Fang Senyan smiled and replied, "A big fellow. He told us to assemble in the meeting hall—do you know where that is?"

Aldaris sneered, "It must be that oaf, Hedikuli, afraid someone will steal his captaincy. Walk to the end of the corridor outside our door; you'll see signs pointing to the assembly hall."

Fang Senyan was surprised, "Aren't you coming?"

Aldaris waved his hand impatiently, "Since O'Bama was re-elected for five terms, I've steered clear of any dirty electioneering."

"Hmm?!" Fang Senyan instantly grasped Aldaris's implication: "You mean Hedikuli is calling this meeting in his personal capacity?"

"The official notification would come through the communicator inside the room," Aldaris rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be surprising if they used the Nightmare Imprint to notify us either."

Fang Senyan pondered for a moment, "But I still decided to go check it out. It’s a great opportunity to get the lay of the land."

Aldaris couldn't even be bothered to say more and simply gestured for him to go ahead. If Fang Senyan hadn't dealt with this man numerous times before, he might have been driven half to death by irritation.

However, just as Fang Senyan was about to leave, Aldaris suddenly spoke in a low, rapid whisper: "How is Zi doing now?"

Fang Senyan looked up at him and suddenly noticed a hard-to-describe tenderness hidden deep within this outwardly sharp and angular man. Fang Senyan smiled, only stopping when Aldaris grew flustered and on the verge of angry embarrassment, before saying: "She's fine. And more importantly, if any of us die in this damned place, she'll be quite miserable. So you’d better be careful not to die."

"I won't die even if your corpse maggot-eaten and moldy! You can get lost!! I hate being lectured the most!" Aldaris immediately roared loudly.

Fang Senyan casually closed the door and returned to the quiet, tidy corridor. After taking a few steps, he noticed that the huge green potted plants lining the hallway seemed a bit odd; they didn't look like simple decorations, so he couldn't resist squatting down for a closer inspection.

Although Fang Senyan's scientific knowledge of botany was only amateur, the Solar Ladder within him could utilize its tendrils to analyze the structural morphology of various plants. Just then, however, footsteps sounded in the distance. Fang Senyan stood up and turned around to see a man in his thirties, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a white lab coat, approaching with a broad smile: "Great lord, finally, a fellow enthusiast in this dreary place! I am Daldanian, the plant-specialist Summoner!"

Fang Senyan, of course, did not refuse such enthusiasm and extended his hand: "Sailor, Apothecary. Strength Colonist. A pleasure to meet you."

Daldanian realized with a start, "No wonder you have some interest in flora! I thought I was the only one who recognized this magnificent, improved plant. It's one of the two most dazzling inventions of the last three thousand years, right alongside the Photon Engine!"

Fang Senyan couldn't help but be astonished upon hearing this, "That impressive?"

Daldanian immediately grew serious, "Indeed! This plant is called Omni-Grass. Its primary function is to convert the carbon dioxide exhaled by humans aboard spaceships back into oxygen, while simultaneously absorbing negative energy from the cosmos, keeping the air fresh and fragrant! The hundreds of thousands of pots of Omni-Grass in this pyramid perfectly substitute for air conditioning and ductwork, sustaining the breathing of the hundreds of thousands residing within. Even if the material costs saved are negligible, the space saved is a priceless asset!"

"Secondly, don't you notice the absence of common insects here—moths, mosquitoes, cockroaches? That's because Omni-Grass consumes and eliminates them too! Furthermore, human excrement is Omni-Grass's best fertilizer... And Omni-Grass has an incredibly fast growth cycle. While it flourishes, its fruit is rich in oil, requiring only slight refinement to rival corn oil. And when processed, the texture of its thick leaves, tucked into a sandwich, is like a medium-rare steak..."

Daldanian displayed his eloquence and knowledge while the two men had already walked a considerable distance, arriving at the meeting room. It seemed Hedikuli's claimed captaincy, perhaps fabricated, had achieved some effect. There were already five people inside; with Fang Senyan and the other joining, the total reached seven.

Clearly, Hedikuli showed immense enthusiasm and welcome when the two arrived together. Fang Senyan had already learned from Daldanian that the expedition team would consist of twelve members in total, meaning only one person was yet to arrive.

More importantly, Hedikuli was clearly exhibiting such eagerness because he was facing competition—the so-called 'catfish effect.' Setting aside the eccentric Aldaris and the yet-to-arrive individual, it could easily be calculated that three people were forming a clique, attempting to contend with Hedikuli for command.

Under these circumstances, Fang Senyan and Daldanian suddenly became pivotal—if they joined the other clique of three, the sides would become a deadlock at 5:5.

Now that Fang Senyan and the other had chosen this side, it meant that, up to this point, Hedikuli had secured the approval of the majority—even if the unarrived person was an X-factor, it wouldn't change the outcome.

"Since you've come, we are all on the same side! Brothers!" Hedikuli excitedly waved his arms like a rock star, banging his fist heavily on the sturdy table. "I am a powerful MT; I will block all dangers before me! More importantly, I am a fair man! Time will prove you made a profitable choice, and the corpses of those liars will rot in the soil of Eplus."

After speaking, Hedikuli retrieved a large quantity of alcoholic beverages from his personal storage space and cheered loudly: "Let's have a grand party..." Two hours later, the final piece of the puzzle was in place; the absentee finally passed inspection and reached Alpine Base Seven. He had unfortunately encountered a particle storm en route and sustained some injuries.

However, Fang Senyan and the others received the notice to assemble for a meeting at 8:30 PM. True to Aldaris's prediction, the message was delivered via the communicator, brief and to the point, without mentioning consequences for tardiness.

Fang Senyan, sniffing like a hunting hound, sensed an ominous undertone; this was clearly a sign of waiting for someone to make a mistake and walk right into a trap! Therefore, without hesitation, he called Aldaris, had everything prepared by 8:00, and left at 8:20, arriving at the meeting room one minute early, precisely on time.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was so heavy it could squeeze out water. After receiving permission to enter, Fang Senyan walked in to find everyone already present, and all were required to stand. At the front dais stood three figures: General Black was on the left. The man in the center had thick eyebrows, a bald head, and a striking scar across his face, radiating a murderous aura. His crisp military uniform indicated the rank of Major General. The person on the far right had long, slender fingers and skin with a sickly pallor; he wore a different style of standard military uniform but was positioned further back, the least conspicuous of the three.

"I am General Mongo! Your vacation ends now. It has been confirmed that the frequent period of the Cosmic Tide has arrived, and the route to the planet Eplus has become more perilous. Therefore, the planned three-day training program is shelved. In fifteen minutes, we embark! The Sector Staff Headquarters has specially assigned a supreme Captain, Russ, to pilot our mothership, Alps Seven Base II, the Albatross, which can take us directly to the star system closest to Eplus, resolving all our worries."

"According to intelligence received, the route to the target planet Eplus has been severely damaged by the Cosmic Tide, so our journey will take at least three days. Thus, the previously outlined training program will be conducted en route."

This General Mongo was also a man of commanding presence. As he spoke, he pressed both hands onto the table—not a flat placement, but rather the deliberate, fierce approach of a predator stalking its prey, his body leaning slightly forward, demanding unquestioning obedience.

"Does anyone have questions? You can raise them now? Three, two, one, OK, let's move out..." Four days had passed since leaving the massive Alpine Base Seven.

During these four days, Fang Senyan had learned a great deal. First, every member of this temporary team was unequivocally an elite, with a remarkably balanced composition—this was the most reassuring aspect. Furthermore, Fang Senyan was surprised to find his designated role was Apothecary, and as a Strength specialist, once the MT charged in, his task would be to exploit the breach and open a gap; in the eyes of others, his mission was far from light.

However, Fang Senyan was relieved that his MT identity was well concealed, likely due to the help of his Nightmare Space... because, besides Hedikuli, there was another person named Alan who was also an MT! The logic was simple: for a team of twelve, a dual-MT configuration was cautious, but three MTs would be excessive; everyone knew the principle of 'too much is as bad as too little.' (To be continued) RQ