Only the two of them could cause such a commotion during their advancement, right?

"What are you waiting for? Tie up the prisoners now!" At Shao Qi's command, Xue Yang Chen immediately led his team to detain the foreigners, who were already paralyzed with fear, believing they'd been subjected to some Chinese mystic technique draining their strength. How could they even think of escaping?

Shao Qi and Zhou You distributed elixirs to everyone present. Everyone received one, replenishing half their strength. Thankfully, they brought plenty of these elixirs; otherwise, Zhou You would have felt guilty toward his teammates.

After cleaning up the scene, Shao Qi, rubbing his temple, looked at the ruined base and said to Xue Yangchen, "Call in the experts. We'll need them now."

"Understood."

Soon after, over ten transport vehicles drove in. On several long trailers were satellites set for launch. Everyone eagerly watched as the vehicles passed, knowing that soon their communication would be restored. They wouldn’t have to worry about losing contact once leaving the base, and their nation would become even stronger!

The last two armored vehicles stopped in front of Shao Qi. A group of scientists disembarked. Shao Qi introduced Zhou You to them, saying that many research institutes operated under the Central Research Academy. The leading figure was the Deputy Director of the Academy, Mr. Ge, accompanied by two familiar faces, Geng Qinglu and Lin Shuqing.

"Why are they here? And Lin Shuqing joined the Academy too?" Zhou You, looking at the two handsome young men amidst the older scholars, guessed that Lin Shuqing's good looks played a role in his recruitment.

"I wasn’t paying attention. If you're curious, ask Geng Qinglu later."

Shao Qi recalled the news of Jiang Shun's abduction and wondered if Lin Shuqing knew any insider details.

As the two groups met, the senior members of the Academy looked at Shao Qi appreciatively, "For such crucial tasks, we indeed need to rely on Mr. Shao... ahem, on Shao Industries. But this scene here..."

Shao Qi spread his hands helplessly, "The battle was intense, and we couldn't protect the equipment. I hope it hasn't caused too much inconvenience."

"Ha! It's alright. We brought new equipment. The ones here were old and reserved for future use."

Shao Qi nodded, "We also captured a lot of foreign weaponry. I'll send some over to the Academy. The scholars might find them interesting to study."

"Really? Which nation tried to sneak in?"

"The Desert Army from the Middle East and the S Alliance. The former has superior weapons and technology."

"So close to us, no wonder they dared to intrude. I heard they found a new mineral that can be refined into a metal harder than Y2 alloy. Maybe you could visit and check it out. Good things should be shared, after all," said Deputy Director Ge shrewdly.

Shao Qi had considered it, but he changed the subject, "I won't keep you any longer. Let us know if you need anything. With the temperature dropping drastically at night, it would be best to set up the equipment before dark."

"Alright, let's get to work."

Soldiers began setting up camp. Some stationed inside the base, while others outside, ensuring double security. Then they started preparing meals and had a quick lunch.

Zhou You, full of energy, challenged Shao Qi to a spar, establishing his dominance. He then led his squad to hunt mutated beasts.

While such creatures were rare here, the plains had wolf packs and cattle. Hunting a few would provide a decent dinner and boost their current strength.

They only took out one armored vehicle and a small truck. All ten men were present, with a few of the slightly injured insisting on coming along. Zhou You simply let them tag along.

"Zhou bro, tell us, how did your advancement cause such a commotion? What was that tornado?"

"Yeah, Zhou bro, what kind of martial arts do you practice, and from which sect? Is there a chance for us to join your sect as fellow disciples?"

"Talk about being disciples, you're aiming too low. We should ask if we can take Zhou bro as our master. Even if you're younger than me, I'd gladly call you master!"

"Right, right! How about we all collectively take Zhou bro as our master? That way, we teammates can become sworn brothers."

Zhou You listened to their future aspirations until he spotted a herd of antelopes running in the distance. "Haven't you forgotten about your current sect? I wouldn’t dare snatch disciples from the big shots."

Everyone: "…" Oh right, how could they forget about their master on such an outing?

"Anyway, the old man wouldn't hear." Someone whispered, causing everyone to burst into laughter, quickly moving on from the idea of discipleship, and dashed towards the herd.

"Brothers! Roast whole lamb for dinner tonight!"

Geng Qinglu, with Lin Shuqing in tow, entered Shao Qi's tent. Each took a corner, and in the center was a simple tea set. Geng Qinglu was focused on brewing tea.

"Here, try this. It’s top-grade Da Hong Pao, brewed with the first snow. It’s hard to find rock tea these days since not many dare to go and pick it. This batch is from two years ago."

Shao Qi took a sip, feeling the bitterness lingering in his mouth, shaking his head, "I'm not fond of this tea. Brew something lighter for me. Also, what brought you two here? This project has nothing to do with you, right?"

Lin Shuqing, somewhat intimidated by Shao Qi, sipped his tea silently. Yet he was curious about Zhou You's whereabouts. As they had approached earlier, they overheard talks about Zhou You's achievements, suggesting he had advanced yet again.

"We just hitched a ride here, actually. We heard that Jiang Shun might be extradited, possibly exiting from the northwest. So, we came to check it out."

"Oh? Since when did the institute take on the role of pursuing fugitives?" Shao Qi glanced at Lin Shuqing, casually asking, "Does he perhaps know some leads?"