The late autumn afternoon in Hai Province still boasted a dazzling sun, scorching hot.

Mist danced outside Spring City as a somewhat exhausted row of figures slowly emerged, their heads adorned with gas masks and their special protective suits smeared with bloodstains.

The pathfinder walking at the front kept a straight posture, carrying a rolled-up flag, breaking through all obstacles along the way.

Those behind were almost all injured, as if they had been through a Fierce Battle, and some were lying on stretchers.

The last burly giant dragged a section of a truck bed, taken from a truck, heaped with haphazardly giant carcasses, a few dismembered altars, and several unrecognizable bodies.

"It's already this late, huh."

The person behind the captain looked up at the approaching dusk sky and removed his mask, his long hair cascading down like water.

"The inside is so hazy, the timing is all messed up."

Ji Xue sighed, "Was hoping we could make it back for lunch, I'm starving."

"Hey, dinner isn't bad either."

Her twin brother, Ji Liu, yawned behind her, "That huge thing blew up, splattering all over me, I'm sticky to death, I just want to rush to take a bath.

Captain, you want to join?"

"You guys go ahead."

Tong Shan, walking at the front with the flag, removed his mask and said indifferently, "Everyone hurry and rest well. Once the supplies and equipment are replenished, let's aim to finish exploring the previous area."

"We're going down to the Earth Cave again?" Ji Liu was shocked, "Bro, you've been to this damned place for half a month, and you've been down to the Earth Cave four times already, aren't you going to rest?"

But after asking, he regretted it, as Tong Shan replied calmly, as expected, "I get my rest."

If, as a team member, one could relax oneself in the interlude between entering the Earth Cave, then what's left for the captain Tong Shan was only about five hours of sleep per day and a few ten-minute breaks...

This kind of person, in a workplace, everyone usually calls him a workaholic, but it's hard for anyone who has worked with Tong Shan to speak ill of a captain who takes care of the team in every respect, honors the group first, is brave in combat, even considers everyone's physiological and emotional fluctuations, and might even make you brown sugar ginger tea and specially take time to listen to you rant about your ex-boyfriend.

Really, it's hard to badmouth him, and if you do, you'll likely get your colleagues to gang up and quietly take you down.

He's a true man-mom!

"It's just you who talks too much crap."

Ji Xue kicked her own brother's butt, making him stagger, then she leaned in with a sweet smile, "Do you have time tonight, Captain Tong? A friend of mine brought me a set of cookware, how about I make some broth?"

"Hey sister Xue, I want some broth too!"

The half-dead wounded on the stretcher grinned and joked, "I'm lacking nutrients, can you give it to me first?"

He was answered with an unapologetic middle finger.

"Fuck off!"

For a brief moment, the team erupted in laughter.

However, the mood quickly turned serious.

At the entrance of the outpost, someone had been waiting for a long time.

"The Director?"

Tong Shan's steps halted, "Why are you here?"

"I've nearly finished organizing work, was worried about your condition, so I waited here to see if there were any signals for help. But others might say I'm slacking off."

Lv Yingyue gave a slight smile from beneath her parasol.

She didn't look aged, her appearance was that of middle-age, with a warm smile, only a few strands of mottled white hair peeping out from under her hair clip.

At this moment, seeing everyone returned safely, her smile grew more pleased, "How was the harvest?"

"Hard to say."

Tong Shan sighed and pointed at the truck bed the strong man was pulling, "We've got a few big ones, we can recycle, followed some leads and destroyed a few dens, but only caught four or five dimwits brainwashed by the Evil Cult, totally useless.

Might as well say it was a wasted trip."

"It's good that you came back safely."

Lv Yingyue patted his shoulder, looked at the expectant Ji Xue beside him, and patted her as well to offer encouragement. So the happy-go-lucky girl ran off whistling.

Disrespectful and not considering the place, but she didn't mind.

"The Evil Cult has been infiltrating Spring City for more than a couple of days now. In recent times, people have been drawn from all over Hai Province to thoroughly break the blockade and sweep clean. For the initial exploration, just try to clarify the situation as much as possible without pushing yourself too hard."

Lv Yingyue paused slightly, advising, "And don't let personal emotions affect your work."

"I know, Director, don't worry."

Tong Shan nodded indifferently, "I just want to finish exploring the current sector as soon as possible, there isn't much left of it this time, next time we should be able to complete it in one go."

"That's the bad news I have to tell you."

Lv Yingyue shook her head slightly, "Currently, the Taiyi Ring has come up with a new plan, but there is a significant shortfall.

All the craftsmen's time and resources are already fully occupied, so replenishing equipment and consumables might take a while.

You're not seriously considering going into the Earth Cave unarmed, are you? Or are you planning to pay out of pocket to hire someone on a rush job? When those craftsmen start quoting prices, I'm afraid they'll be sky-high."

Tong Shan was momentarily stunned upon hearing this.

However, he quickly showed an uncommon smile, seemingly pleased.

"It's nothing, I do know a decent craftsman."

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone, checking messages that had accumulated over several days, "I heard there was a pretty big fuss..."

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