Chapter 36: Forming a Team

The person answering the phone was Liu Jinsen; under the effect of the level-six item "Mysterious CEO's Call," the scene surrounding Liu Jinsen also appeared in the projection.

Liu Jinsen was the same as always, his expression cold and meticulous.

Beside him, Sha Ruijing was also the same as last time, wearing a smile that held a hint of fawning obsequiousness.

"Wen Xishu, I am here to tell you that you must log into the Ghost Tower before four o'clock this afternoon."

Liu Jinsen did not waste a single word.

Wen Xishu said:

"How can my sins be redeemed? I have already, as you said, exceeded the requirements for the task of exploring the Ghost Tower."

"Logically speaking, my merits and faults should have balanced out by now, right? I have also saved countless lives. It’s bad enough that the Bunker Security Bureau isn't rewarding me, but now they want me to risk my life again?"

Liu Jinsen showed a look of shame, which actually surprised Wen Xishu a little.

"I'm sorry, I miscalculated the extent of the higher-ups' desire for you... or rather, for the secret you possess."

"Currently, within the Security Bureau, aside from the Second Bureau and the Sixth Bureau, the other four bureaus all wish to interrogate you, including the five bureaus of the Administrative Bureau; they all hope to capture you."

"Thanks to the intervention of the old Headmaster and the efforts of the directors of the Second and Sixth Bureaus, you are currently considered temporarily safe."

"You can study at the Three Towers Academy, or you can move about the bunker like a free person."

"Currently, no department is permitted to apply for an arrest warrant for you, nor do they have the authority to capture you."

"All of this is thanks to your contributions to the lower levels; Sha Ruijing also put in a lot of effort regarding this matter. The name 'Wen Xishu' is now extremely sacred in the lower levels."

Having said this, Liu Jinsen looked at Sha Ruijing.

Wen Xishu had not expected that Sha Ruijing could pull off such a grand feat.

Although he didn't know exactly how famous he was in the lower levels, nor how Sha Ruijing had managed it...

But since Liu Jinsen had specifically mentioned it, and had brought Sha Ruijing along for this call, he likely did so to let him know that Sha Ruijing’s contribution was indispensable.

Wen Xishu said:

"Thank Comrade Sha... oh no, Comrade Sha Ruijing for me. When there is an opportunity in the future, I will repay him."

Sha Ruijing seemed to know that Wen Xishu on the other end of the line could see them, so he waved at Wen Xishu with a face full of smiles.

Wen Xishu cut back to the main topic:

"But I guess that whether it was what I did or what Sha Ruijing did, it’s still not enough, right?"

Liu Jinsen nodded:

"Sorry... it is indeed not enough."

"The things involved here are very complex, Wen Xishu. I can only tell you that you are currently a pawn in a multi-party game."

No one would be happy to be called a pawn. But Wen Xishu was not annoyed.

"Alright, Liu sir, tell me, what else do I need to do?"

Liu Jinsen said:

"Become stronger."

Wen Xishu was stunned for a moment, then understood. This was truly a high-EQ way of putting it.

Liu Jinsen continued:

"Next, you must constantly become stronger, but you should know the way to become stronger."

"The Bunker Security Bureau hopes that you can explore the Ghost Tower at fixed time intervals; the exact interval is seven days."

"After each exploration of the Ghost Tower, you have seven days to rest and adjust. Seven days later, you will explore the Ghost Tower again."

"Wen Xishu, I personally loathe Wen Zhaohua; the crimes he committed are too numerous to record. But I do not dislike you. Especially since you saved countless lives in the lower levels not long ago."

"If I could, I would be willing to stake my career to protect you, but I am of low status and little influence; I cannot do that."

"Even if I risked everything, I could not change the decisions of the higher-ups."

"Seven days after seven days, it is foreseeable that you will constantly fall into danger."

"But I believe that based on your first performance, you are definitely not a creature of the pond; perhaps in the future, in terms of achievements in tower climbing alone... you will surpass Wen Zhaohua."

"I think that at that time, certain decisions of the Security Bureau will become more cautious."

"May you become a legend of the bunker."

At this moment, Wen Xishu glanced at the old madman Albert in the back, who was drinking red wine and swaying his head.

Wen Xishu was silent for a short while, then said:

"Can you tell me what exactly Wen Zhaohua did?"

Although Albert had refused to answer this question for Wen Xishu not long ago, Albert did not stop him when Wen Xishu asked Liu Jinsen this moment.

The old Headmaster still had that leisurely expression.

Liu Jinsen was also silent for a short while, then said:

"Countless people... tower climbers in the bunker, including many on the Heavenly Ladder Ranking, died because of him. He also caused some nearly irreversible losses in the exploration of the Three Towers."

"I promised the old Headmaster that I cannot tell you more."

Wen Xishu glanced at Albert, and Albert smiled and waved at Wen Xishu.

Wen Xishu said helplessly:

"Alright, I understand. Regarding the tower climbing this afternoon, is there anything else you need to add?"

Liu Jinsen gave a hum:

"Yes, you have already been to the Three Towers once, so this time, after you activate the login device... you will head to the rest area."

"The purpose of the rest area..."

Wen Xishu interrupted:

"I know the purpose of the rest area; it's a place to sell information, prepare for battle, and form teams."

Liu Jinsen said:

"Good, what I want to say is that the rest area of the Ghost Tower this time... will have quite a few people."

"Most of these people are death-row prisoners or exiles. There are also some... um, there are also some 'our own people'."

"You should know that people on the same level and with the same mission can form teams in the rest area."

Wen Xishu gave a light chuckle, having roughly guessed what was going on.

Liu Jinsen said:

"If you don't meet the conditions for forming a team, that's one thing, but if you do... the higher-ups hope you will accept the team-up request."

Wen Xishu asked curiously:

"If I meet the conditions but refuse to form a team... will the higher-ups know? They aren't in the rest area."

Liu Jinsen's tone was grave:

"They will. This world has many special items, such as the one you are currently using, this phone that belongs to the old Headmaster."

"There are also some items that can deconstruct parts of the login device's data, and even... I have heard that in the highest functional level of the bunker, there are rooms where one can see various indicators."

"So, do not choose to defy them. Wen Xishu, I know you are certainly unwilling, but I am not advising you from the standpoint of the Security Bureau; while you are not yet strong enough, it is best to choose to adapt to the environment first."

Wen Xishu understood.

Exploring the Three Towers, heading to which level and which area, are all unknown.

To form a team in the Desire Tower and the Ghost Tower, one must be in the same area and on the same mission.

In other words, as long as he is the only person who received a certain mission during a certain period, he cannot form a team with anyone.

And even if he could form a team, the teammates might not necessarily be the "monitors" arranged by the higher-ups.

But there is always that possibility.

As long as the higher-ups arrange enough people, and as long as he explores the Ghost Tower enough times...

Then there will always be a time when he might form a team with these people arranged by the higher-ups.

Once a team is formed and they become teammates, his process of exploring the Ghost Tower might be recorded.

The higher-ups are really going all out to obtain the secret regarding Wen Zhaohua.

Even if it is only a tiny probability, they are willing to arrange many exiles, death-row prisoners... and even suicide squads to take a gamble.

Wen Xishu now increasingly believes that Wen Zhaohua possesses something that the higher-ups desperately crave.

Wen Xishu said:

"If I happen to be able to form a team, but I kill all my teammates inside the Ghost Tower, what will happen?"

These words were blunt and frank enough. The nonchalant attitude he displayed when speaking of killing teammates made even Liu Jinsen pause.

Liu Jinsen suddenly had the thought that perhaps there was a devil living inside both of the Wen brothers.

Albert also narrowed his eyes, sizing up Wen Xishu.

Liu Jinsen still answered truthfully:

"Please do not do that. Most of the people exploring the Ghost Tower are criminals, but it does not exclude a small number of people who choose to fight to the death to change their fate. Just like you."

"Some people are innocent; even if they are criminals, the moment they choose to enter the Ghost Tower, they are already atoning for their sins."

"You cannot know whether these people teaming up with you are here for you, or here to obtain freedom and wealth."

"If it is the latter, then they can die to the monsters in the Ghost Tower; they should never die at the hands of their own people."

Wen Xishu did not refute this statement.

In fact, when Liu Jinsen said "please do not do that," the question he had raised already had its answer.

Wen Xishu certainly knew that some lives should not be cut short, but if he were in an environment where he would die if they did not, he knew very well that he would not have a shred of pity.

"Alright, Liu sir, I am a person without any violent tendencies; I won't do that kind of thing. I haven't even used violence in the Ghost Tower."

At least for the second half of the sentence, Wen Xishu was telling the truth. He truly had not used violence in the Ghost Tower.

He had only used it in the Desire Tower.

(I am currently in Xi'an for the past two days, so I am temporarily settling for two updates a day.)

(End of this chapter)