Arknights, Suika's Messenger Journey

Now, after the explosion, the Originium particles began to settle, and the Originium concentration on the ground began to rise again.

After landing, Suika found Scout

"It's too dangerous here. I estimate that at least the area within a kilometer around here is an area where Originium has settled..."

"I know, but our mission is to establish a frontline rescue base and rescue as many people as possible who are still alive within the explosion range...

If we set up our base too far away, it will be meaningless.”

Scout looked at Suika and said calmly, then he looked at the people behind Suika who were being carried over.

"These are the ones you saved. Hurry and get them into the tent. Little Mary is ready to rescue them!"

"Ah...you guys are so stubborn..."

Suika sighed and asked her clone to send those people over.

"This one was already dead when I got there, but it was with these guys anyway, so I brought it out with me."

Suika pointed at the last person, and an operator immediately brought a body bag specially designed for infected people and put it in.

"Suixiang!" Scout looked at her.

"Hey, is there anything else?" Suika raised her head when she heard Scout calling her.

"You are the only one among us who can move freely in this environment, so the initial rescue work will be handed over to you.

It's been less than half an hour since the mine explosion. Based on past experience and calculations, in this kind of disaster, if there are still people alive within the first three hours, there's still a chance of rescue. So... I'm counting on you."

Suixiang nodded. She knew that her natural abilities could be utilized in this kind of environment. Since someone needed help, she would of course take the initiative.

"Then I'll go check again... These little ones will stay here. They can help disperse the Originium particles in the air, at least ensuring that the surrounding environment is safe. If I find anything inside, I can also let them notify you."

Before leaving, Suika left several clones with Scout, and she turned back to the previous cave entrance.

Because of the news from the little Suikas inside, there are many more people deeper inside.

It’s just that most of them have lost their lives, but there are still a very few lucky ones who are still alive.

But in such a harsh environment outside, if they didn't have abilities like Suika, who could cross the dangerous mining area full of active source stones and come to this depth to rescue people, it would be hard to say whether these lucky people were lucky or unlucky.

Active source stones are extremely unstable and can easily explode. The situation outside is that those active source stones are spread throughout the entire mining area. As long as one of them explodes, it will definitely cause a chain reaction and a secondary explosion will occur in the mining area.

So for everyone at this moment, time is life.

Taking this into consideration, when Suika arrived at the entrance of the mine, she did not enter again, but blew out hundreds of small Suikas into the cave.

This time their goal was very clear. They didn't care about the dead and tried to get the living people out as quickly as possible.

As for safety? The sooner we can get out of here, the safer we will be.

Suika, who did not go in, opened the video link with Rhodes Island again. While the little Suikas were busy saving people, she investigated the situation at the center of the explosion according to the instructions from Rhodes Island.

Because Rhodes Island believes that such a violent explosion that affected the entire mining area is definitely not a simple accident.

All Originium veins that can be mined must be evaluated and tested to confirm that the activity of the Originium within the veins will not be accidentally activated before mining can proceed.

Moreover, this kind of assessment is work that relevant personnel need to do every day.

Previously, this shocking activity and explosion intensity of the Originium would not have caused such a serious explosion unless it had not been inspected for a long time. Otherwise, as long as the problem was discovered one day and the personnel were evacuated, such a serious explosion would not have occurred.

With the help of the camera, Rhodes Island found some of the things involved, especially the unexpected discovery of the damaged but not completely destroyed mine safety monitoring form.

The last inspection recorded was actually half a month ago, which means that even the most basic activity monitoring of the source stone veins hasn't been conducted in this mining area for half a month...

"This is a very important piece of evidence, you must preserve it.

As for the negotiations with the town, I'll leave it to this ship...

Once you're sure most of the survivors have been rescued, evacuate."

After confirming from Suika that most of the survivors had been rescued, Kal'tsit ordered Suika to evacuate the danger zone.

After receiving the order, Suixiang put the evidence in her pocket and prepared to leave. At this moment, an exposed Originium mine not far from her suddenly began to flash rapidly, like the warning lights before a bomb exploded, emitting an extremely dangerous signal...

Chapter 157: Cleaning up the mess is never easy

At this time, in the temporary outpost not far away, the mobile observation equipment that Xiao Cuixiang and the others helped to build sounded the alarm at the same time.

Scout's face changed when he saw the concentration of Originium rising rapidly again.

"Everyone, take your equipment and personnel and retreat!"

Then he looked at Xiao Suixiang who was standing on the top of the tent and using her ability to disperse the surrounding Originium dust.

"Tell your original body that the Originium concentration in the mine is abnormal. A second explosion is very likely. Tell her to evacuate quickly!"

Xiao Suixiang lowered her head and blinked

"She has acknowledged this and is currently returning with the last batch of wounded."

Scout nodded and arranged for the personnel to evacuate.

"I'm Scout. The temporary detectors we set up out front indicate that the concentration of Originium within the mine has increased abnormally again. A second explosion is very likely to occur in the mine. To avoid danger, we are preparing to retreat to a safe distance."

"Permission granted. The follow-up medical team led by Anto and the town's security team are setting up a medical area for the infected one kilometer behind you. You can move closer to them." Kal'tsit's voice came again.

"Understood!" After hanging up the phone, Scout glanced around. Everyone had already packed up, and the wounded were being carried on makeshift stretchers after emergency treatment.

Fortunately, the clone of Suika who brought the wounded back did not disappear. Scout temporarily recruited them to make up for the shortage of manpower, and then he took everyone and began to retreat away from the mine.

Just as the team set off, another explosion was heard from behind.

After hearing the explosion, the scouts ran even faster.

On the way, he also paid attention to the patients carried by Xiao Cuixiang. He breathed a sigh of relief after finding that they were all safe and Xiao Cuixiang was still there.

Because the existence of these little guys proves that Suika is still alive.

Otherwise, without the caster's power, these clones should have dissipated.

When we arrived at the camp, Suika's voice came from behind.

"Oh my god... that was so scary!"

When Scout turned around, he saw Suika floating in the air unharmed, and beside her, several little Suikas were carrying the last two injured people with disgust on their faces as they caught up with the team.

"I'm glad you're okay!" Scout smiled at Suika, and felt much more relieved to see that she was safe and sound.

After arriving at the camp, the first thing that greeted everyone was a string of water vapor spray.

Scout said that this can clean the Originium particles carried on the surface of people returning from the danger zone. Although the effect is not great, it is at least a good psychological comfort for most people.

In Dayan Mandarin, it means "welcoming and welcoming".

Then one wounded soldier after another was sent to the temporary camp.

"How are these people?" The town's sheriff raised his proud head and looked at Anto who was examining a patient.

Anto shook his head

“In that environment, even if you survive, you won’t be able to survive intact.

It has been preliminarily confirmed that half of the more than 20 people were mildly infected, three were severely infected, and the rest were moderately infected.

Rhodes Island can temporarily allocate a batch of medicine to control their condition, but..."

Anto didn't continue because the sheriff had turned and walked away.

For most towns and cities, the people they are responsible for protecting are only ordinary people, and the infected are not among the protection targets, even if they were just infected by accident.

After learning that all these people had become infected, the police chief's disgusted look was clearly seen by Suika from a distance.

"What should we do?" Scout asked Anto helplessly as he watched the sheriff and his guards leave without paying any attention to the mine that had just exploded for the second time and the infected people that Rhodes Island operators had risked their lives to rescue from the mine.

Anto is used to this kind of "bureaucracy"

"These people work in this mine. I think they have families in the town. Let's first make some temporary arrangements for them and then send them to a place not far from the town. Then, let this ship negotiate with the town to have their families come and claim them!"

Although these people probably cannot return to the town and home they once knew and can only resettle in the infected living area farther away, at least there is hope of survival.

Scout nodded. This was the only thing he could do for now. Even though he was angry at the damn sheriff for treating the infected so rudely and with contempt, there was nothing he could do.

Otherwise, if there is a conflict with the local sheriff and the matter gets out, not only will Rhode Island be unable to continue staying, but it may also affect the subsequent itinerary.

After the military and police in the town left, there was a brief silence in the camp. After all, judging from the character of the sheriff, it can be seen that this place is actually not friendly to the infected.

“Isn’t it a good thing that these guys leave?

After all, if he hates the infected and insists on staying here, he might find everything he dislikes and start pointing fingers at everyone. And since others are representing the authorities, he can't refute them. That would be the most painful thing, right? "

Suixiang didn't think so. She thought that people with obvious emotions and attitudes were relatively easy to deal with. He hated infected people, so he just let non-infected people communicate with him.

On the contrary, those who hate others in their hearts but pretend to like them and then deliberately try to trip them up are more troublesome.

After hearing what Suika said, Scout was stunned for a moment, then gave a thumbs up.

At this time, a team member next to him asked

"Suixiang, you're so insightful. Speaking of which, what should we do now? Will we continue the search and rescue work in the mines?"

"What's left to rescue? The second explosion is enough to bury all the remaining living and dead people underground.

Besides, haven't all those who can be saved been rescued by Suixiang?" Scout rolled his eyes at him. In a source stone mine that had exploded twice in such a short period of time, who knows how active the source stone would be. Entering again at this time would mean death.

For now, we can only wait until the active period of the Originium has passed before we can explore the mine again.

However, after an explosion of this magnitude, this vein of ore is likely to be ruined. It is still a question whether the local management is willing to spend a lot of money to conduct a second survey of this almost scrapped vein of ore.

Everyone waved their hands again and looked in the direction of the mine. The smoke and dust caused by the explosion completely enveloped that area. Unless there was a heavy rain to suppress the smoke and dust, that area would be a forbidden area for all living things in a short period of time.

Scout grabbed a small Suika that was running by his feet and poked her face curiously while she was flailing around.

"Speaking of which, these clones of yours or whatever, they seem to have self-awareness!"

Chapter 158: Sadness Flows Back into a River

"if not?"

Suixiang also grabbed a little Suixiang and held her in her arms despite her objections.

"Do you think that the clone is to create a bunch of puppets, and then divide the brain into dozens or hundreds of parts to control them separately?

of course not.

Each clone is actually a slice, cutting and copying my memories before that moment, and then acting according to my thoughts.

They are in tune with my thoughts, and after they disappear, all the memories will come back to me.

So although each clone has its own independent consciousness and appears to be myself, they are actually all me."

The little Suika in his arms nodded, "Ah, yes, I am Suika too! So, can you please let me go, my lazy self? I have to work even if you don't!"

"Ah, do I love work so much?" Suixiang said in surprise, looking at the little Suixiang in her hand who seemed to have the spirit of working.

"If you're willing to do it yourself, I can reluctantly take a break..." Xiao Suixiang said, pointing to the other clones who were helping to move things not far away.

"Forget it, go ahead..."

Seeing this, Suixiang put down the little Suixiang in her arms, and then looked at the scout who was stunned when he saw Suixiang bargaining with herself.

"So you understand?"

Scout shook his head to show that he didn't understand but respected.

"Perhaps Pith or Logos would be happy to discuss these things with you. My research on spells and Originium techniques is not as in-depth as theirs, and I don't know whether your approach is good or bad.

Have you found any information in the mine? Logically speaking, if the activity of Originium increased to this extent, the local security inspectors should have detected it in advance."

After talking about the clone, Scout turned the topic back to the mine explosion.

Suika took out the security log she found in the mine from her bag and gave it to Scout.

"Don't tell me, I actually found something. See for yourself."

Scout picked up the log and started flipping through it, his brow furrowing more and more as he read.

It was clearly recorded that half a month ago, the security inspector discovered something unusual at the edge of the source stone mining area and applied for a work stoppage for security.

Security inspectors continued to monitor the situation for the next five days, but the records stopped ten days ago.

Logically speaking, this kind of record stopping would only happen because the mine stopped working, so there would be no need for further security checks.

But it is obvious that there are still more than a hundred people in the mine and there is no sign of stopping work.

That is to say, after the security check discovered the problem and reported it, the people who controlled the mine did not order a halt to work, but concealed the problem, allowing more than a hundred people to continue working in an environment where an explosion could occur at any time.

After seeing this, Scout almost understood the cause of the accident. It was simply because the capitalists disregarded the lives of civilians, concealed the dangerous news and allowed the miners to continue mining the Originium veins on the edge of danger, which led to this tragedy.