Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Five in One
Yan Gang has disappeared from the public eye for some time.
He appeared so suddenly that not only other people but even the soldiers from the Xisha area who came with him were unable to react.
No one expected that just because they hadn't seen him for a while, Yan Gang had changed so much.
His physique had become significantly more robust than before, his entire skeleton seemingly undergoing a second growth spurt. He was even taller than some orcs. The lines of his bulging muscles were faintly visible beneath the rebel uniform.
The most important thing is that the aura emanating from him is no longer as weak and harmless as that of a pure human, but a sense of sharpness and cruelty mixed with primitive animal sense.
If he hadn't been standing in front of everyone at this moment and hadn't taken off his mask with his own hands, no one would have associated him with the Yan Gang in their memory just by looking at his appearance.
Lu Chuan's gaze lingered on the rebels' uniforms for a moment. The rebels' uniforms were really concealing, tightly wrapped from head to toe. Once they took off their clothes, they could not be noticed among ordinary people.
Moreover, Yan Gang has changed so much that I don’t know what he has experienced during this period of time.
However, it is indeed appropriate for Yan Gang to lead the team to the municipality.
After all, he had been a genius plant therapist for so many years and had traveled between the direct-controlled area and the capital area many times, so even if he became a fusion orc, his influence was still there.
The moment he took off his mask, although the people around him were shocked by his change, their attitudes became much more relaxed.
Niu Ling, deputy district chief of the direct-controlled area, said slowly, "Master Yan Gang."
Yan Gang looked arrogant and glared at him coldly, then turned around and was about to take his men to the medical cabin where Ye Ning was.
But Yan Gang had just taken two steps when he was stopped by people from the Federation.
Seeing him ignoring him like this, Niu Ling's expression turned cold. He said in a businesslike manner, "Master Yan Gang, this is a directly governed area. You have a special status and must undergo strict investigation and supervision before you can operate in the directly governed area."
Yesterday, they were frustrated by the rebels' new weapons, but fearing their power, they didn't dare to forcefully refuse. But today, the Federation issued new weapons to all of them. How could the Federation's space weapons be any less effective than those of a makeshift rebel army?
They were just a bunch of traitors gathered together by a mob. In the past, they had been like rats in the gutter, hiding in the dark and trying to survive. Now, they had just got a few powerful weapons by chance, and they dared to show off their power in front of them.
Niu Ling's mind was full of thoughts, and the look he gave Yan Gang was now more calculating and fierce.
Now that we have entered the Directly-Administered Area today, we are in their hands. How they manage us is just a matter of words from them.
Even if it wasn't convenient to act today, he could find an opportunity in two days to capture them all. He could then seize their weapons and investigate how they were leaked. If it turned out the Federation hadn't leaked them, he could analyze their weapons and further enhance the Federation's strength. Then, he would be a major contributor to the Federation.
Niu Ling felt confident, and his attitude grew increasingly assertive and arrogant. He raised his chin slightly, glanced at the rebels behind Yan Gang with a hint of disdain, and said coldly, "This is a directly governed area. It's not a place where people like you can challenge federal authority and run wild with just a few stolen weapons!"
The moment these words were spoken, the rebels were instantly provoked and indignant. Curses rang out one after another. If Yan Gang hadn't been there, I'm afraid someone would have rushed forward to fight Niu Ling.
Yan Gang remained calm, looking at Niu Ling sarcastically. The smile on his face seemed to mock Niu Ling's stupidity. "Ye Ning's life is hanging by a thread, and you're trying to stop me. Are you afraid I'll find out something shameful?"
“Get out of the way!”
Following Yan Gang's angry roar, the smell of pollutants that everyone was very familiar with emanated from him in an instant, and even his eyes quickly turned red!
The federal soldiers were startled by the sudden smell of pollutants, and almost at the same time, they subconsciously raised their weapons.
The rebels following Yan Gang also reacted quickly. They turned around, quickly protecting Yan Gang behind them, and also raised their weapons to point at the federal soldiers. Although they were few in number, each of them exuded a fearless aura.
The atmosphere on the scene suddenly became tense and extremely tense.
The federal soldiers were noticeably more nervous than the rebels.
They tightly grasped the weapons that had just been issued today, their fingers unconsciously stroking the gun barrels.
These weapons were unique in design and high-tech, and even the firing method was different from before. Furthermore, these weapons had only been issued that morning, and with so little time, they were still unfamiliar with their performance and operation. The officer repeatedly stressed the importance of being extremely careful about accidental discharges of these weapons, as they were powerful.
The rebels, on the other hand, seemed to be confident in their own weapons. When they held their weapons, they gave people a feeling of confidence and arrogance.
Niu Ling instantly sensed the difference in momentum, and he became even more enraged. If he retreated before Yan Gang today, the reputation of the Directly Controlled Territory and even the entire Federation would be completely shattered.
He is no longer a pure human being, but a hybrid mixed with pollutants, yet he dares to be so arrogant in front of them!
Niu Ling sneered and said, "A bunch of traitors to the Federation, you still dream of being on equal footing with the Federation here? It's simply a foolish dream! If you dare to cause trouble here today, don't even think about leaving the direct jurisdiction alive!"
Yan Gang's eyes were filled with chilling coldness. He quickly drew his weapon and pointed the muzzle at Niu Ling. "Try it."
Lu Chuan had been observing the situation silently from the side. Seeing that the situation was getting tense and was about to get out of control, he stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "District Chief Niu Ling, calm down first."
"The most urgent matter is Lord Ye Ning. Lord Ye Ning is still unconscious and in critical condition. We cannot delay any longer. I will take them to check on Lord Ye Ning first. We can discuss the rest of the matters later."
Niu Ling looked at Lu Chuan and snorted coldly, "You have all forgotten what the rebels did to Lord Ye Ning? How dare you trust them! The Hu family has harmed so many pure humans over the years, and Hu Ding is their leader! What if they do something to Lord Ye Ning? Can you bear the responsibility? Lord Ye Ning is related to global security. If there is any mistake, you and I will become complete sinners of the Federation!"
Lu Chuan had naturally considered this issue and discussed it with He Yang several times, but He Yang insisted. Knowing He Yang, he knew he wouldn't play with Ye Ning's life. Furthermore, at this critical juncture, while He Yang appeared anxious, he was secretly and methodically making numerous arrangements. Lu Chuan had a vague suspicion that Ye Ning's condition might not be as dire as publicly stated.
The commander behind Niu Ling also said: "It's just to register everyone's identity data. We are prepared in advance. Even if other situations arise later, it can avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."
"You can choose to take off your mask and have your identity recorded, or register your identity using biometric verification."
Hou Lin had been feeling uneasy for a long time, and now he said directly: "Will everyone feel relieved after checking it out, or do you plan to hide your true faces for the rest of your lives?! How can we establish a new federation if we are so shameful?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, even the federal officials nearby began to glare at Hou Lin.
Hou Lin turned a deaf ear to it. After all, neither the rebels nor the federal people were as important as Ye Ning.
Moreover, this is a direct-controlled area. If a conflict really breaks out between the two sides, it will also be the direct-controlled area that suffers. However, if these rebels are hiding something dangerous, or try to abduct Ye Ning, putting Ye Ning in a more dangerous situation, then the consequences will be serious.
Behind Yan Gang, a burly rebel soldier shouted angrily, "Don't go too far! We came here sincerely to help, but you're acting so suspiciously. Do you really think we're easy to bully?!"
The air was filled with tension, and Lu Chuan tried to smooth things over. "Since everyone is concerned about each other, why not let the Xisha District verify everyone's identity? With the Xisha District as a guarantor, everyone can feel more at ease."
As he spoke, he looked anxious again, and looked at Yan Gang eagerly, "Master Yan Gang, Master Ye Ning is in an emergency."
Yan Gang slowly raised his eyes and stared into Lu Chuan's eyes. After a while, he said, "They can't take off their masks. They use biometric identification."
At Yan Gang's instruction, this group of rebels completed their identity verification one after another.
The process went so smoothly that even Hou Lin felt that the rebels were sincere this time.
However, to their surprise, the people who came this time, except Yan Gang, were all normal orcs. They had thought that the normal orcs in the rebel army had disappeared. However, this was a good opportunity for them.
In the car, Hou Lin couldn't help but glance at Yan Gang out of the corner of his eye.
Even Gu Su's eyes would fall on Yan Gang from time to time.
Yan Gang closed his eyes and let them look at him. His attitude seemed more calm than ever before.
Hou Lin couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Master Yan Gang, how are you going to investigate the cause of Master Ye Ning's illness this time?"
Yan Gang sneered, "The Federation is taking action on its own territory, and you're still so naive as to think you can uncover the truth?"
His eyes were full of mockery, and his tone became increasingly sharp. "I've long said that the Federation would definitely find a way to kill Ye Ning. But you guys are hopelessly stupid. Not only did you believe in the Federation, you also delivered Ye Ning into their hands."
Everyone's faces suddenly turned ugly. Yan Gang suddenly appeared in the Xisha area at that time and did say such words.
But at that time, they regarded his words as malicious slander against the Federation by the rebels.
But in the past few days, they have investigated many places, including all the personnel and details in the Legislative Hall and Ye Ning's residence for nearly a month. They have used various methods and means, but they have not found any abnormalities.
Ye Ning has always been in good health, so it is impossible for her to be lying in the hospital for no reason. If they cannot find out the reason, then there must be something wrong with their investigation direction and techniques.
There were far more secret bases and classified research institutes in the federal jurisdiction than they had suspected. The high energy consumption and pollution levels in the Federation were also closely linked to those places.
Upon closer inspection, everything that happened before him actually pointed to the Federation. Could it be that, as Yan Gang said, the culprit for Ye Ning's accident this time was the Federation, and had nothing to do with the rebels?
Hou Lin: "Let's put aside the grudges between the rebels and the Federation for now. Ye Ning's safety is the top priority now. If you can find a way to make her heal, or find the real culprit who hurt her, then we will forgive her and fully cooperate. But if you can't show your true ability, and the Federation treats you harshly, there will be nothing we can do."
Yan Gang snorted coldly, "We've already planted spies in the Directly Controlled Area. The Federation is far more complex than you think. What do you think those secret underground laboratories are used for? We've brought the New Federation's most advanced tracking technology. Let's start with the residue of substances Ye Ning has recently come into contact with and see if we can follow the clues and find some leads."
"The prerequisite is that you can put aside your prejudice against us and give us all the details you have investigated over the past few days without reservation."
Hou Lin's alarm bells rang instantly.
He was skeptical about Yan Gang's claims about his spies and skills. The rebels and the Federation had a long-standing feud, so Yan Gang's words might not be credible. But on the other hand, the weapons in the rebels' hands were irrefutable evidence that they had people inside the Federation, even in high-ranking positions. Furthermore, Ye Ning's condition was urgent, and their investigation had reached a deadlock. It seemed their only option was to try to cooperate with the rebels.
Lu Chuan said at the right moment: "This matter is of great importance. If we are not careful, the Xisha District will be labeled as traitors to the Federation. Let's wait until you have cured Lord Ye Ning before we talk about it."
Ye Ning had already watched the entire live broadcast in the ward.
After Lu Chuan said that, she lay back down on the hospital bed.
Ye Ning closed her eyes, her mind full of Yan Gang's current condition. She felt that Yan Gang seemed to have become even stranger.
Sure enough, some things can only be better promoted if she steps in.
Five minutes later, news came from the treatment room that Ye Ning had finally woken up.
As soon as the news was announced, there were bursts of exclamations in the treatment room, the voices were full of surprise and disbelief.
The expert groups from the federal government and various districts who had been stationed here could not contain their excitement upon hearing the news. They all eagerly applied to enter the treatment room to see Ye Ning's condition with their own eyes.
Before, because Ye Ning was in such a bad condition, everyone was afraid that any mistake would get them into trouble, so no one dared to enter rashly.
But now that Ye Ning is awake, everyone naturally has no worries.
All the expert groups took action quickly. There were too many people, so only the person in charge was qualified to enter. After everyone underwent a thorough re-examination and disinfection, they entered the treatment room one by one.
This was the first time many people had seen Ye Ning in person since her accident. Everyone was eager to see her condition and confirm whether she was truly out of danger.
But the first time they saw it, everyone's heart sank, and they secretly sighed in their hearts, "Not good."
Ye Ning's breathing was as weak as a dying cub, her chest barely rising or falling. Her face was pale, and even her wrists were devoid of color, leaving the veins on them extremely visible.
Although the lips were not chapped, they were slightly bluish purple.
The monitoring equipment beside the bed made a regular ticking sound, as if it was stepping on everyone's heart. Each ticking sound was like a heavy step on everyone's heart, making people feel uncontrollably panic.
Everyone quickly checked her body again, and it was the same as before. Apart from her extremely slow heartbeat, frighteningly low body temperature, and terrible physical condition, there were no other problems for the time being.
Someone changed the instrument without giving up, but the test results were exactly the same as before.
Such a weak and terrifying state had unexpectedly appeared in the most important and noble pure human on the Sea Dust Planet. Even the Xisha District doctors, who had long been aware of Ye Ning's condition, could hardly suppress their inner worry and looked nervous and terrified.
If I had to describe it with a feeling, it would be that the vibrant feeling in Ye Ning's body had completely disappeared, and her whole body was covered with a layer of smell that was about to disappear.
Yan Gang also walked in in person. He didn't say anything, but just stared at Ye Ning.
Ye Ning raised her eyelids and their eyes met. Ye Ning smiled at him, then coughed twice very weakly.
Yan Gang's brows instantly furrowed so tightly that they could pinch a fly to death.
The word "idiot" that he always said never came out of his mouth.
For a moment, the brief atmosphere of joy caused by Ye Ning's awakening dissipated completely in an instant, and the depression and heaviness at the scene were even worse than before.
What Ye Ning wanted was the impact at first sight, and she let them leave when the performance was almost over.
Ye Ning woke up, but the news of her dire condition soon spread.
But when Yang Zhou and his men arrived, Ye Ning had already come out of the ward.
Everyone initially strongly refused, but Ye Ning said she had slept too long and wanted to go out for a walk. She then said she felt much better, and only then did Long Qi push her wheelchair out.
She felt fine, but everyone around her looked at her as if she were facing a great enemy, and even filtered and disinfected all the air around her before she came out.
When Yang Zhou came over, he saw that everyone was worried and depressed.
Especially Hou Lin, his eyes, which had recovered a lot, became red again.
Yang Zhou asked the people in the direct jurisdiction with a serious expression, "Where is Lord Ye Ning?"
"I'm talking to... I'm talking to Lord Yan Gang."
Niu Ling immediately demanded, "How could you leave her alone with the rebels?"
"People from the Xisha area were also there, and we couldn't stop them."
Niu Ling looked at Yang Zhou and said irritably, "Look, I told you that if we don't do anything, the rebels will go to hell!"
If Lord Ye Ning is persuaded by them and stands on their side, or simply helps them slander the Federation, then the Federation will be finished!
Yang Zhou gave him a cold look and sat down at the door. "Wait here for them to come out."
Ye Ning was sitting in a wheelchair, looking outside. She had been staying indoors for the past few days and really wanted to bask in the sun, but today turned out to be a rainy day.
The rain flowed down the eaves in a stream, but because it was winter, even breathing was cold.
She was wrapped up tightly, and even though she was outdoors, she didn't feel the cold at all.
Ye Ning looked at the gloomy sky in the distance and felt a little regretful. Little Mushroom noticed it and asked her to adjust the weather to sunny.
Ye Ning shook her head mentally and rejected Little Mushroom's suggestion. If you interfere too much, you will think you are omnipotent.
Everything has its own laws of development. Forcible intervention and reversal may seem to easily solve the current predicament, but in fact it is very likely to lay unpredictable hidden dangers for the future.
"So, do you want to cooperate with us and investigate the secret underground base in the direct jurisdiction?"
Yan Gang talked a lot, but it was all the same old things.
However, he did not enthusiastically recommend her to become a fusion orc.
Ye Ning looked at Yan Gang calmly, and said in a weak but firm voice, "Didn't I tell you that your only option is to join me?"
"Tell Hu Ding to give me the list of rebels and their contact information. If you join my forces, I can forgive you for what happened in the past."
Ye Ning coughed weakly twice.
Upon hearing this, Yan Gang's brows knitted into a knot, and he couldn't help but raise his voice and yell, "You're almost dead, and you're still so delusional!"
As he spoke, Ye Ning quickly moved slightly to the side of Long Qi. As she moved, Long Qi immediately dodged in front of her.
It was a close call. Yan Gang was so excited that he almost spit out saliva on her. He might as well have worn a mask.
But on the surface, it seemed as if Ye Ning was frightened by him.
Long Qi looked at Yan Gang coldly, and the pressure released from his body instantly swept over Yan Gang's whole body.
An unprecedented sense of fear instantly rose from his tailbone and rushed straight to his brain.
Yan Gang's face suddenly turned pale, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. The rebels behind him immediately stepped forward to support him, "Master Yan Gang?"
Yan Gang stared at Long Qi with gritted teeth. He wanted to speak, but his throat seemed to be blocked and he couldn't utter a word.
Ye Ning leaned weakly against Long Qi's side and said to Yan Gang, "I'll help you find a place to stay when the time comes. Wouldn't it be nice to live under the sun like normal people?"
"You should worry about yourself first than me."
The Federation now has new weapons, so Yan Gang coming here is undoubtedly a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth.
"By the way, please ask Hu Ding what is beneath the Emperor Dragon's domain."
She was willing to listen here for a long time just to see if Yan Gang could come up with anything useful. The result was the same as before.
Ye Ning was a little disappointed. After she finished speaking, she didn't care about his expression or anything else to say. She just let Long Qi carry her back.
The weapons were distributed in the morning, and Yan Gang arrived with his men in the afternoon. The weapons and resolution were not kept secret, so the rebels must have known about them, but Yan Gang didn't seem to care.
It is likely that they have other things to rely on, more powerful weapons, or they are rebel spies planted in the Federation?
Long Qi carried her back to the ward. Yang Zhou was still waiting at the door. When he saw them coming, he immediately walked over, but Ye Ning just gave him a weak look and leaned in Long Qi's arms without saying a word.
He had already carefully examined Ye Ning's medical records during this time, and now he saw Ye Ning's weakness with his own eyes. His expression became even more solemn, and his tone was serious and firm, almost commanding, as he said, "Master Ye Ning, you must receive treatment from the Federation as soon as possible!"
Ye Ning said calmly: "Then take me to see the place I said I wanted to see last time."
Emperor Dragon Domain.
These four words were only lip-synced, but Yang Zhou could see them clearly.
Yang Zhou paused, a subtle look of surprise flashing across his face. He had almost thought Ye Ning had forgotten about this matter, but he didn't expect her to bring it up again.
At this time, Yan Gang was also supported by the rebels and walked over with staggering steps.
The pressure that Long Qi had just exerted seemed to be exerted only on him, so much so that his legs would tremble when he saw Long Qi now.
But when he was still a pure human, this was never the case!
Ye Ning subconsciously glanced at Yan Gang, paused for a moment, and then slowly leaned her head on Long Qi.
She whispered, "Even if you don't tell me, I know."
Yang Zhou's heart skipped a beat. Although his expression remained unchanged, his tone became a little colder. "Master Ye Ning, what do you mean by this?"
Ye Ning tilted her head again, as if she didn't want to talk anymore. Long Qi gave Yang Zhou a warning look and carried her back to the room.
Yang Zhou looked at Yan Gang, his expression turning completely cold.
Hou Lin, Le Song and Cang Chen finally found a chance to come in. None of them had expected Ye Ning's condition to be so bad. They all suppressed their sadness and looked at her with heartache and self-blame.
Ye Ning sighed inwardly and reached out to touch the face of Cang Chen, who was closest to her. "Don't be sad. I'm awake now, aren't I?"
Hou Lin: "How did you fall into a coma? Do you really have no recollection of it?"
Ye Ning's physical fitness is comparable to that of an ordinary orc. It shouldn't have become like this. Hou Lin even felt that her wrist had become two times thinner.
This was purely his own subjective impression. Ye Ning had been eating too many snacks these past few days, doing nothing but eating and sleeping, and had gained two pounds. Her weight loss and gain were reflected first on her face, so it was easy to tell. But perhaps because she was pale and her breathing was so weak, everyone thought she was edematous.
This is the importance of first impression.
Ye Ning shook her head gently. "Anyway, I'm awake now. I don't feel too uncomfortable. I'll recover eventually."
"Don't be so sad, I'll be fine once I wake up."
Indeed, he didn't lose any limbs and was awake, so he would get better slowly. Their behavior made her feel bad.
Hou Lin didn't say anything, but tried hard to adjust his mood.
A few minutes later, Gu Yu sent them all out. Ye Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief and stretched out her limbs on her big bed.
She looked at the ceiling, not knowing what she was thinking. Gu Yu walked over and tucked her hair, which had grown a little longer, behind her ears. "Are you tired?"
Ye Ning shook her head and turned to look at him and Long Qi, "The person next to Yan Gang is Bai Qing."
On the other side, Tsuruo was dealing with matters related to federal weapons.
The issued weapons and data were quickly sent to the military weapons research institutes in various districts at the fastest speed.
The crowd did not have specific data on the rebels' weapons and could only conduct simulation exercises based on the data detected and analyzed at the time.
Fortunately, the simulation results are encouraging. Although they are different types of weapons, their power is enough to counteract each other.
In other words, if the rebels really start a war, the Federation will not be afraid.
But this is just the information released to the public, and the actual situation is still not optimistic. Because they simply cannot mass-produce these weapons in a short period of time.
The essential resource for making these weapons is a special metal mined from other planets. The reason this metal is so special is that it has been exposed to certain cosmic rays for a long time, which is why it has such strong energy conductivity.
Once the metal is obtained, it will take at least a month to eliminate the radiation before it can be put into use.
The process of making weapons is not simple either, requiring the production of various high-precision, high-energy instruments and equipment. The manufacturing process of these equipment alone has already exceeded the ultimate level they can currently achieve.
In what kind of ultra-clean lab, tens of thousands of nanorobots precisely manufacture parts and circuits? What kind of weapon's internal circuitry must be one-ten-thousandth the diameter of a human hair?
In this case, not only must the lines be perfectly connected, but they must also be able to store dozens of times more energy than before. With existing technology, this is simply a fantasy!
Therefore, even if the Federation has delivered the specific data to them, they do not have the ability to produce those weapons.
Not only Tsuruo, but other district heads also discovered this serious problem.
There were not many of these weapons distributed to each district, and they had no idea how much weapons the rebels had in stock.
In other words, although the various districts possessed weapons that rivaled those of the rebels, without knowing the enemy's weaponry, these weapons offered them no sense of security. Therefore, they remained in a passive and disadvantageous position against the rebels, and the slightest misstep could lead to a fatal blow.
But at this point, even if I feel guilty, I can only maintain my composure.
As for the Federation, they were too careless, believing the Federation's so-called integration rhetoric for so long.
If we really want to integrate, we won't deceive them for so long.
Whether it's Xisha District or Chongyu District, each district has its own difficulties, but the Federation is doing well.
Everyone was complaining, and Xiru's face looked bad.
He is the mayor of the National Capital District. From any perspective, the status of the National Capital District should be higher than that of the Federal Territory.
He tolerated the long-term occupation of the Federation's advanced development achievements by the Federal Territory, after all, the Federal Territory had a unique geographical advantage. He also knew that the Federation had hidden many good things, and he had even been praised by the Federation many times in the past.
Although the capital district is indeed slightly better developed than other districts, it is just a drop in the bucket compared to the rich and hidden heritage of the Federation.
Xiru raised his hand and signaled everyone to be quiet.
He said loudly, "Complaining won't solve any problems. Even though we have weapons in hand, we're still vulnerable. The most urgent task is to discuss a reasonable response plan as soon as possible."
This made sense. He Yang became interested and looked at Xiru and said, "Chairman Xiru, what do you think we should do?"
She simply omitted the word "temporary" and used a respectful title, which made Xiru feel comfortable all over.
Xiru became more and more complacent.
He looked at everyone and said in a resounding voice, "Of course, we must find a way to thoroughly understand the true strength of the Federation and then completely suppress the rebels."
After all, he is just an outsider, and even if he becomes the president of the federation, he may not be able to obtain real power.
It would be better to seize this opportunity now, so that you can get the things and establish enough prestige among the districts!
"Well said!" Tsuruya's face was filled with admiration as he exclaimed, "You are indeed worthy of being Chairman Xiru. Being a chairman requires such responsibility and courage. Just like you, you should always keep the well-being of all the people in mind."
Some people looked at He Yang in surprise. They didn't expect that she could praise Xi Ru so much.
But Xiru was willing to step forward and take the lead, so everyone was naturally happy to see it happen.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the conference room was unprecedentedly harmonious, warm and welcoming.
On the other side, Lu Tai was still in a meeting in the office, dealing with follow-up matters, when his secretary suddenly hurried over.
"Chairman." She breathed heavily, her voice trembling with nervousness.
Lu Tai raised his eyes slightly, moved his gaze away from the document in his hand, and looked at her indifferently, indicating that she should speak frankly.
"Chairman, there is an urgent matter that requires your presence." She rubbed her hands unconsciously, and even beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She rarely appeared in this state. Lu Tai stood up directly and said, "The meeting is temporarily suspended. We will continue when I come back."
The secretary was nervous all the way, and only when the two returned to the office did her expression relax a little.
She whispered beside Lu Tai...
Half an hour later.
Lu □□ walked alone in a long, brightly lit passage. The strong white light hit him directly on the head, casting a long, slanted shadow behind him.
But the light was only above his head. As he passed by, the area in front and behind him was quickly swallowed up by darkness again.
There was no one around, only his footsteps echoed in the silence.
Along the way, with every step he took, detection equipment flashed a blue light.
Finally, he came to a huge and heavy metal door.
The indicator light on the door flickered a few times, scanning his entire body. After a few seconds, the verification was passed, and the door slowly opened, revealing the entrance to the underground A25 area.
The intelligent mechanical voice said cheerfully and clearly, "Authentication successful. Welcome home, 362nd Chairman Lu Tai."
He walked through a few more doors, and the scene inside finally became lively.
The sounds of flipping, knocking, and chatting...everywhere around was a scene of bustling activity.
Everyone wore the same white uniform, and they worked attentively and orderly like precision machine parts.
One of the men with a metal badge on his chest saw him come in, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and then he walked towards him with an expression of uncontrollable mischief.
"Our Chairman Lu, who is always busy with affairs, finally had time to come over today? The adults are waiting for you inside."
Lu Tai acted as if he didn't hear anything, didn't even glance at him, walked straight past him and went inside.
The man was left there, the smile on his face froze instantly, a hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes, but he didn't dare to show it. He could only grit his teeth and watch Lu Tai's back disappear behind the door.
But when he thought of the people sitting inside, the man calmed down again.
He wanted to see how Lu Tai would explain to them.
Lu Tai pushed open the innermost door, and saw more than a dozen people wearing gorgeous clothes made of pure plant materials, with badges hanging on their chests and extraordinary temperament sitting around a long table.
The moment Lu Tai came in, everyone's eyes fell on him, and the air in the room seemed to freeze.
The man in the first position had his back straight, and there were slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, which added a bit of majesty and kindness to him.
Lu Tai looked straight into his eyes. His oval brown pupils were filled with a faint blue-gray hue, looking deep and sharp, as if no one could hide from him.
The corners of the man's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint, kind smile. When he looked at Lu Tai, his eyes held the pressure and scrutiny that only a superior could have.
"Xiao Lu, long time no see." The man said in a low but penetrating voice.
*
Chongyu District.
The matter in Chongyu District was of great importance, so Heyang dispatched troops there overnight.
Thanks to the Stylophyte Cultivation Research Institute, Xisha District has become one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world.
Every day, countless aircraft from all over the world fly over the Xisha Islands.
So it was much easier for Heyang to send troops there privately.
Mu Yan had just arrived at Chongyu District with his men when he discovered something was wrong.
The instruments on everyone's waists were vibrating wildly, and the prompt sounds were incessant.
Bai stared at the things hanging around their waists in surprise, "What is this? Why does it keep ringing?"
The soldiers in the Xisha District looked nervous. Mu Yan threw a detection device in his hand to Bai Que, "This is a special device made in the Xisha District, specifically used to track fused orcs."
This was a detector they had made a long time ago, but it relied not on the fusion orc they had captured some time ago, but on Xi Shan who had self-destructed in the underground research institute in the Xisha area.
Perhaps because he is a semi-finished product, his genetic factors are more primitive and sensitive, so he can better integrate with the orcs and respond.
On the contrary, the fused orcs they brought back some time ago were useless.
As for why they chose Chongyu District, it was probably because the new generation of rebels were mostly bird-like beastmen. Chongyu District is located in the southern hemisphere, and it is summer now, which is indeed much more comfortable than the northern hemisphere.
When you think about it this way, the bird tribe is really pitiful.
Bai Que's pupils shrank slightly, and he immediately put the instrument on his body.
Everyone guessed correctly, it was the rebels who stole everyone’s bird eggs!
It also makes everyone think that the people of the Bird Tribe are rebels!
For a moment, everyone in Chongyu District became angry.
Mu Yan also distributed some weapons and equipment from the Xisha District to the people from the Chongyu District, which contained more or less Ye Ning's special abilities.
Thinking of the news about Ye Ning he had just heard, Mu Yan was slightly stunned for a moment.
"Let's go. The aura here is so strong. There must be their base there. Let's find them first."
In the evening, the drizzle turned into heavy rain.
Ye Ning used her bracelet to check the condition of the plants in each area.
What she is most worried about is the plants in the Arctic ice zone.
It's winter now, and the northern ice region is even colder. It's said that any heavy snowfall can reach a height of more than a meter.
While most of the plants are still grown in grow boxes, a small number are also grown outdoors in experimental areas.
There are also several equatorial regions. Although there is abundant rainfall and sufficient heat, many regions have set up experimental fields there to cultivate plant seeds.
Xisha District has also opened up a lot of land there.
It is also because there are few people on the Sea Dust Star. The land is vast and the population is sparse everywhere. Even if all the ocean orcs are moved to the land, there will be more than enough space.
Thinking of the marine orcs, Ye Ning contacted Xilos again. He had been working overtime every day recently to train with Long Qi in the "Source of Life" APP. Long Qi's mental power in the holographic space could almost easily crush him.
Silos is really not convinced, so he has been squeezing in time for training recently.
Ye Ning was using the small account opened by Gu Yu, and her profile picture was still a lotus.
Long Qi and Xilos were fighting, and Gu Yu was unwilling to be outdone, so he joined Xilos in fighting against Long Qi.
Ye Ning was not bored either, and kept reading the posts on "Source of Life".
Originally, it was full of content praying for her, but this affected the dissemination of knowledge, so she asked Gu Yu to merge all the posts together.
Ye Ning’s favorite part is the library section. Knowledge and books that previously required payment have now been uploaded there enthusiastically and for free.
After she came to the Federal Territory, she asked for the library information and directly linked it there.
What Ye Ning has been reading recently is the history of the development of the Federation.
She had not paid much attention to the Federation before, but the last time she went to the history exhibition hall, she remembered many great people.
Most political greats have a track record of political achievements, each with a verifiable record. Some achieved this by suppressing rebellions, some by overthrowing the Old Federation, and some by eliminating pollutants. For someone like Lu Tai, his most prominent achievement was his handling of the Emperor Dragon Clan.
He single-handedly pushed for federal legislation and completely wiped out the murderous Emperor Dragon clan.
However, although the information says so, the first conflict of the Emperor Dragon Clan broke out fifty years ago. Strictly speaking, there has been more than one successor in the middle.
Ye Ning looked through the information over and over again. She didn't even notice that Gu Yu and the others had logged out of the system.
Gu Yu was sweating profusely and quickly took a shower.
Although Ye Ning never said it, everyone knew that she actually didn't like the smell of sweat, so she would clean it up immediately after each training session.
When Gu Yu came out again, Ye Ning had already closed the data and was sitting on the sofa eating a banana.
Ye Ning crossed her legs and looked at him, "Why did Xiru want to use Long Qi as a political achievement at that time?"
Xiru can be said to be the first person who was eyeing Long Qi. First, he specially sent Gu Yu to the Xisha District, and then deliberately let Yan Gang come to the Xisha District to provoke Long Qi.
Gu Yu and Long Qi were both stunned, not knowing why Ye Ning suddenly asked this question.
Gu Yu glanced at Long Qi apologetically. Seeing that Long Qi really didn't seem to care about these things anymore, he spoke up and said, "In fact, it's not just Xiru who has this idea. Other ambitious federal officials have this idea."
"Although it's not stated explicitly, the current Federation President will indeed give prestige gifts to the next Federation President in advance."
Ye Ning became interested. "Prestige gift? Do you mean leaving them something that can win over the people?"
Gu Yu nodded.
"Before the current federal president steps down, they will train candidates for a period of time to see who can achieve those political achievements."
No wonder, the power transfer within the Federation does have a set of established unspoken rules, and people like Long Qi, who possess special abilities, status and influence, naturally become the key pawns used by those senior officials to compete for political achievements.
Although the information did not state it explicitly, Ye Ning could still deduce from it that the reason Long Qi was able to survive was also because of Lu Tai.
Does he want to show his kindness, or does he want to use Long Qi as his successor to achieve another wave of political achievements?
Ye Ning: "But it seems to me that Lu Tai has no intention of cultivating rhetoricians."
In fact, Lu Tai is a few years older than Xiru, but he looks much younger than Xiru. No matter how she looks at him, she thinks he is only in his thirties.
She even looked at the comparison pictures carefully. A tortoise-like beastman in his thirties looked just like him, with no wrinkles around his eyes. Could it be that he was particularly concerned about his appearance and took good care of it?
To be fair, Ye Ning found Lu Tai more pleasing to the eye than Xiru. Xiru was indeed the less handsome of the orcs. After all, in a world where most people had eight-pack abs, he still had a potbelly.
Gu Yu nodded. "The Federation had no intention of changing the chairman before, so there was no need to train a new chairman. This time, they were kind of forced into it."
"Didn't Yang Zhou also run for the chairmanship? He's Xiru's strongest competitor. Isn't he anxious now that Xiru is in the spotlight?"
Ye Ning still hoped that they would quarrel.
In fact, as long as there is no war and no frequent changes in orders, no matter how much trouble the upper level makes, it will not affect the lower levels too much.
Before coming to the Directly Controlled Territory, she had rarely heard of Yang Zhou's name. She wondered if it was because he was too low-key.
Gu Yu also felt strange, "District Chief Yang Zhou seems to be more worried about your safety."
After Ye Ning got into trouble, Yang Zhou had been busy helping with the investigation, and sometimes, he was even more dedicated than He Yang.
Hou Lin had been causing a lot of complaints recently, but they were suppressed by him. Otherwise, how could Hou Lin have such a smooth journey in the municipality?
Ye Ning started eating shrimp and fries. "If Yang Zhou needs a shining political achievement, and that achievement is related to me, what would it be?"
The two couldn't give Ye Ning an answer, and Ye Ning herself didn't know either.
She took another bite of shrimp and fries and then obediently went to brush her teeth.
She never stopped having delicious food every day, so the chef must have known that she was fine. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to prepare such snacks for Gu Yu and the others.
The chef is also her best friend!
Ye Ning reminded Gu Yu, and Gu Yu turned around and went to find the chef.
Neither of them said anything, but they both understood each other.
However, the chef found a secluded corner and whispered, "Tonight, both the rebels and the Federation sent people to check the ingredients, but someone from the Federation looked a little strange."
He had originally planned to secretly talk to Hou Lin at night, and now it would be the same to talk to Gu Yu.
Gu Yu immediately asked, "Strange?"
The chef nodded heavily, the more he thought about the man's expression, the stranger it seemed.
"Normal people, especially those from the Federation, shouldn't be so surprised to see fruits and vegetables."
It's not for them to eat, just for them to look at. Nowadays, there are pictures of fruits and vegetables everywhere. Every district is planting them rapidly. Not to mention eating fruit, it's easy to eat lettuce or cowpeas.
Each district is now selling it in turn according to household registration, so you will definitely have a chance to try it.
The chef continued, "It's strange. Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, his eyes widened when he saw the strawberries and watermelon."
It's fine if the rebels are like this, but the people in the direct-controlled area shouldn't be so ignorant.
"I secretly took a picture of him, take a look."
This is a kitchen, so naturally there are surveillance cameras everywhere. Not to mention the obvious ones, there are more than a dozen that randomly change positions every day, and there are also various micro surveillance robots.
The photo is so clear that even the lines on the face can be seen clearly.
Gu Yu accepted the photo and then sternly warned, "Be more careful. We must not let anyone find any loopholes in these things."
The chef patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Master Ye Ning is usually very generous to everyone. If they eat a bite or two, they will definitely not notice anything."
Only then did Gu Yu leave the kitchen.
He turned around and told the others about it.
The man’s facial data was transmitted back to the Xisha District database, but there was no information about this man in the database initially saved by the Xisha District a month ago!
Database preservation was something they did every week. They were prepared early in the morning, fearing that a rebel army would suddenly appear without any reason.
Tsuruya soon learned about this as well, "Have you guys confirmed it again and again?"
It is a paradox if this person has been staying in the Federal Territory but is not in the database.
Although the municipality was previously reluctant to conduct identity verification, it was forced to conduct online verification due to pressure and inconvenience after encountering travel difficulties in various places.
Logically speaking, the people who are not in the information database can only be the rebels who have been following Hu Ding for a long time.
But this person was accompanying the Federation to investigate, and it was impossible for the Federation to land a rebel without knowing about it. Therefore, there was only one other possibility.
The other party is most likely someone hidden by the Federation!
Ye Ning also agreed with this speculation. "However, if he is really one of those people hidden by the Federation, then those people have never come out?"
"I always thought they had an ordinary identity in public, and another in private. Perhaps they wore masks like the rebels, so that no one knew who they were, and kept it strictly confidential."
Tsuruo nodded, "It's very likely. Otherwise, with daily in and out, it would be difficult to ensure strictness."
Just like the rebels they captured, they were actually not very careful and would tell everything they knew without any trickery. The problem was that they really knew nothing. Although they had captured a lot of people, they were all worthless.
Among all the confidentiality measures, the most impeccable confidentiality strategy is to keep the participants ignorant of the secret or even unaware of it.
He Yang checked the time and said, "I'll have everyone keep a closer eye on them. Although I don't know what they're trying to find out, they've finally managed to get some information out. As long as they move, they'll definitely leave traces."
Ye Ning nodded and said, "I can go out for a while and see what's going on."
Ye Ning's condition improved for another two days. Her condition fluctuated from time to time, but fortunately, her health remained stable.
In the past two days, Yang Zhou came over every day to see her condition with his own eyes, and repeatedly asked He Yang to give her to him so that he could take her for treatment.
But He Yang kept refusing with various reasons, and Ye Ning could clearly feel that he was about to lose his patience.
Yan Gang also came to her to punch in on time every day, and Bai Qing was there too. Ye Ning couldn't figure out what they were trying to do.
He rampaged through the federal district every day, seemingly disregarding federal laws. Niu Ling tried to capture him several times, but was repelled by the orcs around him.
At the same time, Mu Yan and others, who had been tracking in Chongyu District for several days and nights, returned empty-handed again.
But this time, several people were seriously injured.
Mu Yan even had a hole dug out in his abdomen.
After Feng Jin received the news, he immediately rushed to Chongyu District.
After checking Mu Yan's injuries, she frowned and said, "Who on earth is that person? How could he hurt you so badly? Are those plants ineffective against them?"
Mu Yan had already transformed back into his leopard form, but it was still obvious that he was extremely weak, lying on the ground gasping for breath.
Bai Que said angrily at the side: "They are all bird tribes fused with beastmen. I have already told you that we are the same kind. They were stolen. They ignored me and are obsessed with recognizing the thief as their father!"
"The one at the head has huge black wings, but not many feathers. I've never seen what kind of bird it is!"
Mu Yan's eyebrows twitched. He looked at Bai Que and said, "All of you go out first. Don't disturb my rest."
Bai Que stood up tactfully and said, "Okay, you guys have a good rest. I won't disturb you anymore."
The injuries suffered by the Xisha District were more severe than those of the Chongyu District. If they hadn't been protected and evacuated in time by the Xisha District's troops, many of them would have died there.
I don't know how they, fellow birdmen, could be so powerful. Even if they didn't underestimate the enemy, the disparity in strength was a huge gap that was difficult to bridge in a short period of time.
Feng Jin knew that he had something to say. After clearing everyone out, he sent a few Xisha District soldiers to guard the door, and then said, "Go ahead."
Mu Yan licked his front paws gently and said softly, "I've seen those wings on Long Qi."
When the other party suddenly grew wings, he thought it was an illusion. But he was too familiar with Long Qi's wings. Only the emperor dragon's wings had such feathers and patterns.
He and Long Qi had fought side by side so many times, and he had been saved by Long Qi and saved Long Qi. After repeating this so many times, he could quickly distinguish the wings of the Emperor Dragon just by closing his eyes and relying on the sound of the wind.
But there are actually other hidden emperor dragons on the Sea Dust Star. This is simply a fantasy!
Not only did the other party not die, but he also joined the rebels and became a fused orc. It's easy to imagine what kind of storm this would cause.
Feng Jin also had an expression of disbelief on her face, but she knew that Mu Yan would never say such a thing.
She immediately asked, "Who else saw it?"
Mu Yan: "The soldiers from Xisha District, and a small number of people from Chongyu District, but only Bai Que can see it clearly."
If it weren't for the fact that her words were full of love and respect for Ye Ning, and that she had carried Ye Ning on her shoulders before, he would not have risked his own life to save her.
I almost got myself involved.
But when he thought of the pair of wings, Mu Yan became worried again.
"The opponent is most likely the fused orc who fought Long Qi in the sea before. I only had time to escape at that time and didn't get a clear look. I'm afraid only Long Qi has the strength to fight him."
"But our newly developed weapons are very useful, thanks to Ye Ning's talent."
If Ye Ning had not put plants and innate power into the effective toxin, effectively suppressing the fused orc, many of them would have died this time.
Feng Jin patted his shoulder and said, "You did a great job. I will report this matter to the head of Heyang District first."
"No matter what happens, your lives are the most important."
There was a sentence that Ye Ning always said every time she went to the army to express her condolences. It had been completely integrated into everyone's hearts without them noticing.
But everyone did not become timid because of this. Instead, they had a firmer belief than before. Each of them knew more clearly what they were fighting for today.
The injury was too severe and Mu Yan fell into coma again.
Before Feng Jin left, she placed the plant that Ye Ning had sent her next to Mu Yan's nose.
Mu Yan's nose moved subconsciously, and his coma was obviously more stable.
The news that there were a large number of fused orcs in Chongyu District, and even that there were Emperor Dragons fused with orcs, soon spread to Heyang.
She knew that Long Qi had cut off Dilong's arm before, but she didn't expect that the person who had been monitoring her had escaped to Chongyu District.
He Yang asked Feng Jin to keep the matter secret, and he went to discuss it with the mayor of Chongyu District. The two of them told Xiru about this matter directly.
He Yang naturally did not mention anything about Dilong, but only said that the rebels fled to Chongyu District.
Xiru has been dealing with the federal government these days. As he expected, the federal government is clinging tightly to power and making many things difficult for him. But Xiru is no pushover, having successfully "tamed" those high-ranking officials using various tactics.
Heyang could probably guess that Xiru had some leverage over them, and Xiru had sent a lot of good things to the Federation.
As soon as this incident came out, Xiru did not hesitate and directly dispatched several federal troops.
Heyang was originally planning to promote him online, but Xiru promoted him himself.
What is meant by governing with speed, racing against time just to save lives from danger; governing with warmth, working tirelessly just to make people live a happy life.
However, the federal soldiers who received the deployment order were very dissatisfied and cursed him privately, but Xiru didn't care. He knew that these people were not reliable.
Ye Ning also knew about this, but Long Qi couldn't leave her to track down those fused orcs, so he could only put this matter aside for the time being.
To everyone's surprise, the federal army had not yet arrived in Chongyu District.
All over the world, an unprecedented wave of pollutants broke out at the same time!
In the enclosed space, Hu Ding was also communicating with someone.
"Yes, I understand what you mean."
"Don't worry, Yan Gang knows what to do."
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