That night was sleepless. The loss of so many ability users weighed heavily on everyone. It was not only Brother Zhang and Brother Li who felt heartache, the higher-ups also shared that same pain. Yet even as they grieved, they did not forget to demand reports of what had happened outside. Almost as soon as the injured were treated, someone stepped forward to question them.
This was not surprising. When Lan Jin and the others returned, Brother Zhang had not even had time to explain anything before being locked away, and immediately afterward, Brother Li had questioned the four of them in detail. To verify their words, even while Brother Zhang was still being held, Brother Li had gone back to continue questioning them.
It was simply procedure, a normal part of the process. But since the survivors were given no rest at all, it did feel a little cold and devoid of humanity.
By the time all testimonies were cross-checked, dawn was breaking.
Brother Li rubbed his temples, glanced at Brother Zhang, and asked, "Right, did those four come back yet?"
Brother Zhang instantly knew whom Brother Li was asking about. He checked his phone and replied, "No. I already sent a message. If they were back within signal range, they would have replied. They probably haven't returned yet."
"What did they go out for?" Brother Li asked curiously.
Brother Zhang slipped the phone back into his pocket and said, "They only said they were going to retrieve their own supplies and exchange them for contribution points. As for where those supplies are hidden, that's too private, so I did not ask. Since they still are not back, the place must be quite far away."
Brother Zhang was not worried they would simply run off. After all, Lao Gao's Ashen Blaze was still stored inside the base. Without taking it with him, Lao Gao would never leave, especially since he had spent so many contribution points to buy it.
Then Brother Zhang asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly bring them up?"
"You said those four were very strong. With us losing so many ability users, if we could…"
Before Brother Li finished, Brother Zhang cut him off. "They cannot be kept. Their destination is the Capital city base. The youngest boy's parents were soldiers, so do you really think he would stay here? And since their strength is obvious, sooner or later they will be noticed by higher authorities. At that point, they will be summoned upward anyway. So there is no need to think about it."
Brother Li chuckled. "But from the way you spoke earlier, it sounded like you wanted them to stay. How come now you say there is no need?"
Brother Zhang explained, "Extreme heat is almost here. Their plan is to move from one base to another until they reach the Capital city base. If the extreme heat strikes while they are still en route, they will have no choice but to stay in whichever base they are at. If they can never arrive smoothly, then why not keep them in our base instead? With such strong abilities, even if they only stayed a short while, they would be a great help. Why let another base benefit?"
Do not blame Brother Zhang for scheming. Having witnessed their abilities firsthand, he truly believed the four were powerful. Even if their stay here was brief, in that time they could bolster the base, instead of letting the R city base gain from them.
But Brother Li had never seen them in action. To him, their abilities sounded strong only because Brother Zhang said so. True, they had helped defeat two tier-one beasts, but in the end, it was the base's explosive arrows that delivered the killing blows. Could that really be counted as the four women's achievement? Not entirely.
So, Brother Li never felt convinced that they were as formidable as Brother Zhang described.
Brother Zhang understood Brother Li's doubt and did not bother to argue. He only said, "Either way, those four will return today. Even if not today, then tomorrow at the latest. By the way, did we not just receive word that another team is returning? Why are you not at the gate to check?"
Brother Li gave him a look. "I did go. But what is there to see? Only to count how many are left alive."
Brother Zhang rose, tugging Brother Li along despite his reluctance, and the two left the medical wing and returned to the hall.
This time they waited two full hours. Finally, when the returning team arrived at the gate, everyone's hearts clenched tight. Because this was the weakest of all ability squads. They had only five members. Yet to everyone's surprise, after disembarking and counting, all five were still alive.
Of course, "alive and intact" only meant their numbers matched and their limbs were whole. After such a mission, small injuries were unavoidable. But for all five to return safely was still a reason to celebrate.
The guards first conducted a full body scan. After confirming no abnormalities, the five were escorted to the medical department. As always, they were treated while simultaneously questioned about what had happened.
Brother Zhang, meanwhile, stayed in the hall, still waiting for Lan Jin and her companions to return.
…
At that moment, Lan Jin and her companions were still inside the space, eating a late breakfast while debating whether to leave. There was no helping it. This decision concerned their long-term survival. They had to be cautious.
Lao Gao pointed at the map spread on the table, chewing his food while calculating routes in his mind.
As Brother Zhang had said, the distance from H city base to the next stop, R city base, was indeed longer. Considering the harsh environment along the way, even a week might not be enough to arrive safely.
Lao Gao said, "We've always assumed the travel time on ice can be calculated like normal road time. That is a mistake. From J city to H city, and from H city to R city base, it is the same problem. Before the end, it took only a week to drive from J city to the Capital city. Even though now the ice has lifted the ground higher, it has not shortened the distance.
Driving on ice is much harder than before. If we meet mutated beasts, or extreme weather, time will drag out even more. You remember Brother Zhang mentioned the next stretch is tougher to travel? What if he was not lying? If the road is bad, we can still endure. But if extreme weather hits and we have no shelter, what then? If there is a house, we can hide inside. If not, then we have nowhere to go."
Hiding in the space could not solve everything. Yes, they could hide, but they had to emerge from the same spot. If deadly hail struck, the space could save them for a moment. But once they came out, the danger would still be waiting. Without shelter, the space was useless.
"And then there's travel time," Lao Gao continued. "Everyone says seven or eight days to reach R city base. But realistically, it will take far longer. I am not trying to pressure anyone. I am just analyzing. You can also share your views. But in my opinion, unless we know exactly when extreme heat will begin, it is too dangerous to move. My advice is we stay put."