Chapter 48

Zhang Tianyuan's introduction to the dishes was naturally impeccable, as this guy was a foodie himself. Of course, you could also call him a gourmet. He would never eat something that wasn't delicious a second time.

Whether it was Xu Gang, who initially complained that Zhang Tianyuan wasn't being considerate, or Liu Mengxun, who was tasting the legendary Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork, and Husband and Wife Lung Slices for the first time, or even Mou Ying, who had already tasted these dishes during previous gatherings, they all had their appetites greatly whetted. They ate their meal without a shred of gentlemanly decorum.

At first, Liu Mengxun was quite reserved, but later she started competing with Zhang Tianyuan for the food. Her favorite was the Mapo Tofu. She didn't even eat rice, just scooped it into her bowl and ate it, her face turning red, but she refused to stop.

Fortunately, Zhang Tianyuan had also ordered a tomato and egg soup. When the spiciness became too much, they could drink the soup, which was quite refreshing.

After finishing the meal, they settled the bill and left the Sichuan restaurant. They wandered around the area for a while before returning to the hotel. They had things to do the next day, so they needed to rest well today.

The next day, Xu Gang continued to act as the bodyguard and bag carrier for the two beauties. Zhang Tianyuan went to the bank with Daoist Wu Mu to handle some procedures. Lan Fenghuang hadn't returned the previous night, reportedly going to get weapons with She Lin. Zhang Tianyuan wasn't quite sure about the details.

Professor Wang was still busy collecting materials and communicating with the local military in Shenluo. Only he could handle this, as his network of contacts was the best, and even the military respected him greatly.

On the fourth day in Nandu, She Lin and Lan Fenghuang, who had been out of touch, finally appeared. They arrived at the hotel in a military jeep, which clearly had been borrowed from the army. It was rugged, reinforced in every part, and had bulletproof glass.

"Did you get the stuff?" Zhang Tianyuan asked.

She Lin nodded without saying much. He was a man of few words, so Zhang Tianyuan didn't mind. On the contrary, Lan Fenghuang seemed very enthusiastic, grinning as she took two military canvas bags from the jeep.

Xu Gang, not wanting the girls to be overburdened, stepped forward and said, "Let me carry them."

"No, they're too heavy," Lan Fenghuang shook her head.

Xu Gang laughed, "If you can carry them, why can't I?"

As he spoke, he reached out to lift the bags, but to his surprise, he struggled with all his might and couldn't budge them at all.

"Hey, did you skip breakfast? The girls can carry them, but you can't?" Zhang Tianyuan laughed.

"No, this thing is really heavy," Xu Gang said with a pained expression.

"He can't, but Phoenix, though a girl, ate something wrong in the mountains when she was young, and since then, she's had incredible strength," She Lin finally explained.

"I'll give it a try," Zhang Tianyuan, not believing it, tried to lift the canvas bag. He could feel that it contained firearms, knives, and other restricted items, which She Lin had spent days acquiring. He knew they had arranged it with the local military, so they wouldn't be checked, but to avoid trouble, it was best not to let ordinary people see them.

He tried lifting the bag, and it was indeed very heavy, but he could still manage it. He knew why; the earth qi had significantly enhanced his body, though not to the level of mythological figures, his strength was much greater than that of an average person.

"Damn, no way, you can actually lift it? What did you eat?" Xu Gang was dumbfounded. Logically, he had done more physical labor than Zhang Tianyuan, who hadn't done much hard work since college, while he had spent a long time in the countryside.

"Sorry, I was born with super strength!" Zhang Tianyuan chuckled, carrying one bag in each hand and walking into the hotel. She Lin parked the jeep in the hotel's parking lot. Since Professor Wang still had things to finish, they had to wait a bit. They also needed to familiarize themselves with the contents of the canvas bags to avoid being caught off guard later.

After everyone entered the hotel and gathered in Zhang Tianyuan's room, She Lin opened the canvas bags and introduced the items he had brought back.

"All of these are used by special forces. This isn't just an archaeological expedition; I have a mission," She Lin said as he opened the bags.

"I understand. So many people have gone missing; there needs to be an explanation," Zhang Tianyuan nodded, his eyes on the bags.

"This is a Beidou handheld device, which can connect directly to the military satellite signal. If anything happens, we won't be in trouble."

"Do you have this? Did the previous archaeological teams have this?" Xu Gang asked.

"The previous teams only had mobile phones, not this kind of equipment," She Lin explained.

"There are also binoculars, walkie-talkies, and cameras..."

"Wait, why do we need cameras?" Xu Gang had many questions.

"To record things. We need to have an explanation when we come out," She Lin replied.

"Oh, but can't mobile phones take pictures too?"

"Mobile phone batteries are terrible, and this one is much better and has a better effect," She Lin explained as he continued to take items out of the canvas bag.

"Um... head-mounted night vision goggles, head-mounted lighting equipment, low-light aiming scope, slingshot, dagger, compass, mini megaphone, and a capture device..."

"Wait, don't just list them. Can you explain what a low-light aiming scope is? What's a capture device, and what's the slingshot for?" Xu Gang scratched his head, looking very confused.

She Lin stopped and asked, "Do you need explanations for the others?"

"No, the others are fine, I can figure out what they're for," Xu Gang nodded.

"Alright, a low-light aiming scope is used for precise aiming and observation at night. It allows the shooter to observe and aim at targets without artificial lighting, making it hard for the target to detect. It can also detect infrared light. Got it?"

"Oh."

"A capture device is a tool to catch someone without harming them. For more details, you can ask Baidu. As for the slingshot, it has many uses, which we'll discuss as needed. Can you use it?" She Lin looked at Xu Gang.

"Of course, I played with slingshots all the time as a kid!" Xu Gang said proudly, finally getting a chance to show off a bit.

"Good, I'll continue. There are also non-slip gloves, safety ropes, and first-aid kits. No need to explain these, right?"

"No, just tell us about the weapons," Xu Gang rubbed his hands, excitedly.

If jewelry is a woman's romance, then firearms are a man's romance. Men like cars and guns, and that's perfectly normal.

"The guns are of three types: the Type 95 assault rifle, the **, and the Type 90 sniper rifle. I only brought one assault rifle and one sniper rifle, and three pistols. Who can use them?" She Lin asked.

"Give me the assault rifle. I served in the military and know how to use it," Xu Gang said.

"Alright, I'll use the sniper rifle and bring two pistols. Who gets the last pistol?" She Lin asked again.

"Give it to me. I haven't served, but I practiced at the shooting range with classmates before, and it was with pistols. I can't guarantee accuracy, but I can use it," Zhang Tianyuan said.

"Alright, the pistol goes to you. As for the other individual equipment, everyone needs to carry it for safety. Don't complain about how it looks; we're not going on a vacation. Once we enter Shenluo Valley, things will be dangerous, so we must ensure our safety," She Lin reminded them.

"You're the expert, we'll follow your lead," Zhang Tianyuan, a man of strong will, said. He would take the lead in things he could handle, but he wouldn't pretend to be capable if he wasn't, as it could affect others, and this time, it could even cost lives.

"Alright, follow my commands once we're inside!" She Lin didn't refuse. It was clear he had a good background in the military, as he wouldn't have been able to borrow such equipment otherwise. This time, they were well-prepared. They just needed to wait for Professor Wang to finish his tasks before setting out.