The crowd of people surrounding the gates of Aran Base had grown restless. Cars idled, exhaust fumes filled the air, and a chorus of frustrated murmurs and muttered curses rippled through the line.
At first, the crowd looked at Xu Feng with puzzlement. His clothes were relatively clean compared to theirs, his posture calm, standing off to the side in ignorance of their irritation. Soon, the confusion that swept the crowd had turned to annoyance.
Zhang Wei and Li Hao, the two men Xu Feng had been traveling with, had unabashedly driven up to the gates, bypassing much of the line with little thought for the glares thrown their way. The pair had spent what felt like an eternity talking with the guards, trying to gain access, much to the growing frustration of those still stuck in line.
