Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 1663: Main Base

Chapter 1663: Chapter 1663: Main Base

The Resistance Army Headquarters was still set in an abandoned, desolate town. Everywhere you looked, there were weeds, dilapidated buildings, and even wrecked vehicles scattered along the road.

As the convoy entered the ruins, Gu Fan could sense killing intent emanating from the debris on both sides of the road. It must be the hidden sentinels of the Resistance Army.

Jie picked up the walkie-talkie and communicated with the headquarters, informing them that it was their own team arriving and instructing the sentinels to hold their fire.

Soon, the walkie-talkie responded, directing Jie and the others to proceed to the East District underground parking lot.

Although the town was abandoned, it was quite large, and some of its facilities were still usable. That was why the Resistance Army chose it as their headquarters.

To avoid being wiped out all at once, the headquarters was divided into five districts: east, south, west, north, and central. The team Jie was leading now was headed to the East District.

Gu Fan was baffled. Wasn’t Jie the leader of the Resistance Army? Why wasn’t he heading to the Central District?

To this, Jie explained, "If you were the enemy, where would you think the Resistance Army leader was stationed?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan suddenly understood. He thought to himself, indeed, if he were part of the X Legion, he’d assume the Resistance Army’s key figures were in the Central District.

Gu Fan was still unclear about one thing. Since Jie was the leader, why hadn’t he been staying at the headquarters until now?

For this question, Jie merely shook his head with a bitter smile. Lu Yi stepped in to explain for him, saying the main reasons were: first, manpower was scarce, so Jie had to lead missions personally; second, Jie didn’t like staying in relatively safe places while others were risking their lives outside.

"Wow, didn’t know you had such a sense of responsibility, Jie," Gu Fan joked with a smile. Jie, being used to such remarks from his friends, didn’t take offense. But his laugh was strained, as if his mood wasn’t truly in sync with Gu Fan’s teasing.

Gu Fan observed the faces of Jie, Lu Yi, Lin Yue, and the others—weathered and worn by hardship—and understood deeply that everyone had endured too much and undergone significant changes.

The convoy drove a bit further before turning into an old commercial plaza’s underground parking lot, which served as the East District of the Resistance Army Headquarters.

Many Resistance Army members were already waiting in the parking lot. Upon seeing the convoy arrive, they immediately became alert, holding their guns and preparing for potential engagement.

If Lu Yi hadn’t explained that this was merely a precaution, Gu Fan might have genuinely feared that they would open fire on him.

Everyone disembarked and began walking out of the underground parking lot, ascending to what used to be a shopping center. Now, many of its shops had been converted into rooms and storage facilities.

Lu Yi casually remarked, "Welcome to the East District of the Resistance Army Headquarters, Gu Fan and Zhuo Hang. You two are the first and second non-Resistance members to step foot here."

Hearing this, Zhuo Hang seemed indifferent, but Gu Fan’s expression immediately shifted.

"What’s wrong, Dad? Why the look on your face?" Gu Xiaojin’s casual comment instantly drew everyone’s attention.

Gu Fan stared intently at Zhuo Hang and walked over, his solemn expression intensifying the atmosphere.

Everyone thought Gu Fan must have discovered something and inwardly wondered if Zhuo Hang was hiding something suspicious.

"Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I want to clarify something," Gu Fan said deliberately, his tone heavier. "Zhuo Hang, tell me truthfully—are you part of Organization X?"

A wave of shock swept over the crowd. Cold sweat began to drip as people anxiously speculated, wondering if everything had been a trap. The Demon Refining Island Base incident—where Leng Feng was taken to lure everyone into a rescue mission—now seemed like it might have been orchestrated. And Zhuo Hang, whom they found during their retreat, was brought back to the Resistance Headquarters.

Zhuo Hang found himself the target of numerous suspicious stares, which made him feel deeply uncomfortable. "You’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t plan to come with you. You invited me," he retorted unhappily.

"That does sound right!" Some of the suspicion directed at Zhuo Hang lightened.

But Gu Fan wasn’t convinced. "If I were you, I wouldn’t offer to join the team outright—that would draw immediate suspicion. Instead, I’d wait for you all to ask me to come along, a scenario that’s highly likely given how short-handed the Resistance Army is."

The group mentally agreed—yes, the Resistance Army was desperate for capable people like Zhuo Hang, so of course they’d go out of their way to recruit him. Zhuo Hang likely anticipated this mindset from the start.

Thus, his earlier proposal to part ways might have been a ruse, waiting for the Resistance’s invitation before accepting without hesitation.

Unable to tolerate the growing distrust, Zhuo Hang angrily declared, "If you don’t trust me, I won’t stay any longer. I’ll leave right now."

"Wait!" Gu Fan grabbed Zhuo Hang’s shoulder and apologized, "I’m sorry. These are tumultuous times, and not only me, but you must have also noticed something strange."

"You’re saying the rescue operation was too easy." Zhuo Hang admitted he had sensed it too, understanding the reason for Gu Fan’s suspicions. Still, Zhuo Hang, with his pride, couldn’t bear to be scrutinized further.

Seeing Zhuo Hang attempt to leave again, Gu Fan stopped him once more, his voice brimming with guilt. "I know my request might be excessive, but for everyone’s safety, please stay and allow us to monitor you. If we confirm you’re not part of the X Legion, I’ll offer you my sincerest apology."

"An apology alone isn’t enough, is it?" Zhuo Hang said coldly, his voice heavier. "I’ll need to beat you up too, and you can’t fight back."

This statement made everyone tense. Zhuo Hang’s demands seemed outrageous.

To everyone’s surprise, Gu Fan agreed and even laughed lightly. "I shouldn’t have doubted you. If taking a beating can help reconcile things, then so be it—it’ll help me build resilience anyway."

"Alright, it’s settled," Zhuo Hang replied, both agreeing to stay and consenting to a full body search for any tracking devices.

After careful inspection, Zhuo Hang was confirmed clean, easing everyone’s worries slightly. They fervently hoped Zhuo Hang wasn’t secretly working for the X Legion, as such a betrayal would shatter the Resistance’s fragile hope.

However, Gu Fan’s mind wandered elsewhere. If Zhuo Hang wasn’t with the X Legion, then...?

"Quick, check Lord Xiong and the Boss for any trackers!" Gu Fan shouted, his panic alarming everyone around him.

Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. Neither Lord Xiong nor the Boss had any suspicious devices on them, proving Gu Fan’s worries unfounded.

"Could I really be overthinking this?" Gu Fan glanced at Gu Xiaojin, who immediately shook her head, indicating she felt no sense of danger.

Jie stepped forward and urged Gu Fan to rest, promising to assign extra patrols to ensure security. Besides, Jie believed that if trouble did arise, Gu Fan would be able to handle it.