After more than an hour of Wang Keke's grueling, "cross-server" and "cross-species" business negotiations—which included, but were not limited to, a tug-of-war over the daily fruit supply, setting standards for how shiny the crown should be, and repeatedly confirming the exact material and size of General Maomao's "bigger, smoother red battle robe"—a potential bloody conflict was finally, temporarily defused by an utterly absurd "verbal agreement."
The main terms of the agreement were as follows:
1. The human side (Outpost 04) would provide the monkey troop with a fixed amount of fresh fruit, high-energy candy, and some shiny metal trinkets each week (as an advance payment on King Gigi's new crown and a deposit on General Maomao's new "battle robe").
2. The monkey troop would stop robbing patrols and transport teams, and resume their previous "limited cooperation" arrangement. That is, when human patrols encountered attacks from other powerful monsters, the monkeys could provide support at their discretion, such as "long-range rock throwing."
3. Both sides would maintain a "friendly" line of communication. When Wang Keke or Lin Mo was present, they could communicate through psychic thoughts.
After the "agreement" was reached, General Maomao, thoroughly satisfied—mainly because of his new "battle robe"—led the monkey troop back into the depths of the forest in a grand procession, carrying a batch of fruit and candy that the humans had paid in advance as a "show of sincerity."
King Gigi, perched on a branch, gave Lin Mo one last haughty glance, as if to say, "At least you long-legged hairless monkeys know what's good for you!" Then he performed an elegant backflip and vanished among the dense foliage.
*(Inner thoughts): "At last, we've sent those pests... er, friendly neighbors on their way. But why do I feel like we've just signed an unequal treaty? And what was that look from the golden-haired monkey about? Was he challenging me?!"
With the crisis temporarily averted, everyone at Outpost 04 breathed a sigh of relief. But the "communication" ability shown by Wang Keke and that Winged Tiger had caused a far greater stir than the monkey troop's rampage.
The news was immediately classified as top secret and reported to the top brass of the military in Northeast Base City and the Wang Family's inner circle.
A joint research team of leading biologists, Psychic Power specialists, psychologists, and military strategists was quickly formed. Their first task was to analyze and assess the feasibility, general applicability, and strategic value of the "Wang Keke-Mimi" combination communicating telepathically with highly intelligent mutated beasts.
Vast amounts of data were retrieved for analysis: Wang Keke's aptitude as a Spirit Reader, the source of the Spirit-Rhino Resonance Chapter she practiced (confirmed to have been unearthed at an Ancient Civilization Ruins site), Mimi's special nature (including data from the Loyalty Trial), the strength and psychic attributes of the monkeys King Gigi and General Maomao, records of the psychic fluctuations during their encounters, and detailed accounts of the entire negotiation...
The research proceeded in a tense atmosphere under tight security. Several days later, a preliminary feasibility report was placed before the senior leadership.
The report's central conclusion poured cold water on the wild fantasies some had been entertaining about "forming a monster translator corps":
"Preliminary assessment indicates that the successful telepathic communication between the 'Wang Keke-Mimi' combination and the mutated beasts 'Gigi' and 'Maomao' is an extremely unusual case and cannot feasibly be replicated on a large scale."
The report explained the reasons in detail:
1. The communicating parties were unusual. The core of the communication was not a single individual but the combination of "Wang Keke" and "Mimi." The Spirit-Rhino Resonance Chapter that Wang Keke practiced was crucial. This secret art was extremely rare, demanded exceptional talent from its practitioners, and primarily served to strengthen the mind link between them and their contracted battle pets.
Her ability to pick up the psychic thoughts emitted by Maomao was largely due to the unique nature of her secret art and her familiarity with Lin Mo's psychic fluctuations. It was like accidentally picking up a similar external "wireless signal" while connected to a stable "intranet."
2. The other party had to meet two conditions at once:
First, they had to possess psychic abilities and have reached War General Level, enabling them to actively and steadily emit psychic thought waves that could be detected and understood.
Second, they could not harbor any immediately lethal hostility toward humans. Gigi and Maomao acted out of "misconceptions" and "material demands," rather than an instinct to hunt humans to the death. This provided the most basic psychological foundation for communication.
For the vast majority of monsters, which viewed humans as prey or threats, their psychic fluctuations were more likely to be filled with violence and a desire to destroy, making rational communication extremely difficult.
3. The information conveyed was vague and limited. Even Wang Keke could receive and transmit only extremely vague, fragmented thoughts, full of emotions and instinctive information, which she had to "translate" through association and guesswork. Communication was limited to basic needs, simple emotions, and direct commands; it could not convey complex logic, abstract concepts, or deeper strategies. Trying to use this method to turn a Lord-level Monster in a Beast Tide to their side or coordinate precisely with it was pure fantasy.
4. Mimi's presence, with her powerful life magnetic field and unique essence of the soul, might have served as a "signal amplifier" or "stabilizer" to some extent, but the precise mechanism was unknown and could not be replicated.
In short, this successful "diplomatic" incident was an accidental miracle arising from a specific technique, a specific combination, a specific counterpart, and a specific set of circumstances. It had opened a window, proving the "theoretical possibility" of limited communication with some highly intelligent, psychic, non-hostile mutated beasts. But practical application was still a long way off.
*(Inner thoughts, from a general who had read the report): "As expected... a miracle is a miracle precisely because it can't be replicated. Still, even as an isolated case, it has enormous symbolic significance and potential value. At the very least, we now know that in certain circumstances, 'negotiation' can be another option besides 'bullets.'"
The report's final recommendations were to observe and study Wang Keke, Lin Mo, and the Spirit-Rhino Resonance Chapter more closely—without unduly interfering with their development—and to keep a close eye on other cases involving mutated beasts that might meet similar conditions for communication. Strategically, however, improving combat strength and reinforcing defenses should remain the priority.
The contents of the report were also shared, within the limits of their security clearance, with Wang Feng, Wang Keke, and Mimi (as relayed by Wang Keke).
Wang Keke breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to be dragged off every day to "talk things out" with all sorts of strange monsters.
*(Inner thoughts): "Thank goodness it's just a special case. Otherwise, wouldn't I be swamped?"
Lin Mo's reaction was much more direct.
*(Inner thoughts): "So after all that, Keke and I really are one of a kind! Hmph, at least those experts have some sense. But it's just as well they can't replicate this on a large scale. I don't need every Tom, Dick, and Harry coming to 'talk' with me and getting in the way of my hunting!"
He flicked his tail and put the little incident out of his mind. The problem with the monkey troop had been resolved in an unexpected way. It had been frustrating, but it had saved them time and effort. His gaze turned once more to the next target on the "menu" provided by Outpost 04: the enormous pack of dogs in the Western City Ruins, led by three War General Level leaders.
*(Inner thoughts): "There probably won't be much to discuss with dogs, right? They haven't spent time in a zoo like the monkeys, so their understanding of the world is more 'pure.' Looks like I'll get to stretch my muscles properly at our next stop!"
After an inexplicable "diplomatic incident," the Patrol Hunting Squad's journey was finally about to return to what Lin Mo knew best—and looked forward to most: pure combat and Devour.
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