151: Chapter 151 Using the Wind to Probe Directions, Secretly Investigating the Murderous Intent

At this moment, what was needed most was "information."

As a civilian informant with a certain source of information and someone with whom he had already had preliminary exchanges, "Midnight Wind" was the best channel to obtain information from a "non-official" perspective.

Through him, he could relatively safely inquire: To what extent had the official screening of "sensitive individuals" progressed? Was there any news of "informed individuals" or "eyewitnesses" being specifically targeted or even "taken away"? Had the public panic over the continuous lockdown and the "strange disease" intensified? Were there rumors about "searching for someone"?

This information would directly influence Ling Ye's judgment of his own situation and his subsequent decision-making.

Contact needed to be cautious, and the topic needed to be subtle, so that he could obtain information without exposing too many details about himself or his current location.

Ling Ye adjusted his posture in the shadow of the cold car shell, ensuring he was completely covered by darkness and debris, before taking out that old, cracked-screen disposable terminal.

He carefully adjusted the terminal's brightness to the lowest setting, blocked the screen's faint light with his body, and then connected to a public network node with a weak signal in the Industrial Zone.

He logged into that anonymous secondary account. There were no new messages.

He deliberated over his words and began to type. The tone needed to convey unease and a plea for help, but it could not appear too panicked or have too strong a sense of purpose:

"Brother Wind, are you there? My heart has been feeling more and more uneasy lately. Thinking back to what you said about people screening and drawing blood at the settlement site makes me terrified. I have a distant cousin who used to live near Oak Street. After the evacuation, he said he wasn't feeling well—low-grade fever and a headache. A few days ago, it seems some Plainclothes Agents came looking for him to ask questions, and then we lost contact... His family is worried sick, but they don't dare to speak up. Tell me, what is actually going on? What exactly are they looking for? It can't really be like what some people are saying, that they are looking for 'infected' people, right? I'm alone out here now, and I'm scared too..."

He fabricated a story about a "missing cousin," which not only explained why he was making contact again (concern for a relative) but also naturally brought up topics regarding "screening," "disappearances," and "searching for targets."

At the same time, he hinted that he was "alone outside," foreshadowing potential "evasion" or "pleas for help" he might mention later, and also explaining why he was contacting via an anonymous method.

After sending the message, he turned off the screen, hid the terminal close to his body, leaned against the car shell, closed his eyes to rest, and simultaneously maintained vigilance over the surrounding environment with his "Spiritual Sense."

In the dead of night in the Industrial Zone, any unusual movement could mean danger.

The wait was exceptionally long. It wasn't until the second half of the night that the terminal gave a very slight vibration notification.

Ling Ye quickly took it out and checked it.

"Midnight Wind" had replied, and the tone seemed even more grave and... oppressive than before?

"About your cousin... my condolences. No, don't think the worst; perhaps he was just taken for centralized examination. But let me tell you, the situation is more serious than you imagine. My friend says that the screening at the settlement site is only on the surface. In the shadows, it seems there is another group of people with even more... covert methods. They don't wear uniforms, drive unmarked cars, and specifically look for those with special symptoms or those, like your cousin, who know a bit more about what's going on. After they are taken away, there is no news, and you can't even find them in the settlement records. My friend doesn't even dare to talk much now, for fear of being targeted."

Ling Ye's heart sank slightly. As expected! Besides the public screening, there was a more hidden, more capable force in action!

This was very likely the force behind Su Qing, or related to the "Cleaning" protocol!

They were systematically "Cleaning" or "controlling" "sensitive individuals" who might be "polluted" or who possessed key information!

"Midnight Wind" continued to send messages, as if he had been holding it in for a long time and needed to get it off his chest:

"As for what they are looking for... who knows! Some say they are looking for 'antibodies' or 'immune individuals,' some say they are looking for clues about the 'source of pollution,' and there are even more bizarre rumors saying they are looking for 'the key'... 'the key' that can open or close that blue dome. Anyway, the whole area is currently on edge. You are alone outside, so be very careful! Don't go to places with few people, don't go out at night, and it's best to stay off the network as much as possible! I heard that they seem to have a way to locate those who discuss 'specific keywords' through communication records..."

"the key"? Ling Ye's eyes narrowed. This statement faintly echoed the "the key... must be recovered" mentioned by that grand consciousness in the chip's information!

Could it be that the "heterogeneous existence" beneath the Old Factory District, or the forces opposing it, were also searching for some kind of critical "item" or "individual"? And could the targets of this widespread screening and search include not just "polluted individuals," but also... "the key"?

"Midnight Wind"'s warning was also crucial—communications might be monitored, and they could even locate discussants via keywords! This explained why he had the feeling of being "watched."

Su Qing's communication might have been synchronizing or initiating some kind of tracking program based on communication or network activity!

"Thanks for the warning! Brother Wind, you take care too, and your friend as well. This world... sigh. I'll find a place to hole up for now and won't be in contact. You be careful too, about those 'unmarked' cars." Ling Ye replied quickly, expressing his gratitude and concern, and hinted that he would "disappear," which both complied with the other party's warning and left room for potential future contact.

"Take care. I hope this will pass." "Midnight Wind" replied last, with deep exhaustion and uncertainty.

The communication ended. Ling Ye immediately turned off the terminal, removed the battery (if it was removable), and carefully hid the terminal in an extremely concealed crevice deep within the car shell. This terminal had completed its mission and could no longer be carried or used.

He leaned against the car shell, digesting the information he had just obtained, his back feeling faintly cold.

The situation was more severe and more systematic than he had anticipated.

Two forces were in action: one was public, in the name of medical screening and "protection"; the other was hidden, with tougher methods, clearer targets ("sensitive individuals," "informed individuals," and possibly "the key"), and possessed high-tech tracking capabilities.

As a "sample" who could "recover quickly," "possessed Spiritual Sense," "knew some inside information," and had just had contact with Su Qing, he had very likely already entered the sights of both forces.

The public screening might not have located him yet, but the tentacles of that hidden force might have already noticed him through Su Qing's reports or network monitoring.

He absolutely could not return to the Rust Town stronghold. He could not stay in the Industrial Zone for long either; if the other party used technical means to perform area signal scanning or heat source detection, he wouldn't be able to hide for long.

He had to move immediately and adopt more primitive, harder-to-track methods.

He thought of the complex underground pipe network and abandoned tunnels in the Industrial Zone. They could shield most signals, and although the environment was harsh, it might be his only option for short-term hiding and movement.

At the same time, he needed to completely change his behavioral patterns. He could no longer rely on any electronic equipment, had to reduce activities in public and under surveillance, and had to be more covert and primitive in obtaining food and Water Source (such as foraging at night or finding unsealed water supply points).

More importantly, he needed to re-evaluate his own "value" and "risk."

In the eyes of the other party, he might be a "potential pollution-sensitive individual/immune individual," a "possible informed individual," or even... if the other party knew more about "the key," would he, as a candidate for "Gatekeeper" who bore the "Ancient Ring" mark and seemed to have some subtle connection to the "heterogeneous existence" in the Old Factory District, be misjudged or identified as "the key" in some sense?

This thought made him shudder.

Either way, being found would not end well. He would either become a lab rat or be "cleaned."

He had to become stronger faster, had to find a way to break the deadlock, or... find a "third party" that could temporarily shelter him or with whom he could engage in limited maneuvering.

Zhou Ming? Too dangerous, and his stance was unclear.

"Midnight Wind" and the civilian network behind him? They might be able to provide information and limited help, but they were powerless to confront official or hidden forces.

Who else?

In Ling Ye's mind, a nearly forgotten name suddenly flashed by—Li Feng, that Security Department Level 3 Security Officer.

During the inquiry about the Crystal-Armored Beast attack, his impression was that of a serious, direct, and by-the-book law enforcement officer.

He represented the "conventional official" force, which might be different from Su Qing's "research" force and the hidden "Cleaning" force.

If he could provide concrete evidence or key clues about the "anomaly," would he intervene according to procedure, thereby somewhat checking or interfering with the actions of the other two parties? But this was also highly risky, and the results were difficult to predict.

Or... another even crazier idea: actively approach the perimeter of the Old Factory District lockdown, use his "Spiritual Sense" and knowledge of the "anomaly" to observe the actual confrontation between the "Cleaning" force and the "anomaly," or even try, from a great distance, to use his "Spiritual Sense" to make an extremely cautious, one-way "perceptual" contact with the sealed-off "existence" to obtain more information about its nature and weaknesses?

This was no different from dancing on the edge of a knife, but it might yield groundbreaking insights.

The road ahead seemed to be a dead end at every turn, yet it also seemed that every dead end hid a glimmer of light.

Ling Ye slowly exhaled a breath of cold air with white mist, his eyes becoming sharp and determined once again in the cold night.

Regardless, he could not sit and wait for death.

He needed to act immediately, leave this place first, and find a deeper shadow where he could catch his breath temporarily and carefully plan his next move.