Despite feeling extremely unwilling and aggrieved, and suspecting that Chen Yu was using her as a scapegoat, Lin Lele could only silently accept the punishment since Chen Yu was the boss, and obediently sat down at her desk to copy the book.

Upon seeing this, Qiao Meng visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Her face flushed red, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

Yang Yue stared intently at Chen Yu, her eyes filled with both anger and a hint of worry.

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the soft scratching of Lin Lele's pen across the paper echoing in the air.

This oppressive atmosphere made everyone feel an invisible pressure, as if even breathing became a cautious act.

"Ahem!" Chen Yu coughed lightly, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "It's getting late, everyone should get some rest. We still have to travel tomorrow."

As he spoke, he strode towards his room. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he stopped and turned back, saying, "Xiao Qiao."

"Ah~? Mr. Chen Yu, is there anything else?" Qiao Meng was suddenly called out, and her heart tightened. The blush on her cheeks deepened, and she quickly replied.

"Hehe, what I meant was that Professor Li can stay in your room for now. You'll have to make do in the living room tonight," Chen Yu said.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Meng was taken aback at first, but then quickly composed herself and replied with a smile, "It's alright, Mr. Chen Yu, I'll follow your arrangements."

"Hmm." Chen Yu nodded slightly, then returned to his room.

"Phew~" Lin Lele, who had just been diligently copying "Fighter Jet Maintenance and Care," let out a long sigh.

Then, he carefully lowered his voice and said to Yang Yue, "Yueyue, can you check if my superior has really gone back to his room?"

"Pah! How can you be so shameless? You did that kind of thing to me, and you still have the nerve to talk to me?" Yang Yue spat and said coldly.

Lin Lele frowned upon hearing this. She first cautiously glanced back to confirm that Chen Yu had indeed left before saying to Yang Yue in an annoyed tone, "How can you be so ungrateful? I've already told you that everything I did was for your own good. If it weren't for our sisterhood, I wouldn't even bother with you."

"You gave Chen Yu such a vulgar idea, and you have the nerve to say it's for my own good? You're utterly unreasonable!" Yang Yue retorted angrily.

"What do you mean, 'vulgar'? How outstanding is my superior? Countless women want to be his woman. I'm creating opportunities for you, and you not only don't appreciate it, but you're also biting the hand that feeds you!" Lin Lele said righteously. "If you don't believe me, ask Reporter Qiao. She's one of them. You have no idea..."

"I didn't, you're talking nonsense!" Qiao Meng suddenly interrupted Lin Lele, her voice filled with a mixture of panic and determination. "I only have admiration and gratitude for Mr. Chen Yu, nothing more. Please don't impose your will on me."

"Tch~!" Lin Lele said teasingly, "Xiao Qiao, you can't lie at all. Look at your blushing face, your heart is racing. Do you think I can't see through your little scheme?"

"I...I..." Qiao Meng was at a loss for words.

"Lin Lele, I think it's you who's hiding your own ulterior motives, isn't it? And you're bringing up other people's issues. I think you're just jealous and can't stand seeing others do well!" Yang Yue sneered sarcastically.

If there's one person Yang Yue hates the most right now, it's undoubtedly Lin Lele. Seeing Lin Lele arguing with Qiao Meng, she naturally chose to stand on Qiao Meng's side and join Qiao Meng in denouncing Lin Lele.

It also has the intention of adding fuel to the fire, so that she can find a chance to escape.

For a while, the living room was filled with a noisy chatter that lasted for a long time until Chen Yu, who was sleeping in the room, couldn't stand it anymore. He came out, stopped them, and taped Yang Yue's mouth shut, and only then did the RV finally quiet down.

…………

Nothing was said that night.

I slept until almost noon the next day. After lunch, the sled caravan sped across the snowfield again.

The destination this time is the "Tianyu Base".

In fact, since the establishment of the "Tianyu Base", he has only lived in the base for a few days. This is actually very unwise, and he could easily be sidelined if he is not careful.

Now that I've been out for so long, it's really necessary for me to go back to the base, show my face, and sort out the order there.

Otherwise, it would be a joke if he worked so hard outside, only to find that the base had been taken over by someone else when he returned.

Furthermore, he also needs to take back and install the scientific research and production equipment he collected in the other-dimensional space so that it can be put into production and research as soon as possible.

Furthermore, as time went on, the target cities became increasingly difficult to conquer. Relying solely on a few dozen or even a hundred "militiamen" was far too dangerous. For instance, on his return to Zhongyang City, he had to take a detour to avoid the "Frost Alliance," which was incredibly frustrating.

Therefore, his return this time also aims to assemble a more elite and well-trained team to cope with the increasingly severe situation.

As the sled RV sped across the snowfield, Chen Yu's thoughts, like the speeding engine, swirled incessantly.

He knew that the stability and development of the base were key to survival, and a strong team was the cornerstone of achieving all of this.

Now that the Academy of Sciences has been acquired, it means that the biggest problem in the extreme cold apocalypse—the energy issue—has been resolved, and other things are not so urgent.

Everything must be done steadily and step by step. Now, consolidating the foundation of the base is of paramount importance.

Looking at the vast snowfield outside the window, Chen Yu felt somewhat frustrated. In order to make things easier, he had sent away all the people, including the "militia," without even leaving a driver. Now, he had to drive himself for the more than 1,000-kilometer journey, which was a real mistake.

The atmosphere inside the sled caravan was also somewhat somber. After the commotion last night, the three of them couldn't stand each other and no one spoke to each other.

The interior was quiet, with only the low rumble of the sled caravan moving and the occasional sound of wheels rolling over the snow.

I don't know how long we've been driving, but suddenly the bus braked hard, causing everyone in the carriage to lurch forward and almost fall.

Just as the group was wondering what was going on, they heard Chen Yu shout through the loudspeaker inside the carriage: "Lele, Xiao Qiao, grab your weapons and stay alert!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Lele and Qiao Meng were startled. After exchanging a glance, they quickly stood up from their seats. Lin Lele pulled out an assault rifle from under her seat, while Qiao Meng took out her delicate little pistol from her drawer. The two of them quickly checked the condition of their weapons to ensure that they were ready to be used at any time.

"Mmm~" Yang Yue's mouth was sealed with tape, and she could only make some indistinct whimpering sounds. Judging from her constantly gesturing eyes, she probably wanted Lin Lele and Qiao Meng to help her untie the ropes.

However, Lin Lele and Qiao Meng naturally wouldn't care. They were joking; if they released Yang Yue now, who knew if they would just create another enemy?