Chapter 142: Resignation (3k Votes Bonus Chapter!!)

*Swish, swish, swish!*

A group of armed guards from the Guard Regiment got out of their vehicles and followed the blonde woman, walking over quickly. This attracted the gazes of many survivor convoys at the airport.

The blonde woman’s gaze swept indifferently over Lin Xian and the others, then landed on Ding Junyi, who was wearing a research uniform. She walked directly up to her, took out a mobile terminal to verify her photo, and said indifferently, “I am Federation Sector Supervisor Taylor Moreno, and also the leader of this special investigation team. Was it you who contacted us just now?”

This woman spoke with the tone of a superior, her expression arrogant. She paid no attention to Lin Xian, Shi Diyuan, and the others, her gaze fixed on Ding Junyi from beginning to end.

“It was me,” Ding Junyi replied.

Taylor’s gaze swept over the group. “According to you, three of you from the biological research department escaped from Underground City No. 9. Where are they?”

At this moment, Zhao Yan and Xu Wen, who were on the train, saw the Federation investigation team appear and hurriedly rushed off the train, clutching their laptop bags.

“Me, me, me! It’s us!”

Before Ding Junyi could speak, Zhao Yan and Xu Wen eagerly ran down from the train and introduced themselves to Taylor. “I am Zhao Yan, a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the biological research department of Underground City No. 9.”

“Xu Wen, Ph.D. in biochemistry from the biological research department of Underground City No. 9, and also a formal employee of the Federation government!” Xu Wen also quickly added.

Although the high-level officials of Underground City No. 9 had abandoned them without hesitation during the evacuation, seeing the Federation investigation team now, an indescribable excitement still surged on Zhao Yan and Xu Wen’s faces.

The fact that the other party came over specifically showed that as scientific talents, they still held a certain importance to the Federation organization.

Taylor looked at the three researchers with a scrutinizing gaze. “The flight investigation team we sent to Underground City No. 9 yesterday has been out of contact for over 11 hours. Do you know what happened?”

“It has been invaded by underground creatures and is completely destroyed.”

Ding Junyi took a portable hard drive out of her pocket and handed it to her. “Here are the underground city system logs I obtained, as well as the research data from our biological research department. It contains the information you want.”

Taylor glanced at it. An aide next to her immediately took it and connected it to a mobile terminal. Soon, a large amount of information was displayed.

“The accident is not much different from the headquarters’ initial speculation. It should be an S-class Nocturnal.” After a brief inspection, the aide reported in a low voice.

“In that case, there’s no value in continuing the investigation. Prepare to evacuate,” Taylor said indifferently. Then she looked at Ding Junyi and the other two. “Take them with us. They’ll be needed for some subsequent reviews.”

“Really? That’s great! Thank you, Supervisor Taylor!!” Zhao Yan and Xu Wen were overjoyed, their feelings at this moment beyond words.

From the terrifying despair of being buried deep in the underground city to escaping to freedom, and now being accepted and protected by the officials, the two of them felt as if they had been through a cycle of hell during this time.

“In addition.”

Taylor operated the mobile terminal with her hand and then brought out a file. “The mission objective of this special investigation team, besides investigating Underground City No. 9, also includes a secret research item from the biological research department. May I ask if you brought it out during your escape?”

Zhao Yan and Xu Wen’s expressions changed slightly upon seeing it.

Because the mobile terminal displayed a certain research code name, which others couldn’t understand, but all three of them, Ding Junyi included, knew that the secret item referred to the No. 1 Blood Calamity Plant.

The Hell Black Chrysanthemum.

As a high-level supervisor of the Federation government, Taylor was clearly a sharp person. She quickly noticed something unusual from the strange expressions on their faces.

Without a word, she picked up the mobile terminal and began to search the surveillance logs within the system.

She soon saw how Lin Xian and his team had rescued Ding Junyi and the others, and also saw them moving the calamity plant’s cultivation chamber.

“I see.”

Taylor handed the mobile terminal to her aide, then walked past Ding Junyi, Zhao Yan, and Xu Wen, and stood before Lin Xian.

“Sir, on behalf of the Federation government, I thank you for rescuing our research employees. Now, please return the assets belonging to our Federation government. I will provide you with some survival supplies as compensation.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Chen Sixuan and the others changed instantly. Even Shu Qin and the others began to frown. They didn’t know what asset Taylor was talking about.

But Lin Xian knew immediately. It was that pot of black flowers.

What surprised him was that, from what Supervisor Taylor had just said, that flower seemed to be one of the mission objectives of their special investigation team. This was much more valuable than he had anticipated.

“What if I refuse?”

Just as everyone was guessing what the Federation supervisor was discussing with Lin Xian, Lin Xian’s words were beyond everyone’s expectations.

At his words, Taylor’s brow furrowed. “You refuse?”

“I refuse.” Lin Xian nodded with a smile. “I am not your employee, nor have I accepted any commission from you. The rescue was just a secondary objective for us. Therefore, all items obtained in Underground City No. 9 belong to our team’s assets. Can I not refuse?”

“I’m sorry, all items in Underground City No. 9 belong to our Federation government’s assets.” Taylor sneered, her gaze sweeping towards the train behind Lin Xian, her tone beginning to carry a hint of threat. “Including that Gemini 11R nuclear-powered electric locomotive.”

Lin Xian’s expression changed upon hearing this. He had no ability to get it, but now the things he had risked his life to bring out had brazenly become the Federation’s assets. This was the height of shamelessness.

His expression turned cold. Meeting her gaze, he said provocatively, “So, Ms. Taylor, how do you plan to take it from me?”

Taylor’s expression changed slightly at his words. She looked at Lin Xian’s gaze, then took a step back and shouted coldly, “Guard Regiment!”

*Click, clack, clack!*

In an instant, the dozens of heavily armed Guard Regiment members behind her raised their guns in unison and aimed them at Lin Xian and his group.

Shi Diyuan and the others frowned at this scene, not understanding how the situation had suddenly become so tense.

At this moment, Zhao Yan and Xu Wen were even more terrified. Standing on the side of the investigation team, they didn’t know whether to speak or not.

*Click.*

At this moment, Ding Junyi suddenly took a step forward, standing beside Lin Xian with her hands in her pockets, without saying a word.

Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “Director Ding, what is the meaning of this?”

“The research data I just provided contains all my achievements as a Federation employee at the biological research institute. Strictly speaking, these achievements, including myself, were already assets abandoned by the Federation government. Now that they have been recovered, it shows that I have fulfilled my Federation employee agreement. Therefore, I am now formally submitting my resignation to you. From this moment on, I am no longer a Federation employee.”

“Director Ding, are you crazy?!!” Zhao Yan, on the opposite side, was aghast at these words. They were being held at gunpoint, yet she chose this moment to jump to the opposing side. Zhao Yan couldn’t comprehend Ding Junyi’s thought process. She lowered her voice and said urgently, “We can leave by airship soon! Where will you go if you resign here? Could it be…”

As she spoke, she glanced at Lin Xian with a complicated expression, swallowing the rest of her words. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is?”

Essentially, she and Xu Wen still felt a certain sense of superiority over the other survivors. After all, they were intellectual employees. Even in the apocalypse, they were important assets who didn’t need to die on the front lines, but were protected in scientific research institutes.

Although they were saved by Lin Xian, how could a train be safer than a laboratory? In less than a day on this journey, they had spent half their time in fear and panic, worried they would die at any moment.

So she couldn’t understand why Ding Junyi would suddenly make such a decision.

“Exactly, Director Ding, what are you thinking!” Xu Wen also said at this moment.

Taylor felt extremely displeased. Although in her eyes, these few researchers like Ding Junyi were not much more valuable than the first-class citizens, under these circumstances, her actions were undoubtedly a slap in the face to her, a high-level Federation supervisor.

This was unbearable to her.

And Ding Junyi’s action also startled KIKI, Chen Sixuan, and the others. They were all a bit confused.

Only Lin Xian knew what Ding Junyi was thinking, but as he glanced at the woman beside him, he also hadn’t expected her to be this bold…