It's quite good that Wang Dayong is out there accompanying Ma Ran, after all, they really do need this pilot.

Jiang Xiao led Shi Shi and Niu Jieshi to cafeteria table 0527.

There was no one around, only their breathing and footsteps echoed in the empty cafeteria.

Jiang Xiao crouched down, found the bottom left corner of the table, paused in silence, then knocked three times as instructed by the female voice over the speaker.

A faint mechanical rotating sound came from under their feet, and everyone held their breath as the floor beneath the table slowly moved aside to reveal a staircase leading downwards.

The end of the staircase was engulfed in darkness, leading to an unknown destination.

Jiang Xiao couldn't help but feel surprised, was the passage really here?

Such a concealed design and method of opening, he didn't even know on what principle it was based.

Shi Shi and Niu Jieshi were also curious, but under Jiang Xiao's indication, they quickly composed themselves and carefully descended the stairs.

As they descended, the floor slowly closed, as if nothing had happened.

Wang Dayong and Ma Ran, meanwhile, were wide-eyed as they kept watch above.

Sensors activated the lights within the passageway, illuminating a clean and narrow hallway as they advanced.

The walls were lined with pipes and various instruments, seemingly meant to monitor and support the normal operation of this isolated area.

After walking for several minutes, they reached a heavy metal door at the passage's end, equipped with a biometric scanner and a series of complex locking mechanisms.

Jiang Xiao stepped forward and placed his hand on the scanner; after a click, the door slowly opened, revealing the space beyond.

They stepped into an airlock-like chamber, and the door automatically closed behind them.

Shortly after, gas was sprayed from the ceiling, seemingly a disinfection process. After a while, the opposite door slowly opened, and a breath of fresh air greeted them.

Jiang Xiao led Shi Shi and Niu Jieshi through the airlock and finally into the interior of the quarantine area.

No, to be precise, it should be called the "Detection Room," where they could be tested for any virus infection.

This area was completely different from the cold metallic rooms they had imagined.

Dim lighting filled the room, as purple hues cast a mysterious yet unknown atmosphere over them.

They stood in the center as countless mechanical arms suddenly extended from the walls, each outfitted with a device resembling Blue Star ultraviolet searchlights.

The ultraviolet lights began to activate, beams of light sweeping over their heads, then their chests, abdomens, all the way down to their feet.

These beams seemed almost alive, meticulously scanning every inch of their skin and every corner.

The sensation of being scanned, how to describe it...

It's like standing in the shade of a tree in summer and feeling warm as if the sun were shining on the scanned spots.

The scanning process lasted several minutes, and eventually, the ultraviolet lights gradually dimmed, and the mechanical arms retracted into the walls.

Data began to display on the main screen in the room, lines of text and numbers flickering rapidly until they froze on a single message.

[Detection Result: No Anomalies]

Jiang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, and Shi Shi and Niu Jieshi also revealed relieved smiles.

It's not like they were worried about being infected.

Their main concern was being detected for "strange" things and then being denied entry, forcing them to waste a lot of words.

Fortunately, this device seemed able only to detect human virus infections.

Jiang Xiao guessed correctly but missed one thing.

These devices could also scan for weapons or dangerous items.

From controlled knives to firearms and ammunition, this device could detect them all.

Soon, a door on the other side of the room slowly opened, revealing a new passage.

This time, without hesitation, they took steps towards the depths of the quarantine area.

Could this be where the people here live?

Instead, it was a well-equipped living area with clean corridors, bright lighting, and fresh air.

They advanced along the corridor, with special metal rooms tightly closed on both sides, where they occasionally heard machinery running and whispers from within.

The sounds were like card games or Mahjong, bursts of laughter occasionally echoing out.

Sometimes the metal doors would open, and children would jump and play in the corridor.

Jiang Xiao thought to himself, the scale and facilities of this quarantine area seem to keep the residents quite happy.

Suddenly, a door opened, and a medical staff member in protective gear came out, pausing slightly upon seeing them.

Jiang Xiao immediately stepped forward to explain their purpose, and the medical staff nodded, signaling for them to follow.

They passed through several doors and eventually arrived at a room resembling a command center.

Inside, several people in protective suits were busy, their attention focused on a large central screen displaying surveillance footage from various hospital areas.

Yet, they didn't seem too busy, with lattes placed by their sides.

Inside, Jiang Xiao and the others could clearly see Wang Dayong and Ma Ran waiting in the cafeteria.

The cafeteria held the most surveillance cameras.

The appearance of Jiang Xiao and the others caused a slight commotion.

But soon, a short-haired middle-aged woman stepped out, her gaze exceptionally resolute.

"Welcome to the quarantine area. I am the person in charge here; you must be the aid team from Shanghai and Hong Kong, correct?"

Her voice reached them through the protective mask, slightly muffled but carrying an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

Indeed, the woman's voice matched the female voice that had spoken over the speaker earlier.

Jiang Xiao nodded, candidly stating they were responding to the information Bai Liu sent to Wang Dayong.

The woman listened to Jiang Xiao's words with an expressionless face; her eyes scanned them coldly through the transparent protective mask before slowly shaking her head.

"Bai Liu? I don't know this person, nor have I heard of this name."

Her voice was devoid of emotion, coming across as very indifferent.

Jiang Xiao's brow slightly furrowed; he hadn't expected to encounter this situation.

He quickly adjusted his mindset, starting to explain.

"We indeed received a commission from Bai Liu. Perhaps she is not here, but do you have any communication tools to contact the outside world? She must still be in the Capital City, hasn't left."

"All external communications have been completely cut off, and we have been fully isolated here. If you have nowhere else to go, you can temporarily stay in this quarantine area."

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