Chapter 1592: The White-Eyed Raven That Flew Over

"Chonglian 31, Chonglian 31, this is Hui-3 Base Eagle Eye Command. Come in, please respond."

In the airspace 150 kilometers from the great Sichuan pepper tree in the northwestern evolved forest of Hui-3 Base. After hearing the call from Hui-3 Base officials, the helicopter designated Chonglian 31 did not respond immediately. Instead, it first opened its cabin door, allowing a combat squad to fast-rope down and vanish into the evolved forest.

After the cabin door closed, the co-pilot waited until the Hui-3 Base staff had asked three times before responding, "Hui-3 Base Eagle Eye Command, this is Chonglian 31. Go ahead."

"Chonglian 31, your current heading is approaching the raptor restricted-flight zone in northern Hui-3. Execute the standard avoidance procedure immediately: turn to heading 095, climb to 3,000 meters. I repeat: do not approach the raptor restricted-flight zone in northern Hui-3, or we will send two military helicopters to intercept and expel you."

After the large helicopter Chonglian 31 turned, the co-pilot responded, "Copy. Chonglian 31 is executing the avoidance procedure, has turned to heading 095, climbing to 3,000 meters, moving away from the raptor territory in northern Hui-3. Hui-3 Base Eagle Eye Command, please confirm."

"Instructions confirmed correct. Maintain new heading, keep communications open. When you reach ten kilometers west of Hui-3 Northern Zone One, hover and wait for further instructions. Out."

On the snow mountain of Hui-3 Mountain 86, one thousand meters from the great Sichuan pepper tree surrounded by ten thousand birds, Yang Jin received a report from squad member Li Xuanyu: "Boss, after the Chonglian helicopter fast-roped a ten-man heavy squad, it turned toward Northern Zone One territory. Four of the ten carry shoulder-fired grenade launchers, two carry sniper rifles, the rest are all equipped with machine guns. Judging by the gear, this should be Chonglian Security Squad Eight."

The Chonglian Security team does not take outside missions; they only carry out protection duties for Chonglian Group's air transport planes, ground transport convoys, and construction crews. But in terms of combat power, they are unquestionably the number-one combat team of Hui-2.

Yang Jin pressed the walkie-talkie: "Have Anhua lead two squads to set up an ambush, capture them and bring them back. Anyone who tries to escape—kill them on the spot."

Personnel from other bases trespassing into Hui-3 Base's evolved forest are invaders. What's more, this squad is clearly coming for the people or supplies in the basement of Mountain 86.

"Copy!" Li Xuanyu reported again: "On Lan-5's side, a helicopter has left the safe zone. Because it switched off its navigation system and entered deep into the Divine Grass Rack forest area, we currently cannot determine its exact location."

"Copy. Keep monitoring."

"Understood."

After ending the call, Yang Jin saw Xia Qing raise a hand toward him, and only then, in the gap between the big shots speaking, did he brief the latest situation: "Chonglian Squad Eight has fast-roped fifty kilometers to the west; I sent two squads over. Lan-5 dispatched a medium helicopter, current position unknown. The Chonglian helicopter turned and is heading for Northern Zone One territory."

The moment she heard a helicopter was heading for the territory, Xia Qing spoke up at once: "Third Brother."

Zhang San replied lazily, "They say the helicopter is loaded with building materials being sold to you."

Then it can't be blown up. Xia Qing changed her tune: "It's probably fake. Jin-ge, contact Captain Tan. Have the helicopter land in the area between Zone One and Zone Three first. Check and confirm there's no danger before letting it into the territory."

"Got it." Yang Jin immediately contacted Tan Junjie.

Xia Qing continued reporting to her idol: "The pepper fruit skin has been pecked clean. The giant raptors are beginning to withdraw. Scavenger birds and small land animals are starting to fight over the unconscious or dead bird carcasses."

Zhang San acknowledged: "Small animals starting to approach the great tree means the great tree is no longer releasing large amounts of Yi-9 gas, so its influence on animal behavior has decreased. Have you taken air samples?"

Xia Qing answered, "One sample tube every five minutes. We've already taken four."

This new human is reliable most of the time. Zhang San instructed, "Good. When we reach the foot of the pepper tree later, remember to collect samples of air, soil, bark, thorns, and animal carcasses. If any burst-fallen ice crystals are still there, those need to be sampled too."

"Understood, Third Brother, you rest a bit first. When I get back, I'll bring the samples to you." After ending the video call, Xia Qing reached out and stroked the silent raven Moli, then pulled from her backpack the small twig that Huo Zhun had sampled and sealed: "It doesn't matter that the fruit skin on the tree is all eaten. We've got this big bunch right here. When we get back to the territory, I'll give some to Guagua to take to Territory Eight, to share with Xin Yu. How about that?"

The raven Moli immediately got excited, flapping her wings and spinning around Xia Qing: "Xia Qing! Xia Qing!"

Xia Qing answered with a smile, then discussed with Yang Jin: "After the mission to capture the Chonglian squad is done, shall we go look for the basement's location?"

Yang Jin had brought four squads in total. After sending two squads to carry out the capture mission, only two squads remained here. Without knowing how many troops were inside the underground research room, the more manpower the better.

Just as the outer skin on the great Sichuan pepper tree was pecked clean and the flocks of birds dispersed, Li Xuanyu, the scout and liaison of Green Dragon Squad One, contacted Yang Jin again: "Boss, the Chonglian squad hasn't reached the ambush point yet. They've suddenly turned and are retreating at full speed. Do we pursue?"

Looks like Xie Yu finished the job. Beautiful!

Yang Jin calmly gave the order: "Hui-3 Base isn't a place they can come and go as they please. Send a helicopter over to hail them, coordinate with the ground troops to pursue. Anyone who refuses to surrender—machine-gun them down on the spot."

After ending the call, Yang Jin told Xia Qing the latest news: "Yu Dongming is dead. Chonglian Squad Eight is retreating."

"Good!" Xia Qing answered crisply. After getting back this time, she's going to Territory Eight to spend some good time with Xin Yu. Yu Dongming is dead—Xin Yu's feelings must be pretty complicated.

Yang Jin, keeping an eye on the surroundings, chatted casually with Xia Qing: "Yu Dongming's virtue and talent didn't match his position. Whoever takes over as Chonglian's chairman after his death will do a better job than he did."

Yang Jin wanted to ask Xia Qing whether Xin Yu would go back to take a key position in Chonglian's upper management and take back the Chonglian Group. After all, it was the enterprise her parents had worked so hard to build. However, he figured that, knowing Xia Qing's personality, she probably hadn't discussed this issue with Xin Yu.

Xia Qing gazed at the scavengers fighting over animal carcasses in the distance and answered calmly, "I never asked."

The question he hadn't asked out loud—Xia Qing had actually guessed it and given him an answer! Yang Jin's inner excitement was beyond words. His clever brain, usually so good at weighing pros and cons, went completely blank, and he blurted out the question he'd wanted to ask the moment he first saw Xia Qing today: "Sister Qing, can you take off the one-way transparent protective film and let me see the wound on your face?"

Xia Qing couldn't be bothered to respond to such a Bai Chi question. She put away her sniper rifle and reminded him: "Guagua, that white-eyed raven is coming over. It must be looking for you. I'll give you another string of pearls—go ask it if it knows where the humans here are hiding?"