Saving People

Chen Zhao tried to sit up, but Deng Zixin held him tightly and would not let him get up.

No choice—he would have to keep talking while lying down.

"Meet with us? The ambassador and NASA's director are coming together? What's with such a high-level visit?" Chen Zhao asked.

"You don't know yet? The Mars Explorer crashed," Wang Defa said.

"It crashed?" Chen Zhao jolted. In a flash, countless thoughts raced through his mind. "The Americans crashed a spacecraft and came looking for us. My guess is that the astronauts aboard the Mars Explorer are still alive, but they can't come back, so they want us to help rescue them?"

"Not sure. We only just found out that the Mars Explorer crashed," Wang Defa said. "I'll send you an address. Come over if you've got nothing going on. Grab a free meal and meet the guests."

With that, he decisively hung up.

Right after that, a text message came in. At Wang Defa's age, the old fossil still insisted on using text messages.

"162 Zhangye Road, Central District, Lop Nur. Anxi Protectorate, State Banquet Hall."

Deng Zixin turned to look at it and asked, "Can you bring your wife to this banquet...?"

"You want to go eat?" Chen Zhao rubbed her hair.

"Mm." Deng Zixin nodded.

Chen Zhao then messaged Wang Defa. "Can I bring my wife?"

"Of course. A free meal is a free meal. I'm bringing my wife too," Wang Defa quickly replied.

Deng Zixin's face lit up with delight.

The Anxi Protectorate was a grand restaurant on Zhangye Road. It was incredibly imposing; the entrance alone had three gates, all designed in the style of ancient imperial palaces.

Once inside, orange trees and magnolias lined both sides, along with beautifully landscaped lawns.

The restaurant building was