Chapter 253 - 143: Dandelion Plan

Chapter 253: Chapter 143: Dandelion Plan

The next day, after their patrol ended, Xu Mo and Zhang Yun returned to the assembly plaza outside the East Gate. Both of them noticed almost simultaneously that the atmosphere was unusual.

On a typical day, the assembly point was always bustling and dusty, but its clamor was usually underscored by exhaustion.

But today, the military SUVs parked at the edge of the plaza had instantly altered the entire character of the place.

Beside the vehicles stood several soldiers, armed with live ammunition and standing ramrod straight. Their sharp gazes swept across their surroundings, a stark contrast to the casual patrol members and staff in the plaza.

Xu Mo felt as if the very air had grown still, and the usual din of voices had been subconsciously hushed.

Xu Mo and Zhang Yun exchanged a glance, each seeing the same wariness and question reflected in the other’s eyes: ’Did something happen? Or is there someone important here?’

The two went to the registration desk to return their equipment, as was their routine. The officer on duty today seemed exceptionally stern. He barely looked up as he verified their information, his movements swift and efficient.

Just as they were about to finish the process, the flap of the nearby temporary command tent was thrown open, and a familiar figure emerged.

It was none other than Major Li, whom they had met once before. He still wore that crisp uniform, his expression stern. When his gaze swept past the registration desk and fell upon Xu Mo and Zhang Yun, it paused for a clear moment. A faint light flickered in his eyes, as if he had just confirmed his target.

Xu Mo felt a jolt of apprehension, but his expression remained impassive. Zhang Yun also kept her composure, but her hand clutching the walkie-talkie tightened unconsciously.

They had just finished handing in their armbands and walkie-talkies when Major Li strode over. He didn’t mince words. Stopping about five feet in front of them, he unexpectedly rendered a formal military salute. This act made the few officers on duty and the other patrol members who were about to return their own equipment turn to look, their eyes filled with shock and curiosity.

Xu Mo and Zhang Yun froze for a second, but they quickly composed themselves and responded with a nod that, while not perfectly formal, was respectful enough.

"Comrade Xu Mo, Comrade Zhang Yun," Major Li said, lowering his hand. His voice was low but clear. "A word, please." With that, he led the two of them to a relatively secluded corner of the assembly area.

"Time is limited, so I’ll make this quick," Major Li said, getting straight to the point. His gaze swept over their faces, lingering an extra moment on Xu Mo. "There’s a mission that requires us to dispatch a selection of reliable personnel from the outer perimeter. I can’t disclose the specifics of the mission right now, but I can tell you this: you’ll be required to leave the area controlled by the Jiang City Shelter. The duration is indefinite—it could be a few weeks, or it could be several months. On top of that, it comes with a significant degree of unknown risk and uncertainty."

He paused, observing their reactions. "The mission is being led directly by Command; it’s a top-level operation. Your performance during the previous G-2 incident—especially your calm, keen observation and response capabilities—left an impression on the relevant authorities. So, I am now formally asking you: are you willing to take part in this mission?"

’Leave Jiang City for a while?’

Xu Mo’s heart gave a sudden, hard thump. He had indeed been toying with the idea of temporarily leaving Jiang City to steer clear of the potential chaos, but he hadn’t had a concrete plan. Major Li’s invitation was like an answer to an unvoiced prayer.

He barely hesitated, his eyes already betraying his obvious interest.

’Going out meant temporarily escaping the undercurrents within Jiang City. A mission into the unknown, while risky, could also bring new opportunities. Besides, he wasn’t entirely incurious about the apocalyptic landscape outside of Jiang City.’

However, a complex look instantly flickered across the face of Zhang Yun, who stood beside him.

’It had been so hard to find a relatively stable foothold in Jiang City. She had only just begun to emerge from the shadow of losing her squad, to rebuild some small sense of control over her life.’

’Leave the relative safety of Jiang City and step back into the treacherous, unpredictable wasteland?’ Zhang Yun’s instincts screamed in protest, especially upon hearing words like "indefinite" and "several months." The thought of it made her want to retreat.

But in her peripheral vision, she clearly caught the light that flashed in Xu Mo’s eyes.

Zhang Yun’s heart sank. An indescribable sense of loss and resignation washed over her. She understood that she and Xu Mo were different. He had never seemed truly content with this stable life inside Jiang City. His abilities and his very nature pointed him toward a wider, more dangerous world.

’Should she try to force him to stay? Or ask him to stay for her sake?’ Zhang Yun couldn’t do it. She simply pushed down the sense of loss and fought to keep her expression calm.

With his sharp perception, Major Li took in every subtle shift in their expressions. He had already made his assessment.

"You don’t have to answer immediately." Major Li glanced at his watch. "If you’re interested, or if you want more information before making a decision, come to the Information Command Department building in the central district of the Inner City at ten o’-clock sharp tomorrow morning. Give the guards my name. You’ll receive a more detailed briefing then. If you decide not to participate, just report for patrol tomorrow as usual. In that case, we’ll pretend this conversation never happened."

His tone was level, but his final words—"pretend this conversation never happened"—implied the confidential nature of their discussion.

"Understood, Major Li," Xu Mo said first, his tone steady.

"Understood," Zhang Yun echoed in a low voice.

"Good." Major Li nodded. Without another word, he turned and walked briskly back to the command tent, his figure quickly vanishing inside.

The two of them fell into silence on the way back.