Tomb Raider: What the hell is this strange commission?

Chi Yu calmly turned his eyes away from the task panel.

"According to the contract you signed with the Academy of Forestry, the rest of the itinerary is also very simple. There are a total of ten survey sites, spanning the entire Lop Nur," he said.

"If we follow my plan, we can complete the sampling in no more than five days. The remaining free time will be enough for us to cover the entire Lop Nur."

Although the underground palace that Xie Yuchen wanted to find had been opened with the Moyu exploration and was marked with a bright dot by the system, as long as Chi Yu was willing, he could take people to explore it directly.

But he never liked to let all the unfinished work pile up until the last minute to deal with it.

So now, Chi Yu plans to help Xie Yuchen solve the part of the indicators of the Institute of Forestry first, and then concentrate on completing the task.

Xie Yuchen made a gesture of listening attentively, so Chi Yu did not mind providing some more detailed explanations for his young client:

"We can complete the survey and sampling of three locations today at the earliest, and then set up camp and rest at a sheltered spot near the Altun Mountains."

Chi Yu said, unfolding the map of the reserve and motioning to Xie Yuchen: "This is the first survey point. Then cross a dry river and go upstream along the road to the second survey point."

His slender fingers wandered casually on the map, and he planned their future route in a casual manner: "This is the third survey point, because there is a spring of running water, and it is also a suitable place to camp."

"As for the remaining few days' itinerary, I also have different arrangements for the weather conditions on that day. But now they are ready to set off, do you still want to confirm with me?" Chi Yu asked Xie Yuchen.

Xie Yuchen smiled and shook his head slightly.

"No need." Xie Yuchen said, "Since you have planned it, just do it."

The driver for Xie Yuchen and Chi Yu had been waiting for them not far away for a long time.

Seeing that the conversation between the two had finally come to an end, he trotted over, greeted them, and quickly got into the driver's seat.

Xie Yuchen watched the guy close the car door, then retracted his gaze and asked Chi Yu, "Do you think I will get what I want this time?"

It was a very complex and difficult to analyze emotion, so much so that Chi Yu was at a loss for a moment.

But soon, he found his previous rhythm again and said to Xie Yuchen calmly: "Of course." Chi Yu said, "You have done the best you can, Xie Yuchen."

They were a little too close. Chi Yu took a few steps back, but did not avoid Xie Yuchen's sight.

He looked at Xie Yuchen and said leisurely: "So you don't need to hesitate, just move forward."

Xie Yuchen looked at Chi Yu for a while, and his mood quickly returned to its previous calm. He curved his eyebrows and revealed a gentle smile.

"Yes, everyone says that 'Little Military Advisor' never disappoints anyone. Now your good reputation is everywhere in the world, making some people start to feel uneasy." Xie Yuchen said.

"Especially when you and I are involved - this is not a situation they want to see, there will always be people who want to do something about it."

"Their thoughts are meaningless to me." Chi Yu commented rather coldly, "I'm not someone who likes to stir up trouble. As long as those guys don't jump in front of me, I won't go out of my way to deal with them."

"As for my 'good reputation'——"

Chi Yu smiled and said, "Just because I have a good reputation doesn't mean I'm really a good person. Those who have ulterior motives never come back. It should be attributed to the fact that they like to cause trouble for themselves."

He looked at Xie Yuchen. His light-colored eyes were naturally cold and indifferent, with a chill that seemed to be able to pierce Xie Yuchen's heart - even if this was not Chi Yu's original intention.

"But once those things are repeated too many times, it's inevitable that people will get a little bored. They've been too noisy recently, and it's time for them to quiet down a bit."

"It won't take long." Xie Yuchen said, "Like you said, I have done the best I can."

"So, it's time for me to say goodbye to the past."

-

Chi Yu covered the trunk with the windproof cloth, and after making sure that everything was fine, he opened the rear door and got in.

Logically speaking, Chi Yu, who has the responsibility of being a guide, should be the one sitting in the passenger seat.

And it is Jie Dangjia, who provided a large amount of funds for this operation, who should sit in the "boss seat" in the back.

However, Xie Yuchen also knew that although Chi Yu would be patient with everyone who approached him when necessary, he would always keep a safe distance for himself no matter what.

For example, Chi Yu doesn't like sitting in the passenger seat when there is someone else in the back seat.

The feeling of rejection was very obvious - so obvious that Xie Yuchen could not ignore it.

After accidentally discovering this incident, Xie Yuchen wrote it down in a manual called "Chi Yu's Observation Records".

So Xie Yuchen was not surprised that Chi Yu made this choice - at least Chi Yu did not lock him out along with the noisy wind and sand of Lop Nur, but left a door for him.

So Xie Yuchen sighed and got into the car.

In fact, not many people were brought in to help him this time. In addition, in order to get in touch with the Forestry Academy, Xie Yuchen also specially transferred two professional prospectors to work for him.

A convoy of about twenty people was driving on a road paved with yellow sand.

Since the road is not smooth and each car needs to keep a certain safe distance from each other, if you look from a bird's-eye view, you can see that these eight cars have created a one-kilometer-long "ribbon" in this uninhabited area.

They passed through several official checkpoints and were quickly allowed to pass after inspection, eventually entering deep into the heart of this no-man's land.

For countless years, rumors about Lop Nur have always been accompanied by mystery and horror. But this desert filled with the shadow of death has never stopped explorers.

The no-man's land in December is desolate.

There was not even any road to be seen here, only a series of clear or blurred tire tracks, proving that many visitors like them had come here before.

But what happened in the past is not something Chi Yu needs to worry about.

Chi Yu withdrew his gaze from the scenery outside the car window and said to the driver who was concentrating on driving: "There is a small quicksand field ahead. Now, you should turn east."