Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Departure
Back when he graduated from Mountain City Mountain’s First Advanced Academy, if it hadn’t been for his physical condition, he might very well have joined a regular legion like Bai Chuan and the others.
"Of course it’s true."
Cloud Fish and the others walked over, grinning as they spoke.
Long Ming listened to the praise from Cloud Fish and the others and smiled as well.
Just then, Xiaoqi looked at Cloud Fish and the others and asked.
"Is everything loaded?"
"Don’t worry, it’s all taken care of."
"Alright, then let’s head out and rendezvous with the escort team."
Xiaoqi then gave the order to Cloud Fish and the others.
Hearing this, Long Ming asked with some curiosity.
"There’s an escort unit?"
"Of course there is. And it’s the regular army, too."
"It’s not the All Stars Guild, is it?"
"You got it."
Xiaoqi replied with a chuckle.
"Then where are our guild’s combat members?"
Long Ming looked around, asking with confusion.
"They all went to the front lines with President Luoxue."
Xiaoqi led Long Ming toward the military transport truck at the very front.
"Oh, I see!"
Long Ming didn’t say much more after hearing that.
Soon, they reached the military transport truck. Xiaoqi pulled open the driver’s side door and climbed in. She sat in the driver’s seat and stretched out her foot to press the clutch pedal, but she could barely reach it.
Long Ming couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight and said to Xiaoqi.
"Let me do it."
"You know how to drive?"
Xiaoqi looked at Long Ming, a little surprised.
"Isn’t this basic stuff?"
Long Ming replied calmly.
"But can your body handle driving for a long time?"
Xiaoqi said to Long Ming, a bit worried.
"Yeah, let me do it instead."
Just then, Johnny walked over and said.
"Alright then!"
Long Ming thought for a moment and didn’t insist.
Johnny then climbed into the driver’s seat. Xiaoqi and Long Ming sat together in the passenger seat, while Cloud Fish sat in the back.
「A moment later.」
Johnny started the military transport truck, leading the convoy toward the lower district.
As they passed through the military tunnel and reached the main road of the lower district, troop carriers merged into their convoy from a branch road.
Inside the military transport truck, a gruff voice crackled over Xiaoqi’s wireless communicator.
"Hello, Officer Xia Qi. This is Captain Wu Zheng of the Third Legion! From now on, I will be responsible for your security. I expect you to follow my commands."
"Understood. We’re in your hands."
Xiaoqi replied politely, then ended the call.
Hearing this, Long Ming looked at Xiaoqi with some surprise.
"You’re an officer now? Why does it sound like your rank is higher than that Captain Wu Zheng’s?"
"That’s right. I’m a junior supervisor in the Third Legion’s logistics department now. It’s an official position."
Xiaoqi said, very happily.
"Oh, right. Was the entire guild conscripted?"
"Yeah, but a few people quit the guild. Most chose to stay, though."
"Mm."
Long Ming nodded.
Just then, Xiaoqi picked up the wireless communicator, switched it to broadcast mode, and called out to everyone.
"Everyone, we’re about to leave Mountain City Mountain. If you need to get anything from your storage, get it out now."
"Understood."
A series of responses came back.
Because of the Mechanical Pillars in the three major cities, everyone inside them had the same access as they did in Starry City. They could freely access their storage and the marketplace interface.
But once they left the city, their wristbands would enter a ’dungeon-crawling’ state, and almost all functions would be disabled.
That was why Xiaoqi was giving everyone a final reminder.
「Not long after.」
The transport convoy drove to the northern checkpoint of Mountain City Mountain and stopped.
"Why have the trucks stopped?"
Xiaoqi picked up her wireless communicator and asked in confusion.
"We’re at the checkpoint. It’ll take some time to get through."
Captain Wu Zheng said in a deep voice.
"Understood."
After Xiaoqi ended the call, Cloud Fish asked, puzzled.
"What’s going on? Aren’t we transporting military supplies? Do we have to be inspected too?"
Hearing Cloud Fish, Long Ming leaned toward the window to look outside, a surprised expression appearing on his face as well.
The northern checkpoint of Mountain City Mountain had a total of sixteen exits. Normally, opening five or six was more than enough. But now, all of them were open, and the vehicles leaving the city formed long lines.
The vehicles leaving the city were a motley collection: old, secondhand vans, private sedans, and even motorcycles.
He could even see civilians on foot, carrying weapons and wearing tactical backpacks.
They chattered excitedly as they walked.
"It’s finally our time to shine! We have to make a killing this time!"
"Yeah, but isn’t it too risky for us to go out like this? What if we don’t make it back alive?"
"What’s there to be afraid of! There’s a saying: fortune favors the bold. Are you going to be a loser your whole life, or are you willing to take a gamble?"
"I’ll take the gamble!"
"That’s the spirit! Besides, we’re not stupid. We can just be more careful when we explore. We’ll avoid the ruins of large cities and just scavenge some smaller buildings in the wilderness."
"Makes sense."
...
When the soldiers at the checkpoint saw the transport convoy, they immediately ran out to direct the vehicles and people blocking the way, making them move over into the side lanes.
"There are too many people leaving the city."
Long Ming turned his head and said to Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish.
"Sigh... they’re all trying to go out exploring to get rich. I don’t understand why the City Lord would lift the lockdown so quickly. Isn’t he just sending them to their deaths?"
Xiaoqi sighed.
"You can’t hold them back. Forcing them would only backfire and breed resentment. Besides, you can’t grow towering trees in a greenhouse. They have to be tempered by the storm."
Long Ming calmly stated his view.
"Long Ming, you know so much!"
Xiaoqi and the others felt that what Long Ming said made a lot of sense.
"It’s nothing."
Long Ming smiled.
At this moment, the convoy began to move slowly toward the checkpoint.
Their convoy consisted of eight supply trucks and five escorting troop carriers, for a total of thirteen vehicles.
Soon, the convoy passed smoothly through the checkpoint and continued along the highway.
Long Ming gazed out the window at the wilderness outside, his thoughts gradually drifting.
...
「Early the next morning.」
The armored transport truck hadn’t gone far before it slowed to a stop, then accelerated forward again.
Cloud Fish and the others were jostled around so much they were about to throw up. They hadn’t slept all night.
"Johnny, can’t you drive a little better?"
Cloud Fish couldn’t help shouting at Johnny, who was driving.
"There’s nothing I can do! The main road is packed with vehicles. Some assholes even parked their cars on the side of the road!"
Johnny looked like he wanted to get out and beat them up.
"Calm down."
Long Ming sighed, trying to soothe him.
Just then, a group announcement from Captain Wu Zheng came over Xiaoqi’s wireless communicator.
"Listen up, everyone. Take the turn at the fork up ahead. We’re taking a side road to detour to Ocardo Sanctuary City."
"Roger!"
A series of acknowledgements rang out.
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