231: Chapter 230 Seeking Light on the Sandy Journey! A fierce wind chases a secret, a perilous path warms the heart (4)

After the meeting ended, Mu Li immediately began preparing for the trip to Xuanguang No. 2 Experimental Base. He counted supplies, checked weapons, and calibrated the Xuanguang detection equipment, ensuring every detail was meticulous to guarantee the trip would be foolproof.

Upon learning that Mu Li was leading a team out again to the dangerous southern mountainous region, Xia Wan specifically came to Mu Li's office. She prepared some common medicines, first-aid supplies, as well as some dry rations and water for him, her face full of worry.

"You must be careful on this trip to the southern mountains." Xia Wan's tone carried a hint of worry, her eyes gentle and urgent. "The terrain there is perilous, the climate is complex, and it's shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, making it very easy to get lost. Plus, there are many unknown dangers, and the Aurora Alliance will surely set ambushes there. If you encounter any difficulties, you must contact the base in time. Don't try to be a hero. No matter what, your safety is the most important thing."

Mu Li held Xia Wan's hand and said gently, "I know, Xia Wan. Don't worry, I will definitely be careful and I will definitely come back safely. I promised you that I would take you out to dinner and give you a stable future, and I will never break my word. Once I complete the mission, find the second part of the restoration plan, and return to the base, we will never be separated again."

"I'll wait for you, Mu Li." Xia Wan interrupted Mu Li, smiling. Her eyes were filled with determination and anticipation. "No matter how long it takes, I will wait for you. I'll wait for you to come back safely, and I'll wait for you to fulfill your promise. You must take good care of yourself and don't make me worry."

Mu Li's heart was filled with warmth. He squeezed Xia Wan's hand tightly and nodded, saying nothing more. All his promises and deep affection were transformed into a resolute gaze. He knew that with Xia Wan's waiting and support, no matter how great the difficulties he encountered, he could overcome them and return safely.

Three days later, everything was ready. Mu Li led Zhao Gang, Old Zhou, and two technical experts, boarding the xuanguang assault boat to officially depart for the southern mountains. The xuanguang assault boat shuttled rapidly through the clouds, flying toward the target location. The craft was stable and swift, passing through layers of cloud seas as it approached the southern mountainous region shrouded in mist.

Mu Li sat at the control console of the Assault Boat, looking at the sea of clouds outside the window, his heart filled with firm conviction. He not only had to find the second part of the restoration plan but also had to return safely to fulfill his promise to Xia Wan and give her a stable future. He knew the road ahead was fraught with danger, but he was fearless, because in his heart, he held the future of Xuanguang Technology, the nation's energy security, the support of his companions, and his deep love and promise to Xia Wan.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the ocean, inside the headquarters of the Aurora Alliance, a new conspiracy against Mu Li and the Xuanguang Team was being quietly plotted. The leader of the Aurora Alliance looked at the intelligence in his hands, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of his mouth—they had already learned the news that Mu Li was heading to the southern mountains to search for the second part of the restoration plan. They had already set up an ambush around Xuanguang No. 2 Experimental Base that was even tighter than the one in the Western Gobi, arranging more elite armed personnel and equipping them with more advanced heavy weapons. They vowed to wipe out Mu Li and his party in the southern mountains, seize the restoration plan, completely destroy the Xuanguang Team, and complete their "Operation Light-Devouring."

Mu Li did not know what kind of danger and what kind of traps awaited him. But he had made full preparations. No matter how many hardships and obstacles lay ahead, and no matter how many ambushes the Aurora Alliance had set, he would march forward bravely and never retreat. Because in his heart, there was always a firm conviction, a deep promise, and a heavy sense of responsibility.

The xuanguang assault boat passed through thick clouds and gradually approached the southern mountainous region. The mountains below were shrouded in mist, with peaks towering into the clouds and steep cliffs piercing the sky. Dense forests covered the mountains, making them appear mysterious and dangerous, like a huge labyrinth waiting for them to explore, and also waiting for them to face the unknown dangers.

Mu Li clenched his fists, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. He gazed firmly at the mountains below and thought to himself: Xuanguang No. 2 Experimental Base, here we come! No matter how many dangers lie ahead, I will definitely find the second part of the restoration plan. I will not let down Professor Chen's hard work, the team's trust, and certainly not Xia Wan's waiting.

The xuanguang assault boat slowly lowered its altitude, weaving through the clouds and mist, avoiding towering peaks, and finally landed smoothly in a hidden valley. This place was far from the main flight paths, with dense trees and swirling mist, and visibility was less than ten meters, which was perfect for hiding the traces of the Assault Boat and avoiding premature exposure of their whereabouts.

"Engineer Mu, we have arrived at the outskirts of the southern mountainous region. According to the coordinates in the diary, Xuanguang No. 2 Experimental Base is in the deep mountains about twenty kilometers ahead." Zhao Gang held the positioning equipment and said after carefully checking the coordinates, his tone carrying a hint of caution. "However, the terrain here is even more complex than we anticipated. The peaks are steep, thorns are overgrown, and the clouds and mist are too thick. The navigation signal is intermittent, so we can only rely on traveling on foot and slowly feeling our way forward."

Old Zhou opened the cabin door of the Assault Boat, and a damp scent of the mountain forest rushed in, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees and a faint smell of decay. He vigilantly observed the surrounding environment, gripping his weapon tightly, and said in a deep voice, "Engineer Mu, the terrain here is perilous; it's easy to defend and hard to attack, a typical perfect location for an ambush. The Aurora Alliance must have been prepared long ago. We must be extra careful and proceed with caution at every step to avoid falling into their traps."

Mu Li nodded, his expression calm. "Everyone, perk up. Check your equipment. Carry the Xuanguang detection equipment and weapons with you. The technical experts are responsible for keeping the existing restoration plan safe; do not lose it. Old Zhou is responsible for clearing the path and keeping watch. Zhao Gang, assist me in checking the route. We will slow down and advance steadily. If we discover any anomalies, hide immediately. Do not act rashly."

"Understood!" Everyone answered in unison, quickly tidying up their equipment and walking off the Assault Boat one by one. Mu Li checked the concealment of the Assault Boat one last time, and after confirming that no traces were left behind, he led everyone and set off toward the depths of the deep mountains.

In the mountain forest, clouds and mist filled the air, and the light was dim. Underfoot was a rugged mountain path, covered with gravel and weeds, and every step was extremely difficult. Sharp thorns tore through their sleeves and pant legs, leaving shallow scratches. The damp water vapor soaked their clothes, and the cold was bone-chilling, yet no one complained. Everyone had a firm look in their eyes, following closely in the team, vigilantly observing the movements around them.

While walking, Mu Li flipped through Professor Chen's diary. In addition to recording the approximate coordinates of Xuanguang No. 2 Experimental Base, the diary also mentioned a key marker—at the entrance of the base, there was an ancient pine tree a thousand years old, with the characters "xihe" carved on it. This was the only identifier to enter the base. Besides this, the diary also vaguely mentioned that the security system of Base No. 2 was even tighter than that of Base No. 1, and even had Xuanguang Energy traps set up. If one was not careful, they would trigger the traps, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Engineer Mu, look ahead!" Old Zhou suddenly stopped, lowered his voice, and shouted, pointing vigilantly at the mountain forest not far away. Everyone immediately stopped and hid behind tree trunks, looking in the direction Old Zhou pointed. In the clouds and mist, a few figures could be faintly seen moving through the forest. They were agile, their movements were secretive, and they were wearing black combat uniforms that blended into the mountain forest environment—clearly, they were sentries from the Aurora Alliance.

Mu Li's eyes instantly turned cold, and he thought to himself: They really did come. He lowered his voice and said to the people beside him, "Do not alert them. We will take a detour, flank around from the left hillside, and avoid these sentries. Try to minimize unnecessary conflicts, conserve our energy, and head to the experimental base with all our might."

Everyone nodded, carefully avoiding the line of sight of the sentries, and slowly moved forward along the left hillside. The hillside was steep and slippery, and the soil under their feet was soft; if they were not careful, they would slide down. Everyone helped each other, climbing upward step by step with difficulty. The sweat on their bodies mixed with the water vapor, soaking their clothes, yet they still dared not relax in the slightest.

After marching for about an hour, they finally avoided the sentries and arrived at a relatively flat clearing in the forest. At this time, the clouds and mist had gradually dissipated a little, and visibility had improved. Mu Li looked up and saw that at the foot of the nearby mountain peak, there was indeed an ancient pine tree with lush branches and leaves. The pine tree was thick and straight, vigorous and powerful, and on the trunk, two blurred characters could be vaguely seen—it was exactly the characters "xihe".

"Engineer Mu, it's the ancient pine! We've found the marker for the base!" Zhao Gang said excitedly, his tone carrying a hint of joy. The fatigue of the past few days dissipated quite a bit at this moment.

Mu Li also breathed a sigh of relief, but still did not lower his guard. "Everyone be careful. There must be an ambush by the Aurora Alliance near the ancient pine. We will approach slowly, carefully investigate the surrounding environment, and only after confirming there are no traps or sentries will we look for the base entrance."

Everyone slowed their pace and approached the ancient pine cautiously. Old Zhou walked in the front, the Xuanguang detection equipment in his hand constantly scanning the surrounding environment, checking for possible traps and sentries. Just when they were a dozen meters away from the ancient pine, Mu Li suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. His eyes were heavy as he pointed at the grass around the ancient pine—in the grass, there was a faint reflection flickering; it was clearly the gun scopes of armed personnel.

"Not good, there's an ambush!" Mu Li shouted in a low voice. As soon as his voice fell, more than a dozen armed personnel suddenly rushed out from the grass around the ancient pine. They held advanced assault rifles in their hands and fired wildly at them. Dense bullets whizzed over, hitting the tree trunks and splashing out bits of wood chips, making a "crackle" sound.

"Take cover!" Old Zhou shouted, immediately leading everyone to hide behind the tree trunks, relying on the trunks as cover to launch a counterattack. Mu Li quickly drew the xuanguang energy dagger from his waist, while signaling the technical experts to hide well and protect the restoration plan. He, along with Zhao Gang and Old Zhou, fired at the armed personnel. Bullets and Xuanguang Energy intertwined, unfolding a fierce gun battle in the misty mountain forest.

The Aurora Alliance's armed personnel were numerous, well-equipped, and occupied a favorable terrain, with firepower so dense that one couldn't even lift their head. Mu Li and his party were at a disadvantage and could only rely on the tree trunks to counterattack with difficulty; casualties could occur at any time. Old Zhou, relying on his rich combat experience, shot accurately and took down a few armed personnel, but he was also grazed on the arm by the enemy's bullets, and blood instantly stained his sleeve red.

"Old Zhou, how are you?" Mu Li felt a tightness in his chest when he saw Old Zhou injured and asked in a low voice.

"I'm fine, it's a minor injury, it won't affect the fight!" Old Zhou shook his head, his tone firm, and continued to pull the trigger. "Engineer Mu, fighting head-on like this is not a solution. There are too many of them, and we will be worn down sooner or later. We must find a way to break through their encirclement and find the base entrance as soon as possible!"

Mu Li frowned, his brain running at high speed, quickly analyzing the situation: The enemy's ambush was concentrated around the ancient pine, clearly anticipating that they would follow the marker in the diary to find the base entrance, wanting to wipe them out here. To break through the encirclement, they had to find the enemy's weak point and take the opportunity to rush through.

Just then, Zhao Gang suddenly shouted: "Engineer Mu, look to the right! The enemy's firepower on the right is relatively weak, with only three armed personnel. We can break through from the right, head straight for the ancient pine, and find the base entrance!"

Mu Li looked in the direction Zhao Gang pointed. Sure enough, the number of armed personnel on the enemy's right was smaller, and the firepower was relatively weak. It was the best time to break through the encirclement. He made a prompt decision: "Old Zhou, you are responsible for suppressing fire and attracting the enemy's attention. Zhao Gang, come with me, break through from the right, and head straight for the ancient pine to find the base entrance. Technical experts, stay where you are and hide; do not move around. Wait until we break through, then take the opportunity to follow!"

"Understood!" Everyone answered in unison and immediately acted according to Mu Li's instructions. Old Zhou increased the firepower, and dense bullets fired at the enemy's front, forcing them to concentrate their attention to cope, with no time to care about the right side. Mu Li and Zhao Gang took advantage of this gap, their figures nimbly shuttling between the tree trunks, rushing toward the enemy's weak point on the right.

"Stop them!" The armed personnel on the right discovered Mu Li and Zhao Gang and immediately turned their guns to fire at them. Mu Li, relying on his flexible movements, dodged left and right, while raising his hand to shoot, accurately taking down one armed personnel. Zhao Gang cooperated with Mu Li, pinning down the other two armed personnel, buying time for Mu Li.

Soon, Mu Li and Zhao Gang broke through the enemy's encirclement and rushed to the foot of the ancient pine. Mu Li had no time to think and immediately circled the ancient pine, carefully looking for traces of the base entrance. The diary recorded that the base entrance was hidden at the base of the ancient pine, covered by thick vegetation and gravel. They needed to find a specific mechanism to open the entrance.

"Engineer Mu, there is a mechanism here!" Zhao Gang suddenly shouted. At the roots of the ancient pine, there was a protruding rock, and on the rock was carved the same "xihe" mark as on the emergency light—it was clearly the mechanism to open the base entrance.

Mu Li immediately walked over quickly and carefully observed the rock. He found a small groove on the rock, the shape of which was exactly the same as the handle of the xuanguang energy dagger. His heart stirred, and he immediately took out the xuanguang energy dagger, carefully inserted the handle into the groove, and turned it gently.

Instantly, the ground suddenly shook violently, and the vegetation and gravel at the roots of the ancient pine slowly slid away, a pitch-black entrance slowly revealing itself. At the entrance was a thick alloy door, and the Xuanguang keypad lock on the door was still intact, with no signs of damage—clearly, although the people of the Aurora Alliance had found this place, they had not found the method to open the entrance, and could only set an ambush around it, waiting for them to walk right into the trap.

"Engineer Mu, the entrance has been found!" Zhao Gang said excitedly, his tone full of joy.

Mu Li nodded and immediately said through the communicator to Old Zhou and the technical experts: "We have found the base entrance. You must break through the encirclement as soon as possible and come here to join us. Be fast!"

"Understood! We'll be there soon!" Old Zhou's urgent voice came through the communicator, accompanied by dense gunfire and explosions. Clearly, they were struggling to break through the enemy's encirclement.