Chapter 558

“Hey, Old Li!”

Li Mu had just stepped out of the command center when he heard a voice calling him from a distance.

The voice belonged to a burly middle-aged man in a sharp military uniform, a major general with two bars and four stars on his shoulder.

Upon seeing him, Li Mu immediately stood at attention and saluted.

“General Zhao.”

Zhao Ruihua strode quickly towards him, patted Li Mu’s shoulder, and laughed heartily. “Alright, there are no outsiders here, no need for such formality.”

“Understood.”

Li Mu nodded and lowered his arm.

Zhao Ruihua scrutinized him, a mix of surprise and admiration on his face. “You rascal, I haven’t seen you in a while, and you’ve gotten even stronger! I feel like you’re bursting with energy, like a fierce tiger poised to strike, ready to pounce and tear the enemy apart at any moment!”

Li Mu smiled, but said nothing.

Zhao Ruihua, seeing Li Mu’s silence, assumed he was being modest and didn’t dwell on it. He changed the subject, saying, “The expert team will arrive soon. This operation is extremely important, and the higher-ups have high hopes for us. You absolutely cannot drop the ball!”

“General Zhao, I will do my best!”

Li Mu stated solemnly.

Zhao Ruihua nodded with satisfaction, about to speak, when suddenly, the roar of engines grew louder from a distance.

He looked up to see several military SUVs approaching, followed by a few military trucks carrying various instruments and equipment.

The convoy stopped in front of the command center building.

The car door opened, and an old man in a white lab coat stepped out. His hair was white, he wore gold-rimmed glasses, and he looked remarkably spry.

Behind him were several young people, also in white lab coats, carrying briefcases.

Zhao Ruihua’s eyes lit up, and he quickly went to greet them. “Professor Wang, you’re finally here!”

“General Zhao, it’s an honor to meet you.”

Professor Wang smiled, extended his hand, and shook hands with Zhao Ruihua.

Zhao Ruihua then greeted the young people before inviting them into the command center.

Li Mu stood quietly to the side the entire time.

He watched the old man named Professor Wang, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

There was something very peculiar about this person.

Just then, Zhao Ruihua walked over and said to Li Mu, “Young Li, the members of the expert team will be participating in this operation. You should communicate more with them and strive to learn as much as possible.”

“Yes, General Zhao.”

Li Mu nodded.

“Alright, you should go back and rest now. Be at the command center at 8 AM tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

Li Mu turned and left.

Back in his dormitory, Li Mu took a shower, then sat cross-legged on his bed and began to cultivate.

He was practicing a cultivation method called the "Nine Revolutions Profound Art." This was a very special method that could not only temper the body and increase strength but also enhance mental power.

Time flew by during cultivation.

When Li Mu awoke from his practice, it was already early the next morning.

He felt refreshed and invigorated, filled with strength throughout his body.

After a simple breakfast, Li Mu arrived at the command center.

Inside, Zhao Ruihua, Professor Wang, and the others had already arrived.

They were discussing something. Seeing Li Mu enter, Zhao Ruihua waved him over.

“Young Li, come here.”

Li Mu walked over.

Zhao Ruihua pointed to a map on the table and said to Li Mu, “Young Li, for this operation, we are primarily responsible for reconnaissance and security of the area, as well as striking the target.”

Li Mu looked down and saw a red cross marked on the map, with the words “Black Wind Pass” written beside it.

“Black Wind Pass?”

Li Mu frowned slightly.

He had never heard of this place before.

Zhao Ruihua nodded and explained, “Black Wind Pass is deep in the Gobi Desert. Sandstorms rage there year-round, the environment is harsh, and it’s rarely visited by humans, making it an excellent hiding spot.”

“However, according to our intelligence, there have been some unusual occurrences near ‘Black Wind Pass’ recently.”

“What kind of unusual occurrences?”

Li Mu asked.

“Recently, unidentified flying objects have frequently appeared near Black Wind Pass. Moreover, these UFOs move incredibly fast, so much so that our radar cannot even track their trajectories,” Zhao Ruihua said in a deep voice.

Li Mu’s heart stirred.

Unidentified flying objects?

Could they be aliens?

He thought of the UFO information he had seen on Earth.

Zhao Ruihua continued, “Even stranger is that when these UFOs appear, they are accompanied by a strange energy fluctuation, an energy fluctuation we have never encountered before.”

“The expert team’s preliminary research indicates that this is an unknown energy that can interfere with electromagnetic waves, causing our equipment to malfunction, and even causing harm to the human body.”

Li Mu’s expression changed.

Energy that can harm the human body?

This was no laughing matter.

Zhao Ruihua glanced at Li Mu and continued, “Therefore, this operation is very dangerous. You must be careful.”

“General Zhao, rest assured, I will complete the mission!”

Li Mu stated solemnly.

Zhao Ruihua nodded. “Alright, then you go prepare. Once Professor Wang and the others have finalized the specific plan, we’ll depart.”

“Understood.”

Li Mu turned and left.