The team ate dinner quickly, their enthusiasm for learning and training running high as they vied for the reading lamps.
The three solar-powered night lights, fully charged during the day, were taken to be used by the combat group members, leaving the main lights for them.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Too much comfort was not good. If this atmosphere caught on, they might not even know how to hold a gun when a real situation arose.
Balanced in both academics and martial arts, with a good mix of work and rest, was the key to long-term survival.
"After reminding them this time, it should be fine from now on," Wu Tian said, sitting next to Lin Yuan.
Taking a short break from leading the training, they chatted.
"Yeah, I noticed something was off when I heard them talking just now. It's good to remind them early. When we get to the safe zone later, they can rely on what they've learned to get the attention they deserve."
"What about you? You pour your heart and soul into your team every day. What do you plan to do for yourself once you reach the safe zone?" Wu Tian asked the crucial question.
This question stumped Lin Yuan. He was still torn between operating as a lone wolf and seeking help from the country, unable to make up his mind.
He could only deflect: "Of course, I'll obey the safe zone's work assignments, then get married and have kids with you, and occasionally let the team members gather for some mushroom skewers, rat meat skewers, or something like that, to commemorate this time of shared life and death."
Married and having children?
The safe zone should issue marriage certificates. She wondered if the price would be the same as before. What would be used to exchange for currency in the safe zone now?
In the current situation, would the country provide subsidies for having children?
In a few more months, maybe they could even eat fruits in the safe zone. She would need to save money and queue up as soon as dawn broke to grab a large portion.
And also…
Lost in thought, she didn't even hear what Lin Yuan was saying until he waved his hand in front of her eyes.
"What are you thinking about? Your face is so red," Lin Yuan guessed part of it but didn't elaborate.
"Nothing! But how do you explain all this divine power you have?"
Only Jiang Ziqi knew that Lin Yuan was an experimental subject; no one else had been told.
They still thought the pursuit of Lin Yuan and his team was solely because they were interested in Jiang Ziqi, the half-mutant.
Lin Yuan chuckled: "What else can I say? Natural mutation, of course. Special circumstances are also normal. The broadcast said there are people who have broken through the limits. This should be the case for me."
What he said wasn't wrong. Although Wu Tian had some other suspicions, she didn't say much. She believed Lin Yuan would tell her when the time was right.
"As long as you know yourself, that's what matters. The abandoned mountain stronghold is almost cleaned up. Shall we go to town tomorrow to get some cement?"
"Yes, we'll go tomorrow. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can focus on farming," Lin Yuan said, then thought for a moment and added, "Let's dismiss them after the rapid reloading training. Let the team members sleep early tonight, as there's a lot of manual labor tomorrow and they need to conserve their energy."
"Okay, I'll go tell them."
"Wait, let's go together. I'm still not proficient with rapid reloading; I need to practice more."
However, as the two of them got up, the door to the radio room on the second floor opened. Sun Haiping beckoned Lin Yuan, "Captain, people from the safe zone want to talk to you."
Lin Yuan and Wu Tian exchanged a look and shrugged. "Looks like this extra practice is going to be postponed indefinitely. I'll go first."
"It's fine, you can still practice after your communication is done," Wu Tian wasn't buying it. Strike while the iron is hot, why leave it for tomorrow? Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow?
Procrastination is something that truly needs to be corrected; delaying too long could lead to great regret.
"Alright, we'll spend a lovely night together tonight~ Hehehe."
"Get lost."
After enduring two playful punches, Lin Yuan, baring his teeth, ran to the radio room.
"Captain, they're waiting for you. Please sit down and talk," Sun Haiping said, pulling Lin Yuan into the room before leaving and closing the door behind him.
He knew well that the less one knew, the better. Lin Yuan, as the captain, would naturally tell them what they needed to know.
"This is Lin Yuan. Please speak."
"Comrade Lin Yuan, I am Ying Tianlong, Minister of the Intelligence Department of the Shuzhou Tianfu Military Safe Zone. The intelligence headquarters of the China Anti-Biochemical Command has just screened and judged the intelligence you provided. All of it is true.
We need to ask you a few questions now, please answer them truthfully."
"No problem, please ask."
"First question, did you and your team assist in our air strike operation?"
"Yes, we assisted your air strike operation in Yun County. Two planes of yours arrived."
"Mm, that matches the route. Second question, at the place where you obtained this intelligence material, did you acquire anything else?"
"Some weapons and vehicles, specifically Viktor..."
"Third question, after acquiring these items, were you pursued by anyone?"
"There were two, and they have all been killed."
Killed?
This clearly startled the people on the other end. They quickly followed up, "Did you obtain anything else?"
"No, they destroyed everything on them before they died."
"This, alright. That's all the questions for now. Your contributions have been recorded in the military merit book. Once the rescue forces successfully rescue you to the safe zone, you can use your military merits to exchange for additional living supplies. The specific allocation will be coordinated by your team."
Lin Yuan didn't rush to answer. Instead, he said, "I have a request. Can we exchange all our military merits for one thing?"
"Speak, as long as it's not excessive, we will do our best to satisfy it."
"We have a half-mutant member on our team."
Before he could finish, he heard the sound of a chair overturning on the other end: "Are you sure?!"
"I'll stake my life on it, what I'm saying is the truth."
Then Lin Yuan described Jiang Ziqi's mutant characteristics and her good rationality and mentality, but omitted her other abilities.
There was a long silence before the voice spoke again: "Sorry, Comrade Lin Yuan, this news is too shocking. We've only just recovered. Please continue."
"I'd like to use all our military merits to get a good experimental environment for my team member. She's aware of her identity and agrees to the experiment, so we want..."
"That's enough, Comrade Lin Yuan, please stop talking. If you continue, you'll be slapping my face, slapping China's face!" Ying Tianlong was a bit angry now. He had lived his life with integrity, and now he was being doubted by the very people he protected.
"I can guarantee on my head as the Minister of the Intelligence Department of the Shuzhou Tianfu Military Safe Zone, if this half-mutant comrade suffers even the slightest grievance in our Chinese laboratories, you won't need to say it, I'll shoot myself!"
Lin Yuan hadn't expected Ying Tianlong to lose his composure like this. He quickly apologized and took a lot of effort to calm Ying Tianlong down.
"Comrade Lin Yuan, a half-mutant in a natural state is extremely rare and of great importance. Aircraft carrier 003 has already started making space upon receiving my news and the application has been submitted.
The command center's intention is to speed up our Shuzhou's rescue and construction. Five major military bases should contribute one to assist us, so in about five months, we will break through the rescue channel.
For now, you must ensure your own safety. The country's rescue is accelerating for you with all its might!"
Why was Jiang Ziqi so important?
There was no other reason but the word "vaccine," which was as heavy as a mountain.