Little Spiky Head Completely Exposed

"I've learned something from what you said." Su Ming rubbed his forehead. The White Triangle was becoming increasingly powerful, and he needed to keep up in terms of vision and strategy. "But don't apply double standards. What about your plan to use the discarded materials from the dimensional transfer to trick Charles?"

"That's different," Zijin said matter-of-factly. "I didn't steal or rob; at most, it was a business battle. If Charles got ripped off, it's because he was too greedy and not as skilled!"

Su Ming understood, "Did Charles offend you?"

Zijin shook her head. "No, but I hate him. I inexplicably disliked him the moment I saw him."

That's a bit strange. Zijin is quite reasonable when it comes to hating people. She'll definitely take revenge, but she doesn't go looking for trouble for no reason.

But that's not important; you have to deal with the trouble that's necessary. Being too docile is a disadvantage in business; it makes people doubt your ability to fulfill contracts.

****

The complex strategic maneuvering left Su Ming exhausted. He shook his head and began discussing the next steps for the White Triangle with Zijin.

The Federation's communications requested that the White Triangle continue its search and hunting of the sea monster in the relevant waters.

They have no chance of complying with this request.

"We can't waste time here; the sea monster is definitely not where it was before," Su Ming said. "We need to finish this quickly; we have a lot of things to do afterwards."

"Yes, let's go straight to the source," said Zijin. The origin of the numbers on the sea monster was what they were concerned about.

With sea routes now open, the pirates were either killed or fled; they had done enough for the trade routes Central Ocean.

"Any news from Xiwo?" Su Ming asked.

After the old elf Xiwo left, he arranged for people to investigate the flow of magical materials related to zombies, and they achieved results.

Zijin unfolded Xiwo's communication records. "Grandpa Xiwo said he found several suspicious material purchases, all destined for Water Chestnut Island."

Su Ming pulled up the nautical chart and saw that Water Chestnut Island was located on the Tropic of Cancer in the Southern Hemisphere. Its main island was a long and narrow giant island with an area of about two million square kilometers, running north-south, surrounded by a large number of smaller islands.

This is the settlement of orcs in this world, and also the origin of Yexiya.

"It seems there's no mistake," Su Ming said.

Farming sea monsters is a huge undertaking that requires continuous and frequent operations, so the base can only be located on a suitable island.

"Then let's take a walk around Water Chestnut Island Water Chestnut Island first," he suggested, pointing out that the surrounding islets were the most likely location.

"It's not that simple." Zijin pointed to the nautical chart. "Storms are very frequent around Water Chestnut Island, especially this season, with one every three to five days. Moreover, the seabed there is shallow and riddled with reefs, making it very easy for accidents to happen."

Su Ming was a little confused, "How did the orcs deal with it themselves?"

"We'll take the land route," Zijin explained. "The orcs' trading port is at the northernmost tip of Water Chestnut Island. Supplies are transported to the main island from there. They can use small boats to transport supplies to the island from the closest point to the zombie base, taking advantage of breaks in good weather."

"But we can't, the boat can't go ashore."

Once they leave the White Triangle, Zijin's strength will be greatly reduced, and all their weapons and supplies are on the ship.

"Is there a way to get into the Storm Sea, Su Ming?" Zijin asked.

After a moment's thought, Su Ming replied, "There is indeed a solution to the storm problem. I've already installed weather radar these past few days, which can monitor atmospheric movements within a 500-kilometer radius."

Zijin gasped in astonishment, covering her mouth with her hand. "Five hundred kilometers? Is this some kind of divine artifact?!"

"The electromagnetic environment here is excellent; even Earth's electronic devices can perform exceptionally well," Su Ming explained. "As for the reefs, towed sonar can detect them in advance. However, just to be on the safe side, I'll also install a fixed obstacle avoidance sonar on the ship."

"Double protection, not bad."

Su Ming something, "When will Xiwo be back?"

"About a year later, Grandpa Xiwo is preparing to return to Crescent Forest."

Su Ming asked in surprise, "He's badly injured?"

Zijin looked up at Su Ming. "No, his injuries are almost healed. He's been out here for over three months; it's time for him to go back and rest."

Su Ming looked at the girl with a puzzled expression.

"Didn't I tell you already?" Zijin shrugged. "That's how it is with immortal beings; they're active for a while, then they need to find a place to stay for a long time."

"Is that so?" Su Ming was very surprised. He thought that immortal beings just slept longer each day. During his time on the ship, Xiwo had also been wondering why this old elf's daily routine was no different from that of ordinary humans.

"Grandpa Xiwo is quite old. If he's kept waiting for too long, his emotions become unstable, he becomes lethargic, and he loses his appetite," Zijin explained, "Until he breaks down."

Su Ming finally understood. He looked at the scholar, "You shouldn't be like that now, right?"

"Of course not." Zijin glanced at him sideways, then sighed, "Compared to before, I can now use up a year's worth of emotional points in a single day—I'm always worried that I might seem strange."

"No, it's fine," Su Ming said. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Really?" The girl looked at herself. "Is there anything about me that you dislike?"

"If so, I will communicate with you properly."

Thanks then.

Su Ming connected with Miao Xin.

Miao Xin has completed the task assigned last time. Ghost found a large number of mechanical water pressure gauges in the basement of an unfinished building in the warehouse of an instrument manufacturer.

Su Ming completed the teleportation without much effort.

Instead of leaving immediately, he manipulated the Little Spiky Head to climb to the roof of the unfinished building and casually found a place to sit down.

Sunny day, gentle breeze.

This is the edge of Haiphong City Vietnam, where the skyline is filled with rigid building lines. Most of them are vertical, lacking variation and dynamism. Irregularly shaped lanes are filled with hurried traffic. Further away, along the port, a sparse row of container cranes stands diligently, busily working.

This city lacks depth and historical accumulation, but it also possesses a kind of beauty that is waiting to be developed.

"[Miao Xin, should we contact the police?]" Su Ming suddenly asked.

There are currently no items that urgently need to be obtained, but it's time to discuss this long-standing issue.

Su Ming had planned to proactively contact the police, recounting details of the case to prove his identity. He would then escalate the communication as much as possible before narrating the fantastical otherworldly part. The Little Spiky Head's performance and structural characteristics far surpassed those of a robot, which should be quite convincing.

This would allow them to cancel the warrant and gain unimpeded access to assistance from large industrial nations.

"[Master?]" Miao Xin's question came through the phone. "[Are you asking such a complicated question to an amnesiac spirit?]"

[You never had amnesia from the beginning, did you?] Su Ming said calmly.

Miao Xin's soul flame trembled slightly. [When did you discover this?]

[When you use the power of vengeful spirits.]

Back at the Naval Station Everett, the Little Spiky Head was attacked from multiple directions by drone gun emplacements and snipers. Miao Xin awakened some kind of power and deflected most of the bullets.

These powers did not originate from Su Ming's Magic Power, but rather from the characteristics of vengeful spirits. Su Ming only gradually discovered the problem as he gained a deeper understanding of the necromancy system.

[Can't this be explained as the instinct of vengeful spirits?] Miao Xin was somewhat unwilling.

Su Ming shook his head. [Without memories, how could there be resentment?]

Miao Xin paused for a moment before beginning to organize her thoughts, "[I'm sorry. Suddenly going from life to death, waking up in a daze only to become a puppet, pretending to have amnesia was just something I did to myself.]"

Miao Xin had originally intended to suggest protection, but then realized it wouldn't actually provide any real protection. [It was more of a self-comforting thought. "I didn't interfere with your mission, did I?"]

I know I didn't mean to blame you.

Miao Xin breathed a sigh of relief. She chose to return to the original topic. "[Regarding what you said about the police, my perspective is fear.]"

You are a person, but I am not.

This is understandable; Su Ming can get what he wants from the relevant departments. But as a ghost, Miao Xin can probably only be considered a tool and a research subject.

[However, this isn't something we can avoid by being afraid.] Before Su Ming could speak, Miao Xin continued, [Things always have to move forward, and we can't stay away from going back forever. My suggestion is to go see my father first; he should be able to give some professional advice.]

Now that they've stepped into the light, there's no point in hiding it from Miao Xin's family, and that includes Su Ming's own side as well.

Su Ming nodded, but he remained puzzled by one point. "[Your father's professional advice?]"

"I don't really know his specific profession," Miao Xin replied. "But he's quite knowledgeable about these things. Although he hasn't worked since the car accident last year."

Su Ming considered it carefully and felt it wasn't a mistake. As the deceased's closest relative, he should be the one to accept the situation the fastest. At the very least, Miao Xin's father could act as a bridge between the police and the deceased.

"How's your father's injury?" Su Ming asked casually. "And your mother?"

Miao Xin's soul fire suddenly leaped up, and the Undead Mark began to tremble. The surrounding air stagnated, and a dark power appeared out of thin air.

Is this the power of vengeful spirits?

"Are you alright, Miao Xin?" Su Ming called out.

The ghostly girl steadied herself, and her soul fire quickly returned to calm. "I'm sorry, my mother also went through that car accident."

She died on the spot.

I should apologize for bringing up something that upset you.

Is the power of the vengeful spirit related to Miao Xin's emotions? Su Ming pondered.

****

Someone approached from downstairs, but Su Ming didn't pay much attention at first. Although it was an industrial park that had been shut down, there were still some scattered construction works being carried out.

But the person kept getting closer and closer, until he was almost at the top floor.

"Let's go," Miao Xin suggested, wanting to leave before the other person came up.

Su Ming shook his head, "[No need.]"

Looking down, several vehicles transporting construction waste are entering the site.

Outside the compound wall, two escort vehicles happened to pass by. On the other side, power emergency repair vehicles also began their operations. Behind them, ambulances and fire trucks appeared as if in a flash.

What a coincidence!

"Good morning!" A familiar and fluent Mandarin voice came from behind. Su Ming turned around and saw a woman in business attire. She didn't approach rashly, but stood at the bottom of the stairs without railings and nodded to Su Ming.

In my Psionic Power Vision, aside from the headset, the opponent was not carrying any weapons.

Without needing to ask, Su Ming was certain that this person was not Vietnam.

He didn't know how the other person found him. He hadn't turned on his old phone, made any calls, or shopped online these past few days.

The person searched for information online using a brand-new mobile phone connected to Wi-Fi, and deliberately chose a hiding place in an area with no cameras in the surrounding area.

This is especially true in Vietnam, where infrastructure in various aspects is far behind.

But none of that matters anymore. The power of the state apparatus inspires awe in individuals.

Su Ming, who had been anxious and worried about what would happen, breathed a sigh of relief as the moment approached. After all, it seemed that the other party was prepared to have a proper discussion.

The security measures being taken on the perimeter are understandable and normal.

"Hello, are you a negotiation expert from the police?" Su Ming asked.

A hint of joy flashed across the woman's face; communication was no longer an obstacle! She nodded, "You can call me Ling Wen."

Actually, no. The full name of her company on her business card is "Pacific Rim Insurance Claims Limited Liability Company", International Services Department, Customer Service Manager.

Starting from the second day of the case, the matter went beyond its scope. And much earlier than today, the claims team was already at the tail end of the target.

The reason we have always maintained a cautious distance from 0B is simply because we have found that conventional behavior patterns cannot restrict the other party.

The criminal investigation team that acted too quickly set a good example for everyone, even at the cost of giving all its members a severe dressing-down and having three months' bonuses deducted.

Of course, there is another very important reason. The claims team had been waiting for many days and finally found a suitable area far from residential areas where they could carry out their work to the fullest extent!

****

A few blocks away, a command vehicle was parked with its white body bearing the words "Pacific Rim Insurance Claims" in large print. Upon closer inspection, the word "insurance" had been crossed out with a "no," and the word "claims" had been crossed out with double horizontal lines and circled off, replaced by the words "debt collection." A somewhat perfunctory Vietnam flag was also affixed to the front of the vehicle.

Inside the command vehicle, advanced equipment was in operation, and more than a dozen staff members were diligently monitoring everything around them.

[The sniper team of three is already in position; their field of vision is good.]

[The armored assault team is already...]

[The artillery positions are ready.]

[The laser interception system is functioning normally; drones within a 20-kilometer radius have been cleared.]

On the radio channel, the various groups reported the situation in an orderly manner.

"All units, stand by on the perimeter, awaiting instructions," the on-site commander ordered. "Attack helicopters, conceal yourselves behind buildings and do not enter our field of vision!"

If you can communicate effectively with the target, you've taken the first step smoothly. Therefore, as a last resort, it's best to avoid deception if possible.

Especially so far, the other side has not committed any destructive acts against humanity that exceed the bounds of the law—the damage to the Lighthouse doesn't count, but smashing things over there is a bonus.

In total, it resulted in a loss of 30 million yuan. The vast majority of that loss was caused by its disruptive actions on the high-speed rail line.

As required, this level of damage necessitates not only a complete vehicle inspection but also a thorough investigation of the entire production line to identify the cause and potential hazards.

The lines it frequents most often, the rolling stock depot and the track maintenance depot are constantly cursing it.

But money was the least noteworthy aspect of the whole incident. The claims team even made special arrangements, advancing the payments to the affected companies.

"Mr. Transmigrator," Ling Wen said carefully, choosing her words from the rooftop, "We have quite a few questions for you. Also, we've noticed your great interest in various devices from Earth; we can provide those directly, so you don't have to go through the trouble of collecting them from all over."

"Time traveler?"

A sudden thought flashed through Su Ming's mind: These people thought he was Galio had traveled from another world!

But upon closer examination, this actually makes sense! A car's onboard camera, or even road surveillance, might have captured Galio traversing the wormhole and summoning a bone prison to confront the heavy truck. Such an outsider, clearly fitting the characteristics of a "necromancer," controlling a skeleton to roam this world is the conclusion investigators should reach.

As for Su Ming, a machine shop worker, it's not surprising that he was completely obliterated in the crash and massive natural gas explosion. The transmigrator must have read Su Ming's memories to visit his dormitory and even attempt to impersonate him to infiltrate human society.

"Miss Ling Wen, please wait a moment." Su Ming gestured for her to stop. He shook his head, starting to think about where to begin explaining this completely off-topic situation.

If I had to rank it, his story is even more outrageous than "Galio traveling to Earth and wandering around," right?

****

On the command vehicle.

Another team reported: [Clear ultraviolet cross-image, successfully captured the "ghost" target.]

The obvious target is the skeleton warrior composed of Miao Xin's bones, controlled by the transmigrator. However, in the high-energy ray camera's field of vision, a ghost-like object can be seen.

This ghost is believed to be the true form of the time traveler, which is why the scam team was cautious and repeatedly refrained from deceiving the victim.

Faced with this unknown entity, the research department has done its best to develop weapons that can theoretically target it, but whether they will actually be effective is really hard to say.

[Everything is normal in the surrounding area; there are no unauthorized personnel within a ten-kilometer radius.]

"L Stay on alert!" the commander replied.

The "time traveler" has turned the Lighthouse Country upside down, and it cannot be ruled out that the CIA has already infiltrated it; we must be wary and take precautions.

The commander lamented, "If it weren't for that inexplicable incident at a certain international cargo airport where they tried to intercept and scam us, we wouldn't have let them out at all."

The phone rang urgently. The commander answered it, and his expression changed drastically upon hearing the call.