He hung up the call, leaving the other end in shock. So, Chairman Shao was actually watching Guo Xiangjin's live stream. What was so special about this person?

Curiously, he entered the live room. Noticing the viewer count just surpassed ten, he checked the list of online viewers and spotted a familiar name, "Zhou You World" - wasn't that Mr. Zhou You?

It appeared both heavyweights were keen on Guo Xiangjin. This must mean he was special. Consequently, he discreetly informed his friends and family to watch the stream. Word spread quickly, and within days, Guo Xiangjin noticed his viewer count skyrocketing into the thousands. It was unexpected, but it didn’t really affect him.

His primary reason for streaming wasn't to earn money or fame, but to motivate himself to train. He didn't care if others learned from him. After all, many knew what he was doing; few just chose to push their physical limits.

After changing his clothes, Zhou You returned to the villa. Naturally, Shao Qi accompanied him. Matters in the military zone were managed by Zhao Jinghao and Miao Miao. Presently, no one dared to oppose Shao Qi. As for who would take over as commander, everyone could only speculate in private.

"It would be great if Engineer Shao stayed on as the commander. Ever since he arrived, life has been so much more thrilling."

"Wishful thinking! They say both Engineer Shao and Mr. Zhou are master martial artists. Someone of that caliber should be leading at the main base, not staying here. Plus, he's from the Central Army."

Another person disagreed, "He isn't the head of Central either. Gaining experience locally before returning might be a good strategy. That’s how heirs of great sects and families operate. Why do you think Deputy Chief of Staff Cheng and Lieutenant Zhao are here?"

"But I heard they're an investigative team from Central. Once their mission is done, they'll have to report back. After this incident, I bet fewer people will want to come here. Rumor has it our military budget is in deficit by billions. No wonder our base always seems so strapped."

The leader of a base could define its direction. The current martial arts fervor at the Jiangnan base was introduced by Shao Qi, and everyone felt it was a positive change.

Li Yanqing repeatedly watched a video clip. It was a live stream by Cheng Suyan, depicting the fight between Zhuo Hao's team and three monsters in an underground lab.

After returning from outside the city, he went straight home, thankful he hadn't joined Long Gan to the city lord's mansion. Otherwise, he might not have returned intact.

Once home, he and Mi Ai saw their father, Li's father, wiping tears, watching that very video on loop.

"Where have you been?" Li Yanqing's mother asked, hugging her son with concern.

Li Yanqing gave Mi Ai a quick nudge and lied, "I was at Mi Ai's house, practicing."

Li's mother paused, then casually responded, "Oh, is that so? You must be hungry. There's porridge on the table. Go eat." She didn't mention that they had already checked with Mi Ai's parents when he disappeared.

The important thing was that he was back safe.

Approaching his father, Li Yanqing draped an arm around his shoulder, asking, "Dad, is that uncle in the video?"

"No... no... Why would you ask that?" Li's father thought it best to keep the identity of the monster, his brother, a secret. Especially since he had reportedly killed many, including the military commander. The revelation could lead to complications.

However, Li Yanqing retorted, "Dad, don't lie to me. I've seen photos, and I can recognize him. Besides, uncle is a victim. We should not only claim him but also demand justice. After all the horrors he's been through, don’t they owe us an explanation?"

"It can't be. Seeing the state he's in now, how can we prove that's your uncle?" Although Mr. Li had been separated from his younger brother for a decade and it pained him to admit it, he knew he had to prioritize his immediate family.

"Mr. Shao is a responsible man. By punishing the perpetrator and revealing the truth, he ensures others won't suffer. If we try to identify our relative, he won't blame us."

Mrs. Li hadn't really interacted much with this uncle and wasn't deeply attached. Still, she felt her son was right. "If we believe it's him, let's go. We don't seek compensation, but the world needs to know his transformation wasn't his fault. If possible, we should bring him back for burial. What if he still has family? We can't simply ignore this."

At the same time, someone else was closely analyzing the video. In a dim room, Sun Lu repeatedly watched the footage, especially intrigued by the pale, soft creature. It was clear its DNA had merged with that of a snake. He was amazed at the results of such a human-animal gene fusion.

Most would consider these beings monsters, and assume they were unwillingly transformed. But Sun Lu felt differently. If he was given a chance, and with his strong willpower, he believed he could retain human memories—much like the concept of possession.

A bright green snake, as thick as a forearm, slithered up from the chair leg, wrapping around Sun Lu’s waist. It affectionately rubbed its head under his chin. Sun Lu gently stroked its head, showing their close bond.

"Bixi, you're growing so fast. Soon, I won't be able to hide you." The snake had hatched from an egg Sun Lu had kept. It had grown astonishingly fast from the size of a finger. Initially feeding it his own rations, now he buys cheap chicken or duck meat for it.

Excitedly, he said, "Bixi, did you see? When that human fused with your kind, he became powerful. If we can integrate, we'd be unstoppable."