You were told to search and attack, but you're supporting Asara?

"No, I'm just a figurehead." Chen Xiao waved his hand. "If it really comes down to a fight, we'll have to rely on you guys."

Wang Yuhao slung the Tiger Crouching Cannon over his shoulder and patted the butt: "I roughly understand the plan, but there's a problem—are Saeed's guards reliable? After all, they are local armed forces in Assara and have no experience in direct confrontation with Hafk. If they back down at the last minute, our escape route will be cut off."

Chen Xiao was silent for a few seconds, recalling the tattered cloak that was fluttering in the wind in the twilight.

"They may not be professional soldiers, but they're experts at fighting Hafk," Chen said with a smile. "And this time, they're not fighting for GTI, they're fighting for themselves. The space base is built on Asara's land; when the rocket launches, the people of Asara don't even have the right to look up."

The room was quiet for a while.

Lina said softly, "I'll go with you."

Chen Xiao turned to look at her: "I said, the outer medical point—"

"I know it's dangerous," Lina interrupted him, her voice soft but firm. "But my 'Butterfly' drone can monitor your vital signs while you infiltrate the control center, so I'll know immediately if you get injured."

Chen Xiao opened her mouth, wanting to refuse, but Mai Xiaowen spoke first: "She's right. The 'Butterfly' drone's life detection function is indeed superior to my drone. Moreover, Lina's medical skills are also a safety net during operations—if any of you get injured, she can treat you on the spot."

"I'm talking about the periphery—"

"Chen Xiao," Lina called him by his name, her blue eyes showing a rare stubbornness. "I won't hold you back. I've received basic combat training, and I have no problem with close-quarters self-defense."

Chen Xiao looked at her and remembered how she struggled to prop herself up in the ruins of Asara to launch a drone to rescue people, how she was reserved when she stuffed the towel into his hand, and how naturally she handed him the scalding hot tea just now.

"Okay," he said, "but you promise me one thing: if things go wrong, retreat immediately. Your life is more important than the communication system."

Lina paused for a moment, her ears turning slightly red, and then lowered her head to reply, "Mm."

Mai Xiaowen coughed and said sarcastically, "Oh my, why is the atmosphere so weird? Wang Yuhao, can't you feel it?"

Wang Yuhao looked up blankly: "Huh?"

"Forget it, what could someone as dense as you possibly sense?" Mai Xiaowen rolled her eyes and turned to Chen Xiao. "So, when is the operation scheduled?"

"Three days later," Chen said with a smile, "Hafk's batch of rockets will land at three o'clock that afternoon. We must implant the 'Minerva' program into the launch system before the rocket's return capsule lands, and then take it into space during the return capsule's ascent."

Wang Yuhao stood up and stretched his shoulders: "Then let's hurry up and get ready. I'll go check the equipment and say hello to the instructors."

"I'm going to scout out the terrain of the space base." Mai Xiaowen also started packing her things. "Three days is enough time for me to figure out the troop deployment."

The two left the lounge one after the other, leaving only Chen Xiao and Lina inside.

A breeze blew in through the window, carrying the dryness and coolness unique to Asara nights. The black tea in the enamel mug had gone cold, but Chen Xiao still picked it up and took a sip.

Lina stood up, took the empty enamel mug from his hand, walked to the door, glanced back at him, and the moonlight shone on her face, making her blue eyes look like two stars.

Goodnight, Chen Xiao.

The door closed.

Chen Xiao got up, opened the window, and gave the cold, impersonal satellites in the night sky the middle finger.

"Wait."

······

Three days passed in a flash amidst the intensive preparations.

Chen Xiao barely slept. The Special Operations Department's production line roared 24 hours a day, the combat department was rushing to produce level 4 rounds, the medical department was filling stimulants, and the logistics department was stacking bulletproof plates into containers one by one. The freckled girl—he nicknamed her "Little Sparrow"—had already managed the Special Operations Department in low-power mode with great efficiency, and even took the initiative to compile an inventory list, marking shortages with red, yellow, and green.

"Agent Chen, the combat department's Level 4 ammunition inventory has reached 3,720 rounds, exceeding your requirement of 2,000 rounds." Xiao Que stood beside the control panel, holding a data tablet in her hand. "The medical department's combat stimulants and physical enhancement agents have been completed, leaving 37 short of the 300 you promised."

"That's enough." Chen Xiao rubbed his temples. "Said won't count them one by one either."

"In addition, of the five regular arrivals you marked, four have already registered their identities with the Special Operations Department. Among them, the IDs '臣乃武将不善言辞' and '二员架枪不封烟' entered Dam Zero early this morning."

Chen Xiao was taken aback: "What are they doing?"

"I'm not sure, but according to the location signal, it's near the east building of Dam Zero, less than 200 meters from Sayid's camp."

Chen Xiao's lips twitched. These two clowns must have been conscripted by Said.

He glanced at the time; there were still two hours until the rocket's scheduled landing. The operation was scheduled for 2:45 PM, and Hafk's return capsule would land precisely at 3:00 PM. They had to complete the data upload before 5:00 PM.

"Send our communication channel to Sayed and let him connect."

Little Sparrow nodded, stood beside the control panel, and tapped a few times on the keyboard: "Sent. Crimson Owl 'Said Ziaten' has connected to the encrypted channel."

Then a deep, husky voice rang out in everyone's headphones: "I can hear you."

A deep, husky voice swept through everyone's ears.

After Sayed's voice faded into the channel, there was a silence that lasted for several seconds.

Wang Yuhao subconsciously touched his earphones, his expression strangely unsettling. Sharing a communication channel with a warlord gave him a novel feeling he had never experienced before.

Mai Xiaowen clicked her tongue softly and turned down the volume of the tactical tablet by one notch, as if that would also lower Said's voice. Only Lina remained silent, acting as if a new colleague had arrived.

Uluru remained silent.

Chen Xiao didn't say anything more about the introduction, but glanced at his watch and said, "Time synchronization complete. Everyone, check your equipment. We'll depart in five minutes."

The SUV drove out of the rescue station, kicking up a trail of yellow dust. Wang Yuhao was driving, with Mai Xiaowen and Lina crammed into the back seat.

Saeed arrived early. He leaned against a dilapidated pickup truck, his crimson mask gleaming in the blazing sun. Behind him stood Farid, Hakim, Karim, and dozens of fully armed guards. The officer and two men crouched at the very back of the column, fiddling with the level-two body armor and M16A4 they'd unearthed from the guard's warehouse, looking like two huskies that'd wandered into a pack of wolves.

Chen Xiao rubbed his temples: "Old Sai, if I'm not mistaken, you brought two GTI players, right?"

Sayid glanced at the two at the back of the line without changing his expression: "We're short-handed, borrow two. Didn't you say 'us'?"