They had previously caught a glimpse of the helicopter from afar, but due to the distance, they couldn't take any effective attack measures.
The team members looked at each other, unsure of whose opinion to seek.
Obviously, Barney and the others were no longer here; otherwise, those special forces wouldn't be so relaxed.
Everyone was exhausted, and even if they had the ability to fight another battle, they felt it would be meaningless.
Xia Luyao instinctively looked at Lin Beichen, but quickly looked away, as she was the captain after all.
She blushed slightly, cleared her throat, and decisively made a decision, "Since Barney and the others have already left, we don't need to rush after them. Let's rest here for a while before making further plans."
This decision received unanimous approval from everyone.
Lin Beichen also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, worried that Joseph might have set up an ambush nearby.
Everyone cheered and found places to sit and rest.
The old Daoist lay directly on the ground, looking like he had lost his will to live.
Xia Luyao looked at his sorry state and couldn't help but laugh.
She instinctively looked at Lin Beichen, only to find him watching her, too.
The moment their eyes met, Xia Luyao quickly turned her head as if nothing had happened.
Flying Eagle and Blazing Fire sat together, whispering, while Wild Ox rummaged through his backpack for food and water.
Thunder moved over to Lin Beichen, curiously asking about the array.
Xia Luyao saw this and couldn't help feeling a bit jealous.
Lin Beichen exchanged some materials from the system, astonishing everyone by conjuring items out of thin air.
He began to set up the array, walking and stopping, each time leaving a specific item behind.
About fifteen minutes later, he completed the array setup, revealing a dragon pattern on the ground.
Everyone marveled and asked about the function of the array.
Lin Beichen explained, "This array can shield us from enemy detection, allowing us to rest here safely."
Blazing Fire raised a tricky question, "If it's about altering light, why doesn't it obscure the ground?"
Lin Beichen's eye twitched; he hadn't expected Blazing Fire to dwell on this.
He took a deep breath and patiently explained, "The array's principle doesn't involve altering light; it creates a specific energy field that distorts enemy perception, so the ground won't be obscured."
However, Blazing Fire seemed unsatisfied and wanted to continue questioning.
Lin Beichen sighed helplessly, took out a talisman paper from his bag, scribbled a few strokes on it, and chanted, "Silence!" The talisman paper fluttered into the sky and began to burn. Suddenly, Blazing Fire found himself unable to speak.
Lin Beichen explained, "To prevent anyone from speaking out and revealing our location, I prepared this Silence Talisman just in case. Blazing Fire, you're always so selfless; just endure this for an hour."
Everyone shuddered, fearing they'd be silenced as well.
Wild Ox grumbled, "You're not our captain; why do you get to punish us?"
Lin Beichen smiled slightly, "You have a point."
Another Silence Talisman floated above Wild Ox and began to burn.
Wild Ox was horrified to find he couldn't speak either.
Xia Luyao couldn't help but laugh as she watched this scene, finding Lin Beichen both quirky and adorable, with a sweet feeling rising in her heart.
The cabin still lingered with a faint scent of blood.
Joseph sat quietly in his seat, fiddling with a device that looked like a game controller, flashing with lights.
The cabin was silent, only the groans of pain from Barney and others, the sound of sweat dripping onto the floor, and the annoying hum of the helicopter in their ears.
Joseph closed his eyes slowly, his current thoughts unknown.
He gently placed the controller-like device down, no longer paying attention to it.
This was a habit of his, born out of a disdain for the fickleness of fate: he often ended up empty-handed despite anticipation.
Therefore, when faced with things he truly longed for but couldn't ensure success, he chose not to focus too much on the outcome.
During the wait, he would change the topic to calm his excitement, striving to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor.
At these times, his words often touched on a wide range of topics.
"El," Joseph said, eyes still closed, tapping his fingers rhythmically on his thigh, "have you been unable to understand my actions since we regrouped after breaking out?"
El, the one sitting in the main pilot seat, pondered this for a while, then nodded.
Though Joseph's eyes remained closed, he knew El truly felt puzzled.
"At that time, I had grown weary of the mercenary life—victories came too easily." He spoke gently, "I used to use slaughter to fill the void inside, enjoy the joy of victory, and loved watching enemies scramble under my strategies."
"That defeat, I admit, was due to my carelessness, but also due to my weariness of the game. That's why I didn't bring you." Joseph opened his eyes, looking at the plains emerging ahead, "But later, I found a reason to reignite my passion for this profession."
Here, Joseph ceased speaking further, lowering his head to look at the controller-like device again.
Seeing its lights go out, a touch of joy flickered across his face, quickly concealed.
He turned to the person in the main pilot seat, saying, "Let's return to the place where we captured Barney and the others; I don't want to meet that person just yet."
Joseph stood up, revealing an unmistakable fatigue in his eyes.
He walked up to Barney and the others, frowning at their wounds, and instructed the soldiers beside them, "Apply medicine and administer their medication."
"But..." a soldier began, only to regret it immediately.
Joseph gave him a cold look, scaring him into fetching the medicine. The others quickly followed his lead.
"Barney, right?" As the soldier treated Barney's wounds, Joseph brushed his suit sleeve as if dusting it off. Though it was a question, it didn't require a response.
"How long have you known Lin Beichen?" Joseph asked casually.
Barney responded with a look of disdain yet remained silent.
Faced with Barney's stare, Joseph wasn't angered; instead, he felt fatigue washing over him—similar to how he felt after past defeats.
At this moment, he seemed like an ordinary working man catching up with an old friend, though he knew this couldn't truly solace him.
"Barney," Joseph hesitated briefly before speaking, "you've known Lin Beichen for so long, have you heard of something called Goji Berries?"
Barney was momentarily puzzled. He instinctively mistook Goji Berries for some Daoist Art and pretended to know, responding, "What? Are you afraid Lin Beichen will use this against you?"
Lin Beichen and the others rested for about half an hour.
During this time, no matter how they laughed or danced, as long as they stayed within this hemisphere, the mercenaries ignored them.
This scene heightened the admiration Flying Eagle and the others had for the Daoist Art, and they were filled with envy towards Lin Beichen.
As for Xia Luyao, she was almost captivated by Lin Beichen's display.
Lin Beichen stood up, glancing at everyone before speaking, "This shield is about to expire. Once it does, shall we move to the designated spot, Captain?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Luyao snapped back to her role as captain and quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, let's do that."
With a wave of Lin Beichen's hand, the now dull shield dissipated completely.
The mercenaries on the opposite side had also returned to alertness after a half-hour rest. As soon as Lin Beichen withdrew the shield, someone shouted, "Enemy attack!"
Although the specific words were unclear, judging by the shout and direction, they had clearly discovered Lin Beichen and the others.
"What a hassle, we should have attacked directly just now instead of resting," the old Daoist grumbled discontentedly.
Everyone glared at him, knowing he was joking, and paid him no mind.