Bai Chen and Long Yuehong:
"Go through the relevant memories in your minds now, without any omissions."
It was evident that he couldn't directly review or extract other people's memories; they needed to actively cooperate.
"Okay." Bai Chen didn't hesitate.
She and Long Yuehong began to recall from the events of Room "506" all the way to the recording pen left by Qin Ke, who claimed to be Du Heng.
Frankly speaking, when recalling the crazed Qin Ke claiming to be Du Heng, Long Yuehong was a little apprehensive, after all, the person sitting in front of him was also named Du Heng.
Fortunately, Du Heng didn't seem to react to this, or perhaps he couldn't read memories and could only attach a status to the target, allowing the things they were currently recalling to contain hidden power.
"That's all," Bai Chen said at the end of her recollection.
Du Heng nodded slightly:
"Okay, no problem."
Ah... Is that it? Why don't I feel anything? Long Yuehong felt no sense of accomplishment.
If Shang Jianyao had said it was okay, he would have definitely thought the other party was playing a prank, but Du Heng had always seemed quite reliable.
"Thank you," Bai Chen chose to believe him.
Long Yuehong followed suit and expressed his gratitude.
Jiang Baimian glanced at the sky outside the window:
"Teacher Du Heng, it's noon. Let's go out for lunch."
"I'd be glad to accept," Du Heng said with a smile, rising to his feet.
When he went to the bathroom, Shang Jianyao suddenly exclaimed, "Aiya!"
"What's wrong?" Jiang Baimian frowned slightly.
Shang Jianyao clasped his hands together:
"I'm familiar with that ability to attach special statuses to parts of memories!"
"You don't even know how," Long Yuehong didn't know what Shang Jianyao was familiar with.
Shang Jianyao laughed:
"When I used 'Destiny Vision' to mobilize Professor Qin's memories, I ignored some of them. It wasn't until I entered Konigsmuth that I realized something was wrong..."
He had discussed this with Genava at the time and later informed Jiang Baimian, but just now, no one had connected Du Heng's method with this matter.
"Someone within the Eighth Research Institute also possesses this ability?" Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully.
No one could answer this question for her at the moment.
…………
Two days later, outside Gesterborg.
The "Old Task Force's" jeep and a dark SUV were parked on the side of a hill.
"I've already reported the matter to the company. The company didn't object. Just tell them the truth when you get back," Jiang Baimian said, standing outside the jeep's passenger seat, reminding Long Yuehong and Bai Chen.
The SUV was newly purchased for Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava to return to the Black Marsh Wilderness.
The money came from the valuable supplies they had brought back from Konigsmuth—on the way to Konigsmuth, the "Old Task Force" had consumed a lot of food, leaving some space in the jeep. With the mindset of "we're already here," they casually collected some things and sold them in Gesterborg.
"Okay," Bai Chen nodded slowly.
Long Yuehong glanced at the trunk of the dark SUV and suggested:
"Team Leader, why don't you take the 'Chameleon' bionic intelligent armor with you? Old Ge won't need it in the Black Marsh Wilderness."
"No need. The military exoskeleton device is enough," Jiang Baimian said with a smile. "Old Ge will be responsible for mediating contact later, and he might have to rely on the 'Chameleon's' stealth function to meet you."
"Yeah, yeah," Shang Jianyao chimed in.
Their equipment allocation plan was that Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao would take the two newer military exoskeleton devices, the nuclear warhead, and half of the high-performance batteries, while the rest would go to Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genava's squad.
—The dark SUV ran on gasoline.
As for ordinary weapons, whoever used them most often would keep them.
Jiang Baimian looked back at Du Heng, who was sitting in the jeep, and said to Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava:
"There's no need to say any extra words. Let's split up."
Bai Chen pursed her lips and nodded, and Long Yuehong's mood was also quite heavy.
After getting into the SUV, Long Yuehong waved goodbye to Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao, but suddenly, his emotions surged, and he added in a loud voice:
"We must see each other again!"
Shang Jianyao waved back vigorously with a bright smile:
"We will definitely see each other again!"
Jiang Baimian also waved her hand with a smile.
After watching the familiar jeep drive toward the northern ice plains, Bai Chen wiped her eyes and started the vehicle.
…………
In the jeep, Jiang Baimian glanced at the rearview mirror next to the passenger seat and said to Du Heng with a smile:
"Teacher Du Heng, we encountered another person named Du Heng before."
"That's a very common name," Du Heng said nonchalantly in the back row.
Jiang Baimian stopped there, no longer probing, and casually started chatting with Du Heng and Shang Jianyao about various topics.
Above the ice plains, many places were still covered in snow, while the areas without snow were extremely muddy, which caused the "Old Task Force's" jeep to move very slowly. By evening, they hadn't driven very far.
Although she had Du Heng with her, Jiang Baimian wasn't too worried about encountering other dangers, but this teacher himself was frightening, so she insisted that someone had to be on night watch, and Du Heng, as a guest, didn't have to work hard. It could only be her and Shang Jianyao taking turns.
In the early hours of the morning, Jiang Baimian began her night watch. Shang Jianyao leaned back in the passenger seat, raised his hand, and pinched his temples, entering the "Mind Corridor."
This time, after arriving outside Room "205," which represented the Year Suppressor "Dawn," they no longer squatted or argued. They directly took two steps forward, extended their right palms, and grasped the brass handle.
The vermilion door of "205" slowly opened inward.