However, even if Bai Ye didn't want to become a ghoul due to the side effects, it could still be used for trading.
Just as some people would accept taking ghost blood to become ghosts for power, there were naturally those who would be willing to become ghouls for power.
Moreover, compared to the inability to act during the day after becoming a ghost, the side effect of ghouls needing to eat people was, as long as one could overcome the psychological and mental fear and rejection, an even smaller price than becoming a ghost.
Bai Ye mused as he followed Kirishima Ayato into the factory.
Looking around, he could see a large number of ghouls inside the factory, at least two to three hundred, but their faces were unclear as they all wore masks.
This was also why Kirishima Ayato immediately took Bai Ye for a ghoul.
Ghouls, when not hunting humans, were an demi-human species with no difference from humans, possessing normal human identities in human society.
Therefore, to avoid exposing their identities and to live normally outside of hunting, ghouls would wear masks when hunting.
This way, their identities would not be revealed, and the white doves would not be able to pursue them.
When Kirishima Ayato saw Bai Ye, Bai Ye had previously scanned Lan Qing's information with the Predator's bio-mask, so Kirishima Ayato naturally assumed Bai Ye, who was wearing a mask, was a ghoul.
Secondly, the way the steel slime moved like flowing mud when solidifying items bore similarities to the process of ghouls releasing their kagune, which also gave Kirishima Ayato a mistaken impression.
Walking through the factory, they reached the front.
The cadres of Aogiri Tree were gathered here.
"Ayato, well done." A girl, entirely wrapped in bandages, wearing a red full-body suit and a mask, leaped from a steel pipe and then looked at Bai Ye, saying, "You are the Eater?"
Bai Ye nodded, "Yes."
The girl smiled and then jumped back onto the steel pipe, saying, "Everyone, the Owl wants me to tell you, it's time to usher in a new era!"
The One-Eyed Owl, the leader of Aogiri Tree, possessed immense power but was very mysterious, having rarely appeared.
As the girl's voice spread, the surrounding ghouls suddenly became excited.
They cheered loudly, whistled, and clapped continuously.
The girl continued, "The Owl wants me to tell you that soon, a new era will descend. We will no longer have to hide in the shadows; we will be able to live under the sun, and those white doves will no longer be able to act with impunity against us."
The cheers from the surroundings instantly reached a crescendo.
At this moment, a cadre asked, "What is the Owl's command?"
"Ghoul Correctional Facility!" the girl said, "In that ghoul prison, a large number of S-class and SS-class ghouls are held. Their hatred for the white doves is no less than anyone else's, so what we need to do is release them and make them a part of our fighting force."
After speaking, the girl jumped down from the pile of steel pipes and walked up to Bai Ye, pointing at him.
"Newcomer, to show everyone your strength, so..." The girl smiled, "This task will be yours to lead, no problem?"
"You have received a restricted zone opening quest."
"Lead a group to infiltrate the Ghoul Correctional Facility. Quest reward: Restricted Zone (Ghoul Correctional Facility) Opening x1."
A restricted zone!
This was getting interesting!
Bai Ye grinned and looked at the girl, "Location."
The girl's eyes flashed with a scarlet glow, and she suddenly smiled, "I like decisive people. Of course, I will tell you the address. Let's take action tonight."
Bai Ye nodded, "Alright!"
A restricted zone, since he'd stumbled upon it, Bai Ye certainly wouldn't refuse. He didn't care about the reward for now.
Since he was already dragged into this, it would be good to get some God Stone fragments by opening the restricted zone.
After all, the milk money was hard to earn these days, and the steel slime ate too much.
There was still some time before nightfall, which was for the chosen ones to prepare and adjust their state.
As the opener of the restricted zone, there were certain advantages at this time.
At least the other chosen ones who were forcibly pulled into the restricted zone had no time to prepare.
However, Bai Ye pondered for a moment, realizing he didn't have anything to prepare. It wasn't time for the gacha pull yet, and nightfall referred to after dusk. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be done before his gacha pull.
Bored, with nothing to do, Bai Ye could only lie in a corner and yawn.
Bai Ye felt he could act immediately, but since time was given, it meant this was the rule.
Two hours later, Kirishima Ayato approached Bai Ye and said, "It's time to go!"
"Ah, time to go?" Bai Ye opened his eyes hazily and said, "We should have left long ago!"
Not all of Aogiri Tree's cadres would participate in this operation; Bai Ye and Kirishima Ayato would be leading.
However, what use could these low-level members of Aogiri Tree be?
Bai Ye made a deduction based on his past life's experience.
The first possibility was that the restricted zone quest was likely a solo mission, but to create a chaotic "prison" environment, both factions needed to clash.
The ghouls from Aogiri Tree were primarily there for this purpose.
The second possibility was that this was a faction-versus-faction restricted zone.
Such restricted zones were not uncommon; Bai Ye had encountered them before, such as the Order faction and the Sin faction in the City of Sins.
And here, it would naturally be the ghoul faction versus the white dove faction.
Chosen ones entering the restricted zone would most likely be automatically divided into two factions to confront each other.
Of course, there was also the possibility that the chosen ones already active in this area had already taken sides.
Because Bai Ye remembered Lan Qing.
It was understandable that those ghoul investigators thought he killed that woman last night and wanted to capture him, but why was Lan Qing, a chosen one, joining the commotion?
Clearly, Lan Qing was likely a white dove as well.
For chosen ones to operate in this area, they would either follow the ghouls or follow the white doves.
Bai Ye felt he had guessed the general situation almost entirely, and the next step was to see how the restricted zone would pose its challenges.
While Bai Ye was lost in thought, Kirishima Ayato suddenly spoke, "We're almost there."
Bai Ye's group had a total of three trucks, all of which were container trucks. The containers, naturally, were filled with ghouls.
The target was just ahead, a building that looked like a research facility but was actually one of the largest establishments for imprisoning ghouls, with a wall and guards outside.
Kirishima Ayato said, "We need to break through the outer guards first."
Bai Ye said, "That's not difficult. Just drive straight ahead. You don't even need anyone else to get out of the trucks. I can handle it alone."