Chapter 128: Calculated Guesses

Lu Xin listened and gave Gecko a calm look. Gecko’s expression immediately turned serious and he quickly straightened up.

“It’s not as simple as just looking at the distance.”

He explained honestly, “Whether it’s the black markets or the wanderer settlements here they both respect and hate us people from the high-wall cities. Respect, because they more or less rely on our cities for survival. Much of their grain daily necessities and even alcohol comes from us. And when it comes to armed forces they’re far inferior.”

“But the hatred stems from an inherent conflict of interest or maybe just plain dislike. After all in recent years many people they’ve gathered have been drawn away to our high-wall cities. Also because of the cities’ orders they face restrictions whether they’re robbing people or doing whatever else. They’ve probably all bottled up a lot of anger.”

“Normally on the surface they’ll obey the high-wall cities’ orders and cooperate with our work. But at certain times if people or convoys from the city show up in these places it’s quite common for them to be silently taken out…”

…

As he spoke Gecko lightly tapped the map. “There are only two of us and we’re carrying quite a bit of stuff in the car.”

“In their eyes we probably look like the perfect fat sheep…”

…

Lu Xin nodded. “So it’ll be dangerous if we go in?”

Gecko glanced at Lu Xin and muttered, “From your words you sound a bit worried but looking at you you don’t seem worried at all…”

He sighed deeply then smiled. “Don’t worry the name ‘Qinggang’ still carries some weight.”

Saying this he got out of the car again and surveyed the surroundings. “But just to be safe let’s report in.”

“This way even if something really happens to us here at least someone will come looking.”

…

As he spoke he expertly opened the trunk and took out a sturdy metal box containing a small signal receiver. After setting up the wires he made a call reporting their specific location.

“The two missing agents have been found. Please report to the higher-ups that they have sacrificed themselves.”

“Suspected Knight Orders personnel have entered Blackwater Town.”

“We are now preparing to enter Blackwater Town to investigate.”

“Will report again in three hours. If there’s no signal something has happened.”

…

After reporting he packed everything up quickly got back in the car and sped off down the current road.

…

…

“Latest progress report: The Special Operations Team has located the two missing agents and preliminarily pinpointed the Knight Orders’ position.”

“They have entered Blackwater Town to investigate!”

…

Even Lu Xin didn’t know that when Gecko’s report reached Qinggang City an emergency meeting was immediately convened.

Or perhaps this meeting had been waiting for Gecko’s message all along.

…

“He really is investigating this seriously…”

In the large meeting room around the oval long table sat various bald professors and professional intelligence personnel.

Normally such a lineup would only appear when facing a war.

Hearing the reported news many people subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

“But they’ve only been out for less than a day…”

A strange voice piped up. It was a plump researcher wearing a wig. He lifted the wig scratched his head his expression indescribably odd. “With almost no intelligence support they found the bodies of two ‘missing’ agents thousands of miles away in the vast wasteland and even preliminarily located the Knight Orders… This…”

“This doesn’t seem logical at all does it?”

…

Hearing this the other professors wore similar expressions.

Clearly as researchers they disliked things that went completely beyond their understanding.

Subconsciously many gazes turned towards Professor Bai at the head of the conference table.

Behind him on two electronic display screens were Mr. Su and Minister Shen who were also very concerned about the progress here.

“The abilities of Mentally Altered Persons can indeed seem mysterious sometimes but they’re not entirely without logic!”

Professor Bai also looked down at the latest report speaking slowly. “You can try to understand how he did it.”

Everyone in the meeting room frowned deeply.

A researcher with messy hair and a distinct fortune-teller aura sighed, “Researching this is useless…”

“Maybe his ability is just direct locating?”

…

“Heh!”

Professor Bai chuckled not really wanting to engage with her then addressed the crowd again. “Or rather try to think how could he possibly achieve this?”

Several professors and researchers discussed in low voices for a moment.

At this moment Professor Chen who wore glasses and whose hairline had receded to the back of his head raised the pen in his hand. “If we rule out the possibility that he’s omniscient knowing the Knight Orders’ location just by thinking about it or that he planted a tracker on them earlier then there’s only one explanation for how he could find their location so quickly…”

Reaching this point he himself seemed a bit uncertain paused then said, “It might not be perfectly rigorous but at least it has logic.”

Professor Bai smiled slightly. “Old Chen we all know what’s going on. Just say it.”

Professor Chen nodded stood up and marked Blackwater Town’s location on the whiteboard map behind him. “Blackwater Town is at least over 700 kilometers from Qinggang City. For them to reach this place in just one day can only mean…”

The pen in his hand stretched out drawing a long straight line. “He intended to go here from the start.”

Several professors watched him intently.

The plump researcher with the wig asked, “Why would he go there?”

“Two possibilities!”

Professor Chen stated, “One he knew they were there. Two he guessed they were there.”

“Guessed?”

A faint stir went through the meeting room.

“Yes guessed.”

Professor Chen emphasized his tone then circled several areas on the map. “Try to imagine: after escaping the Second Satellite City those Knight Orders members aside from lingering for that first half hour must have been eager to flee. But in the wasteland their supplies are a major issue. To travel long distances their food water and gasoline are all big problems.”

“Therefore for a meticulous Knight Orders I believe they would definitely need a suitable resupply point. They certainly wouldn’t go to points too close to Qinggang because we have many people there. If it’s too far they wouldn’t be able to hold out…”

As he spoke he circled several surrounding settlements. “So the only places that fit their needs are these few.”

“And our initial investigation already confirmed they fled south…”

“Therefore south of Qinggang City the only place that meets these conditions is Blackwater Town.”

…

Professor Chen’s words brought a moment of silence to the meeting room.

Professor Bai seated at the head of the table nodded with a smile.

“I have a question…”

A female researcher in a white lab coat spoke up. “There are many places where they could resupply gasoline food and water. They wouldn’t necessarily choose here. For concealment or safety some smaller settlements might be more suitable choices.”

“But those aren’t the only things they need to replenish.”

Professor Chen answered softly placing his hands on the conference table. “They have a Puppet-type ability user among them. This is considered a fairly well-understood power system. We all know that the limit for a First Stage Puppet-type ability user is controlling ten Mentally Modified individuals. And without Mentally Modified individuals nearby a Puppet-type ability user isn’t very strong.”

“Since they intend to escape they must prepare to deal with pursuing enemies.”

“Therefore this Puppet-type ability user should also be eager to replenish the number of Mentally Modified individuals around him.”

“From the previous investigation of the Second Satellite City when ambushing Colonel Chen and Single Soldier six Mentally Modified individuals were destroyed. And three more were found when cleaning up the battlefield below the South Wall of the Second Satellite City. So we have reason to suspect that the Puppet-type ability user has nearly exhausted his supply of Mentally Modified individuals. Even adding our two agents the number is far from enough.”

“So the resupply point they choose besides food water and gasoline must satisfy one more condition.”

He paused slightly then stated, “A labor market!”

He emphasized these words then continued:

“Among these potential resupply locations only Blackwater Town can meet all their conditions!”

…

The meeting room grew quiet.

“That is my inference…”

Professor Chen then added slowly his tone heavy, “Single Soldier has all the information regarding this Knight Order including the most detailed military maps of the surrounding area. Moreover right after leaving the city they already received information from the Investigation Team at the abandoned city ten kilometers out indicating that the Knight Order members fled south.”

“If at that time he quickly synthesized and analyzed the information ultimately inferring the possibility that the Knight Orders fled to Blackwater Town for resupply then directly rushed there with Gecko at top speed and found our two missing agents by the roadside not far from Blackwater Town corroborating his theory…”

He paused slightly lightly tapping the table. “Then everything makes sense.”

For a moment the meeting room was utterly silent.

“Very good.”

After a while Professor Bai at the head of the table nodded gently. “We can analyze it from this angle for now.”

Many in the meeting room nodded silently.

Some even felt a hidden sense of relief: “So it can be explained after all…”

Only the female occult studies expert rubbed her face helplessly. “I still maintain he just directly located them…”

The people in the meeting room looked at each other ignored her and began analyzing and recording.

“Also…”

As the meeting room finally settled into busy silence a girl in a military uniform gently raised her hand:

“What arrangements should we make regarding their investigation in Blackwater Town?”

…

Hearing this Professor Bai didn’t answer but turned to look at Minister Shen on the screen.

“Monitor their every move!”

Even through the screen Minister Shen conveyed an icy authority his voice coming out indifferent. “Have the Special Task Force immediately proceed to the outskirts of Blackwater Town and wait ten li away. The moment there’s a distress signal storm the place immediately…”

Saying this as if still not satisfied he continued, “If necessary authorize the use of ultra-long-range plasma weapons!”

“Just flatten it for me!”