The group fell silent, regret about choosing this path growing among them, especially those who had never left the base.

"Old Chen, with your vast experience, do you think we can safely navigate this marshland?" In Long Gan's vehicle, the majority of passengers were older, including Old Chen.

Old Chen, who was driving to give Long Gan a break, shushed and whispered, "I've never traveled this route. We always took detours in the past. No one dares to take this path. Do you know its popular name?"

"What is it?"

"The Abyss of Death."

Everyone gasped. The Abyss of Death didn't sound like a pleasant place. They had heard of it but never realized it referred to this marshland.

"Why...why are we taking this path? Are we leading everyone to their deaths?" As the group grew restless, Long Gan opened his eyes, gazed at their fearful expressions, and said sternly, "What are you all afraid of? If Captain Shao dares to tread this path, he has confidence. Trust in him, overthinking will only bring trouble."

"Why should we trust him?"

"Because he is the best! Undoubtedly the best!" Long Gan thought: If they knew Shao Qi's true identity, they'd willingly face even deadlier dangers.

Other vehicles also discussed the Abyss of Death. For Zhou You, this was the first time hearing about it. Looking around, the name seemed fitting.

"According to the map, we've covered more than half the distance. If all goes well, we should be out of this marshland by tomorrow noon. There's no need to be overly anxious," Zhou You tried to calm his anxious teammates.

"Captain Zhou, can you honestly tell us if our mission this time truly concerns the fate of our nation?"

"Absolutely. The satellite we're launching, once operational, will not only restore communication but also serve military purposes. The lack of communication has caused so much delay and fragmentation of our nation. Restoring it will solve many problems."

"That's indeed good news. So, who are our potential adversaries this time? Can foreigners really cross oceans or forests to reach our country? I thought we lost contact long ago?"

"However, there are still many foreigners trapped in our country over the years. Undoubtedly, among them are spies. Moreover, many would want to claim this satellite for themselves."

"Who would dare challenge the state for its assets? Only someone with immense power... No, it could also be..." He thought of the possibility that if the local base leader were to rebel, they might want to seize such a significant asset, like Lord Xu of their city.

"But if Lord Xu were to seize the satellite, should we turn against him?"

"We're not sure who we might encounter. This trip might go smoothly; we're just being cautious," Zhou You said, trying to calm them down. The real challenges are likely numerous. This mission must have been planned in advance given the extensive preparations.

Shao Qi spent the days leading up to the departure leisurely outside the base with him. The departure date was set long ago, so why didn't they set out a few days earlier? Wouldn’t that have allowed them to bypass this route?

At the same time, a group traced back to where they had been. Signs of a camp were evident. One of them found a tracker on a cell phone and heard the recorded message left for them.

"No wonder we didn't see any trace of them after lying in ambush for days. They took this route. They're audacious."

"Big brother, should we continue pursuing them?"

"Hmph, do you dare enter this Death Abyss? Even if you do, can you catch up? And if you catch up, do you dare to confront them inside?"

"So, we just let it go? What about the mission from our superiors?"

"Forget it! Let's take a detour and at least find out if they can emerge safely. If they all perish inside, it saves us trouble."

Chapter 169: Escaping the Marshland

The rumbling of thunder echoed, and the sky dimmed. The convoy switched on their headlights, proceeding cautiously.

"It’s about to be nightfall. We can't afford heavy rain now; that would be disastrous." Everyone prayed silently, hoping for the heavens’ mercy. The only option was to keep moving forward.

But fate wasn’t on their side. After nightfall, a bolt of lightning struck a puddle not far from the convoy. Mud splashed everywhere, forcing the vehicles to swerve. Two cars got stuck in the muck due to the sudden turn.

The passengers had to disembark to push the vehicles. Suddenly, a poisonous toad leaped out of the mud and bit a team member's thigh. He yelled but felt no pain. Using a knife, he pried the toad off and saw that his armor wasn't pierced. Only a slight corrosive mark from the toad's saliva was visible.

"That was close!" He was relieved. A genuine bite in this environment would've been lethal.

"Hurry up; it’s about to rain!"

"Something's approaching from ahead, and there's quite a lot of them," Zhou You, with his heightened senses, noticed first.

Shao Qi climbed atop a vehicle for a clearer view and cursed, "Damn, a pack of Black-scaled Crocodiles, about a dozen. Move fast! They’re swift in the marsh."

"Captain, one of the vehicles hasn't been pulled out yet."

Shao Qi leaped down, grabbed the vehicle's bumper, and with everyone else's help, yanked the car out of the mud.