NOVEL NEXT Chapter 434 Grand Finale_2
The auditorium was bustling, with a row of seats equipped with microphones on the stage. In the center sat the Base Commander, flanked by leaders of the base. Lu Jianguo and Lu Jianshe both were seated up there.
Gu Pan and the others were led to the front row, where seats bore their names; they sat down at the places marked with their nameplates.
The conference was to start at nine a.m. They had planned to arrive an hour early to catch up with Second Uncle and the others, but they were delayed by Yu Tianfeng and now it was already eight forty, with almost everyone already there.
The meeting soon began, and the Base Commander earnestly summarized and explained the recent conflict.
Amidst rounds of applause, the award ceremony began.
Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng were the first, their team granted a special structure and assigned to the Ninth Special Team of Mount Everest Base. Previously, Mount Everest had eight special teams; their ninth was different, being more agile, not bound to constant military service but deploying during needed times, while otherwise continuing with jobs they enjoyed.
This time, Second Uncle also received a promotion for his merit.
Afterward, there were some song and dance performances.
Having received their honors and watched the performances, Gu Pan and company spent a particularly joyous morning.
After the meeting concluded, Gu Pan scampered over to Su Qing: "Second Aunt, Second Uncle has been promoted again. You must be happy, right?"
Su Qing smiled as she patted Gu Pan's head: "As long as you all are safe, nothing else matters."
Gu Pan smiled too: "Yeah, we'll all be safe."
While they were talking, Lu Jianguo came over: "Shengsheng and Panpan, come over for dinner at our place tonight. Your Second Uncle and Second Aunt will be there too. Let's have a family gathering."
Gu Pan naturally wouldn't refuse: "Okay, we'll come over early, ready to wait for you guys after work."
Su Qing said: "I'm taking the afternoon off, I'll join you."
Gu Pan agreed: "Alright, then we need to head back home first. Our team also needs to celebrate at noon, and we'll bring some ingredients to Dad's place in the afternoon."
Su Qing said: "No need to bring anything, I've got the preparations."
Gu Pan didn't insist further: "Alright, I'll listen to Second Aunt."
That day, Gu Pan and her husband enjoyed two gatherings, one with friends and one with family. Both were full of happiness.
The weather remained stable for the following month, with cloudy and rainy days but no extreme conditions. However, the water level never receded.
During this time, an unexpected event occurred. Yu Shengyao actually approached Lu Jianguo for parenting advice.
Yu Shengyao had been diagnosed with skin cancer, his days numbered. Facing mortality, he came to understand a lot. Overindulgence, protection, and pampering only harm the child. Thus, he wanted to change Yu Tianfeng's mindset in his final days.
But many things aren't as easy as one wishes. How could a stone as hard as Yu Tianfeng be easily reshaped?
Yu Shengyao passed away with regrets, and Yu Tianfeng couldn't retain his position either.
Before the opening of the library and the science museum, Gu Pan's team received another assignment to retrieve ten Flame Boxes that had fallen near the base with the team.
Gu Pan took the initiative to offer the cruise ship because the journey was long and other ships risked danger, making the cruise ship the safest option.
Of course, this mission meant sailing for half a month. Should any disaster strike, they would face unchangeable peril, but they still accepted the task.
The weather stayed calm throughout the journey, taking them directly to the base where the Flame Boxes were hidden. They found many sharks around the sea area; safe aboard the cruise ship yet bewildered as to how they would retrieve the boxes underwater, a challenge even for Zheng Zhan.
Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng volunteered to dive, and despite having Space, the mission still posed danger. Gu Pan prepared herself for potentially spending the second half of her life inside a shark's belly.
After descending in the submarine, they had to locate the Flame Boxes, then attach them with chains for the crew above to haul onto the cruise ship.
Their greatest difficulty lay in venturing out to find the Flame Boxes and then securing the chains.
Equipped with their diving gear, Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng held hands as they exited the submarine.
Moving through the cramped space, knowing that sharks could easily enter open areas, they kept to the edges. Even if there were sharks, it would be hard for them to make a meal of them.
Approaching the warehouse, they still had to cross an open space. They were halfway when Gu Pan saw a shark coming straight toward them with three heads, all gaping, their vast maws open. She quickly pulled Lu Ruisheng into a crevice for cover.
Gu Pan had always feared such creatures. She had never even watched movies about great white sharks, and now these mutated sharks with three heads truly frightened her, leaving her feeling as if she had lost half her soul.