The following morning, Ning Yuqiang mustered his energy and announced the revised defense plan. However, the plan was met with skepticism from some team members as soon as it was presented.
"Captain, why did you disperse the energy nodes that were originally set up in one place? This will greatly weaken the defense!" A burly team member stepped forward, his tone filled with dissatisfaction.
“Yes, Captain, and the new plan requires building more defensive facilities, which will greatly increase our workload!” another team member chimed in.
Faced with the team members' doubts, Ning Yu patiently explained, "I know everyone is working very hard, but this is the safest solution at the moment. Dispersing the energy nodes can effectively prevent the enemy from wiping us out in one fell swoop, and also..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice, "Our current reserves of rare earth elements are only enough to support this kind of defense system."
Upon hearing this, the previously noisy conference room fell silent instantly. The team members exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
"Captain, what exactly is going on?" The burly team member who had previously questioned the situation couldn't help but ask, his tone filled with anxiety and worry.
Ning Yu took a deep breath, about to explain, when he was interrupted by a sudden voice: "Captain, are you hiding something from us? Do you think we're just a hindrance?"
The speaker was a young team member named Zhang Qiang. He was impulsive and extremely dissatisfied with Ning Yu's concealment of the rare earth element shortage, and his words were full of provocation.
"Zhang Qiang!" Li Mo hissed, "How could you speak to the captain like that!"
"I'm just telling the truth!" Zhang Qiang retorted, refusing to back down. "Ever since we returned from the last operation, Captain, you've become so secretive. You won't tell us anything, and now you're even hiding the defense plan from us... You..."
"Enough!" Ning Yu slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and stared intently at Zhang Qiang, saying each word clearly, "Obeying orders is a soldier's duty! Now, carry out my orders!"
Zhang Qiang wanted to say something, but Li Mo grabbed him. He struggled for a few moments, but finally shut his mouth angrily.
Ning Yu glanced deeply at everyone, then turned and walked out of the conference room. His retreating figure, bathed in the dim light, appeared particularly desolate… The conference room door slammed shut behind him, blocking the probing gazes of the others, but it couldn't stop the bitterness surging in Ning Yu's heart. The shortage of rare earth elements was just the tip of the iceberg; what worried him even more was that the injuries he sustained while protecting his team during the last operation were far more serious than he had imagined. That strange energy was corroding his meridians, and even with the system's healing assistance, it couldn't be completely eradicated.
He leaned against the wall, his body hunched over from the violent coughing, as if he might collapse at any moment. But he couldn't fall; this nascent force, these team members who had placed so much hope in him, all needed him to protect them.
Taking a deep breath, Ning Yu calmed his surging blood, suppressing all weakness and pain deep within his heart. He forced himself to stand up straight and walked resolutely towards the training ground. There, the team members were conducting intense combat drills, sweating profusely as they prepared for the impending crisis.
Over the next few days, Ning Yu devoted himself entirely to the construction of the defensive fortifications. He meticulously adjusted the original defense plan based on available resources, striving to maximize the use of every resource. He personally participated in every step, from transporting materials to installing facilities, handling every detail personally.
The team members saw this and gradually understood his good intentions. Although Zhang Qiang still didn't say anything, he began to cooperate with Ning Yu's work, intentionally or unintentionally. The other team members worked even harder to complete the construction of the defensive fortifications as soon as possible.
However, time is like sand slipping through your fingers; no matter how hard you try, you can't stop it from passing. Intelligence indicates that the mysterious force has begun to close in, and they don't have much time left.
Ning Yu stood on high ground, gazing into the distance. The setting sun cast its golden rays upon his face, yet could not conceal the solemnity in his eyes. He knew this battle would be incredibly difficult, but he would never give up; he would fight with all his might to protect everything!
"Captain, we've found something!" Li Mo's voice came from behind, his tone tinged with excitement.
"What is it?" Ning Yu turned around, a glimmer of hope burning in his eyes.
“We discovered a very strange place three kilometers southeast of our base…” Li Mo paused, as if organizing his thoughts.
"A strange place?" Ning Yu's heart skipped a beat. "Take me to see it."
The group walked through the dense jungle, parted the vines that obscured their view, and suddenly the view opened up before them.
“What…what is this?” Ning Yu stared at the scene before him, his pupils contracting slightly.
It was a ruin, yet it stood out starkly from its surroundings. Ancient and mysterious runes could be faintly seen among the crumbling walls, and an aura of vicissitude and grandeur emanated from it…
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