27: It is also necessary to win people's hearts

Five days later, Sanu Town Central Plaza.

The morning sun, filtered through a thin mist, illuminated the freshly repainted Town Government building.

Beneath the Titan flag fluttering on the rooftop, a line of brand-new bionic robots were inspecting electrical circuits.

No one knew that these individuals, referred to as “Technical Specialists,” were actually the first generation of bionic humans, freshly rolled out from the Super Factory, inspired by Chen Hao (Mu Yan)’s insights.

While lacking the abnormal performance of Mu Yan, their overall capabilities were 30% higher than the average adult male.

They possessed skin tones and facial features similar to the local populace, with even the calluses on their palms perfectly replicating the characteristics of miners.

The only anomaly, perhaps, was their infallible memory and perpetually steady vocal tones.

At the mine’s recruitment office, Specialist Wei Changming was reviewing documents.

He flipped through files faster than an ordinary person, but no one found it strange—after all, he was an elite from a major corporation.

“Can you read?” he looked up at the young man before him, his voice neither warm nor cold.

“Yes, a little…”

Wei Changming pushed a contract across: “Daily wage of 28,000 myanmar kyat, two meals included.

If you agree, press your handprint.”

Lin Yue, the new Financial Specialist, was organizing ledgers.

She pushed up her glasses and told the miners queuing for their wages, “Next.”

Her tone was as flat as if she were processing the most mundane report.

No one knew that this was her first time leaving the Titan temporary base, and her first time encountering paper currency.

In her world, credit points were the universal currency.

At the mine entrance, Safety Supervisor Wang Qiang was inspecting equipment.

This burly man hailed from a planet with 1.5 times the gravity of Blue Star, and his seemingly ordinary grip could easily bend steel bars.

“Wear your hard hat properly.”

He patted a young miner’s shoulder, nearly making him stumble, “You can only earn money if you’re alive.”

In the medical station, Head Nurse Zhang Wen was dispensing medicine.

Half a pack of chewing gum, a special supply from Pierpoint, peeked out of her white coat pocket, but no one noticed this detail.

Facing a crying child, she calmly handed over the medicine: “Drink it, no nonsense.”

This sense of incongruity, spanning across worlds, appeared strangely harmonious in Sanu Town.

The Interstellar Peace Corporation employees treated it as another developing colonial planet, while the bionic humans perfectly filled the technical positions.

And the locals gradually adapted to these “eccentric people sent by the big company,” especially since they paid so generously.

Someone might ask why Zhou Ping and Li Ming weren't here.

They were still busy in the mine.

“The company employees have quite the ‘acting’ talent; their average identity adaptation rate is 98.7%,” Bronya reported.

“It’s just that Supervisor Wang accidentally crushed three cups yesterday…”

Chen Hao chuckled, watching the monitoring screen.

On the screen, Director Li of the material distribution center was cursing in Chinese while counting goods, and the local translator beside him, without changing his expression, relayed it as: “Director Li says this batch of rice is of excellent quality.”

Don’t ask why there are no Synesthesia Beacons; they aren’t needed for this yet.

Mainly, analyzing those things is extremely expensive.

“It’s not really acting, is it? After all, the work they’re doing now isn’t fundamentally different from what they did in the past; it’s just that they’re working on the surface now, and there isn’t as much advanced equipment.”

Deep within the mine, mining robots were at work.

Foreman Zhao, an Engineer from Interstellar Peace Corporation, wearing multi-functional goggles that seemed out of place in this era, was complaining to Jeremy, who had come to visit the mine out of curiosity: “Your mining technology here is too primitive.”

“Just make do with it.

Although the boss has the technology, resources aren’t that abundant.”

Jeremy grinned as he offered a cigarette, “By the way, how do you usually deal with spies on your end?”

Since Sanu Town was ‘taken over’ by Titan, several unfamiliar faces had been seen wandering around the town.

Foreman Zhao pushed up his goggles: “Usually…”

Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden alarm.

Another photographer was discovered in Mine Tunnel 3, this time a person with some Caucasian features.

Security Director Wei Guojiang, a true bionic human, had already brought the situation under control.

He lifted the reporter with one hand, as if carrying a disobedient cub.

“New Township Times?” Wei Guojiang glanced at the ID, “Anthony Smith, SIA outsourced intelligence agent.”

Jeremy said to Foreman Zhao: “What did you say you do with them?”

Foreman Zhao’s tone was flat: “Send them to mine in the asteroid belt.”

The reporter turned pale with fright, still trembling even when handed over to the local police.

He didn’t take ‘asteroid belt’ seriously, considering it just a threat.

But the ‘mining’ part might actually be true!

This small interlude quickly spread throughout the town, with better results than any propaganda.

Now, even the most unruly teenagers dared not approach the restricted area by half a step.

As for that “reporter”? Don’t be funny; in this territory, a death or two is not a big deal at all, not even a small one.

Just an outsourcing job for certain organizations, no one would care.

At the evening town meeting, twelve village representatives sat upright.

The meeting was chaired by Zhou Li, the regional supervisor for Interstellar Peace Corporation.

This white-haired old man appeared amiable, but every word he uttered carried undeniable power:

“Three requirements: anti-drug, literacy, and family planning.”

He tapped the table, “If you have any opinions, state them now; we won’t wait.”

The representatives exchanged glances.

They knew this seemingly ordinary old man had just refused a gang leader’s bribe yesterday, and that leader had “accidentally” fallen off a cliff this morning.

“Our village’s water source…” a tribal chief tentatively began.

“It will be resolved next week.”

Old Zhou had already turned to the next page, “Any other questions?”

This decisive style reminded the mountain people of the celestial soldiers and generals from folk legends in the northeast country.

No wasted words, but promises kept.

Late at night, Chen Hao (Mu Yan) patrolled the town.

Wei Guojiang at the street corner saluted him, and the patrolling security team halted in unison.

These “employees” from another world were all perfectly playing their roles at this moment.

“Not bad, not much different from what was expected.”

Chen Hao said into the communicator.

Bronya’s projection in the spaceship rubbed her chin, “However, there’s a small problem…”

It turned out that yesterday Supervisor Wang Qiang accidentally used interstellar slang to curse, and a local child learned it.

Now, all the teenagers in town were saying the phrase ‘cosmic dust,’ even though they had no idea what it meant.

Chen Hao looked at the children playing in the monitor and chuckled: “Let’s just consider it cultural integration.

The company will always appear, so a little groundwork isn’t bad.”

Twenty kilometers outside Sanu Town, the Third Battalion of the Ke Qin Independent Army’s Second Brigade was stationed.

In the pre-dawn mist, three corpses were neatly arranged at the camp entrance.

A note was taped to each forehead: “Debt must be repaid.”

“Have you found out?” Battalion Commander Wu Suo Wen kicked a corpse, his face so grim it could drip water.

The adjutant wiped away cold sweat: “Yes… it was people from the Dan State gang.

They won money at the Dan State Army’s casino last night…”

“Nonsense!” Wu Suo Wen kicked over a nearby ammunition box, “Those drug addicts dare to touch my men?”

No one noticed that a Warrior robot, covered in camouflage netting, was quietly withdrawing from the perimeter of the camp.

At the same moment, in the underground command room of the Titan temporary headquarters.

“Operation Report: ‘Provocation’ operation, Phase One complete.”

Angela pushed up her glasses, and a holographic projection displayed real-time footage of the Kachin military camp, “The Taang National Liberation Army, the Dan State gang’s backer, has received the news, and conflict is expected to erupt within 48 hours.”

Ains leaned back in the leather chair, tapping his fingertips on the armrest.

Besides a few core members, there were also twelve captains of the newly formed Code Name Squads in the command room.

They were all elite robots, handpicked by Gideon from the Warrior robots trained by their team.

The full Warrior squad was specifically used for handling heavy security tasks.

“That was a damn fine job.”

Gideon gave a thumbs-up to Warrior-47, who had just returned, “Those bodies were handled so well even their mothers wouldn’t recognize them.”

Warrior-47 looked at Gideon, thought for a moment, then extended his fist and gave Gideon a thumbs-up.

Ilona, who was maintaining her sniper rifle, scoffed at the remark: “Are you sure you want to teach robots to swear?”

Ains put down his whiskey glass and brought up a set of financial data, “In the past two weeks, we’ve sold 30 million USD worth of rare earth futures through a shell company under the Dan State gang.

This is impossible for a local gang, even with warlord backing.

Now, it’s time for this shell to play its part.”

The holographic map lit up, showing the intricate distribution of forces in the northern Emerald Principality.

Seven red dots represented the conflict zones about to be ignited.

“Code Name Squad assignments are as follows.”

Ains’ voice was unhurried, “‘Viper’ is responsible for erasing our traces in the Dan State gang, ‘Blacksmith’ will forge evidence of private arms deals between the Taang National Liberation Army and the Emerald Principality Government Army, ‘Ashes’…”

As each code name was called out, a bloodthirsty glint flashed in the eyes of the squad captains.

These killing machines, personally trained by Gideon, were finally making their official debut.

It can only be said that a higher degree of humanization in the Warrior’s combat AI also has its advantages.

Strength is a matter of weapons and code; being cool, however, is a matter of their learning templates' reputation.

That night, at the Dan State gang’s largest casino.

“I said I don’t have money!” The burly gang member with a scarred face grabbed the dealer by the collar, “Do you know who my big brother is? My big brother is a company commander in the Ke Qin Independent Army!”

Just as the dealer was about to speak, the casino door was suddenly kicked open.

Five masked men in Kachin military uniforms, carrying submachine guns, rushed in.

The gang member, seeing they were from the Kachin Army, was overjoyed, “Hey, brothers, how are you?

Do you know my big brother, Wu Suo Wen, the company commander of the third company?

You’ve come at just the right time; these guys are trying to extort me…”

The masked leader completely ignored the man and shouted, “Nobody move! Anti-drug raid!”

In the chaos, the casino safe was emptied.

Even better, the surveillance footage clearly captured a traditional Kachin tattoo on one of the men’s wrists, a mark only worn by close guards of high-ranking officers.

No one noticed that in the alley behind the casino, five “Kachin soldiers” were deftly removing their disguises.

The leader of the “Viper” squad took off his face covering, revealing Warrior-79’s bionic mask.

“Target eliminated, evidence fabricated.”

He spoke into the communicator, casually handing the stolen cash to a child begging by the roadside.

A day later, at the border between Kachin State and Dan State.

Amidst deafening explosions, a drug processing plant was engulfed in flames.

The Kachin military officers who rushed to the scene looked at the devastation, their faces ashen—this was supposed to be their secret stronghold.

“Sir! Look what we found!” A soldier handed over a charred strip of cloth, on which the emblem of the Dan State gang was faintly visible.

Three kilometers away, Gideon watched the scene via drone, grinning like a child who had stolen candy: “Perfect! Angela, you truly are a genius.”

“Basic operation.” Angela pushed up her glasses, looking at Jeremy who was operating the computer, “Are the weapons ready?”

“The Taang National Liberation Army account just ‘received’ payment from the Wa State Army.”

Jeremy whistled, “Enough light and heavy weapons to arm a company, plus two basic loads of ammunition, delivered to their camp closest to the Ke Qin Independent Army stronghold.”

Late one week later, Chen Hao (Mu Yan) stood at the observation window of the Kunlun warship, overlooking the war-torn land below.

From an orbit 50 kilometers high, around the giant rare earth mine, at least seven locations within a radius of tens of kilometers were burning.

“Conflict scale increased by 37%.”

Ya Ya reported, “Forces from various factions in the northern region have begun to mobilize.”

“Rare earth trading situation?”

“Through twelve shell companies, accumulated profits reached 120 million USD.”

Ya Ya’s voice came through the communicator, “International rare earth prices have not shown significant fluctuations yet.”

Chen Hao lightly tapped the window sill.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Titan, hidden behind the scenes, watched as various forces tore at each other.

Once they were exhausted, Titan, as a PMC, could openly enter the fray.

“Boss!” Gideon suddenly broke into the communication, his voice as excited as a child who had discovered a new toy, “Just received news that the Kachin Army accidentally captured the third son of the Wa State Special Region leader!

This guy actually went to someone else’s territory to mess with a local strongman’s woman!

Should we…”

“Observe and wait.” Chen Hao’s lips curved slightly, “Just have the ‘Ashes’ squad ensure the chain of evidence is complete.”

The next morning, Sanu Town Central Plaza.

The townspeople lined up as usual to collect their wages, oblivious to the distant sound of artillery.

Wei Changming still called out names in his neither warm nor cold tone, and Lin Yue meticulously distributed the payments.

“Did you hear?” a miner who had received his wages whispered, “There’s fighting again outside…”

“Who cares, as long as we still get paid.”

In the corner of the plaza, several children were playing, mimicking the tactical hand gestures of the “Viper” squad.

They didn’t know that these “heroes” they admired were actually the ghosts instigating this war.

On the top floor of the Titan temporary headquarters, Ains savored aged whiskey, enjoying the sunset outside the window.

The latest battle report came through the communicator: the Kachin Army and the Taang National Liberation Army had opened a new battlefield, and the Wa State Army was waiting for both sides to be exhausted before entering to “peacekeep.”

“To the new north.” He raised his glass to the sunset, the amber liquid reflecting the firelight on the horizon.

“To the beacons of war we ignited with our own hands.” Chen Hao (Mu Yan) sat in the boss’s chair behind him, opening a new bottle of whiskey for Ains.

“Bang.”