The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 237

"Chief Han, on Captain Li's orders, I'm delivering a batch of communication equipment to you."

Huang Tu succinctly gestured for the team members to open the box.

Inside were fifteen communication devices, more sophisticated in design than the old-fashioned walkie-talkies in Han Ning's hands, with matte finishes and simple buttons and a small screen.

"Thank you all for making this trip. Would you like to come in and have a seat? Have some honey water?" Han Ning nodded and let Zhao Kai take the box from him.

"No, we still have a mission to complete." Huang Tu declined Han Ning's invitation with a serious expression and pursed lips.

"Also," Huang Tu took out a specially made envelope from the inner pocket of his combat uniform and handed it over.

"According to the latest calculations from the military research department, the next energy trough at the Black Tide source point is coming soon, in about fifteen days. Captain Li would like to invite you and your companions to visit the Sword of Judgment's base, and then two days later, we will set off together for the Aoki Group's base in the southeast."

Han Ning took the envelope, which was unsealed, and inside was a formal invitation.

Once the meeting was set up, the location and time were clearly listed, and the organizers were the five major gathering areas, but no military markings were seen.

Below his name, there are five empty spaces.

Huang Tu explained at the opportune moment: "Chief Han can bring five companions to the meeting. Before that, the Sword of Judgment sincerely invites you and your friends to rest at our base. We will then send a guide to accompany you on your journey."

Han Ning quickly scanned the contents of the invitation and already had a plan in mind.

He put the invitation away and smiled at Huang Tu:

"Understood. Please reply to Colonel Li that I thank you for the invitation and will certainly attend on time. As for the accompanying persons, I will confirm the list later and inform you."

"Okay." Huang Tu gave a crisp bow. "The mission is complete. We won't bother you any longer. Farewell."

After seeing off the person wielding the Sword of Judgment, Han Ning immediately returned to the depths of the cave, while instructing Zhao Kai to notify Chairman Wu, Xu Ming, and other core management members to gather in the conference room immediately.

Before long, everyone gathered. Han Ning placed the invitation on the table and succinctly explained the situation.

"The Kuroshio Source Point is at a low point... a high-level meeting..." Chairman Wu's expression was serious. "This means things are getting serious."

“Boss, I think we have to go to this meeting.” Zhao Kai said in a deep voice. “It’s an opportunity. We can not only learn more intelligence, but also let other settlements know about our existence, so we can try to get a share of the profits in the future.”

Now is not the time to play dumb to fool others, nor is it some kind of Central Plains Genius Tournament. It's about survival in the apocalypse. Only by flexing our muscles can we acquire more resources.

"That's what I mean too." Han Ning nodded. "The key question is, besides me, who are the other five people going together?"

Everyone remained silent, but all looked at Han Ning with hopeful eyes.

"Huh? What's with that expression on your faces?"

"Boss, you can decide what to do." Zhao Kai smiled sheepishly.

They usually get along well, and they can all see that they want to be together.

If he recommends himself now, he might be stealing someone else's spot.

"I understand..." Han Ning wasn't stupid; he understood what everyone was thinking.

The meeting needs people who can make decisions, as well as guards who can fight and defend, and perhaps also technical personnel for consultation.

He thought about it.

"Old Wu, you have to go." Han Ning called out first, "We can't do without you for technical support and resource negotiations."

Chairman Wu solemnly agreed: "It is my duty."

"Zhao Kai, you come too. You're good at security and handling things on the scene," Han Ning continued.

Zhao Kai grinned: "No problem, boss!"

"Then there's Qianqian, who serves as Chairman Wu's deputy."

"You finally remembered me," Lin Qianqian said softly.

"Ahem... There are two spots left." Han Ning glanced at everyone.

"Professor Ye has the deepest understanding of the Origin Race and native organisms, so he counts as one. The last one... is Cheng Rui."

His gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Cheng Rui.

"This time it's not about going out to fight, but more about technical exchanges, so I selected members of the study group as much as possible."

The people whose names were called responded one after another.

"Without further ado, everyone get ready. We'll set off for the Sword of Judgment's base first thing tomorrow morning."

……

the next day.

After explaining all the details, big and small, about the gathering area, it was already afternoon.

Everyone has had lunch.

Han Ning, Chairman Wu, Zhao Kai, Lin Qianqian, Professor Ye, and Cheng Rui were all ready to go and gathered at the cave entrance.

"Is everything ready?" Han Ning's gaze swept over his companions.

Everyone nodded, their faces showing varying degrees of anticipation.

I never expected to be on official business in another world.

"Set off."

Han Ning flipped over and leaped onto Xuebing's broad back, while the other five rode on three strong rock bees.

The group broke through the leaden sky and sped off in the southwest direction.

Moving at high speed made the cold wind even stronger, but for the group whose strength had greatly increased, it was no longer unbearable.

Han Ning sat on the back of the snow cake, looking at the mountain ranges rushing past on both sides.

The undulating mountains were covered in ice and snow, presenting a deathly gray-white appearance, with almost no signs of large-scale life gatherings, let alone gathering areas that could accommodate thousands of people.

He recalled the scene of exploring the mountains in his previous form as a star-shaped osprey.

The powerful energy fluctuations are mostly concentrated on the edge of the mountains, while the central region is sparsely populated.

It is highly unlikely that a large cluster like the Sword of Judgment will exist.

The location of the Sword of Judgment is hidden deeper than I imagined...

Han Ning thought to himself.

Arrive at the agreed-upon location.

They then saw a young man dressed in the attire of the Sword of Judgment, standing on a mountaintop.

"Gentlemen, my code name is 'Lynx,' and I will lead you to the Sword of Judgment. Please follow me."

After confirming each other's identities, the lynx nodded to the group, then flipped over and sat on a mutated creature that was entirely gray and white and resembled a cheetah.

"No wonder it's called a lynx," Lin Qianqian muttered.

The Lynx moved extremely fast, always leading Snowcake by half a body length.

Of course, this was because Xuebing deliberately lagged behind and followed the movement of the others.

The lynx was extremely familiar with the surrounding environment and moved through the complex terrain without the slightest hesitation.

After speeding through the mountains for about 40 minutes, the surrounding scenery remained desolate.

Just as Han Ning and the others were filled with doubt, the lynx in front of them suddenly fell into a valley that looked perfectly normal.

This valley is nestled between two unremarkable peaks, filled with jagged rocks and covered with thick ice, no different from any other desolate valley seen along the way.

The lynx rode the mutated cheetah and landed in front of a huge, smooth, bare rock.

The rock was half-buried in the snow, its surface covered with traces of wind erosion.

Han Ning and the others followed closely behind, landing one after another.

"We've arrived." Lynx jumped off his mount and turned to face Han Ning and his group.

"Here?" Zhao Kai looked around, his rugged face full of confusion.

"Brother, you didn't lead us the wrong way, did you? This place doesn't look like a habitable place."

All that could be seen were rocks and snow; there wasn't a decent place to shelter from the wind.

The lynx's face remained expressionless; it simply pointed to the massive rock and said, "The entrance is here. Please follow me."

After saying that, he walked straight toward the hard, cold rock.

Under the astonished gazes of Han Ning and the others, the moment Lynx's body touched the rock surface, it was as if it had crashed into an invisible layer of water. Tiny ripples spread through the air, and his figure twisted and blurred, disappearing completely before the rock in the blink of an eye.

"A barrier?" several people blurted out.

"The ability to distort light and perception suggests that the Sword of Judgment also possesses considerable expertise in the use of runes and energy," Chairman Wu remarked, examining the large rock.

A golden light flashed in Han Ning's eyes, and his Molten Gold Tiger Eyes were activated.

Under the gaze of the molten gold tiger's eyes, everything before him was stripped of its disguise.

A huge, shimmering white dome, like a flowing gas canopy or an inverted bowl, enveloped a large area of ​​the hillside.

"It seems so." Han Ning withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "Let's go, follow me."

With the knowledge passed down from the original clan as a foundation, everyone was surprised by this extraordinary phenomenon, but they did not find it hard to believe.

They'd seen far more impressive things before; they were just slightly intrigued.

Before entering, Han Ning gave Xuebing a wink, signaling it to hide outside the area where the Sword of Judgment was gathered.

"Ow!"

Xuebing understood, found a relatively secluded spot, and its whole body was covered in rolling mud, completely blending itself into the mountainside like a chameleon.

The six people exchanged glances, and then, led by Han Ning, they walked toward the boulder one by one.

As if passing through a layer of cool and flexible water film, a slight feeling of weightlessness came over me, and the scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

The biting wind and snow-covered valley slowly disappeared, replaced by a slightly chilly breeze blowing directly on the face.

A wide-open view appeared ahead.

It was as if they had stepped from the dead of winter into a vast basin surrounded by mountains.

Although the sky was still overcast, the raging hail and strong winds had disappeared, and the temperature had risen significantly, estimated to be around zero degrees Celsius.

The first thing that catches the eye is the various buildings layered on the hillside in the distance.

The military green tents stood in neat rows, perfectly aligned.