Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1145 - 1138: Contact with the Upper Echelons

Chapter 1145: Chapter 1138: Contact with the Upper Echelons

"You’re really a dark-horse, aren’t you?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but tease.

"I just don’t understand you young people," Luo’er said, shaking his head helplessly.

"You talk as if you’re old," Cheng Ziang said with a look of distaste.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and catch up, big brother-in-law!" Hu Daoke urged.

"No need to teach me, and stop giving me random nicknames, it’s disrespectful," Cheng Ziang gave him a cold look, then took the initiative to follow.

A group of people stood in front of the Otherworld Gate chatting, and as the Otherworld Gate opened, everyone felt relieved, as if they had been liberated, feeling light from the inside out.

However, amidst the relief, Luo’er felt a deep unease because he knew very clearly that with the opening of the Otherworld Gate, their mission as the Advance Team in the Otherworld had essentially ended.

Next, for safety reasons, they might be disbanded and no longer have the chance to venture into the Otherworld.

Indeed, venturing into the Otherworld was fraught with many dangers and was extremely arduous, almost always living in the open air. But once accustomed to this lifestyle, the group actually lived quite freely.

Now, having them return to campus, although safe and comfortable, always made them feel like they had too much unused energy, mysteriously feeling like once you’ve seen the ocean, other waters seem trivial.

"Luo’er, what’s wrong? Are you okay?" Tangmo asked concernedly, noticing Luo’er’s frowning expression.

"It’s nothing, probably just a bit tired," Luo’er said with a slight shake of his head and a smile.

"Hehe, well, tonight we can stay on Earth, just the two of us..." Tangmo let out a lecherous grin.

"Don’t let your mind wander," Luo’er tapped her head lightly.

"Just let me have a lick, otherwise I’m even worse than a simp..." Tangmo said as she stuck out her tongue, about to lick Luo’er, but he stopped her.

"Sister Moumou, stop it, the principal is coming," Baiyue hurriedly tugged at Tangmo’s clothes.

"Ah, Principal!" Tangmo and Luo’er froze for a moment, then turned to look. They saw Elder Luo being helped towards them by a guard.

"Grandpa," Luo’er let go of Tangmo, walked up to meet him, and then, with a frown, said, "Don’t come to such places, there’s magic here, your body can’t withstand it."

"It’s alright, I’m just happy today!" Elder Luo patted Luo’er’s hand, his voice trembling with excitement.

Luo’er looked at his grandfather’s face, smiling with all its wrinkles, his own expression complex, almost wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.

"From now on, just stay on Earth more, don’t run around," Elder Luo said cheerfully.

"Hmm..." Luo’er nodded, responding somewhat sullenly.

"Marry soon, strive to let grandpa hold a great-grandchild sooner!" Elder Luo went on to say, disregarding others.

"This..." Luo’er looked back at Tangmo and Baiyue, feeling somewhat mixed.

"When your dad brought you here, I liked you the first instant, hoping my great-grandchild will be as cute as you, hehehe..." Elder Luo became rambling.

"Elder Luo, Elder Luo, it’s time for your medication, let me help you back," the guard responsible for caring for Elder Luo interrupted him and prepared to leave with him turned.

"Sorry, Elder Luo might be a bit excited today, so..." the guard turned around, apologizing with his face.

"No, I understand, thank you for taking care of him," Luo’er said, shaking his head.

"Don’t mention it," the guard replied with a slight smile, gently patted Luo’er on the shoulder, and then supported Luo Qishan as they left.

Along the way, Luo Qishan almost turned around several times, but the guard stopped him each time, leaving him no choice but to reluctantly depart supported by the guard.

Watching Luo Qishan’s receding figure, Luo’er sighed deeply. He had only left Earth a few years ago, yet it felt as though decades had passed. Before he left the academy, Luo Qishan had been the principal; Luo’er had not expected that he would now be an old man in his twilight years.

The thought quickly steadied Luo’er’s originally wavering heart. At that moment, his mind was preoccupied with one thing – to spend more time with Luo Qishan.

After a while, the Otherworld Gate began to grow busier, with constant traffic of people coming and going, including both Earthlings and sub-species individuals.

Luo’er saw a team made up of experts from various countries enter the Otherworld under military escort. If he was not mistaken, these were the experts requested for the Elf Planet Project by Xia Yue, now entering the Otherworld to meet Xia Yue.

As the coming and going became routine, these Earthlings also got used to the sensation of moving through the Otherworld Gate. Luo’er remembered that in Ulysses City, entering the Otherworld still required going through customs, but here there was no such thing, as everyone entering and leaving was "one of us."

Soon, he saw a familiar figure approaching him. Lin Wei, accompanied by several officers, came up to him, draped an arm around his shoulder without any reservation, and said with a smile, "Very good, I’m glad you’re here. You’ve accomplished a great deed this time. From now on, try to stay on Earth more and don’t run around everywhere. Spend more time with your grandfather."

"Thank you for your concern..." Luo’er nodded gently, his voice somewhat wistful.

"Don’t call me ’leader,’ just call me Uncle Lin. After your father replaced me, I’ve always considered your father like a real brother," Lin Wei said with a smile.

"Yes, thank you, Uncle Lin..." Luo’er forced a smile, but he felt that Lin Wei’s smile seemed somewhat insincere.

"Come on, let’s go. We are just about to have a meeting, and you will join us," Lin Wei said, still holding him, ready to leave.

"Is it appropriate?" Luo’er asked uneasily.

"There’s nothing inappropriate about it, you are a major contributor, who would dare to question your qualifications?" Lin Wei said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Then..." Luo’er turned his head to look at the members of the Advance Team.

"Oh, you guys go take a break, I’m giving you a few days off. Go explore the city, take in the sights of our great motherland," Lin Wei told the group.

Luo’er could clearly guess Lin Wei’s intent; it was evident that he was doing more than just inviting him to a meeting. He understood that Lin Wei seemed to be starting to involve him in upper management affairs, apparently planning to groom him as part of the future leadership at headquarters.

Under Lin Wei’s enthusiastic lead, the group got into a limousine and headed straight to Sheng Hua Academy.

Though it was always said that Gate Number Two was located at Sheng Hua Academy, in fact, Sheng Hua Academy was some distance from the Otherworld Gate; it wasn’t exactly within the academy.

With the opening of the Otherworld Gate, Sheng Hua Academy had officially become the launch center for the Mingming Plan, with all headquarters resources being diverted there. Meanwhile, Haiya Academy, Luo’er and the others’ alma mater, mainly dealt with the final stages of the Origin Project, and then it would either be closed or turned into a research center depending on the situation.

Upon arriving at Sheng Hua Academy, Luo’er could distinctly feel the difference between Sheng Hua Academy and Haiya Academy. Although he had graduated several years ago, he could clearly perceive that the level of automation at Sheng Hua Academy was at least an order of magnitude higher than Haiya Academy, with drones and service robots everywhere.

At the entrance of the academy, there were two tracked armored robots, whose scanners on their heads continuously scanned the people coming and going. However, there was no need to worry; the robots’ gun barrels were always pointed down, the green safety lights were always on, and they never turned red.

Inside the academy, an omnidirectional maglev elevator approached them and opened its doors in front of them. Unlike those single-person maglev omnidirectional elevators, this one could carry many people at once.

Under the elevator’s guidance, the group moved forward and then ascended, eventually stopping on the seventh floor corridor.

Stepping out of the elevator, the group made their way to a medium-sized meeting room on the seventh floor, which was already full of people. Most were dressed in various uniforms, likely high-ranking officials from different branches of the military.

Before the group entered, these officials had been chatting with each other. Upon seeing Lin Wei arrive with Luo’er, everyone stopped their conversations, and all eyes turned to Luo’er.