Chapter 125: Setting Off for Jinling!

Chapter 125: Departure, heading for Jinling!

In fact, Chen Jian never intended to let Bai Xu live from the very beginning.

This wasn't due to any 'conflict of interest', nor was it self-preservation; rather, it was a rather 'simple' sense of justice.

After all, that's the education he's received since childhood—those who deal with poison meet a bad end, let alone using drugs to control civilians.

The people of Huadu took that step, so however they die, it's hardly unjust.

As for any possible retaliation they might launch—

Frankly, Chen Jian couldn't care less.

Hell, I've nuked the Mechanical God Sect with a nuclear bomb; do I really need to worry about a petty Huadu?

If pushed, I'll just toss another one at your head—then you'll behave.

Thus, amid Bai Xu's astonishment, fear, and incomprehension, Chen Jian ordered his merciful execution.

And after thoroughly checking all of Bai Xu's personal belongings, Chen Jian discovered, to his surprise, a pleasant bonus.

The gold used as currency weighed a kilogram, and he also carried an unidentified-model silenced pistol with over twenty specialized subsonic rounds—though lacking firepower, it was perfect for various infiltration operations, somewhat alleviating the squad's shortage of silenced weapons.

Besides that, his wooden crate held a 125‑watt shortwave radio; though old, most of its functions worked well, with an estimated communication range of about 800 kilometers—enough to cover the distance from Huangshi to Jinling.

Chen Jian had been thinking that if the squad left Huangshi, they'd need to figure out where to get a radio to set up at home for later long‑range communication needs.

Now it's solved—no extra money needed; they literally delivered it to his door.

Sometimes luck arrives, and there's simply no stopping it.

By this point, preparations for the journey to Jinling were essentially complete. After two days of rest and training in Huangshi City, awaiting the shipment promised by the Round‑Ring Chamber of Commerce, confirming once more that the city's work assignments were arranged and running smoothly, Chen Jian mustered the troops and readied to set out for Jinling.

Through two days of communication and adjustment, the hostility between the squad and Ji Xing had considerably diminished.

She had personally witnessed the respect Huangshi City's residents showed Chen Jian and his comrades, and saw their efforts to keep this modest town going.

The people here

Their lives were undergoing real, tangible change.

Although she couldn't fully grasp what they were doing, she could indeed feel that their actions were meaningful.

Following behind Chen Jian, Ji Xing, slightly hesitant, climbed onto the already packed cat‑cart.

Just as Xie Liu and the others had been when they first saw the cat‑cart, she was amazed by its power, but even more surprising than this 'equipment' was something else.

'You're just leaving like that?'

Ji Xing spoke up:

'Do you really feel safe leaving these civilians behind in Huangshi?'

'You've left so much equipment, so much technology—when you return, will they still obey your commands?'

Sitting beside her, Chen Jian shook his head and replied:

'This, too, is part of the test.'

'If we return and find Huangshi City has changed beyond what we predicted, that would mean our lenient policy here was mistaken.'

'When that happens, we will naturally adjust those policies.'

'But honestly, do you blood‑blessed ones really have no faith in ordinary people at all?'

'I have faith!'

Ji Xing hadn't yet spoken when Li Shi, wearing his 'brand‑new' armor in the rear seat, hastily interjected; Chen Jian smiled and said:

'When I say blood‑blessed, I don't mean you—you are now the Huaxia Army, that's your new identity.'

'Understood.'

Li Shi nodded thoughtfully, while Ji Xing answered:

'We're not lacking faith in ordinary people; we lack faith in human nature on this wasteland.'

'Everyone here does only two things.'

'When they can't survive, they do everything they can to stay alive.'

'When they can survive, they do everything they can to make others unable to survive.'

'This is the competition of survival—human versus human, hardly different from human versus monster.'

'Resources are limited; what I take, others cannot have.'

'Under these circumstances, why should we trust ordinary people?'

The words fell, and Chen Jian sighed helplessly.

Then he spoke solemnly:

'You hold this view because your premise is wrong.'

'Resources are in fact infinite; it's just that the people here either won't or can't make use of them.'

'It's like when you asked me yesterday why Huangshi City already has enough firewood, yet our people still chop trees every day, constantly gathering more.'

'Do you remember how I answered?' 'You said that firewood is for generating electricity. But I don't get it—how important is electricity, really?'

Ji Xing asked, puzzled:

'At least to me, aside from lighting, powering communication devices, and driving a few extremely rare electric vehicles, electricity seems to have no other use.'

'That's exactly the difference.'

Chen Jian spread his hands and said:

'The people here use less than one percent of electricity; they've only picked up fragmented tricks from pre‑catastrophe knowledge.'

'They can't grasp how electrical industry massively boosts productivity—of course, that's not their fault.'

'After all, this world's technology hasn't yet reached the era of electrical appliances.'

'But for us it's different.'

'With sufficient power and the right equipment, we could practically manufacture anything, possess anything.'

'This is admittedly a distant vision, but if we don't even make a plan, how could we ever reach the far shore?'

'. I don't fully understand, but I roughly grasp what you mean.'

Ji Xing sighed:

'In short, you lot are a strange bunch.'

'Perhaps we can never become true allies, but at least our goals now align.'

'You were also planning to go to Jinling, right?'

'Yes.'

Chen Jian nodded and replied:

'This trip was already in the plan; you just happened to give us an extra reason.'

'To be honest, that's quite a coincidence.'

Actually, it's not a coincidence.

Ji Xing fell silent, reflecting, before speaking:

"I don't know how much you understand about this world, for from our conversation I sense that you are not really familiar with this place."

"But I want to tell you, Jinling is absolutely no ordinary city."

"After the great cataclysm, it became the largest city in the southern region, and that certainly happened for a reason."

"Even more, according to the records of the Hall of Holy Blood, two hundred years ago Jinling was a city akin to a mountain stronghold, a 'legendary city'."

"But humanity ultimately conquered that land, and naturally established a vast settlement there."

"So, if you find that everything you seek is concentrated in Jinling, frankly, it's not surprising at all."

"Because, it belongs there."

"Understood."

Chen Jian nodded in realization, then asked:

"Is Jinling really that different from Han Shui? From what I've learned so far, there doesn't seem to be much difference, right?"

"On the surface, of course there isn't much difference."

Ji Xing replied:

"But Jinling City, including the secrets hidden in its ruins, is nothing Han Shui can compare to."

"It's quite normal that your companions don't know; they aren't even Source-Blooded, and thus have no right to access those secrets."

"In short, all your questions will be answered once you reach Jinling."

"No matter what you seek, I wish you success."

"After all, it benefits me as well."

"Thank you."

Chen Jian spoke in a relaxed tone:

"However, we won't head straight for Jinling."

"Along the way, we have plenty to do."

"For example?"

Ji Xing interjected, asking:

"For instance, we must first go to the Anqing ruins."

"There, a sizable band of blood skeletons is active; according to the Ring Merchants' Guild, they are well-equipped, numerous, and often bring incomprehensible gear into Anqing City to raid."

"We must go there and wipe them out."

"Then we will uncover their nest and see what lies within!"

(End of chapter)