Chapter 135 Preparing to Depart for the Capital

The morning light on the island always carries a refreshing clarity that soothes the soul.

In the newly built expert building with its own courtyard in the military region, Gu Baobao was locking the last document bag labeled "top secret" into the bottom of the sturdy camphor wood box by her bedside.

Several items were already neatly arranged inside the box:

Several manuscripts filled with core data, a few small bottles of well-sealed samples, ordinary hemostatic powder, high-efficiency hemostatic powder, export version of health-preserving pills, and samples of the first batch of successfully mass-produced antibiotic injections, just delivered from a pharmaceutical factory in the provincial capital.

There was also a thick stack of documents stamped with red seals at various levels:

Patent priority acceptance receipt, production license, quality inspection report, approval from foreign affairs department...

Every piece of paper and every bottle of medicine embodies the past days and nights of racing against time and thrilling struggle.

She straightened up and let out a soft sigh of relief.

It's done.

Although her trip to the provincial capital was interrupted midway, fortunately, the foundation she laid in the early stages was solid enough, and the adjusted process parameters were accurate and effective.

With the full supervision of the professionals arranged by Huo Zheng and the personal presence of Factory Director Zhou, the first batch of products successfully rolled off the production line, with all indicators meeting the standards and even some data exceeding expectations.

The ammunition for this combination of punches is ready.

"Baby!"

Huo Zheng's voice came from outside the courtyard, as calm as ever, yet with a hint of excitement in it.

"A telegram from the capital! Ordering us to depart immediately, assemble in the capital, join the delegation, and prepare to travel to Country F!"

Gu Baobao opened the door.

Huo Zheng stood in the morning light, holding a telegram in his hand. His face showed the fatigue left by days of hard work, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.

"So fast?"

Gu Baobao answered the phone.

The order was brief and signed by a department code she had only ever seen in internal bulletins.

"We have to hurry."

Huo Zheng pushed up his glasses.

"The exhibition dates are fixed, so we have to arrive early to familiarize ourselves with the environment, set up the booth, and also make some necessary diplomatic etiquette and language preparations."

The rest of the delegation has already assembled in the capital, waiting for the two of us, the core technical experts.

He paused, looked at Gu Baobao, and his tone became even more serious:

"Comrade Bao Bao, this is not just a technology demonstration, but also a battle without gunpowder."

What we brought was the hope and confidence of our nation's pharmaceutical industry. The higher-ups demanded absolute success.

Gu Baobao gripped the telegram tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white.

She understood the weight of the words "absolutely foolproof" at this moment.

"I see."

She raised her head, her eyes clear and resolute.

"Comrade Huo, I have sealed all the samples and core data. We are ready to depart at any time."

"good!"

Huo Zheng nodded.

"Comrade Lu Zhanming will be responsible for your security throughout this trip. He will travel with you to the capital to meet up."

Commander Feng and Chief of Staff Zhang have already made arrangements; a special plane will take us there this afternoon.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a jeep braking came from outside the courtyard gate.

Lu Zhanming was dressed in a crisp uniform, the stars on his epaulets reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.

He strode in, nodded to Huo Zheng first, and then his gaze fell on Gu Baobao.

She seemed to have gotten thinner after a few days, with a sharper jawline, but she was in good spirits and had a calm gaze, like a piece of jade that had been tempered.

"Is everything ready?"

He asked, his voice not loud, but carrying a reassuring power.

"Um."

Gu Baobao looked at the scar on his forehead, which had faded to the point of being almost invisible, and a slight stirring occurred to a part of her heart.

"You... your injuries have fully healed?"

Lu Zhanming raised his hand and touched his forehead, a barely perceptible curve appearing at the corner of his mouth:

"It's healed long ago. It's just a superficial wound."

Huo Zheng looked at this one, then at that one, and tactfully cleared his throat:

"Then please do a final check of your luggage, especially the samples and documents you're carrying. I'll arrange the car and the airport formalities. We'll depart in an hour."

After saying that, he turned around and quickly left the courtyard, leaving the two young people alone.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of the wind through the newly planted banana leaves.

Lu Zhanming took two steps forward and stopped about a meter away from Gu Baobao. This distance was neither too intimate nor too inappropriate, yet he could clearly see the subtle emotions in her eyes.

Are you nervous?

He asked.

Gu Baobao nodded honestly:

A little.

After all, it was a completely unfamiliar country, with unknown challenges and malice lurking in the shadows, ready to surface at any moment.

"Don't be afraid."

Lu Zhanming's voice was deep and steady, like the most solid reef on an island.

"I will always be here. No matter what happens."

There are no fancy vows, only the simplest and most direct promises.

Gu Baobao's heart felt gently soothed by those few words, and the unease caused by the unknown strangely dissipated.

She looked up at him.

Sunlight streamed in from his side and behind, casting a soft golden hue over his hard features and revealing the focus and determination in his eyes.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she hurriedly looked away, pretending to straighten her already neat clothes.

"Um."

She responded softly, her voice barely audible, like a mosquito's hum.

Lu Zhanming looked at her reddened earlobes and her drooping, slightly trembling eyelashes. The smile in his eyes deepened, but he didn't say anything more. He just stood quietly with her.

This moment of tranquility shut out all the outside disturbances and the impending storm.