Lin Mo said, "I'm looking for your person in charge, I know him."
"Oh, you know our 'person in charge?' Do you think this is a school?"
A voice slightly tinged with mockery rose from behind.
Chen Bo and a group of young men and women walked over.
"Sorry, our person in charge doesn't know you," said the soldier, his expression serious as if he were responding to a reply received through his earpiece.
"Ha ha, what did I just say? Posing here," Chen Bo laughed heartily.
A look of disdain grew more evident in the eyes of several young men and women, their faces bearing a teasing expression as they looked at Lin Mo.
They assumed that Lin Mo, unable to let go of his pride, had deliberately come over to inquire about Instructor Shangguan, feigning familiarity with military personnel.
After all, what young men care about the most is pride—youth are willing to risk their lives over mere words, unsatisfied to be deemed inferior.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Major Liu, he's my cousin," Chen Bo said, tilting his chin up arrogantly.
The soldier frowned, seemingly somewhat reluctant to entertain someone like Chen Bo.
Nevertheless, he made an inquiry because, after all, the upper echelons had instructed that while a military mission was the public claim, they couldn't be too stringent or it would attract unwanted attention.
After a while, a man in his thirties arrived, dressed in military uniform, with two bars and one star on his shoulder, the rank of a lieutenant.
"Um, little Bo, what's the matter?" he asked, his brow furrowed, the man clearly not having received prior notice of the visit.
"Cousin, my friends and I came to have fun, we heard that Lobu Lake has some spectacular sights, and we'd like to go in and see," Chen Bo said.
The cousin frowned and said sternly, "Ridiculous, I'm here on a mission, and without orders from above, no one is allowed to enter."
"Cousin, we're just going to take a look, we won't mess around," Chen Bo hadn't expected to be refused by his cousin, and immediately felt his pride wounded.
"No, it's a military order, stop causing trouble here, or it could be life-threatening," his cousin said seriously, his voice growing much lower by the last sentence.
Seeing his cousin's firm tone, Chen Bo knew there was no chance of getting in.
However, remembering that after all he knew a major who was his cousin, he glanced at Lin Mo out of the corner of his eye.
"Let it be, Mr. Chen, it seems there really is something going on here," a girl with less courage said.
Another boy said, "Anyway, we're here to have fun, we don't need to go in; there's nothing but desert inside, not much entertainment."
"Yes, but some people couldn't even get a response when they called out, at least you, Mr. Chen, have a cousin who's a lieutenant."
As they spoke, the group of young men and women looked at Lin Mo again, their faces showing mockery.
Chen Bo felt much better hearing his friends' comments.
Although his cousin hadn't let him in, he had at least managed to call someone—a sharp contrast to Lin Mo, who had apparently made up a name and couldn't summon anyone.
"True, some people pretend and can't even get a response," Chen Bo said with a cold smile, looking contemptuously at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo remained indifferent, as if he hadn't heard their words at all.
"Is Minister Shangguan here?" Lin Mo inquired, looking at the 'cousin.'
The cousin glanced at Lin Mo and frowned, "There's no Minister Shangguan here."
"Ha ha, still putting on an act; cousin, ignore him, he wants to get in too, but doesn't know anyone," Chen Bo said with a cold laugh.
"Yes, even Mr. Chen's cousin with a lieutenant rank can't let us in; who do you think you are?"
"That Minister Shangguan of yours must also be made up, right?"
Lin Mo frowned. Logically speaking, matters regarding Heavenly Sect should be handled by a special department or the Security Bureau; how could Minister Shangguan not be here?
"Major Liu, what's happened?"
As they spoke, a voice like the ringing of silver bells reached everyone's ears.
Chen Bo and a group of friends followed the sound and were instantly stunned.
They saw a woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail, dressed in military uniform, walk out. She carried an imposing air of majesty, her features delicate and pretty, her aura detached—a far cry from ordinary vulgar appearances.
"Miss Sima."
Major Liu, who was the cousin in question, called out upon seeing the approaching woman.
"In the army, it's better to call me by my name," Sima Zining said softly.
By military rank, Sima Zining was still a student at the military academy, but her father and grandfather were both high-ranking officials in the army, which gave her a certain status and position even within the military.
"It's nothing, my cousin wanted to go in, and I've already told him he can't," Major Liu explained.
"Mmm, Lobu Lake has been sealed. Without orders, no one can..." Sima Zining's voice suddenly stopped. Her gaze had swept over the faces of Chen Bo and the others, and when she spotted a familiar and handsome face, she froze.
"Lin Mo."
Upon seeing Lin Mo, Sima Zining's eyes suddenly reddened, but she forcefully suppressed her emotions, biting her lip, and strode towards Lin Mo.
"I just knew you would come," Sima Zining said, with tears rimming her eyes.
Lin Mo was also taken aback. Given that Sima Zining was still in the military academy, how could she be here?
Since their last parting in Qinghai, Lin Mo hadn't seen Sima Zining again.
"How come you're here? Where is Minister Shangguan?"
"He's attending to other tasks and couldn't come, so I applied and came here specially," Sima Zining said, her face flushing.
Lin Mo quickly understood.
The incident at Lobu Lake was connected to the Heavenly Sect, and Sima Zining probably knew he would come and had specially applied to be there.
Even Lin Mo, with a heart as hard as steel, couldn't help but feel a touch of softness in the face of such a woman's dedication.
"So that's how it is," Lin Mo nodded in acknowledgment.
Standing aside, Chen Bo and a group of teenagers stared wide-eyed in disbelief that such a beautiful woman knew Lin Mo.
Lin Mo already had a little loli by his side, and now there was another lady of valiant grace and outstanding quality, inducing envy and jealousy in those who watched.
Chen Bo clenched his fists tightly, nearly grinding his teeth to pieces.
"Lin Mo, shall we go in first?" Sima Zining suggested, blinking her long, feather-like lashes.
"Mmm."
Lin Mo nodded, about to go in.
But Chen Bo suddenly stepped forward and said, "Cousin, didn't you say no one was allowed in?"
Major Liu glanced at Chen Bo. Indeed, there was such an order, but Sima Zining had a special identity.
"There is that regulation. However, Sima Zining's grandfather is Commander Sima, so..." Major Liu began to explain.
Chen Bo and the others were shocked once again.
Such a beautiful woman was not only graced with a stunning appearance, but her background was also remarkably impressive.
Chen Bo looked at Lin Mo, completely at a loss as to what was so attractive about him that he was always surrounded by beautiful women.
Sima Zining's willow leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly, "Major Liu, the military has its own discipline. My grandfather is my grandfather, and I am me. The reason Lin Mo can enter is that he is the Chief Instructor of the Emperor Group!"
The statement was uttered.
Silence fell over the entire place.
Major Liu and the surrounding soldiers had naturally heard of the Emperor Group.
But they were unaware that the Emperor Group had such a young Chief Instructor.
Yet, such a matter couldn't possibly be taken as a joke, especially coming from Sima Zining's mouth.