After everything was packed up, Song Changhui and Xie Huan led their men back to the fishing boat, while the pirate ship remained where it was.

"Won't leaving this ship here cause marine pollution?" Song Changhui hesitated.

"They've pumped all the oil out, what pollution are they going to cause?" Zheng Ji interjected.

"Don't worry, some fishermen will want to take them back. These unclaimed boats are first come, first served," Xie Huan concluded.

"Captain, shall we go back to the port and wait for Yuan Zhuan and the others?"

"Wait two more hours. How are those fake fishermen doing?" The US really is going to extreme lengths to hinder their growth and development.

"They're awake, and I've knocked them all out again." Staying awake will only cause them trouble, so I might as well let them sleep as much as they want.

While waiting, everyone ate something and had free time.

Xie Huan held the binoculars, keeping his eyes fixed on the direction from which the smoke was coming from.

"Here, have some water. They probably won't be back for a while." Song Changhui handed over a steamed bun.

"Where did you get these steamed buns?" Xie Huan took them with one hand.

"I brought this with me when I came here. I don't like eating these foreign things, like bread. One piece isn't even enough for one bite."

"Heh, that's true." They spend most of their time outdoors, enduring wind and dew, so they aren't particularly particular about food. However, many of them still bring their own steamed buns when they travel. There are many men from the north in their group, and they always carry a few with them on each mission—not many, just two—as a form of psychological comfort. They often joke that if they die, they can use them to lure away the dogs when they cross the Evil Dog Ridge.

On the island.

Yuan Zhuan found a big tree, sat cross-legged on a branch, and began searching for the island's warehouse and the place where the treasure was hidden using the small paper figures.

Zeng Lin and Qi Ming went on a killing spree in the forest, fighting with great gusto.

"Oh no, don't knock me out! Whatever you want, I'll give you! My head is already throbbing, I can't take any more of your punches." A young man with brown curly hair raised his hands and shouted in fear at Qi Ming, who was rushing towards him.

The back of his head was in so much pain that he couldn't take it anymore. If he kept being hit like this, he definitely wouldn't survive.

The fear in the little brown man's eyes seemed genuine, so Qi Ming didn't go forward to grab him and knock him unconscious again.

"Squat down and put your hands on your head." Knowing that the other person didn't understand Chinese, Qi Ming used English.

The little brown man did as he was told, his eyes never leaving Qi Ming's figure, his face full of vigilance, afraid that the other party would come up and punch him again.

"What country are you from? Where is this place?"

“We are the Mountain Wilderness Group, a free organization, and we are all expelled people. This is Palm Coconut Island, the homeland of the Southern Wing Tribe. We came here and then expelled them.”

The expelled?

With a little thought, it becomes clear that these people are stateless individuals who were deported after committing crimes.

Where is your boss?

"Our boss has gone out to sea on a mission."

"What mission?"

"I don't know exactly which weasels to kill, I'm not a central figure."

Weasel?!

Qi Ming glared at him, and the little brown man immediately shrank his neck and hugged himself, as if afraid that the other party would make a move.

"Who authorized the arrests of these people?"

"I don't know. Last week, the boss suddenly took his capable subordinates out, and brought back two people that afternoon. He stuffed them into the cave and made us guard them. I don't know anything else."

"Warehouse, treasure vault location!" The last question.

Now that we've confirmed this is the pirates' lair, things are much easier.

These pirates, who made a living by robbing passing merchants, had countless lives on their hands and deserved to die.

Upon arriving here, Qi Ming had already decided to kill him.

"Brother Qi, I've got the address. Could you double-check it?"

On the other side, Yuan Zhuan leaped down from the tree branch and headed towards the destination indicated by the little paper figure.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye, but a crescent moon had already appeared in the sky.

"Captain, it's time for us to return." There was no signal on the ship, and they couldn't contact the outside world at all. They had to return to the port as soon as possible to send a message.

"Okay." Night had fallen, and Yuan Zhuan had not returned. Something must have happened, and they needed to go back for help.

Zou Junwei woke up halfway through the journey. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was no longer in the cave, but on the small boat. Yuan Jin was also sleeping next to him and noticed a gaze watching him.

"Who are you?" Zhou Junwei sat up, unaware that his discomfort had completely disappeared. He stared warily at the man in front of him, the small light on the boat not illuminating the man's face at all.

"The person who sent you back to your country." Hu Jun wasn't going to say much to him; the first rule of the company's employee code was just two words: Be careful what you say. He had to abide by it.

"Phew..." Upon hearing this, Zou Junwei breathed a sigh of relief, his body tension easing considerably. "You're a soldier?"

"We're almost there."

It was clear that the man was unwilling to talk more, so Zou Junwei didn't say anything more. Just then, Yuan Jin woke up.

“Look.” Yuan Jin was much more observant than Zou Junwei, who was oblivious to everything around him. He heard their conversation as soon as he woke up, but at the same time, he also noticed something was wrong with the small boat.

The small boat was going so fast that the sea surface was wavy. Moreover, at such a high speed, there was no wind. It was very strange, the strangest I had ever seen before.

Since they said they came to rescue them, let's just wait and see.

The items are lost, but they are still alive. As long as they can return to China, their minds can still dedicate everything to the country.

Zou Junwei finally realized something was wrong—the speed was incredible!

Who exactly are these people?

The person at the bow, controlling the ship, never turned around. Was it because he didn't hear them? No.

This shows that they were deliberately distancing themselves.

Hu Jun had already noticed the subtle differences between the two, and even with the dim light, he could still make out their faces.

Hu Jun didn't think much of their reaction; as long as it was delivered, that was enough.

The fishing boat was returning at a slow speed.

Song Changhui and Xie Huan remained standing on the ship's side, their eyes fixed on the direction Yuan Zhuan had left in.

"Hey, there's a light!"

What incredible speed! From afar to near, it happened almost in the blink of an eye.

The soldiers on board quickly gathered near the ship's side. "Could it be them?"

Xie Huan's heart skipped a beat. He raised his binoculars and recognized the face at the helm. "It's Song Qian! It's them!"

"We're back! We're back!!" Everyone was so excited!

Regardless of how well the mission was accomplished, the best outcome is that everyone returned safe and sound.

"Only Yuan Zhuan would do something like sailing with the lights on," Song Changhui shook his head speechlessly.

Although Yuan Zhuan's men were strong, he felt that they were somewhat arrogant and brave, and fortunately they were unharmed.

After spotting the fishing boat, Song Qian slowed down. "The people on the other side are soldiers sent by the country to rescue you. Go back with their boat, and you'll be able to return home." These were Hu Jun's words to Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin.

"Okay." The two men exchanged a glance in the darkness, their eyes filled with relief after surviving a near-death experience. These two men had truly come to save them.

"Thank you," Zou Junwei said first. "We will report your contributions to the organization. We are truly grateful. Without you, we probably wouldn't be alive." He had already noticed the changes in their physical condition. Although he didn't know what kind of miraculous medicine it was, it was true that they were healthy.

They had been on the island for days, and they had been beaten countless times. Internal organ damage was inevitable. But now, they were all healthy and even more comfortable than before, as if they had been given a new body. This abnormality must be related to them.

"Comrade, thank you very much. Junwei and I will not let you down this time. When we return to China, we will dedicate our lives to serving our country." Thinking of the soldiers who died because of them, Yuan Jin's heart was torn apart.

So many patriots risked their lives for their country, so what are the hardships they endured during this period compared to that?

"Of course." This time, even Song Qian, who was at the helm, turned around and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Without these scientists who risked everything to return to their homeland and work tirelessly to build the country, how could their motherland have developed so rapidly? How could the people have lived in peace and prosperity for so many years?

"These two jade pendants are what our master instructed us to give you. Wear them around your necks and never take them off. They can save your lives in case of emergency." Hu Jun handed over the jade pendants given to him by Yuan Zhuan. They were two small, thin pieces of jade, but the array was complex and could save their lives three times. This could be considered Yuan Zhuan's best wish for them.

Those who, upon completing their studies, still return to their homeland to contribute regardless of the consequences are all heroes, and they deserve the best security.

Without hesitation, Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin took the items, hung them around their necks, and tucked them into their collars, their expressions and actions very solemn.

After doing all this, the small boat had already approached the fishing boat.

"Huh?" As the small boat approached, Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin came into view.

Xie Huan saw a face that was both strange and familiar, and his breath hitched. It was the person in the photo.

They actually managed to be rescued!

At this moment, Xie Huan was truly convinced of Yuan Zhuan's abilities, to the point of being convinced on a spiritual level.

The motherland sacrificed at least a platoon of outstanding soldiers to ensure the safe return of these two men, and some on the ferry were even wiped out entirely. This shows how much effort it took to rescue them and bring them home safely. It is easy to imagine how difficult it was for Yuan Zhuan and his team to rescue them, whether from the ship or from the pirates' lair.

But not only did the five of them complete the mission, they were also completely unharmed!

That's incredible!

"Mr. Zou, Mr. Yuan," Song Changhui greeted them respectfully as he took them from him.

The first thing Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin did upon boarding the ship was to bow at a 90-degree angle to thank every soldier present and to express their heartache for those who had sacrificed their lives for them.

"Gentlemen, please rise!" Xie Huan immediately stepped forward to stop them.

"Captain Song, may I speak to you in private?" Hu Jun leaped onto the ship and flipped over the gunwale.

Upon hearing this, Song Changhui immediately strode over. "Where's your boss? Where are the others?" If the two of them hadn't both looked perfectly fine, he would have been frantic by now.

"Everything's fine. However, our boss needs to give us extra training at sea, so we won't be back until tomorrow. She said the items are safer with her. Tomorrow, we'll return to China with you. Also, the boss specifically instructed that no one is allowed to remove the amulets around their necks; anyone who violates this rule will be killed without consequence."

The next sentence made Song Changhui's face turn black.

"I won't die." Those three words were uttered through gritted teeth. That brat, she always says such awful things! Humph! "Please pass on a message: thank you for your hard work."

"You should wait until the boss comes back and says that to him. It'll be more sincere if he says it to his face. I'm leaving now." With that, Hu Jun smiled, leaped over the gunwale, and landed directly on the small boat.

Boom... The small boat disappeared again in the blink of an eye.

"My goodness! This speed is amazing. Even watching it again is still so breathtaking."

Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin watched the small boat disappear into the sea, their eyes filled with deep thought.

This boat looks very ordinary, so why is it so fast?

"Send the two gentlemen to their lodgings, then return to port!"

Zou Junwei and Yuan Jin were taken into the cabin and settled in, while the crew members who were originally trapped in the cabin were dragged to the deck in case any of them woke up.

"It's all clothes and food. They're so thoughtful." Before disembarking, Hu Jun carried a package in each of his hands, containing a change of clothes, bread, and canned food.

This was also Yuan Zhuan's instruction. You know, soldiers are used to living in the wind and dew, and few of them bring a change of clothes when they go on missions. But these two, you can tell from their clothes that they are very particular. So, it's better to be prepared. Yuan Zhuan expressed his highest respect for these great researchers. These are all minor matters.

On the island.

Yuan Zhuanxian, like everyone else, searched for the pirates' treasure hideout.

A basement over a thousand square meters in size.

Mountains of supplies, along with hundreds of boxes of supplies and looted spoils.

The little paper figures scattered and looked through the paper figures, then reported the results after counting them.

Here, there's only one box of gold, weighing less than fifty pounds. The majority of the goods are in euros, amounting to over a thousand bundles! Other items include jade, luxury watches, computers, and some electronic products that are very valuable abroad, as well as famous cigarettes and liquors... dozens of kinds of goods, and mountains of munitions. This guy must have at least a few thousand boxes, if not ten thousand! No wonder the firepower is so strong, with bullets being fired non-stop as if they were free.

To say that these weapons weren't connected to any particular country is absurd; she'd rather die than admit it. She even suspected they were intended to deal with the soldiers who came to rescue them. That certain country had made thorough preparations to keep those two on the island; the reason they hadn't killed them earlier was probably to lure more elite soldiers to their deaths.

What a wolf in sheep's clothing!

"My God, how many merchant ships did they plunder to amass so much wealth?" What they took on the ships was only a small portion; the real treasure was in the warehouses.

So many! Take them all!

"System, I want to use the remaining 10,000 gold coins to exchange for grid space!"

"Exchange successful, please check. Host, there are too many here; you'll probably need ten more slots. The remaining gold coins need to be used to exchange for lives. You currently have 11,250 merit points; one merit point can be exchanged for one slot. Do you wish to exchange?"

Yuan Zhuan: ...

"Exchange for ten." There was no time to lose; she understood all too well the system's desire for her merit points.

Let's grab our stuff first, we'll settle the score with them when we get back!

Ding dong... Redemption successful!

Including the three unused squares from before, there are a total of thirteen.

She's going to pack it all back! Not a single piece left!!

Ten minutes later, the entire warehouse was reduced to uneven ground and an empty concrete ceiling.

She has one square left.

As soon as Yuan Zhuan stepped out of the warehouse, he encountered two subordinates who were hurrying towards him.

"Boss, is there any treasure inside?" Zeng Lin's eyes sparkled.

"We'll find out once we go in." Yuan Zhuan didn't dare look the two in the eye and turned to leave.

Qi Ming: ...

Zeng Lin: ...

"Why are you running so fast?"

The two opened the heavy stone door with a puzzled look, only to find that there wasn't even a clod of earth inside.

"Damn it, not a single mouse! These liars, I'm going to kill them!!"

"Come over here, their storage room is over here." Yuan Zhuan's voice came from outside.

Qi Ming and Zeng Lin turned around excitedly upon hearing this.

The cellar, which was less than 100 square meters, contained wine jars, ham, canned goods, flour, rice, and two wooden crates.

Yuan Zhuan was grinning, and in the spotlight of his flashlight were two large, open wooden crates filled with fine wines, European coins, luxury watches, and jade pendants.

Zeng Lin and Qi Ming stared wide-eyed.

It's out!

It's out!

System: Hehe, silly boy, you're all silly boys!

Working under a ruthless tyrant like Zhou Bapi is truly miserable.

System, that's enough! Don't think I can't hear you cursing at me!

System: Hmph!