I started with a portal, then turned around and handed it over to the nation.

"You are the core of the operation, and the only key. Once we get there, don't be reckless, stick close to Long Fei. Your life is worth more than that priest's head."

Zhao Zhenguo paused for a moment: "Remember, we not only have to win, but we also have to bring everyone back."

Lin Mo pursed his lips and nodded heavily.

"Meeting adjourned!"

Zhao Zhenguo waved his hand.

"Splash—"

Everyone stood up at the same time, the sound of chairs being moved was uniform.

Without any unnecessary words, everyone grabbed the documents in front of them, turned around, and rushed out of the conference room.

......

It's 3 a.m. There is no night at the Great Wall Base.

The silence was shattered by a piercing metallic scraping sound.

"Move the boom three degrees to the left! Slow down! That's a high-explosive warhead, not some fucking potato!"

In the loading area, a sergeant in an oil-stained training uniform waved a red signal flag and shouted at the gantry crane operator.

The massive steel cables were taut and made a creaking sound that made your teeth ache.

In mid-air, a seven-meter-long dark green launch box is slowly descending.

Below is a PHL-03 300mm long-range rocket launcher, its massive body mounted on an off-road chassis.

Twelve thick directional tubes pointed diagonally towards the sky, their muzzles dark and menacing.

"Click".

The latch clicked shut with a crisp sound.

"Connect hydraulic lines! Fire control system self-test!"

The sergeant wiped the sweat and grime from his face, not even bothering to catch his breath, and turned to kick a tire beside him: "Don't just stand there! Next one! Hurry up!"

Everyone in the base was working frantically, without stopping for a moment.

The air was thick with the strange smells of diesel fuel and welding, and a sense of unease before a major battle was spreading.

Liu Jianjun stood on the platform of the material distribution center, his walkie-talkie never putting down.

"No! I said no!"

He shouted into the walkie-talkie until his voice was almost hoarse:

"Don't take those solar panels down! They're very useful for energy conservation!"

"But Commander Liu, the load is heavy..."

"Don't talk to me about load capacity! Throw away those compressed biscuits! Replace them with self-heating rice!"

"Also, make sure to keep three extra barrels of hydraulic oil on those two excavators. If they break down, I'll twist your head off and use it as a football!"

Liu Jianjun hung up the call, slammed his safety helmet on the table, and turned to look at his adjutant who was checking the list:

"Have the modular prefabricated houses from the Night Watch engineering team arrived yet?"

"We've arrived, and they're loading the truck. But..." the adjutant hesitated.

"But what?"

"They brought too much cement and steel bars, exceeding the weight limit by 15 percent."

Liu Jianjun took a deep breath, his eyes bloodshot.

He grabbed a pen and made a heavy mark on a list: "Remove the unnecessary!"

……

On the other side of the base, the atmosphere was completely different.

There was no noisy mechanical roar here, only the sound of orderly footsteps and the crisp sound of gun bolts being pulled back.

The Night's Watch special operations team is making final preparations.

This team is strange.

Half of them were fully armed, their exoskeletons covered with magazines and grenades, and their eyes were sharp.

The other half of the person was also wearing a bulletproof vest, but instead of a gun, they were holding a total station, a geological hammer, and engineering drawings in a roll.

"Listen up, everyone."

Wu Qian stood at the front of the line. His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the empty hangar.

"Engineering team, you have only one mission: to turn that dilapidated camp into a fortress within forty-eight hours."

"If there's no wall, fill it with sandbags. If there's no foundation, lay steel plates. Even if you have to gnaw it with your teeth, you have to gnaw a line of defense for me."

He turned to look at the combat unit on the other side.

"As for you."

Wu Qian's gaze swept over those young yet resolute faces:

"You are the shield. When the engineers are working, you are the wall. If even a mosquito flies into the construction site, that's your dereliction of duty."

"Do you understand!"

"clear!"

The roar shook the dust off the hangar ceiling.

Long Fei leaned against the jeep by the door, a cigarette dangling from his lips, watching the group of greenhorns.

"That's interesting."

Long Fei turned his head and said to Zhang Yi beside him, "Look at that kid carrying the flamethrower, his hands are steady, and his eyes don't wander. He's tough."

Zhang Yi was wiping his bomb disposal robot when he heard this. He glanced up and said, "That was borrowed from the Southern Theater Command. I heard it was used for mine clearance on the border. But..."

Zhang Yi threw the rag on the ground: "Compared to us, they're still a bit green."

"Don't underestimate them," Lin Mo's voice came from behind.

Lin Mo changed into a new combat uniform, with the collar open, and carried a black helmet in his hand.

After a night of turmoil, his face was somewhat pale, but his eyes were deep.

Lin Mo walked to Long Fei's side and looked at the rocket launchers in the distance that were being loaded with ammunition:

"Magic... this thing, you can't see it or touch it, yet it can kill silently."

Long Fei patted Lin Mo on the shoulder:

"Don't worry. As long as it has a health bar, I can empty it. If it doesn't have a health bar..."

Long Fei pointed to the dark, gaping muzzles of the cannons:

"Then clear the map."

……

The noise was left behind.

Lin Mo walked through the long corridor and arrived at a corner of the base's living area.

The lights here are warm yellow, and there are several potted plants on both sides of the corridor. Although some of the leaves have turned yellow, they seem especially precious in this steel base.

Psychological counseling room.

The doorplate is a bit old.

Lin Mo stood at the door and took a deep breath.

He raised his hand, just about to knock on the door.

"Click".

The lock turned, and the door opened from the inside.

Ye Qing was wearing a simple gray knit sweater and holding an unfinished medical record in her hand.

Eyes facing each other.

Ye Qing was stunned for a moment, and the file in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Before Lin Mo could bend down to pick it up, Ye Qing, carrying the scent of jasmine, bumped into his arms.

She rushed forward, wrapped her arms tightly around Lin Mo's waist, buried her face in his chest, and her strength was astonishing.

There were no small talk, no formalities.

There was only one real hug.

Lin Mo's stiff arm slowly rose and finally gently landed on her back, patting it lightly.

I could feel the person in my arms trembling slightly.

Several seconds later, Ye Qing finally released her grip and took a half step back.

Her eyes were a little red as she looked Lin Mo up and down, her fingers gently brushing against a crease on his collar, her voice slightly hoarse:

"I'm back."

"Yes, you're back." Lin Mo looked at her, forcing a smile.

Ye Qing sniffed, quickly regaining her composure, but the worry in her eyes was impossible to hide.

She picked up the file from the ground, dusted it off, and casually asked:

"This mission must have received a very high rating, right? Judging from the commotion outside, it's even more lively than Chinese New Year."

She looked up, meeting Lin Mo's eyes: "Like last time? Leaving in a month?"

The corridor fell silent.

The slight smile on Lin Mo's face slowly disappeared.

He looked at Ye Qing's hopeful eyes, remained silent for two seconds, and then slowly shook his head.

"No."

Lin Mo's voice was soft, yet heavy:

"Six days later."