Invincible through Touching Corpses

"I came here specifically to thank you. I originally thought this clearing mission would take a full week to complete."

"But I never expected you to get it done as soon as you arrived. This means our plan to build the outpost can be moved up significantly. You’re a true benefactor to our Shakou Shelter!" Ji Qirong said, his face full of gratitude. His expression didn’t seem feigned in the slightest.

But his words of thanks left Lin Xinghai a bit bewildered. "Uh... actually, the help we provided wasn’t as dramatic as you make it sound. Even without our squad, you would have been able to clear this area in a few more days."

"It’s not the same." Ji Qirong glanced at Lin Xinghai and hesitated for a moment before explaining, "There are some things you might not know. Do you have any idea how many shelters there are in our country in total?"

Lin Xinghai rubbed his nose. "Er, I’m actually not too clear on that."

"There are 315 Intermediate Shelters in total. However, their development varies. Some can upgrade to large-scale bases within one or two years, while others need at least seven or eight years, or even longer."

"Of course, some can only be self-sufficient and struggle to survive, and there are even some shelters that can only be maintained with national support."

"For the sake of better development, according to the national plan, all these shelters will eventually be merged and brought under unified management to restore the strength of Hua Country as quickly as possible."

"As for how they’ll be merged, and who will take the lead versus who will be subordinate, that will depend on which Intermediate Shelter can be the first to upgrade into a large-scale base."

"Our Shakou Shelter previously set a three-year plan. It’s now been one year and three months since the great disaster, and the preliminary preparations are almost complete."

"We are now about to enter the second phase, and establishing this outpost is part of it."

At this point, Ji Qirong paused before getting back to the main topic. "So, your help wasn’t as simple as just letting us build the outpost a few days earlier. You also helped us save a massive amount of ammunition and avoid casualties among our soldiers. This gives us much more leeway for our subsequent operations."

"Moreover, with matters like these, getting one step ahead means staying ahead. Your help this time could ultimately result in us upgrading to a large-scale base one step faster than the other shelters."

"As you know, being just one step ahead can lead to a completely different outcome. We might have originally been forced to merge into another base, but by getting ahead, the result could be reversed entirely."

"What’s more, even if everyone upgrades to a large-scale base and gains the power to merge with other shelters, the order in which it happens matters. The one who is first gets more say, a better pick of the options."

Speaking of which, Ji Qirong smiled and stated his point clearly. "So, we at Shakou Shelter hope to receive Captain Lin’s help in the future as well. Of course, the price is negotiable. Given your squad’s efficiency, I believe paying a premium is entirely justified."

This explanation brought a sudden realization to Lin Xinghai.

He had felt before that the other party was being a bit overly enthusiastic, and now he finally understood why.

"I see. You’re too kind, Major Ji. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to cooperate in the future," Lin Xinghai said amicably. He liked people who were straightforward and spoke their minds.

"Excellent, excellent."

Hearing this, Ji Qirong knew that being upfront had been the right move. A broad smile spread across his face as he said, "I’ve arranged a banquet at the temporary outpost. Why don’t you stay for dinner before you leave?"

Seeing how courteous he was being, Lin Xinghai didn’t know how to refuse. Besides, it was indeed almost evening, so he readily agreed.

At this moment, however, his thoughts turned more toward the situation at Star Shield Shelter.

It had been two months since he left Star Shield Shelter. Before he departed, with his help, the Star Shield Shelter’s military had already successfully built an outpost in a top-tier metropolis like Guanghan City.

With Guanghan City’s resources, there was more than enough to support Star Shield Shelter’s upgrade into a large-scale base. He was also eager to know if Star Shield Shelter had completed its phase-two expansion after these two months.

’Once I break through to the Body Shaping Realm, I’ll find some time to go back and check,’ Lin Xinghai couldn’t help but think.

After all, there were many things there he couldn’t just let go of, like his good friends Fang Tianhe and Roger.

The Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps and the Mountain and Sea Mercenary Corps still sent him a sum of money every month. Although this money meant little to the current Lin Xinghai, the sentiment was still there.

The convoy traveled on and soon returned to the temporary outpost.

Lin Xinghai had originally thought it would just be a simple, casual meal. He never expected that Ji Qirong had actually prepared a full-on banquet for him—and a very lavish one at that.

It was obvious that a temporary outpost like this couldn’t possibly produce such dishes. One could only imagine how much trouble the other party had gone to.

He probably had to send people back to the shelter to bring over the ingredients and chefs just to make this happen.

"You’ve really gone to a lot of trouble." Lin Xinghai took a bite of roast goose, then raised his glass and clinked it with Ji Qirong’s.

"Haha, as long as you’re satisfied," Ji Qirong said with a cheerful laugh.

After that, the atmosphere at the dinner table was excellent. As everyone drank and chatted, they quickly became familiar with one another.

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