Chapter 84: Investigation Command Center

"Is that so?"

As she spoke, Xu Yuqing suddenly pressed herself close, pushing Zhang Mingyang into the corner.

Though Xu Yuqing wore no perfume, the unique fragrance of a woman's body bewitched him completely.

"Sister Xu, what are you doing?"

Seeing Zhang Mingyang's flushed face, Xu Yuqing replied with a voice full of temptation, "Little brother, you're still untouched, aren't you? Well, your sister here is still unmarried!"

"Sister Xu, you—!"

Zhang Mingyang really couldn't take it; he pushed her away. "Please have some self-respect, Sister Xu!"

"My, my! Little brother, you have quite some willpower."

Xu Yuqing looked at him teasingly, surprised that she had actually been pushed away.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Zhang Mingyang mumbled, "Sister Xu, I'm leaving," and hurriedly donned his spacesuit and fled in embarrassment.

Watching him run, Xu Yuqing couldn't help but chuckle. "So, you thought you could get something out of me, huh?"

On his way back to the dormitory, Zhang Mingyang didn't dare look back, terrified he might see Xu Yuqing again.

When he finally reached the building, he looked around to make sure no one had followed him before going inside.

As soon as he entered, his senior approached him. "How did it go, junior? Any leads?"

Taking off his spacesuit, Zhang Mingyang quickly grabbed a cup and gulped down some water, barely managing to quell the fire inside him.

Seeing his junior's flushed face, Peng Dongli assumed Xu Yuqing had hit him. "Junior, did that old witch beat you up?"

Zhang Mingyang waved his hand awkwardly. "No... no, I'm just tired, that's all."

"Tired?"

"What on earth were you doing? Why is your face so red and why are you so sweaty? Don't tell me—"

Before Peng Dongli could finish, Zhang Mingyang hastily interrupted, "Senior, what are you thinking? I just ran back in a hurry, that's why I'm sweating."

"Oh!"

"Did you find out anything?"

Sitting down, Zhang Mingyang replied, "I asked Sister Xu. Only those in red uniforms—the command officers—can move freely through all areas of the base. Also, just over 300 kilometers east of the launch tower is the Americans' 'Apollo Base.'"

"That's all?"

Zhang Mingyang nodded, "That's all."

"I see..."

Peng Dongli was speechless. "Did you ask about the latest personnel movements at the base, like I told you?"

"I was just about to, but..." At the memory of how Xu Yuqing had acted, Zhang Mingyang's face reddened again.

"But what?"

Peng Dongli grew anxious. "Junior, just finish your sentence!"

Honestly, Zhang Mingyang had no idea how to continue. Was he supposed to tell his senior that Xu Yuqing had started seducing him in the end? Forget it, better make something up. "I was just about to ask when Sister Xu suddenly had an urgent matter and left, so I didn't get the chance."

"Why did something crop up right then?" Peng Dongli paced back and forth, searching for another solution. "Never mind, let me think of something else. At least we've narrowed down the pool."

Relieved that his senior didn't press further, Zhang Mingyang was glad he didn't have to recount what had just happened.

"Junior, here's the plan—dinner is in two hours. Let's go eat at the command center's cafeteria. We'll keep a close eye on all the command officers there."

"Alright."

"Oh, by the way," Peng Dongli pulled out his communicator and sent Zhang Mingyang an email. "Junior, this mail contains the information on all the command officers at the Moon Palace Base. I asked the base for it. Go through it now while you've got time, so you can watch them more closely later."

"Got it."

Zhang Mingyang took out his own communicator and began reviewing the details of each command officer.

...

At six o'clock in the evening, Peng Dongli made a call and managed to get two meal tickets for the command center. The two of them arrived early and sat in the cafeteria, waiting.

Seeing that no one else had arrived yet, Zhang Mingyang asked, "Senior, how's your review of the info going?"

Peng Dongli glanced around and whispered, "Almost done, I’ve memorized most of it."

"I'm about the same—have the basics down."

"Good, let's get our food first."

They walked to the serving window. The chef, seeing their yellow uniforms, was about to drive them away when Peng Dongli quickly produced two red meal tickets.

The chef's expression changed instantly, becoming courteous as he asked what they would like to eat.

With their meals, the two found a spot where they could see the entire cafeteria.

"Senior, do these red meal tickets really carry that much weight? The chef's demeanor changed immediately when he saw them."

Peng Dongli replied, "It's not just the meal tickets; it's also our uniforms. Yellow represents government officials sent from the nation, red meal tickets are for high-ranking officials. You think he wouldn't show respect? He's not going to be stuck at the Moon Palace Base forever. One day he'll be back on Earth, won't he? Wouldn't he be afraid we'd make trouble for him?"

"Wow!"

Hearing his senior's explanation, Zhang Mingyang marveled at the complexities of officialdom.

"They're coming."

Command officers in red uniforms began to file into the cafeteria. Zhang Mingyang and his senior matched each face against the information stored in their minds.

Each officer who passed by gave them a polite smile and a nod.

"Senior, why are they nodding at us?"

Peng Dongli kicked him under the table. "Did you forget? We’re government-dispatched senior officials—they're eager to ingratiate themselves."

As they spoke, they returned the smiles and nodded back.

Gradually, the small cafeteria filled up.

"Senior, there are twenty people here now, probably the ones about to switch shifts. That means another twenty will come soon."

"Alright, keep a close watch and don’t give yourself away."

While eating, Zhang Mingyang kept glancing around, comparing faces with the information in his mind, observing their expressions.

When he finished, he went for another serving. He couldn't afford to look like he’d finished eating but lingered just to observe.

"Senior, I think I’m full."

He’d already eaten a big lunch, and now, after two dinners, he was about to burst.

Peng Dongli eyed the clean tray in front of his junior and rubbed his forehead, at a loss for words. "Junior, can't you eat a little slower? This is just the first group and you’re already full. When the next shift comes, won't you eat yourself to death?"

"Hic!"

Zhang Mingyang quickly covered his mouth to stifle a second hiccup. "Senior, it's not that I ate too fast—it's that none of them leave after eating. Haven't you noticed? They've been done for almost an hour now."

"Huh?"

Peng Dongli checked the time. It was true. Shift change was at six-thirty, and now it was already ten past seven—why was there still no movement?

But since they had to wait, Zhang Mingyang had no choice but to fetch another serving. "Senior, if I eat myself to death, would it count as dying in the line of duty?"

"You—!"

Peng Dongli reached out as if to hit him, and Zhang Mingyang, startled, hurried off with his tray for yet another helping.