Song Ren and the others stood up quickly. Lin Fan stopped eating and several people quickly surrounded him.
"It's Jingang!" Ji Yu easily recognized the mecha from its golden shell reflecting red light.
"Is it true?" Cen Fangyuan had never seen a mecha up close and couldn't recognize it at all.
He still had some fantasies in his mind, wondering if it was a fake picture created with photoshop, just like what was said in the comments.
But Ji Yu's words dashed his hopes. "It's true. This should be the last bit of fire. Xingchen didn't extinguish it. We split up to fight the fire, and Jin Gang was at the outermost edge."
Ji Yu pointed out Jin Gang's location at that time to Cen Fangyuan on the map, and also pointed out the locations of several other people.
They may not be photographed because they are far away from the person taking the photo, otherwise it would be even worse.
And because Jin Gang was at the outermost edge, close to the photographer, he was photographed like this...
"How did this guy get in!" Cen Fangyuan was furious.
Being seen up close by two firefighters would have been fine, as they were still considered insiders. But here, someone unknown saw it and took photos...
This mistake is simply unforgivable!
"Commander-in-chief, this is a forest after all..." the staff member explained anxiously.
Mountains and forests are originally boundless.
The temporary fences are guarded by people, but if someone deliberately circumvents them, they can still get in.
It's just that no one thought that someone would...
"Go check! Find this person!" Cen Fangyuan's gentle face suddenly turned ferocious. "These bastards dare to spread anything! Immediately! Find this person!"
The staff hurried out.
"I'm sorry, Captain Song, I didn't do my job well enough!" Cen Fangyuan looked at them, feeling extremely ashamed.
Song Ren didn't say anything, but Ji Yu reminded Cen Fangyuan. "Didn't many people say this was a fake photo, photoshopped?"
Cen Fangyuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. "Well, this is how these nosy people try to gain traffic. They even dare to post photoshopped photos. We'll talk him through it and make him realize his mistake."
Seeing that he was so understanding, Ji Yu nodded and didn't say anything else.
Song Ren didn't say much, but his face looked unhappy and it was obvious that he was in a bad mood.
Lin Fan sat back in his chair and ate.
Everything seemed to be the same as before, but Cen Fangyuan knew that there was a huge difference.
He quickly contacted the people patrolling the mountain and asked about the drone's patrol status, and the news he received was that the fire had indeed been extinguished.
"Okay, now that everything is fine, we should leave." Song Ren nodded and stood up. "It's almost dawn. Even if there are still some remaining fires, it's not convenient for us to take action now."
"Yes, yes, under the current circumstances, it's really not appropriate to trouble you any further." Cen Fangyuan said humbly. "Although I personally would like to keep you for a while longer, in this situation... it's safer for you to leave first."
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Cen Fangyuan expressed his deepest apologies. He sent the five people back to the car before waving goodbye.
After the car drove away, his face darkened. He picked up the phone and issued a series of commands.
At the foot of the mountain, many people saw the photo. Some believed it, while others did not.
Seeing the truck slowly driving out, they were all curious to see what was going on, but most of them were persuaded to leave by the staff maintaining order.
Gradually, a voice emerged from the crowd. They couldn't let foreigners know about this remarkable scientific research achievement, or else something terrible would happen.
No one knew where this rumor originated, but it grew in popularity. Most people quietly made way for the vehicles to pass quickly. Even a few who were still curious were stopped by the people around them.
Who among the people who can come here to volunteer does not have a patriotic heart?
Cen Fangyuan took advantage of this and appropriately guided public opinion, causing the people to remain silent spontaneously.
In the truck, Lin Fan leaned against the window and looked at the onlookers outside openly.
"Huh? They were pushing us and not letting us leave just now, how come Moses parted the sea all of a sudden?" she muttered curiously.
"Yeah, I'm curious too." Li Chunhua leaned next to her and also leaned on the window to watch.
Special vehicles like theirs are covered with special film, so people outside can't see inside at all. But people inside can see outside without any worries.
"It must be what the commander-in-chief did just now." Ji Yu's hands were typing quickly on his notebook, collecting the latest information about the photo. "That person has a strong understanding and is a talented person."
"Captain Song, do we need to report this matter?" Gao Fei asked worriedly.
Although it was classified as a photoshop incident and there shouldn't be any serious consequences after it's handled, he felt uneasy that Jin Gang was exposed to the public in such a sudden manner.
"It has been reported." The first time Song Ren saw the photo, he immediately sent a message to the communicator on his wrist.
The institute must have been busy by now.
"Do you need a hacker?" Lin Fan suddenly turned to Song Ren and asked, "I know hackers. I heard they can remove photos from the internet without leaving any trace."
"You also know hackers?" Li Chunhua was surprised.
Aren’t Lin Fan’s interpersonal relationships simple and crude?
Ji Yu and Gao Fei also looked over.
"Yeah, the hackers from the Special Affairs Bureau." Lin Fan was naturally referring to Wang Fengfeng. "They have a dedicated hacking department, and they're very skilled at this."
"Ah? Are they all hackers?" Li Chunhua was shocked. "Don't they study non-natural sciences?"
Ever since John Woo told him the story, the Special Affairs Institute has transformed from a place that studies "supernatural things" to a place that studies "non-natural scientific events." The entire level has risen significantly.
"Yes, non-natural is a traditional business. They have also developed new businesses and do weapons research, but it's not as conventional as ours." Lin Fan said to him.
"We are not conventional either." Ji Yu interrupted.
Gao Fei wanted to continue asking about the Special Affairs Office, but seeing that the topic had strayed from the right direction, Song Ren pulled them back in time.
"Don't use hackers. Hacking will only make things worse." Song Renxian rejected Lin Fan's proposal.
"Why?" Lin Fan didn't understand. She slowly walked to the dining table and bedside, sitting on the edge of the bed next to the backrest. She grabbed another bag of snacks and opened it to eat.
"Yeah, why?" Li Chunhua was also confused. "Wouldn't it be better if the hacker removed the image?"
Gao Fei didn't understand either. He looked at Song Ren, waiting for an answer.
"There's a saying that goes, 'The more you try to cover up, the more obvious it becomes.'" Ji Yu said as he collected comments online.
"Yes, if we remove the picture, it would only make the truth worse." Song Ren nodded, "At least we can't remove it until the person who posted it changes their words."
"Is it because after the withdrawal, everyone will think that the photo is real?" Gao Fei also reacted.
"Why do people think it's true after they withdraw?" Li Chunhua felt that it was really difficult to talk to these people sometimes.
"Aren't some people saying it's photoshopped?" Lin Fan understood and patiently explained, "With so many different opinions, no one can tell the truth. But if the official removes the image, it's like telling everyone, 'This is real, stop talking about it.'"
"Oh, so that's how it is." Li Chunhua also understood. "Then what should we do?"
"We don't need to do anything. Let's rest and go back to the institute." Song Ren wasn't worried about the aftermath. "We have to trust Cen Fangyuan and the institute."
“Specialized tasks should be left to those who are good at them.”