"Old Task Force" finished their exercises and returned to "Pangu Biology" when the spring rain started to fall, washing away the dust.

In the past, Long Yuehong would definitely have sighed, "Why does it always rain when we come back? Three out of five times!"

And when saying this, he would definitely be chatting idly on the surface, but actually hiding his excitement, his words containing a smile, impatient to get back.

But this time, sitting in the back row, he said nothing, his mouth tightly shut, like a statue.

Silence filled the jeep.

When "Old Task Force" approached and their identities were confirmed, the silver-white door at the entrance of the "Pangu Biology" underground building slowly moved backward, like a giant beast opening its mouth.

The jeep drove in, parked in the designated location, and Jiang Baimian and others got out of the car one after another to undergo security checks.

"Why are you back so soon this time?" The captain on duty today was a middle-aged man Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao didn't recognize, with a crew cut, small eyes, and a rather old appearance.

"Old Task Force" didn't recognize him, but he was no stranger to their reputation, after all, whether it was Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, or Long Yuehong, their characteristics were very distinct.

Plus, he had a naturally familiar personality, so he directly asked the question out of curiosity.

A smile appeared on Jiang Baimian's face:

"This time it was just exercises.

"After the previous mission, we stayed in the company for several months, spending a complete year. I was afraid they would all become useless, so I organized an exercise first to let them adapt."

The captain suddenly understood:

"I was just saying, I heard people say you were on an external mission, and every time you go on an external mission, it takes at least two or three months?"

"Not really." Jiang Baimian replied with a smile, "The first mission only took about a month, I've forgotten the specifics, anyway, it wasn't long."

She spoke and smiled warmly, filled with a sense of relaxation at returning to the company and home.

After passing the security check, "Old Task Force" went through various procedures and returned to Room 14 on the 647th floor.

"I have to change the game." Shang Jianyao took out his portable computer, sat upright, and seriously thought about what to change.

During this time, he had been indulging in entering the "Sea of Origins" to play games for Xiao Chong to "watch", without exploring new rooms.

And this kind of attempt couldn't be separated from serious preparation in advance. Long Yuehong didn't know whether to sympathize with Shang Jianyao's hard work or envy his "using public office for private gain".

Unfortunately, the crack representing Xiao Chong still hadn't shown any reaction.

Jiang Baimian glanced at Shang Jianyao:

"It's only the first day back, don't always think about work, rest for a while, we'll talk about it tomorrow.

"Or, should I give you two more days off?"

She behaved the same as she usually did when returning to the company after a mission.

"Isn't there still the test results to wait for?" Shang Jianyao said with bright eyes, "I plan to play racing games."

"The reason is?" Jiang Baimian asked with slight curiosity.

Shang Jianyao replied proudly:

"We can race in reality, but Xiao Chong can't..."

Speaking of this, he let out a laugh:

"Because he's too short, he can't reach the pedals, hahaha!"

If I were Xiao Chong, I would definitely make you, this good friend, go to the bathroom once an hour, even in the middle of the night! Long Yuehong thought to himself.

Shang Jianyao continued:

"So, we're not interested in racing games, doesn't mean Xiao Chong doesn't like them."

"There's some truth to that, play, play until the test results come out." Jiang Baimian didn't say anything more.

She sat in the position belonging to the team leader, thinking about how to write the report on this exercise, and from time to time recalling the scene when she was stared at by "You Gu".

After three hours, various test reports came out, and Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Shang Jianyao left the "Old Task Force" office one after another.

Only then did Jiang Baimian turn on her computer and write the report.

At the end of the report, she submitted an application to the higher-ups, saying that while the effects of this exercise were still there, the team members could be adjusted slightly and sent out on a mission.

And for this mission, she planned to first go to the city ruins where Shang Jianyao's father last appeared, to find him and his teammates, and investigate why a large-scale outbreak of "Apathy" occurred there after the New Calendar, leading to the destruction of the city.

After that, "Old Task Force" would go to the area mentioned by the Eighth Research Institute's prisoner to search for clues.

——The Eighth Research Institute's special envoy that "Old Task Force" captured in Initial City said that the dispatched personnel didn't actually know the specific location of the Eighth Research Institute. Each time they went in and out, someone would pick them up, their eyes covered and their ears plugged the whole time, and the ice field where they released the signal for someone to pick them up was the destination of "Old Task Force".

After finishing the application, Jiang Baimian silently exhaled and continued to type on the keyboard:

"The personnel participating in this external mission are still me, Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong.

"Because of her past experiences, Bai Chen has a psychological shadow about abandoning companions. During the exercise, I communicated with her several times and found that she was very resistant to similar things and couldn't accept switching to internal affairs right now. This can be seen from the fact that she hasn't started preparing for pregnancy even now after getting married.

"Although the company will definitely order it and she will accept it, as a comrade-in-arms and companion, I still hope that she can live her future days in good physical and mental health.

"And Long Yuehong said that he listens to Bai Chen.

"Therefore, I hereby submit a special application to allow Bai Chen and Long Yuehong to participate in this mission. During this mission, I will continue to persuade them, and at the same time let them see that 'Old Task Force's' mission is indeed about to be accomplished.

"As long as we can find the specific location of the Eighth Research Institute, Shang Jianyao and I will also focus on internal affairs, and at that time, Bai Chen will definitely no longer resist..."

Using Bai Chen's psychological shadow as an excuse to keep her and Long Yuehong from staying inside "Pangu Biology" was the excuse that "Old Task Force" had discussed on the way back.

Otherwise, according to the regulations, they wouldn't have to go out on missions after just getting married, and Jiang Baimian had also specifically mentioned to Vice Minister Xi Yu that she wanted them to switch to internal affairs and live a stable life. If she changed her mind without warning, it would easily make the higher-ups think that "something is wrong".

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't matter if such a thought arose, but "Old Task Force" couldn't stand investigation!

Therefore, they discussed and believed that there must be a reasonable reason.

Bai Chen said at the time that she originally wanted to stay in the team until the end of the last mission, and the reason was readily available, no need to look for another one.

After drafting the report, Jiang Baimian leaned back in her chair and raised her hand to pinch her forehead.

She had to admit that Shang Jianyao's behavior of hiding the truth all along and only telling the truth during the exercise was very meaningful.

She suspected that in the first month after her and Shang Jianyao's memories were deleted, the company's corresponding Awakened would often come to "check" the brains of several members of the team to prevent accidents, and at that time, except for Shang Jianyao, the other three really didn't know.

As for Shang Jianyao, the one who hated evil like an enemy probably often carried the corresponding memories and hid in Xiao Chong's crack.

Today, Jiang Baimian believed that the company should have become lax in this regard, after all, it was impossible to normalize this, and if the corresponding Awakened frequently used their abilities on "Old Task Force", it would inevitably expose their existence—with the strength of Shang Jianyao and others, it was impossible to remain unaware all the time.

But even so, Jiang Baimian still asked Long Yuehong and Bai Chen to recall the scene of "You Gu" staring at them when they remembered.

After calming down her indescribable mood, she submitted the report.

…………

495th floor, C area, No. 11, Long Yuehong's parents' home.

After dinner, when the whole family was sitting in different positions watching old-world entertainment programs together, Long Yuehong considered it for a while, and said before Gu Hong and Long Dayong could speak:

"Mom, Dad, Bai Chen and I might have to go on an external mission after a while."

Gu Hong immediately widened her eyes:

"You just got married, you haven't even had children yet, how can you go on an external mission?

"There's no way!"

She looked like she was going to reason with Long Yuehong and Bai Chen's boss, Jiang Baimian.

Long Yuehong's eyes suddenly turned slightly sour, and he shook his head at Bai Chen, signaling her not to speak, that he would handle it.

He squeezed out a smile and explained as if nothing was wrong:

"Haven't we been to the surface many times? We've also made a lot of friends and done some things. I think we still have to go there again, say goodbye to the past, and make a good ending before we can safely switch to internal affairs."

Long Dayong nodded slightly upon hearing this, while Gu Hong suddenly understood:

"No wonder you haven't had children for so long, so you were thinking of going out one more time."

This is all Shang Jianyao's fault... Long Yuehong muttered in his heart.

Bai Chen took the initiative to respond:

"Yes, after we come back this time, we can start preparing for pregnancy."

Hearing these words, Gu Hong's face turned clear and she revealed a smile:

"Shouldn't it be too dangerous to see friends?"

"It's okay." Bai Chen answered for Long Yuehong, not letting him show the slightest hesitation.

Only then did Gu Hong and Long Dayong breathe a sigh of relief.

…………

"Hello everyone, I am the hourly news anchor Hou Yi, it is now 8 o'clock in the evening..."

Shang Jianyao sat in the activity center, listening to the familiar, slightly childish sweet voice in the radio, while quietly watching the neighbors play cards and chess, gather and chat, people coming and going.

His expression was peaceful and very focused.