Chapter 99: Taking Back the Red Shadow 2

When the spacecraft arrived at [Sphenoid Galaxy - Border D789 Coordinates], it was still four hours before three in the morning.

This is the famous "loose control" port of call at the border. The metal dock is crooked and the rusty ladder hangs in the air.

The distant guard tower was lit with dim lights, and even the scanning system seemed perfunctory and slow.

After all, it is a border, and most of the things coming and going are cargo ships carrying ore and small spaceships carrying smuggled goods, so no one is willing to spend the effort to implement strict control.

After Chiying moved in, they sent patrol teams to patrol the border in order to strengthen border security.

The Imperial Planet Office on the neighboring planet is usually in charge of supervising this place.

The spacecraft was originally disguised as an ordinary cargo ship, and false information prepared in advance was entered into the identification system.

[Ore-pulling ship, destination: border mining area]

Sure enough, the guard on duty only glanced at the screen, without even opening the hatch, and waved his hand before letting us pass:

"Stop quickly and don't block other people's way."

The spacecraft slowly landed at the E-area berth at the docking port. When the engine was shut down, the only sound around it was the low hum of other cargo ships.

Ye Heng unbuckled his seat belt and turned to look at Lin Yao:

"Let's go down and get some fresh air first? There's a tavern in the port of call here where you can buy hot drinks."

Lin Yao nodded and followed him down the ladder.

The wind at the dock had the rough feel of mining dust, but the two men didn't feel that cold even though they were wearing masks.

The two walked side by side towards the tavern, the metal plates under their feet creaking.

Occasionally you can see miners carrying tools hurriedly passing by, cursing and complaining about "this damn weather".

The pub was warm, and under the dim light, several greasy tables were filled with people.

Most of them were ship crew members and miners, drinking cheap beer and chatting loudly.

Ye Heng ordered two cups of hot cocoa and handed one to Lin Yao: "Warm your hands first, and then go back when it's almost time."

Lin Yao held the hot cocoa in his hand, feeling the warmth on his fingertips. He looked out the window at the dark night sky and whispered, "Xu Li and the others should be leaving soon, right?"

"Well, according to the patrol's schedule, it's time to load supplies at the base and prepare to sail."

Ye Heng drank a sip of hot cocoa and looked out the window at the port of call.

"Bian Miao will pass the news to him, and nothing will go wrong."

-

At this time, at the patrol berth of the Chiying Base, Xu Li was staring at the list in his hand, his face so gloomy that water could drip out of it.

The supervisor sent by Zhao Cheng stood beside him, holding a recorder in his hand.

Wang Hu said with a mocking tone:

"Captain Xu, don't dilly-dally. Military discipline is here. If you delay the patrol, you won't be held responsible."

Xu Li clenched the pen in his hand until his knuckles turned white. He was originally a member of Ye Heng's personal guard, and it was hard for him to be told what to do by this kind of person who only knew how to use "discipline" to oppress others.

If Zhao Cheng hadn't threatened the families of the soldiers in the team, he would have turned the table and quit long ago.

"Got it." Xu Li responded with a cold face and threw the list to the soldier next to him. "Hurry up, don't let some people wait to see the joke."

Wang Hu snorted lightly and said nothing more, but still stood by and stared, like a tail that could not be shaken off.

Just when Xu Li was about to explode, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of his eye.

Bian Miao came out of the shadows of the dock carrying a medical kit, and in his hand was a note with the excuse of "replenishing medical supplies".

"Captain Xu, I brought you the medical kit." Bian Miao came over with a smile and placed the box on the pile of supplies in front of Xu Li.

He deliberately raised his voice and said, "The wind is strong at the border, please be careful on patrol. I wish you a safe journey."

He bent down and pretended to adjust the straps on the box, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear:

"D789 coordinates. The marshal and the major general are waiting for you there. Bring them back. It's three in the morning. Don't be late."

Just this one sentence was like a thunderbolt striking Xu Li's ears.

His pupils suddenly shrank, and his fingertips subconsciously gripped the edge of the box, and he even missed a breath.

Ye Heng and the others are waiting for me?

The anger that had been weighing heavily on my heart just now was instantly washed away by a stream of scorching heat, and even my eye sockets were quietly heating up.

"Thank you." Xu Li's voice was slightly hoarse. He quickly glanced at Bian Miao.

Seeing the other person give him a reassuring look, he suppressed his surging emotions, reached out and patted the box, "Thank you for the trouble."

Bian Miao stood up and smiled at Wang Hu: "Supervisor Wang, the supplies are all here. I'll go back first."

Wang Hu stared at the two people's approaching movements, frowned, and before Bian Miao walked away,

He quickly walked up to Xu Li and pointed at the medical box: "Wait, what's in this box? Open it and let me see."

Xu Li was not panicked at all. Bian Miao always did things cautiously, and there must be only normal supplies in the medical box.

His mind was now filled with the news that Ye Heng and Lin Yao were waiting for him, and even Wang Hu's provocations did not seem so irritating.

He just raised his hand and opened the lid of the box nonchalantly: "Look if you want, they are all first aid supplies."

The box was neatly packed with tourniquets, antibiotics, disinfectant pads, and several nutritional supplements, all of which were commonly used by the patrol team.

Wang Hu reached out and flipped through it, but didn't find anything unusual, so he snorted in frustration:

"Okay, cover it up."

Xu Li ignored him and pretended to close the box slowly and calmly, but he was already burning with anxiety in his heart.

He looked at the patrol ship in the distance. The lights on the ship were shining coldly, but his eyes were burning with eager anticipation.

He wished he could give the order to set sail right now, fly across the dark sea of ​​stars, and go to coordinate D789 to meet the person who had been on his mind for so long.

"What are you still standing there for?" Xu Li turned to the soldiers and said, his tone was more urgent than ever before, and even his voice was higher than usual.

"Get the medical kit aboard, and load the other supplies quickly! Set sail sooner and finish the patrol sooner!"

The soldiers were stunned and looked at each other.

Captain Xu had never been like this on missions before! Every time he went on a mission, he would dawdle and fight.

They thought they were provoked by Wang Hu, and hurriedly carried the supplies and ran to the boat.

Only Xu Li himself knew that what he was anxious about was not the patrol, but the appointment.

-

The sweet aroma of hot cocoa gradually spread in the warm air of the tavern, and the hands of the old clock on the wall moved forward one more notch.

There are still three hours until three in the morning.

Ye Heng glanced out the window. The lights at the port of call had dimmed considerably, and most of the miners and crew members had dispersed.

Only a few cargo ships still had their porthole lights on, like lonely stars hanging in the dark night.

"It's time to go back." He reached out and touched the back of Lin Yao's hand, his fingertips were warm.

Lin Yao nodded, put the empty cup on the table, and stood up with Ye Heng.

When walking out of the tavern, the wind was colder than before, blowing the mineral dust into the collar. Lin Yao subconsciously leaned closer to Ye Heng.

The two walked side by side on the empty dock, the creaking of the metal plates being particularly clear in the silence.

The lights of the distant guard tower flickered, stretching their shadows very long, but they were quickly swallowed up by the darkness behind them.

The hatch of the spacecraft slowly opened, and warm light leaked out from inside, dispelling the coldness.

Ye Heng let Lin Yao go in first and closed the door of the spaceship. Ye Heng took out two sets of Chiying's combat uniforms from the storage ring:

"These are my combat uniforms."

He handed one of the suits over and said, "You're shorter than me, so it might not fit you well. Just make do with this for now. Once you're on the warship, I'll have Xu Li find you a suitable one."

Lin Yao took the combat uniform and stroked the fabric with his fingertips.

He remembered how Ye Heng used to train in this outfit, with his shoulders and back as straight as a pine tree. Now that he was wearing this outfit, it was a bit novel.

"Try it on quickly, I'll adjust it for you if it doesn't fit." Ye Heng had already started to unbutton his coat, revealing the black inner layer underneath.

He glanced at the combat uniform in Lin Yao's hand and added, "The pants have a drawstring. If they are too long, just roll them up twice."

Lin Yao smiled, took the clothes, turned around and walked into the cubicle to change clothes.

When the shirt was put on, the shoulder line was slightly wider, making his shoulders look narrower, and the sleeves were a bit long;

His trouser legs were dragged on the ground, and the soles of his shoes would get dusty when he stepped on them. He was swaying like a child who had stolen adult clothes.

As he walked out of the cubicle, he was looking down at his trouser legs when he caught Ye Heng's gaze. The tips of his ears turned red. "Indeed... it's a bit big."

Looking at him like this, Ye Heng couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.

He walked over, bent down, grabbed Lin Yao's trouser legs, and folded them up twice, just above his ankles.

She reached out and straightened the cuffs on his wrists, pinching the fabric with her fingertips and gently pulling it, then fastened it with a hidden button: "That's much better."

Lin Yao looked down at his altered pants, then looked up at Ye Heng.

The other party was wearing a well-fitting combat uniform, with broad shoulders and a neat waistline. The short blade on his waist was shining with a cold light.

It was clearly the same outfit, but it gave off a completely different aura. "It suits you quite well," he muttered softly.

Ye Heng couldn't help but laugh, and then teased Lin Yao, saying that these were his clothes, so of course they suited him.

"Let's go to the back and rest for a while." Ye Heng reached out and held his wrist, walking towards the rear cabin of the spaceship.

The rows of seats were covered with light grey cushions. After Ye Heng sat down, Lin Yao leaned towards him and put his head on his shoulder.

The smell of detergent on his combat uniform, mixed with the scent of Ye Heng's body, instantly relaxed his tense nerves.

Lin Yao could clearly feel Ye Heng's heartbeat, steady and powerful, which came through the thin cloth, like a reassurance to him.

"If you're tired, take a nap." Ye Heng kissed the top of his head, his voice as soft as a whisper, "I'll keep an eye on the time and call you when it's time."

Lin Yao closed his eyes without hesitation and buried his face deeper into his shoulder.

Fatigue surged up, he grabbed the corner of Ye Heng's clothes, hooked his fingers on the fabric and rubbed it gently, his breathing gradually becoming even.

Ye Heng stretched out his arms and gently wrapped them around his waist, helping him lean more steadily.

When he lowered his head, he could see the tips of Lin Yao's ears sticking out, as well as his wrists that looked particularly thin against his combat uniform, and his heart softened.

He raised his hand to brush away the loose hair on Lin Yao's forehead, tilted his head and leaned forward, closing his eyes to rest.

Time passed slowly in the low hum of the starship, and the numbers on the dashboard gradually approached three in the morning.

Ten minutes before three o'clock, Ye Heng opened his eyes first and gently shook the person in his arms: "Mumu, wake up, it's time to get ready."

Lin Yao slowly opened his eyes, still a little confused. He looked down at his wrist and subconsciously moved it before he finally woke up. "Is it time?"

"Almost there." Ye Heng straightened his messy collar and rubbed his neck with his fingertips. "Xu Li and the others should be here soon. Let's go check ahead."

The two walked towards the cockpit. As soon as they arrived, they saw a faint light in the distant starry sea through the porthole in front of the spacecraft.

It was the lights of the patrol ship, Xu Li and his team had arrived.

The light in the distance gradually grew larger, and the outline of the patrol ship became clearer and clearer in the sea of ​​stars at three o'clock in the morning.

The ship's hull bore the emblem of the Red Shadow Legion, and the engine noise gradually became steady from the initial low rumble, clearly indicating that it was preparing to dock.

According to the routine procedures of border patrol, the port of call at coordinate D789 is their temporary supply point, and the docking time is twenty minutes.

After the patrol team docks, they must first contact the Imperial Star Office on duty.

Checking patrol records and collecting temporary supplies are necessary steps, and also the opportunity for Ye Heng and Lin Yao to sneak onto the starship.

"Follow the plan." Ye Heng's fingertips gently clasped Lin Yao's wrist, and the two of them continued to watch the situation on the spaceship.

The lights were on at the guard booth at the port of call, and two guards in gray uniforms were standing outside the booth, holding record sheets in their hands, apparently waiting for the patrol team to connect.

The patrol ship slowly stopped at the west berth, just opposite the commercial E berth.

The ladder landed on the metal dock with a clang.

Xu Li walked down first, followed by two accompanying soldiers, each holding a patrol file bag that needed to be connected.

He walked steadily, his eyes first swept across the guard booth, then glanced around seemingly unintentionally.

As if searching for something, but finding nothing, he walked towards the guard. "Nothing unusual on this patrol. Here's the file."

The officer on duty took the file bag, looked down at it, and muttered, "The supplies are over there, all according to the standard... Oh, by the way, a cargo ship just reported a breakdown, so be careful to avoid it when you set sail."

Xu Li responded and nodded from time to time. He seemed to be concentrating on the communication, but his peripheral vision was always paying attention to where Ye Heng and the other person were hiding.

The two soldiers standing beside him were kicking the mining dust at their feet out of boredom and didn't look over here.

After the guard signed and handed the file back, Xu Li deliberately frowned and said to the soldier behind him:

"You go up first and give the files to the deputy captain. Have him sort it out in advance to avoid being criticized again when we return to base. I'll confirm the supply list with the guard on duty and will be right back."

The soldiers didn't think much of it. Xu Li always kept a close eye on the material connection and had often stayed a little longer because of the details in the list.

The two responded "yes", turned and walked towards the ladder, and quickly disappeared behind the hatch.

After signing, the watchman handed the receipt back and said jokingly, "Only you can calm down. If it were someone else, they would have boarded the ship and prepared to set sail long ago."

"Supplies are tight at the border, so it's always a good idea to confirm more." Xu Li responded with a smile, took the receipt, folded it and put it in his arms, then watched the guard turn around and go back into the booth.

It was not until the door of the guard booth closed that he put away his smile and quickly scanned the mooring area.

There are many spaceships on the berth, and I don’t know which one belongs to Ye Heng and Lin Yao.

Xu Li had no choice but to wait. He deliberately circled the patrol ship halfway, bent down and pretended to check the bolts of the gangway.

He reached out to the bolt at the metal connection and tapped it with his fingertips, as if to check if it was loose.

He deliberately slowed down his movements, sometimes standing up to check the communication interface on the side of the hull, and sometimes leaning over to check the hydraulic rod of the gangway.

He was still muttering to himself, "The last patrol was a bit lax, I have to take a look."

Every movement is done naturally, as if it is being inspected carefully.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Ye Heng and Lin Yao on the spaceship carefully walked down from the spaceship and headed towards Xu Li.

Finally, in the corner of Xu Li's eye, two figures appeared. They were sticking to the wall of the mining ship and moving towards him quietly, with steps so light that they were almost silent.

Ye Heng pulled Lin Yao and, taking advantage of the cover of the mining ship, approached Xu Li step by step.

Lin Yao buried half of his face in his collar, leaving only his vigilant eyes exposed.

Ye Heng didn't stop until he was two meters behind Xu Li. He called out in a very low voice, "Xu Li."

Xu Li's body paused almost imperceptibly, but he did not turn back immediately. Instead, he continued to fiddle with the bolts of the hanging ladder.

His voice was as quiet as his movements: "ID card."

At the same time, he quietly moved to the side, using his body to block the view of the cabin, preventing the two of them from being seen by possible observers in the cabin.

Xu Li reached out and stuffed two ID cards into Ye Heng's palm, speaking very quickly:

"Temporary identity 'Su Ye' 'Mu Mu', technical officer at the port of call, assisting with checking the communications system. I just said I just arrived and ran into you while I was inspecting the equipment."

Lin Yao raised his eyes quietly and met Xu Li's gaze.

There was excitement and guilt hidden in it, but he only had time to mouth "sorry" before he stood up straight, and his tone instantly changed to the calmness of a captain.

He deliberately raised his voice: "Why did you arrive just now? The notice was sent out half an hour ago. I was just checking the equipment here and thought you would be late."

"We were delayed a bit by avoiding the mining fleet on the way." Ye Heng immediately replied with just the right amount of apology in his tone.

At the same time, he pulled Lin Yao forward, so that the two of them appeared just beside Xu Li, looking like they had just met.

Just then, there was a noise at the hatch. Li Mo poked his head out, holding a folder in his hand:

"Captain Xu, the deputy captain said there's something wrong with the record, so he asked you..."

Before he finished speaking, he caught sight of Ye Heng and Lin Yao and paused subconsciously: "Who are these two?"

"A technical soldier sent by the base to assist in checking the communication system." Xu Li spoke before Ye Heng.

He blocked Li Mo's sight with his body, speaking in a serious tone.

"This is an urgent notice I just received. You don't have permission to read it. Tell the deputy captain immediately to put the record issue aside until I can handle it."

Li Mo was stunned. Xu Li was always dignified. Adding the words "emergency notice" and "authority",

He didn't ask any more questions, just shrank his neck and went back to the cabin.

Xu Li took the opportunity to lower his voice and said, "Go to the second-floor technical cabin. Close the door tightly. There's a storage room inside. I'll come find you when I'm done. Don't make any noise."

Ye Heng nodded and pulled Lin Yao up the ladder quickly.

The cold white light in the cabin illuminated the corridor. Occasionally, a soldier passed by carrying equipment. They were all busy preparing to set sail, and no one paid much attention to them.

The two men were wearing standard combat uniforms with identity cards hanging on their chests, and looked no different from ordinary technical soldiers.

"Lock the door after you go in." Ye Heng pushed open the door of the water layer technical cabin, peeked in to make sure no one was there, and then let Lin Yao in first.

There were several communication devices placed in the cabin, and the storage room in the corner was filled with spare parts, just enough to accommodate two people.

Ye Heng closed the door and locked it, breathing a sigh of relief: "It's safe for now."

Lin Yao leaned against the metal wall and breathed a sigh of relief. A voice from the cockpit came from outside the storage room: "Attention everyone, docking complete. Setting sail in ten minutes, destination Red Shadow Base."

The engine sound gradually grew louder and the hull began to vibrate slightly. Lin Yao could hear the footsteps of soldiers walking outside and the low hum of equipment starting up.

He leaned in Ye Heng's arms, and his heart was in turmoil when he thought of the "sorry" Xu Li had just mouthed.

Ye Heng put his arm around his waist and whispered softly, "Take a break. We'll be busy soon."

Lin Yao closed his eyes and buried his face in Ye Heng's shoulder.

The small storage room was filled with the smell of metal and engine oil, but the body temperature of the people around me made me feel particularly safe.

As soon as ten minutes were up, the patrol ship slowly left the port and carried them towards the Red Shadow Base.