Chapter 138 Arrival in the Capital
The transport plane landed at a military airport in the western suburbs of the capital in the early evening.
The afterglow of the setting sun painted the vast tarmac and the distant rows of hangars with a solemn golden-red hue.
The air is dry, carrying the coolness characteristic of early autumn in the north, quite different from the humid and warm winds of the island.
The hatch opened and the gangway was lowered.
Gu Baobao followed Huo Zheng off the plane. As she stepped onto the solid concrete ground, before she could even take a good look at her surroundings, she saw several black cars with military license plates silently taxiing over and stopping not far from the gangway.
Several capable-looking staff members dressed in Zhongshan suits quickly stepped forward and, after a brief handover with Huo Zheng,
He politely and efficiently took the three people's personal belongings, mainly the briefcase containing the top-secret documents and Gu Baobao's personal bag.
"Comrade Gu, Comrade Huo, Commander Lu, you must be tired from your journey."
The leader, a composed-looking man in his forties, spoke in a low voice.
"The leaders are waiting, please follow us."
There were no extra pleasantries, and not even a specific introduction of which leader it was.
Concise, efficient, and with an extremely high level of confidentiality.
Gu Baobao took a deep breath of the crisp northern air, suppressing the slight ripples in her heart caused by the sudden change in environment. She straightened her back and followed Huo Zheng to the car in the middle.
Lu Zhanming lagged half a step behind, his eyes scanning the sentry posts around the tarmac, the parking locations of vehicles, and the blurry outlines of buildings in the distance with the speed of a hawk. Only after confirming that there was nothing amiss did he step forward to catch up.
His positioning was cleverly positioned to the side and slightly behind Gu Baobao, allowing him to respond to any situation that might arise in front of him while also keeping an eye on what was behind him.
Just as they were about to board the bus, Gu Baobao seemed to catch a glimpse of several elderly men, also dressed in military uniforms or Zhongshan suits, standing beside another row of buses not far away.
One of the elderly men, a tall man with a cane, seemed to be looking in this direction.
But that gaze only swept by in an instant, so quickly that one might think it was an illusion.
Without thinking much, she bent down and sat in the back seat of the car.
The car smoothly drove away from the airport, passed through heavily guarded checkpoints, and onto a quiet tree-lined road.
Outside the window, neat rows of cypress trees and tall gray walls recede rapidly, with occasional striking red slogans visible on the walls.
The car was quiet, with only the low rumble of the engine.
Looking at the unfamiliar street scene outside the window, Gu Baobao felt a renewed sense of tension, which she had been forcibly suppressing due to the prospect of facing an even larger situation.
【Defu,】
She silently called out in her heart,
The capital city... seems a little different from what I imagined.
[Host, according to the 1965 data on the appearance of the capital city retrieved by this system, you are currently passing through a confidential area in the western suburbs, which is not within the activity range of ordinary citizens.]
The architectural style is unified, and the density of slogans is higher than average, which is in line with the characteristics of the times and the functional positioning of the area.
Defu reported in a very methodical manner.
Your heart rate has increased by 12% since before boarding, and your cortisol levels have fluctuated slightly. We recommend taking three deep breaths.
Nervousness is a normal physiological response, especially when you're about to transition from an 'island prodigy' to a 'national representative'.
Gu Baobao: "..."
She noticed that Defu's data analysis skills had improved significantly recently, but his way of comforting people remained as hardcore as ever.
I'm just... a little uncomfortable with so many people looking at me expectantly.
She said silently!
On the island, although there is the trust of the leaders and comrades, the environment is relatively simple.
What follows is facing higher-level leadership and a more complex situation.
[Understood. But host, please recall your performance in your previous life when facing war zone commanders and international health officials within Doctors Without Borders.]
It's rare to see a hint of encouragement in Defu's electronic voice.
[Technological confidence is your strongest armor. When necessary, this system can provide real-time language assistance and micro-expression analysis, which consumes merit points.]
Gu Baobao was so amused by it that she almost burst out laughing, which eased her tension a bit.
Thank you, no need for now.
She wanted to face it on her own.
The car drove into a large courtyard with soldiers standing guard at the entrance. After several checks, it finally stopped in front of a four-story gray brick building covered with ivy.
"We've arrived, please."
The staff opened the car door.
The interior of the small building is simply yet neatly decorated, with a wide corridor covered with a dark red carpet, where footsteps are absorbed into silence.
They were led to the entrance of a spacious conference room on the second floor.
The door opened, and there were already quite a few people sitting inside.
On either side of the long conference table, besides several soldiers with prominent epaulets, there were also several middle-aged and elderly people dressed in dark Zhongshan suits, with an elegant or capable demeanor.
As soon as they entered, all eyes turned to them.
Gu Baobao paused almost imperceptibly.
Some of these gazes were scrutinizing, some were full of curiosity, and some were purely admiring and expectant.
The pressure hit instantly.
"Report! Gu Baobao, Huo Zheng, and Lu Zhanming from the Island Military Region are here to report for duty!"
Huo Zheng stepped forward, stood at attention, and saluted in a loud voice.
Gu Baobao and Lu Zhanming followed closely behind, also saluting.
"Alright! Comrades, you must be tired from your journey! Please come in and have a seat!"
A sprightly old man in his sixties, wearing black-rimmed glasses, sat in the main seat and spoke with a smile. His voice was loud and clear, carrying both the authority and affability of someone who had long held a high position.
Gu Baobao recognized him; she had seen his photo in internal documents. He was Sui Jianguo, the Minister of Health, and also the head of the delegation participating in this exhibition.
Next to Minister Sui sat several other leaders, including an old military officer with a general's star on his shoulder and a serious expression. His gaze lingered on Lu Zhanming for a moment, and he gave a barely perceptible nod.
Lu Zhanming remained calm, as if he hadn't seen anything.
Gu Baobao and Huo Zheng, guided by staff, sat down at the reserved seats at the end of the conference table.
Lu Zhanming took a few steps back and stood against the wall near the door, standing at attention in a standard guard posture.
In this setting, he is first and foremost a security guard.
The meeting officially began.
Minister Sui first introduced the key leaders present:
There were comrades from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the head of the Foreign Trade Bureau, and representatives from the military responsible for foreign affairs and security.
Gu Baobao realized from everyone's titles and areas of responsibility that the scale and scope of this exhibition far exceeded her initial expectations.
Next, Huo Zheng gave a concise report on the progress of the work on the island, the preparation of samples, and the final status of the patent documents.
When it was Gu Baobao's turn, Minister Sui looked at her kindly:
"Comrade Gu Baobao, don't be nervous. Today is just for you to meet everyone and get acquainted. We've all read the reports on the several drugs you've developed, and they're excellent!"
"This is our trump card for this trip! Are you confident in showcasing our achievements internationally?"
All eyes were once again focused on her.
Gu Baobao stood up. Her military uniform accentuated her tall and straight figure, and her ponytail was neatly tied behind her head, revealing her smooth forehead and a pair of clear yet calm eyes.
Perhaps it was because of her conversation with Defu in the car, or perhaps it was because of the solemn occasion, but the nervousness in her heart strangely subsided and transformed into a heavy sense of responsibility.
She took a slight breath, her voice soft but clear and steady, carrying throughout the conference room:
"Reporting to the leaders, I am confident. The efficacy of hemostatic powder, health-preserving pills, and antibiotics has been repeatedly verified."
We are bringing not only medicines, but also the culmination of the wisdom and hard work of our nation's medical professionals. I will do my utmost to showcase the true and effective achievements of Chinese medicine to the world.
There were no grand pronouncements, only simple statements and a firm gaze.
Many of the leaders present showed expressions of admiration in their eyes.
With composure and calmness, this young woman certainly has the air of a great leader.
Minister Sui nodded in satisfaction:
"Good! That's the confidence and composure we need!"
He then changed the subject.
"However, once abroad, the environment is complex, there are language barriers, and customs are different. To ensure smooth communication and showcase the professional and friendly image of our new China,..."
Over the next few days, we need you, especially Comrade Gu Baobao and Comrade Huo Zheng, to attend a short-term intensive training program on diplomatic etiquette and language. Colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our ministry will be responsible for providing guidance.
He looked at Gu Baobao, his tone gentle but serious:
"Comrade Xiao Gu, you may find some of the content tedious, but there are no small matters in international relations, and sometimes details determine success or failure. I'm sorry to trouble you."
"Following the organization's arrangements is not hard work."
Gu Baobao answered immediately.
The meeting continued for a while, mainly to finalize the upcoming itinerary, training plan, and final preparations before departure.
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