Love and passion, cutting up the wasteland

When the Tech Hunters are on a mission, the leader has absolute authority - but this is premised on the fact that all members have reached a consensus before they set off.

After all, no one wants your teammates to suddenly reveal their suppressed resentment when walking on the edge of danger. Even if they are just passive and lazy, it may cause irreparable losses to the whole team.

However, not every mission is so perfect that everyone can agree.

So in the long-term practice, Tech Hunters have developed a customary system - instead of forcing a unified opinion, it is better to screen before the action begins.

Even if you were a small team, as long as the differences are too big to be bridged, all members will vote, and everyone must express their opinions. If the voting results cannot convince the other party, then the Tech Hunters with a minority opinion will completely withdraw from the action.

It is said that this system is implemented even in the inner ring, and it is very likely that it was promoted by the first batch of Watchers holding silver cards - the difference is that outsiders have no way of knowing their specific voting tendencies, and can only understand the final meeting results.

Even if the inner circle members have disagreements, they will not show them, and when issuing orders, they will still be in the name of the whole group. Sometimes this makes it difficult to understand the attitude of each watcher, but it also reduces the possibility of external forces defeating each one and interfering with the decision-making of the inner circle.

"Things haven't come to this point yet..." As the leader, Romi still wants to persuade.

Once the program for the withdrawal of the aliens is activated, it also means that the differences in this team have become so big that they cannot be reconciled.

In his opinion, there is obviously room for negotiation...

"Okay." Unexpectedly, it was Liu Si who spoke.

He went on to say, "But Deng Li, I have to remind you - we are still in the process of carrying out the Ai Mine mission, and your proposal does not conform to standard procedures."

"However, considering whether to act as the sponsor of Lu Beiyou and endorse the credit of the headquarters in Shandi... this is indeed a task we took on halfway, and brothers are qualified to express their opinions... If there is something that cannot be done, everyone will not force it."

Lius's few words were flawless from public to private. While trying to win over the team members and showing his humanity, he may not have no intention of knocking them.

Deng Li's smile at the beginning froze for a moment, and his face changed several times: "...Okay."

For him.

Being able to start this program is already a success, and Liu Si's agreement was so smooth, which was actually a bit beyond his expectations.

The other technology hunters looked at each other, and finally did not raise any objections.

Seeing this scene in Romi's eyes, he also understood: It seems that the concerns about this matter are not only Deng Li's instigation or one-sided opinions, but have long been buried in the hearts of some companions.

Before, in front of Lu Beiyou, they didn't have low emotional intelligence to show it directly.

Liu Si obeyed the other party's proposal, and he might not have wanted to speak frankly to resolve the differences.

"Okay," he presided, "Let's start."

At this point, Romi still had a hope in his heart: In fact, even if the degree is opened, if the opponents are a minority, they will most likely not withdraw in the end, but choose to obey the group.

After all, those who are really stubborn and insist on their positions are a minority on either side. Although most people have tendencies, once the general trend is formed, they will still go with the flow...

However, as the voting proceeded.

His face became more and more ugly.

"Cathode: one person."

"Cathode: two people."

"Cathode: three people."

...

"Anode: one person."

They used the positive and negative poles of the micro-battery power supply as symbols, the anode that sticks to the order, and the cathode where electrons flow out of the cathode are those who are free.

Supporters and opponents respectively.

Because this involves personal choice and final stay or departure, the program of the technology hunter does not need to be anonymous. Romi saw that the number of opponents who chose the cathode increased.

Far exceeded his expectations.

‘Why…’

Finally.

“Cathode 7, Anode 5…” Liu Si counted the votes, “Including me and Romi, there are 7 Anodes.”

7 to 7, half and half.

No…

Romi and Dengli were stunned for a moment. There were 15 technology hunters in this trip, including the two team leaders, and it should be possible to determine the winner.

Who has not made a choice yet?

Everyone’s eyes quickly gathered together, looking at the figure holding a notebook and drawing in the corner behind him—Chad.

This technology hunter has been like this since he left the tower, and he didn’t even participate in the discussion just now.

But he couldn’t be deaf after all. He knew everything that happened in the room, so there was no need to elaborate.

At this moment, seeing everyone’s eyes gathered, Chad paused, snapped his notebook, stood up and walked over.

“Chad——” Romi was happy.

Deng Li raised his eyebrows.

This technology hunter had just asked Lu Beiyou about the translation of ancient Chinese at the meeting, which was more proactive than others.

His choice...

"Cathode." Chad ejected a discarded button battery and dropped it on the table. He then went upstairs to his room without looking back, leaving behind a figure in a coat.

The button battery spun.

But before it settled, Chad's last words had already explained the answer -

Cathode, opponents.

Opponents to supporters, 8:7.

...

…

"What the hell is going on with those guys in Dengli!" Romi threw his hat on the table and complained to Liu Si, "And that Chad, after all, the unknown person helped him, right? How could he be the same as They stand together!"

After the results of the meeting came out, the atmosphere in this technology hunter team became a bit awkward. Except for Deng Li and a few others who had faint smiles on their lips, the others no longer stayed together and went back to their rooms.

After a disagreement, keeping a little distance is actually a good way to heal the relationship.

Liu Si dragged his chin: "...Have you not noticed the origins of those who choose the cathode?"

"Origin?" Luo Mi was stunned, "Aren't we all technology hunters..."

But he soon realized.

The other party was talking about their ancestral home before joining the Technology Hunters.

The southern branch of the Tech Hunters is Swamp Lagoon, centered in the town of Lagoon, which has attracted many local residents and outsiders to join the organization.

For example, Romi and Liusi are fellow villagers who grew up in the No. 3 drilling rig in the depression lagoon.

"...Aikang Town." He muttered.

The technology hunters who voted against the alien program, including Chad, were all members from Mineral Town.

Aikang Town.

A former mining capital.

The city of sadness today.

Even though Aikang Town has gradually declined, and the empire's rule has become better than nothing, and has even been abandoned... But in the final analysis, tracing back to the source, they are still people from the United City.

"The mission of this operation is to promote the transfer and acquisition of technology hunters from Aikang Town... Because it involves our own interests, the boss not only dispatched our own people, but also joined many hunters from Aikang Town." Liu Si He maintained his posture and looked out the window, tapping his fingers once and for all, "This way, during the negotiations at the headquarters, the opinions of the people of Aikang Town can be expressed."

"You knew this too."

"But, I didn't expect that the Hunters of the Sorrow Mine would object to the headquarters setting up a station in Shandi?" Romi reacted and asked puzzledly, "This does not conflict with our mission...and what does this have to do with them? "

Could it be that the Red King is at odds with the United City, and as part of the former city-state, they are quite resistant to things that benefit the "enemy"——

"Unlike our Depression Lagoon, which declined naturally, Aikang Town was destroyed by the Blood Rebellion... to be more precise, it was destroyed by the Blood's 'counter-rebellion.'" Liu Si said, "The rebels broke through the sky. That is to say, they stormed into the palace, but the combined army of nobles that followed them bloodbathed the entire city. "

Every street, every house, every hiding place...

As for making the bloody remnants into slaves, that was all done to the remaining survivors after the massacre.

"For those who can continue to survive in Aikou Town, they know the power of the empire better than anyone else."

Even if you join the Tech Hunters, this will not change.

Nowadays, Aikang Town lacks management. It is exposed in the wasteland of bones. Alien beasts are plundering and bandits are rampant. The internal chaos is becoming more and more chaotic... It can be said that every day that passes, this former prosperous city-state is experiencing human tragedies.

Those who can escape from it and run to the depression lagoon to become technology hunters are considered the best among them - even they themselves will not be able to change the situation there if they stay in the Ai Mine.

This in turn causes more capable people to leave.

This is always downward,

Death spiral.

"What everyone can hope for now is that only the technology hunters can successfully take over Aikang Town, turn it into a second base similar to a depression lagoon, and strongly maintain order. Only then can there be a glimmer of hope for those who stay inside... …Maybe among them are their family and friends.” Liu Si snorted angrily and gestured to Romi’s other rooms, “However, Aikang Town is too big after all, and its great lord is even qualified to be elected as the emperor…after it was abandoned. , even with the financial resources and manpower of Depression Lagoon, it is impossible to fully support it, and it still needs the support of the headquarters.”

This is the purpose of their trip.

If Liu Si did not explain, Romi already understood: At this juncture, if there is a rift with the United City due to the Red King's request, the transfer plan will be delayed...

People in Aikang Town.

There will never be a day to come forward.

This is absolutely unacceptable to those technology hunters who came from Aikang Town.

“Even if, as we have seen with our own eyes, Shandi already has all the conditions for opening a relay station, it is indeed unknown whether the headquarters will approve this project if it considers the value of Aikang Town and its relationship with Union City. Liu Si clicked his tongue and guessed, "And our voting results today will also become an important reference for the headquarters to consider people's support."

"Then you promised so readily in front of Lu Beiyou before?" Luo Mi was stunned.

These brothers are going to be sponsors.

You are the one who said the success rate is very high!

"If I remember correctly, you were the first to say yes." Liu Si rolled his eyes at him, "Although I don't have any objection."

In terms of probability.

For him, as long as he can get more than half, the success rate is high.

Worth the gamble.

This was true even when he had just agreed to execute the alien... Liu Si also secretly hoped that Chad, who had actively contacted Lu Beiyou, would be on their side, but he didn't expect that this man who always took the unconventional path would end up with someone else. Just like that, I chose my origin.

There is nothing we can do about this.

"We say we are neutral, but our organization is still made up of people after all." The bespectacled tech hunter sighed, "Everyone comes from all corners of the world... It is inevitable that they will be restricted by the local original forces."

Unless they are trained by the Black Scratch Headquarters, or in a town like the Depression Lagoon that is completely occupied by tech hunters.

Otherwise, it is impossible to completely abandon everything.

Be a "pure" hunter.

It is also because of this that many tech hunters have joined the organization, but eventually quit.

"... Then do the seven of us still want to be the sponsors?" Romi asked, "Why do I think this thing is going to fail?"

To their surprise, in the alien program, the supporters became the minority. According to convention, they should quit on their own.

Of course, if they still insist, it is the rest of the people's own business, which is equivalent to forming a new team.

But in the eyes of the headquarters.

It must be a big minus.

If things go badly in the end, they may even be held accountable if things get serious... The risk of sponsorship begins to gradually manifest.

"Of course." Liu Si's voice was low, and he no longer had the confidence he had before. He just said affirmatively: "When I agreed, I had already considered the current risks."

This time it was Romi's turn to roll his eyes at him.

He understood his companion - the other party seemed to be meticulous, but in fact he was still a gambler in his bones, otherwise he would not have been a close combat.

Liu Si then calculated: "This matter must also be kept secret from Lu Beiyou and the Red King. He must not know that the technology hunters are planning to take over the Ai Mining Town from the United City - after all, the funding from the headquarters is not endless, and the priority of Ai Mining Town is higher than the relay station. Once the Ai Mining Town project is launched, the progress of setting up the station in the flash land will definitely slow down."

At the same time, he also had a vague guess.

From observing the hidden eagerness of those nobles in their arrogance, the transfer of Ai Mining Town seems to be a very beneficial thing for them.

Think about it.

After all, the transfer price alone is no less than building a relay station... The other party's mood is probably the same as the Red King's expectation of setting up a station in the flash land.

In this matter

They became competitors again.

If Lu Beiyou knew, he would probably obstruct their original mission like the Mine Hunter... Fortunately, everyone knew the importance of the matter and didn't reveal a single word.

Liu Si pressed his forehead.

He felt a growing headache.

In his heart, compared to dealing with the arrogant United City nobles, he undoubtedly had a better impression of the white-haired young man who was close to the technology hunters and had considerable attainments in academics and ancient languages.

However, this level of game was not subject to personal will.

He could only try his best to be loyal to others.