Carlos, the head of the base's security team, held significant decision-making power, but his deputy, Torres, was no pushover. He was constantly scheming against Carlos, trying to undermine his authority and build his own faction.
Torres's strength was on par with Carlos's, having reached the H8 level and being very close to advancing to H9. Whether in mech operation, fire control, or command, Torres was Carlos's equal. What's more, Torres had a close relationship with a minor leader from TerraNova Corporation, and he had already succeeded in convincing over a dozen security personnel to join his side.
The security team consisted of thirty-six members, and Torres had almost half under his control, while the rest remained neutral. This left Carlos, though officially the leader, in danger of being sidelined.
Currently, Carlos felt a strong sense of crisis. He was in urgent need of support, which was why Ryan chose to approach him directly. Ryan believed that Carlos, with his character and insight, would not miss the opportunity to give Ryan a chance, which was also a chance for Carlos himself.
Furthermore, Carlos used the security team to escort the supply ships every month, smuggling contraband and creating a value of over a million. He was willing to pay a price to strengthen his team, cultivate more talents, and defend his position and interests as the head of the security team.
Carlos's response was just as Ryan had anticipated. "Thanks, boss," Ryan said, chewing on the tendons he had stripped from the carcass of a "Ripper Wolf," and stood up to raise his glass. "I appreciate your recognition. I'll drink this bottle of wine! You can take your time. Rest assured, I, Ryan, will not let you down, nor will I let the security team down!" He downed the fourth bottle of liquor in one breath.
Carlos casually poured a glass of wine and drank it in one go, giving the newcomer enough face.
Maughan laughed heartily, pushing Ryan back into his seat. "Good capacity! Come on, have some food, don't drink yourself into a stupor."
"Mainly, you can't get drunk now... Ryan, your grilling skills are truly amazing."
"Don't rush, you all wait a moment. Ryan, you eat first, we'll have plenty of opportunities to taste your grilling later."
Maughan gently pushed away Kazemi and a few others. He couldn't quite explain why, but he felt particularly connected to this newcomer, as if they had known each other for a long time.
"Sure thing!" Ryan responded with a smile, not pausing his movements as he skillfully flipped the grilling meat while eating and talking. "Excuse me, everyone, I'll grab a bite first, and then toast to each of you one by one."
Ryan, of course, understood why he could integrate into the team so quickly. Since the day he joined the security team, he had been getting along well with Maughan, Carlos, and others. This kind of tacit understanding was as natural as being on the same wavelength.
Carlos suddenly asked, "As a newcomer, why did you suddenly come to the training ground? And dare to come to our security team to grab wine to drink?" Ryan's sudden appearance and bold actions were indeed unexpected. All eyes were focused on him, waiting for his explanation.
To be honest, from the initial abrupt wine-grabbing to the current harmonious atmosphere, everyone was a bit confused. But a word from Carlos calmed the scene. Ryan knew that if this doubt was not resolved, the estrangement in the team would deepen. He was well-prepared and calmly narrated his own experience—he had invested a lot of time and emotion, only to find his girlfriend with someone else on her birthday, and in a state of depression, he wanted to find a place to vent and happened to meet this group of people drinking at the training ground.
Carlos and Maughan exchanged a glance, and Ryan noticed this detail. He knew that with the authority of the security team, they could view the surveillance of many open places in the base.
Maughan did not disappoint him and quickly sent a text message to Carlos: Ryan's ex-girlfriend, Aeloria, is now celebrating her birthday with the logistics department's Flock.
"Brother, I'll take revenge for you," Maughan's tone revealed his disdain for the logistics department's minor supervisor.
Carlos frowned slightly, but in the end, he did not stop it. He wanted to see Ryan's reaction. He saw Ryan calmly take out a white substance from the inner cavity of the Ripper Wolf and swallow it without hesitation under the gaze of everyone.
"Thanks for your concern, Maughan," Ryan said calmly, "But there's no need to waste time on a woman who has changed her heart. I've figured it out, such a woman, nothing at all. There are so many good women in the world, just find another one."
Ryan's response won Carlos's smile and also gained the approval and recognition of the others present.
"What a clear-headed person!" someone exclaimed.
"This is a real man!" another person gave a thumbs up.
"You are still young, and the future in the security team is definitely better than loafing around in the logistics department." someone encouraged him.
"Don't worry, that kid Flock, we will help you get back at him sooner or later." They said to Ryan, with a hint of brotherhood in their tone.
Ryan lowered his head and focused on eating the meat in his hand. He knew that this freshly picked pancreas needed to be digested well. The pancreas of the Ripper Wolf can not only collect mutant elements but also has the function of eliminating negative pathology. If accumulated to a certain extent, it can even cause a qualitative change, significantly improving the physical fitness of the Ripper Wolf, and sometimes even triggering a talent mutation, allowing them to jump from H4 level to H9 level, or even reach the G level, although the chances are very small.
Ryan was determined to extract every possible nutrient from this pancreas. He tirelessly applied saliva evenly to the gland, then chewed hard, even though the smell made him unconsciously frown.
His gritted teeth made the onlookers feel a bit of sympathy. The doubts in Carlos and Maughan's eyes also dissipated. They understood that Ryan was trying to numb his emotional pain from being hurt in a relationship by eating the raw flesh and blood of the beast in a manly way.
But what they didn't know was that Ryan was not only numbing himself but also trying to convert the nutrients in the pancreas into his own strength. He chewed carefully until he felt numb in his cheeks, and at this time, a strange energy surged within him, like a warm current flowing through his body.
The time was ripe! Ryan raised his neck and swallowed the chewed pancreas into his throat, and the heat in his body suddenly became clearer and stronger. He suddenly stood up, toasted the other five security personnel present in one breath, and bowed to Carlos to say goodbye: "Boss, I have to find a place to vent, to get rid of the wine."
"Go ahead," Carlos waved his hand, "Drinking too fast is easy to get drunk, venting is also good." The people at the table all showed meaningful smiles, watching Ryan enter the elevator.
The base headquarters specially prepared a batch of bio-robots for the miners, which are the same as real people and can meet daily physiological needs. But soon, Maughan found that the elevator stopped at the fifteenth floor. The fifteenth floor is not the service area of the bio-robot, but the power training area.
"Is this kid drunk?" "The first time to the training ground, won't he get lost?" Maughan immediately pulled up the surveillance picture of the fifteenth floor. The scene in front of Carlos and others made them cry and laugh. Ryan, with a strong traction belt tied around his waist and abdomen, was running hard.