Chapter 310: Preparation

Bai Mu Yun casually tossed the two matte-finished pistols onto the bar counter, producing two light "ka‑da" clicks.

The bartender, wiping glasses, glanced up at the sound, then quickly lowered his head again.

Lu Mu was leaning sideways on the high stool beside him, idly tossing and catching his shiny coin.

"How's it going? How are those two progressing down there?"

He reached for a pistol, weighed it in his hand, then gave a vague aim toward the liquor cabinet behind the bar.

"Minister Fang didn't dissect that kid, did he?"

"Cut the crap," Bai Mu Yun said impatiently, his golden horizontal pupils flashing a glance at him.

"Later, fly up to Tianmian City and deliver these two guns to Lei Zhao, saying their Field Operations Department has a recent operation."

"Again me?" Lu Mu pursed his lips and complained.

"Tianmian City is now a howling wind and screaming cranes; the Supervision Bureau and Judgment Court sniff around like mad dogs. Haven't they been quiet for so long? They have to stir trouble on this very front, bring this thing up there, and if they get caught…"

"That's why they sent you," Bai Mu Yun interrupted his rambling.

"Your stealth ability is perfect; Lei Zhao has already set up a secure base there, you just need to deliver the items."

Speaking of that, Bai Mu Yun felt a headache coming on.

Now travel between Tianmian City and the surface is difficult; establishing contact is one thing, but moving supplies is even harder.

"Ying Duo's kid caused such a ruckus at the Chen Family; there's no guarantee nobody will follow the trail and notice something's off. Since our minister has already decided to evacuate soon, the preparations and the lines that need cutting must be handled in advance."

Lu Mu folded away his cynical expression and nodded.

"Got it, cut‑off survival, the old rule. After the delivery, I shouldn't have to stay there to help Lei Zhao, right? I heard they've been searching for that traitor for a long time with no leads?"

"You know, Lei Zhao is always overflowing with sympathy," Bai Mu Yun said matter‑of‑factly, "maybe he's even hoping the traitor will change his mind and obediently return to the Dome with him."

"Sometimes I still admire that kind of idealist in him…"

Lu Mu heard that and couldn't help his mouth twitch.

"By the way, since you're going up, don't waste it—go to Mitra Academy and deliver a message for me…"

"A message?" Lu Mu's eyes narrowed, then he understood.

"Finally getting ready? Fine, the sooner we finish the sooner we leave this cursed place. Those charlatans up there make me sick."

"Move swiftly, and don't create any side complications."

Bai Mu Yun gave one last reminder, then stopped looking at him, turned, and placed an order with the bartender.

The coin spun like a flower on Lu Mu's fingertip, then his whole body seemed to melt into the shadows, slipping out silently through the bar's back door.

———————————————

The emerald Data Stream silently dissipated in the corner of the room, and Ying Duo's figure solidified.

The few small alert devices he set before leaving were still in place, with no abnormal readings, so he needed to rush back from the surface immediately.

Shen Zexi and Qi Hengyu seemed not even to have opened the door.

That counts as a blessing amid misfortune.

Ying Duo poured the blue medicine he had taken from Fang Zhiyan's bag into his mouth, while stowing those small devices and the ceiling projection units back into his backpack.

Just after tidying everything, the door was gently knocked, and Shen Zexi pushed it open and walked in.

Shen Zexi's complexion looked a bit more solemn than usual, but seeing Ying Duo still sitting there watching TV, he relaxed slightly.

"Fine, being immersed in a pig's world is better than realizing you're under house arrest."

"Min Tianyou just came by; he said the investigation at the Chen Family is still ongoing, it's a bit complicated, but under the joint guarantee of Chen Mo Zhi and Meng Kexin, the Chen Family won't trouble you for now, only…"

Shen Zexi paused.

"Until the investigation yields a clear result, you probably still can't leave this room's area, but the Chen Family will try to meet all your needs."

He watched Ying Duo's reaction and found the other party seemed not to care about the 'confinement' at all; those golden eyes actually flickered a bit brighter.

"Any other requests you can make?" Ying Duo confirmed.

"Um… Min Tianyou said so," Shen Zexi had an uneasy feeling.

Sure enough, Ying Duo immediately listed, "Rare metal, Aberrant Species Core, high‑grade energy circuit board, and…"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Shen Zexi pressed his forehead, cutting off Ying Duo's "procurement list".

"Do you think the Chen Family would hand you items clearly usable for making dangerous goods?"

Ying Duo knew it was impossible, but that didn't stop him from giving Shen Zexi a little rebuke.

He changed tack: "What about a game console? The latest model—Chen Family should have one, right? If not, an older model that can be taken apart for research will do."

Yang Yixie was indeed curious; in this patchwork wasteland, he wondered what the interior of a game console here looked like.

Shen Zexi: "......"

Sometimes he really wanted to crack open the guy's skull to see what was inside, but compared to demanding those dangerous items, asking for a game console was almost touching in its normalcy.

Shen Zexi sighed helplessly; he seemed to have heard Luo Jinyou mention a few times that Ying Duo was especially obsessed with his game console.

At least besides watching TV and studying dangerous goods, Ying Duo also had hobbies fitting a normal teenager of his age.

"Alright, I can try asking around; a family as big as the Chen Family should have a game console not hard to find… Just stay here peacefully, don't run around, and don't cause any more commotion, okay?"

Ying Duo nodded, effectively agreeing.

Only then did Shen Zexi slightly set aside his worries, give a few more reminders, and then left the room with a heavy heart.

Min Tianyou's expression when he left made him feel the matter was far from simple, yet all they could do was wait; if there was anything else…

Hmm, hopefully it really wasn't Ying Duo's doing, or that he cleaned the traces clean.

The room fell quiet again, and Ying Duo pulled up the system interface, glancing at his newly upgraded Lv. 26 level.

Fang Zhiyan's "feeding" efficiency was high, but unfortunately the "feed" was limited.

Next… just waiting for the so‑called "preparation" on Bai Mu Yun's side.

Once they're ready there, they'll leave Tianmian City and head to the world beyond Xinshou Cun.