The news of the Azure Dragon team's annihilation sent the entire mess hall into an uproar.
"How can another team be wiped out? What is the Mercenary Guild doing with its combat power requirements for missions?"
"Is the Mercenary Guild short on rewards? Why can't they raise the combat power requirement a bit? Must they keep it so strict?"
"This is already the seventh team to be annihilated in City D over the past ten days!"
Most people were complaining about the Mercenary Guild's overly strict combat power requirements when setting missions.
After all, if the combat power requirement was set higher, it would be much easier for teams to complete missions, and the Mercenary Guild would provide more rewards.
However, Tang Li, with her keen hearing, managed to pick up useful information amidst the complaints.
"Are many teams getting wiped out in City D?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Li specifically glanced at the corners of the mess hall, where a few people were occasionally looking at her.
She noticed that instead of being agitated like everyone else, their lips were curled up, and faint smiles played on their faces, as if they took pride in it.
With just that one glance, Tang Li had a plan forming in her mind.
"It seems the events happening in City D are inseparable from these R-country people!"
Those people in the corners were none other than Tanaka and Watanabe, who had been sent to the Mercenary Guild to monitor Tang Li.
With Tang Li's acuity, she had noticed them from the very beginning.
Tang Li also knew that they had likely already transmitted the news of her combat power of 1234 back.
"Tonight, I must find out who is behind these people. I can't delay!"
As Tang Li was contemplating this, Senior Brother Ye also said to her:
"It's best to pray that the mission's combat power requirement isn't miscalculated. Otherwise, you'll likely suffer the same fate as this 'Azure Dragon team' and be wiped out entirely."
"But there's no need to worry too much. We are all from the southern City E, so we are more familiar with that area. Our teams usually go there for missions and don't encounter much danger."
Tang Li nodded upon hearing this and remained silent.
Although City D was to the southeast of Jiangcheng and City E was to the southwest, the directions were different. However, with the presence of the R-country people, Tang Li felt uneasy.
Still, she didn't dwell on this matter.
If the R-country people came to cause trouble, it would be a perfect opportunity for her to practice her newly learned national martial arts.
"If the mission's combat power requirement is miscalculated, will the teams that go on missions definitely be annihilated?"
"Wouldn't those criminal gangs surrender willingly, or let these teams go back to get leniency?"
Tang Li continued to ask.
However, upon hearing her question, everyone shook their heads and said, "Absolutely not!"
After hearing their explanation, Tang Li understood.
The Mercenary Guild's rewards for mercenary teams were not based on the number of criminals killed, but on the number of criminals captured alive.
The reason for this was to bring them back and send them to the underground city construction sites for labor reform!
Currently, the most urgent task for all the governorates was the construction of the underground city.
But under such extreme heat, with insufficient water supply, people were collapsing and dying on the underground city construction sites almost every day.
Even with a substantial amount of points, no one was willing to do this kind of work.
However, the underground city had to be built, and the sooner, the better.
Therefore, they could only use these criminals.
For the construction of the underground city, the authorities had already rounded up prisoners from before the apocalypse and violators after the martial law from prisons across the country.
But to maintain round-the-clock rotations, these people were still insufficient.
Moreover, with people constantly collapsing under the scorching sun, a continuous supply was needed.
Even the criminals captured from various criminal gangs, no matter how serious their crimes, were not executed immediately. Instead, they were sent to the underground city construction sites to contribute their last bit of residual value.
Those undergoing labor reform at the underground city construction sites knew that staying there meant death, and many would desperately try to escape.
Although such individuals would be shot, the underground city construction sites were too vast, and some would inevitably slip through the net, taking the news out.
Consequently, many members of those criminal gangs would rather die fighting mercenary teams than be captured alive, and thus would not surrender willingly.
Similarly, if given the chance, they would not let go of the mercenary teams sent to encircle them.
Therefore, it was very dangerous for mercenary teams to go out on missions.
The authorities' restriction on the quantity of weapons and ammunition possessed by mercenary teams was also partly to prevent these weapons and ammunition from falling into the hands of criminals if a mercenary team was wiped out.
Of course, mercenary team members who died during missions also received treatment as martyrs.
After their death, their families would not only receive compensation but also priority admission to the underground city, with all benefits equivalent to those of fallen official armed personnel.
In the time it took to finish a meal, Tang Li had also learned a great deal about the Mercenary Guild.
After eating, Tang Li and Peng Yue drove home.
Tonight, she had important matters to attend to!