The smile was like a ray of warm winter sun, particularly precious on this battlefield where the smoke had yet to dissipate.

The warriors gathered around him, their eyes full of admiration and joy. The harrowing battle they had just gone through seemed to be momentarily forgotten with that smile.

"We owe it to you this time! If it weren't for your adept command, we might not have won!" A burly warrior patted Shen Jingqi on the shoulder hard and grinned, his face brimming with the excitement of victory.

Shen Jingqi waved his hand modestly and said, "This is the result of everyone's joint effort; none of us could have been missing. We are a team, and as long as we unite as one, there is no enemy we cannot defeat."

"You are our king, you're right! From now on, we'll follow our king and surely take down all those villains!" Another warrior shouted in agreement, waving his weapon, with determination shining in his eyes.

The crowd began to celebrate. Cheers and laughter intertwined, echoing above the campus baptized by the flames of war. Some embraced each other, some high-fived in celebration, while others excitedly discussed the thrilling moments in the battle.

"Hey, do you remember when I slashed that guy's mask with a single stroke?" A warrior said animatedly, gesturing a slashing motion.

"That's nothing, my shot was on point, hitting his vitals directly!" Another warrior responded, not wanting to be outdone, a look of pride on his face.

Shen Jingqi looked at the vibrant warriors before him, feeling a warmth rise in his heart. But in this lively atmosphere, his mind was still beset by some questions. Where exactly did those strange people come from? What was the mysterious organization's true purpose behind them? And that mysterious machine and soul experiment, it all posed like a fog enshrouding his mind.

"Everyone, don't just focus on celebrating; although we achieved victory this time, the enemy certainly won't let it go. We have a lot to do next." Shen Jingqi loudly declared, trying to calm down the excited warriors.

The warriors quieted down upon hearing Shen Jingqi. They looked at him, eyes filled with trust and expectation.

"Whatever you say, we follow your lead!" a warrior said.

Shen Jingqi nodded and said, "Let's first return to the base, properly summarize the lessons from this battle, and then discuss our next steps."

Under Shen Jingqi's leadership, everyone started heading towards the base. Along the way, they remained vigilant, knowing that despite just achieving victory, danger could strike at any time.

When they arrived at the base entrance, the guarding warriors saw them return safely and displayed delighted smiles.

"You're finally back! We were worried sick!" a guard warrior commented.

Shen Jingqi patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, we're alright. Sorry to keep everyone waiting."

Accompanied by everyone, Shen Jingqi entered the base. Inside, the lights were bright, and the warriors bustled about, preparing for their return.

"You should rest for a bit, this journey must have tired you out." a warrior said with concern.

Shen Jingqi shook his head and said, "I'm not tired; let's gather everyone, I have something to say."

The warriors quickly assembled, standing neatly before Shen Jingqi. He cleared his throat, saying, "Although we achieved victory in this battle, some problems were exposed. For example, our tactical coordination wasn't seamless enough, and our understanding of the enemy was not deep enough. Going forward, we need to enhance our training, improve our combat capabilities. We must also continue investigating those strange people and the mysterious organization behind them, preventing them from further jeopardizing society."

The warriors nodded in agreement with Shen Jingqi's words.

"Just tell us what to do, and we'll do it!" a warrior shouted.

Shen Jingqi nodded in satisfaction and said, "Alright! From now on, everyone perform their duties well. Tonight, let's celebrate properly, and starting tomorrow, we'll engage in intensive training and investigation."

The base quickly became lively again. The warriors started preparing a victory feast, and the aroma of delicious food wafted from the kitchen. Shen Jingqi sat in the central spot, drinking with everyone. He still bore a smile but his eyes revealed a trace of worry.

Xu An, holding a glass of wine, approached Shen Jingqi and offered him a toast, saying, "We owe this to you. I, Xu An, am wholeheartedly convinced, and from now on, I'll follow you, become your right-hand man."

Looking at Xu An, Shen Jingqi smiled and said, "Xu An, your abilities are strong as well, and by fighting side by side, we will surely accomplish great things."

Xu An nodded and said, "Do you think those strange people will come again?"

Shen Jingqi's expression became serious, "They certainly will. They won't easily abandon their plans. We must be fully prepared to meet their next challenge."

Xu An furrowed his brow and said, "But we know too little about them; we have no idea what their next move might be."

Shen Jingqi pondered for a moment, saying, "That's my concern as well. However, we're not entirely without clues. The child, those peculiar symbols and machines, are directions for our investigation. We must start with these clues to gradually uncover their secrets."

Just then, a warrior came rushing over, his face showing urgency.

"Something's wrong! We found some strange footprints outside the base!" the warrior said.

Shen Jingqi stood up suddenly, a flash of vigilance passing through his eyes.

"Let's go have a look!" Shen Jingqi commanded, then followed the warrior outside the base.

Everyone else followed suit, a surge of unease rising in their hearts. When they reached outside the base, they indeed saw some strange footprints on the ground. These footprints were oddly shaped, not resembling human footprints, but more like some animal's, yet much larger than ordinary animal footprints.

"What creature do these footprints belong to?" a warrior asked in puzzlement.

Squatting down, Shen Jingqi carefully examined the footprints. His brow furrowed, filled with doubt. The appearance of these footprints made him feel a sense of impending danger.

"Everyone be careful! This may be a trap by the enemy, or perhaps new foes," Shen Jingqi said.

The warriors tightened their grip on their weapons, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. The area was silent, with only the rustle of leaves in the wind, yet within this silence seemed to lurk countless dangers.

"What should we do?" a warrior asked.

After pondering briefly, Shen Jingqi said, "Let's not act recklessly. We'll split into several teams to search around the base for more clues. Meanwhile, bolster the base's defense against sudden attacks from the enemy."

Following Shen Jingqi's instructions, everyone quickly took action. Shen Jingqi, leading a group of warriors, tracked the direction indicated by the footprints. They proceeded cautiously, each step filled with alertness.

During the search, they discovered some peculiar objects. Among some bushes, they found irregularly shaped crystals emitting a faint glow, emanating a mysterious aura.

"What are these?" a curious warrior asked, reaching out to touch the crystals.

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