The group continued south, only to find an eight-clawed "Mountain Ghost" platform carrying the four sets of exoskeletons on its back.
The journey further south is more different than heading northwest the previous days.
The terrain has great height differences, and several times we have crossed mountains and canyons with a drop of nearly 3,000 meters. It is undoubtedly difficult to make a detour between the fast-flowing valley streams and the canyons with a thin sky above our heads.
Especially in some mountain streams with backlight, the ice and snow have not melted, and the ice hanging in the canyon is still dripping cold water droplets.
On the ground below, the perennial moss made the "Bobcat Type IV" move far less smoothly than the eight-legged "Mountain Ghost", which also delayed a lot of the journey.
However, the mood of the three of them was relaxed. No matter what, there were two supply platforms, so it didn't matter how they consumed them.
When Welling was having difficulty traveling, he thought of a question.
With the empire's military strength, it shouldn't be difficult to set up some large steel outposts at the critical points on the outer edge of the "Jianmu" barrier. Wouldn't it be better if only the militia stationed there need to be replaced regularly?
When all the steel outposts are connected in a line, then Xixuan's scouts and Xixuan wilderness hunters who are fighting in the wild will not be able to get away at all.
Jiang Li's answer to this question is that the organic militia system is the empire's way of training troops.
There are not many citizens in the empire now. It is customary for almost all citizens to serve in reserve military service between the ages of 16 and 18. Excellent militiamen will be converted into legionnaires.
Legionnaires can only engage in other professions after serving for several years. They must be called back in case of war.
Only by undergoing low-intensity confrontation training such as militia patrols can it be possible to form a strong army.
In fact, the Xixuan Federation has such a mechanism. Whether they are wilderness hunters or other names, they are just reserves of the Xixuan regular army.
After hearing this explanation, Welling figured it out immediately.
He even had some suspicions that the warlock he killed earlier was not necessarily a wilderness hunter, but maybe a warlock assigned to the hunter team by the regular army.
I kept going like this for five or six days and never encountered any danger again.
They encountered several waves of wild beasts, including a few hares and two huge herbivorous blue sheep, all of which became food for the team. This made the condiments requested by the gecko finally come in handy.
There is no such thing as protecting animals in this era.
Eating the fragrant barbecue, Wei Ling always felt that as an intelligent platform, there was a big gap between Shou Gong and the "Mountain Ghost" that had been repaired and restored to power.
That guy is just a machine with a little bit of artificial intelligence.
The guard is like a living person.
Resting around the campfire, Jiang Li arranged the itinerary for the next day.
Their preset patrol route had reached the southern end, and it was time to turn east and return.
It will take another seven or eight days to return to Iasi County, which is exactly in line with the itinerary.
The further east you go, the stronger the signal from the barrier is and the smaller the chance of encountering something.
"Don't let down your guard when it's almost safe.
The Federation Revenant team we destroyed a few days ago was because they were outside the Empire's boundary and thought they had just wiped out the Empire's patrol team. They relaxed their vigilance and were lucky enough to make the low-level mistake of not even keeping watch at night. , of course, the other party's mistake is our luck. "
Jiang Li warned Wan Tong earnestly.
Wei Ling felt that after a beautiful surprise attack, Jiang Li talked more, and his stern face occasionally softened.
"Hmm, brother Jiangli is right...I am already looking forward to not getting any honors this time?"
"It depends on the adults' assessment!"
Will leave undecided.
…
When we returned to Iasi County, it was already the afternoon of seven days later.
When a group of them arrived in the city of Yasi County, they delivered the trophies, the recovered militia exoskeleton armor, and the "Mountain Ghost" to the person in charge on duty, and then appeared in front of Lord Yujin.
Master Yujin seemed worried, but when he saw them, he still showed a rare smile:
"The three of you did a great job! You not only completed the systematic patrol mission, but also recovered the weapons taken away by the enemy, and also avenged the sacrificed comrades. Very good!"
After receiving a positive evaluation, the three of them were a little happy.
Jiang Li was still a little uneasy at first, worried that the system evaluation would think they were taking a risk.
"Based on your level and results, the county has made a war assessment. Overall, it is positive for your courage and strategy. The final results are as follows:
The team's performance on this trip was rated as excellent!
Li was transferred out of the militia and joined the Yasi Xihuang Army, and then reported to the Army Headquarters to the Army Sima Yang Jingjie;
Wantong ended his militia probation period and became an official militia member!
All members of the Fifth Patrol Squadron of the Thirteenth Militia Regiment are rewarded. Each member has a merit score of 35 points and a bonus of 50,000 yuan.
Welling took over as the captain, and there was a shortage of personnel after leaving. The officer then arranged for personnel to be supplemented. "
After announcing these arrangements, Yu Jin looked at the three people with happy faces with a smile:
"That's the main thing. Do you have any additional requirements?"
Li cupped his fists and bowed:
"Sir, I want to leave my merits to the palace guard!"
Wantong also cupped his fists and bowed:
"Sir, the same goes for subordinates!"
Wei Ling was a little puzzled. Isn't the gecko an intelligent machine platform?
What merit does a robot need?
However, Welling suddenly thought of something.
After Xie Wuyi killed that Zheng Xiao, didn't Zheng Xiao use the divine talisman to temporarily preserve his intelligence and memory?
Xie Wuyi also forbade the other party to continue to be a human being. Could it be that Shou Gong was also a human before?
Yu Jin pondered for a moment:
"Jianli's merit points can be kept. After all, there are many opportunities to obtain merit points in the legion. Wantong keeps it for himself. You may not be able to enter the legion. Keep some merit points so that you can engage in other professions in the future.
The situation of guarding the palace... I will consider it! "
After receiving Yu Jin's instructions, Li Wantong saluted again.
Jiang Li sighed.
Wantong looked frustrated.
"Sir, it's useless for my subordinates to get medals. They should be counted as guarding the palace!"
Welling didn't hesitate in his decision either.
"Okay, you are a warlock anyway, so you should have no shortage of merit in the future!"
Yu Jin agreed very simply.
Then Wei Ling saw the grateful eyes of Jiang Li and Wantong.
…
"What's going on in the palace?"
After leaving Yu Jin's official office, Wei Ling immediately threw two people away.
Jiang Li was silent for a moment, his expression a little lonely, and he threw out an information packet:
"Welling, I'm sorry I never told you about this. In fact, it happened many years ago.
At that time, the empire's major barrier systems were not yet complete, and their information support, management, and dispatch capabilities were not as powerful as they are now.
The Yasi County Militia had a deputy commander who was a specially assigned mid-level warlock by the empire. He had just entered the mid-level state that year.
During his tenure, his underage daughter Shou Gong activated her mental body early and had the potential to become a warlock.
The gecko likes mountains and forests, does not like to live underground for many years, and yearns to go out on patrol.
The deputy captain doted on his daughter, so he took a chance. When he went out to lead a patrol, he illegally took the palace guard with him. As a result, he encountered the Xixuan scout of the brigade.
The battle was very fierce, with many casualties on both sides. The deputy captain was seriously injured. Since he did not have a protective talisman with him, the only smart device around him was a mountain ghost supply platform.
So, at the last moment, the deputy leader pulled out the dying daughter's mind, body, intelligence and memory and transferred them to the core of the mountain ghost...
In that encounter, although the Xixuan scouts were almost completely wiped out, the empire actually suffered greater losses, losing a mid-level warlock and a child with the potential of a warlock.
Therefore, basically people who know about this, or colleagues who are good friends with the deputy leader, more or less hope that Shou Gong can get more merit points and have the opportunity to replace it with a higher-end intelligent body in the future.
However, the empire cannot do more in this matter. After all, the system is the system, and violations are always violations..."
There was a sadness in Wei Ling's heart.
What made him sad was not what happened to the deputy captain and the palace guard, but that he thought of something even sadder from another angle.
Shou Gong has the mind of a girl, but is imprisoned in the core of a supply platform.
According to the regulations of the Empire and Iasi County, such lethal intelligent platforms cannot enter residential areas for fear of losing control and causing death or injury to ordinary people.
It can be imagined that in those silent nights, she could only face those cold weapons in the dark hangar.
Countless dawns and dusk, she couldn't even see a glimmer of light or sunset.
How cruel this is to a child!
Not to mention the endless loneliness, maybe she was still swallowed by endless regrets!
Wei Ling looked solemn:
"Brother Jiang Li, how many merit points do you need to replace a high-end intelligent body?"
"We have limited knowledge, not to mention that Yasi County is not the imperial capital after all, it is still a bit remote. We have only seen limited smart devices, let alone high-end smart bodies.
As for the merit points required for replacement, I am even more confused. Anyway, I think it is better to give her the merit points than to have no hope..."
Wei Ling felt his heart heavy:
"Brother Jiang Li, don't worry. I believe there will be opportunities in the future. I will definitely help the gecko get the opportunity to replace the high-end intelligent body!"
"Okay! With Brother Wei Ling's intention, no matter whether things succeed or not, we will thank you!"
"There's no need to say more polite words!"
Wei Ling smiled:
"Today is a memorable day...we have all made meritorious deeds!
Haha, my loan is also paid off!
Wantong can also be moved to the second floor!
What a joy to have hot pot tonight!
Those three little guys must have been craving for a big meal since they haven’t seen me for nearly a month! "
Wantong was overjoyed:
"Haha, okay, okay! I'm treating you, I'm an official militia member!"
Wantong also became very emotional.
Jiangli also smiled:
"It's no longer your turn. I'm already a legionnaire, so I'm even more worthy of congratulations!"
"Okay, let's say goodbye to Brother Jiangli right then and there. You guys go over there first. I'll go home to pick up the three children. I'll give you the address."
…
Back at No. 36 Ginkgo Street, the three children rushed over and hugged Wei Ling without letting go:
"Brother, we miss you so much. It's been almost a month since we were out!"
"Yeah, I miss you guys too...let me see if you're working hard."
"You've worked hard, you've worked hard, brother, look at me..."
There is a small stream of water flowing between the little slave's fingers:
"I can condense water, but I still can't use other abilities."
"Oh? Doesn't the system identification indicate that he is a warlock?"
Wei Ling was a little confused. When he became a warlock, he could only cast an empathy spell.
"Nope……"
The slave was a little annoyed.
"Haha, don't worry, don't worry, you are faster than Nanxing and Phytolacca!"
Wei Ling touched the slave's head.
"We will catch up soon..."
Nanxing and Phytolacca are obviously not that confident.
"Did you have a big meal during this time?"
"Brother Li took us there once."
"Well, then your sister Xie has probably left Iasi County... Haha, the eldest brother has made a profit this time, meritorious services, bonuses, and the loan has been paid off. Haha, let's go have hot pot!"
Immediately, Welling dumped the entire preparations for the patrol, common sense of detection, encounters with masked men at night, temporary system tasks, incident scenes, planning process of night attacks, raid processes, system evaluation results, etc. to the three. people.
The three children were immediately stunned.
It is unrealistic for them to receive and understand so much information in an instant.
They stayed for about a minute before they woke up from the data flow.
"Brother, you are so awesome!"
Nanxing has some admiration.
"Brother, it was really dangerous. Fortunately, nothing went wrong."
Phytolacca was obviously a little scared.
"Brother, take me with you from now on, and I will help you fight against the enemy!"
"Little slave, aren't you afraid when you see the bodies of the victims and the big man's blown head?"
Welling asked.
"Don't be afraid if you are a slave. When I become a warlock, I will be as brave as my elder brother and protect my elder brother."
"Yeah, okay, it's good to have the courage. Analyze more about what big brother has gone through, think about and study more. With these memories, when you become a warlock in the future, you will no longer be a rookie."
