"Picked these up along the way; they taste good. We should bring some back for Li Yunxi to try."

Shao Qi paused for a moment, then teased, "Surprisingly thoughtful of you. If she's touched and decides to marry only you, what then?"

While chewing, Zhou You laughed, "Haven’t you noticed that she's into guys like you? But of course, not you." Shao Qi wouldn't notice the type of men a girl liked, especially since Li Yunxi always seemed to glare or sneer at him, as though he was a deceptive wolf. However, he never lied to women.

Shao Qi crunched the fruit seeds and swallowed, nodding, "These taste great. Once we're back, we should pick more. Fruits are scarce in most bases. Even though fruits in the mountains ripen and rot without anyone harvesting them, people prioritize bringing back meat due to its durability and value compared to perishable fruits."

Zhou You excitedly said, "Does that mean I could make a fortune as a fruit wholesaler? If I brought a truckload of fruits from the mountains to the bases daily, I could become the country’s biggest fruit merchant within a year."

Shao Qi was skeptical, "Can you really pick a truckload of fruits by yourself in a day?"

Zhou You showcased his twelve flying knives, making Shao Qi hastily nod, "I stand corrected. But in a day, you could also hunt a truckload of mutant beasts. Even if they’re low-level ones, selling them would make hundreds of times more than fruits. Why think of selling fruits?"

It's like choosing to pick up $100 when you could easily have $1,000,000. Isn’t that foolish?

Zhou You gazed down at the uninhabited land below, lost in thought for a moment, and then murmured, "Perhaps when humanity truly rises, free from the fears of mere survival and the world knows peace."

"Alright, I'll come with you when the time comes," Shao Qi quickly chimed in, genuinely believing that an ordinary life—once deemed monotonous by many—wouldn't be so bad without daily worries.

"Look over there, a convoy!" Zhou You finally spotted black dots appearing against the white snow, winding their way westward, with an estimate of around thirty to forty vehicles.

Shao Qi piloted the fighter jet to a higher altitude to avoid being detected and possibly attacked. He followed at a safe distance, remarking, "According to the intel from Li Yunxi, they should have at least fifty vehicles. Some might have been damaged in this weather. The chances of a vehicle breaking down are high."

"They're moving slowly. How long do you think it'll take for them to notice us?"

"Every team has scouts, constantly monitoring not only the ground but also the skies. Otherwise, they'd be sitting ducks for the massive mutated birds. So, detecting us would just be a matter of seconds."

"Captain, there's a jet tailing us," reported one of the crew. True to their concerns, their convoy was spotted as soon as the jet flew overhead.

"A jet? Just one?" Zheng Xiao looked up, identifying it as a mere black dot from the ground. Grabbing binoculars, he observed the jet moving past their convoy and heading north, chuckling, "It's not following us. Just passing by."

"Why would there be a lone jet flying during this season?"

"Maybe it's a routine patrol from the Jiangnan base or delivering messages to other bases. Who knows?" Zheng Xiao was indifferent. He had heard that the Jiangnan base was quite welcoming, and if things turned south with the increasing competition among exploration teams at Yang City base, relocating there could be a good idea. Why not enjoy the benefits of a cushy position?

"At least it's not snowing today. With this weather, we should reach Yang City base's supply station in three days. If we encounter a blizzard, finding shelter will be a challenge."

"What's there to fear? We can carve out another ice cave. It's not our first time traveling in snowy conditions."

"Indeed, traveling in the snow has its advantages. Despite the cold, the rewards can be worth it."

"Quiet!" Zheng Xiao was about to scold when the roaring sound of engines captured his attention. The same jet from earlier returned, launching an unexpected strafing run on their convoy before he could even react.

While the armored vehicles were resilient, the precision of Shao Qi's assault, targeting fuel tanks, soon turned the convoy into a blazing inferno.

"Damn it! Why are they attacking us?"

Zheng Xiao shouted, "Armored vehicles, return fire!"

"Boss, we can't reach it!" The jet remained out of their firing range. Shao Qi knew the capabilities of those vehicles all too well.

"Everyone out! Spread out! It's just one jet. They can't take all of us down!" The sight of multiple vehicles ablaze infuriated Zheng Xiao, who had hoped for a peaceful journey home.

Had they been exposed? They rarely got their hands dirty, often using mutated creatures to kill before looting. They shouldn't have been discovered.

Could they have left a witness the last time? During the chaos, some vehicles had escaped. While they captured most, some might've slipped through in different directions.

An explosion rocked the vehicle right in front of Zheng Xiao, prompting him to curse, "Damn!" He leaped out and sprinted toward a nearby forest.

Seeing the evacuating crew, Zhou You prepared his weapons and crossbow, instructing Shao Qi, "Descend. I'm going in."

Shao Qi landed the jet, and the fleeing crew members, oddly reassured by the sight, reasoned, "It's just one jet. How can they overpower so many of us?"