A whole Ripple wolf was brought back to the base, becoming the focus of the evening's gathering. Carlos had called his close confidants to hold a party in the ski hall on the thirty-sixth floor. The aroma of barbecue filled the air; the hall was already set up with grills, their firelight reflecting on everyone's faces.
Ryan, holding a flamethrower, was intently flipping the meat, his smile warm in the glow. Gabriel stood by, with a carving knife in hand, occasionally slicing off a piece of wolf meat to taste. The juices dripped, sizzling as they fell. As he ate, he excitedly recounted the day's events to those around him.
"You guys didn't see it!" Gabriel gestured dramatically, "Ryan was incredible, chasing after Maughan, his shooting skills were like those of a sharpshooter, each shot was impeccably accurate. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was an ace pilot come down."
"Really? Was it that amazing?" someone skeptically joined the conversation, a few from yesterday's drinking session chiming in.
"Doubt it?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "You can ask Kazemi and boss; they saw it with their own eyes."
"The boss was there too?" someone asked, surprised.
Gabriel proudly raised his voice, "Can't all this good food and wine keep you quiet?" But then, his voice was replaced by Carlos's serious tone.
Carlos glanced at Gabriel and said curtly, "About Ryan, keep it among yourselves. If I hear of any more leaks, I won't be lenient."
The atmosphere suddenly became serious, everyone realizing the importance of the matter, nodding in understanding.
...
Gabriel immediately realized he might have spoken out of turn and quickly shut his mouth, the mood becoming somewhat awkward.
Others exchanged glances; Carlos's words seemed to indirectly confirm Gabriel's exaggerated description. Could the new guy, Ryan, really be that impressive?
"Alright, alright," Carlos's voice broke the silence, his tone gentle yet firm, "Ryan is now our brother; we must look out for him from now on."
He continued, "His talent is indeed extraordinary, and his future prospects are limitless. Today he completed his patrol task, and next time he can start to carry out routine patrols independently."
"Yes, I understand," Ryan nodded seriously.
Carlos then discussed the upcoming mission, "Back to business, according to the tower's information, a batch of meteors will fall into the C25 area at noon tomorrow. We need more personnel on duty tomorrow. Maughan, you lead the team to check the number and details of the meteors."
"Understood, boss," Maughan replied concisely.
At that moment, Ryan quietly removed the Ripple wolf's pancreas and chewed it carefully, unnoticed by most.
Carlos turned to Ryan and reminded him, "Meteor falls happen quite often each year. Our task is to check if any Zerbeasts have entered our area with the meteors and to inspect whether there are any Zerbeast eggs in the meteors to eliminate any threats. This is your first time on such a mission; you should learn well. If you do encounter Zerbeasts, it's an opportunity to broaden your horizons."
Ryan's potential and talent were always in Carlos's sight. Although Ryan's current rank was not high, Carlos knew well that with his comprehensive combat power and talent, Ryan definitely had the strength to rank among the top in the security team.
Carlos thought to himself that Ryan's growth rate was astonishing; he would soon become his right-hand man.
"Boss, rest assured, I will follow Maughan's steps, study hard, and integrate into the work of our security team as soon as possible," Ryan's words revealed determination and respect.
"Good boy," Carlos showed an approving smile, "The bonus for this Ripple wolf hunting task is five thousand. If you sell the related materials, you can probably get about forty thousand in income. Your team of five will split it evenly, and it will be settled at the end of the month. As for your share of the bonus, I'll hold onto it for now. Of course, if you need money for anything, just let me know; everything is negotiable."
Carlos's magnanimity and straightforwardness were the qualities Ryan most appreciated. He could unite a group of people with different personalities, which in itself was a rare leadership ability.
"Understood, boss," Ryan replied concisely and forcefully.
"By the way," Carlos continued, "The Jane you recommended can report to the security team tomorrow. But we have a mission tomorrow, so let Kazemi show her around the monitoring center."
"Thank you very much, boss," Ryan toasted. Jane's joining the security team was undoubtedly good news for him.
People around cast amused glances, some joked, "Congratulations, Ryan. It seems your new girlfriend is much better than your ex."
"Come on, let's toast to Ryan and Jane!" someone suggested.
Ryan smiled helplessly but also raised his glass in response, immersed in the warmth and friendship of the team.
...
After the feast, the party atmosphere gradually dissipated. Nine people sat together and almost devoured half of the Ripple wolf before they felt satisfied and got up to say goodbye.
Ryan, as usual, went alone to the training area on the fifteenth floor. He began weight-bearing sprint training to digest the mutated substances in his body and promote metabolism through extreme exercise to improve his physical fitness. As the intensity of the training increased, his load also increased from fifty to sixty catties. After five hours of high-intensity training, his hands and feet began to tremble slightly, and he went to the twelfth floor for rest and massage.
Although this was his second time using the Ripple wolf's pancreas, and the effect was not as significant as the first time, when the power of the pancreas was fully absorbed, his muscle strength increased to 12.9, muscle reflex flexibility increased to 12.7, and bioenergy reached 164. From an H4 physical quality, he leaped to the H6 level. The Ripple wolf's pancreas, under Ryan's exploration, showed the effect of an H-level enhancement gene liquid far beyond a million in value. This secret was only known to him.
The next morning, Ryan walked into the security department and saw Jane filling out the entry forms in the hall. Kazemi, with a nose as red as a wine lees, was in charge of receiving her. Even covering her nose, Jane could hardly bear the smell of alcohol emanating from Kazemi.
When Kazemi saw Ryan come in, he seemed to have found a savior and quickly shouted, "Ryan! You take over; I have to go to the bathroom." He made an excuse and quickly left the scene. Obviously, Kazemi did not like dealing with women, especially those he could not joke around with.
"Ryan," Jane saw Ryan, and a glimmer of relief flashed in her eyes. The smell from Kazemi was indeed unbearable.
Since there was still some time before the meteor shower arrived, and Ryan had no urgent tasks, he conveniently took over the task of receiving Jane.
"Follow me," Ryan's voice was calm and firm.
Since that incident, Jane seemed to have changed, becoming quiet and reserved. Her eyes were full of vigilance and scrutiny, and she was particularly sensitive to everything around her.
They entered the shooting range, and Jane seemed to have found her target immediately, her eyes becoming sharper and more focused.
Ryan had trained several newcomers, usually taking four to five hours to complete the training course. However, Jane mastered the use of four types of firearms in less than an hour and passed the assault rifle's hell mode at an astonishing speed. At her insistence, she practiced an additional three hours.
Ryan was convinced that if Jane encountered a villain like Kolak again, even if the other party was of a higher rank, Jane could knock him down with one shot. This woman exuded an undeniable aura of lethality.
Subsequently, Ryan took Jane and left the base in the Bluebird. This time, the cabin was filled with rocks, and it was Ryan's turn to practice the rock-throwing training.
Jane's initial attempt scored four hits. As the training progressed, she gradually found her form, and her scores fluctuated between five and six. After all the rocks were thrown, she was able to consistently hit six rocks, meeting the qualification standard.
After the training, the monitoring center conveyed Kazemi's voice: "Alright, Ryan, the target meteor has entered the atmosphere. Let Jane return quickly, and I will take her for the last stretch. You stand by; Maughan has already set off to meet you."
With the appearance of the meteor, Jane flew away in the number 38 Bluebird. Soon after, the radar screen showed the figure of Captain Maughan.
"Ryan, form up," Maughan's voice came through the communicator.
After joining the formation, Ryan found that the other two members of the team were Gabriel and David Wilson.
This team of four will be responsible for dealing with the meteor shower that fell into the C25 area.