"A martial god?" The mere mention sent Zhou You's blood racing. To be hailed as a "god" meant unparalleled martial prowess. Ordinary folk would look up in awe. The fact that Marshal Shao was so revered made Zhou You yearn to meet him.

"By the way, what's Marshal Shao's full name?" Zhou You tried to recall if there was ever such a name among the top military brass.

"Well..."

"Hmm?"

Old Bridge scratched his head, looking embarrassed, "I don't know. Seems like no one's ever mentioned it. Everyone just calls him Marshal Shao."

"Wasn't it mentioned in the news?"

"No, perhaps to protect Marshal Shao. He's never even shown his full face."

"So mysterious." Zhou You pondered: Could Marshal Shao be a fictional character conjured by the state? Maybe to craft a national hero as an example for the public? A young yet powerful marshal, ideal for stability.

But he's led special forces all over, with many witnesses. Faking such a figure would be tough. Maybe it's just about protecting his privacy, given the countless enemies he must have.

"Hold on." Zhou You stopped, straining his ears, "I think I hear vehicles."

Old Bridge listened closely, hearing nothing, but his face lit up, "Seems we've caught up with the main force. Great!"

But Zhou You's smile faded. Given their route and progress, it should've taken at least two days. Did the convoy change its route?

Without pondering further, he carried Old Bridge towards the sounds. Old Bridge seemed upbeat, joking, "Once back, I'll share this thrilling adventure. They'll be so envious!"

By the time Bridge also heard the vehicles, he patted Zhou You's shoulder, "Zhou, let me down. I should walk in myself. It'd look bad otherwise. Oh, should we keep your martial skills a secret?"

Zhou You responded calmly, "No need to boast or hide. It makes no difference to me."

"Why? If Captain Li knew, he'd see you differently. Maybe even recruit you. Dawn Exploration Team might not be top-tier, but Captain Li is a good leader... Wait, these aren't our vehicles." Old Bridge stared ahead, noticing several vehicles, but they weren't theirs.

Zhou You saw it too. It looked more like a construction site with armored and various construction vehicles busily moving in and out of a cave.

Moreover, the hill was surrounded by high electric fences, with armed guards patrolling. Clearly, it was a concealed project. They seemed to have stumbled upon a secret base.

Author's note: Zhou You: "In this lifetime, I must meet Marshal Shao."

Shao Qi: "Do you admire him?"

Zhou You: "No! I want to know if he's human or ghost."

Chapter 024: The Mysterious Cave.

It was too late by the time Zhou You wanted to leave with Lao Qiao Tou. "Who's there?" Several armed men aimed their guns at the pair, swiftly surrounding them. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" they demanded.

Zhou You pulled Lao Qiao Tou behind him, answering with a harmless look, "Hello, we're refugees from the south. We got separated from our group and thought we heard them nearby. Have you seen a convoy pass through here?"

The men exchanged glances. One with a bearded face lowered his gun and asked, "Why would your convoy pass through here? How many of you are there?"

Zhou You replied, "We're headed to Yang City. We have tens of thousands in our group. They’re all migrating from the south. I’m not sure if they'd pass this way. Could you guide us?"

"Tens of thousands?" the bearded man mused, rubbing his chin. "Your group must be formidable. Many warriors?"

Zhou You smiled proudly, "Yes, our leader is very skilled, and so are those under his command."

"Yang City isn't in this direction. You've taken a wrong turn."

Zhou You lamented, "I had a feeling this might happen. Fortunately, we sent them a signal earlier. Can we wait for them here? The forest is dangerous. We'd be dead meat if we encounter any wild animals."

Zhou You subtly signaled Lao Qiao Tou. He sensed malicious intent from these men; they seemed to have stumbled upon something they shouldn't have.

The bearded man whispered to another. With his keen hearing, Zhou You overheard, "How should we handle them? Let them go?"

"We can't. They know about this place and might spill our secret. Mr. Lu insisted on discretion."

"Kill them? But what if their convoy passes through here? We're talking about tens of thousands."

"They wouldn't pass this way to reach Yang City."

"You never know. Getting lost in these mountains is common. Just look at these two."

"Enough talk. They're just two ordinary people. What's the big deal in killing them?"

"Ordinary, sure, but he mentioned signaling their convoy. What then?"

Another man aimed his gun menacingly at Zhou You's head. "You think you can fool us? What signal? We saw nothing!"