CHAPTER 1885: CHAPTER 1878: EMERGENCY MEETING

The airboat, carrying the advance team, sailed towards an emptied berth. All idle personnel here were cleared out, and a team of about thirty armed soldiers stood guard with guns.

The airboat slowly entered the berth, pushing the water to the sides. Finally, the airboat completely stopped hovering, relying on the buoyancy of the water to dock at the berth.

The cabin door was opened, and the crew laid down the gangway for ingress and egress. Once everything was ready, the advance team, led by Murong and Shangguan Jiu, walked out of the airboat and arrived outside.

As soon as they stepped out, Luo’er saw a familiar figure.

Li Si, dressed in a military jacket, stood outside clenching his fists. At the moment he saw Luo’er and others coming out, his eyes involuntarily reddened.

Luo’er looked at Li Si, and although only a few years had passed, he felt as if he aged over a decade, with noticeable white hair at his temples.

Li Si stepped forward, took a deep breath, and suppressed his overwhelming emotions as he said to them with some sobs, "Welcome home."

"Brother Li, you look much older now," Hu Daoke spoke up.

"Isn’t it because of you bunch of brats," Li Si laughed, though his voice had a hint of choking.

Luo’er came before him, saluted solemnly, and reported, "Director, the advance team is all safe and the mission is successfully completed."

"Well done."

Li Si almost raised his hand, wanting to embrace Luo’er, but Luo’er’s formality restrained him from doing anything improper.

"It’s good to be home, it’s good to be home..."

Li Si couldn’t help but bow his head, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes, while sobbing continuously.

"Director Li, it’s not so good to wipe tears in front of so many people," Zhuyan Yu said with a smile.

"Oh, sorry," Li Si sniffed, looked at Zhuyan Yu, and respectfully said, "Major, welcome back."

"You just noticed me now?"

Zhuyan Yu shook her head helplessly.

Li Si wiped away the tears on both sides, then sniffed again, cleared his throat, and said solemnly and loudly, "First Vanguard Team Captain, Luo’er."

"Present."

Upon hearing this, Luo’er immediately stood at attention.

"Here, to convey an order from headquarters," Li Si’s voice was booming, "From today onwards, the First Vanguard Team is officially disbanded. You will no longer serve as the captain of the First Vanguard Team; all members will be reassigned by headquarters. Do you understand?"

"Understood..."

Though mentally prepared, Luo’er still felt somewhat dazed.

"Aren’t we, are we really disbanding?"

Hu Daoke’s eyes widened in an instant.

"No need to be surprised," Cheng Ziang shrugged indifferently, "It should have been disbanded long ago; they merely extended our service by a few years."

"Then, what about us..." Hu Daoke asked hesitantly.

"Go home and reunite with your wives, there’s more to life than just striving," Cheng Ziang patted his shoulder and said.

Compared to Luo’er, Cheng Ziang seemed more composed, showing little reaction even upon hearing Li Si’s words. It seemed he had anticipated such a result on the return journey.

"Should I say congratulations or regrets?" Zhuyan Yu tilted her head and asked.

"I apologize, Luo’er," Li Si continued, "I really want to hold a grand welcoming banquet for you all to celebrate your return. But the situation is urgent now, so please come with us, while the other members will be taken care of by the staff at the base."

"Is it about Odelanqi?" Luo’er inquired further.

"You’ll know once you get there."

In such a public setting, Li Si did not explain the reasons.

He then looked at everyone with an apologetic expression and said, "I’m truly sorry, everyone, there isn’t time to catch up. I’ll have to take your captain Luo’er first."

"No need to be so polite, Brother Li, we’re among friends," Hu Daoke waved his hand with a smile.

"That’s good then, everyone make your own arrangements," Li Si nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Luo’er, "Let’s go, the carriage is ready."

Subsequently, he took Luo’er and boarded the carriage that had been prepared in advance. Then, under the gaze of everyone, it set off towards the direction of the Otherworld Gate.

"Seems like there’s more work for Luo’er again, sigh, such hard times," Cheng Ziang shook his head and sighed as he watched the silhouette of the departing carriage.

"What’s happening, our team has disbanded," Hu Daoke asked puzzlingly.

"Idiot, don’t you know what it means to advance by retreating?" Cheng Ziang rolled his eyes and did not continue to entertain him.

Li Si, taking Luo’er with him, traveled through Lipei City and arrived at the Otherworld Gate. The changes here weren’t big, except for the addition of several checkpoints where people traveling between the two worlds underwent inspections.

As soon as they arrived at the gate, Luo’er saw a graceful figure quickly approaching him.

She did not hold back at all, walking straight up to Luo’er and extending her hand, without saying a word, staring intently at him with slightly angry eyes.

"Sorry, Miss Nightingale."

Luo’er was taken aback, but quickly reacted, taking off a pendant from his neck and carefully handing it over to Nightingale.

"Bringing my sister to Earth, were you trying to get her killed? If I hadn’t been here to keep watch, would you have really forgotten?" Nightingale said irritably.

"Sister," Fulajie’er’s voice sounded in Nightingale’s mind, "I reminded him, why are you getting mad at him..."

"What if you had forgotten too?" Nightingale asked expressionlessly.

"Uh..."

Fulajie’er couldn’t respond, as if she realized she was caught.

"Anyways," Nightingale, having received the pendant, softening her expression, said to Luo’er, "Welcome home, but I will be taking my sister with me."

"Er, okay, thank you Miss Nightingale for your constant support."

Luo’er nodded slightly, feeling a bit reserved.

"Let’s go."

Li Si seemed unfazed by this sort of thing, shrugged, and continued to urge him.

After this brief interlude, Luo’er followed Li Si through the Otherworld Gate and arrived at the more prosperous Shenghua District.

More armed forces were deployed here, unmanned drones patrolled the sky, several support robots were stationed around, and soldiers in exoskeleton armor surrounded them.

A fully armed lieutenant spotted the two and approached of his own accord. He and Li Si exchanged salutes, then looked at Luo’er and asked, "Is this Captain Luo’er?"

"He is no longer a captain now," Li Si smiled and replied.

"No problem," the lieutenant nodded, gestured, and said, "This way please, the chief has been waiting for a while."

A helicopter had long been prepared, and after Luo’er boarded it, it took off immediately, heading in the direction of Shenghua Academy.

After a few minutes of flight, the helicopter landed on the rooftop helipad of Shenghua Academy. The cabin door opened, and Luo’er and others then boarded the ready omnidirectional elevator.

As the elevator doors closed, it proceeded along the predetermined path through the elevator shaft, eventually arriving at the designated floor. If Luo’er recalled correctly, this should be the meeting area of Shenghua Academy, where Lin Qi had taken him before.

Under Li Si’s guidance, Luo’er followed the familiar corridors and arrived at the door of the conference room. The door opened automatically, and Li Si entered first, immediately standing at attention, and loudly announced, "Report to the chief, Luo’er is present."

"Well done."

An elderly general raised his hand and revealed a gentle smile.

Luo’er looked around, finding the conference room filled with prominent figures, all wearing neatly pressed military uniforms, averaging from their forties to fifties, and their shoulder stars were no less than a major general.

The general who greeted him was none other than the familiar General Lin Qi.

Upon seeing this, Luo’er also stood at attention and saluted loudly, "Greetings to all chiefs!"

"No need to be formal, come over and sit," Lin Qi gestured, "Seeing you return safely, the burden on my shoulders has finally been lifted."

Luo’er slightly bowed, moved forward to find a seat, and carefully sat down.

"Why sit so far away, come, sit next to me," Lin Qi called again.

Hearing his words, Luo’er had no choice but to get up and sit next to Lin Qi.

The moment he sat down, Lin Qi warmly held his hand and sincerely remarked, "When I heard something happened to you in the East Continent, I felt like dying. But on second thought, if I died just like that, how would I face your father, so I had to shamelessly cling to life and search for your traces."