Chapter 370: Secret Code

【Devouring progress 15%】

Silent City, No. 3 Deck, No. 24 Parking Area, inside the engine room of the Dragon-class transport ship, Lin Xian was devouring the nuclear power engine hub while watching Mochizuki Shinjin meet with the people from Dawn City. Kiki was floating to the side with her legs crossed. Seeing Jian Xuwei come out at this time, she immediately said:

"Isn't this the woman from the Silver Star? I heard she's been looking for you?"

"The Fenger Group is one of the largest operators and contractors in the orbital ring, and has a long history of cooperation with the Jinhai CRRC Group, with factories all over the world. Even after the doomsday, the resources and productivity it possesses are immense." Lin Xian looked at the screen showing Mochizuki Shinjin meeting and shaking hands with Zhou Mingyuan and the others, saying: "The Silver Star is preparing to gather group resources through the orbital ring to reach the Polar Region directly. It's really strange that they are suddenly cooperating with Dawn City."

"Do you think Jian Xuwei was forced?" Kiki crossed her arms: "But it's not strange for the Fenger Group to cooperate with the Federation. Now that she's following Zhou Mingyuan, I don't know what her purpose is."

"I remember she has a younger brother?"

"Correct, named Jian Zeyang."

"What do you think she wants with you?" Kiki said with interest.

"How would I know that." Lin Xian smiled.

Looking at the tall, cold, and elegant Silver Star leader walking in the picture in high heels, Lin Xian recalled the support Jian Xuwei gave him during the Climbing Elevator and the decisiveness she showed at the critical moment. At that time, he felt that this woman was by no means simple. And the conflict between the Climbing Elevator survivors and the Federation was still fresh in his memory. Normally, Jian Xuwei should have been more inclined to cooperate with the Phoenix Society.

Lin Xian noticed that besides Dawn City Vice Chairman Zhou Mingyuan and Jian Xuwei, there was also a middle-aged man in a gray suit, short-cropped hair, thick brows and square face, looking very deep, walking silently behind Zhou Mingyuan, followed by a team of guards in high-level tactical power armor.

"I recognize this person too." Kiki's eyes lit up: "Lin Xian, guess who he is?"

"Must be surnamed Wen." Lin Xian blurted out.

"Correct, he is Wen Dong, Tang Yun's husband in the Zero-Element Center. I haven't been in the Wen family for long, but I've only seen him a few times."

"What can you say about this person?" Lin Xian asked.

"Tch, a smiling tiger, greedy and lustful. Just the women he's been in close contact with on his phone recently number seven or eight. What kind of goods do you think he could be?"

"You know this?!" Lin Xian looked at Kiki in shock, while Kiki had an indifferent expression, saying lightly: "He was the one who provoked me first. And do you think the Wen family is a simple place? I just did this for self-protection, just in case."

She looked at Lin Xian and smiled: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Is there a problem?"

Lin Xian smiled helplessly. He looked over and saw the picture change. Mochizuki Shinjin led Zhou Mingyuan and the others all the way to the Cloud District, but it wasn't the courtyard where he had invited Lin Xian and the others to dinner before, but a very formal reception hall.

The silver-gray alloy door slid open silently. Dawn City Vice Chairman Zhou Mingyuan and Mochizuki Shinjin walked in side by side, followed by the Linglong Group's Wen Dong and Jian Xuwei, while on Mochizuki Shinjin's side were Qian Suxun and Tianye Lan.

Zhou Mingyuan wore just the right amount of concern on his face and nodded slightly: "Mr. Mochizuki, the time Silent City was involved in the Star Abyss was truly worrying. After detecting that one of your floating cities was lost in the Luling Forest, Dawn City sent three search and rescue fleets at the first opportunity. Unfortunately... Dawn City was suddenly attacked by the S-rank weird entity Gray Mist, plus the monster tide in the Qilian Mountains, which led us to be attacked from both sides."

"To be able to bring ten thousand people out of the Star Abyss alive is simply a miracle!" Wen Dong's voice was loud. After sitting down, he asked Mochizuki Shinjin directly: "Chairman Zhou brought us here overnight, also out of curiosity about this matter. All major city district alliance organizations are in the same boat now, so the experience of dealing with the Star Abyss is also very important to us."

"Oh, is that so?" Mochizuki Shinjin looked at Zhou Mingyuan calmly: "Thank you for your concern, but our No. 2 city has been parked in the Luling Forest. According to their feedback, it seems... they didn't receive support from Dawn City. Instead, several reconnaissance teams kept staring at us. Should... not be people from Dawn City, right?"

As soon as this was said, the atmosphere became awkward. Lin Xian and Kiki, who were watching the holographic screen, didn't expect Mochizuki Shinjin to be so direct, so they immediately paid close attention to Zhou Mingyuan's expression.

But this Dawn City Vice Chairman immediately made an expression of surprise.

"No. 2 city has been in the Luling Forest?"

Zhou Mingyuan's eyes carried concern: "The intelligence we observed said it had already been paralyzed and the main city had disappeared. So the survivors are all on this?"

"Yes, before being involved in the Star Abyss, the main city and the No. 2 city had completed separation." Mochizuki Shinjin's expression was leisurely, without exposing the other party's performance.

"Then you rushed out of the Star Abyss with only a few people?" Wen Dong asked immediately.

"Not entirely just a few people." Mochizuki Shinjin said in a corrective tone: "There were also other survivors trapped in the Star Abyss. Everyone united together, and by the way, discovered some truths in the Star Abyss. For example, we discovered that a large number of low-level weird entities are stitched together through some kind of 【Mother Nest】 similar to a production factory, and then spread out from the Star Abyss. And for another, there is a time dilation effect in the Star Abyss, which made me discover that the Star Abyss might be an infection extension of another dimension in our world..."

"And for another, we discovered a secret base built by the Advent Sect organization Deep Red World inside, which used kidnapped ability-user survivors through some kind of parasitic technology to make clones, and then batch-deployed them inside as human-flesh research computing power for the laboratory. At the same time, because of this technology, some human ghosts with partially controllable thinking were generated. This thing, Chairman Zhou and everyone here should not be unfamiliar with it. Now major organizations and survivors call it..."

"Red Human Ghost."

The temperature in the hall seemed to drop by a few degrees suddenly. Zhou Mingyuan sipped his tea without changing his expression, and the bottom of the cup made a crisp "ding" sound when it touched the table.

"Wow, they say politicians don't blush when they lie. It turns out they're so powerful." In the Dragon-class transport ship, Kiki looked at Zhou Mingyuan's expression and clicked her tongue in wonder.

"Strange~" Lin Xian frowned when he heard this.

"What's strange?" Kiki asked.

"Silent City's No. 2 city has been parked in the Luling Forest for so long; the outside world couldn't possibly not know." Lin Xian looked meaningfully at the middle-aged man in the picture and said: "How did Wen Dong know we brought ten thousand people out?"

"That's right." Kiki nodded when she heard this: "The No. 2 city wasn't involved in the Star Abyss."

Lin Xian frowned as well, because hearing Mochizuki Shinjin's words, he felt that he wasn't prepared to have a friendly conversation with Dawn City.

Cloud District, reception hall.

"After breaking through this secret evil laboratory, we obtained very detailed research data." Mochizuki Shinjin continued calmly with his hands tucked in his sleeves: "Through the interpretation of this data and intelligence, I believe that this organization, formerly the Deep Red Pharmaceutical Group and now engaged in anti-human plans, is conducting some kind of consciousness parasitic research based on digital life technology but transferring the life carrier to zombies, human ghosts, and even weird entities. And through this technology, they are using a large number of survivors as human-flesh consumables to achieve their goals."

Slap!

Zhou Mingyuan slapped the table and shouted coldly: "Simply inhumane!"

"This Deep Red World kidnapping ability users everywhere is something we are very clear about. From the sand bandits in the Xidi Gobi in the north to the mountain forest mob fleets in the south, they are attacking survivors everywhere, and a large number of people are missing. Even in Dawn City, incidents of Red Human Ghosts looting ability users have broken out frequently. We sent the Seraphim Ability Department and the Red Demon Assault Team to unite with major survivor organizations to conduct strict investigations, and found that these are all related to this Advent Sect organization, Deep Red World. I didn't expect that they were kidnapping ability users to conduct such cruel experiments!"

"Indeed cruel." Qian Suxun said at this time: "However, that research institute has already been destroyed by us."

"Oh? Were there any discoveries?" Zhou Mingyuan asked with concern: "If we could catch their key figures, funding sources, and research institute distribution information, we could completely root them out in a short time and solve this man-made crisis in the doomsday!"

"Unfortunately, none of these."

Mochizuki Shinjin said indifferently: "Only some scientific research data, but they don't yet possess effective progress in results."

"Alas, too cunning." Wen Dong looked very regretful when he heard this.

Zhou Mingyuan's eyes turned sharp when he heard this: "However, we suspect that the Deep Red World might have some kind of cooperation with some high-level officials of our major organizations!"

"Oh~"

Mochizuki Shinjin looked at him with interest: "Did Vice Chairman Zhou investigate something?"

Zhou Mingyuan shook his head: "It's still under investigation, but from our contact with the Deep Red World, they can maintain such operations, which must have massive resource support. This is not just supported by the supplies of survivor organizations, so it is highly likely that there is official support."

"The Phoenix Society?" Qian Suxun said immediately.

Zhou Mingyuan waved his hand immediately: "It's just a speculation based on the information we investigated. Currently, there is no accurate judgment, but being able to have such a massive scale, deployed all over the world, is absolutely not something that ordinary organizations can support. Even within our Dawn City, there might be involvement. This is absolutely not alarmist. Currently, dealing with darkness is troublesome enough; facing these Advent Sects requires even more caution."

Lin Xian looked at the holographic screen and couldn't help but sneer, thinking that this Zhou Mingyuan was truly an old fox. His words took Dawn City as an example, but his words clearly pointed to the Phoenix Society. If he didn't know that Wen Dong beside him was the one colluding with the Deep Red World, an ordinary person would really be bluffed by this old guy's righteous deduction.

On the reception hall side, Mochizuki Shinjin smiled slightly, looked at Zhou Mingyuan, and changed the subject directly.

"Being able to get Dawn City's concern is our greatest honor. Now weird entities are rampant at night, and Vice Chairman Zhou actually risked coming here in the starry night, which is truly too great. I don't know what Silent City can help with?"

"The pre-briefing has already explained the purpose of the visit in advance." Zhou Mingyuan said straight to the point: "Currently, we are in urgent need of cooperation with Silent City to build a batch of Dragon-class, Ray-class, and stellar-class starships. This concerns the livelihood of millions of survivors. I don't know if Mr. Mochizuki can provide such productivity."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Wen Dong beside him. Wen Dong immediately added: "Currently, Dawn City, Linglong Group, and Fenger Group have fully carried out modular division of labor and cooperation. In Jinhai and Dawn City, a total of 16 starship ports are under construction, including 1 500,000-ton class, 3 300,000-ton class, and 12 100,000-ton class construction berths, all operating at full capacity. In the production workshop of CRRC Group, there is also a 'Firmament-class' interstellar train under construction. This is a star-sky floating space carrier designed and blueprinted by Xinghua Heavy Industry in conjunction with the Fenger Group. It was originally intended for the orbital ring construction, used for material transportation to the Mochizuki Planetary Ring, so we want to build it and use it as a key carrier solution for starships to break through the Firmament Megascreen..."

"I've heard of this, the earliest orbital ring train plan." Mochizuki Shinjin looked at Jian Xuwei and asked.

"Yes." Fenger Group leader Jian Xuwei finally spoke at this time. She swept her gaze over Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Dong and then said: "The earliest orbital rings were all interstellar carrier plans built above the Kármán line. However, limited by the technology and cost considerations at the time, they were divided into the current classification structures of orbital rings, climbing channels, and space elevators."

"This was truly a bold fantasy at the time." Zhou Mingyuan said peacefully, tapping the table with his fingers: "An interstellar orbit circling the Blue Star can increase humanity's carrier capacity to space from the hundred-ton level to the ten-thousand-ton level at once, which is an exponential level higher than the carrier capacity of space elevators. If it can be built well, the completion cycle of the Mochizuki Planetary Ring could be advanced by at least 10 years." Mochizuki Shinjin didn't focus on this question, but looked at Jian Xuwei and asked suddenly: "I'm very curious, why did Ms. Jian choose to cooperate with Dawn City? I remember the Silver Star was a Phoenix Order cooperation organization?"

As soon as this was said, Wen Dong's expression changed, while Zhou Mingyuan just looked at Jian Xuwei with a smile: "The Fenger Group is very optimistic about Dawn City's Deep Space Project. Currently, human civilization is facing a survival crisis. All ideologies are just a side of seeking survival. Humanity is all on the same boat, so who to cooperate with and how to cooperate are all the same, right? Am I right, Xuwei."

He looked at Jian Xuwei with a smile, but Qian Suxun and the others didn't feel any warmth in this smile. On the contrary, they sensed an invisible pressure in Zhou Mingyuan's smile, as if if you accidentally deviated from that realization, that smile would twist into a hideous ghost, open its bloody mouth, and swallow you whole!

Wen Dong felt his expression change when he heard this, and he also stared at Jian Xuwei with a scrutinizing gaze. When everyone's gaze gathered on Jian Xuwei, a black mechanical spider quietly crawled out from Wen Dong's sleeve, then quickly crawled under the teacup and disappeared.

And at this time, Jian Xuwei remained unchanged. She looked at Mochizuki Shinjin and said: "In the doomsday, the essence of cooperation is to seek survival. Dawn City's Deep Space Project and research on dark invasion are progressing rapidly. What all parties need to do is unite and sharpen each other. Silent City possesses massive productivity; it's best not to decouple."

After Jian Xuwei finished speaking, Mochizuki Shinjin raised his eyebrows and looked at Zhou Mingyuan. The other party still had a gentle smile.

Zhou Mingyuan said seriously: "Mr. Mochizuki, Silent City possesses massive productivity and computing power. In the fields of information and mechanical engineering, you also possess extremely high discourse power in this world. The 'Firmament-class' construction, including breaking through the Firmament Megascreen and resisting dark invasion, we in Dawn City hope to unite with Silent City. This has nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with interests; it is all for the coexistence of humanity!"

"That makes sense." Mochizuki Shinjin responded indifferently: "Silent City will approach Jinhai tomorrow. Regarding the content of cooperation, we can advance the negotiations."

"That's great." Zhou Mingyuan stood up immediately, shook hands with Mochizuki Shinjin, and said with satisfaction: "Very welcome. At that time, I will arrange for the garrison to receive you safely into the city."

The meeting ended. Zhou Mingyuan declined Mochizuki Shinjin's dinner invitation and prepared to leave without delay.

Mochizuki Shinjin didn't force them to stay and followed them out with a smile.

Soon, the group arrived at the Dawn City transport ship parking area on the Cloud District flight deck. Zhou Mingyuan and the three of them walked quickly toward the armed transport ship under the escort of a group of guards.

"Oh, right."

At this time, Mochizuki Shinjin spoke from behind: "There is one more very important matter I forgot to negotiate with Vice Chairman Zhou."

Zhou Mingyuan stopped and looked back: "What matter?"

Mochizuki Shinjin said with his hands behind his back: "Inside the secret research base of the Deep Red World in the Star Abyss, we did capture a key person. This person was responsible for supervising the main control room of the research institute and was also the only living person inside. According to this person's confession, the Deep Red World seems to have the possibility of collusion with a certain high-level official of Dawn City."

Zhou Mingyuan frowned and said in a low voice: "Who is it?"

"Standing right next to you."

At this time, a clear and bright voice came from behind Mochizuki Shinjin. Everyone looked over and saw a young face in power armor walking slowly out from another passage.

Mochizuki Shinjin smiled without turning his head: "Let me introduce him. This is the captain of the Infinite joint train who destroyed the Deep Red World's White City research institute, intercepted their assembly data, and helped Silent City escape from the Star Abyss... our partner."

"Vice Chairman Zhou, hello." Lin Xian said indifferently.

At this time, Zhou Mingyuan and Wen Dong's gazes toward Lin Xian both condensed, while Jian Xuwei stood behind the crowd, looking at him quietly.

"What do you mean by your words just now?" Zhou Mingyuan looked at Lin Xian and asked directly.

"Isn't this clear? He said that the person colluding with the Deep Red World is standing next to you."

Kiki walked out from behind Lin Xian and looked at Wen Dong with a smile.

And when Wen Dong saw Kiki, his eyes widened, and his pupils contracted instantly, seemingly somewhat unbelievable.

"Wen Qi?!"

"I'm surnamed Zhao, not Wen..." Kiki crossed her arms and said: "Your Wen family has mixed into being with the Deep Red World; don't drag me into it."

Hearing Kiki's words, Wen Dong glanced unkindly at Mochizuki Shinjin: "Mr. Mochizuki, what do you mean by this?"

Zhou Mingyuan focused his gaze on Lin Xian, waiting quietly for him to speak.

Lin Xian took out a recorder at this time and pressed the switch in front of everyone. Instantly, Zhou Lei's voice came from inside.

"At that time, I was locked in an iron cage. Before getting on the transport ship, I saw a group of people get off another transport ship with my own eyes. Among them was a person who was the former general manager of Jinhai City Investment Company, Wen Dong. This guy... I would recognize him even if he turned to ash. And Wen Dong is a member of the Wen family, the second-in-command of the Linglong Group. Now many people know that the Linglong Group has defected to Dawn City, and that Wen Hui even became a new Federation councilor. Wen Dong appearing in the territory of the Deep Red World must mean there is collusion between them!"

"Nonsense!"

Wen Dong's face changed. He immediately looked at Lin Xian and said sternly: "You use a recording to accuse a high-level Federation councilor. Lin, how old are you? Have you watched too many cartoons?"

"The person was caught from the Deep Red World research institute, and the accusation was said by the other party. It has nothing to do with us." Lin Xian looked at Wen Dong and smiled: "Don't be so nervous..."

Wen Dong was speechless instantly. He turned his head to look at Zhou Mingyuan, then restrained his anger and said to Mochizuki Shinjin: "Then tell me, who is this person? He says I'm colluding with the Deep Red World, so specifically when was it, and in which Deep Red World territory did he see me? There must be some explanation, right?"

"None." Lin Xian shook his head and said seriously: "He couldn't say anything, and we also seriously suspect it's fake."

"Then why are you talking nonsense?!" Wen Dong was furious instantly.

"Isn't this because Chairman Zhou wanted to understand detailed intelligence? We just took it out to discuss it." Lin Xian swept his gaze from Jian Xuwei's face and then looked at Zhou Mingyuan: "Isn't this to show our sincerity in cooperation? By the way, Mr. Mochizuki didn't seem to introduce my name. How did you know I was surnamed Lin?"

"You!" Wen Dong's pupils shrank. Looking at the smile on Lin Xian's face, he realized something instantly and remained silent, ignoring him.

Zhou Mingyuan's expression darkened as he swept his gaze from Mochizuki Shinjin and Lin Xian, then didn't say a word, turned around, and walked straight toward the transport ship.

The group of people boarded the transport ship under the gaze of Lin Xian and the others, rising slowly and flying away against the wind.

"Lin Xian, choosing to cooperate with Dawn City, the road will be easier."

Jian Xuwei glanced at Lin Xian and the others, then turned and followed them away.

"Their attitude is clearly that they want to confront us!"

On the transport ship, Wen Dong looked angry, his gaze constantly flickering.

"Didn't have this intention anyway." Zhou Mingyuan was holding a mobile terminal at this time, which contained the information data of Lin Xian and the Infinite team. He looked peaceful and said to Wen Dong: "What's going on with that Wen Qi?"

"An illegitimate daughter my brother found from somewhere." Wen Dong closed his eyes and said in a low voice.

"In the Federation database, she is still in the first-order succession relationship of your family." Zhou Mingyuan threw the mobile terminal onto the table: "A psychokinetic ability user, incredible. In the Seraphim's assessment, both psychokinetic and mental systems are super-S ratings. So far, there haven't been many cases. Very extraordinary. It's a pity Julius didn't catch this group of people."

"They got the Corrosion Cells and assembly data. Will they give it to the Phoenix Society?" Wen Dong said.

Zhou Mingyuan shook his head and leaned back in his seat: "It doesn't matter anymore. The Phoenix Society can't change anything either. We'll just make our own preparations."

After saying this, he raised his eyes slightly: "Go check on Jian Xuwei."

Wen Dong nodded and said in a low voice halfway: "Silent City's attitude is so tough. Could it also be related to the Phoenix Society? If I had known it would be like this, there would have been no need to bring this woman along for the show."

"Attitude is still necessary."

Zhou Mingyuan said seriously: "Silent City has over 100,000 people, and hundreds of organizations cooperate with it. The relationship network is close. So if Mochizuki Shinjin is willing to listen, we will have less trouble. But now it seems that this Silent City can only be taken down by ourselves."

Wen Dong's eyes flickered. He turned and went out, coming to the outer cabin compartment. Two soldiers holding pulse guns stood outside. He looked at Jian Xuwei sitting alone inside through the porthole, then said to the guards:

"Before arriving at Dawn City, don't let her out."

"Yes." The guards responded.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 371 =====