Chapter 166: 3 Salted Fish
"Do you remember me?" Lin Ye asked curiously.
Sarah also looked at Lin Ye curiously. It seemed like a brand new life—Lin Ye could only see curiosity in its eyes, unable to sense any other emotions.
Li Qihou: We've already dealt with most of the alienated citizens. How's it going on your end?
Lin Ye: I'm finished here. If you want to collect some rare loot, you can come find me. There's a research base here, though I set up some traps at the entrance. Let me know when you're coming in.
Zhao Yu: Great! We were just about to go to the Public Security Bureau to get some weapons. The research base should have plenty of backup weapons, right?
Lin Ye: Of course. I also have some unused weapons here that I can share with you. I want to bring a small freezer back—my loot space might not be big enough.
The shelter's refrigerator had been full for a while, and now there was space in the basement. This time, Lin Ye planned to bring back a larger freezer.
Shen Bing: I'd like to bring a freezer back too, but unfortunately the shelter space is too small. We're almost out of room for supplies.
Lin Ye: Haven't you obtained any additional room blueprints?
Shen Bing: I've heard of them, but the drop rate for blueprints is too low. They're almost never seen in the trading area, and occasionally one appears, it gets bid up to astronomical prices. Li Qihou: I have one shelter expansion blueprint. I've almost gathered all the materials.
Zhao Yu: Impressive! My shelter is also almost filled with supplies. The only time I can move around freely is during nighttime.
Shen Bing: You can go to the Game Room. I go there every day to absorb spiritual energy.
Zhao Yu: Going to the Game Room requires an invitation and continuously consumes red coins. I simply can't afford it.
Shen Bing: The invitations aren't expensive. As for red coins, I only use about 20 after spending an afternoon there. You're not losing constantly, are you?
Zhao Yu: Huh? Last time I played for an hour and lost 47 red coins...
Li Qihou: You guys are too inexperienced. I always win a small amount every time I go to the Game Room.
Shen Bing: What about you, expert? You must go to the Game Room frequently to absorb spiritual energy, right?
Lin Ye: I have an access card for there, so I go every day for spiritual energy circulation. As for wins and losses, I'd rather not say.
While chatting, Lin Ye continued collecting loot throughout the research base. He could understand most of the instruments here, and whenever he found something useful, he stored it in his loot space.
Sarah kept following behind Lin Ye, while the traffic officer followed behind Sarah, vigilantly observing its movements.
On the third underground level, Lin Ye found several horizontal freezers of suitable size. Since these freezers couldn't be stored in the loot space, Lin Ye could only carry the freezer while continuing to collect loot.
The freezer could still hold some additional items.
After filling both the loot space and the freezer, Lin Ye went to the first underground level to disable the rune traps. The other three also arrived at the research base.
Lin Ye: The armory is on the fourth underground level. There are several good freezers on the third underground level. Be careful while searching—spiritual perception range is limited here, and there might be leftover plant people.
Li Qihou: Understood. What about the target? She won't alienate people around her now? Why do I feel something's not quite right about her?
Lin Ye: It's too dangerous. I've dealt with it. You don't need to worry about it.
Zhao Yu: As expected of an expert, able to handle even that kind of situation.
Lin Ye glanced at Sarah who kept following behind him. Truthfully, he hadn't really decided how to handle it yet.
The extra mission only required them to protect Sarah until dawn, meaning he could kill Sarah after daybreak. But he couldn't be sure what consequences killing the current Sarah might bring.
Besides, the current Sarah was a brand new life. Lin Ye had no reason to kill it.
He wouldn't kill it just because it might be dangerous.
"After dawn, I'll leave this place. Until then, I'll keep watch over it," Lin Ye said to the traffic officer.
"What about after that?" the traffic officer asked.
"That won't be my problem anymore. Regarding this incident, I've completed what I can do. The rest needs to be handled by yourselves. I suggest you leave this place quickly and let someone else handle this matter."
Neither Sarah nor the Public Security Bureau were something the traffic officer could handle.
"...Leave it to me. I'll take it away from here," the traffic officer said seriously, looking at Lin Ye.
"Why? Its danger might exceed your understanding," Lin Ye didn't think this was a good idea.
"I promised Sarah I wouldn't let her become an experimental subject again. If it falls into the Public Security Bureau's hands, they'll definitely start new research."
Although he had just made the promise when that monster ambushed him, what he needed to protect wasn't that monster.
"...I hope you won't regret this."
Lin Ye glanced at Sarah who was curiously watching them, and didn't refuse the traffic officer's request.
....................
When Lin Ye returned to the research base, dawn had already broken.
Li Qihou: Where did you go?
Lin Ye: Seeing my driver off as he leaves this city.
Zhao Yu: The world's turned upside down.
Shen Bing: The mission should be ending soon. Let's add each other as friends.
Lin Ye: Okay.
A pale green light door appeared near them. The four of them carried their respective freezers and entered the light door one by one, then returned to the shelter via the return train.
........................
[Station Mission completed. Rewarded Special Metal Treasure Chest*1 based on mission difficulty]
[Extra Mission 1 completed. Rewarded Extra Mission Treasure Chest*1]
[Extra Mission 2 completed. Rewarded Extra Mission Treasure Chest*1]
[Extra Mission 3 completed. Rewarded Extra Mission Treasure Chest*1]
[Please draw today's card]
"My turn! Draw card!"
This time the card showed a blood-red little snake. The card dissipated, and a slender blood-red little snake appeared in the center of the shelter.
The little snake flicked its tongue and crawled to Lin Ye's feet, then jumped up and wrapped around his neck.
"Hello."
Lin Ye stroked the smooth snake skin and greeted it.
"Hiss hiss."
The little snake patted Lin Ye's shoulder with its tail.
"Okay, I'll go try it out later."
After communicating with the little snake for a while, Lin Ye began organizing the loot.
After placing the freezer in the basement and categorizing various loot items, Lin Ye picked up a small salted fish and used the system to check its information.
[No. 3 Salted Fish]
[Upon contact with biological flesh and blood, can gradually turn the creature into a salted fish]
[Note: More effective when used on humanoid creatures]
Lin Ye still had 24 such salted fish.
"Thank you, Director."
"Really quite sinister. Pity I can't just throw it directly at enemies anymore, but if the enemies aren't wearing clothes..."
After putting away the salted fish, Lin Ye returned to the bedroom and opened the four treasure chests one by one.
First was the Special Metal Treasure Chest, which contained one Shelter Upgrade Blueprint, ten bottles of Low-tier Nutrient Solution, five bottles of Spirit Potion, and one bottle of Consolidation Potion.