Let them offer their loyalty

Shigure Ryoko was speechless and could only operate the handle to resist the hero's attack.

Chelsea nodded on the other end of the communicator, even though the other party couldn't see it: "Okay, Ryoko, contact me when you're done. By the way..."

"But I don't know if Jonas and you would be interested in this type of game?"

"Ahahaha, I've been so busy lately, I have to find some way to relax, otherwise I'll get suffocated."

When Shigure Ryoko said this, the evil dragon on the big screen breathed out a flame, setting the hero on fire and burning him up.

It’s really too hot!

Jonas started to burn and lost most of his health!

Really playing games!

"Is that so? Have fun then. When you're done, come back to the office and remember to call me."

Shigure Ryoko hung up the call gently. Her eyes moved back and forth between Jonas's struggling hero and the dragon she controlled. Although the call was over, her heartbeat was still incredibly fast. She tried to concentrate on the game, but Jonas's eyes, which seemed to be able to read her mind at any time, distracted her.

Shigure Ryoko's cheeks turned slightly red, but she tried to remain calm. "Whether Miss Chelsea has guessed it or not, we'd better not mention it in front of her."

"Of course." Jonas smiled, and at the same time did not forget to launch a counterattack in the game. The brave man stood up with difficulty in the flames, waving his sword to prepare for the final decisive battle.

"Though, don't you think she sounds a little... expectant?" he teased, returning his gaze to the screen.

Shigure Ryoko glanced at him and did not answer, because in the game, the dragon's form was changing, appearing more powerful, and the flames were more intense. She knew that this time, she would not let the hero win so easily.

The battle in the game becomes more and more intense, and the two characters engage in a life-and-death duel in the light of fire and sword shadows.

Half an hour later, Shigure Ryoko came to her senses and tidied her hair that was messed up from playing games. She glanced at the open door of the office guiltily and lowered her head to take a sip of coffee.

A bit fishy.

Chapter 583 Visitors from Dragon City

Longcheng wants to form an alliance with District 25, but it is not something that can be achieved by just talking about it.

The representatives of Longcheng will first hold preliminary talks with the relevant persons in charge of the 25th District, where both sides will express their willingness to cooperate and explore the possibility of establishing an alliance.

Generally speaking, both parties need to understand each other's history, culture, economic conditions, political environment, etc., ensure that both parties have a consensus on basic cognition, each party clearly defines the interests it hopes to obtain in the alliance, and propose conditions that can be provided to the other party. Both parties need to discuss these interests in detail.

If there are major differences in political systems and philosophies between Longcheng and District 25, this may lead to differences in political mutual trust and governance models between the two sides, affecting the stability of the alliance.

The respective political conditions will also affect the formation of the alliance. For example, if one party has domestic political instability, it may affect its ability to implement the alliance agreement. Whether the foreign policies of the two parties are consistent and whether there are common external allies or hostile countries will affect the feasibility and strategic value of the alliance.

As for the military, they don't know the details of the military situation in District 25. If the disparity is too great, it may directly affect the alliance between the two sides.

In the process of seeking an alliance between Longcheng and District 25, in-depth investigation and evaluation of various aspects are indeed needed. First of all, the differences in political systems and concepts must be seriously considered, because this is directly related to whether the two sides can reach a consensus on fundamental governance and development concepts, and whether they can support each other's policies and positions.

Political stability is an important factor in assessing whether a region is a reliable alliance partner, because political turmoil may lead to policy inconsistency, thus affecting the alliance's commitment and implementation. The consistency of the two sides' foreign policies and their attitudes toward the outside world, especially the relationship with common allies or opponents, are also factors that must be considered when building an alliance.

As for the comparison and evaluation of military strength, it is related to the level of alliance defense and military cooperation. If the disparity in military strength between the two sides is too large, it may lead to an imbalance of power, thus affecting the internal cooperation mechanism of the alliance and its external deterrence or defense capabilities.

Therefore, when the representatives of Longcheng hold preliminary talks with District 25, they must discuss the above issues in a comprehensive and detailed manner to ensure that the alliance can reach a solid consensus and basis for cooperation in all aspects. Such preliminary talks often require the preparation of detailed intelligence and data.

But this is not what Ji Yeling needs to consider.

Longcheng decided to send an inspection team to District 25 to better understand the situation in the district and explore the possibility of an alliance between the two sides. The inspection team was composed of officials from multiple departments, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Economic Development Bureau, the Cultural Exchange Center, and the Ministry of National Defense.

The mission of the delegation is to comprehensively collect political, economic, cultural and military intelligence on the 25th District. They will hold talks with official representatives of the 25th District, visit key infrastructure, assess local security conditions, understand social stability, and communicate with local residents to obtain first-hand social and cultural information.

This was the official, written information Ji Yeling received about the above situation. After reading it, Ji Yeling sneered. The Sword Master Organization at that level mocked the department in Longcheng for doing this, believing that it was purely useless.

Ji Yeling only believed in his own eyes, and the Sword Wielder Organization only believed in the people it sent out. In their eyes, the inspection team was just a means to collect false intelligence and was completely useless.

It is Dragon City's business to send out an investigation team. The Sword Wielder Organization plans to secretly send another person to District 25 and the Federation to collect intelligence and conduct an investigation to find out what exactly happened between the two.

"Are you really going to investigate the situation in the Federation and District 25 by yourself?"

In the Sword Wielder Organization, Ji Yeling sat in his office chair, calmly looking at his busy subordinates in front of him, listening to the unbelievable voice in the communication, and smiled indifferently.

"What? You can't allow me to go out for a walk because I feel bored staying in the Sword Wielder's Institution?"

"You are not just strolling around." The voice on the communication was somewhat serious. "The situation in the Federation and District 25 is complicated. A small mistake may cause unnecessary trouble."

Ji Yeling raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice full of confidence: "Of course I know. But rather than sitting here and reading reports full of bureaucratic terms, I prefer to go and see it myself."

"But you are from the Sword Wielder Organization after all, so you have to be careful in your actions. If they misunderstand you, we will have a hard time explaining ourselves." The other party seemed to want to convince her.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." She responded lightly, then stood up and adjusted her clothes: "Besides, I'm not really going alone."

"Who are you bringing?" the voice on the other end of the line sounded curious.

Ji Yeling smiled and turned to look at the figure standing at the door. "Assistant, odd jobs, I happen to be interested in that place. If I die, there will be someone to bring my ashes back."

An increasingly nervous voice rang out over the commuter: "Why do you always like to say something like death before you set off? And it's the same whether you bring anyone with you or not. Forget it, you guys should be careful and don't make too much noise."

"We will. After all, shadows are best at being silent." Ji Yeling said, turned off the communication, and waved to the figure at the door: "Let's go, our journey begins."

Ji Yeling did not plan to leave this matter to others. She had climbed up step by step from the Sword Wielder Organization and knew that she had to see everything with her own eyes to obtain real intelligence. This matter was of great importance. In addition, she herself was strong enough. She was not as weak as ordinary intelligence personnel. Even if an unexpected situation occurred, she would be able to get away. So she planned to bring an assistant and do it herself.

She didn't trust some of the trash in Longcheng, so she had to do this herself.

...................................

The Federation was like a gray picture. Occasionally, a hurried pedestrian passed by her, and no one noticed the uninvited guest.

The defense system was composed of steel and electronic barriers, and these walls emitted a cold blue light in the night, but fortunately Ji Yeling had already come in, so there was no need to make a big fuss.

The architectural design within the Federation presents a perfect combination of postmodern style and industrial coolness. Neon lights and optical fibers are intertwined on the surface of the buildings, projecting dynamic images. On the streets, self-driving vehicles slide by quietly, and occasionally pedestrians wearing various enhanced equipment pass by in a hurry. Their eyes are indifferent, as if they are controlled by mechanical parts hidden under the surface.

In this city full of high technology and low life, each area is strictly divided. The rich areas are crowded with high-rise buildings. The top floors are the territories of the powerful and elites, who manipulate the economy and political context of the Federation in an extremely luxurious environment. At the bottom, residents in the slums live on the margins of society, living next to cybernetic bodies, black market transactions and electronic waste.

At the center of the Federation is a huge data center, which is the brain of the city and controls all networks and information flows. It looks like a windowless black cube with the light of a defense network flashing on its surface.

"Except for the cube in the center, the others are similar to the cities controlled by the shitty capitalists. Isn't that the problem?"

In the corner, Ji Yeling, wearing a human skin mask, muttered to himself.

The deputy she brought with her has gone to collect intelligence and will not be back for a while.

She didn't know if it was an illusion, but people on the street would always look at her intentionally or unintentionally. In order to prevent any unexpected situations, Ji Yeling turned left and right and entered an empty alley.

In the dark corner of the alley, Ji Yeling felt relatively safe. She took a deep breath and thought about her next move.

In the Federation, every step needs to be carefully considered. Her task is not only to collect intelligence, but also to find out what is happening in the Federation and to know the possible dangers behind the Federation.

She fumbled in her pocket and clicked her tongue quietly, the communication automatically opening to check if there was any message from her deputy.

The deputy's report was brief and precise: "We have obtained some key information and are currently analyzing it. We recommend that you continue to keep a low profile."

Isn't this nonsense! Of course she knows to keep a low profile!

Those lurking shadows inside the Federation no longer exist. The chess pieces that the Sword Holder Agency spent years laying out, every hidden piece, have been removed silently. The Federation's internal security measures are extremely strict. Their methods are cold and effective, breaking all the hidden lines. This silent purge has made the Federation's defense like a copper wall, leaving no gaps. The Sword Holder Agency's network has completely collapsed inside the Federation.

Let alone untrustworthy intelligence, there is no longer even false intelligence.

Why has the Federation become so extreme now? Originally, even if they caught a spy, they would directly use it to replace the spies sent to other places.

The situation was worse than Ji Yeling had imagined, so she chose to explore the Federation first.

Suddenly, the communication started ringing.

"Ms. Ji Yeling, most of the information has been collected. I will tell you now."

There seemed to be some confusion and panting from the deputy's side. After she calmed down a little, a clear voice was heard.

"Miss Ji Yeling, the situation is urgent. The internal structure of the Federation has undergone earth-shaking changes. The previous atmosphere of freedom and democracy has disappeared. Now they have transformed into a unified and centralized model. The power structure has been reintegrated, and all decision-making is concentrated in the hands of a few people. This transformation has made them extremely efficient. We must re-evaluate our strategy."

Has the previous structure been changed directly? If it was a liberal democracy before, it is now a centralized system.

Ji Yeling subconsciously nodded and thought about what his deputy said.

No, it is centralized power, but it may not be that all the power is in the hands of a few people, but only in Dorothy's hands!

The deputy's voice sounded again, with a hint of urgency: "The Federation has not only strengthened the internal concentration of power, but also strengthened the original violent institutions to ensure that the new political structure is not threatened. The security forces of the entire Federation have been reorganized and adjusted to a system that is more directly subordinate to the central authority. Their actions are everywhere and at all times to ensure the strict implementation of order."

Worse.

Ji Yeling almost guessed that the subsequent information would be even more outrageous.

The deputy paused, obviously reviewing the information she had collected. "Most importantly, the Federation has begun to implement a curfew system. Once night falls, all streets will be filled with armed patrols. This not only restricts the freedom of citizens, but also provides them with an excuse to control and monitor all movements. Any behavior that does not conform to their new order will be severely punished."

The curfew system is here.

It's indeed more outrageous.

Should I say that it was fortunate that we arrived at the Federation at night?

The deputy's voice continued to come through the communicator, with an almost palpable coldness: "Also, the Federation has established a comprehensive information control system. All news, social media, and even private communications are under strict monitoring. They are using all means to suppress and eliminate any dissenting voices and prevent any intelligence from being leaked."

Her breathing sounded a little hurried over the communicator, as if she was in a hurry to finish these words: "The most shocking thing is that any individual suspected of abnormal behavior will be secretly arrested by the security agency on charges of espionage. As far as I know, many people have disappeared in night raids. They were secretly executed and their families and friends do not know their whereabouts."

She paused, and her voice became heavier: "This atmosphere of terror has enveloped the entire Federation. People are afraid to speak, afraid to gather, and even afraid to think those forbidden thoughts. Such changes have made the Federation more difficult to infiltrate. Miss Ji, our mission here is now more dangerous than ever before."

Ji Yeling pondered over the deputy's report. Her intuition told her that these actions of the Federation were not isolated incidents. There must be a deeper plot behind them. The Federation's underground city, a place full of secrets, might be the key. There might be secret weapons or information that could change the balance of power.

The original decision was to support District 25, which would not only leverage the power of the other side to weaken the Federation's rule, but also provide opportunities in the struggle between the two. She understood that if a balance could be achieved in the conflict between the Federation and District 25, Dragon City would benefit from it, avoiding the risks of direct conflict and also being able to glimpse the Federation's true weaknesses.

Supporting District 25 meant that she had to quickly establish new lines of communication and find reliable allies, while at the same time maintaining contact with Dragon City to ensure the flow of information. The strategy of sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight required her to hide her intentions more carefully, observe the development of the situation, and wait for the best time to intervene.

But this is not absolute.

In this power struggle, there are no eternal enemies or eternal friends, only eternal interests. If the Federation is really at a disadvantage, she will not hesitate to lend a helping hand, but this kind of assistance is by no means selfless, but is to further consume the resources of both sides so that Longcheng can take action at the right time and obtain the greatest benefit.

But something is very wrong with the Federation right now.

If the Federation continues to expand eastward after annexing District 25, it will undoubtedly pose a direct threat to Dragon City. The Federation's ambitions may not be satisfied by a single victory, but instead it may arouse their greater desire for conquest.

She couldn't sit back and watch the Federation expand its power, otherwise Dragon City would sooner or later face the risk of being dragged into the war. She needed to take precautions before it happened, rather than responding hastily when the crisis came.

She began to conceive of possible countermeasures, such as strengthening Dragon City's defense capabilities, or seeking alliances with other regions to jointly check and balance the power of the Federation. It was crucial to maintain Dragon City's strength, which meant making precise and effective adjustments in both internal stability and external strategies.

Compared to trying to get something from the Federation, it is obviously better to go with Jonas.

Now she needs a powerful ally to counter the Federation's growing ambitions, and Jonas, as an influential figure, is the ideal person for her to cooperate with. He has both the resources and the motivation to fight against the Federation, or at least remain neutral when necessary.

Much better than Dorothy.

There is no time to lose, let's get going now.

Just as Ji Yeling was about to notify his deputy to evacuate, a terrified voice came from his deputy's side.

“They’re here, I’m—” The deputy’s voice suddenly rose in pitch, and there were chaotic noises in the background, like objects falling and quickly approaching footsteps.

Ji Yeling's heart tightened: "Keep calm, evacuate urgently, immediately--" But before he finished speaking, he heard the deputy's scream, accompanied by the sound of resistance and dull fighting.

How come he was discovered suddenly?

She moved among the crowd as usual, hiding in faded walls and dim alleys, but at the moment when the deputy's communication was abruptly cut off, an unusual silence fell around her, and her intuition told her that this was a sign of danger.

The efficiency of the federal security agency was beyond her expectations. As soon as she turned into a street, she felt the air behind her freeze. She did not look back, because that would expose her vigilance. She quickened her pace, trying to blend into the increasingly sparse pedestrians, but she could feel a pair of eyes closely monitoring her every move.

She quickly turned into an alley, trying to use the complex layout of the block to escape pursuit, but just as she planned to use an abandoned market as cover, suddenly a powerful arm swept out and pinned her against the cold wall.

robot.

"Ji Yeling, you're from the Sword Wielder Organization, right?" A mechanical voice sounded in her ears, without any emotion.

The Federation people really discovered her, and at this moment when she least wanted to be discovered, she realized that the Federation's intelligence network was more dense than she expected, and her actions had been completely anticipated.

No, how did you find out?

Ji Yeling's mind flashed back to when she stepped into the streets of the Federation and the people on the street glanced at her face intentionally or unintentionally, and she discovered where the problem lay.

"The Federation's current control is stricter than ever before. Any face that doesn't belong here, any abnormal behavior, will be reported immediately, right?"

Ji Yeling's voice was low and calm. Even though she had the power to destroy the robot in front of her in the first instant, she did not do it.

"Since we cleared all internal threats, we have stepped up observation and background checks on citizens. Residents in every area know that for their own safety, it is best to report anything unusual. Your presence, like a stick that stirs a calm pond, immediately attracted attention."

In the eyes of the Federation, Ji Yeling is just a bird that has entered a bird-catching net. The grid they have laid out is not just surveillance equipment and patrols, but also the eyes and ears of every resident. Under such close surveillance, any intruder will have nowhere to hide.

The federal surveillance network is so tight that it is suffocating. Their centralized rule is not only through laws and rules, but also through fear and distrust. This extension of power makes people panic. Everyone may be the eyes and ears of the federation. This city no longer has any secrets.

"Ms. Ji Yeling, I won't do anything to you, but that doesn't mean the Federation is easy to talk to."

The robot's voice was emotionless and coldly commanded: "Follow me."

It turned and began to move towards the central area of ​​the city. Ji Yeling followed closely behind, with a step full of determination and unyielding. The crowd around them gradually shrunk, and the buildings became more majestic. The logo of the Federation was engraved on each tall building, indicating that this was the center of power.

Until you reach the cube and reach the top level.

In the spacious and luxuriously decorated meeting hall, Ji Yeling confronted Dorothy. The latter sat upright on an exquisitely carved chair, her eyes like condensed frost, staring at the woman in front of her without a trace of warmth.