Long Zhan sounded a bit exasperated. "You’re always in such a hurry when you come and go. We never get to show you proper hospitality!"
"There will definitely be chances in the future. These seeds are extremely important to our chief!" Qin Haonan replied with a smile.
Long Zhan nodded. "I understand. I won’t keep you then. Have a safe trip back!"
"By the way, we probably won’t be able to return these three freighters for a while. Our base doesn’t have enough space at the moment," Qin Haonan said, his eyes on the three massive freighters as the problem of seed storage suddenly occurred to him.
Long Zhan was taken aback for a moment, but Ji Yizhi replied with a smile, "No need to return them. The River Bird Fleet gave us these three freighters along with the seeds. We just need to give them some compensation later on!"
Qin Haonan was stunned, then said with a laugh, "The River Bird Fleet is certainly sincere!"
Ji Yizhi nodded. "It shows they can read the situation clearly. This was their best option!"
"Then on behalf of my chief, thank you and the River Bird Fleet!" Qin Haonan said, cupping his hands in a salute.
"Minister Qin, you’re being too formal. This was nothing for us. The help Master and the Peach Blossom Base have provided us is far greater than this!" Ji Yizhi said, waving his hand dismissively.
Qin Haonan didn’t stand on ceremony any longer. "In that case, I’ll get these three freighters on their way!"
Long Zhan and Ji Yizhi nodded.
Qin Haonan directed his team to depart with the three freighters and ten empty speedboats.
This time, Qin Haonan didn’t race ahead in a speedboat back to the Peach Blossom Base, but stayed close to the three freighters.
「After seeing Qin Haonan off」
Long Zhan called out to Ji Yizhi, "Old Ji, come on! Let’s go see how much meat Master prepared for you!"
"Is all you can think about meat?" Ji Yizhi grumbled, but his feet betrayed him as he eagerly followed Long Zhan to a speedboat.
A loading crew was currently unloading items from the speedboat.
Looking at the several crates of meat packed in ice, Long Zhan couldn’t help but swallow hard. "Master is way too generous, sending over so much meat!"
Ji Yizhi nodded in deep agreement. "It seems the Peach Blossom Base really isn’t short on meat!"
Just then, the loading crew carried down a bundle of thick bamboo stalks.
Long Zhan was momentarily confused. "Huh? What’s this? Why did they send us a bundle of bamboo?"
Ji Yizhi walked over and discovered that the bundle of bamboo had words carved into it.
"Bamboo Wine, 53°!"
"This is actually wine!" Ji Yizhi’s eyes went wide.
"What? Wine!" Long Zhan immediately pulled one out, popped the stopper at the top of the bamboo tube, and a rich, fragrant aroma of wine drifted out!
"Smells amazing!" Long Zhan praised, then tilted it back and started to drink.
"Ah! What great wine!"
The others around them gulped audibly, clearly a bunch of avid drinkers!
Ji Yizhi looked at the bamboo wine and said in a low voice, "This must be the wine produced from the Wine Bamboo that Master requested!"
"Can Wine Bamboo produce such strong liquor?" Long Zhan asked, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Normal Wine Bamboo definitely couldn’t, but in Master’s hands, it’s a different story!" Ji Yizhi replied. "Besides, it seems Master wanted the Wine Bamboo to produce 75% alcohol for disinfection."
"That’s incredible! To think he can control the alcohol concentration produced by the Wine Bamboo!" Long Zhan exclaimed. "Does that mean we’ll have an endless supply of strong liquor to drink from now on?"
"Theoretically, yes. But do you have the nerve to ask Master for a drink every day?" Ji Yizhi retorted.
"Why would I be embarrassed?" Long Zhan gave Ji Yizhi a puzzled look.
Ji Yizhi gave him a thumbs-up. "You’re something else!"
"A thick skin gets you the meat; a thin skin gets you nothing!" Long Zhan replied. "Besides, there’s no need to be so formal with Master. We just need to do our part to the best of our abilities!"
"Good point!" Ji Yizhi nodded in agreement.
"Let’s not debate this now. Come on, let’s go have some barbecue!" Long Zhan picked up the bundle of bamboo wine and pulled Ji Yizhi away.
「Meanwhile, on Qin Haonan’s side」
His group had already begun entering the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region, the three massive freighters rising and falling with the turbulent waves.
Not far away, three speedboats bobbed even more violently. The people on them were utterly shocked when they saw the freighters!
"What are these freighters doing in the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region?"
"I thought the higher-ups were messing with us, making us conduct surveillance in the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region. I never expected to actually see ships sailing here!"
"Hey, doesn’t the logo on the hull look like the emblem of the River Bird Country?"
"Yeah, since when did freighters from the River Bird Country start sailing all the way out here?"
"Someone on the regional channel said the River Bird Fleet has already pledged allegiance to the Aircraft Carrier Base. These freighters should be at the Aircraft Carrier Base!"
"Everyone, stop talking! They’ve spotted us!" the surveillance team leader warned immediately.
Qin Haonan had already directed ten speedboats to head their way!
The surveillance team from the Xi’an Base immediately turned and fled.
When Ren Yuanyang learned that another group had been spotted in the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region, he frowned slightly.
It wasn’t surprising that a team had spotted them; after all, the freighters were massive targets. A freighter entered and exited the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region every day, so it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.
He just felt it was a hassle. Being discovered would shatter the peaceful life of the Peach Blossom Base.
"Don’t give chase. Prioritize escorting the seed freighters back," Ren Yuanyang ordered in a low voice.
"Yes!" Qin Haonan replied with a nod.
Ren Yuanyang immediately sent a message to Wang Jun and the other two: "A group has discovered our trade route. They’ve set up a surveillance team in the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region. Bring more speedboats over to drive them off!"

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