Armor-Piercing Munition: Face Me, Carbon-Based Monster!-Chapter 566 - 289: The Open Conspiracy

"We are the fastest."

"In fact, we ought to be the fastest."

"Because, without strong artificial intelligence and comprehensive disaster preparedness structures, trying to restore civilization with limited human resources is almost impossible."

"According to the latest telemetry images from four years ago, most areas with human activity have very small human settlements."

"Image analysis results did not find large industrial equipment, long-distance paved roads, or traces of large-scale use of modern weapons."

"They... should still be at a rather primitive stage."

"It’s even possible that they may remain at this stage permanently."

As those words fell, Chen Jian still wanted to ask questions, but Fu Xi had already started speaking again:

"The Ring Facilities should be the last united action of humans worldwide—the project started 20 years after the great catastrophe when human recovery was at its strongest."

"Industrial facilities were still usable, and knowledge inheritance had not been completely wiped out."

"The original designers of the ’Ring’ were fundamental physicists, who designed this set of facilities and broadcasted it globally."

"Many other countries and other civilization settlements responded to their call."

"But in reality, apart from the three domestic Ring facilities, there was no other Ring in the world that was truly completed—they are all considered semi-finished products."

"Or more precisely, they are some kind of auxiliary equipment lacking core functions."

"Yet even so, they still attempted to activate the equipment."

"The final results... have not yet been decoded."

The information abruptly stopped here.

Chen Jian let out a heavy sigh and then said:

"Then let’s continue executing the decoding."

"We must obtain the final archives to decide whether or not and how to start the Ring."

"This is... very important to us."

"Understood."

Fu Xi replied briefly, then once again fell silent.

Chen Jian, however, looked contemplatively down at his feet.

There, deep underground, was a set of equipment that could potentially change the fate of humanity.

But for now, this set of equipment was forced into silence.

No one knows when it will be activated again.

Some even believe that it’s humanity’s last chance.

But Chen Jian knows that it certainly won’t be the last...

....

On the other side, in Yaxi Town.

After the smoke cleared, all armed personnel attempting resistance in Yaxi Town had been killed.

What remained were those wise enough to lay down their weapons and abandon the struggle.

The slaves in the pens had all been freed, and Huang Meng directed the mercenaries accompanying him to scour the entire Liangxi Town. Only after opening the slavers’ warehouses did they finally find enough clothes to distribute to every "slave."

The issue of scant clothing was finally resolved, and after putting on clothes, the slaves seemed to finally shed their slave identities.

Everyone stood up, silently watching this nearly "descended from the heavens" troop.

Perhaps in their hearts, what they saw was a "miracle."

Just minutes ago, this army, seemingly forged from steel, had thunderously swept away those arrogant slave traders.

The artillery fire and smoke suddenly surged and then abruptly waned.

The only remnant on the ground was the corpses of the sinners, while they stood firm, not even showing a hint of a "scratch."

That wasn’t a battle at all.

It wasn’t even a "hunt."

They merely crushed their enemies with ease and then, in an overwhelmingly dominant posture, gently wiped away the dust clinging to their shoe soles...

The crowd’s gaze was filled with reverence, and even fanatical obsession.

Huang Meng noticed the crowd’s reactions, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He shook his head and turned to ask Huang Xing:

"What shall we do with these people?"

"Can your troops spare any men? Send out a small team to escort them back to Jinling City?"

"The journey isn’t far, less than 200 kilometers back and forth."

"If all goes well, the people sent out can return and catch up with us in a few days."

"I’m afraid that’s not possible."

Huang Xing shook his head and replied:

"Captain, it’s not that simple to escort such a large group."

"If we really need to escort them, our personnel must number at least 20, and they all have to be combat personnel."

"I can’t spare that many people—even if I could, it’s not the best choice for us."

"There will be many such settlements ahead of us. Do we have to escort them back every time?"

"Progress would be severely delayed, conflicting with our plan."

Indeed.....

Huang Meng nodded thoughtfully.

In reality, according to the original plan, "personnel escorting" wasn’t even considered.

Because the plan predicted that the Penetration Company might indeed ’liberate’ some towns along the way."

But those towns should mostly be complete, self-sustaining settlements, with some ability for migration."

In fact, in the face of rampant "slave trading," such "slave camps" are mainstream.

The social structure of the entire town has been completely shattered, and the survivors have been stripped of their agency."

They need assistance."

Don’t mention long-distance migrations—even waiting in place could lead these people to their doom."

At this moment, Huang Meng truly felt the difficulty of making decisions."

"Saving isn’t just about exterminating evildoers."

"No matter how evil, they bear the responsibility for the slaves."

"But after the evildoers are eliminated, such responsibility falls on us."

After a long silence, Huang Meng spoke:

"Then we have only one last choice."

"Take them with us."

"Further ahead, we’ll reach Xuancheng."

"Leave them in Xuancheng and we continue forward."

Upon hearing Huang Meng’s words, Huang Xing’s eyes changed.

Xuancheng?

Currently, Xuancheng is still under the control of the Mechanical God Sect."

Handing these people over to them... is it any different from what the slave traders did?

If the information from those slave traders is accurate, these people will probably be transferred by the Mechanical God Sect to various places, either into workshops or used as town serfs."

Thinking of this, he suggested:

"If it’s really not feasible, I could arrange the escort."

"We can’t hand these people over to the Mechanical God Sect."

"For them, it’s a road to ruin. For us... "

"No."

Huang Meng’s eyes suddenly lit up."

"We should hand them over to the Mechanical God Sect."

"This is the short-term choice that maximizes benefits, and it’s the only way to ensure their survival."

"Moreover, it costs us nothing."

"Why?"

Huang Xing asked, confused, looking at Huang Meng with a furrowed brow:

"Did we rescue them to expand our population?

We can’t just tell the Mechanical God Sect that these people are temporarily staying in their city, can we?"

"Of course."

Huang Meng let out a heavy breath.

"That’s exactly what we’ll say."

"These people are just temporarily staying in their city."

"When we complete our mission and return, they’re coming with us back to Jinling New City."

"....Captain, do you really think the Mechanical God Sect is easy to negotiate with?"

Huang Xing chuckled helplessly.

He intended to say "naïve," but seeing Huang Meng’s expression, it didn’t seem to be a joke." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Thus, he swallowed the mockery that was about to erupt and seriously planned to persuade Huang Meng further.

But at that moment, Huang Meng raised his hand, signaling that no more words were needed.

Then, a hint of a mysterious smile appeared on Huang Meng’s face.

"The regiment leader isn’t here, we have to use our brains."

"Truth be told, if the regiment leader He Shuo were here, he might have already proposed a comprehensive solution."

"I estimate his plan might not differ much from mine."

"Didn’t you just say the Mechanical God Sect isn’t easy to talk to?"

"Do you think my 30A tank’s howitzer is easy to negotiate with?""