Armor-Piercing Munition: Face Me, Carbon-Based Monster!
Chapter 98 - 10: The Ring Merchant_2

Chapter 98: Chapter 10: The Ring Merchant_2

"We don’t care."

Director Qin shook his head nonchalantly and then said:

"But if this world can become better, we can also live more comfortably—a very simple example is that if you clear out the monsters from the Han Shui Relics, we can have the opportunity to explore the relics."

"Sorry, that’s not a very good example, because I’ve heard you’ve already designated the Han Shui Relics as a forbidden area."

"But actually, for Chuansha, the reasoning is the same, right?"

"Right."

Chen Jian didn’t refute.

He still kept a close watch on Director Qin’s actions, not relaxing his guard even a bit.

Yet, at the same time, he finally steered the conversation back on track.

"In a transaction, we need to hold the initiative."

"What I mean is, we must first see your bargaining chip before deciding on how to proceed with the exchange."

"So, I suggest you go back and bring the bargaining chip."

"You swam up here bare, surely you won’t tell me your chip is hidden in your head, right?"

"Of course not."

Director Qin laughed heartily and replied:

"Indeed, we have hidden the chip somewhere, and we do intend to retrieve it first."

"That’s a very reasonable request."

"But before that... I also brought something."

As he spoke, Director Qin pointed to the table in the room.

It was only then that Chen Jian noticed a spherical device the size of an apple on the table.

"That is a lock—inside it is an important message from the leader of the Ring Chamber of Commerce that needs to be delivered to you."

"However, you cannot open it right now."

"It is equipped with a timer and has already been activated."

"Only after the timer runs out can you open it."

"Otherwise, the explosives inside will blow the message to bits."

Chen Jian picked up the device, shook it lightly, and asked:

"So, only after you leave can I open it?"

"That’s right, exactly."

Director Qin nodded and then said:

"But don’t worry, there’s not much explosive in it, at most it will destroy the message, it won’t harm anyone."

"What is the message? Why do it this way?"

Chen Jian pressed on with questions.

"I don’t know what the content is, that’s what the leader arranged."

"He told me this would make the cooperation between us smoother."

"But that message... is extraordinary, even I can’t know it."

"So, he chose this method to ensure that the message is delivered only to you—it’s a confidentiality measure."

"Ridiculous."

Chen Jian sneered and then asked:

"What if you hide the item or pretend you’ve delivered it? What if you give it to someone else?"

"The message would still leak, it’s a total scam."

Hearing Chen Jian’s words, Director Qin replied without hesitation:

"Very simple, I must return before the countdown ends and am not allowed to leave again—the subsequent transaction will be completed by my other companions with you."

"As for how to ensure I won’t run away... that’s another question, one I think I don’t need to explain too clearly."

"Understood."

Chen Jian nodded slightly, handing the device to Lei Jie.

Lei Jie listened closely with the device by his ear for a few seconds, observing carefully, then shook his head at Chen Jian.

"Most likely it’s an electrically fired detonator, with a mechanical timer controlling the positive electrode closure, and the fixed distance between the two hemispheres controlling the negative electrode closure."

"The design is intricate, forcing it open would indeed cause an explosion."

"Understood. Then let’s keep it for now."

Upon hearing this, Director Qin breathed a sigh of relief.

He bowed slightly, speaking in a relaxed tone:

"Thank you."

"There’s still 6 hours left on the device’s countdown. My companions will come with our sincerity after that."

"By then, you should know what the message the leader left for you is."

With that, he stood up, intending to leave.

But just at that moment, Chen Jian raised his gun again.

Director Qin froze in place, while Chen Jian stated calmly:

"I said, you’re staying."

.....

For a short time, Chen Jian and his team couldn’t open the timed device.

It was precisely because of this that he wouldn’t let the messenger leave.

Even though he didn’t know what purpose the other party had in being so secretive, one thing Chen Jian could be sure of was that this design couldn’t be simply for confidentiality; it was more likely intended to buy time for the Ring merchants.

And if the intent was to buy time, then the messenger definitely couldn’t leave.

Two armies at war won’t kill the envoy?

Forget it.

An envoy is not just an envoy; he can also be a spy.

Even if we don’t kill him, locking him up is perfectly reasonable.

In the temporary command room of the activity hall, Lei Jie, while studying the timing device, spoke:

"The design of this thing is quite precise, I suspect it involves some kind of limit mechanism as the triggering method for the explosion."

"Theoretically, we could directly cut along the shell with a cutter, observe the internal structure first, and then decide how to disassemble it."

"But doing so also carries risks; if it really explodes, the information inside will turn to dust."

"So, if we want to get the information, the best way is to wait."

"However... from another perspective, do we really need this information so much?"

"That’s my question too."

Chen Jian nodded slowly, then said:

"They are the ones seeking our cooperation, yet they use this kind of thing to intimidate us, what are they thinking?"

"Are they crazy or just showing off their technology?"

"Perhaps it’s both."

Zeng Yi shook his head and commented:

"Actually, at first, I had doubts about this person’s identity, but when he took out this thing, I was sure he must be from the Ring Chamber of Commerce."

"The Ring Chamber of Commerce has always been like this: arrogant, passionate about researching all sorts of strange but somewhat useless technologies."

"It’s said their greatest mission is to relight the ring, but no one even knows what the ring is."

"In any case, it’s not surprising they would do something like this—it might also be a kind of self-preservation tactic since each one of them is highly valuable to the Chamber."

"I guess the content inside might involve some major secret, something that could anger us, or perhaps some extremely high-risk ’suggestion’."

"The idea of letting us access it only after the messenger has left, besides confidentiality, is more importantly to protect the messenger."

"Makes sense."

Chen Jian nodded slightly, then said to Lei Jie:

"Then take it apart."

"Even if what’s inside explodes, it’s not a big deal; at worst, we’ll make him go back and get another one."

"If they want to cooperate with us, they’ll play by our rules."

"Thinking they can control us with such a trick, they’re still too naive."

"Understood."

Without any hesitation, Lei Jie turned and fetched a cutter from the workshop they just set up. After starting the generator, he began cutting confidently.

He was so careful with his technology that he didn’t even wear any protective gear.

Sparks flew, and the device on the table didn’t tremble even slightly.

Lei Jie’s hands were steady as Taishan, and a few minutes later, he completed a half-ring cut of the device, leaving just a small piece intact to ensure the device’s stability.

By then, one could already roughly see the internal structure through the cut groove.

The operation became much simpler, Lei Jie took a deep breath and exclaimed in awe:

"Feels like dismantling a precision timepiece from the Renaissance."

"Articulated limit disk, a design full of creativity."

"But that’s all there is to it."

"Bring me a bucket of cooking oil—I’ll take this thing apart and do my best to insulate it."

"Xie Liu, go."

Chen Jian issued a simple order, and moments later, Lei Jie placed the device in the murky oil and carefully disconnected each connection on the limiter.

"It’s open!"

Lei Jie breathed a sigh of relief, taking out the paper wrapped around the electrically ignited detonator.

When Chen Jian took and unfolded the paper, the four members of the team fell silent.

There were only a few words written on it.

"You have detonated a nuclear bomb."