CHAPTER 657: CHAPTER 545: CONCEALMENT (5200 WORDS, ASKING FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS AT 10,000)_2

However, he also had some doubts. Why when everyone returned, no one secretly stayed behind to protect Mr. Gao Jie and the others.

Perhaps it is just his straightforward nature.

Hai Chao could only think this way, watching his boss, who was furious and spitting out insults, Hai Chao also thought to himself.

"Do you know where they went?" Gan Shang asked.

"Ju Tianrui said he didn’t know, he didn’t ask. But I saw Xiao Jun and the others running towards the east, and Mr. Gao Jie also headed east when he went out," Hai Chao hesitated before speaking.

"Really, let’s go, come with me to find Ju Tianrui," Gan Shang said.

...

Juzi Island.

Northern Jiangzhong Island.

Gan Shang, with a furious face, led his men to find Ju Tianrui angrily.

Seeing Gan Shang, Ju Tianrui thought to himself: Here it comes.

"Ju Tianrui, what exactly happened with your subordinate Xiao Jun and the others? Weren’t they supposed to protect Gao Jie? As scientific researchers, if something happens to them, how can they develop the antidote?"

Gan Shang pointed directly at Ju Tianrui without any courtesy.

Such an attitude from Gan Shang was bolstered by two things. First, their family had a massive influence before the apocalypse, with many people under their control. Now, at Juzi Island, he had around three hundred men.

Moreover, owing to agreements made at the onset of the apocalypse regarding the scientists, Ju Tianrui’s task had always been to protect these scientists. Gan Gaojie and several others, as "scientists," should rightly enjoy protection.

Additionally, Gan Shang was not alone; he had the backing not only of the Gan Family but, bluntly speaking, the Western Alliance, they could manipulate things at will.

Furthermore, with resources becoming scarce after the apocalypse had erupted so long ago, despite attempts to grow some crops, the yield was poor due to the weather, water sources, and zombies, they could survive up till now largely because the Gan Family was supplying them with food.

He had the confidence to speak this way to Ju Tianrui.

Ju Tianrui felt disgusted upon hearing Gan Shang, knowing well that Gan Gaojie and the others were not real scientists, and now he had to play along with Gan Shang’s act, thinking to himself: Xiao Jun did a good job.

But he couldn’t say that outright, instead, he put on an innocent look and said, "Director Gan, I am really helpless. Xiao Jun and the others reported that Gan Gaojie and the others did not allow them to protect them, what a mess this has become.

So, as soon as Xiao Jun and his team returned, I criticized them and then sent them back immediately to protect Gan Gaojie and the other scientists.

Unfortunately, it was already late by then, so the next morning, I sent him back first thing to find Gan Gaojie and the others to ensure their safe return!"

Gan Shang, combining this with what Hai Chao had said earlier, concluded that Xiao Jun had probably left early in the morning to rush back to find Gao Jie and the others.

He felt somewhat relieved, but still worried. Gao Jie and his team had never experienced the true brutality of the apocalypse. In just one day, could they have encountered danger?

He should send more people to search.

So he said to Ju Tianrui, "Do you know where they went? I’ll send some more people to look for them."

Hearing Gan Shang say this, Ju Tianrui felt slightly nervous, but a bitter expression appeared on his face, "Uh, Director Gan, it was all so sudden at the time, I was too rushed, I didn’t ask, we can only wait for Xiao Jun and his team to bring Gan Gaojie and the others back."

Gan Shang heard this and stared fixedly at Ju Tianrui’s face, as if hoping to find the answer on his face.

Ju Tianrui kept his expression unchanged, maintaining an ignorant look.

Gan Shang saw no unusual expression on Ju Tianrui’s face.

He snorted and walked out of the room.

His subordinates followed him out, heading back to his room.

Hai Chao heard the sound of things being smashed in Gan Shang’s room.

Followed by a burst of furious yelling: "Damn it, does he take me for a fool? Damn!"

Gan Shang definitely did not believe that Ju Tianrui didn’t know where Xiao Jun and the others had gone.

He also didn’t believe that things were that simple.

However, based on what Ju Tianrui said, combined with what Hai Chao had mentioned, he felt some of it was true.

Considering his understanding of his son, it was quite possible that he had angered Xiao Jun and his team away, but his instincts told him there was more to the situation than that.

Right now, he didn’t know where Xiao Jun and his teammates had gone.

East?

The East is vast, a vast land, how to look for them.

"Right now, there’s no better method; rather than looking for a needle in a haystack, let’s wait a few more days. They should be back within a few days. If they don’t return, it means there’s either been an accident, or Ju Tianrui is lying."

Gan Shang muttered to himself by the window, making a decision.

A hint of coldness flashed through his eyes, this Ju Tianrui was becoming harder to control.

...

In Ju Tianrui’s room.

He had known from the start that with Xiao Jun and the others leaving this time, he would inevitably face blame from Gan Shang and his people.

He couldn’t reveal the whereabouts of Xiao Jun and Gan Gaojie and the others, otherwise, his men would definitely end up confronting Gan Shang.

Thinking of Gan Shang, he saw his men, a sense of gravity flickering through his eyes. Gan Shang had somehow found some military arms.

This was troubling, especially Gan Shang’s father, Gan Xiong.

He could only try to stall for time.

All he could do was keep concealing it from Gan Shang.

Ju Tianrui sighed, pondering, he also began to prepare his own exit strategy.