As the task force's focus shifted from "surface reconnaissance" to "underground tracking," its members had no choice but to push ahead with on-site surveying, sampling, and analysis in an extremely harsh environment.
Working close to the front lines certainly had its benefits. The addition of professional priests exposed many hidden details, and the vast amount of information generated was rapidly circulated and thoroughly exchanged with remarkable efficiency.
At a time like this, they could further confirm that the situation facing the task force had partly diverged from the original circumstances. The nature of the incident had changed significantly.
As a result, communication between the task force and Star Ring City increased dramatically.
Deputy Inspector Zhe Rong, who was responsible for logistical equipment support, had to make an emergency purchase of a set of underground communication equipment and send it to the lower region of the Dessen Mantle Plume where the task force was located.
By the time his logistics team had installed all the nodes and lines, everyone was dizzy and disoriented. Yet the follow-up maintenance work would only be more troublesome.
Zhe Rong himself was doing fairly well. Mainly because he had just gained a bit of inspiration from the surging information flow and was eager to discuss it with someone.
That someone was his former "subordinate," now his "boss"—Officer Tai Yu, the task force's leader.
Tai Yu was easy enough to find. As the highest commander, everyone knew where he was; moreover, the flattened command structure allowed anyone to report directly to him.
Of course, not everyone was willing to communicate with Tai Yu, nor could everyone withstand his strange thoughts, which might pierce straight through to the truth at any moment or veer off into the heavens just as suddenly.
When Zhe Rong found Tai Yu, the