The 3A team slept soundly until reinforcements from headquarters arrived. Upon receiving their report, headquarters immediately dispatched personnel to handle the situation. The team had been busy all morning, interrogating those who needed it and detaining those who were deemed dangerous.

  By the time the 3A team woke up, several people were already waiting outside their vehicle.

  Chen Xiaofei opened his eyes and was startled. "Oh my god! If our car wasn't tinted so people can't see inside during the day, our sleeping positions would definitely go viral on the forums!"

  Inside the car, the team members were sprawled in all sorts of unfttering positions.

  Qin Luo was lying on the backseat, holding the little zombie in his arms. Xu Duoduo was sprawled on top of him, her white hair the only thing visible. Both of them were still sound asleep, completely motionless.

  Wang Weihu was in the driver's seat, arms crossed and head tilted back, snoring away.

  Bai Shu, seated on the left side of the middle row, was slumped over awkwardly, one leg draped across Chen Xiaofei's p.

  Chen Xiaofei quickly wiped away his drool and shook Bai Shu awake. "Get up! Get up! Headquarters sent people, and they're standing right outside our car!"

  Bai Shu groggily opened his eyes, squinting as he fumbled around for his gsses, eventually finding them under the seat.

  Chen Xiaofei sighed helplessly. "You're not even nearsighted anymore. Why are you still obsessed with looking for your gsses every time?"

  Bai Shu responded with a kick. "Next time, don't expect me to carry you."

  Chen Xiaofei immediately felt guilty. "Hey, I did call you 'Dad' to make up for that. Let's talk about next time when it happens. Right now, headquarters is here, and you know I'm terrible at dealing with these situations. Go handle it!"

  Wang Weihu was sleeping so soundly that he might as well have been a hibernating bear; waking him up wasn't an option.

  With no other choice, Bai Shu put on his gsses, resigned to his fate, and stepped out to deal with the headquarters personnel.

  Meanwhile, Xu Duoduo was stirred awake by the commotion. Groggily, she sat up, realizing she had been wrapped in a bnket and sleeping on "Big Dog" Qin Luo. No wonder she had slept so well—it was warm and cozy.

  She promptly flopped back down, snuggling into his chest again. It was just too comfortable, and she couldn't resist rubbing her face against his chest.

  Outside, Bai Shu and Chen Xiaofei were speaking with the headquarters representatives.

  "Yes, that's correct," Bai Shu expined. "After receiving the distress signal, we immediately reyed the information back to headquarters. You should really thank Miss Deer; she was incredibly brave."

  He emphasized that without her, the 3A team wouldn't have been able to resolve things so quickly.

  Chen Xiaofei, standing beside him, could only chime in with, "Yeah, yeah," and "Exactly, exactly." When it came to dealing with superiors, he was particurly timid. He had feared teachers as a child, drill instructors as a young adult, and now leaders as an adult.

  The headquarters staff expressed their gratitude and commended the team's handling of the situation. "You guys are incredible. You've been a huge help to us."

  Bai Shu then asked, "About the person we eliminated—there won't be any issues with that, right?"

  The staff member lowered his voice and replied, "Technically, it's against the rules, but given the special circumstances, we'll make an exception. That person was doomed either way."

  Not only was the 3A team in the clear, but they would also be commended for their efforts.

  Bai Shu smiled and handed over two packs of cigarettes, eliciting a few coughs from the staff member, who ultimately accepted them.

  The staff member couldn't help but comment, "You know, Wu Dahai was quite something. Instead of doing anything good, he spent all his time studying psychology to manipute people. Despite being an ordinary person without abilities, he managed to outwit a group of ability users."

  Chen Xiaofei couldn't help but ask, "What about his bodyguard? That guy seemed pretty strong."

  The staff member expined, "Oh, he used that bodyguard to cover his tracks and deceive others. All the dirty work was done by the bodyguard, who was essentially his pawn. The bodyguard was a bit naive, too. He served Wu Dahai because his family owed him a favor. Even when he didn't want to do something, he felt obligated to repay that debt, which led him to commit numerous misdeeds."

  The bodyguard, an ability user, would also face punishment, though the specifics would be determined by headquarters.

  All in all, the mission at the I City base revealed that the mutated marine creatures were real and posed a genuine threat, constantly invading the base. The cowardly mayor had sought headquarters' assistance, hoping to use the opportunity to recruit the 3A team for his own agenda.

  But Wu Dahai underestimated the resources and integrity of the three major bases. Not every combat team was susceptible to greed and vanity; only a small portion of individuals fell for his schemes.

  Hearing this, Bai Shu let out a dry ugh and pulled out a tablet. "Sir, I have some intriguing footage I'd like to show you."

  He pyed a few video clips, handing the device over with a righteous expression.

  The videos featured members of the Golden Eagle Team, including scenes of them flirting with receptionists and behaving inappropriately at a banquet, dressed to the nines while engaging in drunken revelry. The footage painted a picture of debauchery and arrogance.

  The leader's face darkened. "I've heard rumors about this. Wu Dahai used temptations like these to ensnare ability users. But for members of our combat teams to fall for it—it's disgraceful! Rest assured, Bai Shu and Chen Xiaofei, we will deal with them fairly and give them the punishment they deserve."

  Bai Shu adjusted his gsses and shook hands with the leader, smiling. "Thank you for your hard work. It's important to teach them a lesson. From what I know, the Golden Eagle Team has been overly arrogant and self-serving, often disregarding the needs of survivors. Other teams who've worked with them have had enough of their antics."

  ???

  When had Bai Shu recorded those videos? Chen Xiaofei was dumbfounded, watching Bai Shu skillfully navigate the situation and sell out the Golden Eagle Team without hesitation.

  The leader, visibly angry, muttered curses under his breath. "The Golden Eagle Team has gone too far. If it weren't for their connections, they'd have been dealt with long ago. Don't worry, we'll handle them properly this time!"

  Bai Shu maintained his polite smile. "Thank you for your efforts, sir. It's not easy for you either."

  The leader nodded in agreement.

  After successfully sending off the headquarters personnel, Bai Shu reminded them not to forget the 3A team's rewards. The leader happily agreed.

  As Bai Shu finally rexed and turned around, he noticed Chen Xiaofei standing far away, rubbing his arms.

  "You're so devious, Bai Shu! It's terrifying! If you ever decide you don't like me, are you going to sell me out too?" Chen Xiaofei excimed.

  Bai Shu squinted at him. "Looking to die? Do I look like someone who'd sell out a teammate?"

  He only sold out enemies—like the Golden Eagle Team.

  Chen Xiaofei whimpered, "Your expression right now is terrifying! Ask the others—ask Xiao Ban, Qin Luo, and Old Wang!"

  He pointed toward the SUV.

  Bai Shu turned to see that at some point, the rest of the team had woken up. Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo were leaning against the rear window, while Wang Weihu had rolled his window down.

  The three of them, along with the little zombie, gave Bai Shu a big thumbs-up.

  Bai Shu was relieved, pushing his gsses up as he climbed back into the car. With a wry smile, he said, "I thought you guys were actually afraid of me."

  Qin Luo chuckled. "You've always been scheming. It's nothing new. Chen Xiaofei's just naive."

  Wang Weihu ughed along as well.

  Even Xu Duoduo, the little zombie, looked around at everyone before giggling innocently.

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