The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 154: Approval granted for entry into the Oasis Underground Mountains and Rivers

Three days later, Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi submitted their application to Du Qi to go to the demon oasis.

Du Qi frowned as he looked at the application before him. He knew the importance of this application and understood the risks involved. For humanity, the demon race was both a completely new challenge and a tremendous opportunity.

He pondered for a moment, then looked up at Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi and said, "I have received your applications, but I need to report this matter to the commander of the Mars base for approval. At present, contact with the demon race is still a very sensitive matter, and we need to handle it with caution."

Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi both expressed their understanding, knowing that this application wouldn't be easy to approve. However, they also believed that as long as it was for the future of humanity and the development of interstellar migration, the decision was worthwhile.

While awaiting approval, Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi began preparing for contact with the demon race. They collected a wealth of information about the demon race and studied their culture and customs in order to better communicate with them.

A few days later, Du Qi brought good news. The commander of the Mars base approved their application, and Nan Tian would accompany them to the demon race's oasis for an investigation.

Before setting off, Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi had in-depth discussions with Du Qi, developing a detailed expedition plan and safety measures. They knew that this expedition was not only a test of their personal abilities, but also an important exploration of the relationship between humans and demons.

Finally, on a bright and sunny morning, Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi boarded a pickup truck from the Mars base and embarked on their journey to the demon oasis. They carried with them human curiosity and courage, ready to embrace this new challenge and opportunity.

The autonomous vehicle steadily drove towards the distant oasis along the preset route. Luo Yifei and Shen Lixi sat inside the car and began to chat casually as the vehicle moved forward.

"You know what? My dad told me they're going back to Earth soon." Luo Yifei suddenly brought up a topic, his face showing a mixture of anticipation and reluctance.

“Oh, really? I remember the launch window is two months from now. Earth will launch a rocket, and there will be a spaceship on Mars preparing to return to Earth,” Shen Lixi replied, seemingly aware of the matter.

“My dad said that although their work on Mars is important, he still prefers his job on Earth,” Luo Yifei continued, his words revealing his longing for his family.

“I understand, after all, Earth is our home. To be honest, I really miss my mom,” Shen Lixi said, expressing her understanding.

"I miss my mom too, but I doubt she misses me. She's living a very comfortable life. A man's ambition lies in all directions, and my goal is the stars and the sea. If I can achieve something on Mars, I can go back and brag to her," Luo Yifei replied.

“We are facing a major change that has not been seen in millions of years. Going back to Earth to find a stable job might not be such a bad choice,” Shen Lixi said. “Being with my family is the happiest thing for me.”

“Let’s not talk about that. By the way, I heard that the two of them first negotiated the agreement with the demon race. It feels a bit like Captain Zhang’s deliberate arrangement.” Luo Yifei brought up another topic, his brows furrowing slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

“Yes, they are veteran members of the Phoenix Team. I wasn’t surprised that Team Leader Zhang sent them to scout the oasis first.” Shen Lixi nodded, then continued her analysis, “After all, each project team has its own established plans and arrangements. However, I think the logistics team’s daily inspections are a bit too frequent. Considering the redundancy design of our base, the inspection frequency doesn’t actually need to be that high. So, sending members of the logistics team to investigate unexpected situations might be a reasonable choice.”

“You have a point,” Luo Yifei agreed, but then raised another question, “However, we still have a security team, right? They could have gone there immediately.” His eyes revealed his doubt about the current situation.

“You’re right, the security team can indeed arrive immediately. However, the main responsibility of the security team is to maintain the safety and order of the base, and their focus is not on exploration and investigation,” Shen Lixi explained. “In addition, when we went to explore, it was because the seeds brought by the beasts on the other side of the tunnel created an oasis, and at that time we did not know that there were demons there.”

"Hey Luo Yifei, Shen Lixi, stop making baseless guesses. It's pointless," Nan Tian said, turning his head from the driver's seat, his brow furrowing slightly. His voice echoed in the car, breaking the somewhat somber atmosphere.

"No, we were just chatting, you heard it too?" Luo Yifei was slightly taken aback. He didn't expect that his conversation would reach Nan Tian.

“Of course I heard it.” Nan Tian nodded, a wry smile on his face. “You two were chatting so happily on the public channel, how could I not hear it? Besides, not only me, but everyone in the base can tune into the public channel and hear your conversation.”

"Huh?" Luo Yifei exclaimed in surprise.

“Don’t worry, we’re getting close to our destination now, far enough away from the base. They can’t hear shortwave communication anymore,” Nan Tian reassured them. “If you want to have a private chat, you can press the blue button on your spacesuit and then enter your number. That will switch you to a personal channel.” He pointed to the button next to him as he spoke, indicating that the two of them could try it.

"I see, thank you for reminding me," Luo Yifei said with a smile.

By then, the outline of an oasis could be clearly seen outside the window. Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, that outline resembled an emerald inlaid on the edge of the desert, inspiring endless imagination and anticipation.

The sight before them left them both in awe. A lush, verdant jungle stretched out before them, like Mother Earth's green gown, its vibrant plants weaving a tapestry of life that made them feel as if they had stepped into a tropical rainforest wonderland. This oasis, embraced by dense vegetation, was a verdant paradise, a place where all life seemed to find nourishment and flourish. At the same time, it formed a stark and striking contrast with the surrounding barren and desolate red landscape, making the oasis's vitality and preciousness all the more apparent.

"Wow, are we really on Mars?" Luo Yifei stared wide-eyed at the view outside the window in disbelief. He had never imagined seeing such a beautiful oasis on Mars, which completely changed his perception of this red planet.

However, Shen Lixi appeared relatively calm. He had been to the Xuan Tian Continent, a place filled with all sorts of fantastical and mysterious sights, far more so than this bizarre oasis.