Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 422

Li Zhuiyuan closed the book in his hand and looked up at Lin Shuyou, who was still stunned by Tan Wenbin's coaxing.

The red sausages that Lu Yi used to bring to his dormitory were all produced by the meat processing plant. They were used to pay his parents' wages when the plant was not doing well. How could they taste the same as those from an ordinary family?

Tan Wenbin has good hearing. He heard the uncles and aunts who were drying sausages in the yard talking about their son, Lu Yi.

Lu Yi was busy in the kitchen when he vaguely heard a familiar voice coming from the yard. When he came out to take a look, it was indeed Ayou. He immediately ran over and warmly invited everyone to get out of the car and come over as guests.

Xue Liangliang and Luo Gong's team hadn't arrived in Ji'an yet, and Li Zhuiyuan had nowhere to report for duty, so he accepted the invitation.

Tan Wenbin settled the fare with the truck driver, put his hands on his hips, looked around, and realized that the town was in the middle of nowhere, and there was nowhere to buy a gift.

Lu Yi saw through it and said directly, "You absolutely mustn't try that."

Tan Wenbin smiled and said, "Hey, isn't that exactly what I was waiting for you to say? Only then would I have the nerve to go in empty-handed."

Lu Yi's home is in Harbin, and this is his maternal grandmother's home.

Lu Yi took a special leave from Jinling to come back for his grandmother's 70th birthday.

His grandparents passed away early, and when he was young, his parents were busy with work, so he was raised by his maternal grandmother.

Later, when his parents were less busy with work, the factory was not doing well and couldn't pay wages. His grandmother asked his uncles to regularly pool their money and send it to Lu Yi to cover his tuition and other expenses.

When the meat processing plant was converted from a public to a private enterprise, my grandmother took out her savings for her funeral and had several of my uncles' families contribute some money as well. Otherwise, Lu Yi's parents wouldn't have had the money to take on the contract.

Taking advantage of the birthday celebration, Lu Yi's father brought cash to distribute dividends to his brothers-in-law. When it came to his grandmother's share, she refused it, saying that it should be distributed proportionally to the younger brothers. She had insisted that they share the money, which probably earned her some resentment in her own families.

Once the matter was laid bare, everyone laughed together.

Today it's just our family eating; we'll host a feast for the villagers tomorrow.

The courtyard was bustling with activity, everyone chatting and laughing, creating a wonderful family atmosphere.

Tan Wenbin led everyone to wish his grandmother a happy birthday and say some auspicious words.

Grandma knew them and was grateful for their help to Lu Yi at school.

This was just a small favor for Tan Wenbin and his colleagues, but for Lu Yi, who was in a difficult economic situation at the time, it was like a timely rain after a long drought.

Grandma liked Li Zhuiyuan. She held the boy's hand and made him sit on the edge of her bed, saying many things to him.

Lu Yi stood waiting outside the door, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

He knew that the boy was usually aloof and didn't like socializing, and he was really afraid that his grandmother's nagging would make Xiao Yuan feel uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Xiao Yuan was very considerate of his pride and made his grandmother laugh heartily during the conversation.

When they came out after their conversation, Lu Yi said apologetically:
"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Xiaoyuan."

Li Zhuiyuan: "My maternal grandmother was a very kind person."

When it was time to eat, traditional Northeastern hearty dishes were served, and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

After dinner, find a spot in the yard to lie down or lean against something, and with a gentle breeze blowing, it's incredibly comfortable.

I stayed at my second uncle Lu Yi's house that night. I had just lain down when I received a call from Xue Liangliang, saying that he and his teacher would arrive in Ji'an the next morning.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan and the others bid farewell to Lu Yi's grandmother and went to meet her.

It is truly precious to be able to enjoy such a pleasant rest before an important event.

The project team already had a high level of confidentiality, especially after what happened last time, so the security arrangements and identity verification this time were even more stringent.

The guesthouse was not enough, so the military retirement home next door was also temporarily "cleared out". The retired cadres were very conscientious and not only cooperated with the work, but also took the initiative to replenish the kitchen and some daily necessities before leaving.

Li Zhuiyuan met Engineer Luo in the courtyard of a small building. After recuperating, Engineer Luo had become much thinner, like a sword that had been re-sharpened and made even sharper.

Engineer Luo was in a small meeting. After the meeting ended, he went inside and started a large meeting with everyone in the living room.

They were all from the project team. Engineer Luo assigned tasks, and Xue Liangliang was responsible for organizing and explaining.

Everyone obtained the classified documents from that time as well as the first-hand surveying data.

For the next period of time, I cut off all contact with the outside world and started working.

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou were already in the project team, while Runsheng was assigned by Xue Liangliang to be in charge of some logistical work, such as moving blueprints and carrying thermos bottles.

As the work progressed, Li Zhuiyuan was able to glimpse part of the Goguryeo tomb from the design drawings.

The information and clues gathered above were far more than Li Zhuiyuan had anticipated.

Moreover, being able to clear away the fog in advance when facing such large waves while crossing the river is a huge advantage. In the past, simply groping around would have been an extremely difficult and dangerous task.

Most importantly, those who help you, or rather, the collective, need not worry about any backlash from Heaven.

Of course, for Li Zhuiyuan, the simplest way was to directly ask it in the "Wordless Book":

Come on, tell me about the lighting layout and common area ratio of your house.

In fact, when the civil defense project was being built, we had already noticed something near the project, and we had discovered some things one after another during the construction period.

However, each era has its own principal contradictions, and at that time, there simply wasn't the practical condition to address both simultaneously.

When the project was nearing completion, a major problem suddenly arose.

The first investigation was launched against that backdrop.

The first investigation failed. Although the impact was suppressed, the losses were considerable.

Everything should be about cost-effectiveness. There are too many unsolved mysteries in this world, and not every place is worth exploring and deciphering.

The direct reason for launching this second investigation was that during the first investigation, a surviving researcher brought out a special piece of ore.

With the development of industry and the advancement of various technologies, the value of this ore has been increasing, and it is said that it can be applied to many cutting-edge fields.

The early civil defense works were embedded in the mountain. After the incident, water kept flooding in and filling it, like a moat, enclosing the Goguryeo tomb.

Therefore, the first step is to drain the water and develop a construction plan to ensure that flooding does not occur again during subsequent exploration and future excavation.

No matter how difficult the technical problems are, they are not the real problem. The real problem lies in the fact that, in addition to technical issues, there are also mystical factors at play.

The new information Li Zhuiyuan was holding described the environment at the scene as follows: there may be special magnetic field interference or some kind of hallucinogenic poison gas inside the mountain.

In short, no matter how bizarre reality may be, when it comes to official documents, it must be presented in a scientific way.

into the night.

No one went back to their assigned room to sleep; at most, they would go back for a cold shower to clear their head before returning.

Xue Liangliang brought several draft proposals to look at with Li Zhuiyuan.

The project team has computers, but they are both convenient and troublesome. Xue Liangliang still prefers to use Xiao Yuan's brain, and other groups will also borrow them in the name of their group leaders.

Li Zhuiyuan took a pen and marked several key locations, then said:
"There are problems with the data from these places."

Xue Liang nodded, first handing the plan back to the team below for recalculation and modification, then came back with two large meat buns.

The military retirement home is equipped with a special canteen that provides food all day long. Runsheng is in charge of getting the food. When he sits there with nothing to do, he stuffs a steamed bun into his mouth.

Li Zhuiyuan took the steamed bun from Xue Liangliang and took a bite.

Xue Liangliang: "The on-site survey will be conducted the day after tomorrow."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Xue Liangliang: "The teacher told me to cross your name off the surveying group."

Li Zhuiyuan took a second bite of the bun. The meat filling contained scallions, which were both fragrant and refreshing.

Xue Liangliang: "It was not easy, but I finally managed to persuade the teacher."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The hardest part shouldn't be getting the teacher's approval to put your name on the list."

Xue Liangliang: "Part of the reason is that teachers are not allowed to go to the front line, so as a student, I have to go, which can be considered as fulfilling his wish."

The main reason is that knowing it's dangerous there, letting others go and shouting "Follow me!" are completely different concepts.

Li Zhuiyuan: "From a broader perspective, you really don't need to go."

Xue Liangliang: "Then you should stay too. You're younger and have more potential than me."

A confidential resume that is not publicly disclosed does not mean that no one can see it.

If you didn't back down in the most dangerous places and took the initiative to go up, then you are a comrade who has been tested.

It is extremely important for one's future. Even the best personal connections can only pave the way for you, but this is equivalent to pouring cement.

But Xue Liangliang wasn't after that, nor did he urgently need it.

"Xiao Yuan, over here!"

Another group needs to borrow a computer.

Li Zhuiyuan got up and walked over.

When Li Zhuiyuan returned after completing the simulation, he saw Xue Liangliang sitting there, dozing off.

The boy knew why Xue Liangliang insisted on joining the survey team. Although he had never said it outright and no one had told him, Xue Liangliang, being so clever, probably had already guessed that he had some kind of "protective charm".

Xue Liangliang opened his eyes, stretched, and his fatigue disappeared, replaced by boundless energy.

He stood up and went back to his work.

These kinds of people are simply born with boundless energy.

At the same time, at a road construction site, Zhao Yi and Xu Ming were busy working.

The road on one side was being widened, while trucks kept passing by on the other side. The dust that filled the air was like a showerhead, drenching people again and again.

The Liang sisters were assigned to work in a nearby canteen.

During a break between project goals, everyone generally lost their appetite and started sitting down and smoking.

"Pooh."

Zhao Yi spat out the sand from his mouth, took out his pipe, and lit it for himself.

He was assigned here by Xue Liangliang. Considering his own circumstances, if he wanted a front-line position, then he could only go here.

"Xu Ming."

"Hmm, boss?"

"After I finish my journey across the river, I must go to university and get a diploma."

……

The survey team is about to enter the site.

Li Zhuiyuan and the others were seated in the car. Runsheng was also there; he was a special spot allocated by Engineer Luo to help the team carry surveying equipment.

First, they waited at one place, then met up with several other teams, and then waited at another place before finally transferring to green-cab trucks and heading to their destination.

At first, you could see the flow of people and vehicles outside and hear the noise of the city through the gaps in the shed, but after a while, the surroundings were replaced by quiet.

When the car stopped, everyone got off.

What comes into view is a large construction site that has been fenced off, and to the east is a mountain.

Xue Liangliang gave final instructions, and then the various survey teams separated and went to their respective locations.

Each group was accompanied by dedicated security personnel, and Li Zhuiyuan's group also had a second group of people accompanying him.

Upon arrival at the location, equipment was set up, and data collection began; everything proceeded smoothly and efficiently.

As they moved to the next survey point and were packing up their equipment, Li Zhuiyuan noticed one of the people in another group holding a compass and observing the feng shui.

They, like our side, have tests, reports, and records.

The man holding the compass was very young, looking like he had just come of age. He was not tall, had long knuckles, and thick calluses in certain places.

This person has been involved in feng shui since childhood. Every time he reports data, he first reads out the result and then verifies it by looking at the compass in his hand.

This compass may look ordinary, but it is actually an exquisite artifact that has been around for many years.

The young man's background is not simple; he must belong to a sect or family in the martial arts world.

Noticing the boy's gaze, the young man turned his head and glanced at Li Zhuiyuan.

He smiled, revealing very white teeth that gave off a false sense of sunshine, but there was a hint of arrogance in his eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan had seen this expression many times before.

He had already killed many such proud sons of heaven on the river.

"How old are you?"

"twelve."

"You can get here at twelve?" the young man exclaimed in surprise. "Incredible, incredible!"

That concluded their first exchange.

Li Zhuiyuan has changed positions, but they remain in the same spot.

After changing positions several times, the two sides reunited.

There seemed to be some kind of impatience in the young man's heart.

Li Zhuiyuan could understand his feelings.

The biggest problem with the feng shui here is that there are no problems at all.

Having the young master of a powerful feng shui family perform the simplest aura reading for you here would undoubtedly be a waste of his time.

He was already showing his frustration; every time he rattled off data, his tone was laced with irritation.

Li Zhuiyuan had no idea what he was dissatisfied with; even he, from the Dragon King's family, was dutifully reporting location data.

Without further communication, Li Zhuiyuan focused on the measurement.

As soon as he reported a set of data, the boy noticed a special change in the feng shui and weather above his head.

He turned his head to look at the young man beside him, who was holding a compass and shaking it towards the sky.

This is a very standard feng shui observation method: first, stir up the water, then see if there is any truth that has been obscured.

However, it is clearly inappropriate to use it in such a sensitive place.

At that moment, a sharp gaze swept past Li Zhuiyuan and landed on the young man.

The young man's body immediately stiffened, and he lowered his head to take a deep breath.

He immediately reached into his pocket, pulled out a white handkerchief, and covered his face to catch the blood flowing from his eyes and prevent it from falling to the ground. Li Zhuiyuan pretended not to notice anything and continued to look at his instruments, but while taking measurements, he glanced at the flat ground below and saw a middle-aged man with a square face standing there with his hands behind his back.

That gaze came from him.

In an instant, the energy of the young man was sealed off, and the attack penetrated his consciousness, causing him to suffer a backlash.

This is a silent warning.

The middle-aged man was clearly not a practitioner of feng shui. To Li Zhuiyuan, he seemed more like a martial artist who specialized in physical training. It was extremely rare for a martial artist to be able to condense his aura to such a degree.

That's the advantage of having this identity—it allows you to combine your personal efforts with the progress of the general trend.

Even though he was walking on the river by himself, he somehow managed to have such a skilled bodyguard protecting him.

Moreover, there is more than one such expert.

An elderly man dressed in a Taoist robe walked out of the tent, looking in this direction and muttering to himself.

Yes, Li Zhuiyuan understood. This was an elderly person warmly inquiring about the well-being of the young man's parents, grandparents, and other elders.

The fact that the old man could so brazenly insult a young master of a powerful martial arts faction shows that his status in the martial arts world is definitely not low.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't recognize the old man, but Zhao Yi might, given Zhao Yi's wide circle of friends and illustrious reputation.

When it was lunchtime, everyone from each project and group started to rest on the spot, eating their dry food and drinking water.

The food and water were distributed in the truck. Before departure, they were checked and not allowed to carry too many personal belongings. Li Zhuiyuan and the others left their backpacks at the military retirement home.

This was a good arrangement for Li Zhuiyuan. He did not intend to enter the Goguryeo tomb so hastily. At least for this stage, he planned to follow the government's lead.

If I bring the "Book Without Words" with me, it might suddenly target me and cause some unexpected trouble.

Meals and rest are scheduled according to the rules. Overtime work and speeding up the process are not allowed. The goal is to ensure that everyone eats well, rests well, and maintains a good condition. This is also to prepare for possible changes and at least ensure that everyone has the strength to escape.

The young man sat not far away; after wiping the blood with a white handkerchief until it turned red, the bleeding stopped.

There was no resentment on his face, only apprehension, which meant he knew he would be punished again. However, he looked much better than at the beginning.

After a break, everyone got back to work.

According to the blueprints, the next location for Li Zhuiyuan's team was just above the entrance to the civil defense project.

The real entrance was blocked long ago.

The soil in this area is moist and loose, which means there is an underground river underneath.

While setting up the equipment, Tan Wenbin discovered a hole, about the size of a rabbit hole.

Upon closer inspection of the hole, three more holes were discovered, some large and some small. The large ones were big enough for a person to crawl out, while the small ones were only big enough for an eel to emerge.

What they have in common is that all four holes are "fresh".

Li Zhuiyuan guessed that this should be the location where the four escapees fled.

The boy made a record of this place in his observation book.

Regarding other information about the interior of the Goguryeo tomb, Li Zhuiyuan didn't really need to ask "Ye Dui," because at this point, no matter what "Ye Dui" said, he wouldn't know if it was true or false.

But to ensure there were no logical inconsistencies in the final scene, Li Zhuiyuan still asked.

Ye Dui is also highly professional, and like Li Zhuiyuan, it doesn't want to give itself away to the young man at this crucial moment.

He said he did not know the specifics.

For most of the time, his activities were limited to his own and Wei Zhengdao's two cells. As for the external environment, too many years had passed between his imprisonment and his escape. During the escape, he was only concerned with desperately running away and was afraid of being caught again, so he didn't have time to observe it.

Now that Li Zhuiyuan has located the four holes, he believes that the four escapees would have instinctively chosen the safest and shortest route when they were escaping.

Therefore, when blasting and dewatering in the next phase of construction, it is best to use the original entrance as the current entrance.

Another group of people arrived, and Runsheng paused in his movements because they were holding Yellow River shovels.

The leader was a young woman who looked to be just an adult.

After arriving in the area, she led a group of people, using Yellow River shovels to probe and dig around, while also making records.

When the young girl passed by Li Zhuiyuan, the boy couldn't smell the scent of youth and beauty on her; instead, he smelled a strong, stale odor.

Finish work before dark.

Instead of leaving immediately, we had to gather together and line up to pass by the temporary black tents.

In the front half of the tent, there are doctors in white coats who will give you a basic physical examination; the back half is pitch black, and you have to walk through it one by one.

When Li Zhuiyuan passed through, he noticed that the array beneath his feet was flashing, and there should be two large Bagua mirrors on both sides.

After the inspection, you can queue up to board the bus and leave.

Instead of returning to the military retirement home, they were assigned to a newly built camp nearby.

The campsite has various living tents, showers, and hot meals.

The explanation given internally is that they need to continue surveying in the next day or two, and staying here saves them time from having to travel back to the city.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that this should also be considered a temporary observation and isolation measure.

Since Li Zhuiyuan and the others were in the second batch to be transported to the camp, there were already quite a few people in the camp when they arrived.

As Li Zhuiyuan passed a tent, he heard a low-pitched reprimand coming from inside.

I heard the name of the person being insulted: Wen Xinhe.

That is, the boy who was very close to me today.

He was kneeling on the ground being punished, and the rattan cane was being lashed at him again and again.

Ideological education takes time, and there's definitely not enough time right now, so let's just use family discipline. Anyway, we're tough guys.

Too lazy to eavesdrop, Li Zhuiyuan followed the number to his and the others' dormitory tent.

Along the way, Li Zhuiyuan also encountered that square-faced big man.

During the day, you can see them from a distance, but when you get close, the sense of pressure they exert is even stronger.

It's no exaggeration to say that you can almost hear his heartbeat when he walks past you.

Uncle Qin had carried out many missions at the behest of his grandmother.

However, the person in front of him is not only incomparable to the current Uncle Qin, but also to the Uncle Qin of the past.

When I first met Uncle Qin, he gave me a simple and gentle feeling.

Li Zhuiyuan now knows that this is called restraining one's aura.

The square-faced man was clearly more interested in Runsheng, and his gaze remained fixed on Runsheng.

Although Runsheng could sense that the other party had a very strong physique, Runsheng was not interested in him. After all, Runsheng had experienced hardship in his apprenticeship.

The square-faced man wanted to ask something, but due to regulations, he didn't, and the two passed each other by.

Xue Liangliang was among the first to return, sharing a tent with Li Zhuiyuan. When Li Zhuiyuan lifted the curtain to come in, Xue Liangliang was compiling data.

People cannot leave the camp, but the data will be sent back to the rear immediately for timely use.

Xue Liangliang: "After being soaked in water, there were indeed quite a few changes in the old data."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Xue Liangliang tidied up the notes and put them in his bag: "I'm going to hand them over. I have to attend two small meetings here later, so don't wait for me."

Oh, by the way, the cafeteria is over there, the showers are over there, and the grocery store is over there; they have your favorite Jianlibao there.

After Xue Liangliang left, Li Zhuiyuan went to take a shower first.

The makeshift bathhouse was only separated by gender, and the conditions were rudimentary, with everyone meeting naked.

Li Zhuiyuan, who had experienced the collective showers in the school dormitory, didn't think much of it.

After showering, I felt much better. Looking at the surrounding campsites, I felt like I was actually camping.

Runsheng went to collect his meal, then Tan Wenbin collected his, then Lin Shuyou collected his, and finally Li Zhuiyuan also collected his.

It's not that the amount distributed was insufficient, but rather that this tent consumed too much food.

Chen Xiyuan had taught them how to control their metabolism, but that method was only suitable for everyday life with low energy expenditure. Although there was no fighting or any major incidents today, everyone was on high alert at all times. The whole day was more tiring than a battle, so they naturally ate more.

While we were eating, the young woman I had seen during the day and her companions came over, each carrying a wooden bucket.

They lived in the tent opposite each other; they were neighbors living door to door.

The young woman glanced casually in this direction, then paused, noticing the huge pile of small tables behind her.

This actually exposes the fact.

Even an average big eater couldn't possibly eat that much, and in this place, no one would be so foolish as to deliberately waste public resources and take advantage of the public.

Anyone with experience in the martial arts world or martial arts training knows that martial artists have a large appetite, and the more powerful they are, the larger their appetite becomes.

Chen Xiyuan's appetite was much greater than that of Runsheng and the other two.

The young woman pointed in a direction, then pointed to the bucket in her hand, and said:

"There's a special canteen over there for us; you can get your food from a bucket."

Tan Wenbin: "Thank you."

The woman didn't ask any more questions and went back to her tent to eat, carrying her bucket.

Tan Wenbin sniffed: "Brother Xiao Yuan, it seems like you're in the same industry."

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "It's still different. Her family shouldn't need to be assigned to a pier, and even if they were, they wouldn't be qualified to come here."

Lin Shuyou: "There are many powerful figures in the martial arts world here."

Tan Wenbin: "This is normal. Even the underworld has to serve the people."

After dinner, the campsite became much quieter, with many people sitting outside their tents enjoying the breeze and chatting.

Li Zhuiyuan sat at the door, and the young woman in the opposite tent also sat at her door, bringing out a basin of hot water to soak her feet.

Lin Shuyou went to the food supply department and picked up a case of Jianlibao.

Following Tan Wenbin's instructions, they took two decks of cards and started playing a three-player version of Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game).

In Nantong, the traditional way to play Dou Dizhu is with four people, but if there are four people, Xiao Yuan Ge has to be included, then no one else will have a good gaming experience.

Runsheng learned to play cards from a young age, influenced by his grandfather.

Tan Wenbin's skills in reading people and even listening to their heartbeats were useless to Runsheng.

As for Ah-you, he also has a servant boy who helps him calculate the cards.

In the end, Ayou lost the most and his face was covered with paper strips.

As it turns out, two bad players together will only play worse.

After it was over, Ayou sat in the corner with his eyes closed and didn't move. It was obvious that he was arguing with Tongzi about who should take the blame.

It's about time; it's time to rest.

Xue Liangliang returned with a flashlight. Instead of rushing into the tent, he lifted the curtain and said to Li Zhuiyuan, "Xiaoyuan, Old Zhai just finished his meeting. He wants to talk to you for a while."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Old Zhai is here?"

Xue Liangliang: "Yes, he's here. I only found out during the meeting that what Elder Zhai meant to the higher-ups was that our teachers were already in charge at the rear, so he came here to take charge."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Where are you?"

Xue Liangliang: "Come on, I'll take you there."

Li Zhuiyuan followed Xue Liangliang out of the tent.

He knew that Elder Zhai had come to Ji'an and was staying in the military retirement home at the time, but Elder Zhai did not take the initiative to call him. Since he had the "Wordless Book" with him, he would not take the initiative to go.

Now that the "Wordless Book" has been legally and compliantly kept temporarily in the military retirement home, Old Zhai will be seeing me soon.

In this respect, I, as a "teacher," am truly reliable.

Mr. Zhai's tent served as both his office and meeting room.

When Li Zhuiyuan came in, Old Zhai was wearing reading glasses and looking at blueprints under a desk lamp.

He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and saw Li Zhuiyuan. A kind smile appeared on his face.

Li Zhuiyuan returned the smile, while also glancing at his shadow, which appeared to be normal at the moment.

There were no personal instructions or secret strategies; what followed was simply a normal conversation between Elder Zhai, Li Zhuiyuan, and Xue Liangliang.

During this time, the desk lamp went out once due to a problem with the generator.

In Xue Liangliang's perception, it only took less than half a minute. Just as he was about to get up and go out to inquire about the situation, the power was restored.

But with Li Zhuiyuan, the moment the lights went out, the boy felt as if a layer of cold, greasy liquid had covered him.

The boy held his breath, as if one breath would inhale all the despair and madness from the underworld into his lungs.

Once the power came back on, that feeling subsided.

Just as Li Zhuiyuan was about to take a breath, the boy's eyes narrowed: Something's wrong!

Old Zhai: "The phone's ringing. Haha, you must be tired from the day. You'll have to continue surveying there tomorrow, so I won't keep you talking for too long. Go back and rest early."

Finally, remember to be careful at work. You are all your teacher's precious treasures; he would rather have an accident himself than see anything happen to you.

Li Zhuiyuan and Xue Liangliang bid farewell to Elder Zhai and stepped out of the tent.

After stepping out of the tent, Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the starry sky.

Old Zhai's tent originally had a south-facing door, but now, as he stepped out of the tent, he was facing north.

Xue Liangliang: "Xiao Yuan, I left my flashlight inside. I'll go back and get it."

Li Zhuiyuan: "No need, I'll take it."

"Snapped!"

Li Zhuiyuan turned on the flashlight.

The beam of light shone forward, illuminating a group of people walking side-by-side, chatting and laughing...

"Xue Liangliang" and "Li Zhuiyuan".

(End of this chapter)