"Are you heading out again!"
Qingqing, Xuanxuan, Lin Su’er, Su Yuya, Zi Yun, Xiao Yingying, and Li Sijie all stepped out.
"When are you leaving?"
"Right now."
"Wow, Xiaodong, can’t you not go?" Li Sijie walked up and grabbed Song Xiaodong’s hand.
"Sijie, I have to go. Dragon Gate is under the country’s protection, and it’s only right that we do so things for the nation."
"Brother Xiaodong!" Lin Su’er rushed up and hugged Song Xiaodong.
"Alright, focus on your work, you’ve got a lot to do at the hospital." Song Xiaodong patted Lin Su’er’s head.
"Sister Xianling! I can’t bear to leave you!" Xiao Yingying hugged Chu Xianling tightly.
With reluctance all around, Song Xiaodong, Sun Yiyi, and Chu Xianling started packing and headed to the airport overnight.
Traveling are Song Xiaodong, Sun Yiyi, Chu Xianling, Dragon Three, Dragon Six, Dragon Nine.
They flew from Minghe directly to Urumqi.
On the plane, Song Xiaodong called Zhao Ruonan.
"General Zhao, we’re already on our way. We’re expected to arrive in Urumqi by midnight."
"Alright, we’ll et you at the airport." Zhao Ruonan then hung up.
"Dragon Three, how are your injuries?" Song Xiaodong asked Dragon Three.
"Sect Leader, they’re completely healed. Your dical skill truly impresses ." Dragon Three replied.
"Lift your shirt." Song Xiaodong told Dragon Three.
"Sect Leader..."
"Hurry."
Dragon Three reluctantly unbuttoned his suit, lifted his shirt, revealing a smooth abdon with no sign of gunshot wounds, only a slight difference in skin tone.
"Hmm." Song Xiaodong nodded.
"Be more careful this ti; we don’t have many elixirs left." Song Xiaodong advised Dragon Three.
"Yes, sir!"
"Xiaodong, why are we going to Lop Nur?" Sun Yiyi asked Song Xiaodong.
"Honestly, I don’t know; General Zhao didn’t tell ." Song Xiaodong answered.
"How can General Zhao keep calling us to work so hard, yet never tell us anything ahead of ti? The last two missions were incredibly dangerous, and yet, we didn’t even get a thank you." Sun Yiyi complained.
"You should know how high the confidentiality level of what we’re doing is, and actually, General Zhao has expressed verbal thanks to ." Song Xiaodong said.
"What’s the use of verbal thanks?" Sun Yiyi said unhappily.
"The country has provided Dragon Gate with such a relaxed developnt environnt, which is already quite good. Otherwise, we’d end up like the Dark Night Sect, exiled overseas, and then they would hunt us down." Song Xiaodong explained.
"Oh, I’ve never been to the desert before!" Sun Yiyi exclaid.
"I have." Chu Xianling said.
"What’s it like?" Sun Yiyi turned to Chu Xianling and asked.
"Dry, hot, rough skin, lots of sandstorms, your mouth is full of dirt, everywhere is dirt." Chu Xianling replied.
"Oh, sounds like it won’t be a very pleasant trip..." Sun Yiyi added.
They arrived in Urumqi at midnight.
Zhao Ruonan sent a fleet of military Jeeps to pick them up; he didn’t appear personally.
After the plane, it was the Jeep.
In the high latitude area, the climate was dry with strong sand winds; during late autumn, the cold night wind felt like the biting chill of winter, freezing everyone’s lips purple.
The military Jeep shook on its course, with Song Xiaodong seated in the middle, Chu Xianling and Sun Yiyi leaning against each shoulder, deeply asleep, while Song Xiaodong’s own eyes shone brightly in the darkness. Dragon Three, Dragon Six, Dragon Nine were in another car, snoring occasionally.
At dawn, after a few hours of driving, the Jeeps finally stopped roaring.
Song Xiaodong, Sun Yiyi, Chu Xianling, Dragon Three, Dragon Six, and Dragon Nine got out of the car, their eyes bloodshot, exhausted.
The freshly risen sun was already very intense, making it difficult for the group to open their eyes, but the morning humidity slightly increased, sparing the fragile nasal mbranes for a while.
Song Xiaodong looked up; the sky was a blue that city dwellers would never get to see, but the ground was covered everywhere with yellow sand, and all around were undulating dunes and pale yellow shrubs, tumbleweeds still in the desert.
Their gaze fell upon a tent camp, consisting of more than ten tents in various sizes. Suddenly, one tent opened, and a valiant and spirited woman in military attire stepped out, heading towards Song Xiaodong’s group.
It was Zhao Ruonan.
"General Zhao, personally commanding?" Song Xiaodong asked Zhao Ruonan.
"I’m commanding personally." Another elderly man with white hair, though appearing old, walked out of the tent, his steps steady and voice resonant, a gleaming forehead, full of vigor.
The man wore a Zhongshan suit instead of military uniform; upon seeing him, Song Xiaodong’s expression changed imdiately.
"How should I address you?" Song Xiaodong asked Zhao Ruonan, his nervousness surprising him, stamring.
"Just call Old Li. Everyone calls that." Before Zhao Ruonan could answer, the old man replied himself.
Seeing the old man co out, Zhao Ruonan hurried to step aside, standing behind him.
"I wouldn’t dare!" Song Xiaodong dared not be impertinent.
"Oh, I’m retired now, no need to hold onto those honorary titles." Old Li waved his hand.
"I wouldn’t dare." Song Xiaodong still didn’t dare.
Sun Yiyi and Chu Xianling exchanged a glance, curious about who this person was.
"You call Old Li, and I’ll call you Little Song. That’s settled." Old Li gestured for everyone to co in.
"You guys rest for a bit." Song Xiaodong turned to Chu Xianling and Sun Yiyi and said.
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