Chapter 101: "You Detonated a Nuclear Bomb"

Chapter 101: 'You detonated a nuclear bomb'

These few words struck Chen Jian with an impact even stronger than when he first saw a monster in this world.

A nuclear bomb?

This is not a term that could have been passed down from antiquity, nor does it have any connection to a low-productivity society.

It has no derivatives, nor any ambiguity.

It refers to that kind of war weapon capable of destroying heaven and earth!

Chen Jian had thought such a thing had long been completely forgotten, gradually lost amid humanity's long suffering.

But now it seems.

And yet someone still remembers it!

Does that mean that the profound knowledge related to it is also remembered by someone??

Chen Jian's expression was complex, hard to tell whether he was shocked or excited, and the rest of the team reacted similarly.

He took a deep breath and spoke to Zeng Yi:

'Bring that ring merchant over; I have questions for him.'

'Understood.'

Zeng Yi turned and left.

He also recognized the two words 'nuclear bomb,' though he had only heard them from Chen Jian and his companions.

And after witnessing that explosion, he understood even more clearly what those two words signified.

This should have been the greatest secret of the Huaxia Army of Huangshi City, yet now we discover that someone else in this world knows this secret??

This is a tremendous threat, and a threat must be dealt with!

He hurried to the room where Qin Yuan was temporarily detained, roughly dragging him before Chen Jian.

Chen Jian had no extra words; he directly asked:

'What is a nuclear bomb?'

Qin Yuan stared for a moment, then countered:

'What is a nuclear bomb?'

'You don't know??'

Chen Jian furrowed his brow, while Zeng Yi's long blade was already drawn, pressed against Qin Yuan's neck.

At that moment, Qin Yuan noticed the timing device opened nearby, instantly understood what had happened, and hastily replied:

'Sir, this is not something I can know!'

'The message from the leader may involve certain forbidden knowledge, which only the upper echelons of the Ring Merchant Association possess.'

'I am merely a messenger; I lack the qualifications and ability to comprehend such profound knowledge.'

'Therefore, I am certainly not intentionally concealing anything.'

'I truly do not know!'

His reaction showed no loopholes; Chen Jian stared into his eyes, trying to find a trace of deceit, but unfortunately found none.

He probably truly does not know.

In that case, the intentions of the Ring Merchant Association become quite clear.

They wish to make further, deeper contact with Huangshi City.

Thus they threw out the 'nuclear bomb' information, aiming to verify Huangshi City's true depth!

We must respond to this challenge.

But now Huangshi City is in the open while the Ring Merchant Association lurks in the shadows, leaving us overly passive.

This person absolutely cannot be let go lightly.

Although he is not a powerful bargaining chip, he is at least a chip!

'I want all information about your association—everything you know.'

'Tell me, and you may leave.'

Qin Yuan slowly shook his head and replied:

'Sir, this deal cannot be completed.'

'You can certainly obtain our information, but only after the first transaction is completed.'

'We can build a relationship of mutual trust through repeated transactions; then, everything you wish to know will have an answer.'

'Otherwise, even if you kill me, I will not reveal anything more.'

'I have plenty of ways to make you speak.'

Chen Jian had anticipated his reaction, and immediately said to Shen Yue:

'Prepare for interrogation.'

Shen Yue nodded and walked over to Qin Yuan.

He shrank back two steps, then said:

'If you still wish to maintain our cooperation, do not lay a hand on me!'

'You want information; the association has more, and harming me would only be counterproductive!'

'A joke—how can you guarantee that trade will continue if you let me go?'

Chen Jian sneered:

'Everyone says you are mysterious; to contact you, we must wait for you to come to us.'

'If I let you go, I may never find you again.'

'That would be a loss; I only want what I can obtain right now.'

'Tie him up.'

'Shen Yue, go disinfect, prepare to act.' 'No problem.'

At the command, Qin Yuan was immediately trussed up and bound to the chair.

Xie Liu and Zeng Yi pressed him from left and right, while Chen Jian crouched before him and asked:

'First question: where is your headquarters?'

Qin Yuan looked in terror at the scalpel in Shen Yue's hand, shaking his head desperately while shouting his reply:

'I don't know! I don't know!'

'We aren't that mysterious; you can still find us!'

'We simply don't disclose ourselves to outsiders! We have a outpost in Han Shui City!'

'That is not the answer I want.'

Shen Yue turned his gaze to Chen Jian, who gave a nod, and then—

With a single stroke, the skin on Qin Yuan's index finger was slit open from base to tip.

The searing pain made Qin Yuan jerk involuntarily, yet Shen Yue's motions did not cease.

The nail was ripped out, and the fingertip—where pain receptors are densest—bled profusely into the air.

Cold sweat beaded on Qin Yuan's forehead; he had no idea how much longer he could endure.

But he knew these people's methods were likely endless.

At that moment he finally understood: the timer protected not only that piece of information, but also himself.

One hour later.

Shen Yue washed his hands clean, stepped out of the interrogation room, and said to Chen Jian:

“We can’t squeeze anything out of him; he truly possesses no high‑level secrets.”

“He’s merely a peripheral member; most of what he’s spat out is useless nonsense.”

“I cross‑checked the information he gave with the data we already had on mimetic heresy, and it basically holds up as credible.”

“As for other matters—especially anything concerning the Ring Mercantile Guild—it’s of little value.”

“Their headquarters lies in Guang‑Shen; the core numbers about four hundred, with another four hundred to five hundred on the fringe.”

“Their technology is somewhat ahead of the Machine God Cult’s, though still limited.”

“According to him, their guard can wield automatic weapons just like we can, though they have few and rarely use them.”

“I asked him several key theoretical questions; he couldn’t answer the vast majority.”

“Yet strangely, he knows what an atom is, what a molecule is, and even grasps the concept of electromagnetic force.”

“The knowledge in his head feels as if it’s been split in two.”

“He knows the low‑level stuff, he knows the high‑level stuff, but the middle layer is completely missing.”

“I can’t make sense of it; this organization is truly bizarre.”

“If we want to further ascertain their nature and eliminate any potential risk, the only way is to make contact with them.”

“Then let’s make contact.”

Chen Jian let out a long breath, then continued:

“Actually, we are the ones taking the initiative; it is they who have asked to cooperate with us.”

“Therefore, this slight ‘offense’ against their envoy will not change their intentions.”

“Send Qin Yuan back, let him keep pushing the deal forward, and within tomorrow I want to see one of their senior members standing before me.”

“Also, bandage his wound and give him antibiotics—basically, don’t let him die.”

“Don’t worry, he won’t.”

Shen Yue nodded:

“Modern interrogation techniques hardly kill people easily—I’ll arrange it.”

“Go on.”

Half an hour later, the still‑trembling Qin Yuan stumbled onto the small boat Huangshi City had prepared for him and began rowing toward the opposite shore of Lake Zhi.

His expression was twisted in extreme agony; he had already resolved that, once back at the Guild, he would convince his superiors to cancel any cooperation with these barbarians.

No—not only should the cooperation be scrapped, we ought to drive the Machine God Cult and the Holy Blood Hall to annihilate them utterly!

Such a ruthless force has no place in this world; only their utter destruction is the path they deserve!——

However.

He did not know.

At that very moment, on a concealed high ground far from the lakeshore, someone stood watching his every move through an old, high‑powered telescope.

When they saw the blood‑stained bandage wrapped around his arm, they lowered the telescope and spoke with relief:

“The force of Huangshi City is exactly the one we’ve been seeking.”

“They are cautious, and they are intelligent.”

“Most importantly, they have understood the message the Leader conveyed.”

“We can report to the Leader.”

“Prepare to push forward cooperation with them.”

“Hope they… can go farther than those mimetic heretics.”

(End of chapter)