"In other words, you fell to the lower level together with that monster."
"Um."
"Then, you managed to get rid of that monster?"
"To be precise, it was the other party who chased me around."
"There's not much difference... Then you met an existence that gave people the impression of a 'black dog', and it instantly dismantled the monster into parts? Do you feel that the existence has been following you since then?"
"Is such that."
"Are you still there now?"
"After it destroys all the monsters chasing you, it's gone."
"Okay... so you picked up the floating frisbee that exploded from the opponent and flew up like that?"
"That's pretty much it."
Jiang Zhou nodded seriously and answered.
After returning to depth 2 and rescuing Qianxia Ying at the critical moment, Jiang Zhou selectively described what happened in the deeper abyss.
Of course, he omitted the details about Hecate. It was only said that there was some existence passing by, and the liquid metal humanoid monster was killed in a snap. And I just happened to miss it and was lucky enough to return here.
After all, that being named Hecate claims to be the next oldest, and God knows what will be involved. Regardless, it would be safer if fewer people knew about her—both for herself and for others.
"You kid...you are so lucky."
After listening to Jiang Zhou's description and making a staged summary, Qianxia Ying was stunned for a long time, and finally had to sigh.
He fell into the abyss of the rift but did not go crazy. He happened to meet an existence that did not have much ill intentions toward humans, but would strike hard at other intruding AIs. Although this does not mean that there is no such AI, the probability of encountering it is about the same. Winning the lottery makes no difference.
And these things happened together, which can no longer be described as luck.
It's no exaggeration to say it's a miracle.
Qianxia Ying sighed, and then looked at Jiang Zhou very warily:
"Wait a minute, do you remember how deep you fell?"
In response, Jiang Zhou shrugged and replied:
"I'm not sure. Maybe the laws of physics have just begun to appear abnormal?"
Jiang Zhou knew that his mental index was very abnormal. In order to expose his specialness as little as possible, he chose to describe the matter in a less outrageous direction.
But even so...
"If you put it that way, it probably fell to depth 4. Depth 5 is not impossible...but if you fell like that without any protection measures, how could you not be crazy?"
Chinatsu Sakura looked in disbelief.
"That disappoints you."
Jiang Zhou looked helpless.
The other party punched Jiang Zhou on the shoulder with a bang.
"What nonsense are you talking about... I'm so fucking surprised!"
Chinatsu Sakura couldn't help but laugh.
Without corresponding adaptive training and without using stabilizing agents, he was directly exposed to the depth of the weak light zone. And after climbing up, it was as if nothing had happened, not even a hint of mania, irritability, or depression... This talent of mental toughness can only be described as terrifying.
Over time, after his adjustment and transformation reaches a certain level, he may not be able to dive to depth 6 or depth 7 without any problem... maybe he really has the potential to break through to depth 7.
If they were not all imprisoned in the Tartarus prison, Chinatsu Sakura would probably keep saying "I'm rich, I've found a treasure" and the like, which could easily be mistaken for a speech by a trafficker.
And thinking of this, she immediately became serious again:
"One thing must be said. If we can safely return to the basic reality, you should not say a single word to those corporate dogs about what happened before.
"Otherwise, my life will be at risk."
In fact, half of what Chinatsu Sakura said was a lie.
If Theseus really told the company about his experience, there is a high probability that he would rise to great heights directly - from a consumable who was forced to mine the abyss of the dark web, to a senior field employee of the company, and live a real life. People lead lives.
A native person with the potential to touch the limits of his mind cannot be overemphasized by the company's careful cultivation.
Of course, it is true to say that such people often rarely die well.
After hearing this, Jiang Zhou naturally understood what the other party was worried about.
However, the other party's concerns are completely unnecessary - he hopes more than anyone else that he will not be noticed by the company; and he has more reasons than anyone else to completely destroy the old employer that once took away everything from him. fall.
In a sense, all people or organizations in this era who are dissatisfied with the "Order of Olympus" are his natural allies.
However, he couldn't say this directly to Qianxia Ying.
"Don't worry."
In the end, Jiang Zhou could only comfort him like this:
"I still understand the principle that ordinary people are not guilty but possessing a treasure is guilty. And after all, I am also a member of the Icarus Liberation Front, right?"
At this time, he can only play the emotional card.
At this point, seeing that the atmosphere was tense, Jiang Zhou quickly changed the topic without giving the other party a chance to think too much:
"this thing……"
He said, pointing to the Frisbee floating nearby.
"This thing can take all of us to the other side of the rift. Let's go back to the assembly point now."
…………
The two people crowded on the flying disc and quickly moved away from the place, leaving only the remains of the monster that had been torn to pieces by the unknown "black dog"... and several data balls floating on it.
Since they are determined to get to the bottom of things, there is no need for them to take these things with them and go back to pay tribute to the company.
However, not long after the two left, Liao Qi, who had been hiding next to him, walked out of the shadows and picked up the data balls one by one.
"There's no need to waste good things here."
He said so.
…………
Booker, who came back from the high-level meeting of the organization, felt that he was the leader of two people.
There are so many things that need to be done...
Find the printed blueprint of the geothermal power station on the seventh floor of the Nord resettlement area, evacuate the settled residents at the power station site and find new residences for them, prepare the massive materials and energy needed to build the power station, and prepare for the construction period. Security work at power stations...
They only had two months to complete so many things.
Even based on the most optimistic calculations, even based on the organization's heyday before the attack, this is a major project that will take at least half a year.
In just two months, in his opinion, it would be extremely difficult to even restore the Icarus Liberation Front to the level before the attack.
Although according to Perse Fanny, she will send a working group down to assist them in completing the project. But this means that Pluto Deep Submersible Company, no matter what faction it belongs to, has a deeply binding relationship with the Icarus Liberation Front.
To say that deep binding overestimates the organization is to put it another way - completely becoming a puppet on strings.
Therefore, cooperation also has a bottom line.
Even if Pluto Deep Diving Company does not move in, restarting the geothermal power station and breaking the Fusion Bureau's energy monopoly will be a great achievement for the bottom layer of the Nord Resettlement Area.
This was also the key to Booker finally convincing the organization to pass this resolution.
In other words, control of the geothermal power plant must remain firmly in Icarus' hands.
Therefore, not only can the organization not accept the project of restarting the power station and let Fanny Studio take over, it cannot even rely too much on them to provide materials and energy.
The meaning of non-reliance, or the most direct meaning is - you have to pay for the remaining money yourself.
So, after going around and around, everything finally came back to money.
To rebuild a geothermal power plant, even with a multi-purpose printer, you only have to pay for the theoretically required materials and energy, which compresses the cost to the extreme. The funds required are not something that the current organization can afford. .
Booker was calculating along the way.
The organization can accept 30% of the budget from Pluto Submarine Company in order to obtain 30% of the equity in the power plant.
As for restarting the geothermal power station, the resettlement area government is also interested in getting involved. They have previously contacted them through an agent on the negative floor.
Booker will go to the Deep Blue Zone Bar later in the evening to discuss the matter.
But in any case, ensuring that the organization holds 51% is the absolute bottom line.
But the problem is... there is no money.
If we calculate carefully, the organization that suffered a major blow not long ago can now hardly raise the money to purchase 5.1% of materials and energy.
Not to mention the money needed to upgrade security later.
At the previous meeting, some people even suggested adding advertisements to their World Wide Web channel "Nord Voice of Justice" and opening a tip-raising channel.
Some senior members of the organization were so angry that they vomited blood.
What is the purpose of opening a reward channel for the live broadcast of court trials?
Then why don't we open a market in advance and hold a dead man's lottery?
This way you can make money faster.
However, Booker sadly discovered in the end that even if they did this without even losing their old face, the money would still not be enough.
At the end of the meeting, other than the unanimous decision to completely eradicate the "Lobotomy Gang" and confiscate their property, no new methods of generating money were discussed.
On the contrary, there are a few more places where money needs to be spent...
Booker opened the door with a long sigh, just in time to see Liao Qi get up from the recliner and pull the data cable from his occiput.
"What's the matter, dejected?"
When the other party saw him coming in, he asked curiously.
"nothing……"
Booker said.
After all, there is no use talking to him about money-related matters at the moment.
Rather, it would be better to say that the opponent's talent is so strong that it requires a lot of resources to display its due abilities.
The young man with the punk hairstyle in front of him is the one who needs to burn a lot of money.
"What's the matter here?"
Liao Qi, who jumped off the couch, continued to ask.
"I'm here to tell you good news. The last adjustment authority required by Depth 2 Icarus, the Talos-type power skeleton, has been found on the black market by the intelligence team."
Booker tried to say this with a smile, but failed.
After all, the price tag is too damn expensive.
But he had to buy it. After all, the organization was seriously lacking combat effectiveness now, and Liao Qi's ability and loyalty were sufficiently guaranteed.
But that price…
Why don't those abyss wanderers go and rob it?
A Depth 2 adjustment authority is so expensive to buy. Is this how profitable deep-diving salvage technology drawings are?
After hearing these words, the other party suddenly became energetic.
"Really? Then I can be promoted right away..."
Liao Qi said excitedly.
"no."
Booker shook his head and said:
"You have just completed the adjustment to Depth 1 not long ago, and your mental index is not stable yet. At least three months of continuous observation are needed before you can be promoted to Depth 2..."
The excited expression on Liao Qi's face was immediately replaced by disappointment.
"Originally, this is how it should be according to the rules and regulations."
Booker continued:
"But because now is a critical period when the organization is short of people, and Bai Dong also said that your mental index is very stable. After the organization decided, your observation period was finally shortened to one week."
