"Sterling, it’s that mountain peak up ahead. According to the intel, Professor Lawrence and his team were in this area before he disappeared. They must have gone into the mountains."
Shane Lawrence stood before Stella Sterling, quietly relaying the information he had gathered.
At the mont, they were on a small fishing boat. Stella Sterling stood inside, looking out.
Caeluna had been making big moves recently, recruiting many new people, including even a couple of top-tier talents.
Three days ago, they received word that Professor Lawrence, a top scientist, had gone missing in the Kryllian Mountains.
Even before the apocalypse, Professor Lawrence was internationally renowned. His achievents in the field of technological developnt were extraordinary.
After the apocalypse, many settlents had been searching for him. Recruiting him would be a huge boon for any settlent’s future developnt.
But Professor Lawrence had seemingly vanished since the apocalypse began; no one knew his whereabouts.
It was only recently that his location ca to light. Apparently, before the apocalypse, he and his team were conducting a secret experint and had remained inside their research facility the entire ti.
They were completely unaware of what had happened to the outside world.
Only when he and his team finally erged recently did they realize what the world had beco.
But the situation outside was chaotic now, with a complex web of competing factions.
So, even though many factions wanted to recruit Professor Lawrence, he hadn’t made a decision.
However, he had already caught the attention of many powerful groups.
Thus, when he disappeared near the Kryllian Mountains, many people quickly got the news and rushed over, hoping to be the ones to rescue him.
If they succeeded, Professor Lawrence would naturally join their side.
As soon as Stella Sterling received the news, she ca with a small team.
The terrain of the Kryllian Mountains was complex, even with a small part of it already subrged due to the continuous heavy rains.
Yet, looking at the Kryllian Mountains from the water’s surface, one could still feel their imnse and oppressive scale.
Stella Sterling nodded. "Alright. Pass the word. Tell everyone to get ready."
"We have two main objectives this ti. The first is to rescue Professor Lawrence and his team. The second is to test and train these subordinates."
"And while we’re at it, we’ll see if they’re reliable."
Stella Sterling’s voice was calm and detached.
Aside from Shane Lawrence, the other four mbers on this trip were all new recruits—the four most outstanding perforrs from the latest batch.
That’s why she brought them on this mission: to train and develop them, and also to see if they were truly loyal to her and to Caeluna when it counted.
After all, they were the best of the new recruits. If all went well, they would be heavily invested in and grood to beco her confidants and the backbone of Caeluna.
’For people like them, ability is one thing, but loyalty is far more important to .’
’After all, sworn loyalty ans nothing compared to how soone reacts when things actually get difficult.’
"Sterling, understood."
Shane Lawrence nodded. He understood that if these four could pass the test and make it back alive, they would be given significant responsibilities in the future.
"Sterling, we’re ready."
A mont later, the other four people stood in formation before Stella Sterling. They wore bulletproof vests under their raincoats, carried large packs, held long rifles, and had large blades strapped to their backs. They spoke respectfully.
Stella Sterling turned to face them. "Do your best. When it cos down to it, your survival is the top priority."
Hearing her last sentence, the others were all visibly moved.
’As our boss, Sterling cares so much about our safety.’ Their hearts ward, and they felt that whatever they did for her was worth it.
Stella Sterling led the way, disembarking first. She was in her usual simple attire, a black pack on her back.
The others followed close behind. The two bringing up the rear moored the boat in a hidden spot after they got off, securing it tightly with a grappling line.
The group advanced into the Kryllian Mountains.
Nathan Cheney and another woman took point, clearing a path ahead, while the others ford a protective circle around Stella Sterling.
The path was already difficult, overgrown with weeds. The relentless rain made it worse, stinging their skin even through their clothes.
At tis, the downpour was so heavy they could barely see the path.
But if there was one thing Stella Sterling didn’t lack, it was gear. She had considered all sorts of post-apocalyptic scenarios and had stockpiled a vast amount of equipnt, whether it seed useful or not.
Stella Sterling also placed great importance on Professor Lawrence.
In her past life, by the seventh year of the apocalypse, Professor Lawrence was not only still alive, but his reputation had grown even greater.
Back then, many of his inventions had a huge impact on the post-apocalyptic world. Under his leadership, technology entered a new era.
However, only the major settlents could afford his creations. People like her, who were at the bottom of the social ladder, never had a chance to even co into contact with them.
But even so, she had heard stories.
’This man is an absolute genius. If I can get him to join my settlent, he’ll be an enormous help. At the very least, he’ll save a lot of trouble and dead ends.’
That’s why Stella Sterling took this mission very seriously. Before setting out, she had already fully equipped the people she brought with her.
They were covered from head to toe, minimizing the impact of the heavy rain.
Led by Nathan Cheney and his partner clearing the way, the group pushed forward rapidly, searching for any sign of Professor Lawrence and his team.
Along the way, Stella Sterling spotted tracks left by other groups.
She knew the major settlents wouldn’t easily give up on a top-tier talent like Professor Lawrence.
At the very least, they wouldn’t stand by and watch him join another settlent.
This was a huge opportunity for everyone to get Professor Lawrence to join their own faction.
So there would be no shortage of people looking for him.
However, while she had found traces of other groups, she hadn’t run into any of them.
Because her team was heavily ard and every mber was highly capable, Stella Sterling’s small squad made rapid progress.
They had run into so trouble along the way.
This trouble didn’t co from other people, but from the original inhabitants of the Kryllian Mountains.
This was a remote wilderness, rarely visited by people, and there was no shortage of ferocious beasts within it.
In the two years since the apocalypse began, many desperate, starving people had tried their luck in these deep mountains, but due to insufficient firepower, most of them ended up dead.
Previously, when people nearby couldn’t find any food, they thought about coming in here to hunt. But this wasn’t a place for ordinary people; it was basically a one-way trip.
After this happened several tis, the people in the surrounding area grew fearful and gave up on the idea.
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