Shao Qi, munching on a compressed biscuit, responded, "It started last night. What do you think of this place? It's hard to notice this pit even if someone walked by."

A glass panel covered the snow pit. Shao Qi had removed it earlier, causing Zhou You to fall through. Otherwise, anyone walking over it wouldn't detect the hole beneath.

Zhou You sat next to Shao Qi, a faint light emanating from the screen in Shao Qi's hand. He took Shao Qi's phone; indeed, no signal. He checked his own, the same result.

"Stop checking. We're already out of the base's signal range."

Zhou You returned the phone and inquired, "How long did you plan to stay here? Were you also following Dr. Jiang?"

"Doctor Jiang?" Shao Qi shook his head. "I don't know any Doctor Jiang. I climbed over from the city wall. I noticed something odd about that dump. All the garbage trucks just dumped their load and left, and the cleaners only work in the first building. By around four in the afternoon, they all return to the city. This seems to be the least frequented area."

Zhou You came by car, so he noticed the peculiarities of the dump. Had he come alone during the day, he wouldn't have noticed anything amiss.

"What did you find out?"

Shao Qi removed his glasses and wrapped himself tightly in his coat. "I didn't notice until a car drove by and I saw you. Of course, at first, I didn't recognize you. I thought you were with them."

Zhou You, knowing the distance was vast, curiously asked, "How did you recognize me then?"

"Intuition," Shao Qi blurted out. Seeing Zhou You's incredulous look, he chuckled, "Alright, I just casually threw a stone in your direction, trying to draw someone out. Then I realized it was you. Guess I'm just lucky."

Zhou You marveled at Shao Qi's precision in throwing the stone, landing it accurately from such a distance. His vision and skill were extraordinary.

"By the way, who's this Doctor Jiang you mentioned?"

Only then did Zhou You relay the conversation he overheard after entering the military area, jokingly adding, "You said Ren Zhiyuan was mediocre and ambitionless. Turns out he's secretly orchestrating something big. I bet Doctor Jiang is conducting human experiments. I wonder if the underground here is his lab."

A laboratory would be extensive. The visible dump might just be an entrance. Shao Qi wanted to go down and check, but it would be too risky for just the two of them.

"We need to go down to find out. I've been here all day and haven't heard any sounds from below. The soundproofing must be exceptional. Besides, other than the group tonight, I've seen no one entering or exiting. Do they never come out?"

Zhou You was also curious. According to the city gate guards, Doctor Jiang researched plants – obviously a cover-up. But if he has a research base outside the city, it means he frequently moves in and out. Surely, multiple researchers are needed for experiments. Are they all hiding underground?

"How did you suspect Commander Ren?"

"I happened upon a confidential letter claiming human experiments at Jiangnan Base. Since the new era began, the nation outlawed unauthorized human experiments. Yet, almost every base secretly conducts some form of experimentation. It's near impossible to stamp out entirely. As long as it's not large-scale, central authorities generally turn a blind eye."

The letter was quite vague and could have been a hoax, so no official investigation ensued. When I first talked with Ren Zhiyuan, I didn't believe him. He seemed too indifferent and lax in his management. But, one can never truly know another's intentions."

"Now, do we discreetly destroy the lab or expose everything? The public would never support such experiments. No one wants to live in fear that they or a loved one could be next. I wonder how many soldiers in the military zone are truly loyal to Ren Zhiyuan."

"About a third, I guess. Destruction is certain, but with just the two of us, it might be challenging. If there's any commotion here, the military will send troops immediately, given our proximity."

"So what? If needed, we can flee south into the Yunlan Mountains. Do they dare chase us there?" Zhou You commented, glancing at the white tiger that yawned, looking resignedly at their conversation.

Zhou You laughed, "Has it been hiding with you the whole time?"

"No, I let it out last night. It came down today. With its white fur against the snow, who could spot it?" Shao Qi regretted bringing the tiger. It was easy to hide a snow vehicle, but how do you hide such a big, living creature? They might be discovered before finding their target.

"Where's your vehicle?"

"Parked near the welfare institute."

Zhou You deduced that Shao Qi had climbed over the wall. He could have done the same in the afternoon. Timing is everything. Had he not eavesdropped in the military zone that evening, Ren Zhiyuan's secrets would have remained hidden.

"If you're not planning any moves now, let's head back and discuss our next steps. Given the weather, you probably can't summon reinforcements. It seems we'll have to rely on our small group." Zhou Hao couldn't contact Shao Qi earlier in the day. Their special communication method was probably affected. The heavy snow covered all routes, making it impossible for others to arrive.

"Let's go back. I've been out in the cold for too long and expended much of my vital energy. Now's not the best time to take risks."

The two leapt out of the pit, the white tiger closely following Zhou You. Shao Qi led them over the wall from the back of the dump to his snow vehicle hidden in a factory. They then drove back to the villa.

The car's arrival at the mansion startled Miao Mie and the others. The trio hastily donned their clothes and rushed out. To their astonishment, they saw both Shao Qi and Zhou You stepping out of the vehicle, their eyes wide with surprise.