Wasteland Hideout: Upgrading from the Sewers

Chapter 256: Black Fire and Blood Bone Night Talk, The Threat of Eden

Thug Prison.

Executor Blackfire, accompanied by mechanical-enhanced Gus, drove away from the prison, heading toward the Northern Wilderness.

The combat vehicle sped down the street.

"Sir, sorry, I couldn't complete the task you assigned." Gus said anxiously.

Blackfire's face was like frost. Hearing Gus, he only shook his head slightly.

"This isn't your fault. I know Bloodbone's temper. This was a sudden order from headquarters. Given your position and strength, it won't affect what Bloodbone decides."

"Then... are we really going to withdraw?" Gus asked, unwilling to accept it.

"Shiva died here. If we evacuate now and return later, who knows what the Black Shield Police Department and the Aurora Animal Assistance Association will have developed into by then!"

Blackfire said nothing, but what Gus said was exactly what he feared.

Green Forest City was a city Blackfire highly valued; it bordered land and sea and even had an existing large port.The resources around the city were abundant. If they could take it, they could project influence over the surrounding region.

It would inevitably become an important hub for the Mechanical Vanguard Society on the Naxi Continent.

That was why Blackfire had always wanted to seize it.

But the emergence of the Aurora Animal Assistance Association stalled his expansion plan at the first step.

That was something Blackfire could not tolerate.

"Unfortunately, headquarters is unwilling to send more mechanized warriors now. Otherwise, if just one squad arrived, they could have easily dealt with the Aurora Animal Assistance Association."

Blackfire sighed inwardly.

"But leaving like this, I really can't accept it."

The two quickly left Green Forest City and entered the Northern Wilderness, racing onward.

Two hours later, they slowly arrived at the Xianda Feed Factory.

They entered the feed factory.

Looking at dozens of vehicles loaded with supplies and heavy equipment.

Blackfire breathed a sigh of relief.

There was still room since these supplies hadn't been sent off.

After getting out of the vehicle, Blackfire went to the feed factory's office building and met a man dressed similarly to him.

Only this man's mechanical modifications far exceeded those of both Gus and even Blackfire.

"Bloodbone, is this so serious with this so-called extreme climate? They actually want us all to evacuate." Blackfire asked eagerly upon meeting him.

"Blackfire, I've been thinking about this too, but the Strategy Department defined this extreme climate as 'disaster-level.' I think you know what that means. For safety, having all outlying members return is the safest course of action." Bloodbone said coldly.

"I understand these are standard organizational procedures, but leaving outright like this really irks me," Blackfire said, frowning.

"That Aurora Animal Assistance Association, they possess a technique to mutate ordinary animals into spiritual creatures. That's dangerous technology we need to recover. If we withdraw now and come back later, it will be hard to handle."

"A mutation technique?" Bloodbone's eyes flickered with thought.

"This technique is indeed very dangerous. Didn't you report this information to headquarters?"

"I reported it. I applied to mobilize a squad of mechanized warriors to clear that faction and reclaim the technology. But..." Blackfire sighed.

"But the Council didn't agree and only sent two warriors. That can't form effective combat power."

Huh...

Bloodbone snorted, showing a knowing expression.

As the executor who had specially transported supplies from the Terra Continent, he knew more than Blackfire.

He immediately said, "Don't expect more. Getting those two mechanized fighters here was already quite good."

"Right now, EDEN is applying heavy pressure to our frontlines, with significant casualties. Mobilizing an entire squad here isn't realistic."

"If I'm not mistaken, the two mechanized people assigned to you were probably newly completed recruits just out of modification!"

"That's... correct!" Blackfire nodded.

"Exactly! Only fresh recruits would likely be sent to you..."

"Bloodbone, what exactly is going on? Haven't we traced the origin of the creatures EDEN controls?"

Blackfire still couldn't understand why the organization's strong position had suddenly become like this.

Bloodbone sighed.

"EDEN runs deep. For now we only know that EDEN is suspected to be connected with a religious organization, something like the Orthodox Church!"

"And those creatures may have been provided by that Orthodox Church."

The Orthodox Church!!!

Blackfire's gaze suddenly flickered.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Bloodbone immediately noticed Blackfire's abnormal expression.

"Do you know that organization?" Bloodbone asked.

Blackfire shook his head lightly, his voice uncertain as he said, "I've never heard of the Orthodox Church either, but coincidentally, the faction I just mentioned that masters the mutation technology—our investigation suggests they're backed by a sect called the cult."

Blackfire looked at Bloodbone.

"Do you think that's just a coincidence?"

Bloodbone's movement stalled slightly as he looked at Blackfire.

"Is that true? Did you report this to the organization? How do you know the cult is behind them?"

"No, I couldn't confirm the intelligence's authenticity yet, so I didn't report it to the organization."

"As for the source, oddly enough, some time ago a local group I controlled captured a slave who seemed to know a lot about Johnck Zoo. He provided much information, including that the zoo might be connected to a religious organization called the cult."

Bloodbone fell silent, but the constant flickering of his mechanical eye showed this matter was not simple.

"Blackfire, I think we need to report this immediately. It might be more important than I imagined."

"No way!"

"No... Blackfire..."

"Aren't you reluctant to withdraw? This might be your last chance... If this cult really has any connection to that Orthodox Church, and you take this faction and obtain detailed intelligence on the Orthodox Church, imagine how much military merit that would bring!"

"Bloodbone, you don't mean..."

Blackfire hadn't expected Bloodbone to be this bold.

"Exactly. If I co-sign the report with you, it will immediately draw the Council's attention. Otherwise, if our message reaches headquarters without the right trigger words, no one will notice."

Blackfire understood Bloodbone's meaning: co-signing would bind Bloodbone to the matter.

If they later extracted Orthodox Church intelligence from this faction, Bloodbone would also get credit.

But to get the Council's attention immediately, co-signing was the only path.

And Bloodbone held higher status in the organization than Blackfire. With Bloodbone's co-signature, applications that previously failed would be taken seriously by the Council.

As Bloodbone said, it was the only option.

Blackfire looked at Bloodbone and nodded slightly.

"No problem, but... my forces alone are insufficient to take that faction. You must..."

Before he finished, Bloodbone burst into laughter.

"Don't worry, I understand that part..."