Promotion and Plundering

Compared to James Anderson, Carlos was more like the backbone of the base. Every action and decision he made exuded meticulousness and authority. Before Anderson had a chance to speak, Carlos had already quietly gathered and perfected all the evidence, firmly establishing the guilt of Torres and his accomplices, and swiftly contacted headquarters.

Facing Anderson, Carlos spoke with a calm yet powerful tone: "When the investigation team from headquarters arrives, the task of receiving and arranging them will be yours. With your prestige and connections within the company, applying for some new recruits and mining resources should be no problem. As for me, I need to reorganize the internal affairs of the security team, especially as the excavation work in the crater is nearing completion."

Anderson's face showed a look of bearing great responsibility, and he responded in a deep voice: "Carlos, there can be no more mistakes at the crater."

Carlos smiled slightly, his tone revealing confidence and determination: "Rest assured, Torres, the traitor, has been exposed, and the threat from the Galactic Tempest Syndicate has been completely eliminated. I will personally ensure the safety of the crater."

His words were like a military order, bringing a relieved smile to Anderson's face: "With you saying that, I am reassured."

After a few more instructions from Anderson, Carlos led the entire security team out of the command center and back to the security department. The atmosphere there became even more tense and heavy, especially for those who had followed Torres. Their hearts were weighed down with anxiety, awaiting an unknown judgment.

They knew that once Torres, their big tree, fell, their days at the base would become extremely difficult.

However, Carlos's actions were even swifter and more decisive than they had anticipated. His resolute actions not only demonstrated his leadership but also served as a warning to everyone—the safety and order of the base were not to be challenged.

Carlos acted quickly and decisively. After confirming that the fifteen people associated with Torres had no ties to the interstellar pirates, he immediately took action, reassigning all of them and breaking up the original team structures. The former team leaders lost their positions, replaced by Carlos's trusted followers.

Maughan, Gabriel, Kazemi, Ryan, and two others took over the new teams. The security team's structure underwent a dramatic change with the disbandment of Torres's iron triangle. Torres's fate was sealed, with his left and right hands—Iron Bear and Karim—one dead and one other awaiting trial.

Carlos's prestige reached its peak, and no one dared to question his decisions. All members silently accepted the new arrangements. Carlos's loyal followers couldn't hide their joy, while others exchanged worried and uncertain glances.

Ryan's rise was particularly noteworthy. From a rookie, he was quickly promoted to team leader, managing a team of four. Although his monthly salary only increased by three thousand, the elevation in his status and authority was far more significant than money.

The team members assigned to Ryan had diverse backgrounds: Daniel Clark and Thomas Harris were once loyal supporters of Torres, Richard White was a neutral personnel, and Jane Austen was a promising newcomer.

After completing the reorganization of the security team, Carlos gathered all members for a briefing: "The actions of Torres, Iron Bear, and Karim are a betrayal to all of us. Their collusion with the interstellar pirates makes them our common enemies. Their fate should serve as a warning to us all!" His voice echoed in the meeting room, each word filled with power.

"Now, due to the significant personnel and position changes within the security team, we need to rearrange the base's daily operations," Carlos continued, his gaze sweeping across every face, ensuring everyone felt his determination.

"The six teams will continue to operate on an eight-hour rotation. Our primary task is to completely clear the crater of Lacertoclaweus and ensure the base's safety," he emphasized the urgency of the mission.

"Next, we will address the base's daily defense work." Carlos detailed the responsibilities and duty schedules for each team. From Maughan's first team to Ryan's second team, each had clear duties and tasks.

After the briefing, Maughan quickly led his team to the crater, preparing to take over from the previous team.

Ryan entered the independent meeting room of the security department, followed by his four team members. As the door closed, a serious atmosphere immediately filled the air. As an experienced deputy regimental commander in his previuos life, Ryan established his authority with just a few words.

His sharp gaze swept over the four team members, his tone calm yet powerful: "Our team, except for Jane who is newly joined, the other three are seasoned security personnel. But from my observation, your past performance has been mediocre, lacking highlights."

Daniel Clark, Thomas Harris, and Richard White exchanged glances, shocked by the sudden blunt assessment.

Ryan continued in his steady yet firm tone: "Although I haven't been with the security team for long, I have already received three commendations. One for meritorious service in a rescue operation at the crater, another for eliminating all Lacertoclaweus during an escort mission, and the third for assisting TerraNova3 in destroying the main ship of the interstellar pirates during an escort mission." He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, "And if all goes well, the commendation for this operation—destroying two modified Bluebirds and taking down Iron Bear and Karim—should be arriving soon."

The confidence and strength in his words brought unprecedented pressure to the three who had previously underestimated Ryan. They might not know the strength of the interstellar pirates, but they were well aware of the capabilities of Iron Bear and Karim, two H7-level experts. One injured, one dead—the result was enough to prove Ryan's extraordinary ability.

"Under my command, my requirements are simple: obey orders and strictly follow discipline." Ryan's voice was as hard as iron, his gaze sweeping over the three again, "Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Ryan then assigned tasks to the three with an unquestionable tone: "Jane, you are responsible for the monitoring center. The three of you will guard the crater. After the crater mission, you will handle daily patrols."

"Yes, sir!" The four responded in unison, revealing their respect for Ryan.

At that moment, the four felt an overwhelming sense of pressure from Ryan, even stronger than that from their leader, Carlos.

The eight-hour guard duty passed quickly under Ryan's meticulous arrangement. He led the team to take over the crater patrol, temporarily using Bluebird No. 15 to replace the destroyed No. 37 for the mission. Meanwhile, other miners had taken over the excavation work in the crater, digging over 270 meters underground in search of precious minerals.

After completing the crater survey, Ryan issued the evacuation order. His intuition told him there were no traces of Lacertoclaweus here, and there was no need to waste more time.

However, Ryan knew there was a more urgent matter to handle—the Crystal Boundary Stone. Miner No. 099 and two other miners had been secretly excavating in Zone G46 for over twenty days and should have accumulated a considerable amount of precious minerals.

"The time for harvest has come," Ryan thought to himself. As the team leader, he had the authority to mobilize personnel. He easily reassigned the three miners to the crater excavation task, moving them away from Zone G46.

Under the strict surveillance of drones, the three and other miners left Zone G46 with puzzled expressions, quickly heading to Zone C25 for their new task. Meanwhile, Ryan took the opportunity to enter the tunnel in Zone G46, where their hard-earned results were hidden.

In the pit inside the tunnel, various sizes of Crystal Boundary Stones lay quietly. Ryan stopped the Bluebird, maneuvering the mechanical arm to collect all these precious minerals, leaving nothing behind.

A few days later, when the largest meteorite at the bottom of the crater was excavated, all miners were dismissed and returned. Miner No. 099 and the other two hurried back to Zone G46, hoping to check their harvest.

However, when they arrived, they found the place that should have been filled with Crystal Boundary Stones was empty. Their month's hard work had vanished without a trace!

"Bastard!" The three were heartbroken, filled with anger and disappointment. They couldn't believe all their efforts had turned into nothing.

Meanwhile, Ryan, the mastermind behind it all, observed their reactions from the shadows, feeling secretly pleased. This operation not only solidified his position in the security team but also brought him a considerable fortune.