Chapter 50

Shang Jianyao, upon hearing this, said as if in deep thought:

"Vicious, decisive, and thorough, was this a premeditated act of revenge?"

In his view, it might not necessarily be revenge, but it was definitely premeditated and targeted.

Jiang Baimian looked at the bright and clear cave entrance and said after some thought:

"Not necessarily.

"It could also be that the residents of Black Rat Town were exposed for some reason, and someone discovered this cave. Whether it was their identity or the weapons and ammunition they obtained from the company, or the food they stored for winter, all of these could have attracted intense malice.

"Initially, the attackers probably didn't think about concealing their identities or erasing traces, as possessing a thermobaric bomb is a relatively obvious characteristic. Perhaps, after the battle, while searching for supplies, they found the radio and suspected that Black Rat Town had established a connection with a major force, becoming a vassal. To avoid retaliation, they hastily cleaned up the battlefield."

Bai Chen had no way to determine if this was premeditated or a coincidence, so he could only provide some relatively clear conclusions from his perspective:

"Without considering the motive, what we can tentatively confirm is:

"First, the attacking team had a level of organization above average. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to clean up the battlefield so thoroughly, leaving us almost no clues. This basically rules out the possibility that they were a few bandit groups hastily assembled.

"Second, the ability to possess thermobaric bombs and individual combat weapons indicates that the attacking team's strength is also above average, and their reputation is not insignificant."

Seeing that Shang Jianyao seemed a bit puzzled, Bai Chen added:

"In the Ashlands, there are very few teams that hide their strength. Only by fully demonstrating their power can they intimidate followers and surrounding enemies, and secure sufficient resources.

"In this regard, perhaps only major forces, lone wolves, and small teams of a few people can be exceptions. However, among the former, most initially built their strength through every bullet and every fight. It's only after reaching a certain level of strength that they engage in strategic concealment. As for the latter two, they generally don't hide their strength during battles; it's just that there are fewer witnesses, allowing them to control the situation effectively."

Jiang Baimian nodded:

"Additionally, the current situation allows us to deduce another detail:

"The attackers must have been at least twenty, no, thirty or more. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to so cleanly and decisively eliminate the outer guards of Black Rat Town, nor would the townspeople have voluntarily retreated into the cave, not attempting a counterattack, but only considering evacuation through the backup passage."

Shang Jianyao couldn't help but nod in agreement.

This reasoning seemed so simple, yet he hadn't thought of it earlier:

If the attackers were few in number, with the scale of Black Rat Town, which had two to three hundred people and various weapons provided by Pangu Bio, even if the attackers were better equipped, they could have been repelled.

"Right," Bai Chen said, glancing at the area not illuminated by the flashlight. "From the gunshot wounds on some of the bodies, the attackers' weapons were quite varied, almost ruling out the possibility of a major force's military. Of course, the attackers might have fired additional shots to create this impression, but a major force's military wouldn't fear retaliation and has no need to do so."

Shang Jianyao gradually got used to such discussions and began to participate:

"We can also rule out the 'Slave Hunters.' For them, the most valuable asset is the population. Massacring the entire Black Rat Town doesn't fit their style."

"Indeed, even subhumans can mine. The residents of Black Rat Town are especially skilled in this. Even if there are concerns about disease and mutation, they can be separated from ordinary slaves and supervised with long-range weapons," Jiang Baimian said casually, not worrying about grammar.

She then asked:

"Anything else?"

Shang Jianyao thought for a moment and said:

"The attacking team might not have more than thirty core members.

"They could have used seven or eight core members to lead dozens of external vassals. After all, as long as they appear formidable on the surface, it works.

"After the battle, when cleaning up the battlefield and erasing traces, the core members could personally handle or supervise the process, achieving the same good effect."

Jiang Baimian nodded in satisfaction:

"We can't rule out this possibility.

"Combining all the previous points and considering the dialogue in the voice recorder, we can initially outline some characteristics of the attacking team:

"In the first scenario, a human team with more than thirty members, a significant reputation, ruthless and experienced, equipped with powerful weapons like thermobaric bombs and individual combat weapons, not belonging to or dependent on a major force, and not currently lacking food.

"In the second scenario, the core members are fewer than ten, with a large number of vassals or cooperative teams."

After summarizing, Jiang Baimian's lips curled slightly, but without a hint of a smile:

"In the first scenario, although similar teams are not uncommon in the Ashlands, they are not numerous, especially those nearby or those who have recently arrived. By interacting more with the surrounding wilderness wanderers and ruin hunters, we should quickly narrow down the main suspects and investigate them one by one.

"In the second scenario, with vassals and cooperative teams, many things can't be truly kept secret. With many people, it's hard to keep things quiet. Additionally, the resources they harvest, apart from what they use, will also be traded, providing clues.

"By the way, when we search the area around this small hill, if it's the second scenario, we can't rule out the possibility that the seven or eight core members, to maintain secrecy, eliminated their vassals and collaborators after the deed."

As she spoke, Jiang Baimian walked toward the cave entrance, muttering:

"Why don't you discuss this outside? Isn't it uncomfortable to bend and crouch here?"

Shang Jianyao was still somewhat in shock from the massacre at Black Rat Town and hadn't realized that the team leader had largely returned to normal, at least on the surface, so he hurriedly followed.

Outside, after informing Long Yuehong of the general situation, Shang Jianyao asked:

"Team leader, what should we do next? Besides searching the surrounding area for signs of a cover-up."

Jiang Baimian glanced back at the cave:

"This is a major incident. Don't we have emergency signal flares in the car? Fire them to let the company know what's happening here. Yes, we need to go to a higher place, so even if the company's outer guards are too far away to see, other vassal forces in different locations will see and send telegrams to notify them."

"This will attract many wilderness wanderers, bandit groups, and ruin hunters, won't it..." Bai Chen looked toward the entrance of Black Rat Town, slightly worried.

Jiang Baimian nodded lightly:

"Indeed. For those who need to store food for winter, this is a good catch. Clean it, salt it, and dry it, and it's a bountiful harvest."

"Team leader, that's terrifying..." Long Yuehong couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Jiang Baimian glanced at him:

"I said it deliberately to help you and Shang Jianyao adapt quickly. Otherwise, when you see similar scenes, you might be strongly impacted and take a while to recover.

"Ha, in the Ashlands, the probability of encountering such situations is not low."

She didn't elaborate further, thinking for a moment:

"Let's go to the top of the neighboring hill or hilltop to fire the signal flares, drawing the ruin hunters and wilderness wanderers in that direction.

"As for the company, this area only has Black Rat Town as a collaborator. As long as it's within the relevant range, no matter where the emergency signal flares are fired, they will first think of Black Rat Town."

As she spoke, she looked at Long Yuehong, who was wearing an exoskeleton suit:

"Find some large rocks around and bring them back to block the cave entrance. Also, block the backup passage. This will prevent wild animals from coming and destroying the traces, and it will also prevent the ruin hunters and wilderness wanderers who search this area from discovering the cave's existence. With the equipment they have, even if they find it, it will be very difficult for them to clear the blocked entrance, while the company's people are very professional."

Long Yuehong easily understood the team leader's instructions and began searching for rocks far beyond human limits, which could only be moved with the exoskeleton suit.

After moving all the bodies back to Black Rat Town, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others cleaned up the bloodstains while watching Long Yuehong, covered in iron-black metal, bring the rocks to first block the backup exit and then the cave entrance.

"Alright, let's go back to the jeep and fire the signal flares elsewhere," Jiang Baimian gazed at the pile of disguised rocks for a few seconds before turning away.

Just before getting in the car, she paused and turned back:

"After firing the signal flares, we'll find a hidden place nearby to set up camp.

"Until the company's people arrive, we need to stay here to prevent any unexpected situations and avoid the scene being compromised. Also, we can submit the information about the city ruins and the monk sect."

Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen had no objections to this arrangement, considering it a necessary development.

Compared to a small task like delivering water purification device filter chips, which could take a few days or even half a month, this was clearly more important.

"It will probably take two to three days," Jiang Baimian smiled slightly. "Just in time to train your wilderness survival skills."

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong to respond, she walked to the driver's seat, opened the door, and got in.

About ten minutes later, on the top of a hill further southwest, Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong stood quietly at the edge.

Jiang Baimian didn't immediately fire the emergency signal flare from the grenade launcher. She waited until a cloud passed, blocking the sun and dimming the light, before pulling the trigger.

With a bang, a bright red light exploded in the sky, like a blooming bloodthirsty flower.

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