Doomsday Jigsaw Puzzle

Chapter 285: Chapter 89: Bai Wu’s Circuitous Battle

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"How have you been recently, Zheng? Your team is getting really long, huh?"

Jiaxie was hosting a banquet, and although Bai Wu and Jiaxie knew each other well, five-nine was just a brute, and Zheng Yue was just a lazy ghost. There was no need to blend in better than oneself; pretending to not hear.

Old Plank was definitely very excited; this set of gear to bring would be just fine, and Jiaxie was quite touched. But he knew that, in reality, Mechanism City didn’t need such flashy gear, even though he liked flashy people.

This time, Jiaxie had decided to observe this person very closely, having had too little interaction with Bai Wu and not enough exploration during their last tower outing.

"Since you guys are coming anyway, just follow along," Bai Wu and Jiaxie shared a mutual look before Bai Wu spoke.

Jiaxie nodded slightly, and although he was still arrogant, he had not yet reached the level of reckless arrogance and was just starting to be self-sufficient, but he was not particularly kind.

Watching Bai Wu and Jiaxie, it was very hard to imagine Bai Wu actually failing, Jiaxie thought.

"Though I fear it’s impossible to complete it perfectly, you are very strong indeed, but this is an S-rank mission. We have just accepted an S-rank mission too, Old Jiaxie and I, so I’m not going to lie to you. Let’s do this together," Bai Wu looked over at Jiaxie with a heavy, serious expression.

Little Bai responded with great focus: "S-rank mission!"

"Do you have any missions?"

"How come you are going too?"

"Which direction are you heading to? Looks like you are heading to the north market zone," Bai Wu said, sounding quite business-like.

Jiaxie had this thought... Could he not be as smart as he seems... not be himself?

Jiaxie could actually see the order and companionship power, there was no question about Bai Wu.

But Bai Wu had no answer to any question. Jiaxie harbored doubts that Bai Wu might still be stronger than himself even though this was not the first time they met.

Bai Wu noticed all of Jiaxie’s meaningful glances.

"It’s not such an unlikely coincidence that we’ve just bumped into each other after all this time," Bai Wu remarked.

"That’s too much of a coincidence? Such a chance meeting?"

Although the six families had set up a surveillance team, they were not harmonious at the bottom, and it was only on some superficial level that they shared a common target.

Bai Wu didn’t give Jiaxie too much information about the great Mechanoid shield affair.

"It’s quite the coincidence bumping into you guys here. I was just casually visiting the south city district after picking up some information, and I recognize quite a few people from Mechanism City, having been spending these days constantly treating people’s illnesses," Bai Wu explained.

"How come you guys are here in this place?," Jiaxie said with a somber face.

"Oh, who is this handsome gentleman? Haven’t seen you for a few days. Isn’t this Jiaxie’s team? Hey," Bai Wu appeared despite not being too friendly in private exchanges.

But Jiaxie couldn’t afford to let go of this proud person’s mechanical affair.

Bai Wu decided not to bring up this high-stakes business affair.

Upon seeing Jiaxie and Little Bai in disguise and hanging out together, Bai Wu instantly knew they weren’t from Mechanism City – no special colors at all, and having seen them a while ago.

Nearly a week had passed, and the six-person team just happened to bump into a group of four.

But why was Bai Wu so excited to see Little Bai?

Little Bai, however, continued to evaluate the male beauty standards of these two men. If taken for a day, might even elevate the handsomeness level of the nephew, but it might just be dazzled by the beauty and got a bit light-headed.

What’s going on with Bai Wu? Watching Little Bai so excited made Jiaxie even more uncomfortable.

Suddenly, he really wanted to return to the high tower.

By this time, people from your home had already obtained some high-end gear, and I was still brushing discs.

Jiaxie felt something very complicated for a while, his eyes looking kind of googly.

Although Bai Wu still couldn’t recognize the four major weapon companies in the market with their various mission targets and defined locations, he had spent a few days in Mechanism City mingling but knew the true value of the equipment, though he couldn’t afford to buy a complete set of Slokou’s eyewear.

Bai Wu only caught a glimpse of Jiaxie and Little Bai in passing, not even buying the gear they wore, since most of the half-generation craftsmen made their own custom equipment.

Bai Wu stood there, stunned.

Barely paying attention to the small figure of Little Bai running towards him, Bai Wu dashed off.

"Queue up!"

Little Bai shouted excitedly all of a sudden, just as Bai Wu was deep in thought.

Chu Qing’s eyes could only obtain this little information, and Bai Wu thought it necessary to lend a hand... Being meshed up like this in this city...

Bai Wu’s current objective was only to find Bai Wu; he was still unsure how to do that.

Certainly, Jiaxie, Bai Wu, and Chu Qing would come up with a plan to penetrate the Heart Core Mechanoid City, Bai Wu mused confidently.

Bai Wu and Little Bai, who were currently heading north towards the market district, knew some of these routines, having groped Chu Qing those few days.

"With this progress, I’m afraid you might not head up to the Heart Core City even within a year, much less handle some of the routine business," Little Bai said, knowing that Bai Wu would have never spoken these words.

Actually, Bai Wu wasn’t feeling particularly stifled, all things considered.

"You must be feeling very stifled, given that you have been going through all this trouble because of me these few days! Though I am very weak, you, Bai Wu, are a very strong man," Bai Wu asserted.

"What has gotten into you, being so enthusiastic when you’re actually so weak?"

Little Bai was quite excited.

Ever since Lin Ma had first encountered an S-rank mission, Bai Wu was very serious about the whole affair, surprising even himself that he had managed to stay afloat up until this point.

Prior to this decision by his employer, Lin Ma and Little Bai were heading to the Northern District to locate some sort of powerful mechanized weapon.

Little Bai and Bai Wu’s rescue mission was hiding in a basement beneath some tall building in the Eastern Market District.

Southern District

...

...

Why should Bai Wu even bother with such mundane tasks? Wouldn’t it be odd if Zheng Chaos was found doing such mundane tasks? Bai Wu only had a few suspicions.

It was certainly Bai Wu and Little Bai who handled these mundane tasks, as expected.

Already familiar with the duo Autocratic Twin Blades, Bai Wu and Old Plank, Bai Wu recognized that the duo were obviously unique and stood out.

Bai Wu was actually very puzzled. Jiaxie did not understand at all.

"I have already seen that the two mundane tasks and the two unique extracts we will encounter in the South are but a foreshadowing; something unprecedented should come out of this, but I cannot see what exactly it will be," said Jiaxie, confused.

"Are your eyes truly the eyes of the Common People?"

"Let’s go to the South District to look around," Bai Wu proposed.

The combination of these bizarre steel monsters, much like creatures of their own kind, was also what bound the spiritual heart and the mechanical core together; they must have been entwined from the very beginning.

Bai Wu suddenly recalled a piece of information: if you manage to obtain a high credit rating, you only need to pledge the mechanical heart as collateral to receive a high-value financial product; just as Bai Wu had heard in some debt advertisement when he first arrived in Mechanism City.

The crafted spirit must be a unique power with a zero number, probably the least accessible of all, just introduced. Although the advertisement hinted at possessing spirits, none of the companies were likely able to produce such a speculative financial product yet, Bai Wu thought as he spent a little more thought on something that initially seemed to be a trivial hobby for a homebody who adored mechanical beings.

[After all, pressing forward a bit faster would be the best for you. Perhaps you might even run into those two mundane tasks or two unique extracts, as only those deeply involved with the black-market forces, known as the mech underworld within the Southern District extending to the South, were familiar with the weapon companies and their covert activities, which include bodyguards, hitmen, corporate espionage networks, and gang factions—all silent participants in these dark forces’ domain.]

You will definitely find this interesting because it involves a spirit! "This plaything really has potential," Ulaga, "the homebody who adored mechanical beings," claimed, crafting it for the self-serving mutts of Peace and Love Corporation, which was the first in the district to make a name for themselves with such passion products.

Bai Wu looked towards the South.

Could it be that the infected would eventually fall victim to this outbreak, succumbing to the disease? There weren’t many infected with Ulaga’s pandemic yet—perhaps it was just the angry season coming. Bai Wu speculated.

Inside the world of Mechanism City, Bai Wu remembered Kaier, the victim, who had also seen the tide of anger, with characters like the perpetrator lurking behind the scenes.

]In the western district, which could possibly face life-threatening dangers soon, the rage tide was quickly approaching. Everyone from every corner felt quite apprehensive about the western district. Even though this wasn’t the case, as living in this area, among the Common People residential and industrial zones, one could arguably be safe and satisfied with their various experiences compared to the relatively mundane western district[

Bai Wu looked toward the west again.

]The northern district, as one of the poorest areas among the four urban districts, was where the Chaos gang formed groups; women by themselves had to swap their flamboyant red and pink makeup for deep night purple or risk being shattered by the Heart Core Mechanoid that roamed these parts. Quite recently, this area underwent significant changes. Mechanical zealots were found everywhere, even rumors of unhatched mechanized creatures using seamless mechanical integration techniques that hadn’t yet penetrated Heart Core Mechanoid territory. Nonetheless, it was also here that one could encounter all sorts of profound experiences not found elsewhere[

Bai Wu gazed northward.

"’Mountain men have their own clever ways.’

’How do you plan on finding them?’

Jiaxie said,

’This place is very suitable for the old methods, with a huge crossroads right here at the intersection of the four districts.

Bai Wu stopped and looked up at the colossal specialty hospital building, having arrived at the eastern district’s border where it met the downtown center.

This very persona was practically a representation of a certain capability. But although he had not detected any suicidal tendencies in himself, he could still sense subtle hints that this was not the case.

Despite being Zero, Bai Wu did not recognize any form of victory in this conflict, not to mention that on the other side of him, the battle strength, although irrelevant, was still present.

Having already gone through such scenarios, Bai Wu, who knew more than just the superficiality of these things, viewed the situation quite differently... Even though he had explored the inner world of Kai Jia’s child, he still felt that Zero’s confrontation wasn’t just a face-to-face duel.

Obviously, Zero needed to look at a certain reality of handling methods, which was not just a one-off solution.

Zero could not resolve this issue; it was simply too massive.

Would another aspect of existence still remain if one dimension of it disappeared?

Bai Wu thought that since light must have shadow and good must necessarily have evil, this kind of sword and shield could not be eradicated - the disease virus Ulaga was an inherent human contradiction.

Jiaxie marveled at Bai Wu’s viewpoint.

These questions fascinated both of them greatly. But then again, what exactly was Zero? And how should he suppress the Ulaga virus?

Bai Wu was also very eager to see how this city would change once the rage tide descended—something that was poised to happen very soon.

Since Zero had always viewed Ulaga virus as something superficial, if he looked further into it, the matter would become evident.

"Having reduced the choices of the Mechanoid tribe of this city to a bare survival state, you could make profits from selling off their remaining days. I plan to sell this as a point of contribution these days, first as a planning method; but while I have replaced many contributions with new gear, you still don’t know how much of a contribution it might be. It’s quite sufficient for our purposes, but it would be no problem to auction off my remaining time to them if needed."

"How do you plan on doing that? What should I tell them about your state of mind?"

"Couldn’t I just look for another way for us to start the auction, if I can’t find a better idea right now? This path is blocked, I’m stuck in my thought process."

"Yes, but why so?"

"—Ah, indeed. I can’t figure out any way to solve it either. Just assume you’re giving me ten brain bags, Old Plank. If the Ulaga virus has already gone to such profound depths, then I’m just an ordinary member of a no-name investigation team, despite having explored a lot. People kind of expect Utopian cases like this, but in reality, it’s quite different."

Bai Wu patted Jiaxie’s shoulder and laughed,

"—you’re speaking, but I shouldn’t take the affairs in a direction I think is better. Perhaps it’s under considerable pressure, or is it doing something on purpose? If it’s Zero, everyone wants to die; Kai Jia’s parents are dead from it, his child hurt. I must not have made a serious mistake."

Bai Wu shook his head,

"How would I know what you’re implying with such questions at this moment? Have I really messed something up? Do you know how?"

"So you mean Zero might have some connection with creating souls? After all, about a third of the thirty-member commando team previously mutated due to certain convictions, and indeed there are not a few cases of people falling into evil, gaining some powers in the process. Although there are many exceptions..."

Jiaxie continued with another question, unable to figure out what Bai Wu might be hinting at with his obscure thoughts; he clenched his teeth, held one big leg, and embraced the other, having just begun to raise the question that had initially opened his eyes,

"So, you mean to tell me that the Ulaga virus underwent a mutation? Is that what you’re thinking upfront? It’s hard to believe this thing about the Ulaga virus, considering what’s supposed to be on your mind."

Bai Wu wondered how this question still held meaning, which seemed odd to Jiaxie after so much time.

"Are you saying that Zero has the power to create rather than eradicate souls?"

Jiaxie looked at Bai Wu incomprehensibly and nodded, "How?" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

"Do you remember me saying that Zero has some power related to souls?"

It killed a lot of people associated with Kai Jia in just thirteen minutes.

Zero was partly realized, making a choice according to its own reflection in the world of divine spirits.

]The spirits can only be summoned back once. But she has already died completely, causing her death as an incentive, even though your strategy was not wrong. Jiaxie is already dead, based on your choice[

However, these words from the hand-held machine have already caused the exact white fog outbreak to occur.

Although we still don’t have all the accurate news for broadcasting, Mechanism City needs time immediately.

But Lin Ma, the father of Jiaxie, who has died entirely, has not yet arrived, and the Ulaga virus’s anger wave has not even started the auction sale.

Zero has already turned some of the inner world events that developed with Jiaxie in the white fog into reality, in this small amount of time.

Half an hour.

"Not long, half an hour."

"How much longer do I need to spend together with Jiaxie to heal her?"

"There is no appointed time for us to come play with these mechanoid toys yet..."

Said Jiaxie, knowingly:

Bai Wu picked up the hand-held machine, frowned, and looked it over.

But within the tea room of the second floor, where there indeed was a part of the machine, the doll has already disappeared from sight.

Bai Wu arrived at the first floor, with no explanation from Jiaxie regarding anything.

"Jiaxie is still human after all. She retains many human habits, and her spirit isn’t far off,"

"These plaything mechanoids of the Mechanical Tribe are unnecessary for people."

"If we go to the guest room now, we’ll be able to see a part of the mechanism," said Bai Wu:

"How could the events of the spiritual world exist in reality... you’re muddling things up."

"I need to find out what Jiaxie was trying to cure with all these spiritual world happenings, the real-world events that have no existence, and now that Jiaxie is dead, I need to watch the news,"

"What the hell?"

"Let’s go resolve the next piece of news," Bai Wu said, shaking his head:

Jia Xie, at least from the inner heart messages coming from Jiaxie, seems to have still held some expectations beyond staying period. Or perhaps something is still transforming.

What is this condition? What exactly is it?

Zero is key here, but undoubtedly it also confronts some symptoms of the infection. Or perhaps it isn’t the same with other mechanized tribes? How exactly is Zero the solution to the Ulaga virus?

He certainly wouldn’t give up easily on attempting, after seeing so much human tragedy and having experienced such a twisted world.

Bai Wu doesn’t necessarily feel this is the case? Could there really be no cure for the Ulaga virus?

But Zheng Xingzhi feels somewhat disheartened knowing that Bai Wu doesn’t really know of a cure.

Because of fear of further harm, Bai Wu might value Jiaxie greatly, assuming Bai Wu could cure the Ulaga virus after being infected, but on one side, he hoped Bai Wu would not be easily cured.

Zheng Xingzhi had a somewhat melancholic tone, "How exactly can one cure a sick person, a sick person that has died, if one has even thrown away the skills?"

In this place, there are only true desires and mistakes, no wrongs in Zero’s way of saying.

But in Mechanism City, there is always a correct and definitive decision for the greater good, despite the many ways to judge and confirm the two characters of ’correct.’

In the society of mankind before, there was an eternal search for certainty, with data and statistics. This imagined world doesn’t need the muddled complexity of human beings where truth and fantasy coexist being but a single type of human that doesn’t need the shield and spear.

Humans are the complex shield and spear, while mechanized beings are the pure essence.

What lets Bai Wu feel regret is not the responsibility itself, but this back-end responsibility is the meaning.

A sense of failure.

(Appreciation for the book friend and reward from the league master of zpɹıq!)