Gu Ya got straight to the point, "I need an absolutely secure location for a behind-enemy-lines headquarters."
Dong San gazed at Gu Ya, bypassing his question and instead saying, "When I learned of the Proletarian Union in Xianxia Wuxia City, I knew this world still held hope. And we are not fighting alone."
"I've imagined meeting the founders of the Proletarian Union more than once. Today, that wish has been fulfilled."
"Gu Ya, your philosophy is the spark of fire in this dark world. Of course, in places you cannot see, there are still like-minded people striving."
"We will ultimately ignite the world and become the guides of the future."
Gu Ya, clearly not here to discuss philosophies, was becoming somewhat impatient.
Dong San also noticed Gu Ya's impatience and continued, "Our organization has existed for twenty years and has survived several bloody purges. Yet, we persist."
"We have developed a unique modus operandi that ensures the relative safety of our members and we vet new recruits meticulously. However, I cannot guarantee the absolute safety you speak of."
Gu Ya nodded, recognizing Dong San's competence and cautious nature.
But as Dong San had said, nowhere on Black Star was truly safe, and this place was no exception.
Before establishing his own secure base, Gu Ya had to be wary of outsiders, including Dong San.
"What is your organization's history, and how do you resist Black Star?" Gu Ya asked casually.
Dong San replied, "At least fifty years ago, the Black Star Empire allowed freedom of speech. It was an era of intense collision between various theories and beliefs, a time of flourishing schools of thought where the fittest survived. Many of the governance principles currently in use were established then."
"Our organization's predecessor was born in that environment, named the 'Li Shui Pu Gong Nong Union,' a school of thought dedicated to advocating for the interests of the common people."
"The base population of the common people was immense, and coupled with advanced factional ideologies, the Union expanded rapidly. At its peak, it had ten million members in the Black Star capital alone."
"We formed political parties, entered the ruling class, and gained seats in the parliament, all to secure benefits for the common people."
"But the reality was, the rulers of Black Star simply did not care about us. They suppressed us fiercely, employing every means imaginable."
"Furthermore, as we grew in size, internal divisions began to form, gradually creating multiple small factions. These factions, starting with ideological disagreements, escalated to verbal disputes, and eventually to street brawls."
"The rulers of Black Star then seized the opportunity to intervene, using coercion and enticement to support a few proxy leaders who formed puppet factions, thereby suppressing other forces."
"If the status quo had been maintained, the organization could have continued to function normally, as the majority of its veterans and ambitious members were loyal."
"However, twenty years ago, the Black Star Empire experienced the 'Bloody Thursday' incident. Within two years, countless theoretical schools and organizations were purged."
"Freedom of speech was forbidden, class structures became rigid, and new strata emerged, leaving only the 'Grand Black Star Party' as the sole political entity."
"From then on, whether among the elite families or the middle class, any dissenting opinion was immediately eliminated. The common people were permanently trapped, with no hope of upward mobility."
"After the 'Bloody Thursday' incident, the rulers of Black Star would organize a major purge every few years."
"To preserve its strength, our organization's predecessor chose to go into hiding, continuing to organize resistance among the common people underground, until the present day."
"The Black Star rulers' strategy of keeping the populace ignorant has been highly successful. The common people are captured by 'happiness,' 'entertainment,' 'leisure,' and 'gossip,' and few now realize the meaning of 'struggle.'"
"The industries that sustained the organization's operations have also suffered severe blows in recent years, leaving the organization with almost no economic resources."
"Due to various other reasons, the organization has not had much new blood influx, and its scale has continued to shrink."
After Dong San's lengthy explanation, he sighed and raised his cup to his lips.
Gu Ya shook his head slightly, acknowledging the difficulty of surviving in the harsh environment of the Black Star Empire.
They were like young grass shoots pinned down by a massive rock, their struggle to rise and touch the sunlight as challenging as climbing to heaven.
It seemed unrealistic to expect them to directly confront Black Star on his behalf.
For now, he could only ask them to protect his teammates and wait until he established a new base.
Gu Ya turned to Ye Ying, who understood and nodded gently to her beloved.
Gu Ya said, "I will provide you with assistance, and we will achieve mutual benefit. While I am away, try your best to protect my people."
Dong San, with a calm expression, stated, "For those with ambition, words are unnecessary."
While the other party was being polite, Gu Ya was serious.
He raised his communication bracelet, used a few tricks to legitimize the money in his account, and transferred it to Dong San.
"Take this money and use it. Tell me if you need anything else."
Dong San looked at the amount, momentarily stunned by the generosity. The money Gu Ya provided was enough for the organization to operate for over three years.
But Dong San, being a pragmatist, knew that with money, more practical things were needed.
"Medical equipment, medicines, and food are what we are most short of. If possible, also provide us with some combat supplies," Dong San said calmly.
Gu Ya stood up and said, "Wait for my return."
Gu Ya and Ye Ying left Dong San's office and headed towards the fourth-floor ward.
Ye Ying asked, "Do you trust him?"
"And you? Does your intuition tell you to trust him?" Gu Ya retorted.
Ye Ying shook her head, unsure.
Gu Ya said softly, "I don't have time to consider these things now. I've asked Xiao Yu to stay and protect you. When I find a new base, I will come to pick you up."
"You just woke up, and you're leaving again?" Ye Ying expressed her reluctance.
As they spoke, the two had already reached the fourth floor.
Gu Ya casually summoned several hundred miniature spider robots and released them onto the ceiling.
These robots, their eight small legs moving rapidly, quickly crawled into invisibility.
Immediately after, Gu Ya summoned ten dimensional isolation instruments, three exoskeleton combat suits, and ten bionic people suitable for indoor combat.
Ye Ying followed Gu Ya silently, wishing he could spare some time, even just an afternoon, to quietly accompany her.
But reality did not allow for personal affections.
After completing all the preparations, Gu Ya turned, held Ye Ying's waist, and gently pulled her into his embrace, saying softly, "Ying, wait for me."
Ye Ying nodded obediently.
"Uh... I didn't mean to see that." Ning Yu awkwardly wanted to escape, but she was trapped between two doors, with nowhere to run.
Gu Ya released Ye Ying, walked over, and patted Ning Yu's little head, smiling with satisfaction, "While I'm gone, you must help your mistress more."
Before, her master would only scold or hit her. Suddenly being so gentle, Ning Yu was still unaccustomed to it.
But soon, she felt the warmth of Gu Ya's hand, even feeling a sense of longing, as if Gu Ya had given her immense strength.
"Don't... don't worry, Master! I will definitely be responsible this time!" Ning Yu flustered for a moment, then quickly responded.
Gu Ya nodded affirmatively and conjured several encrypted communication bracelets, saying, "I will install signal repeaters along the route for communication. If anything happens, you must inform me immediately!"
After giving Ning Yu a few more instructions, Gu Ya pulled Ye Ying back into the room.
He tailored a set of individual combat gear for Ye Ying and stored the Nightingale mecha in the dimensional isolation device for Ye Ying.
"This trip might take a long time. Once Wang Shang Meng recovers, you can act secretly to find informants and intelligence personnel. Of course, prioritize safety above all else, and be cautious and thoughtful!"
Ye Ying nodded in agreement.
With all preparations complete, Gu Ya no longer lingered. As he turned to leave, Ye Ying hugged him from behind.
Burying her head in Gu Ya's back, Ye Ying softly pleaded, "Can you stay for half an hour more?"
"Half an hour... is that enough?" Gu Ya smiled, turned, gently picked up Ye Ying, and said, "It's all my fault, having a beautiful wife at home and not cherishing her, always wanting to run off."
Lost in their affectionate moment, Gu Ya carried Ye Ying towards the bed.
Remembering she had something to ask her master, Ning Yu excitedly pushed open the door, was taken aback, and immediately retreated, her face flushed and breathing heavily.
Through the slightly ajar door, sounds of passion could be heard from within, intense and unrestrained.