Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

Unless they came face to face, the Wisdom Machine army generally wouldn't charge senselessly into battle like the green-skinned boys would.

Therefore, Bai E wasn't too worried about the safety of the other two squads.

Moving separately was undoubtedly beneficial for quickly gathering intelligence.

The three vehicles traced different paths across the earth, steering around that steel fortress and heading in different directions on either side.

…

"Someone's coming?"

Atop the crimson Gobi, a black shadow flickered and vanished.

The man who put away his binoculars asked his disguised teammates, "Did the city deploy other squads?"

Her pupils rapidly contracting, a woman who was next to the binocular-clutching man peered out, took a brief look, then shook her head and withdrew, "Even a second glance would tell you that's not a vehicle from our city."

The standardized heavy machine gun and flamethrower mounted on the roof were neither something ordinary forces could manufacture nor possess, and their models were completely different from those they used.

Without a doubt, this was a team dispatched by an official organization from another city.

"Other cities are coveting this base station too?"

"Isn't that fucking obvious? With the internet reboot, which city doesn't want to fight for control of these base stations?" The burly man, who was half-lying on his back and looking at the sky, glanced at the binoculars man with a mocking smile.

"So where did they come from?" The binoculars man couldn't help wanting to look back, but he was worried about revealing their squad's position and didn't dare to actually do it.

"Besides us, who's the closest if not Blackwater City? Who else could it be?" the burly man said with a sneer, apparently very disdainful of the new kid in the team, "If you want to look, just look, don't fucking dawdle."

"But I'm afraid we might expose ourselves..."

"We are hiding here not to avoid other humans but to stay out of sight of those metal clunks. Besides…" The burly man's ears twitched, he suddenly stood up, waved his hand down, and shouted loudly, "Hey, guys! Look over here!"

As he spoke, he glanced down at the boy with the binoculars, "Did you think that just because we're hidden, they can't find us?"

…

"There are vehicle tracks…" Bai E's eyes narrowed slightly as he patted You, who was responsible for driving, on the shoulder, signaling him to slow down.

"Mhm~" You nodded, "Fresh, hasn't been long since they passed."

She was the tracking and reconnaissance expert in the team, and could instantly discern evident facts.

And they definitely weren't from a teammate. Everyone had split up to explore different directions; there's no way they would have passed through here so soon.

"And the load was heavy."

The vehicle was similar to the off-road vehicle they were in, but the tracks were deeper, indicating either a heavy load or many passengers.

Following the direction of the tracks, one could see they led near the Wisdom Machine steel fortress on one end and extended towards a distant ravine on the other, gradually disappearing under the horizon.

"There are outsiders."

"And they are organized."

And bold enough to conduct a survey on Wisdom Machines. Aside from Grey Iron City, a city of comparable size to Blackwater City, he could think of no other possibility.

Grey Iron City was also interested in this base station? And they, too, hadn't made a move yet. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

Where were their people? Had they already surveyed enough information and evacuated? Or were they, like Bai E and his team, still in the observation stage?

A flurry of chaotic thoughts streaked through Bai E's mind, as suddenly, a black figure energetically waving its arms jumped onto a distant red hill.

"Hey, bro! Look over here!"

"…"

Surprise filled the vehicle, and everyone exchanged glances.

It appeared that the people from Grey Iron City were quite enthusiastic?

"Let's go over and take a look," Bai E decided.

No matter what, in the face of foreign species, humans stood on the same side by nature.

"Okay," You turned the steering wheel, heading straight for that hill.

…

The burly man standing on the high platform looked back at the boy with the binoculars and said, "Just now, their vehicle already slowed down, clearly they've noticed the tracks we left. Even if we don't approach them, they would eventually find us. Better to make the first move and show good will. Got it, kid?"

Speaking thus, the brawny man took a step forward.

Beneath his feet... there was a drop of several meters.

"Whoa!" Shi Tou, sitting in the vehicle, witnessed this scene and subconsciously let out a cry of alarm.

The next moment, he found that the person from Grey Iron City who had jumped down easily squatted to dissipate the impact and then stood up as if nothing had happened, casually dusting off the dirt on his hands.

Even smiling and waving at them cheerily, his robust voice drifted in through the open window, "Drive over there, hide, don't let those iron clads detect us."

There was some silence in the vehicle after witnessing this scene, Rose and Bai E exchanged glances, each revealing a hint of interest in their eyes.

Was this person from Grey Iron City showing off his strength?

Listening to the other's words, You slightly turned her face towards Bai E's direction for instructions, "Captain?"

"Do as he says."

The other party had shown goodwill, so it might be worth it to play along with his approach.

"No need to stop, no need to stop." Seeing the vehicle slowing down, the brawny man jogged over.

"Bang!" A dull sound erupted as the brawny man grabbed the luggage rack with one hand, his whole body hanging off the side of the driver's door, grinning broadly as he quickly scanned the vehicle's occupants, extending his free hand energetically beside him, "Over there, over there, there's a slope. Drive down and hide in the rift."

"Okay." You didn't ask any more questions, returning the enthusiastic smile and did as instructed.

"Are you also here to restart this base station?" Hanging outside the vehicle didn't prevent the brawny man from warmly asking about their purpose.

"That's right." Bai E took over the conversation, drawing the other's gaze to himself.

"You're the captain?"

"Hmm."

"Impressive." The man's eyes swept over Bai E, a faint red light flickering up and down Bai E's body.

Among the five people from Blackwater City, it was this captain and the blond woman who hadn't spoken yet whose physical prowess and aura were the most formidable.

Calling himself the captain probably wasn't a lie.

Bai E smiled modestly, "Not bad."

Then he asked, "Have you been here long?"

"Not too long, arrived a couple of days ago," the brawny man replied quite casually.

"Found anything?"

"Something, yes. I'll explain in detail later."

"Oh? Is there a chance?" Bai E asked curiously.

"Of course there's a chance. Haven't seen any First-Generation Wisdom Machine Bodies so far, just some derived offspring intelligence machines, not hard to deal with."

"So what are you doing here..."

"Waiting for a chance." The brawny man bared a set of white teeth, gleaming as if they were made of porcelain.

The image of bloodied teeth being flung away by a pair of pliers flashed by, accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream... Bai E had a momentary distant look.

"...Waiting for their logistical team to pass by."

"Oh~" Bai E, snapping back to reality, nodded, and when he looked at the brawny man again, there was a trace of complexity in the depths of his eyes, "Can we join forces?"

"Of course!" The brawny man laughed heartily, "If we weren't joining forces, why would I call you over? We're all humans, we're brothers when faced with other species! Plus, once the task is done, both of us can report back, isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

"That makes sense." Bai E pursed his lips and smiled, "How many people do you have?"

"Five." As the vehicle slowly drove downhill, the brawny man let go of his arm, "I'll go call them over, you guys find a place to hide below, remember to completely extinguish the fire and turn off all electromagnetic devices, those iron clads have very keen 'noses'!"

"Okay." Bai E agreed without hesitation, watching the other's figure recede in the rearview mirror, then gestured silently to You.

Understanding this, You raised the car window, and tranquility enveloped the inside of the vehicle.

"Inform our position to them, have them maintain distance and stand by. We'll... play it by ear."

"Captain?" Shi Tou looked at Bai E with some confusion, "I think they seem quite nice~"

Bai E shook his head and chuckled, "When you're out and about, it's best to keep your wits about you."