Chapter 360: Departure

To Wang Song, this approach was proof that the man was a mature leader, not some hot-headed youth controlled by his emotions.

He wasn’t afraid of being exploited or used; he was more afraid that the man would drag them all to hell.

He could do what Hu Maomao did, and do it even better. After living day-to-day on the outside, a job as an enforcer for a major figure was practically Heaven.

As the line gradually shortened, Wang Song could see the rejection rate was not low. For one reason or another, some people were not accepted into the Federation.

He wasn’t worried, though. He had known for a while that the current recruitment prioritized those with families, even if he himself possessed no special abilities.

Just then, a small, yellow-skinned child rode past on the neck of a fat clown, a lollipop made from a twig dangling from his mouth.

The people nearby didn’t seem surprised at all, as if they were already used to it.

The little boy held onto the clown’s funny hat, looking around as he asked with curiosity, “Hey, I’ve been wondering for a while… who are you guys?”

“Hehe~ We’re the clowns of the Dream Circus.”

“Then what do you do? The Little Black Cat can regulate emotions, and the Hippocampus can record memories, but it seems like you guys don’t do anything at all in the Inner World.”

“We can create dreams~~ How about that? Pretty cool, huh?”

“What a useless ability…”

“Hehehe~ Not everything has to be useful, you know. Some things might seem useless, but you can’t live without them.”

“For instance?”

“Like you, for instance. Or us. And the subconscious…”

As they spoke, the pair walked off into the distance. Wang Song retracted his gaze. That was one of the Director’s clowns. It might have looked ridiculous, but he knew just how powerful those things were.

He had personally seen a clown stop a bullet by sticking its finger in a gun barrel. The Director had over a hundred more just like it.

‘He knows how to manage people, he’s incredibly powerful, and he has a group of followers loyal to the death. I’m sure of it—this is just the beginning. The Federation won’t stay this small forever. The sooner I join, the higher my status will be in the future.’

While Wang Song was lost in these thoughts, he failed to notice his daughter staring in amazement after the departing clown.

Suddenly, everyone in line turned to look in the same direction, murmuring quietly. Even the bystanders turned their heads.

When Wang Song craned his neck to look, he saw the Director and Hu Maomao striding past.

Zhang Wenda chatted as he walked, completely oblivious to the many eyes fixed on him.

He paid no mind to the image he was projecting in their eyes, either.

“We’re too cut off from information here,” Zhang Wenda said to Hu Maomao as they walked. “All of Region 2 is only so big. At its absolute limit, how many people can it possibly hold?”

“Even if something really has happened with 1999 on the outside, we’d have no way of knowing. So, our next step must be to open a channel of communication with the outside world. Whether for simple contact or for buying intel, we first need to understand the situation out there.”

Zhang Wenda walked so fast that Hu Maomao had to float to keep up.

“Besides, the Lizard People have started targeting us. We can’t just hide at home like frogs in a well, waiting for them to come knocking.”

Hu Maomao’s brow furrowed as he watched the ground blur past beneath him. “So, where are we going? Where do you plan to start?”

“I’ve already decided on the place, but to get there, we need a guide.”

Soon, Zhang Wenda found Wang Shaojie, the half-tentacled man, busy at work. It was clear he was also attached to the Third Line, as he’d been working himself to the bone alongside Hu Maomao, often forgetting to eat or sleep.

He was in charge of helping the Hippocampus record essential Federation information and embedding it within Zhang Wenda’s Prefrontal Strait. This not only ensured maximum secrecy but also allowed for instant access whenever needed.

“Director, you called for me?” Wang Shaojie asked, pausing his work.

“Yes. I remember you said you came from a swamp region, correct?”

Wang Shaojie nodded. “Right,” Zhang Wenda said. “Come with me. We’re going there next, and we need you to lead the way.”

Hearing this, Wang Shaojie was alarmed. “We can’t go to the swamp! You should know that’s Big Circle territory, and they have a major presence there.”

“Our forces are expanding, but we’re still far too weak compared to them.”

Zhang Wenda shot him a displeased look. “Am I stupid enough to fight them right now? Do I need to write ‘From the Third Line’ on my forehead? Can’t I go in secret? Must I let them find out?”

At this, Wang Shaojie finally breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. But Director, why are you going to that Domain Realm?”

“Aren’t there a lot of people there? And where there are people, there’s intelligence to be gathered. Also, from now on, we’re just calling it the Swamp.”

In truth, Zhang Wenda also wanted to probe their strength. ‘If they turn out to be weak enough,’ he thought, ‘taking them over by force isn’t out of the question.’

Only three people were going on this trip: Zhang Wenda, Wang Shaojie, and Hu Maomao.

They took no one else. Hu Maomao had suggested bringing a few people from the Security Department to help, but Zhang Wenda refused.

He didn’t need the extra men. Ever since becoming a 03, he was an army unto himself. Whether it was the Little Black Cats, the clowns, or the other “three-colors,” he was never short on subordinates.

In fact, these people, who lacked sufficient strength, were more valuable staying at the base to help until they had fully developed.

In his eyes, the 2,000-person base was an incubator. If it managed to produce one or two new 03s, he’d be even happier than Tan Yougen was when he found Zhang Wenda.

Before departing, Zhang Wenda loaded his Inner World with plenty of living supplies, even packing a special Triangular Device that had the lowest “pearl” consumption.

From Wang Shaojie, he learned that Region 5 was different from the other four regions. First, it was huge. Second, it had already been developed by others and was densely populated.

Zhang Wenda didn’t know how long this trip would take, so he had prepared extensively.

Led by Wang Shaojie, they set off toward the entry point to the Swamp. Wang Shaojie seemed a bit nervous, perhaps because he was returning to his old stomping grounds.

“Is the place that dangerous? You look terrified.” Zhang Wenda gave him a heavy pat on the back.

Wang Shaojie forced a smile. “It’s… it’s not that I’m scared. It’s just… that place is a little different.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda’s heart sank. “How so? Is Region 5… strange?”