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Chapter 484 Acquaintances Join the Expedition
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The storm warning has been lifted. People who were woken up by the violent shaking in the middle of the night resumed their normal work and life, either continuing their work or adjusting themselves to fall back asleep. Those with weaker constitutions took a few dizziness pills and moved around a bit before going back to sleep.
Li, who had been sitting on the stairs at the entrance of the passageway, was anxiously waiting. He was thinking about how to report to Colonel Liu when there was no one on the deck. Although he had received instructions from Colonel Liu to cooperate with Lin Yao's operation, he would definitely be punished if the person disappeared.
Even in an army where orders are paramount, someone still needs to take the blame when something serious happens. Xiao Li, who had no power, influence, or background, felt perfectly suited to be the one to take the blame, which made him even more anxious.
As soon as the alarm was lifted, he couldn't wait to go up to the deck to check the situation. However, he was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't pay attention to his posture, causing his legs to go numb from his groin. When he stood up, he stumbled and fell face down on the ground at the bottom of the stairs. Fortunately, his arms were not numb, and he managed to brace himself, only suffering a minor chin injury. He was unharmed and could continue moving.
"Hey, Xiao Li, what are you doing?"
A strong, resonant voice rang out. This voice, familiar to Xiao Li, filled him with even greater sorrow.
"Hello, Major Pei. Hello, Major Sun. I'm fine. I just slipped and fell down the stairs."
Li raised his head from the ground, quickly scrambling to his feet as he spoke. His legs were still numb, so he could only squat down. He was filled with worry, thinking to himself, "Gentlemen, please don't follow Professor Lin's example and go up to the deck. Although the alarm has been lifted, it's still dangerous up there. What if you two get your heads squeezed by the door and try to see the dark scenery? If you slip and fall into the sea, I, Li, will be doomed!"
Lin Yao's background is extremely mysterious, and Xiao Li doesn't know what would happen if something happened to him. But at least he has Colonel Liu's orders first. However, although Majors Pei and Sun are also mysterious, their ranks are what they are, and judging from the situation, if they want to go on the deck, he definitely won't be able to ask for permission from Colonel Liu in time. What if something happens...
Xiao Li shook his head violently, forcing himself not to think about it any further. He, who was born in a small town, could not bear such a big responsibility. Besides, he was not even a non-commissioned officer yet. He didn't want to join the army and end up with a disciplinary action.
I wish I could go back...
Li's heart sank into endless pessimism, because he had already caught sight of the two majors walking towards the stairs, and he even forgot to stop them in his panic.
As if plunged into an ice cave, Xiao Li vaguely heard the sound of the passage door opening. Then he heard two exclamations, short and urgent, almost simultaneous. The exclamations were not very clear, but after careful recollection, he could vaguely make out that Major Pei seemed to call out "Sir," while Major Sun only uttered one word, "First," and then there was no more.
Fortunately, neither of the two majors went upstairs!
These were Xiao Li's thoughts in that instant, before he was awakened by a slightly familiar voice.
"Huh? You... what are you doing here?!"
Lin Yao's tone was very serious, with a hint of coldness and ruthlessness. Xiao Li felt a sense of foreboding and quickly turned around to look, only to see a scene that shocked him.
Lin Yao, dressed in a white T-shirt and light gray trousers, stood at the entrance of the passage, his sharp eyes fixed on the two hesitant figures. The silence was oppressive, and Xiao Li felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her throat.
What shocked Xiao Li the most was Lin Yao's attire at that moment.
Not far away, a figure in pristine white and light gray stood out with a clean and simple appearance. The hem of her T-shirt, not tucked in, fluttered in the sea breeze blowing from the passageway, so neat and refreshing. It was hardly the look of someone who had weathered a storm; it was more like the casual attire of someone returning from sightseeing.
But how is that possible?!
The deck is completely open to the sky. Not to mention that a raging storm at sea would definitely soak you to the bone, even if it's just a light drizzle, there's absolutely nowhere to take shelter on the deck. How could you possibly be so white and dry?!
"Come with me, I have something to ask you!"
Lin Yao used telepathy to inform Pei Yuansun Miao that he would no longer stay there and quickly walked down the stairs towards his cabin with a serious expression.
Pei Yuan and Sun Miao stood close to the edge of the stairwell, letting Lin Yao pass by before immediately following behind. They didn't say a word, their faces full of fear and trepidation. Only Xiao Li, still squatting on the ground, stared dumbfounded at their backs, his mind completely blank.
...
How did you get here?
Lin Yao sat upright on the steel-framed single bed fixed to the cabin floor and walls. Lacking his usual politeness, he asked questions directly as soon as he closed the door, his tone aggressive.
"Sir, it's like this, Sun Miao and I also happened to be on a mission, we..."
Pei Yuan glanced at Lin Yao with some fear, then immediately lowered his head and continued to answer. Since meeting Lin Yao, the longer the time had passed, the more he felt the gap between himself and Lin Yao. He now truly understood that Lin Yao was a figure of the same level as the Grand Elder Pei Tianzong, and in some aspects, Lin Yao's status, position, and even value far surpassed that of the Grand Elder. In addition, this voyage was originally intended to be kept secret, so when Lin Yao asked him a question, he immediately panicked and even the excuse he had thought of before became stammering.
"I don't want reasons! I want the truth!" Lin Yao emphasized, his face becoming even more grim.
Although it was my first time at sea, it wasn't particularly special or worth making a big fuss about.
However, going to sea during this period was different, as it concerned the safety and lives of millions of compatriots, and Lin Yao could not afford to be careless.
Upon seeing Pei Yuan and Sun Miao, Lin Yao inwardly cursed his bad luck. His whereabouts were not at all the secret his grandfather had claimed, a secret that even Yue Taiqun couldn't know. On the contrary, his high-profile trip made him want to punch someone. He was already at his limit to suppress his emotions and wait until they entered the cabin to ask questions. If Pei Yuan made up excuses and lied to deceive him, he might just beat him up, possibly crippling him.
“Sir, it’s like this…” Sun Miao immediately took over the conversation, clearly nudging Pei Yuan with his elbow, “This time, Pei Yuan and I are visiting a senior in Qingdao. The adjutant of the commander on the flagship, ‘Liu Dibai,’ happens to be Pei’s son-in-law. He saw your photo at Pei’s house when he went home to visit his family last time, and that’s how he recognized you, the one who boarded the ship under an alias.”
"As you know, both the Shenyang Military Region and the Jinan Military Region are under the jurisdiction of the Pei family. Strictly speaking, reporting your whereabouts is not considered a leak. The adjutant originally had the responsibility of supervising the commander's work, so the Pei family knew about your whereabouts, although they did not know the purpose of your trip. However, Pei Yuan and I received orders to board the ship and follow your orders. The elders of our two families thought it would be more convenient to arrange two servants for you."
Seeing Lin Yao's brows furrow even more, Sun Miao immediately quickened his pace, "Sir, please rest assured, Pei Yuan and I boarded the ship as professional technical officers to carry out a secret mission, and after boarding the ship, we hardly met any outsiders except when we went to the toilet."
"It was late at night and we felt too stuffy in the cabin, so we wanted to go up to the deck for some fresh air. Normally, we wouldn't run into anyone else at this time. Even that Xiao Li we just met is someone we know because he's always been in charge of arranging our accommodations. We only showed up after we heard his breathing pattern. We hope you understand, sir."
Hearing this, Lin Yao's expression softened slightly, but the wariness in his eyes remained obvious. Without trying to soothe his earlier reprimand, Lin Yao continued to press, "Are you sure only the Pei and Sun families know my whereabouts? Besides your families, who else could possibly know about this? How many people know in total?"
“Sir,” Pei Yuan, who had been anxious, interrupted and immediately replied, “Liu Dibai reported directly to Pei Lixia, the commander of the Jinan Military Region. My uncle didn’t tell anyone, only the Grand Elder. Then the Grand Elder arranged for me to board the ship. I heard that the Sun family also told the Grand Elder, Sun Woxing, directly. I only found out that Sun Miao was also there when I boarded the ship after receiving the order.”
“Yes, sir, I assure you that only the Grand Elder of the Sun family knows about this matter. Even the boarding of the ship was done through the Pei family’s connections; no one from the Sun family was involved.” Sun Miao immediately added. Seeing Lin Yao’s serious expression, he realized that this trip was extremely unusual. Perhaps his and Pei Yuan’s arrival might ruin things, and he began to feel apprehensive. “Sir… if you mind, Pei Yuan and I will leave the ship as quickly as possible and try to return to land. We will follow your instructions.”
Lin Yao did not immediately answer Sun Miao's request. After thinking for a long time, he looked up and said, "No need. There is nothing particularly important at sea this time. What I am worried about is that Jiang Liu, who has a magic weapon, will find out about our departure. If he makes a move at this time, things will be very troublesome and the consequences will be very serious."
"Do you think there might be other people who also know about my voyage to sea on a warship?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yao felt a pang of regret. He thought to himself that he should have disguised his identity and appearance before going to sea, preferably by impersonating a sailor or technician who was already on the flagship. This would have reduced a lot of risks. However, he hadn't expected that his long-standing habit of not disguising himself would backfire. Now he could only try his best to make amends.
“Sir…” Sun Miao found it difficult to answer Lin Yao’s question, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, “I guarantee that no one in the Sun family has spread this news.”
"Sir, I also guarantee that the Pei family, including Colonel Liu Dibai, has not told any outsiders about your whereabouts!" Pei Yuan's voice was a bit loud. After hearing Lin Yao explain the pros and cons, he was very anxious. His awe of Lin Yao had been dispelled by his worry about the potential danger to the country. At this moment, he could only encourage himself by answering loudly.