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Gu Xiaoxi resisted the urge not to raise her hand.

The conditions of the International Alliance were indeed tempting, with prizes alone that were heart-stirring, not to mention a promise. That promise could bring benefits to the nation.

But the greater the benefits, the greater the dangers.

Gu Xiaoxi was clearer about this than anyone else; as a newcomer, she couldn’t just charge ahead mindlessly.

Gu Xiaoxi didn’t raise her hand, and Jing Rui obviously agreed. If one’s life were gone, what use would money and promises be?

Only by staying alive could one bring greater benefits to the country.

In the end, Officer Luo decided to dispatch three teams at once.

After the meeting, Huo Jin looked at Gu Xiaoxi with cold disdain and sneered, "Coward! When you weren’t supposed to do something, you insisted on snatching the credit. Now that you’re asked to go, you refuse."

Gu Xiaoxi flicked her long hair, unconcerned, "It’s not that I refuse to go, but I thought I’d leave the opportunity for you. Otherwise, you’d accuse me of stealing the limelight again, and I, as the newcomer, would have a hard time."

Of course, part of her refusal was out of spite.

Initially, when dealing with the two mutated rats, she had completed the task with the dagger in her hand.

Without her, they would not have killed the Immortal.

Now, successfully completing tasks was being misconstrued as stealing the spotlight, especially after the lesson they taught her during the welcome party.

This time, she would only go if she was assigned by a superior, or if it was absolutely necessary.

Otherwise, people might think that 5S-level tasks were easy to accomplish.

After the meeting ended, Gu Xiaoxi, Yun Xiao, and Jing Haoran continued to drive around carefree.

She would return to headquarters only when there was a tracking mission to assist with its execution.

Although the minor tasks paid very little commission, she treated them as mere entertainment.

For a whole week, Gu Xiaoxi felt her life had never been more comfortable.

During her time in the military, besides training, it was more training. Dull and boring.

Now she had plenty of time, and whenever Quan Shaoqing was free, he would take her to find Lu Xi and play with the son.

When he was busy, she would gather some information about Snow Country.

A hunch told her that the issue with Snow Country was not going to be resolved easily.

Indeed, on the second Monday of the week, headquarters received definite news.

Huo Jin and his team had gone and, as expected, had not returned.

The forests to the north of Snow Country were like a man-eating abyss. Anyone who entered would not come out, and there were always disappearances in the villages outside the forest.

In the beginning, only the International Alliance knew about this.

Later, the news appeared in newspapers and online.

At the same time, the incident was shrouded in supernatural speculation!

At this time, Gu Xiaoxi was in D state.

In Lu Xi’s manor, the majority of the grapes had already been harvested and the wine they made was put into the cellar to ferment.

Just wait a bit longer, and the wine would become even more exquisite.

Quan Jinling was now able to wear sneakers, little jeans, and a little shirt, scampering after Gu Xiaoxi all over the yard.

"Mommy!" Quan Jinling loved clinging to Gu Xiaoxi’s leg, looking up at her and asking, "Are you going to leave me again?"

Gu Xiaoxi looked at his round, chubby cheeks, his tender skin so delicate it seemed to burst with a touch, and felt overflowing maternal love.

She reached out, picked up her son, and comforted him by patting his back, "Mommy has a mission, so I can’t be with you all the time. You need to be good, okay?"

"I’ve been very good! I want to be with you!" In Quan Jinling’s young mind, the times his dad and mommy spent with him could be counted on one hand.

"How can that be? You’re still so young. When I take you running, you can’t keep up. If you follow me, mommy still has to work. How am I going to take care of you!" Gu Xiaoxi quickly pretended to be angry.

Quan Jinling immediately pouted, resenting that she thought he was too young.

He was also troubled by the fact that he couldn’t grow up faster.

Watching the mother and son, Lin Shu felt happy, thinking that things were already very good this way.

Quan Shaoqing and Gu Xiaoxi often made time to be with their child, and although they couldn’t see him every day, at least the child had a deep impression of his parents in his heart.

And Quan Jinling, having grown increasingly astute and sensible since turning one year old,

bore a curiosity toward new things, and his mind was quick. He spoke early and had a strong understanding.

A one-year-old child with the intelligence of a three-year-old.

So, facing Gu Xiaoxi, he could speak very clearly and respond without missing a beat.

Indeed, a different child had a different development trajectory.

Perhaps, with Gu Xiaoxi being extraordinary herself, her child would naturally not be ordinary either.

While the mother and son were speaking, Young Master Quan walked into the yard.

He had a file in his hand, obviously there to find Gu Xiaoxi.

"Daddy’s here." Quan Jinling waved at him from a distance.

Young Master Quan walked over with a smile, reached out to take his son into his arms, and kissed his cheek, "Missed me?"

"Yes! Mommy thinks I’m too small. She doesn’t want to take me out!" The little guy was still complaining.

Young Master Quan touched his small face and coughed, "It’s true that you’re really small! Taking you out would trouble us! Eat well, grow tall, and when you can beat the bad guys, I’ll take you out."

"You always say that. Hmph!" The baby was unhappy.

As he spoke, he pretended to be angry and no longer wanted Young Master Quan to hold him.

Young Master Quan put him down, and he ran off in a huff.

"This child!" Young Master Quan was at a loss for words.

Gu Xiaoxi took a deep breath and indulgently shook her head, "Such a clingy boy!"

Young Master Quan laughed and handed the documents to Gu Xiaoxi, "Here are the documents you need. Take a look. I’ll go and play with our son!"

Gu Xiaoxi took the documents, glanced over them, and saw that they concerned information about Snow Country.

Considering the time, she should head back tonight.

With Huo Jin and the others not returning, headquarters would definitely hold a meeting to select another team to go.