Chapter 260: 260, Add another new identity

At the scene where the God Machine Camp had met its fate, the Special Investigation Bureau agents furrowed their brows, gazing upon the mangled corpse of the God Machine Camp officer: "They chased a rabbit here, only to be ambushed by this peculiar flora?"

Initially, they had intended to examine the wounds, searching for anomalies—this was, after all, the first recorded instance of plants assaulting humans, and skepticism had clouded their judgment.

But the moment they beheld the thorny vines, their doubts dissolved. The vegetation appeared grotesquely menacing, and as they drew nearer, Ren Xiaosu commanded the thorny tendrils to writhe and snap with terrifying ferocity.

The Special Investigation Bureau agents declared, "You shall remain stationed here, refraining from unauthorized actions."

With that, they departed, for they had no viable alternative—interrogating each of the thousand personnel in this private unit would have been an insurmountable endeavor.

Moreover, their mission was solely to locate the private unit’s position; investigating spies would come later. For now, they needed to report back to the Special Investigation Bureau.

Watching them leave, Ren Xiaosu mused that Li’s faction must now be aware of the spy within their ranks, though they had yet to identify the primary source of infiltration.

After the agents’ departure, Ren Xiaosu met Tang Zhou as agreed that evening. Upon arrival, he cut straight to the point: "Has your Qing family dispatched any snipers here?"

Tang Zhou paused, bewildered: "No, and our unit has none either."

"Strange," Ren Xiaosu muttered, "when I sought out the remnants of the God Machine Camp, I found dozens of their officers slain by a single marksman."

"Such exaggeration—there are few snipers with that capability," Tang Zhou analyzed, "Your Yang Xiaojin possesses such skill. Could it be her?"

"Ahem," Ren Xiaosu replied, "The bullets aren’t from the brute’s arsenal. It’s unlikely to be her. Does the Yang family have any other formidable snipers?"

"None remain," Tang Zhou shook his head, then seemed to recall something: "Wait—no, over a decade ago, there was one. Your Yang Xiaojin likely learned her marksmanship from him. Though he’s aged now, by bloodline, he’d be her uncle. His physical prowess has waned; he couldn’t navigate a battlefield with such ease. I doubt it’s him."

"Could other factions have joined this war?" Ren Xiaosu wondered.

"Unlikely," Tang Zhou mused, "Foreign forces gain little from meddling in our southwestern territories. Only Huozhong Company, exploiting the chaos, scours the land under the guise of acquisitions, seeking the extraordinary."

"Does anyone oversee them?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"Indeed," Tang Zhou replied, "The three southwestern consortiums have reached consensus: eliminate any Huozhong operatives. They’ve gone underground, merely distributing flyers to civilians now."

"Have they captured any extraordinary individuals?" Ren Xiaosu inquired.

"A few," Tang Zhou admitted, "Many have only just awakened to their transcendent powers, their minds unrefined. They crave wealth, and Huozhong’s advertisements offer the swiftest path. They target those newly awakened, devoid of combat experience."

"Very well," Ren Xiaosu sighed, "There are fools indeed."

"But Huozhong won’t venture to the battlefield itself—they lurk within fortresses," Tang Zhou explained.

Ren Xiaosu grew increasingly convinced the sniper was Yang Xiaojin herself, save for the discrepancy in bullets. All other clues pointed to her.

Snipers abound, but few could fell dozens of God Machine Camp officers.

Yet why would Yang Xiaojin venture alone to the rear of the battlefield—to annihilate the God Machine Camp?

Suddenly, Tang Zhou spoke: "Commander Qing Zhen contacted me. Qing Yun has dispatched an elite unit to serve as Li’s envoys, negotiating cooperation. If you’re interested, you could eliminate them…"

Ren Xiaosu fell silent. After the Qing family dismantled the God Machine Camp, was he now to aid Qing Zhen in purging rivals?

"Didn’t Qing Yun perish?" Ren Xiaosu asked. "Why continue slaying this group?"

"After our combat brigade was disbanded, many soldiers were reassigned, often bullied by Qing Yun’s elite forces. Their methods were despicable. Qing Zhen wishes to prevent their return to Qing territory. Even if you refuse, he’ll act."

"Then why not strike them down directly?" Ren Xiaosu puzzled.

"This isn’t about your willingness to kill—it’s your merit within Li’s faction. The higher your rank, the greater the benefit to all," Tang Zhou chuckled.

"How many are there?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"Four hundred," Tang Zhou replied.

"What’s the point?" Ren Xiaosu scoffed, "I’d be the one to take the fall? Our private unit lacks combat prowess, and I’m not even its commander."

Tang Zhou lowered his voice: "Commander Qing Zhen says, if you agree, he can resolve your identity as the private unit’s officer. Their management is lax, promotions bought with coin."

Ren Xiaosu felt the battlefield growing ever more chaotic—what a tangled web.

Yet it seemed Qing Zhen’s faction already harbored a high-ranking spy, capable of appointing and dismissing officers in the private unit.

This was no simple matter—a unit’s mismanagement couldn’t be swayed by mere bribes. The Qing family must harbor someone of immense influence within Li’s ranks to dare such claims.

This person, at the very least, could alter the private unit’s officer records.

"You fear I’ll implicate your insider?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"Commander Qing Zhen says your role now outweighs his. Of course, if you’re compromised, we’ll arrange his covert departure from Li to avert mishaps," Tang Zhou replied.

"Very well," Ren Xiaosu reluctantly accepted.

"But his evacuation is no small feat—the Special Investigation Bureau is hunting spies relentlessly. He may not escape," Tang Zhou warned.

Ren Xiaosu’s expression darkened: "Shall I handle this matter?"

"What?" Tang Zhou blinked.

"You might not believe me," Ren Xiaosu said calmly, "I told you of my private unit identity, but I’m also a lieutenant in the Special Investigation Bureau…"

Tang Zhou was stunned—wasn’t Ren Xiaosu here to gather nanobot samples for the Yang family? How could he also hold a Special Investigation Bureau rank? Had the Yang family infiltrated the bureau?

"I can’t explain fully—the situation is complicated," Ren Xiaosu admitted.

Truthfully, Ren Xiaosu himself found his multiple identities bewildering, their origins shrouded in mystery…

…Thank you, Black Tiger Vanguard, for becoming this book’s new ally!