Chapter 64
Later that evening, Ye Qingyun specially prepared a large portion of crayfish and giant salamander for Grandpa Lin and delivered it to him.
Grandpa Lin has given them such great convenience, it wouldn't be right to take a portion from their own home and give it away as well; doing it separately would show more respect.
After delivering meals several times, Ye Qingyun had some understanding of the old man's tastes and specially prepared dishes that the old man liked.
After finishing their social obligations, Lao Jiang's family got busy again, racing against time to make as many preparations as possible for winter.
Ye Qingyun was the one who stayed up the latest.
The thought of her husband being cut off from the family for so many days made Ye Qingyun feel uneasy.
She poured all her longing into the food she ate.
I spent the whole evening busy in the kitchen.
Grandma Jiang originally wanted to help, but Ye Qingyun persuaded her to go back to her room.
Fearing that Ye Qingyun would find out, Jiang Zhi and her brother secretly packed their things for their departure the next day.
At this moment, the brother and sister felt that the space device was just too, too, too useful!
Jiang Shu: "Azhi, remember to pick up a space stone for me this time you go out."
How could he not have such an essential tool for murder and robbery?!
Jiang Zhi ignored him and said, "Bring in all the lunchboxes Mom made tonight later, and we'll leave at four o'clock."
The plan was to meet Luo Yonghui at 4:30, but my parents got up at 4:00. In order to cover up the lie later, I had to act as naturally as possible.
Jiang Shu gave an OK sign. "Okay, have you thought about how you're going to explain this to Mom?"
When Ye Qingyun gets angry, he can't handle it; it's better to leave this kind of headache to his sister.
“I can’t explain it.” Jiang Zhi said without changing her expression. “Let Dad explain it after we set off.”
Jiang Shu paused for a moment, and the two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of schadenfreude in each other's eyes.
The next morning, the brother and sister got up as usual.
Ye Qingyun had just fallen asleep and was still in the room.
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, then secretly went into the room to transfer all the points, tucked the blanket around Ms. Ye, and prepared to leave.
The moment he stepped out, he heard Ye Qingyun say, "Azhi?"
Jiang Zhixin's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head and saw her mother looking at her sleepily. She quickly went over and said, "Mom, you can continue sleeping. My brother and I are going out for a bit."
Ye Qingyun responded and lay back down.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the basket on Jiang Zhi's back filled with tools that looked no different from usual. Her throat bobbed slightly, as if she wanted to say something but then swallowed it back. Finally, she tucked a stray strand of Jiang Zhi's hair behind her ear and smiled, saying, "Be careful."
Jiang Zhi nodded, "Mom, don't worry, we'll be back soon."
Ye Qingyun turned over and went back to sleep, not forgetting to wave his hand dismissively, "Go ahead, come back soon."
Stepping out into the courtyard, Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she thought her mother had discovered their plan.
Smoke curled from the kitchen as Grandma Jiang busied herself preparing breakfast for the family.
Seeing that it was still early, Jiangzhi went inside to start a fire for the old lady.
Grandma Jiang was overjoyed.
As people get older, they enjoy having their children and grandchildren around them.
Jiang Zhi chatted with the old lady for a while, and finally said, "Grandma, I've been so busy lately, I'm afraid I'll forget. Please remember to make an extra portion for Grandpa Lin every day."
Grandma Jiang: "Don't worry, we won't forget. From now on, if there's a share for our family, there'll be a share for your Grandpa Lin. Just have Ah Jun bring it over every day."
After finishing her business, Jiang Zhi finally felt relieved.
When the agreed time arrived, the brother and sister prepared to set off.
When Grandpa Jiang saw the siblings leaving, he asked, "Big Tree, why are you going out again today?"
Jiang Shu was a little guilty. "Grandpa, Dad wants us to come over. He says he needs some help..."
Upon hearing that the destination was Jiang Shan, Old Master Jiang did not ask any further questions, only saying, "Go ahead, otherwise you won't be able to see him once his mission begins."
The two left the house, and for some reason, Jiang Shu suddenly felt a sense of reluctance. He couldn't help but ask, "A-Zhi, do you think we'll come back safely this time?"
Jiang Zhi glanced at him. "Brother, are you scared?"
Jiang Shu immediately bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, saying, "How could I be afraid! I'm the pillar of our family."
Jiang Zhi smiled slightly, "Don't worry, brother. I brought some dried earthworms from home. We have tortoise shells for protection, so we can protect you and Dad no matter what."
Jiang Shu retorted, "I told you I'm not afraid, I was just expressing my feelings!"
"Also, aren't you afraid of getting scolded for bringing so many earthworms out? Don't drag me down with you then."
Jiangzhi left enough for the family, so she wasn't worried: "If you say that, don't come looking for me on the way!"
It was that trick again. Jiang Shu rolled his eyes in exasperation. Anyway, he would never take the blame when he got home.
Thanks to his sister, after this commotion, Jiang Shu's unease vanished without a trace.
After leaving the self-built housing area, Jiang Zhi called Liu Xu and told her that she and Jiang Shu would be away for ten days to half a month and asked them to look after Old Jiang's house.
Liu Xu readily agreed and didn't ask any further questions, only telling them to be careful.
It must be said that the sense of boundaries of willow catkins is quite pleasant.
Having received confirmation, the brother and sister were relieved and walked to the place they had agreed upon with Luo Yonghui, where the vanguard team was already waiting.
Chen Shaoting waved to them: "Here!"
As the brother and sister walked over, Wu Bing was surprised to see the backpacks they carried filled with hiking gear: "You two are really well prepared!"
Jiang Shu scratched his head: "Didn't you say you'd be gone for more than half a month?"
Chen Shaoting: "...Did the boss forget to tell you that the base is equipped with luggage?"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "It's alright, we're used to using our own."
They didn't feel comfortable using shared facilities while traveling with Gu Kaizhi, a ticking time bomb.
Chen Shaoting shrugged noncommittally.
It's understandable that some people have obsessive-compulsive disorder about cleanliness.
Jiang Shu looked around: "Where's Uncle Luo?"
Chen Shaoting replied with a smile, "I went to make preparations with the person in charge of this mission. Let's go, we need to go to the parking lot to meet up with the other teams first."
Wu Bing chuckled, "Get in the car quickly, I promise I'll drive very smoothly this time."
Jiang Shu recalled the blissful feeling he had experienced while riding in the car last time, and mentally gagged, grimacing, "Can't we just walk there ourselves?"
Wu Bing smiled and refused: "No, it would take too much time for you to walk there."
Jiang Shu couldn't resist making another "request," and only then did he reluctantly sit down.
Fortunately, because they were at the base, Wu Bing's speed was perfectly normal. Jiang Shu trembled for a moment, and after a hard-won mental preparation, they arrived at their destination.
After getting out of the car, Jiang Zhi immediately saw Gu Kaizhi's team standing next to a modified jeep.
Upon seeing the brother and sister, Gu Kaizhi smiled amicably at the group.
"Deputy Captain Wu, are these two new mutants you've recruited?"
Wu Bing pursed his lips, closed the car door, and asked with a cool expression, "That's right, Captain Gu, what advice do you have?"
Gu Kaizhi smiled and said, "No, I thought they would come to our team, but I didn't expect..."
His half-truth made people uncomfortable, and Wu Bing snorted softly.
Seeing Jiang Zhi looking over, he whispered, "That person isn't a good person. Don't be foolish and go near him."
Jiang Shu was delighted to hear this; these were allies!
"Soldier, how do you know he's not a good person?"
"He's always smiling at everyone, and he's a widower who's always fawning over women. What kind of good person could he be?"
As Wu Bing spoke, he glanced at Chen Shaoting.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, looking at him and then at Chen Shaoting.
—Is something going on?
Jiang Zhi observed for a while but couldn't see anything, so she didn't take it seriously.
Putting everything else aside, this uncle may seem carefree, but his intuition is truly remarkable.
At this moment, Wu Bing came over again: "By the way, how did you guys get noticed by that guy? I heard from the boss that you were almost assigned to his team."
When he mentioned "that guy," Wu Bing looked at Gu Kaizhi with utter disdain.
Jiang Zhi thought to herself that this was probably why they were able to go to Hunan Province so smoothly.
Jiang Zhi said, "I don't know either, we're not familiar with him."
Seeing that he couldn't get any information, Wu Bing didn't continue the topic.
Jiangzhi ignored him.
She looked around and found that there were quite a few people involved in this mission.
According to Wu Bing and the others, the base sent nearly a hundred soldiers and three elite exploration teams for this operation.
A small team consists of about 7-9 people, which adds up to at least 30 people. In addition, there are researchers who are specifically responsible for debugging the space teleporter and some logistics personnel. All in all, there are at least 200 people.
It's easy to see how much importance the base attached to this mission.
Not long after, several more military pickup trucks slowly drove in from the other side of the parking lot.
Each pickup truck's cargo bed was filled with soldiers dressed in elite military uniforms, and each one was even carrying a firearm.
This was the first time Jiang Zhi had seen the base's armed forces. It was clear that these people were special forces before the cataclysm.
After the vehicle stopped, a middle-aged man got out of the passenger seat. He looked very imposing.
Wu Bing quietly introduced the man to the siblings, "This is Colonel Huang Xianming, the leader of the army this time. His strength is about the same as that of Battalion Commander Ji Xing."
Jiang Shu's eyes widened—it was almost the same as Ji Xing's!
That's really impressive.
Jiang Zhi asked, "Isn't Captain Ji Xing coming this time?"
Wu Bing opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it.
Jiang Shu was itching to speak. "Uncle Wu, just tell me!"
Hu Yang said, "Because this time the team leader is—"
Before Hu Yang could finish speaking, the soldiers called for everyone to assemble.
There were many people at the scene. Jiang Shu looked around and whispered to Jiang Zhi, "Zhi, where is our dad?"
Jiang Zhi: "Many researchers went with us this time, so I guess I'll be staying with them."
Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
He was really afraid that if his dad caught him at this moment, he would definitely be sent straight to the airport.
On the other side.
Beside the military jeep, Luo Yonghui and several team leaders, including Huang Mingxian, stood before a group of men who looked like old scholars, receiving their orders.
After checking the personnel and equipment one by one, the logistics department asked, "Professor Yang, Professor Ning, everything is ready. We don't know if the exploration team and the 2nd Company are ready to depart yet?"
Professor Yang looked at Jiang Shan beside him: "We're all set. How's Professor Jiang's side?"
Jiang Shan laughed and said, "Professor Yang and Professor Ning are the main characters this time. I'm just joining in the fun. I'll leave everything to the two of you."
Another expert in mutant biology research said, "Our purpose in this mission is to record more information about the outside world, and we will follow the instructions of Professor Yang and Professor Ning."
Professor Yang nodded modestly and then looked at the team leaders: "I don't have any other requirements, but if we encounter any danger on the road, we must protect the equipment first. Our safety must come after the equipment."
This space teleporter represents the culmination of countless efforts; it is arguably more valuable than human life itself!
If they could establish a connection between the two bases, their living space would be able to expand.
This is an epoch-making event and a milestone in the history of new technological development for humankind.
Therefore, Professor Yang absolutely could not allow the equipment they had worked so hard to develop to have any problems.
The team leaders exchanged glances, and finally replied firmly, "Yes!"
Professor Yang nodded in satisfaction.
Finally, he looked at the head of the exploration team: "Captain Lin, this operation is crucial. The base has prepared sufficient mental energy supplements. If your mental energy can't keep up, you must speak up."
Lin Yuan nodded, "Okay."
If these elites are the spaceship of this operation, then Lin Yuan is the indispensable key.
Professor Yang considered Lin Yuan as the final safety net for this mission.
Even if this mission fails and all of them are wiped out, Lin Yuan's ability can still send them back via the space teleporter.
Professor Yang nodded and looked at Professor Ning: "I have no problems on my end. Professor Ning, is there anything else you need to add?"
While Professor Yang was speaking, Professor Ning kept looking at the list of personnel in his hand.
He frowned and asked the logistics manager, "Looking at these lists, why is the highest level of mental ability user only level three?"
The logistics manager was taken aback. "The highest-level psychic ability users we can find who aren't currently on missions are all here."
Professor Ning was very dissatisfied: "I told the higher-ups before that our mission this time is very important, and we must bring powerful psychic ability users. But the list we have now only has level three users. What if we encounter high-level psychic ability mutated creatures on the way?"
The person in charge of logistics was in a bit of a dilemma.
Recently, due to climate change, the base has reassigned many people to other projects.
Every task is urgent, and even if they wanted to poach people, it wouldn't be so easy.
Upon hearing this, Huang Xianming came to the rescue, saying, "Professor Ning, there are three Level 3 psychic ability users, and Captain Lin is also there to oversee things, so there shouldn't be any problems."
In fact, the three psychic ability users on the list were all from the military, people Huang Xianming knew well. The three of them working together were no less powerful than level four or even level five psychic ability users.
Hearing Huang Xianming say this, even though Professor Ning was still dissatisfied, he didn't say anything more.
"Then who is responsible for the safety of us researchers?"
Luo Yonghui then said, "Professor Ning, it's our exploration teams that are in charge."
Professor Ning looked at the list again, and after matching the names of Luo Yonghui and the others, he was quite satisfied with their ability levels.
"So Colonel Huang is in charge of equipment security?"
Huang Xianming nodded: "Professor Ning, don't worry. The division of labor is just for the convenience of management. If there is any danger, we and the exploration team will cooperate with each other and do everything we can to ensure your safety and the safety of the equipment."
These words finally put Professor Ning at ease.
After finalizing the last few details, the team of nearly two hundred people was finally ready to set off.
There are a total of 8 military pickup trucks, 7 of which are for the soldiers to use, and 1 is used to store living supplies.
Important equipment was placed directly inside the spacecraft.
Luo Yonghui also returned to the team.
Once in the car, he glanced at the slightly excited brother and sister and said with a smile, "You two should rest for a while. Once we leave the base, the time you can rest won't be up to us anymore."
Jiang Zhi felt it was understandable. This mission was so arduous and time was so tight that the priority was definitely getting on the road, and everything else had to come later.
Jiang Zhi didn't take rest lightly just because she had a large mental pool; she simply closed her eyes and rested.
Seeing this, Jiang Shu quickly closed his eyes to rest.
When I woke up again, the car was already driving in the wilderness.
"Oh, you're awake?" Captain Luo's voice rang in my ears.
Just then, the tires rolled over the sticky moss, and the car jolted violently—the front bumper scraped against half a rotting mutated fern, its dark green sap splattering on the windshield, making it look a bit like a squashed slug.
Jiang Shu suddenly jolted awake, fully waking up.
"Uncle Luo...where are we?"
Luo Yonghui laughed in exasperation, "You brat, you've got a really big heart. How can you sleep so soundly at a time like this?"
They were snoring.
He lit a cigarette. "If you don't wake up soon, we'll be at the first service area."
Jiang Shu's eyes widened – he had actually slept for so long?
He turned to look at Jiang Zhi: "A-Zhi, why didn't you wake me up?"
Jiang Zhi: "I just woke up too."
Ginger Tree: ...
Luo Yonghui glanced at the brother and sister in the rearview mirror.
This sleep quality is really good.
Every official vehicle at the base has been specially modified. Even a heavy vehicle like a military pickup truck can only make the sound of crushing vegetation when it drives on the road.
Jiang Zhi glanced at the dashboard.
They followed one after the other from another squad, with two military pickup trucks close behind them.
Jiang Zhi guessed that her father was sitting in the jeep in front of them.
Hunan Province is so far from Ancheng. Even in the past, it would have taken more than ten hours by high-speed train. Given the current situation, it would take at least ten days to half a month to get there.
She checked the distance; the vehicles weren't traveling fast and were still within the coverage area of the base station. Feeling it was time, she made a call.
Jiang Shan answered the phone: "A-Zhi?"
Jiang Zhi: "Dad, have you left yet? I asked Mom to make a lot of bento boxes for you so we can bring them to you."
Jiang Shan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but looking at the dense, mutated jungle outside, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. "Sweetie, you can take what you need and eat. When I'm not home, remember not to upset your mother."
Jiang Shu chuckled and chimed in, "That won't do. Mom said it has to be handed over to you."
Jiang Shan frowned, a sudden thought flashing through his mind, when he heard Jiang Zhi say with a smile, "Dad, look behind you."
Jiang Shan was startled and subconsciously looked back—only to see his brat sticking his head out of the last car.
Jiang Shan: !!!
Are you seeing things?
Otherwise, how could he have seen his own silly son waving at him?
Then came the sweet, smiling voice of his daughter from the other end of the testing machine: "Dad, have you seen my brother?"
Jiang Shan held back for a moment, but finally couldn't resist.
"Damn it!"
*
After the group drove out of the base's safe zone, the road conditions became difficult.
Not long after, a voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Take a 15-minute break 500 meters ahead."
Jiang Zhi was taken aback.
That voice... why does it sound so familiar?
Before she could think it through, everyone had already gotten out of the car and set up a cordon.
Jiang Zhi nudged her brother: "Brother, let's go down too."
Jiang Shutou shook his head like a rattle-drum, "I'm not going, Dad will definitely beat me later."
Jiang Zhi:......
Okay, I can't count on this guy.
As soon as we got out of the car, we saw Hu Yang and the other two teams scattering a ring of red powder around the vehicle. It looked very similar to the powder on the warning line of the collection area, but the color was darker.
Wu Bing and the others cleared away the weeds that had crossed the boundary.
The remaining people cautiously observed their surroundings.
Once the defensive line was in place, everyone relaxed a little, some going to the toilet and others taking a break.
The three teams worked together very well, and it didn't seem like they were working together for the first time.
In comparison, the military has stricter discipline and a clearer division of labor.
Jiang Zhi withdrew her gaze and turned to look at where her father was. Unexpectedly, she did not see Jiang Shan, but instead met a pair of slightly familiar eyes.
Jiang Zhi was taken aback.
—What's Lin Yuan doing here?
She remembered that Luo Yonghui had mentioned that a powerful figure who could shield a space of over 100 square meters would be accompanying her on this mission.
Could this be referring to the man in front of you?
While Jiang Zhi was lost in thought, Jiang Shan had already walked over.
"Azhi!"
Jiang Zhi stiffened, then immediately put on a fawning expression, "...Dad."
Jiang Shan's expression softened slightly, but it was still not good. "Where's your brother?"
Jiang Zhi honestly confessed, "In the car."
Jiang Shan's veins were bulging. "Jiang Shu, get down here!"
Upon seeing Jiang Shan's face, which was so dark it seemed to drip ink, Jiang Shu instinctively shuddered.
He slowly got out of the car, glancing at his sister repeatedly. Seeing that she hadn't received his distress signal, he could only laugh awkwardly and say, "Dad, what a coincidence."
Jiang Shan sneered, "You've got some nerve! You're actually going against me, aren't you? You want me to kick your ass a few times, don't you?"
Seeing that everyone around them was looking at him, Jiang Shu's face turned bright red. He quickly pulled the man to the side of the car, away from everyone's gaze: "Dad, I'm already in my mid-twenties, give me some face..."
Jiang Shan snorted, "When you secretly followed me here, why didn't you ask me to give you face?"
Jiang Shu said confidently, "We didn't sneak in. We came openly and honestly. If you don't believe me, ask Uncle Luo. We registered, and the base approved us!"
Of course, he would never say that they deliberately avoided Jiang Shan when they gathered at the base.
Jiang Shan felt like he was going to be driven crazy by this unfilial son, but with so many people around, he couldn't scold him too harshly.
He slapped the brat across the face, saying, "I'll deal with you when we get back!"
The ginger tree looked at the ginger branch with a resentful expression.
It was clearly his sister who planned this, but he's always the one who gets hurt.
Jiang Zhi cleared her throat and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Dad, we're really worried about you, an ordinary person, going to such a far place. Please don't be angry."
Jiang Shan knew the two children were worried about him, and he felt both touched and annoyed. "In this situation, you wouldn't be of much help anyway."
Jiang Shu: "Who said that? Dad, you have no idea how powerful we are now!"
Jiang Shan glanced at him, and Jiang Shu immediately fell silent.
With things having come to this, Jiang Shan couldn't think of any good solutions, so he could only say, "Don't do anything reckless on the road, do you hear me? Especially Azhi, you're not allowed to act on your own without my knowledge."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu almost burst into tears—look, his father still knew perfectly well who the real mastermind was.
He rubbed his head, which wasn't hurting much, and said, "Dad, we snuck out and haven't told Mom yet. Can you call her and tell her?"
Jiang Shan glanced at him sideways, "What did you say?"
Jiang Shu shrank back and whispered, "Say we're working in a closed office with you?"
Knowing his mother's temper, if she knew they had been on a mission with Captain Luo for more than half a month, she would definitely give him a good spanking when they got back.
Jiang Shan snorted: "Trying to lie to your mother again."
Jiang Shu smiled ingratiatingly: "I was just worried Mom would fret."
Jiang Zhi also said, "Dad, I asked Captain Luo, and we can apply to use public mobile phones."
This mission is very important, and the base is prepared. In order to avoid the loss of the newly developed item teleportation device, they specially arranged for people to carry small signal transmitting equipment so that they can contact the base at any time.
Jiang Shan: "No need, your mom knows about my trip."
Jiang Zhi was stunned for a moment.
"Dad, didn't you tell us not to tell Mom?"
Jiang Shan: "Your mother found out herself."
The couple decided to keep it a secret from their family.
There was no other way; their departure time was too sensitive, and given the high level of secrecy surrounding this mission, they had no choice but to keep it a secret.
Jiang Zhi suddenly remembered the slight abnormality Ye Qingyun had revealed before she left, and felt a little uneasy—did her mother also know that they were going on a mission with her father at that time?
Jiang Shu swallowed hard. "...So what do we do now?"
At this moment, Lin Yuan, who was not far away, looked at the time and said, "Let's continue on our way."
Without a word, the mutants from several squads packed up and got into the vehicle.
The sounds of vehicle engines began to rise one by one.
Jiang Shan said with a headache, "Let's talk about this later. You guys should think of an excuse to avoid getting beaten and scolded as much as possible."
He then got into the jeep in front of him.
Jiang Shu said, "Dad, would you like to ride in our car?"
Jiang Shan waved his hand without turning his head, "No, just seeing you makes me angry."
Ginger Tree: ...
Once in the car, Jiang Shu finally had a chance to ask Jiang Zhi, "Zhi, did you see that? Brother Lin was there too! Didn't Brother Lei say he was retiring? Why is he still participating in an official mission?"
His voice wasn't loud, but the people in the car were all mutants, and they heard everything Jiang Shu said.
Chen Shaoting looked at the two of them with a strange expression: "Do you know Captain Lin?"
Jiang Shu felt embarrassed, as if he'd been overheard. He scratched his face. "Yeah, he's our neighbor..."
Chen Shaoting recalled it, and it was indeed true.
A mix of emotions welled up inside me.
These two siblings' luck... well, it's just as the eldest brother said, it's absolutely phenomenal.
Even Yan Liang, who is usually taciturn, couldn't help but say, "You guys... are really lucky."
Jiang Shu asked, puzzled, "Why do you say that?"
Chen Shaoting said, "What? You don't know? Captain Lin's status in the exploration team back then was the same as Captain Ji Xing's now."
Jiang Shu's eyes widened: "Brother Lin is that amazing?"
In Jiang Shu's impression, Lin Yuan's strength was indeed unpredictable, but because of Han Lei's words, Jiang Shu automatically categorized him as someone who "was once very powerful, but after being injured, he is only slightly stronger than an ordinary person."
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Isn't he no longer under official jurisdiction? How come he's here?"
Luo Yonghui said with a smile, "Without Captain Lin in charge this time, we can't go to Hunan Province."
Jiang Shu gasped in shock: "Uncle Luo, the mutant boss you mentioned before... could it be Brother Lin?"
Luo Yonghui laughed and scolded, "You're not completely stupid."
Jiang Shu exclaimed "Holy crap!" He never expected that they would actually be able to latch onto such a powerful figure.
"Wait a minute, with Lin Ge's amazing abilities, why would he leave the exploration team?"
This question may be a bit sensitive.
Silence fell over the car.
A moment later, Wu Bing, who was driving, cleared his throat and lowered his voice, saying, "I heard that Captain Lin's mental strength is damaged..."
Jiang Zhi's heart stirred.
She casually remarked, "There must be quite a few special items that can repair spiritual power, right? Didn't he use them?"
Luo Yonghui scoffed, "Jiang girl, you've got quite a big mouth... Do you know that the entire Ancheng base only has three or five special items related to mental power?"
Jiang Zhi hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Does the base not have any treatments for mutants whose mental abilities have been damaged?"
Luo Yonghui rested his chin on his hand and said lazily, "Damaged mental energy is different from other things, and there is currently no good way to treat it."
Jiang Zhi frowned.
Then why is she able to repair other people's damaged mental energy?
Could it be that her mutation ability is not something else, but mental energy repair?
This idea was quickly rejected by Jiang Zhi.
Her mental power can not only repair, but also be used for external attack and defense.
It seems to be an all-around ability.
But looking at it this way, her superpowers are just as rare as the terrain dashboard in her head.
The brother and sister exchanged a glance and then remained silent.
For the rest of the journey, everyone tacitly closed their eyes to rest.
Jiang Zhi glanced outside and noticed that their vehicle was still traveling on the national highway that existed before the cataclysm.
Although many areas have been overrun by mutated creatures, they are still much easier to traverse than mountainous dirt roads.
The car ride was bumpy, but relatively calm.
No mutated creatures encountered them along the way.
Even if there were any, they were dealt with by the soldiers at the front.
But as the convoy left Ancheng, the obstacles on the road gradually increased.
A series of supernatural powers were released from ahead.
Jiang Shu couldn't help but crane his neck to look ahead.
Looking out through the windshield, all that could be seen was a dense forest where the sun never shone.
Luo Yonghui's expression was serious. "We're about to leave the city. The Rotten Head Forest is just ahead. Everyone be on high alert!"
Hu Yang and the others immediately put away their bewildered expressions.
Yan Liang and Chen Shaoting grabbed their weapons and climbed out of the window onto the roof of the car.
Wu Bing glanced outside the car and asked, "Jiang boy, is there anything unusual around here?"
Jiang Shu used his abilities to scan the area.
A few hundred meters to the side and rear, among the withered branches of a tree, several giant moths with wingspans of more than two meters were fluttering their grayish wings.
It is the Thousand-Faced Giant Moth mentioned in the book of mutant organisms.
It is said that the head of a moth can transform into the head of its last prey.
Its attack power is not high; the only thing to be wary of is the suffocating scale powder it drops when it flaps its wings.
Huge spider webs hung on the rusty thorns to the right, but there was no sign of any mutated spiders.
At the same time, Jiang Zhi scanned the surrounding environment using the dashboard. After spotting the red warning dot in the sky, her expression changed slightly.
She pinched a piece of ginger tree and looked up.
"Hiss—" Jiang Shu gasped in pain, then stopped abruptly as he followed Jiang Zhi's gaze.
His expression changed drastically: "It's a mutated bird!!"
Luo Yonghui, who had been on high alert, immediately leaned out and yelled at the two people on the roof, "On the roof!!"
Yan Liang was the first to react, quickly pulling out an energy gun and thrusting it upwards.
Sure enough, a mutated bird was seen circling overhead.
Upon seeing what it was, Chen Shaoting's face paled. She pursed her lips, then her expression turned serious. "It's a mutated peregrine falcon."
At that moment, the peregrine falcon circled in mid-air like a small airplane.
It swooped and circled, sometimes high, sometimes low, its sharp eyes fixed on the commotion ahead of the convoy, as if locking onto its prey, ready to dart down like a bullet at any moment.
Given the peregrine falcon's speed, once it makes a move, no one present will have a chance to react.
Jiang Zhi dared not underestimate the destructive power of the mutated peregrine falcon, and took out her defensive tortoise shell, ready to activate her defenses at any time.
Luo Yonghui was holding the walkie-talkie, about to remind his companions in the lead car, when suddenly a visible gray barrier appeared in the air.
Hu Yang exclaimed with delight, "It's Colonel Huang's defensive measure!"
As soon as Hu Yang finished speaking, the transparent barrier was struck by a tremendous force.
Jiang Zhi could even feel the ground shaking violently.
It took the group a few seconds to recover. Jiang Zhi immediately looked up and saw that the mutated peregrine falcon had returned to mid-air, its sharp and wary eyes fixed on their location.
Everyone's hearts jumped again.
But none of them dared to make any rash moves.
Putting everything else aside, that attack just now was as powerful as a small atomic bomb.
If Huang Xianming hadn't been powerful enough, that one strike would have been enough to seriously injure most of the mutants present.
Just as everyone held their breath, the peregrine falcon once again hurtled towards them at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.
This time, Huang Xianming did not sit idly by and wait for his doom; the gray protective barrier became even more solid.
Before anyone could react, the peregrine falcon suddenly braked and stopped in mid-air.
"—Chirp!!"
A scream startled all the birds and beasts in the dense forest, and there was a rustling sound everywhere.
The weaker mutated creatures fled at top speed.
Jiang Shu's ears hurt from being yelled at, so he covered his ears and asked Jiang Zhi, "A-Zhi, what's going on?"
Jiang Zhi's expression was grave. "It must be that Lin Yuan used his special ability on that peregrine falcon."
Others might not be able to sense it, but Jiang Zhi "saw" it very clearly: someone had just released a burst of mental energy to attack the head of the mutated peregrine falcon.
And that person was in the same car as my dad.
Jiang Zhi screened the candidates and found that only Lin Yuan in that car could do this.
Although the attack was effective, Jiang Zhi was well aware that it was not a strong attack.
It was clearly a sure-kill skill, but it only managed to damage less than half of the peregrine falcon's health bar.
Jiang Zhi frowned, remembering what Luo Yonghui had said about Lin Yuan's mental strength being damaged.
The peregrine fluttered in the air for a moment, its eyes filled with even greater apprehension.
Just when everyone thought the stalemate was about to continue, the peregrine falcon circled a few times and finally flew away.
Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing a look of relief after surviving a disaster. "Azhi, I thought we were going to die here just now."
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, said nothing, and looked at the vehicle where Lin Yuan was.
She was momentarily solemn.
She hadn't expected Lin Yuan to be so powerful. She tried to put herself in the attack she had just witnessed and realized that if it were her, she might not be able to protect so many people while also blocking that fatal blow.
Upon hearing this, Wu Bing, who was sitting in the driver's seat, spat a few times and said, "You jinx! Can't you wish us good luck? We haven't even reached one-tenth of the journey. If we really die here, what kind of mission are we going to have?"
Jiang Shu thought about it and agreed, and immediately laughed, "I knew that coming out with elites like you would be the right thing to do, I feel so safe!"
Wu Bing burst into laughter.
"Little brother, you really know how to talk."
The group remained on guard for a while before relaxing after hearing Lin Yuan's instruction to "rest on the spot."
Jiang Shu subconsciously looked at Jiang Zhi, and after receiving his sister's affirmation, he also relaxed.
In his eyes, no one's safety warnings were as accurate as Jiang Zhi's.
The brother and sister got out of the car and immediately went to Jiangshan.
Jiang Shu: "Dad, are you alright?"
Jiang Shan waved his hand, "I'm with Captain Lin, what could possibly happen?"
Jiang Zhi glanced at Lin Yuan.
There was nothing unusual about his appearance.
Jiang Zhi's lips curled up slightly.
...You're really good at enduring things.
Jiang Shu looked at Lin Yuan with obvious admiration, his eyes sparkling. "Brother Lin, I didn't expect you to be so amazing. You chased that mutated bird away in one go."
Lin Yuan laughed and said, "I was lucky; I used a special tool."
Jiang Shu chuckled and said, "I also have special tools, but I still can't do as well as you!"
Professor Yang looked at the brother and sister with unfamiliar eyes, and upon hearing that they were Jiang Shan's children, he smiled and said, "Professor Jiang is truly blessed to have both a son and a daughter, and they are both so outstanding."
Professor Ning, who was standing to the side, glanced at it and said, "It's true that Professor Jiang is really willing to do this. She dares to let two children participate in such a dangerous mission."
That was somewhat sarcastic.
Jiang Shan showed no displeasure on his face, and only smiled and said, "There's nothing I can do. They were worried about me and insisted on signing up. I thought the base would reject them, but the base approved them. Since that's the case, I can only follow the base's arrangements."
Professor Ning didn't say anything more: "Young people should gain more experience."
After saying that, the person walked away to the side.
Professor Yang, standing to the side, felt a little embarrassed and said to Jiang Shan, "Professor Ning is just like that, don't mind him."
Jiang Shan didn't mind.
Working at the research institute, I'd heard people say before that Professor Ning was eccentric, picky, and difficult to get along with, so before the mission, I was already prepared to be criticized by him.
Gu Kaizhi, who was not far away, frowned when he saw Jiang Zhi and several other important figures chatting and laughing.
He walked over and asked with a smile, "Captain Lin, how long will this rest period be?"
Lin Yuan turned to look at the professors.
"Professor Yang, Professor Ning, it's not advisable to travel at night. Do you think we should set up camp here?"
Professor Yang waved his hand: "You're the expert in this area, so you're in charge."
Professor Ning thought more deeply: "Is it alright to station here? Won't the peregrine falcon come back to report?"
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