The reality is that someone must have been turned by the gods, but the Li family cannot currently identify who it is.
For the Li family, they have too many talented people at their disposal. There is no need to take unnecessary risks for these four hundred people. They can simply feed and care for them.
Now, Li Cheng and others have been portrayed as heroes. They are to go to various places to give inspiring speeches, and then return to City 18 to enjoy life with high salaries.
They could also come and go from the military camp at any time to have fun, living a very comfortable life.
To be fair, they were people brought up by Qing Chen, so from that perspective alone, Li Yunshou couldn't possibly treat them unfairly.
These people, as a matter of course, became marginalized figures, yet they were wealthy.
Li Cheng understood his family's actions; he truly understood.
If he were working in the Privy Council, he wouldn't allow such a group of people to regain access to power.
But such days were always somewhat unbearable. Li Cheng even wanted to return to the road they had fought their way out of Base A02, and continue trekking southward with that figure, even if that trek would never end.
At this very moment, an officer is sitting in his office in the dormitory building, smiling broadly as he distributes wages to the soldiers.
The officer said warmly, "This month, everyone not only received their basic salary, but also special allowances for these two tours. Thank you all for your outstanding contributions to the publicity work."
The soldiers in the corridor outside the office whistled, beaming as they waited to collect their wages, before heading to District 4 to drown their sorrows that night.
After everyone received their wages, they walked back to the dormitory arm in arm. Someone shouted, "I thought my speech last time was very moving. They should give me a bigger allowance. Why should I get the same as you guys? Hahaha, don't you think that makes sense?"
"That makes sense. I saw you even shed tears back then. After the speech, a tear slowly rolled down your cheek. Wow, even female celebrities can't act as well as you."
The officer who was distributing wages glanced at the soldiers' retreating figures, then sighed and quickly walked away.
At this moment, someone glanced at Li Cheng and said, "Old Li, you're a colonel, you must have the highest salary, why don't you seem happy at all? Don't be so serious, come with us to the Kamishiro Street tonight to find some girls!"
Li Cheng glanced at them and said, "Come to the conference room with me, I have something to say."
This was the first time they had seen Li Cheng so serious since they had been back.
In the conference room inside the dormitory building, Li Cheng stood in front of more than 400 people and slowly said, "I have received a summons."
Needless to say, everyone understood whose summons Li Cheng was responding to.
After looking around, Li Cheng continued, "Actually, life is already very good now. Everyone only works two days a month, but they can earn three times more than before. With this salary, everyone can quickly buy a house, a car, get married, and then live a stable life. The Li family will not treat us unfairly; from now on, everyone will be wealthy and leisurely for life."
Everyone remained silent; the only sound in the conference room was breathing.
Li Cheng suddenly changed the subject: "So, when the boss asked me if I was willing to leave this time, he made it very clear that those who didn't want to leave could stay."
“What if we want to leave?” someone asked.
Li Cheng smiled and said, "Of course, you'll be going to the wilderness to be exposed to the wind, sun, and snow. You'll suffer, suffer, and suffer some more. Don't expect any good days there. There are no girls, no houses, and no cell phone signal. If you go, it's best if each of you brings a few things to keep you entertained in the middle of the night. You'll have to take turns using them."
"Damn, this is way too bitter..."
"Haha, why does this feel like we're going back to Base A02?"
After a long silence, someone suddenly asked, "Did the boss say what he could give us?"
Li Cheng said, "I give you iron and blood, I give you war and honor."
The meeting room fell silent again.
"Can he trust us?" a soldier asked.
Li Cheng said, "The boss is very frank. He can't believe us either, but he has ways to prove the innocence of the innocent and the lies of the liars."
The soldiers' breathing quickened. Hadn't they been feeling stifled these past few days? Of course they had.
They even wanted to go out into the streets and tell everyone that they had not been turned by the gods.
They cooperated fully with the lie detector tests each time, hoping their family would believe in their loyalty.
The problem is that they are willing to try to prove their loyalty, but they still cannot prove it.
In the dead of night, some soldiers contemplated suicide to clear their names.
During this period, six soldiers attempted suicide.
If Li Cheng hadn't taken precautions, those six people would probably be gone.
They survived the days at Base A02, but they couldn't survive the peace.
Now, the person who turned the rotten into the miraculous suddenly reappears and says, "Although I don't believe you, as long as you are innocent, I can prove your innocence."
Li Cheng said with a smile, "Everyone is free to make their own choice: continue living a comfortable life here, or go to the wilderness to live a hard life. No one will laugh at those who stay, I guarantee it."
When are you leaving?
Li Cheng: "Tonight."
"So urgent?"
"Um."
In the conference room, everyone looked at each other, some with hesitation on their faces.
In fact, this is the meaning of Qingchen wanting them to have a good life. These people suffered too much in the A02 base. They suffered so much that whatever Qingchen asked them to do before was better than them staying in that godforsaken place.
They had no choice.
This would give Qingchen the feeling that he was taking advantage of someone in distress.
Now Qingchen has given them the choice: good days or bad days, it's up to them.
However, once you've made your choice, don't regret it.
Li Cheng waited quietly for ten minutes, then said, "Those who are coming with me, go pack your things now. Those who want to stay, just stay in this conference room and come out after we leave. Let's not make things difficult for everyone, so we won't say goodbye again. We probably won't see each other again in this life."
After saying that, he turned and strode out of the conference room.
A few seconds later, the first soldier made his choice and followed Li Cheng out the door.
Then came the second place, the third place...
Gradually, everyone left the meeting room; not a single person chose to stay!
Even Li Cheng was surprised this time. He glanced at the suddenly empty conference room and asked curiously, "Is there not a single person left here?"
A soldier stood in the corridor, laughing and cursing, "Old Li, who the hell do you think you are? Huh? You think you're so loyal, so grateful, so determined and willing to suffer?"
Someone else laughed and said, "Look at that incredulous look on your face, as if we're all cowards in your eyes. Is suffering something to be proud of? Back at Base A02, I suffered way more than you!"
Old Li laughed and scolded, "Alright, enough of this nonsense, go pack your things. Don't bring too much, everyone. Just leave the camp normally as usual, and then leave through the No. 2 border checkpoint on the south side. The boss has already made arrangements there."
"Let's go, let's go, let's go suffer!"
The soldiers started joking around again.
At midnight, Li Cheng and the others had not yet returned to camp.
Red Sparrow took action, starting to use informants to track down their whereabouts.
Later, Red Sparrow discovered that intelligence agents led by Qing Ling were also gathering in City 18, seemingly preparing to leave.
It wasn't until this moment that Li realized what was happening.
These people were not in danger; instead, they answered someone's call.
...
...
In the wilderness south of City 18, Li Cheng sat on a large tree by the roadside, shading his eyes with his hand as he gazed into the distance.
"Don't wait for Lao Li, I have a feeling Qingling and the others aren't coming," someone said. "I heard that the Qing family treats Qingling and his people better than they treat us. Some of them have regained power, and Qingling has resumed his identity as a secret agent. They're living much more comfortably than we are."
"Who can blame them? They're the boss's cronies. We all share the same surname, Qing, and the boss is the current leader of the Secret Service, so naturally he'll take better care of them," someone said. "Although our boss has a high position in the Li family, there's still something between us; after all, he's an outsider..."
Li Cheng pondered, "It must be because of something that delayed it. Even if others don't go to the wilderness, Qingling definitely will."
However, at that moment, more than twenty troop transport vehicles drove up from the west side of the wilderness and lined up in a long line.
Li Cheng and the others suddenly tensed up, and someone whispered, "Could it be the Li family coming to arrest us?"
Li Cheng looked up and gestured for everyone to be quiet: "Stay hidden!"
But gradually they realized something was wrong. Qing Ling in the car at the front was looking at them with a sly smile!
The troop carrier slowly came to a stop. Qing Ling sat in the passenger seat, his arm resting on the window, and said jokingly, "You guys aren't planning to hike to Forbidden Land 002, are you? After arriving at Forbidden Land 002, you'll have to hike another 200 kilometers to the Wilderness People's settlement. This kind of hard-working spirit is truly admirable."
Li Cheng was stunned for a moment: "How come you have a car?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Qing Ling said with a smile. "Who is our boss in the Qing family? I said I wanted to leave, and Qing Ye and Qing Qu immediately welcomed us with open arms, providing supplies, a car, and a satellite phone, as if they were worried that we wouldn't eat or sleep well on the way. That's the Qing family for you, much better than your Li family. I heard you sneaked out, hahaha, why be so careful? Aren't you being overly cautious!"
Li Cheng's face turned red with anger: "Bullshit! What if we get stopped? Who knows what the power struggle at the top is like?"
Qingling asked curiously, "We all came out, not one of us missing. What about you?"
Li Cheng also said proudly, "Don't act like we're inferior to you. We're all here!"
The two of them got tangled up again.
The two fell silent for a moment, then Qingling suddenly opened the car door and jumped out. He gave Li Cheng a tight hug: "Long time no see."
Li Cheng smiled and said, "Long time no see."
Since they were awarded medals and taken aboard the airship, the intelligence agents of the Li and Qing families have not seen them again.
However, having gone through thick and thin together at Base A02 for over a decade, this bond will never break.
"Alright, get in the car!" Qing Ling laughed loudly, "From now on, we'll travel far and wide, never to return!"
More than twenty troop carriers swayed and wobbled southward along the small road.
The military songs inside the vehicle startled the birds, piercing through the clouds in the sky.
Chapter 672, Don't look, don't be afraid
Return countdown: 7:00:00.
evening.
The singing was loud and clear.
"The sun sets in the west, the red clouds fly, the soldiers return to camp after target practice, return to camp."
"The red flag fluttering in the wind reflects the colorful clouds, and joyful songs fill the sky."