Chapter 7: Li Ming's Decision

In the end, they were all sprawled out in the yard of Li Ming's villa, lying in disarray. It was only by noon the next day that they gradually woke up, and upon waking, they exchanged wry smiles. Wang rubbed his throbbing head, secretly laughing at himself for being in his forties yet having spent such a ridiculous night with these rascally soldiers. He had already forgotten the last time he had such a carefree drinking session.

Because this place is exactly the same location as the village he had during the Ming Dynasty, since Li Ming purchased this place, he no longer has to run to the suburbs in the dead of night

In the early hours of the following day, Li Ming drove them to a courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing. This place was originally an abandoned factory, which Li Ming had purchased and renovated, transforming it into a warehouse.

Everyone burst into laughter at Gao Jianguo's words. Although they regarded this topic as utterly ridiculous, they still indulged in conversation for an entire evening, buoyed by the pleasant effects of alcohol.

Wang He left Song Tao momentarily speechless with a few words. Without waiting for Song Tao to respond, Wang He continued: "We must not underestimate the ancients, nor should we expect them to bow down to us upon seeing us. We have merely gained a few hundred years of experience, but that does not necessarily mean we possess greater wisdom than they did. Even if we were to manage hundreds of ancient farmers, relying solely on yourself, you might still be deceived and misled by them."

Song Tao said with a lewd smile: "Li Ming, you should have taken us there long ago. The three of us are two old bachelors accompanied by a young bachelor. How can you bear to let us stay in empty rooms every day?" Li Ming was so angry that he rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, what on earth is this about?

Wang had sent his wife and daughter abroad when he was in the most dangerous situation, and he had divorced his wife, with whom he had long lost any feelings. Now, his ex-wife has her own family, and his daughter is married with children, leaving him alone in the country.

After so many years in the officialdom, Wang He has finally found a colleague with whom he can interact purely. As fellow wanderers in the world, they have become close friends who share everything after two years of companionship

In any case, all four individuals are thoroughly enjoying themselves tonight, each one drinking to the point of inebriation. Their words are no longer as rational as they were at the beginning; one could even say they are talking nonsense. However, the few of them are having an incredibly pleasant conversation together, and the drinking is particularly unrestrained.

Upon hearing Song Tao's words, the three of them exchanged wry smiles, as none of them took his remarks seriously. Following his line of thinking would surely lead to chaos in the world

Song Tao picked up his outfit and said with a smile, "Elder brother, what kind of act are you putting on? Is it now fashionable to dress like this when going to such places? Moreover, why is it that the three of you are dressed like scholars or gentlemen, while my attire clearly looks like that of a servant?"

Li Ming listened to Gao Jianguo's intention to leave, lowered his head in thought, and then raised his head to speak solemnly: "Old Camp Leader, you and Old Wang don't rush to go back just yet. I will take you to a place tonight. Let's go there and take a look, and then it won't be too late to leave afterward." Upon hearing this, Gao Jianguo no longer insisted, as after all, he and Wang had no ties to that Cold Water Yamen; even if they didn't go for a year, no one would come looking for them.

Everyone quickly freshened up, and each person's stomach was burning with hunger. They made some warm rice porridge and had a simple meal with a few side dishes. Li Ming remained silent, feeling very conflicted inside

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent and quietly changed their clothes, donning the wigs and hats that Li Ming had prepared for them. Although they were accustomed to wearing modern attire, they felt awkward in these outfits at first glance. Nevertheless, they were at least able to pass unnoticed.

Li Ming had not finished speaking when Song Tao beside him slapped his thigh and said: "That's right, we can make it. Should we find someone to go together? The more people, the greater the strength. Each person can take on their own responsibilities, and there are talents in all aspects. We can also move the machinery and equipment of modern society over, and then engage in large-scale steel production and shipbuilding during the Ming Dynasty..."

Li Ming drove the car directly to the storage room in the yard, leading three people to a room at the end of this storage area. He then turned to everyone and said: "From now on, no matter what happens, it is best that you do not ask anything. Just follow me, and when we return, I will explain everything to you in detail. If any of you do not wish to come with me, you may choose to wait in this room."

Song Tao became anxious upon hearing this. "Lao Gao, don't rush to leave, we didn't finish our drinks yesterday. By the way, we haven't discussed where to establish our base yet."

Wang shook his head and then smiled, saying: "So after you conquer the world, how will you govern it? Do you really intend to rely on those big-headed soldiers under your command? Furthermore, are you so at ease as to entrust the weapons that are hundreds of years ahead of this era to your tens of thousands of troops? How can you ensure their loyalty? Once they possess the same advanced weapons as you, will they not harbor sinister thoughts about your position?"

Li Ming understood that once he made a decision, it would be a point of no return, which compelled him to be cautious. He followed Gao Jianguo when he went out for convenience, specifically inquiring in detail about Wang He’s situation.

Since entering the system, one must always maintain a calm mind; it is unimaginable for someone within the system to speak recklessly as he did last night. However, last night truly brought him great pleasure. Ever since Wang He was assigned to the Cold Water Office, he has been living in a state of repression. In his earlier years, full of vigor, he was always active in key positions, and during festive seasons, his home was always bustling with guests.

Gao Jianguo and Wang He were both very puzzled, and they looked at Li Ming in unison, wanting to hear how he would explain. Li Ming smiled and said, "You all don't need to ask anything right now. Wait until we return from that place, and I will explain everything to you. Song Tao, you can make do for now; I only have these few items here. When we come back, I can get you a complete set of the emperor's dragon robe."

Wang He stood there for a long time, contemplating, and ultimately decided to step inside. He had a premonition in his heart and could vaguely guess where the other side led. Wang He knew that once he took this step, he might have to bid farewell to his previous life, which was why he hesitated for so long

He took a sip of wine and calmly said: "I do have an idea. I will bring together a group of people from modern society, including talents from various fields such as military, industry, agriculture, and technology, forming a team composed of diverse modern professionals. Then, like the old camp leader, I will find a relatively peaceful place to establish a base for steady development. When the time is ripe, we will..."

In the evening, Li Ming, not knowing where he had found them, handed several pieces of clothing to the three of them. Gao Jianguo and Wang He were dressed in long robes, while Song Tao's attire was that of a servant.

Ultimately, Wang He is still an outsider. However, after Li Ming learned about Wang He's experiences in detail from Gao Jianguo, he decided to bring Wang He into the fold. In every aspect, Wang He is the kind of person that Li Ming needs.

Song Tao's words made Gao Jianguo and Wang He unable to help but smile wryly. Last night, they had drunk too much and, fueled by alcohol, had foolishly rambled on for an entire night. Now, thinking back on it, they all felt it was absurd. They were both in their forties; if it weren't for the excessive drinking, they wouldn't have had the leisure to discuss such nonsensical matters.

At that time, he never imagined that he would end up in such a situation. Now, his home is desolate, which has profoundly made him realize the coldness of the world. He does not feel that he has any chance of turning his situation around. Although he possesses great abilities, the system is filled with talented individuals, and anyone picked at random would not be less capable than he is.

Song Tao began to indulge in his own fantasies with great enthusiasm, while Gao Jianguo and Wang He listened with smiles. When Song Tao grew tired of speaking, Gao Jianguo laughed heartily and said, "If that were really possible, it would indeed be quite entertaining, haha..."

This is also a topic that Gao Jianguo particularly enjoys discussing, and it is a good opportunity to help him quickly emerge from the sorrow of losing his son

When Wang He walked out of the light gate, he found the three people inside smiling at him. Li Ming did not think there was anything wrong with Wang He's hesitation; on the contrary, he felt that this was normal, after all, Wang He was different from Gao Jianguo and Song Tao

While he was sipping hot porridge, he kept pondering, yet he remained hesitant and could not make up his mind. At that moment, Gao Jianguo pushed away his empty bowl and said with a smile, "Li Ming, Wang and I are about to leave soon, thank you all. I haven't felt this good in a long time."

However, when he thought about the possibility of spending his future life idly at the Cold Water Yamen, he gritted his teeth and decided to give it one last shot

Will I really have to waste my time in this cold bureaucratic office in the coming years? He shook his head, dispelling the disappointment in his heart, deciding not to dwell on these depressing thoughts any longer. One must always try to think positively.

Li Ming had been listening from the side, and the conversation among the three made the thoughts that had been brewing in Li Hao's mind increasingly clear.

Although the three of them were filled with questions, they remembered Li Ming's previous words and said nothing, instead quietly observing everything. Li Ming glanced at them and then stepped into the light gate. Gao Jianguo showed no hesitation and followed closely in Li Ming's footsteps. Song Tao, just recovering from his surprise, also followed the footsteps of the two into the light gate

Seeing that all three nodded in agreement, Li Ming took out the wormhole from his pocket and then opened the light gate. Gao Jianguo and the others were instantly dumbfounded; such a mysterious scene left them speechless. They were all individuals with some experience, yet they were still shocked into silence by the spectacle before them.

Since Gao Jianguo joined their department, Wang He has been very surprised that there are still such pure individuals in the world. He had not had much contact with military personnel before, as the military has always maintained a certain distance from the system he was part of. Rather than saying they kept to themselves, it would be more accurate to say they were completely out of sync.

Gao Jianguo nodded and said: "Indeed, the power of an individual is ultimately insignificant. To change that era, there is so much to be done, and it cannot be resolved merely by winning a few battles. Even if one were to gain control over the entire realm, it would not last beyond a generation; it could easily fall apart again into fragments."