This time I chose Paladin.

Chapter 276 Planning and Recruiting People

Rotal Albert?

Nie Weiyang raised his eyebrows slightly.

He was familiar with the name. In the latter part of last game, this European man had made quite a name for himself.

Some called him the 'Sword Saint,' praising his godlike swordsmanship; others fearfully called him the 'Death Walker,' for wherever he went, his enemies were often wiped out.

Nie Weiyang and he did not have a deep collaboration; they only met a few times during major conflicts or world events.

At that time, Rothal gave Nie Weiyang a complicated feeling—in his impression, the man seemed to be suppressing some kind of almost insane mania, but strangely, Nie Weiyang did not feel any malice from him. On the contrary, he could sense a trace of friendliness and integrity that was hidden by layers.

Nie Weiyang didn't voice these fragments of the future, but instead followed up Lin Shouheng's question by asking, "Where is he now?"

"They operate near Life Manor," Lin Shouheng replied, a hint of pleasure appearing on his face as he mentioned his old friend. "His Second Light Squad's main objective is to disrupt Life Manor's operations, cut off their supplies, and rescue those they control."

"However... the manor is powerful, so they can only operate like shadows, which has limited effect."

Nie Weiyang nodded. Then he asked another question: "Where is the nearest pre-civilization refuge?"

Lin Shouheng was clearly aware of this and immediately replied, "It's also near the Life Manor."

"Back then, those people first controlled the entrance to the vault instance and used the resources produced inside to quickly build up their teams and start the first round of... 'operation'."

His tone was full of sarcasm when he said the last two words.

The information gradually became clear: the Life Manor, the Life Cult, the resources of the refuge, the civilian resistance forces…

These clues are like scattered beads, connected by an invisible thread.

Nie Weiyang quickly sketched out a preliminary action plan in his mind.

“Alright,” he said to Lin Shouheng, “you should go back and rest. Stay alive, we still need you here.”

"Don't worry, the situation inside China has stabilized, and we won't leave you to fend for yourselves. As for the minor issues in your town... I'll handle them."

Lin Shouheng was so excited that he almost lost his footing. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask something, but when he saw Nie Weiyang's eyes that shone faintly in the darkness, he swallowed his words.

—Although he didn’t know why he trusted Nie Weiyang so quickly… he had no other choice, did he?

He nodded, dragging his weary body, and slowly moved back into the depths of the shed.

Like a cheetah gliding into the shadows, Nie Weiyang silently left the town of Kushui, which was shrouded in pain, and once again stepped into the perilous primeval forest.

The jungle at night is a true hunting ground, but to him, it is actually cleaner than the human settlement filled with despair.

Nocturnal venomous insects and lurking predators posed no threat to him. When two colorful venomous snakes leaped down from the tree, attempting to embed their fangs into his neck, his fingers shot out like lightning, precisely crushing their heads, and casually discarding the still-writhing corpses onto the thick layer of humus.

He stopped in a natural depression formed by the entanglement of huge buttress roots, where the dense shadows of the trees almost completely blocked out the sky, making it an excellent hiding spot.

After confirming that there were only the rustling sounds of nocturnal creatures crawling around and no intelligent life spying on them, Nie Weiyang took out the prototype of the [spell-guided radio device] that he had brought with him before leaving China from his storage space.

The instrument's cold, metallic casing gleamed with a hard, eerie light. In the starlight filtering through the foliage, the exposed cables, like the neural network of a sleeping behemoth, meandered and coiled between the metal frame.

He placed this device, full of utilitarian and rugged style, on a relatively flat rock. The heavy base made a dull thud when it came into contact with the stone.

Nie Weiyang skillfully started the equipment and adjusted the complex parameters. After a slight hum, the indicator light representing the signal connection flashed a steady green light. He needed to transmit the intelligence from here—about Bitterwater Town, Lin Shouheng, the plague, the dark, corrosive nature of the plague, the occupation of the three major sects' manors, and the existence of the Light Organization and Rotal Albert—back.

This was not only to seek information support from the rear, but also to pave the way for possible follow-up actions.

In this broken world, lone wolf heroism won't go far. Since he has a backer, he needs to call on others!

Nie Weiyang picked up the simple communication stone connected to the main unit and brought it close to his lips.

His voice was low but exceptionally clear, ensuring that every word could be fully captured by the runestone and converted into encrypted signal waves: "This is Nie Weiyang."

"Location confirmed. We have entered the Level 3 Orange Public Hazard Area marked as 'Spread of Fever' in the southern continental shelf. This area is located in the former Southeast Asian border zone. Specific coordinates are attached."

He first reported his location, which is a communication procedure and crucial for ensuring that the rear could locate his information source.

"Prior intelligence: It has been confirmed that the 'fever' prevalent here is not a natural or conventional disease. Its nature is a highly contagious and highly insidious dark erosion, which is a magical influence."

"My healing skills can temporarily suppress the symptoms, but cannot eradicate them. To reiterate, the 'fever epidemic' is caused by the corruption of dark forces, the source of which is yet to be investigated, but it is suspected to be related to local forces."

The intelligence he provides will directly influence the rear's assessment of the situation and possible support plans.

"Secondary intelligence: There are three large human settlements in the area, calling themselves 'Manors,' but in reality they are armed separatist forces."

"It has been confirmed that they are controlled or deeply infiltrated by the 'Life God Cult,' the 'Mother God Cult,' and the 'Return Sect,' respectively."

"These sects use faith and force to exert dual control, including but not limited to spreading diseases, monopolizing treatment, controlling key resource points, and systematically exploiting and mentally controlling the local population."

“I have come across a typical case of a Life God cult member committing suicide after ‘giving’ resources.”

He combined the information provided by Lin Shouheng with his own observations and gave a concise and clear report on the past.

"Third: There is a resistance organization in the area that calls itself 'Lights,' led by three 'Flame Bearers,' and uses guerrilla tactics to fight against the manor's forces."

"It has been confirmed that one of the torchbearers is Rotal Albert, who studied in China during the Earth era. His alma mater was Senyun University, where he was a classmate of Lin Shouheng. He is currently active near the Life Manor."

"This information needs further verification, but it has a certain degree of credibility."

Nie Weiyang's tone was flat, devoid of any personal bias, purely a statement of intelligence.

"Current plan: Prioritize contacting Rotal Albert or his 'Light' forces to obtain more detailed intelligence."

"At the same time, I will attempt to locate and investigate the shelter controlled by Life Manor. This shelter may be a major resource acquisition point for the Manor forces in the area. I will contact Administrator Number Two to inquire about the feasibility of prohibiting specific targets from entering the shelter."

He briefly explained his next steps, both to report the situation and to allow the rear to make preparations.

"Message transmission complete. If you need to contact us, please try the pre-selected encrypted frequency band. Over."

Nie Weiyang released the communication talisman stone and saw that the steady green signal light was still on, which meant that the message had been successfully sent.

He did not immediately put away the radio, but remained in silent reception mode, like a dormant rock, waiting in silence for an echo that might come from afar.

For a moment, he was somewhat dazed.

It's as if he did something similar a hundred years ago. And millions of years later, he's still doing it.

(End of this chapter)