396: Chapter 393: Departure for the Arctic.

After finishing their meal, the four of them went their separate ways.

Ye Ouyang returned to the base dormitory, saying he wanted to go back and see if there was any new activity at the workstation. Shen Mingyuan said he was going to catch up on some sleep, as the past few days had been quite exhausting. Wei Ziqing went back to the medical department for another check-up to ensure those legs were truly fine.

Lu Jianchuan went to the training area.

He stayed there for two hours, hitting sandbags, running, and doing strength training. Having used Explosive Combustion Form too much, his body needed to maintain its basic state; he couldn't rely solely on the armor to support him.

Sweat trickled down his neck. He stopped to drink water and leaned against the wall to rest.

Then he suddenly remembered something.

The Professor.

That old professor with graying hair and old-fashioned glasses who researched mosquitoes. He had said he was going to the North Pole to find ancestral mosquito fossils and investigate the origins of the evo factor. When was that? It seemed like quite a while ago.

Why hadn't there been any news?

Lu Jianchuan frowned, set down his water bottle, and walked out of the training area.

When he found Golden Bone, Golden Bone was in his office reading documents, with a stack piled on his desk and one in his hand. He looked up when he saw Lu Jianchuan enter.

"Something on your mind?"

Lu Jianchuan sat down across from him.

"Do you still remember that Professor Zheng who studies mosquitoes? The one who said he was going on an expedition to the North Pole, whose application I helped you expedite?"

Golden Bone's movements paused for a moment.

He put down the document in his hand and looked at Lu Jianchuan, remaining silent for two seconds.

"He's missing."

Lu Jianchuan was stunned.

"Missing? How is that possible? For that kind of expedition project, the security measures should be very thorough—"

"There were measures," Golden Bone interrupted. "By all rights, it should have been impossible for him to go missing. But he has indeed disappeared."

He paused.

"People have already been sent to look for him. But..."

"But what?"

Golden Bone looked at him and didn't answer directly.

"According to the latest intelligence, someone spotted Cynthia over there."

Lu Jianchuan's brow furrowed.

"Cynthia? Why would she go all the way there?"

"I don't know." Golden Bone leaned back in his chair. "I'm a bit worried. When she left, I was the one who vouched for her. If she really causes trouble over there—"

"No need to worry," Lu Jianchuan said. "Cynthia wouldn't do something like that."

Golden Bone looked at him and said nothing.

"I know," Golden Bone finally spoke after a moment. "But I'm afraid someone might be framing her."

Lu Jianchuan was silent for a few seconds.

Then he stood up.

"It's decided. I'm going to the North Pole."

Golden Bone looked up at him.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure."

Golden Bone was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Then you'll have to apply. Apply to the higher-ups. If it's approved, you can go."

Lu Jianchuan was taken aback.

"Aren't you my superior?"

Golden Bone smiled slightly, a somewhat complex expression.

"I'm not your superior for this. Your mission applications go directly to my superior's superior. They still place quite a lot of importance on people like you."

Lu Jianchuan nodded and turned to leave, then suddenly stopped.

"By the way, am I going to the North Pole alone this time?" He looked back. "Aren't you going to call your friends, those partners of yours, to go together?"

Lu Jianchuan was silent for a second.

"No. It'll just be me this time."

He paused.

"Someone always has to stay behind to protect everyone. I can go alone."

"Fine." Golden Bone nodded. "If you want to go alone, I won't say anything. But you have to clear it with your three teammates."

Lu Jianchuan had already pulled out his phone.

"Don't worry."

He tapped the gray icon with a white border. The group was quiet; the last message was a meme sent by Ye Ouyang yesterday. He typed:

Lu Jianchuan: I'm leaving for a trip to the North Pole.

Lu Jianchuan: You guys stay here and protect the city. If there's a need for anything, go immediately, don't delay.

Shen Mingyuan replied almost instantly: No problem.

Wei Ziqing: OK.

Ye Ouyang: Got it, Brother Lu! Be careful on the road!

Shen Mingyuan sent another one: Speaking of which, I haven't seen the Rabbit King in a long time. How's he been lately?

Lu Jianchuan stared at the screen, his lips twitching slightly.

Lu Jianchuan: Him? He just rarely meets with you guys normally. I spend more time with him.

Lu Jianchuan: He's just the same, staying here every day. He's even gotten fat. Eating cabbage and carrots all day, he's put on weight.

Shen Mingyuan: Hahahaha, for real?

Shen Mingyuan: Then I'll go see him when you get back.

Lu Jianchuan: Sure, go ahead. Anyway, I'm going to the North Pole. I might not be back for a long time. Going to find the Professor.

He put away his phone and looked at Golden Bone.

"I'll go apply now."

After the application was submitted, it was approved very quickly.

When the notification came, Lu Jianchuan was in the training area. His phone buzzed, and he took a look—mission approved, prepare for immediate departure.

The people from the base's logistics department called him over and spent the whole afternoon giving him pre-departure training.

"The North Pole isn't like other places. The environment is extreme; the weather can change in an instant." A middle-aged man stood in front of a projection, which showed photos of various tundras and ice caps. "Even though you have armor, it isn't omnipotent. You must learn how to use all of this equipment."

Cold-weather gear. Thermal layers. Communication equipment. Emergency positioning devices. A wilderness survival kit. And a specially modified snowmobile.

Lu Jianchuan learned and memorized everything one by one. While he was trying on the cold-weather gear, the person beside him was still nagging:

"Wear your gloves properly; don't expose any skin. Keep your goggles on at all times; snow blindness is no joke. What if you fall into an ice crevasse? This locator will send a signal if you press it, but the battery only lasts 24 hours, so you must conserve it..."

Lu Jianchuan listened, committing every key point to heart.

After all preparations were complete, a small transport plane sat on the base's tarmac. The hatch was open, and the snowmobile was already secured inside. Lu Jianchuan, dressed in full cold-weather gear, stood by the plane and took one last look at his phone.

In the group, Shen Mingyuan had sent: Safe travels.

Wei Ziqing: Come back soon.

Ye Ouyang: Good luck, Brother Lu!

He put his phone away, nodded to the crew, and boarded the plane.

The hatch slowly closed. The roar of the engines grew louder.

The plane taxied onto the runway, accelerated, and lifted off—soon, everything on the ground became small, turning into a blur of colors before disappearing beneath the clouds.

Meanwhile, in the hallway of the base's dormitory area.

Shen Mingyuan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, gazing out the window with a profound expression. Sunlight hit his face as he slightly squinted, looking as if he were contemplating some great life matter.

Wei Ziqing walked past him, glanced at him, and ignored him.

Ye Ouyang followed behind and paused when he saw Shen Mingyuan's pose.

Shen Mingyuan slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, and cleared his throat.

"Now that Lu Jianchuan is gone," he began, his tone steady with a deliberate depth, "from today on, I am the Senior with the most seniority in this team."

Wei Ziqing stopped and looked at him.

"And?"

Shen Mingyuan ignored him and continued looking at Ye Ouyang.

"If you call me 'Shen Mingyuan the Great Handsome Guy' now," he paused, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, "I'll show you the ropes."

Wei Ziqing rolled his eyes.

"Here we go again." He sighed. "You really are narcissistic."

Ye Ouyang was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted.

"Oh." He nodded and looked at Shen Mingyuan, speaking very seriously, "Shen Mingyuan the Great Handsome Guy, please show me the ropes."

Shen Mingyuan could no longer suppress his grin.

He straightened up and patted Ye Ouyang on the shoulder with an expression that said 'this kid can be taught'.

"Since you called me Great Handsome Guy," he said, "then I'll take us out to have some fun. Dinner's on me."

Wei Ziqing stood to the side watching this scene with a complex expression.

Silence followed for two seconds.

"...Shen Mingyuan the Great Handsome Guy," he spoke, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Shen Mingyuan turned his head to look at him, his smile widening even further.

"Good, I'll take everyone, everyone. Come on, let's go eat."