"No need, your dark horse status can serve as a talking point for the big competition, helping to draw attention to us."

"Hmph, any advertisement fee for that?"

Master Qingfeng laughed, "Ha, no advertisement fee, but there's a hefty prize for the competition's champion."

At night, several faction leaders left in succession. Zhou You loitered at the entrance for a moment, ensuring no suspicious figures lurked nearby before entering.

Just as he stepped inside, the doorbell rang.

Using his spiritual senses, he recognized Situ Han. Controlling the front door, he let him in.

The living room was still in disarray. Zhou You poured him a glass of iced water.

Situ Han was still trying to gather himself. He initially planned to stay at the Weishui base for several days, but the boss had advised against it, fearing Zhou You would grow anxious.

"Why aren't you speaking?"

Taking a deep breath, Situ Han grasped Zhou You's hand, "Brother Zhou, you were right."

"What?" Zhou You was momentarily confused, but realization soon hit him. Clenching Situ Han's hand tighter, he asked, "You mean... he... he's alive? At the Weishui base?"

Situ Han nodded.

Zhou You abruptly stood up, knocking over the coffee table. Plates and cups shattered on the floor, drawing others from the household.

They then witnessed a bittersweet expression on Zhou You's face as silent tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Grandfather, Xiao Zhen... he is indeed... still alive." Zhou You spoke and then burst into a triumphant, cocky laugh.

The old man's emotions swung between joy and sorrow, leaning on Shao Zhen for support to keep from fainting. Without a word, he turned and retreated to his room.

"Grandfather, did you hear?" Shao Zhen was ecstatic, probably receiving the best news of her life, the pinnacle of her luck.

"I heard. I need to rest and rejuvenate, to be strong and well when he returns."

After his laughing fit, Zhou You sat on the sofa and questioned Situ Han, "Tell me about him. There must be a reason he hasn't returned."

Situ Han relayed everything Shao Qi had told him. Upon hearing of Shao Qi's loss of martial arts prowess and facial injury, Zhou You felt a deep pang of anguish.

Impatient, Zhou You sprung from the couch, intending to head to the Wei River Base to find Shao Qi.

"Brother Zhou, wait!" Situ Han hurriedly grabbed him, "Listen to me first. Boss said to be patient. He's... well, he's a bit embarrassed to see you now."

"Embarrassed? What kind of embarrassment? Did he lose his memory and find someone new? Or was he saved by a beauty and promised himself to her?"

"What are you even saying?" Situ Han gave a sheepish laugh, "He's still recovering from his injuries and needs time. Moreover, eyes are watching you closely here. If you leave Dawn City, everyone will know."

Zhou You might be able to disguise himself, but leaving the base had two primary options: by car or by fighter jet. Both would be hard to conceal.

However, not seeing Shao Qi was out of the question. He needed to see for himself how badly injured he was.

After days of agonizing despair and worry, the only remedy would be to see Shao Qi.

Zhou You gazed at Situ Han for a long moment before placing a hand on his shoulder, "Situ, I need a favor."

"What is it?"

Soon after, a figure exited the Zhou residence: it was Situ Han.

He drove away, circled the city, bought some items, parked in a subterranean garage, and entered a martial arts gym. After paying a ten-day fee, he secured a training room.

When in use, a red light would illuminate outside the training room. Though the light was on, the room was empty.

The man pretending to be Situ Han, Zhou You, had already boarded Situ Han's fighter jet. After inputting a series of passwords, the jet powered up.

All fighter jets require clearance to take off. Situ Han had previously been assigned an airspace patrol mission, so leaving for a day wouldn't arouse suspicion.

He sent a message to the main station, suggesting he received a distress signal and would investigate.

By now, it was late at night. A drowsy staff member approved his departure, and the jet swiftly disappeared into Dawn City's sky.

Although Zhou You wasn't a professional pilot, he knew how to fly. Encountering mutant birds, he'd confront them head-on, relying on the jet's weaponry and his psychic powers.

The Wei River Base wasn't far off. At this hour, encounters with mutant birds were sparse. By sunrise, he was closing in on his destination.

However, as the jet entered the airspace over the Wei River Base, an unexpected challenge arose. The base's defense radar detected him, sending an inquiry. Zhou You knew better than to respond; any hint could lead them to deduce his purpose for visiting Wei River.

He landed the jet about a hundred kilometers outside the Weishui base and then ran the rest of the way on foot.

By the time he stood at the gates of the Weishui base, it was already midday of the next day.

"Just you on your own?" a staff member asked in surprise, seeing him walk in carrying only a backpack.

No one had ever come in with such minimal equipment before.

"Yes, it was inconvenient to bring anything else. Can I enter now?"

"Hold on, you don't seem to be from our base." The staff member compared his ID and asked curiously, "Your address shows Dawn City. How did you get here without an exit record?"

Zhou You calmly replied, "I left Dawn City a long time ago. I'm not sure why there's no record. I've been wandering outside for a while. My vehicle broke down, and it took quite some effort to walk here."

Drenched in sweat and looking somewhat distressed, he raised the question: could one really traverse the wilderness alone?

After a thorough inspection of his belongings and a few more questions, the staff member let him in, instructing him to register his residence in the community.