Everyone's hunting for treasure: I'll give you 100 times the loot and hand it over to the

Chapter 48 A Grand Victory Celebration Banquet

The white light in the base's teleportation hall dissipated, and the glaring light made everyone who had just come out of the dim stone hall subconsciously squint.

The air was no longer filled with the sticky feeling of dust and energy that was in the secret realm; instead, it had the familiar smell of the base, which carried the scent of metal and disinfectant.

Around the hall, rows of medical personnel dressed in white sterile gowns stood solemnly, pushing floating treatment pods, ready to go.

Further out, there were heavily armed Dragon Guard soldiers, standing ramrod straight, forming an impenetrable human wall.

All eyes were focused on the center of the teleportation array, and on the seven members of the first team.

Li Tianshan stood at the very front.

He wasn't wearing his familiar general's uniform, but just an ordinary combat jacket. However, the general's star on his shoulder and the group of officers behind him silently indicated the high level of the welcome.

He strode forward, his gaze sweeping over each person's face.

"Report!" Xiao Qianyu stepped forward, stood at attention, and saluted. "The First Squad of the National Guard has completed the exploration mission of the S-rank secret realm 'The Lie of Eden.' All members are returning to the team. Please give instructions!"

Li Tianshan's gaze lingered on her, then swept over the others, and only after confirming that everyone was unharmed did he finally relax.

He raised his hand and returned a standard military salute.

Welcome home.

These four simple words carry more weight than any commendation order.

The soldiers and officers around them, whose faces had been tense, relaxed in unison.

The long-suppressed atmosphere finally began to flow.

"Alright, stop standing around." Li Tianshan waved his hand. "Upload the battle log, take a break, and then head to the banquet hall. Tonight, we're drinking until we drop."

Zhao Leiguang's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Really? That's great! Let me tell you, I was almost beaten to a pulp inside, I need to have a couple of drinks to recover."

Li Tianshan laughed and said, "Virtue!"

The group followed the guide, laughing and joking.

Soldiers and researchers passing by would stop and stare at them, no matter what they were doing.

Their gazes held a mixture of curiosity, awe, and an indescribable excitement.

The weight of this title is far greater than they themselves realize.

When they reached a fork in the road, Su Yunqing suddenly stopped.

"Lu Yan".

Lu Yan turned around.

Su Yunqing quickened her pace and stood in front of him. She had just finished the initial purification process, and her body still carried a fresh mist.

She looked at Lu Yan, stepped forward, opened her arms, and gently hugged him.

Lu Yan could even smell the faint fragrance of shampoo on the ends of her hair.

"Thank you, I will cherish this set of equipment!"

Lu Yan's body stiffened slightly; he wasn't used to this kind of direct physical contact.

"I didn't actually do anything," he said honestly. "Besides, the equipment dropped in the dungeon, so it has nothing to do with me."

"It's different." Su Yunqing took a step back and looked at him seriously. "Without you, we wouldn't even have been able to get past the first boss. I know the value of these three pieces of equipment better than anyone else."

Zhao Leiguang, standing to the side, winked and drawled, "Hey, hey, hey, in broad daylight, under the clear blue sky, be mindful of your behavior! Shouldn't hugs be considered a team perk? Let's have everyone take turns doing it!"

A blush rose to Su Yunqing's cheeks. She glared at Zhao Leiguang, said nothing more, and quickly followed the group ahead.

Shen Xinglin walked past Lu Yan, patted him on the shoulder, and said nothing, but the meaning was clear.

……

Banquet Hall No. 3

The place has been newly decorated, with a long dining table laden with sumptuous dishes and drinks.

Those present included not only leaders from the logistics department, but also many captains and core members from other Dragon Guard squads.

They looked at the first squad that walked in as if they were looking at a group of heroes who had stepped out of mythology.

The atmosphere at the victory celebration banquet was very lively.

Zhao Leiguang, holding a wine glass, was boasting to the captain of the second team next door about how he used his double shields to withstand the attack of the false god Adam, and how he knocked the BOSS away with a savage charge.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, completely forgetting that he had almost been instantly killed several times, only to be forcibly saved by Su Yunqing.

Lin Chuxue and Wen Yue sat together, munching on desserts, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. Xiao Qianyu and Shen Xinglin, on the other hand, were surrounded by several familiar team leaders, who inquired about the specifics of the secret realm.

Lu Yan found a corner seat, poured himself a glass of juice.

He didn't particularly like noisy occasions. For him, the greatest reward wasn't the honor after clearing the level, but the S-grade materials in his storage space and the merit points on his personal panel that would ensure he'd live a life of comfort for the rest of his days.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

Li Tianshan stood in front of the main seat, and on the large screen behind him, the information files of the members of the first squad were being played on a loop.

The banquet hall fell silent instantly.

Li Tianshan surveyed the entire audience, his voice booming.

"Today, we are here to celebrate the victory of our bravest warriors!"

He paused, his tone becoming heavy.

"As everyone knows, since the Star Gate Secret Realm descended, China has been relentlessly suppressed by the Western 'White Eagle Empire' in the exploration of advanced secret realms. They monopolize the best resources and the strongest equipment, and even use this as leverage to hinder us in every way on the international stage."

"We have countless outstanding warriors who have fallen on the path of conquering A-level and even S-level secret realms. Every failure means paying a bloody price."

Many team leaders present lowered their heads, having experienced the pain of losing teammates to varying degrees.

"But today!" Li Tianshan's voice suddenly rose, and he slammed his fist on the table with a dull thud. "The first team, led by Captain Xiao Qianyu, successfully conquered the S-rank secret realm 'The Lie of Eden' and achieved an unprecedented 'Perfect' rating!"

"This is the first time that China has truly set foot on the land of an S-level secret realm! This is a breakthrough! A historic milestone!"

"Whoosh—"

Thunderous applause resounded throughout the banquet hall.

Zhao Leiguang was so excited that his face turned red, and he slammed his hand on the table, almost knocking over the wine glass.

Li Tianshan raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

His gaze swept over the crowd and finally landed precisely on Lu Yan in the corner.

"Every member deserves credit for this operation. Xiao Qianyu's command, Zhao Leiguang's perseverance, Su Yunqing's support, and Shen Xinglin, Lin Chuxue, and Wen Yue's decisive actions were all textbook examples."

"However, there is someone else who can achieve a perfect evaluation, turn the tide of several seemingly insurmountable situations, and elevate the entire team's combat power to a whole new level."

All eyes followed Li Tianshan's gaze and focused on Lu Yan.

Lu Yan's hand, holding the juice glass, froze in mid-air.

"The greatest contributor is our first squad's newest member, our only Aura Master—Comrade Lu Yan!"

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone stared at the unremarkable young man sitting in the corner.

Are support classes the biggest contributors?

These two words are almost impossible to equate in everyone's understanding.

Li Tianshan didn't give them much time to think. He continued, "It was he who found the BOSS's mechanics weakness when everyone else was at a loss. It was he who, with his unique abilities, brought the team an epic set of equipment! Taking our healers to the next level!"

"He made us realize that a top-tier support unit's strategic value can even surpass that of a full-strength combat squad!"

"I propose that everyone stand!"

Li Tianshan was the first to stand up.

Xiao Qianyu, Zhao Leiguang, Su Yunqing... the entire first squad stood up.

Next came the captains of the other squads, the battle-hardened officers, and everyone else in the banquet hall.

They stood up, faced the young man sitting in the corner, and raised their glasses.

This time, their gazes held not mere curiosity, but a heartfelt and sincere respect.

Lu Yan put down his juice glass and stood up as well.

"For China!" Li Tianshan began.

"For China!" the crowd cried out from the bottom of their hearts.