Resurrection Empire

Then, when the time is right, he can bring these to his team members, and everyone will have some solace in their hearts.

Ren Zhong returned to the center of the hemispherical space and activated the improved scanner on his armor, tuning it to maximum power.

Electromagnetic scanning, ultrasonic scanning, low-power X-ray scanning, and other multiple instruments repeatedly swept through the area.

First forming a rough outline of a three-dimensional projection, then gradually increasing the precision.

After a full two hours, his armored assistant brain finally constructed a complete model based on the continuously collected information.

Objects made of various materials were stacked together, making the model look colorful and almost indistinguishable to the naked eye.

"Remove cotton and linen woven materials."

More than half of the items in the model disappeared.

"Remove..."

Another small portion disappeared.

"Remove active organic matter."

A small part of the objects in the model disappeared again, likely underground insects or the like.

Tiny spots of objects floated around.

Now, the model resembled a hollow galaxy.

"Highlight objects with regular shapes and artificially cut edges."

Parts of the stars in the galaxy lit up.

Ren Zhong began rummaging frantically like a genuine scavenger.

An hour later, he piled up a collection of objects half as tall as a person in a corner of the hemispherical space.

The pile included some plastic ornaments, partially burned paper, broken resin glasses, rubber shoes...

Turning on the searchlight, Ren Zhong looked down at the half-burned square piece of paper in his hands and fell into silence.

It was a yellowed photograph.

The photo was not buried at the bottom but on the top layer.

Next to it was a set of noticeably more upscale standard radiation protection clothing compared to other garments.

The radiation protection suit was very new, with no signs of microbial degradation, and the unburned parts still had a clean and neat scent.

This photo originally belonged in a pocket watch, paired with Wen Lei's pocket watch.

But now, the metal pocket watch must have been swallowed by the Ruined Beast, leaving only the photo.

In the photo, a little girl was smiling brightly.

She had bronze skin and a set of gleaming white teeth.

Beside the girl was half of a sturdy arm.

She was Wen Lei's childhood friend—Ai Jiasan.

Legend had it that ten years ago she achieved a leap in social class after being adopted by an Advanced Citizen.

She was also the only wastelander in Starfire Town to become a Citizen in the past decade.

Wen Lei once said he didn't know what talent Ai Jiasan had.

But Ren Zhong got the answer.

She must have been a smart and clever girl with some talent in mining or smelting.

Here, she should have been a mid-to-upper-level manager.

She had lived in the mid-segment cavity's dormitory area for ten years and was recently silenced by murder.

Ren Zhong sighed deeply, placing the photo in a storage box.

Clearly, Ai Jiasan was both a victim and an accomplice in this massacre, even if that was not her intention.

He would find an appropriate opportunity to tell Wen Lei about this tragedy later.

Back then, Ren Zhong had also lied to Wen Lei, saying he had interacted with Ai Jiasan in the online world.

He would probably have to patch up that lie too.

Ren Zhong continued searching for a long time.

Unfortunately, he was unable to find any other relics related to the team members.

Maybe there were some, but he simply couldn't discern them.

But he did find a complete five-inch photograph of two people together, tucked inside the lining of an Advanced uniform.

The owner of the uniform had likely died at the same time as Ai Jiasan, in the same batch.

In the photo, a man and a woman stood together, smiling sweetly.

Ren Zhong recognized the woman as Tang Shuying.

However, the Tang Shuying in the photo looked younger than she did now; it must have been taken when she was in her twenties.

Ren Zhong put this photo into his pocket and returned to the surface.

He didn't go to the deepest part of the mining area.

Although the ore there had already been completely excavated, there must still be residual radiation.

Even though his external radiation-resistant armor performed excellently, the radiation from the Alien Ore was anything but trivial.

Ren Zhong wasn't sure if it would be dangerous to explore there rashly.

Having confirmed the authenticity of the entire affair and piecing together a complete narrative, this was enough.

...

Day 49, morning.

While Ren Zhong was leading a team on a hunt outside, Ma Xiaoling sent him a message.

"There's a new situation."

Ren Zhong: "What?"

Ma Xiaoling: "According to the original plan. I'm supposed to start a fight with you this evening, right?"

"Yes. After today's fight, I'm going to sleep at Manager Qu's villa. Tomorrow, when I go out hunting, you can block the door and beat me."