The soldiers consciously parted to both sides, clearing a path, as two individuals slowly walked forward from the rear.
The woman who had spoken wore silver-rimmed glasses and had a single ponytail tied at the back of her head. Unlike the other soldiers, she wasn't dressed in combat fatigues but wore a chiffon beige long-sleeved shirt, black dress pants, and white sneakers.
Beside her was a burly, muscular young soldier, over 1.8 meters tall, with a knife scar about 4 centimeters long on his jawline. The collar insignia, one bar and two stars, clearly indicated he was a lieutenant.
“Chen Dage, a platoon formation. The leading woman and that lieutenant are both Black Iron Three Stars.”
Han Badou’s voice timely echoed in Chen Bugu’s mind, and Chen Bugu knew this was Han Badou transmitting information to him.
The two soldiers who had been fiddling with the instrument walked over to the woman, saluted, and then seemed to report something.
After listening, a momentary expression of surprise clearly appeared on the woman’s face.
Subsequently, Chen Bugu noticed the woman glancing in his direction, then looking at Yan Kuan and the others. Although he wasn't sure who she was looking at afterward, Chen Bugu vaguely had a guess.
Chen Bugu frowned and looked at the instrument on the ground.
“Everyone, we mean no harm. Could you please put away your abilities first?”
The woman immediately continued speaking, clearly feeling threatened by the four Cold Iron Darts still rapidly spinning in the air around Lin Xiaoxiao.
“Xiao Xiao, stop.”
Chen Bugu walked back to the group; he felt a bit more at ease now.
This relief was not only because the opposing side’s guns were no longer pointed at them but also because he noticed that the woman seemed to hold a significant position within this team.
Chen Bugu wasn't confident in retreating with his teammates unscathed under thirty guns, but given the current distance between the two sides, he was confident he could use “Bullet Time” to place his Rapid Wind Dagger at the woman’s neck before the other side could react.
Seeing that the other side had lowered their guns and Chen Bugu had spoken, Lin Xiaoxiao had no choice but to put away her Cold Iron Darts.
The lieutenant gestured, and most of the soldiers began to sit down and rest on the spot, taking out compressed biscuits from their backpacks to replenish energy. A few other soldiers consciously dispersed around, beginning to stand guard.
The woman and the lieutenant, along with three other soldiers, crossed the stream, which was only five or six meters wide, and walked towards Chen Bugu’s group.
Chen Bugu glanced at Han Badou, who slowly nodded. Chen Bugu instantly understood that these were all five Black Iron Three Stars in the opposing team.
“Greetings, Awakeneds. I am Professor Xu Lu, an appointed professor and researcher at the Non-Natural Research Special Task Bureau. And this is Platoon Leader Li You from the Second Platoon, Third Company, Second Battalion of our Huaguo Southeast Special Operations Regiment.”
The woman walked up to the group, introducing herself while extending her hand to Chen Bugu.
Platoon Leader Li You, beside her, remained silent, only giving a standard military salute the moment Professor Xu Lu finished her introduction. The other three stood behind them, holding their guns at attention with both hands.
Everyone was surprised to see Professor Xu Lu extending her hand to Chen Bugu, as Chen Bugu had just walked back from the side and was standing at the edge of the group.
Chen Bugu, however, confirmed his earlier guess because of Professor Xu Lu’s action.
Just now, because Chen Bugu hadn't been standing with the others, he was certain that Professor Xu Lu had glanced at him after hearing the report from the two soldiers.
Later, when she looked at the group, Chen Bugu wasn't quite sure who she was looking at, but now he could confirm it.
She must have been looking at Bai Ting and Lin Xiaoxiao.
That instrument seemed capable of detecting their awakening levels.
Chen Bugu naturally extended his hand and shook Professor Xu Lu’s, introducing himself.
“Chen Bugu, from Yu Tan City. Our team is mostly from Yu Tan City.”
Yu Tan City is located in the southwest region of Huaguo, completely different from where Li You’s Southeast Special Operations Regiment was stationed. As Chen Bugu relayed this information, he carefully observed Professor Xu Lu’s expression, but there was no change on her face.
“Chen Dage, that woman isn’t surprised that we’re from different places. It seems she already has this information.”
Han Badou’s voice timely echoed in his ear. He understood what information Chen Bugu’s statement, “Our team is mostly from Yu Tan City,” was conveying.
The opposing team was clearly well-trained, and there were no other personnel mixed in; they were a cohesive unit from beginning to end, very different from their own temporarily formed team.
“You are Huaguo soldiers. Can you take us back to Yu Tan City?”
Old Liu looked at Li You, following up on Chen Bugu’s words. In his mind, this team should be led by the lieutenant in front of him, but he didn't know why Professor Xu Lu had been in charge the whole time.
“I’m sorry, we can’t take everyone back to Yu Tan City. Firstly, because we still have a mission, and secondly, because we don’t know how to get back either.”
Li You still didn't speak; it was Professor Xu Lu who replied to Old Liu on his behalf.
Although they didn't get the answer they wanted, everyone keenly heard one word—mission.
“Professor Xu, do you mean our team is carrying out a mission in this perilous forest?”
Chen Bugu asked tentatively.
“Yes, although we didn’t expect to come to such a place, we did set out with a mission.”
“And please forgive our initial offense. It’s just that this forest is truly too dangerous, and it’s always right to be careful. I believe you all can understand.”
Professor Xu Lu nodded at Chen Bugu and explained.
“Doctor Xu, may I ask why your soldiers are still holding guns, even after clearly seeing that we are humans?”
“Shouldn’t the danger in this forest come from those dangerous demonic beasts, rather than from us, who are unarmed?”
Chen Bugu didn't press about the mission. He wasn't naive enough to believe that military personnel would share such classified information with his group, so he simply skipped that point.
“Mr. Chen is joking. The danger in this forest indeed primarily comes from demonic beasts, but if you, a Black Iron Five-Star, can be called unarmed, then what does that make the rest of us?”
The expressions of the people behind Chen Bugu varied; none of them expected Professor Xu Lu to accurately state Chen Bugu’s level.
“Doctor Xu, you’re joking too. Five Black Iron Three Stars, your strength isn’t weak, is it?”
Chen Bugu replied with a smile, and he believed Professor Xu Lu could understand the implied meaning in his words.
This time, it was Professor Xu Lu and her four companions who showed surprised expressions.
“Listening to you, Doctor Xu, it seems you’ve encountered other Awakeneds before? And it seems the outcome wasn’t very pleasant.”
Chen Bugu didn't give Professor Xu Lu a chance to continue asking, pressing on with his questions.
Since it was already confirmed that a fight wouldn't break out, why not take this opportunity to gather more intelligence? One should know that in the previous life, the military had already shown an advantage in intelligence very early on.
“Yes, the outcome wasn’t very pleasant. Those two killed over a dozen of our soldiers, and we had no choice but to retreat separately; otherwise, we might have died there too.”
Professor Xu Lu seemed to recall something, and her face looked unwell.
“Two people?”
“Yes, two people.”