Chapter 160: Establishment of Sea Soul Squad One

It was also on this morning that the Steel Factory welcomed its second Factory Director—Luo Sanlin.

Having first lurked in Mei City for two months and then accepting this mission in a time of crisis, Luo Sanlin did not have a single complaint.

The only request he made to Liu Mu was to return to the Barrier once a month to visit his parents.

"Brother Sanlin, I will send another squadron over; within a short time, no other force should dare to have designs on the factory. However, you must also be careful. If you truly encounter someone you cannot defeat, just run. I'll say it again: the factory can be rebuilt, but your lives are more important."

In this world, there aren't many people left who can insist on being a good person.

Liu Mu rarely says such sentimental things anymore, but fortunately, Luo Sanlin was the only one there to see her off.

"Rest assured, I will guard this place well. Instead, you should go to the iron mine as soon as possible. Once the steel factory's furnaces are running, they cannot be short on ore. The same goes for the coal mine; one place is likely not enough to supply the Barrier, the several bases, and the factory."

"You've only just taken office, and you're already pondering so much?" Seeing that she couldn't brush him off, Liu Mu felt a bit helpless at Luo Sanlin's earnestness. "I'll go back to take a look, deal with the two surnamed Jiang, and then go open the mine, alright?"

Luo Sanlin, however, was not satisfied. His thick eyebrows furrowed tightly as he began to persuade her: "You cannot rely solely on yourself. There are some cadres in the Barrier who can also be trusted. Even if you worked yourself to death alone, you couldn't finish so many things. Also, there are many places like Mei City; it would be best to split off some small squads to collect Survivors and head to the Barrier."

"After the weather clears, the roads will be easier to travel, and there should be many people who want to go over. Also, regarding the General Command, don't just reject them blindly. To use your own words, at the very least, you can gain some benefits, right?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes..." If it weren't for the fact that they knew each other inside and out, Liu Mu would have really knelt to Luo Sanlin. "Look, what is this?"

She pulled an expired planner from her pocket; the orange cover was severely worn but very clean, with a row of vigorous small characters written on it: 'Luo Sanlin's Work Plan'.

"Hey, when did you take that?" Luo Sanlin, having had the rug pulled out from under him, immediately flushed red. He reached out to snatch it back but Liu Mu dodged several meters away.

"I left the part about the steel factory on your office desk; the rest, just give it to me as a gift, consider it guiding my work direction. Thank you, Brother Sanlin!"

Liu Mu got into the off-road vehicle, started it, and left.

Luo Sanlin chased after her for a stretch. "Come back, give it back to me... You are not allowed to show it to others, do you hear me, Liu Mu, you brat, you girl!"

In the car, Liu Mu grinned and waved the notebook at the rearview mirror.

Niu Boyi couldn't stand his Master bullying an honest person like this, so he rubbed his big head against Luo Sanlin to show comfort.

"Sigh, little Niu, don't learn from her. Alright, you follow her too. Make sure you don't let her kill the two surnamed Jiang halfway; it wouldn't be good for her."

Luo Sanlin could be said to have watched Niu Boyi grow up. Back when Liu Mu was collecting scrap, he often bought ham sausages for the Military Dog. Of course, as for the fact that he once asked Liu Mu for Niu Boyi, that shall not be mentioned.

After all, he was also a dog lover; his only regret was that the residential complex didn't allow pets before.

Niu Boyi licked Luo Sanlin once, then let out an 'Awoo' and went to chase the car.

Luo Sanlin did not keep looking from where he stood. Having taken over the factory, he still had many things to handle; he had no time to be sentimental about a temporary parting.

He was a man who did practical work.

However, when he saw the little yellow dog lying at the door of the Factory Director's office, his tightly furrowed thick eyebrows relaxed a little.

"This is..."

"Sent by Chief Liu," Cheng Long, who had come to discuss the defense layout, had already been waiting for a while. "He said it was from a litter Niu Ge found in Mei City, and Niu Ge insisted on leaving one for you."

... On the speeding off-road vehicle,

Liu Mu looked in the rearview mirror at the two people who were tied up and thrown into the trunk, as well as the three puppies sleeping soundly on the back seat, and sneered,

"Tsk tsk tsk, that's why people shouldn't be too evil; bad people are not as good as dogs."

Jiang Hanzhong's face was blue and purple; he had lost his leadership airs and even more so his spirit. Though mocked, he didn't refute a single word.

Jiang Lin, who was young, was unwilling to accept this, but unfortunately, his mouth was stuffed with a piece of burnt plastic.

The road conditions were still not good, and in the jolting, the two were bumped and injured further.

Afraid they would vomit, Liu Mu didn't even give them a bite to eat on the road.

Interestingly, the people from the General Command actually arrived at the Haicheng Barrier a step before her.

As soon as they met, they demanded that Liu Mu hand over Jiang Hanzhong and the other, saying they were to be taken back to face trial at the Military Court.

Liu Mu naturally wouldn't indulge three people she had never even met before, and directly asked Qin Han, "Have their credentials been checked?"

Ever since Liu Mu took office, more than half of the high-ranking officials in the Barrier had been dispatched out—some to build factories, some to build Plantations; Zhang Qingling was even sent to repair roads.

Unlike before the disaster, repairing roads in this day and age required finding materials oneself, and workers' wages were settled in Barrier Contribution Value; even the rations for food and water were strictly capped. If asked, the answer was that supplies were tight and waste was shameful.

It was said to be working in the field, but it was no different from being a small foreman.

The only high-ranking official remaining in his original post inside the Haicheng Barrier was Qin Han, the Logistics Minister. He was currently equivalent to the CEO of a group, having to manage all affairs, big and small.

The other was Jiang Wenjun, who was recovering from his injuries. However, this big shot couldn't stay idle at all; as long as a vehicle left the Barrier, he had to follow along to take a look. It wasn't clear where he was going or what he was doing, but he was definitely an absolute extrovert.

Sure enough, just as Liu Mu's car stopped, she saw Jiang Wenjun also getting off a pickup truck that had returned with salt.

"Uncle Jiang, where are you going again?"

Liu Mu felt a bit helpless. To think that Yang Shuo, a steady old leader, had actually brought along such a lively Confidential Political Commissar; she didn't know how the two managed not to argue.

"Just got back, you're back too?" Jiang Wenjun himself didn't have any burden; instead, he believed that being able to move around now was a good thing. Losing one eye wasn't the same as being unable to move.

Liu Mu had originally thought that losing an eye wasn't a big deal, but the Barrier's doctor told her that Jiang Wenjun's wound could not heal completely and there was a risk of intracranial infection at any time.

The medical conditions of the Haicheng Barrier could not fully cure him either; he could only be sent to the General Command for comprehensive repair when there was an opportunity.

Most importantly, he needed to be fitted with a suitable prosthetic eye to protect the inside of the eye socket and the brain.

"Yes," Liu Mu saw that he was covered in salt and dust, but she didn't want to speak harshly. "Since you are here, is it okay if I hand these two people over to you for interrogation?"

No matter from which aspect, Jiang Wenjun was a hero of the Barrier, and the kind who could sacrifice himself for the public; Liu Mu really didn't have the qualifications to lecture him.

"Which two?" Jiang Wenjun didn't know about Liu Mu's fishing plan. After seeing the trunk open, he asked with a heavy expression, "What's going on?"

Jiang Wenjun still had a Bandage wrapped around his face, which wasn't very clean either; it was unknown if it could prevent infection.

"I'll tell you the specific situation first, but," Liu Mu glanced at the three people walking toward them, "you must not hand these people over; it concerns Uncle Yang's safety."

Upon hearing that it concerned Yang Shuo, Jiang Wenjun immediately understood a bit. "I'll go dismiss those few people first; you find a place to detain them."

The two acted separately. As the highest-ranking official currently in the Barrier, even those from the General Command had to give Jiang Wenjun face.

Liu Mu dragged the two out of the car and dragged them into the Barrier right in front of the others, not even sparing them a glance.

"She, who is she, how can she..."

"Oh, that is our Acting Chief," Jiang Wenjun's military rank and power in the Barrier were superior to Jiang Hanzhong's. It could be said that in the entire Barrier, besides Yang Shuo who had gone to treat his injuries, he was the one who understood Liu Mu's situation best. He immediately said:

"I presume you have come for the matter of Minister Jiang colluding with outsiders to betray the Barrier. Rest assured, the people have been caught, and his subordinates have all been killed by the Acting Chief; they won't be getting away."

As Yang Shuo's top confidential secretary, Jiang Wenjun is by no means narrow-minded; on the contrary, he is the one who handles many matters that the leaders cannot personally attend to.

Once Liu Mu gave a rough summary of the situation, Comrade Jiang immediately expanded his thinking, elevating the matter several levels higher, and even prepared several sets of talking points, allowing him to play tai chi from any angle.

The two from the Jiang Family were thrown into the newly built prison; the empty space finally served a purpose.

The two were locked in one room, and Liu Mu locked the iron door, spinning the key ring on her finger. "I'm afraid you'll be lonely, so you can chat together. However, you don't need to be afraid; there will be new tenants here very soon."

Without waiting for Jiang Lin, who had just spat out what was in his mouth, to speak, Liu Mu swaggered away.

The compartment was only six or seven square meters, rectangular in shape, with all light sources coming from a small window on the sealed iron door.

In the dim space, Jiang Lin rushed to the door and shouted twice, naturally receiving no response, but a sinister voice sounded from behind him, "Little Lin, was everything done by me, your uncle?"

"No, no, Uncle, that was just an expedient measure; someone had to go out to seek help, you have to believe me... Ah!"

…………

Liu Mu stayed in the Barrier for three days, cursing under her breath while finishing the tasks that required her decision.

At the same time, she reviewed the new recruits for the Special Operations Team. Of course, at her request, this team now had a domineering new name—Sea Soul First Combat Team, or Sea Soul Team One for short.

It was officially incorporated into the Haicheng Barrier military establishment.

There were currently only thirteen people; besides Liu Mu, the Captain who did not participate in daily training, it also included a Lieutenant Colonel whose return date was unknown, Zhuo Qing.

Therefore, there were actually only 11 members present long-term.

Four were newly recruited, and they still needed to pass Liu Mu's assessment before their stay could be confirmed.

"Except for the tall one, the others were recruited from the army. Also..." The person reporting was Li Fei, who had spent three years in the Former Special Operations Team and had only lost half an ear.

The tall one he referred to was Zheng Tian, who had suddenly applied to join the team after performing a meritorious service three months ago, and then failed three consecutive tests.

According to his own words, he had felt the preciousness of being a soldier during combat.

This was, of course, nonsense. Liu Mu looked them over one by one, finally stopping in front of Zheng Tian. "Little Zheng, here again?"

"I will definitely pass this time, Sister Mu, give me another chance," Zheng Tian gave a proper salute; he was not discouraged by his previous failures, but rather seemed to become more courageous with each setback.

"Give it a try, you all work hard too," Liu Mu pointed to the Barrier garrison's training ground. "The rules remain the same: just hold out for half a minute under my hands."

Being able to stand here meant that basic firearm usage and physical fitness should not be a problem.

The other three were somewhat skeptical that it could be so simple. After receiving an affirmative answer from Li Fei, one of them stepped forward. "I'll go first!"

Five minutes later, all three were eliminated in succession.

Zheng Tian stood before Liu Mu, feeling nervous. "Sister Mu, please go easy on me; if this continues, you won't be able to find anyone."

"Heh, that's not important," Liu Mu certainly wouldn't go easy on him. If they couldn't even meet the passing standard for the Sea Soul Team, taking them out on missions would just be sending them to their deaths. "I'm doing this for your own good, Little Zheng. Isn't it better to live in other departments? Why be so persistent?"

Zheng Tian did not back down and assumed a fighting stance. "Come on!"

Yet, facing Liu Mu's attacks, he dodged repeatedly.

Seeing that he wanted to use this to stall for time, Liu Mu suddenly accelerated, slamming a fist into Zheng Tian's side; the force was enough to keep him in bed for a week.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Tian stopped dodging. Risking a hit, he actually used a judo move to lock Liu Mu. With a premeditated approach, he used a clever bit of leverage to trip Liu Mu, not caring whether she would use a lethal move, and simply locked one of her arms, refusing to move.

Liu Mu was entangled and couldn't break free; combined with Zheng Tian's height and physique, he had actually managed to lock her temporarily.

But this was far from enough. A cold glint flashed in Liu Mu's eyes as she gripped Zheng Tian's leg with both hands. "How about lying down for two months this time?"

"Don't be so ruthless, I need these long legs to find a wife!" Zheng Tian wailed, though the force of his lock did not loosen in the slightest.

Just a moment before Liu Mu was about to act, the Sea Soul Team One members watching nearby suddenly erupted into a commotion, and some even drew their sidearms.

"Liu Mu, where is Liu Mu? We are looking for Liu Mu, everyone else move aside."

Liu Mu had to turn her head to see who was reckless enough to barge in at this time. One look, and she wanted to curse.

She saw a black lizard over two meters tall, with a seductively dressed woman sitting on its head, smashing through the training ground gate and shouting for her.

"Liu Mu, what are you doing? We heard you were recruiting today, so the three of us came to try out."

The one who discovered Liu Mu first was not the Black Glutton or the Black Lizard, but the Black Mamba, who had survived death several times. She stood with her hands on her slender waist, staring at this side with the look of a bystander watching the show.

"Damn it, what are they doing here?" Liu Mu exerted force, but was interrupted by Zheng Tian again. "Time's up! It's up, it's up, Sister Mu, don't cheat, half a minute is up!"

Zheng Tian voluntarily released his grip and was then thrown several meters away by Liu Mu, crashing into a pile of sandbags.

"Try out for what? Don't you have any self-awareness about your background?"

Facing Liu Mu's blunt attitude, the Black Glutton brushed back her long black hair and pinched a strand of the ends between her slender fingers. "Leader, we have performed meritorious service; you wouldn't have forgotten so soon, would you? At the time, you personally said that as long as we didn't violate the Barrier's regulations, we could move about freely."

The Black Mamba and her big sister, the Black Glutton, had always cared for and competed with each other, but after experiencing life and death and being heavily suppressed by Liu Mu's abilities, her temper had improved significantly. She just leaned to the side and nodded in agreement. "That's right, it's better for us to do something."

"Your Chinese might not be very good. 'Move about freely' means that when Xing Tianyang returns, you still have to go back to the Laboratory!"

That terrifying name made the two women and the lizard fall silent instantly. They did not want to go back, and they wanted to see the terrifying pervert Xing Tianyang even less.

"We aren't going back, we want to join you," the Black Mamba couldn't hold back and walked over directly. "I'll fight you, one minute, twice as long as them!"

Liu Mu stared at her curvaceous yet extremely slender figure and shook her head slightly. "I controlled my strength for them, but you won't last a minute. Go back; I will find someone to arrange some work for you, and you can also earn Contribution Value."

"Leader Liu, I need to talk to you, alone," the Black Glutton spoke again. "I think you might not be aware of our true value."

Beyond combat power, their true value lay in their knowledge of the Sky Viper, but Liu Mu did not trust them, so naturally, she could not let them join the Barrier's strongest combat team.

When it came down to it, the Special Operations Team owed its current state to their former employer.

This was Liu Mu's thought, but a quarter of an hour later, her thoughts changed.

The Black Mamba, the Black Glutton, and the Black Lizard each sparred with Liu Mu and all successfully held out for one minute.

Of course, the Black Glutton acted in tandem with the Black Lizard; if their connection were severed, their individual combat power would be nearly zero.

The others didn't understand why they had to accept three people from the Sky Viper, but Liu Mu didn't explain much; she just gathered everyone together and announced another matter.

"Li Fei will arrange for everyone to go to the logistics department to collect supplies later. Starting tomorrow morning, we will be going on long-term missions with an indefinite return date. If you have family or friends to say goodbye to, go tonight."