Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 121 Everyone Feels Like They've struck it rich! Interrogating the Female Elf (10,000 words, please subscribe)
The young soldiers yearned for glory.

An Kang was among the first batch of warriors to enter the other world, and he was an elite soldier. Unfortunately, he was unlucky; before he even lasted a day, he was injured by a necromancer and unable to go to the battlefield!

During my time off from the military, I heard my comrades talk about battles in another world, and I felt an intense longing to fight.

For a soldier yearning for the battlefield, every minute and every second spent recuperating in the rear is agonizing.

He was practically covered in hair; only hearing news from the front lines from his comrades could make him feel that he hadn't been abandoned.

"You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't participate in such an incredibly intense event!"

Old Zhang's eyes lit up whenever he talked about this.

"That undead scourge was simply boundless! You didn't see the scene; my arm felt like it was shattered from the shockwave of firing the gun!"

"I almost broke my shoulder when I was fighting them in the dark!" An Kang thought to himself, but didn't say it aloud. He just listened to his comrades talking.

A young soldier with a broken arm on the bed next to him excitedly added, "Yeah! Ankang, it's still more fun to fight on the front lines."

The group chatted amongst themselves, each offering their own thoughts.

When the topic turned to magic, Old Zhang asked, "Ankang, is Professor Deng alright?"

"Professor Deng is in very good health!" He told the soldiers about Professor Deng's back as he leaned on the table, muttering to himself.

Everyone then began to speak highly of Professor Deng.

This mission was said to be quite dangerous, and Professor Deng's intelligence was the key to this victory.

As An Kang listened to the role Professor Deng had played this time, he dared to face the spellcaster directly and nodded vigorously. Beneath the healed scar on his chest, his heart was burning hot.

Sacrifice, achievements, merits.

These intertwined words stirred his blood and filled him with sorrow for his fallen comrades.

He clenched his fist, feeling the power of his muscles regrouping.

He'd had enough of this feeling of powerlessness. He wanted to go back! Back to the battlefield, back to his comrades, and with his own gun, to show those monsters from another world who the new masters of this land were!

Just then, Old Zhang suddenly nudged his shoulder with a wink and said with a wicked grin, "By the way, Ankang, I heard you like animal-eared girls?"

"What nonsense are you talking about! Those elves are enemies. He'll be met with bullets, not goodwill!" An Kang's face flushed red instantly, and his neck stiffened.

"Oh, bullets! Where were those bullets fired? You probably have no idea how beautiful those female elves are!"

"Hey hey hey..."

The ward was immediately filled with cheerful laughter.
-

The convalescent room not far away was brightly lit.

Deng Dakang had just finished outlining the next phase of talisman-making research for Wang Hu and the two Taoist priests when he plunged headfirst into the newly arrived materials.

A report titled "Analysis of Otherworld Boundary Variables After Large-Scale Removal of Face Trees" made him frown.

The report's data shows that for every forest they destroy, the white permafrost representing frost and death erodes from the north at a visible rate.

"What are you doing..."

Deng Dakang rubbed his temples, feeling a buzzing in his head.

"We came here to reclaim wasteland, not to play tower defense! What's going on? We painstakingly leveled the forest in the south, and now this icy world in the north is coming to reap the benefits?"

This problem is fatal.

Expanding territory is for the sake of sustainable development and for building new homes.

If the land they conquered cannot be cultivated and can only become a desolate ice field, then what is the point of all their sacrifices?

Without agricultural pioneering, the foundation is unstable, and it will ultimately remain a mirage.

Deng Dakang's fingertips tapped impatiently on the table, his mind racing with countless thoughts.

After a long time, he finally made up his mind, picked up a pen, and wrote down his judgment on the document.

"We speculate that the spirits of the southern forests are of the Harmony of Life faction, and they have reacted to our intrusion! Although they have displayed a great deal of power, we should focus on peaceful contact and strategic cooperation, while simultaneously developing a targeted defense system—specifically, one aimed at their gods!"

"The cold forces of the North are defined as absolutely hostile! Their complete extermination must be the goal, until they retreat beyond the safety line! But we must proceed cautiously and carefully. We must confirm that the environment of the other world will not be completely unbalanced due to the extermination of the undead."

After writing those few lines, Deng Dakang felt completely drained. Just as he was about to stretch and loosen his stiff body, the door to the recuperation room was pushed open from the outside.

Li Weiguo stood at the door with a stern face, staring intently at him.

Deng Dakang's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously tried to hide the document in his hand, his movements comical, like a child who had done something wrong.

“Professor Deng,” Li Weiguo’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, “the doctor’s advice is for you to rest in bed, not for you to work overtime here.”

"Mr. Li, I..." Deng Dakang smiled awkwardly and scratched his head, "I was just taking a look and organizing my thoughts. I didn't do any research, absolutely not."

Li Weiguo sighed, walked in, poured him a cup of hot tea, and placed it beside him.

"Professor Deng, I know you care about the front lines, but you must also trust your colleagues and the soldiers on the front lines."

Li Weiguo's tone softened, "You've already given so much to this team. Now, all you need to do is rest well. Getting your health back is the greatest support you can give us."

Deng Dakang picked up his teacup, nodded, and felt a warm feeling well up in his heart.

Li Weiguo looked at him, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "You'd better get plenty of rest. Who knows, one of these days, the higher-ups might call me directly, specifically asking to commend you as a great contributor!"

Deng Dakang's eyes widened suddenly, and his hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air.

"Don't look at me like that." Li Weiguo patted his shoulder, a rare smile appearing on his face. "Your superiors are very concerned about your health. I'm here today to visit you on behalf of the leaders."

Deng Dakang was stunned for a long time before slowly putting down his teacup and solemnly saying, "Thank you, thank you for the organization's concern!"
-

173 kilometers away, in the far north, in the permafrost.

The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind, carrying ice crystals, felt like knives against my face.

In the makeshift camp of a human advance team, the campfire was burning brightly, dispelling some of the chill, but it could not dispel the vigilance in the hearts of the soldiers.

Not far away, the indigenous camp that called itself the Ice River Tribe had just finished a post-battle memorial service and a cremation ceremony for the dead.

A mournful dirge drifted on the wind, adding to the desolation of this otherworldly wasteland.

"Even their mourning cries are so penetrating! These savages certainly have a lot of energy!"

Xiao Zhou, who was in charge of guarding the area, rubbed his ears, which were numb from the cold, and whispered to Captain Zhao Chong, who was on duty next to him.

Zhao Chong remained silent, simply holding up his binoculars and carefully observing the tribe's movements.

Contact was an order from above, but no one would entrust their life to a group of savages.

Inside the tent, linguist Yu Qiwen was facing a data board, his brow furrowed in worry.

He muttered to himself, using strange syllables that he had just recorded from the tribal chief, Jinhe, during the day.

The language of the savage tribe is crude; it's not difficult to pronounce, but it's not beautiful.

Jinhe, a seemingly rugged but actually shrewd chieftain of a savage tribe.

He showed enough goodwill towards humanity, but Yu Qiwen could sense that that goodwill was based on the powerful force displayed by humanity.

Outside the tent!

Zhao Chong heard a whisper from the observation post through his earpiece: "Second post, target spotted, seventeen, no, eighteen people, breaking away from the tribe and sneaking towards us."

Zhao Chong's heart tightened, and he immediately switched the telescope to thermal imaging mode.

In the field of vision, eighteen figures of varying sizes, radiating heat, were stealthily approaching under the cover of night and the terrain.

"They've got a job, and they're definitely up to no good. But why are there so few of them?" Xiao Zhou cursed, silently pulling back the bolt of his gun.

“Don’t rush,” Zhao Chong commanded in a deep voice, “They’re unarmed. Everyone keep silent, and when they get closer, give them a surprise.”

The other person was getting closer and closer; their movements were clumsy, but their purpose was very clear.

One hundred meters.

Thirty meters.

"Turn on the lights!"

At Zhao Chong's command, more than a dozen high-intensity searchlights instantly lit up, illuminating an area in front of the camp as if it were daytime!
The figures were blinded by the bright light and instinctively stopped in their tracks, covering their eyes. Some even screamed.

"Stop! Don't move!"

The soldiers roared in unison, their dark gun barrels pointed at the approaching figures, exuding an imposing aura.

When they saw who it was, everyone was stunned for a moment.

It was all women.

They were wrapped in thick animal hides, and their faces and hands were coated with antifreeze fish oil, which gleamed greasyly under the light.

Years of hardship have etched deep lines on their faces, and their bodies are robust and sturdy. They are more like female warriors than women.

The soldiers looked at each other and began to whisper among themselves.

"A woman coming to her death?"

"They can definitely make you childless, don't underestimate them."

After a brief moment of panic, the tribal women actually started walking forward again.

Zhao Chong frowned, then stopped hesitating.

"boom!"

He fired a shot into the air, the crisp gunshot echoing across the silent snowfield and carrying far.

Finally, they stopped.

"Wait! Let me do it!"

The tent flap was suddenly flung open, and Yu Qiwen rushed out holding a tablet computer. As he ran, he shouted into the device, "Don't shoot! They can't understand us!"

He rushed to the front, took a deep breath, and pressed a button on the tablet.

After a hissing sound, a strange, processed language, a mix of mechanical and human voices, blared from the loudspeaker: "Halt! Approach! Kill!"

These few simple words, the result of Yu Qiwen's afternoon's work, are full of warning.

The women of the tribe immediately froze in place, as if struck by a spell, and dared not move.

The woman at the head of the group, who appeared to be the tallest, glanced fearfully at the guns in the soldiers' hands before her gaze fell on Yu Qiwen.

She suddenly opened her mouth and said something in the same rough language.

Yu Qiwen immediately pointed the device at her.

The voiceprint on the data board jumped around rapidly, analyzed, and compared...

A few seconds later, a line of translated text appeared on the screen. The soldier next to him leaned over to take a look, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

I saw it said——

"Which of you is the strongest? We want to have children with you."

The moment the translation results came out, the air seemed to freeze.

The soldiers, guns in hand, looked at each other, their expressions shifting from wary and fierce to astonished and bewildered, finally settling on a strange look of wanting to laugh but not daring to.

Xiao Zhou sidled up to Zhao Chong, nudged him with her elbow, and whispered, "What's going on? Have they come to propose marriage?"

Zhao Chong's cheek muscles twitched slightly. He ignored him, but the tension in his eyes subtly relaxed, replaced by a sense of absurdity that was both laughable and exasperating.

Yu Qiwen was the most confused.

When had he, a scholar specializing in language research, ever seen such a scene?
He looked down at the words on the tablet, then looked up at the group of burly women opposite him with their fixed gazes, and seriously doubted whether there was something wrong with his translation software.

Have a baby? With us?

In the eerie silence, the tribal woman at the head of the group seemed to grow impatient. She took another step forward, muttering to herself. Her gaze swept back and forth between Zhao Chong and Xiao Zhou, the armed warriors, as if she were picking out the fattest livestock at a market.

"do not move!"

The soldiers reflexively raised their gun barrels a few more inches.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

An anxious roar came from the darkness in the distance, followed by a tall figure tumbling and crawling towards them—it was Jinhe, the tribal chief.

He was clearly startled by the gunshots and panicked at the tense scene before him.

Jinhe rushed up to the group of women, shouting something in the tribal language. Then he turned to Yu Qiwen, clasped his hands together, and gestured frantically while making urgent sounds.

Yu Qiwen quickly picked up his tablet to translate.

Fragmented words appeared on the screen, piecing together the whole story.

It turns out that these women had all lost their husbands, relatives, brothers, or sons in the daytime battles.

According to the customs of the Glacier tribe, in order to ensure the continuation of the race, widows have the right to seek out the strongest man in the tribe that very night, crawl into his tent, and seek offspring and protection.

In their eyes, humans who can illuminate the night with light and ignite the sky with a clap of thunder are undoubtedly the most powerful beings on this snowfield, servants of the gods!

So, they came.

After listening to the translation, Zhao Chong rubbed his throbbing temples and silently waved his hand behind him.

The soldiers understood, and although they didn't put down their guns, their tense postures relaxed, and many of them suppressed laughter, their shoulders shaking.

“Ahem,” Yu Qiwen cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks burning. He spoke into the translator, trying to use diplomatic language as tactfully as possible: “Respected Chief Jinhe, thank you very much for your… kindness. However, our tribe’s customs are different from yours; we do not have this tradition.”

He paused, glanced at the women who were still staring at them expectantly, and added, "However, as friends, we are willing to offer some assistance."

Zhao Chong understood immediately and ordered the person behind him, "Xiao Zhou, go and bring out a few boxes of our stockpiled canned beef and compressed biscuits and give them to them."

"Yes, and prepare some steak too!"

Soon, several boxes of labeled military supplies and steaks were brought over.

The women looked at the square iron boxes, and although they were reluctant to leave, they still accepted the food after Jinhe's repeated scolding.

There was disappointment in their eyes, but even more so, a longing for food.

Finally, they disappeared into the night, turning back every few steps.

A misunderstanding that could have led to bloodshed ended dramatically.

Yu Qiwen turned to Jinhe and said with a smile through the translator, “Chief, food is only temporary. After dawn tomorrow, we can talk about longer-term cooperation. For example, we can help you build stronger shelters, you can provide us with the local information we need, and we can also provide you with a stable supply of materials.”

Jinhe's eyes lit up instantly, a shrewd look flashed across his face, and he nodded repeatedly, expressing his gratitude and agreement.

……

The report, titled "Urgent Report on the Glacier Tribe's Late-Night Courtship Incident," was quickly sent back to the rear command post.

The serious atmosphere in the command hall was broken by a burst of suppressed laughter.

Commander-in-Chief Su Mingjin, holding a cup of strong tea, couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at the translation of "want to have a baby" highlighted on the big screen.

"These guys have quite the luck with women," one of the staff officers joked.

Su Mingjin took a sip of tea, his smile fading from his face. He suddenly remembered something and turned to ask the technical supervisor next to him.

"By the way, what are the results of the gene analysis report that was sent this afternoon?"

The technical manager immediately pulled up another document, and the data and graphs instantly filled the screen.

"Reporting to the commander-in-chief, the results are in."

He pointed to a prominent number on the screen, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of excitement.

"We share a 99.9% genetic similarity with other humans in this world."

The entire command center fell silent instantly.

All eyes were drawn to that string of numbers.

Su Mingjin put down her teacup, slowly stood up, stared at the screen, and asked, word by word, "What does this mean?"

The technical lead took a deep breath and delivered a conclusion that was enough to overturn everyone's understanding.

"This means that there is no reproductive isolation between us and them."

"Unfortunately, the savage tribes are all rather barbaric."

The warriors preferred the elves to the savage tribes.

Those female elves were truly beautiful creatures.

Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, they harbor great malice towards humans.

……

173 kilometers away from the command post. Just as dawn was breaking, the people of the Ice River tribe were awakened by a muffled rumbling sound.

They climbed out of their tents and looked up at the sky in fear. Several huge "iron birds" were circling above the camp, using thick ropes to hoist down the square tin houses and unidentifiable machinery, placing them precisely in the designated open spaces.

The soldiers had already begun their intense but orderly work, with the sounds of metal clashing and commands echoing throughout.

Yu Qiwen stood in front of the tribe, followed by several warriors carrying supply boxes.

He used a portable megaphone to clearly convey the translated words to everyone.

"Chief of the Golden River, and friends of the Glacier Tribe. From this day forward, we will build a sturdy castle here."

"As long as you are willing to work with us and abide by our rules, once the buildings are completed, you will have houses in the city that are warm, sturdy, and able to withstand any wind and snow."

“We will also provide food, clothing and tools. Your tribe will continue and be reborn here.”

Jinhe and his clansmen behind him were stunned.

A warm and sturdy stone house?
Sufficient food?
For generations, they struggled against the cold and hunger, living a miserable life, and even worshipped the god of cold, until recently when they were abandoned!

Now, these godlike warriors are actually willing to give them a real home?
Jinhe's turbid eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance. He glanced at the enormous iron birds and the busy warriors, then looked back at his people behind him, their clothes tattered and their eyes full of expectation.

He had someone bring out the fish oil, which he then presented to the recipient with both hands.

He expressed his gratitude with the tribe's most solemn ceremony.

Humanity accepted his goodwill!
Subsequently, a massive infrastructure project was launched.

Zhao Chong then took on more down-to-earth work.

He marked out an open space in the center of the camp and had the soldiers lay out their supplies.

The dazzling array of supplies was displayed, leaving the people of the Ice River tribe in awe.

Glasses, stainless steel lunch boxes, nylon ropes, lighters, and even cola and colorful candies.

"Come, come, fellow villagers of the Ice River Tribe, come and have a look!" Zhao Chong cleared his throat and imitated the shouts from his hometown temple fair. Although the other party could not understand, the lively atmosphere was still conveyed.

"We'll trade anything for anything! Whether it's a stone shard, animal hide, or rotten bones, as long as we like it, we can exchange it for food and drink!"

The people of the Jinhe tribe were initially confused, not understanding what these divine messengers were up to.

A daring young man tentatively pointed a crudely polished obsidian dagger at a bottle of cola.

The soldier in charge of exchanging the bottles understood and smiled as he unscrewed the caps.

"呲-"

The dark brown liquid bubbled, and a sweet aroma instantly filled the air.

Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, the young man took the cola, cautiously took a sip, and his eyes widened instantly.

This...this is an absolutely divine drink!

Once the floodgates of trade are opened, they can never be closed again.

The tribesmen rushed home like madmen and dug out everything they considered valuable.

A fur coat inlaid with fish teeth, bones of various colors polished to a shine, ancestral gold ingots, ironware acquired at great expense from the Southerners…

A burly man traded a gold nugget the size of a human head for a whole case of Coca-Cola, and laughed like a 300-pound child while holding the case.

A woman traded a string of faintly glowing stones, supposedly dug from deep within the ice, for a mirror that clearly reflected her image. She then cried and laughed in front of the mirror.

The soldiers suppressed their inner elation and maintained a serious expression that said, "We're here for cultural exchange," but inside they were overjoyed.

"Report to Captain Zhao! The preliminary estimate of the gold is over fifty kilograms!"

"Captain Zhao! This thing has an abnormal energy reaction, it's incredibly light, it might be... mithril!"

"Team... Captain, they traded this for a box of compressed biscuits..." A soldier held several seemingly ordinary but warm and smooth animal bones, his hands trembling.

Zhao Chong stood with his hands behind his back, nodding calmly, as if the strategic materials before him that were enough to drive the research base in the rear crazy were just ordinary local specialties.

He nodded slightly: "Hmm, not bad. Tell the brothers not to be stingy. If there's not enough cola, bring out instant noodles. If there aren't enough instant noodles, bring out my self-heating hot pot! Oh, and where are the glass marbles? Get the glass marbles ready too!"

The tribe felt they had gotten a tremendous advantage, exchanging some useless stones, bones, and ornaments for delicacies and exquisite artifacts that only gods could enjoy. They thought these divine messengers were too generous and too foolish.

Zhao Chong and his soldiers felt as if they were dreaming, having obtained rare resources that had long been depleted or simply did not exist on Earth by using only some cheap industrial products.

This reminds many people of the colonists on Earth hundreds of years ago.

They probably did the same thing as them, exchanging incredibly cheap goods for these precious metals that are extremely valuable in the mainstream world.

At this moment, both sides felt they had hit the jackpot, and the camp was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

As the transaction neared its end, Zhao Chong personally inspected the spoils of war.

Soon, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a black and gray iron plate among a pile of miscellaneous items.

The iron plate is no bigger than the palm of your hand, and it is probably made of steel. The totem engraved on it is not the Ice River Tribe's totem, but a kind of rough painting.

The painting appears to depict a human dressed in animal skins holding a broken silver chain.

He picked up the sign; it was icy cold to the touch. He noticed letters-like characters on the back.

Zhao Chong's pupils dilated immediately: "Where did you get this replaced?"

"It was given to me by an injured savage male! I found it strange and asked him where he came from. He said he killed a southerner and then stole it!"

Zhao Chong's lips twitched slightly, then he picked up the walkie-talkie: "Professor Yu, this is Zhao Chong. We seem to have discovered writing from another world."

..............................

The night in this other world, like a huge black curtain, slowly descended.

The sky is clear tonight with minimal electromagnetic interference, and there's absolutely no blizzard.

Inside the command center, however, it was as bright as day.

The air was filled with the low hum of server units and the occasional crisp tapping of keyboards.

Su Mingjin, Brigade Commander Man, Brigade Commander Fu, and a criminal investigation expert who had just been transferred from the rear stood side by side, their eyes all focused on the central main screen.

On the screen, a single cell is clearly displayed.

The captured elf, Anis, was huddled in a corner.

Her long green hair seemed to have lost its luster, lying somewhat dull on the ground, her pointed ears drooping limply, and her whole being exuded a sense of listlessness.

In order to imprison her, the engineering corps built this specially made cell in just a few hours, which could block electromagnetic signals from the inside and outside to the greatest extent, completely cutting off all possible contact between her and the outside world.

“This little thing is quite resilient.” Commander Man crossed his arms, his voice low but still rough. “She’s been locked up for over ten hours. Many soldiers have used up her magical power. Right now, she looks a bit listless but hasn’t uttered a sound.”

"Old Man, watch your words." Brigade Commander Fu glanced at him. "This is the only living intelligent biological sample we currently possess, and its value is immeasurable."

The forensic expert next to him adjusted his glasses and calmly analyzed, "Her psychological defenses are being eroded. Prolonged sensory deprivation and environmental isolation are the best preparations before interrogation. How's Professor Yu's translator doing?"

A technician immediately responded: "Final language model integration in progress... Report, integration just completed! Dialogue translator ready, interrogation can begin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, another communications soldier stood up abruptly, his voice rising slightly with excitement.

"Report! Captain Zhao Chong, another major discovery at the frontline infrastructure camp!"

Su Mingjin perked up and immediately turned around: "What did you find?"

"Writing! Captain Zhao said... they seem to have discovered the writing system of this world!" The communications soldier's face turned red. "They found it on an iron plaque they got from the Ice River Tribe!"

“Pictures!” Su Mingjin’s voice was brief and forceful.

"Yes!"

The next second, Annie's image on the main screen was instantly switched.

A palm-sized black metal plate, held firmly in the hand of someone wearing a tactical glove, fills the entire frame.

The rust and ancient engravings on the iron plate are clearly visible under the high-definition camera.

Everyone in the command center held their breath.

On one side of the iron plaque is engraved a roaring human wearing animal skins with a ferocious face, holding a broken chain aloft in his hand.

On the other side were some neatly arranged, seemingly familiar characters.

"Old Li, come and see!" Su Mingjin immediately waved to the language expert.

The language expert, known as Old Li, strode forward, adjusted his glasses, and leaned close to the screen. His expression instantly changed: "This...this is not any known alphabetic system. Look, there are letter-like structures here, but this one next to it is clearly a simplified pictographic symbol...Ha, this is a hybrid of ideographic and phonetic writing!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his finger almost poking the screen: "The development of such a complex writing system must have been supported by a well-structured and ancient civilization! This is something that primitive tribes could never have created!"

"What is the material of this iron plaque?" Su Mingjin pressed.

Soon, preliminary data analyzed by the frontline using portable devices was transmitted back.

"Report! The material has a very high iron content, but alloy composition analysis shows that it cannot be considered steel. The forging process... is very strange. The preliminary judgment is that it was hot forging and hammering, but the material is very clean, so it should have undergone some special color penetration process."

Commander Man stroked his chin and muttered, "Zhao Chong is truly a lucky guy. We sent him to establish relations with the other side, and he went and got a token straight from the primitives!"

Su Mingjin ignored his joke, her gaze fixed on the roaring human figure on the iron plate, and then glanced at Annie's delicate but expressionless face on the split screen.

A mysterious human civilization that possesses advanced forging techniques and a complex writing system.

An elf with extraordinary power who was captured alive?

Is there any connection between these two things?
Countless thoughts flashed through Su Mingjin's mind before she turned around and issued new instructions.

"Immediately! Create a 3D model of all the patterns and symbols on this iron plaque! At the same time, retrieve all the ornaments, patterns, and symbols we seized from the elf Anise and her people!"

She paused, her voice becoming unusually serious.

"Conduct a comprehensive and detailed comparison! I need to know if there are any commonalities between these two! Confirm whether they belong to the same faction or are allies!"

Su Mingjin looked away from the screen and turned to Gong Pengfei, the criminal investigation expert beside her: "Expert Gong, it seems that the formal exchange will have to be postponed."

Gong Pengfei pushed up his glasses, revealing a hunter's sharpness and excitement in his eyes behind the lenses. He wasn't a soldier, but he possessed a formidable aura that rivaled that of any soldier.

“No problem, Mr. Su.” He cracked his wrists, making a soft snapping sound. “The more clues there are, the more complete the puzzle will be. This will only make my job easier.”

As one of the top interrogation experts in the police system, Gong Pengfei is not yet thirty years old. He is proficient in criminal psychology and micro-expression analysis, and his resume is truly impressive.

A few days ago, a transfer order threw him into this isolated place, and his initial astonishment quickly turned into immense elation.

He spearheaded the first formal contact with intelligent beings from another world.

What a glorious honor for one's ancestors this is!

After some time, everyone confirmed that the elven patterns and other decorations were not quite the same as the iron plaque.

The manufacturing process of the iron plate is unusual, but the material is mostly iron.

The elves primarily use silk from other worlds, certain unknown biological materials, and trees to create their products.

The two sides likely used different written and spoken languages.

Everyone was disappointed.

"Commander Su, all commanders, leave the interrogation to me. I guarantee I'll get the information quickly."

With the prepared materials in hand, Gong Pengfei took a deep breath, accepted the brainwave feedback device handed to him by the technician, and skillfully put it on.

He then picked up a strangely shaped helmet that provided full protection against magic and electromagnetic interference, and nodded to everyone: "Hopefully it will be effective against mental attacks."

In the interrogation room.

Annies, who was curled up in the corner, suddenly twitched her pointed ears slightly.

She then quickly raised her head, revealing a face that was covered in dust but still exquisite.

When she saw Gong Pengfei open the door, her originally clear eyes, along with her dull pale green hair, simultaneously shimmered with a faint, phosphorescent pale green light.

An invisible wave quietly probed into Gong Pengfei's mind.

However, the moment the wave hit the helmet, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

Gong Pengfei stood still, motionless, simply gazing at her calmly.

Sensing that her mental link had been completely severed, the light in Anise's eyes instantly faded, and her face paled.

She stared intently at the unfathomable human before her, and cursed in a trembling universal language: "The lackey of the evil god!"

Countless unseen cameras captured this scene and transmitted it to the command center.

Inside the command post, the curse was not translated.

"Can't the translator work?" Commander Man frowned.

"Their language is different from that of the savages, and the translator didn't collect enough linguistic information. However, the female prisoner said it many times, so we suspect it was definitely swearing!"

Only then did Commander Man relax his brow.

Seeing Anise's unusual behavior, the biological research group not far away was in an uproar.

"It's glowing! Her hair and eyes really do glow!"

A biologist excitedly slammed his fist on the table. "This confirms our research and discovery! Magic, or rather their special abilities, can cause a violent energy reaction in the body's surface! As long as we pay attention to this and take preventative measures in advance, we can defend against magic!"

Biologists had already studied the previously collected elf corpses.

The other person's hair was so distinctive that it naturally attracted everyone's attention.

Microscopic observation revealed that the other person's hair could perform a certain degree of photosynthesis.

The hair structure of the elves is a perfect energy absorber.

The female elf's hair is hollow and contains faint chlorophyll variants, which biologists call magical aura elements.

This element is speculated to be able to absorb light beyond the infrared and ultraviolet ranges, and its energy conversion efficiency is far superior to that of animals on Earth.

In addition to this, the other person's hair also has a fiber optic network.

The surface of the recipient's hair is covered with nanoscale light-conducting channels, which transmit the absorbed light energy to the capillaries of the scalp, directly converting it into ATP for energy and reducing the need for food by 60%.

In bright light, the other person's hair appears golden-green, which is a special, highly efficient energy absorption mode. In dim light, it turns pale green.

Biologists speculate that the elves are highly dependent on light, which may lead to calcium ion loss, requiring them to regularly ingest minerals.

"Don't speak yet, watch carefully and observe the first formal interaction between humans and elves!"

"Uh, okay!"

In the interrogation room.

Under the protection of two soldiers, Gong Pengfei stepped into this silent standoff.

At the other end of the alloy railing, the elf named Annie was curled up in a corner, her long, pale green hair spread out on the polished floor, scattered casually.

"This elf is so beautiful!"

Gong Pengfei's gaze met hers, and he saw a green glint in her eyes.

He casually raised his hand and lightly touched his oddly shaped full-coverage helmet.

A signature move brought a sigh of relief to Su Mingjin and Brigade Commander Man in the command post.

“The helmet is still effective,” Su Mingjin said softly, “It hasn’t affected my mind at all!”

"The brainwaves are normal!"

Commander Man snorted, but there was a hint of approval on his face: "That kid's got guts."

Instead of walking towards the interrogation table, Gong Pengfei stopped three meters away from the railing and waved to the soldiers behind him.

"Put me in shackles."

The soldier was taken aback, but still obeyed the order.

“Please lock me to the ground anchor point,” Gong Pengfei’s voice came through the helmet’s communicator, carrying a hint of dull electronic tone, “Don’t give me a chance to get close to the cage where the female elf is being held.”

Why bother with this?

Inside the command post, an officer responsible for liaising with Gong Pengfei explained, "This is Mr. Gong's request. In the past twenty hours, Annies has attempted mental manipulation three times, and two sentries almost opened the cell door. Mr. Gong is taking the initiative to show goodwill, while also physically isolating himself."

"court?"

Commander Man watched as Gong Pengfei actually sat cross-legged on the screen, letting the soldiers lock the shackles to his ankles, the other end fastened to a metal ring on the floor. His brows furrowed. "Why are you trying to be friendly? This is an interrogation!"

Gong Pengfei seemed oblivious to the astonishment of the crowd. He took out a palm-sized black device from his tactical bag and made his smile as bright as possible.

Then, he shook the instrument at Annie and pressed a button.

He then spoke a translated version of the audio.

"Hello! Friend, we mean no harm!"

(End of this chapter)