Feng Yi took out the electronic map and checked it briefly, only to find that the desert oasis was the nearest city to the Devil's forest, located in the hilly area. The economic growth there was slow, and it was dry all year round, with an average annual precipitation of only x millimeters. Even if it were called a desert oasis, it would not be an exaggeration. Despite being the nearest city to the Devil's forest, it was still 1300 kilometers away.

Feng Yi's tone was rather grave, "Is this information reliable? Running back and forth is quite time-consuming."

John hesitated slightly and said, "It's basically reliable. There's an organization similar to the Freelancer's Adventurer Guild in the desert oasis, with a very good reputation. The information was gathered from there, and it only cost 20 G coins. I really can't see the point of creating false intelligence and ruining one's own reputation for a mere 20 G coins." Of course, John couldn't be one hundred percent sure, as there were always exceptions, but it was essentially confirmed.

"That's sound judgment," Feng Yi nodded, knowing that handling this matter would be relatively troublesome for John, and he had to leave quickly. "I will take care of this. You organize personnel to receive a group of people." Feng Yi gave John a brief overview of the situation concerning the POW camp, claiming that those people were soldiers who wandered there after the collapse of the Airborne Brigade. Many of them had approached the Empire's stations along the way, and the route they indicated could be investigated, so rescuing these people was crucial right now.

In the cold moon and chilly wind at night, Feng Yi gave John a brief on the next steps, and after getting detailed intelligence about the desert oasis and its top thief from John, he hurriedly set off.

According to what John had told him, they had already made contact with the thief, who would hand over a detailed map of the Devil's jungle to him, which also included the Sand Army's stations. Reputation was extremely important in this line of work, but the matter was of great significance, and John would not be deceived by surface interests. However, when it came to family ties, everything could be different, which is why John dared to engage in the next step of the deal with the thief.

However, Feng Yi's remaining scout mechas turned out to be prepared in vain. The plan that seemed foolish was actually very smart. He originally intended to travel and bump into things along the way; if he encountered Imperial soldiers, he would surrender directly to see their reaction. If they wanted to kill him, it would mean that their troops were unlikely to have POWs, at least not alive ones. But if they accepted his surrender, it would indicate a possibility of living POWs.

When the rescue was successful, and he and the POW soldiers managed to escape overnight, naturally, there was no chance to take the captured scout mechas with them. Doing so would only wake the sleeping Imperial soldiers. That's why he prepared so many, originally following the principle of stumbling along, tricking everyone he met. Who knew that all the plans would change after John sent out the critical message? Indeed, plans could never keep up with changes.

John also made it clear, directly warning the thief that he represented the resistance organization from the Hama Hassan Wasteland—in plain terms, the Empire's view of a terrorist organization. If there were any deceit, well, the thief's family could just wait and see. Therefore, Feng Yi couldn't meet with the thief as a military officer but had to play the role of a messenger from within the Hama Hassan Organization. While somewhat melodramatic, he shouldn't be defeated by the current drama, as there was often something even more melodramatic awaiting afterward.

Desert Oasis - Ancient Wasteland City

Feng Yi had already arrived at the designated location three hours earlier, wearing a mask to hide his true face. He watched the sand-filled wind and the yellowing city walls almost dyeing the horizon yellow, and the succession of camels passing by constantly, as if he were in an ancient and simple desert garden from a thousand years ago.

This place might be the only area in Twin Stars where there was no distinction between nobility and commonality due to development issues. Almost no buildings in the old town were higher than four stories, and all that met the eye was a sea of golden structures and those brick roads constructed in ancient Roman style.

Breathing in the dry air, Feng Yi turned and leapt like a nimble cat, landing on top of a four-story building, surveying the entire city… while waiting for the person of rumor.

Under the progression of time, the scorching sun soon rose overhead. Fortunately, it wasn't as stifling as running through the jungle; compared to annoyance, the sensation here was more of dazzling brilliance…

After an indeterminate period, Feng Yi finally spotted the expected individual at the head of a dried-up stone arch bridge. The person was dressed entirely in black, a black hat on their head and a black scarf wrapped around the lower face, leaving only a slender gap for the eyes.

In this city where the wind blew year-round, such a look seemed to be for sand and dust protection but was also the best means of concealing one's identity. In the underworld, this attire was nothing out of the ordinary.

"You are..." Feng Yi had just begun to speak when he saw the other party nod, leaving no room for hesitation. The deal was to exchange money for goods, as John had previously explained the price. Besides, considering the factor of family, the other party likely wouldn't dare to play any tricks. Feng Yi, who preferred simplicity, was all for resolving issues swiftly.

They exchanged money for the map with one hand each. When he handed out the card, his thoughts were already soaring high into the clouds, planning for what would come after obtaining the map…

The moment their hands touched, Feng Yi uttered a surprised "Hm?" as he instantly realized something was amiss. The touch was not that of an aged hand, as John had described the top thief to be around 50, and the person had promised to come personally. However, the touch of that moment gave Feng Yi the sensation of a soft, smooth, slightly cold feeling, sparking an instant alert in him.

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