Chapter 691 - Entering The Borders (1/2)
”Lunatics?” Not only was Shang Jianyao not disappointed, but his eyes lit up. ”The correct term should be 'mentally ill.'”
Ding Ling waved her hand. ”I'm used to it. In short, their brains are abnormal. Ignore them.”
Shang Jianyao continued asking, ”How abnormal are they?”
Upon seeing that October Xue and the others were also a little interested in this question, Ding Ling simply explained, ”There's something wrong with their brains. In the words of our organization, they have some persecution complex. They keep having the feeling that someone wants to harm them and control them.”
”What's the reason?” Shang Jianyao was rather curious.
Ding Ling pointed at her left chest. ”They were scared out of their wits by the Heartless disease. They suspect that most of the Supplies Management Committee's commissioners have already degenerated and are in cahoots with some factions that lurk in the darkness while being responsible for the Old World's destruction. They secretly use mind controllers to influence everyone, making them obey unconsciously. Even their thoughts are no longer free.”
Mind controller… They are indeed sick… Long Yuehong had only seen such things in Old World entertainment.
Ding Ling continued, ”Once anyone notices that something is amiss and has the intention to resist, their ability to think will be wiped away. All that's left is biological instinct, which results in them becoming Heartless. Yes, that's how they explain the cause of the Heartless disease.”
Mind controllers, erasure of thought, Heartless disease… Jiang Baimian had to admit that those Salvation Army members had creative minds. Furthermore, their theory sounded plausible and couldn't be completely denied.
This was because the logic behind this claim was self-consistent. However, the existence of a mind controller was a whole other matter. Now, nobody had discovered the source of the Heartless disease that could provide a strong retort. Even the Old Task Force only felt that this had a certain connection with the New World and the darkness, but they lacked sufficient evidence.
”Is that so…” Shang Jianyao looked like he was about to be convinced. ”Then, why do they put the aluminum pots over their heads?”
Ding Ling said with uncertainty, ”Maybe the mind controller controls the human brain via affecting brain waves. Only by placing the entire head under the aluminum pot's protection can one maintain the freedom of thought and see the truth of the world. Therefore, they wear aluminum pots at all times, even when sleeping at night.”
They are indeed mentally ill… Long Yuehong was once again convinced.
Shang Jianyao clapped. ”What excellent behavioral art! Besides…”
He turned to look at Genava. ”This is essentially the same as you wearing an electromagnetic shield.”
”Indeed.” Genava was very honest.
Long Yuehong shivered and quickly asked, ”Then, did any of them contract the Heartless disease?”
”Definitely,” Ding Ling replied very bluntly.
Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief, vexed that he had been tricked by Shang Jianyao again without realizing it.
Bai Chen thought about this from a different perspective. ”With your Salvation Army's style, why do you allow these people to walk the streets openly and not send them to a mental hospital?”
”They keep promoting the idea that if they are targeted, it means that their suspicions are correct: most of the Supplies Management Committee's commissioners have already degenerated. They want to use mind control to forever dominate the world generation after generation.” Ding Ling scoffed. ”In any case, they only have relatively unique actions in this regard. It doesn't affect their work. Furthermore, some of them are hidden relatively well. They won't directly wear aluminum pots. Instead, they will get aluminum foil and sew it into the lining of their caps. They look like normal people.”
Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully. ”There has to be a source for such thoughts, right? You didn't find the person who first spread this theory and throw them in prison?”
”I'm not too sure about that.” Ding Ling turned around and pointed at the ten-story, gray high-rise building behind her. ”It's getting late. I'll get you a pass first.”
Long Yuehong focused his gaze and saw a few vertical signboards with black words on a white background hanging by the building's door. ”Ubei Administrative Committee.”
”Entry Office.”
”Tax Office.”
”Security Inspection Office.”
…
As Ding Ling led Jiang Baimian and the others into the building, she casually explained, ”Actually, most of us don't need to pay taxes. The corresponding portion is deducted when the negotiables and change are handed out. The tax office is set up for people like you who enter our borders—cross-border traders and Ruin Hunters. They belong to the same system as the entry and security inspection offices.”
Jiang Baimian inhaled lightly and said, ”Then, won't the supplies we bring in have to be taxed?”
This was much stricter than First City.
Ding Ling laughed. ”That's why I got you to exchange a large portion of supplies for negotiables.”
It's good to have someone familiar with the ways… Long Yuehong sighed with emotion.
Jiang Baimian then asked about something else. She pointed at Genava and said, ”Robots should be controlled products. Will they really not affect the distribution of a pass?”
”It's not a big problem,” Ding Ling replied confidently. ”You just have to add one more entry to the pass. You can't bring this robot into the settlement lest it suddenly becomes uncontrollable and leads to a tragedy. As for Ubei, there are many robots.”
What she meant was that Ubei had the strength to suppress any rampaging robot.
”That's good, that's good…” Jiang Baimian heaved a sigh of relief.
Since robots were fine, there shouldn't be any problems with the rest.
Shang Jianyao looked at Genava sympathetically. ”You're so pitiful.”
”Sigh,” Genava echoed cooperatively.
As they conversed, Ding Ling got her subordinates to leave and treat it as a vacation. She then led Shang Jianyao and the others into a hall on the side of the first floor.