Scorching Sun Valley Base

By the afternoon of the third day, the Legion had finally reached its destination: Scorching Sun Valley Military Base.

A towering steel wall surrounded the base. Its surface was made of special alloy, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen beneath the scorching sun. It was sturdy enough to withstand attacks from any conventional weapon.

Energy amplifiers were installed at regular intervals along the wall. Working in tandem with the nanocomposite materials embedded within it, flowing dynamic energy runes gave the wall powerful defensive capabilities. They could also automatically adjust its color and texture according to environmental changes, like a mysterious, indestructible shield.

Thousands of Disc-shaped Aircraft cruised in orderly formation above the base. At its center stood a tower that reached into the clouds, surrounded by a quantum force field and glowing faintly blue.

"Damn, now this is a military base! Look how grand and imposing it is!"

Xiao Yunlong exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Qin Dadi grinned. "Scorching Sun Valley Base is our second-largest military base on Alpha-7 Star. It's been built for almost two years, and all its facilities are in place. Once we've settled in, I'll treat everyone to a proper feast tonight."

"Captain, you'd better be ready to spend big."

Xiao Yunlong chuckled, and Liu Zhaozhao beside him looked expectant, too.

"Haha, no problem."

Qin Dadi laughed heartily.

Before long, the 319th Legion's convoy entered the base. Under the guidance of the base's command tower, logistical supplies and weapons were delivered to their designated warehouses, while the soldiers of the 319th Regiment were taken to a residential area.

A guide held a megaphone and shouted to the group:

"Your accommodations have all been arranged. Ordinary soldiers will stay in Building B, and special forces soldiers in Building A. Your names are on the doors, so find your assigned rooms. The rooms don't have passwords yet, so anyone can open them. You can set your own passwords after checking in."

The Earth Dragon Squad soon found Building A. After checking in on the first floor, they each headed to their own rooms.

Except for Liu Zhaozhao, the other three had rooms on the third floor, right next to one another.

Qin Tian pushed open the door and glanced inside. It was like a college dorm room for one, around fifty square meters, with a single bed and a private bathroom. The decor was simple, but it was much nicer than where they had stayed before.

"Finally, I can get some proper rest."

Qin Tian sprawled out on the bed, stretching his arms and legs, and closed his eyes in comfort.

Ever since arriving in this world, he had either been fighting Orcs or enduring long journeys. His body was holding up, but he was mentally exhausted.

In the room next door, Qin Dadi received the rules and regulations from his superiors, along with a map of Scorching Sun Valley.

He carefully read through the regulations, then chose a well-reviewed tavern as the venue for that night's get-together.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Qin Tian, open up!"

Qin Tian woke from his nap, rubbed his eyes, got up, and opened the door.

Xiao Yunlong stood outside, looking excited at first. But when he saw what Qin Tian was wearing, he was immediately at a loss for words.

"Why are you still wearing that uniform? Did you forget we're going out to have fun tonight?"

"I only have my uniform, nothing else," Qin Tian replied.

Only then did Xiao Yunlong remember that Qin Tian's circumstances were unusual and he didn't have any civilian clothes. Huang Xun had been much shorter, so Qin Tian couldn't wear his clothes either.

For now, Qin Tian had only two uniforms to change between.

"We're about the same size. How about I lend you some of my clothes?" Xiao Yunlong offered.

"No need."

Qin Tian waved his hand. "The uniform's fine."

Xiao Yunlong thought it over. He was right; wearing a uniform on a military base was perfectly normal.

"Fine, let's get going. The captain and Zhaozhao are waiting downstairs."

Xiao Yunlong pulled Qin Tian downstairs.

Downstairs, Qin Dadi and Liu Zhaozhao had both changed out of their uniforms and into fresh clothes.

Qin Dadi wore a military-green short-sleeved shirt and loose trousers. The outfit made him look sharp and energetic, a few years younger.

Liu Zhaozhao's outfit was just as simple: a white T-shirt with straight-leg jeans, her hair tied in a ponytail. At a glance, she looked like a college student, full of youthful energy.

The two glanced at Qin Tian's uniform but said nothing.

"Come on, let me take you out for a drink."

Qin Dadi smiled, sounding more relaxed than he had in a long time.

The group boarded a Shuttle and soon arrived at the base's leisure district.

Shops lined both sides of the road, including restaurants, taverns, weapons shops, and pharmacies. The streets were bustling with people.

Qin Dadi led the squad to the tavern he had picked out.

Upon entering, the first thing they saw was an old-fashioned wooden bar counter, displaying all kinds of drinking vessels. The polished glasses gleamed beneath the dim yellow lights.

The air was filled with the faint scent of alcohol and smoke. More than half the booths were occupied, some by people in civilian clothes and others by people in uniform.

When the Earth Dragon Squad walked in, some people instinctively glanced over, their eyes immediately lighting up.

Their gazes all focused on Liu Zhaozhao. Women were scarce in the military, and beautiful, fresh-faced women like her were rarer still.

Feeling the gazes from all directions, Qin Tian furrowed his brow slightly. But Liu Zhaozhao, Xiao Yunlong, and Qin Dadi were already used to this sort of thing.

"Come on, over there."

Qin Dadi beckoned and led the three of them to an empty booth.

A robot server soon came over and asked in a warm, polite voice,

"What would you like to drink?"

"This one, this one, and this one. I'll have one of each."

Xiao Yunlong pointed to the tavern's signature drinks on the menu and ordered three at once.

Qin Dadi and Liu Zhaozhao ordered drinks that caught their interest, along with some snacks.

"Qin Tian, see what you want to drink. Oh, right, you probably haven't had alcohol before. Want me to order for you?"

Xiao Yunlong raised an eyebrow, putting on the air of a seasoned drinker. "I'm telling you, alcohol's great stuff. It makes you happy, and the more you drink, the better it gets."

Heh, you think I've never had a drink?

Back in the day, I was the drinking champ of my dorm. Even the tough guys from Inner Mongolia had to admit defeat.

"I'll have whatever you're having," Qin Tian said coolly.

"Haha, just like me, huh? Then let's see who gets the other one drunk first."

Xiao Yunlong was brimming with confidence. A newbie who had never drunk before was challenging him, the Little Prince of the Nightclub, to a drinking contest. Just wait until you're puking under the table.

The drinks and food soon arrived.

The four of them drank and chatted freely.

Of course, Xiao Yunlong did most of the talking, as usual. He rambled from his childhood to college, from his kindergarten deskmate to the girl he'd loved in his youth. Qin Dadi and Liu Zhaozhao occasionally chimed in with their own stories, while Qin Tian listened, learning more about this world from his teammates' tales.

As the number of glasses on the table grew, all three of them gradually looked tipsy, except for Qin Tian.

"Hey, how come you're not even dizzy? Can you really hold your liquor better than me?"

Xiao Yunlong tilted his head toward Qin Tian, his words slurred.

Qin Tian smiled. He now had three physical Blue Talents: Steel Muscles and Bones, Shadow Muscle and Bone, and Purple Lightning Bloodline. What could a little alcohol do to him?

"That's enough. Let's get going."

Qin Dadi stood up.

Seeing this, Liu Zhaozhao stood too, ready to leave.

Just then, a hand suddenly grabbed Liu Zhaozhao by the arm, and a drunken laugh came from beside her.

"Hey, beautiful, don't go yet. A few of us still want to have a chat with you."