Chapter 326: Reunion Dinner (4)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Although it wasn’t noticeable in the car, a cold gust hit Grandfather Huo as soon as he exited the car. He wore a thick leather coat, but could still feel the chill creep inside and immediately shrank back.
“Grandfather Huo! Here, put a scarf on.” Zhang Feng ran out of the car holding a light grey cashmere scarf. She stood her tiptoes to put it on Grandfather Huo.
Grandfather Huo’s entire body warmed up. He smiled at Zhang Feng and said gently, “Go back to the car, it’s very cold out here.”
Zhang Feng shook her head as she took Grandfather Huo’s elbow and looked around. “That’s ok, I’m wearing many layers so I don’t feel cold.”
The Special Operations Forces headquarters was located south of the Fourth Ring Road in the Imperial Capital. This was where a factory used to be, and the land had been taken back by the government when the factory shut down, and later eventually handed to the Special Ops. Due to long term neglect, the place was overrun with trees and weeds. Part of the reason the land was used by the government for the Special Ops base was because the type of landscape was ideal for camouflage and disguise. The entire implementation of the headquarters base was molded to local conditions and there was not much change to the land when the various buildings were constructed. From the outside, it appeared to be a deserted woodland. However, there was actually a new world hidden inside which couldn’t be detected by even high-altitude reconnaissance satellites. It didn’t appear as luxurious as the community where the Huo’s and other high ranking military officials resided, but the security and privacy was unparalleled.
Zhang Feng was only Grandfather Huo’s head nurse and although she had certain knowledge of the upper ranks of the military, this was limited to the ongoings in the homes of the high ranking military officials. As for other aspects, she didn’t know much at all. Zhang Feng knew nothing about the newly established Special Ops headquarters, so she was very disappointed when she saw the rundown wilderness. “Elder Huo, let’s go back now. There are so many bare trees here that the wind feels even chillier.” Zhang Feng was done with looking around and tried to help Grandfather Huo back inside the car.
“You go. I’ll keep looking.” Grandfather Huo was an expert, so he had discerned that there was more to the layout and was deeply interested. Tired of Zhang Feng’s fussing, he brushed her off and kept walking around without giving her a second glance.
Zhang Feng could only tighten her coat and follow Grandfather Huo. The sentinel checked the permit and verified it to be valid. Grandfather Huo’s permit was of the highest security clearance, so he could take five people with him. Huo Guanchen’s permit had the second highest clearance which allowed him to take two people, so the two permits combined were just enough for everyone in the car to go in.
The sentinel came up to the car and asked Huo Guanchen, “Reporting to Chief, may I ask if everyone is coming inside?”
“Yes. everyone. Our two permits should be enough to grant access,” Huo Guanchen said calmly. The quota of guests allowed with the permits was originally reserved for their personal secretaries and orderlies. However, today was Lunar New Year, so they were taking their family in—otherwise Huo Guanchen wouldn’t have agreed to his father’s sudden request.
“Roger, Chief!” The sentinel saluted again and said, “Would the people without permits, but wishing to enter, please give their fingerprints, blood samples, and complete a retina scan.”
Huo Guanchen balked, “What?”
“The guests without permits but still entering must give their fingerprints, blood samples, and complete a retina scan if they are visiting for the first time,” the sentinel repeated.
Zhang Wenjie heard this from inside the car and asked with shock, “Take my blood?! No way! Why is it so strict here?!”
Zhang Wenna bit her lip and whispered, “Mr. Huo is our Elder Cousin, so how about you call him and ask if we need to give blood samples?”
The sentinel scratched his head. “This is the regulation; it can’t be changed, even if I call the Chief.”
“Call him first, I’ll give the blood sample if Elder Cousin says so.” Zhang Wenna was very insistent.
Huo Guanchen looked up with a stony face. “Don’t go inside if you don’t want to give your fingerprints, blood samples, and complete a retina scan.” He glanced at the five people inside the car. “Whoever doesn’t want to do it can say so now; there’s still time to go back.” This was the first time Huo Guanchen scolded the Zhang’s and refuted Zhang Wenna. Zhang Wenna flushed. She was so embarrassed she couldn’t even look up. Zhang Wenjie sniffed but didn’t dare argue with his Second Uncle. He could only look at his feet and sat silently next to Zhang Wenna.
Huo Jialan stood up. “I’ll go.” She put on the hood of her coat and got out of the car, then followed the sentinel to the post to quickly give her fingerprints. The sentinel took a small test tube that looked like a stamp and pricked Huo Jialan’s finger once to obtain a few droplets of blood and drip onto a strip of paper. He put the paper inside a portable blood test device for a simple analysis, then labelled it with her name and sealed it inside a fridge. Lastly, a retina scan and sample was taken. It was saved with the fingerprint and sent off to the central control system in the cloud drive.
“We’re done. Please go back and wait. We will let you in once the lieutenant colonel on duty verifies the information.” The sentinel politely walked Huo Jialan out. Huo Jialan came out of the post and saw that Zhang Wenna, Zhang Wenjie, Qian Shihui and Zhang Baochen were all there. She smiled and went back to the car alone.
Grandfather Huo returned to the car after walking around and happened to see the Zhang family return. “Where did you all go?”
“We just went to give our fingerprints.” Zhang Baochen hastily explained. “Apparently people who don’t have a permit and are going in using another person’s permit all need to give fingerprints, blood samples, and complete a retina scan.”
Zhang Feng was unperturbed and helped Grandfather Huo up. “Let’s all go in now that the tests are done, alright? It’s freezing out.”
Grandfather Huo nodded and said, “It’s about time. Let’s go back inside the car.” Everyone went back to the car to await the sentinel to allow them in. However, the sentinel didn’t raise the crossbar blocking the entrance but pointed to Zhang Feng inside. “She wasn’t tested. Does she have a permit?”
Zhang Feng pointed to herself in shock, “I need to get tested too?”
“You don’t need to be tested if you have a permit.” The sentinel was very polite and patiently explained it to her. When the permits had been issued, the permit holders had already given their fingerprints, blood samples, and completed a retina scan. As for the visitors going with the permit holders, they also needed to go through the same procedure which was a quick process of retrieval. When the sentinels had taken Huo Jialan and everyone else’s fingerprints, blood samples, and completed a retina scan, the data had been immediately uploaded to the central control system in the cloud drive to allow the personnel on duty to verify their identities.
“Elder Huo…” Zhang Feng looked at Grandfather Huo with hesitation. She wasn’t concerned about an identity verification, but she had never thought that she had to go through such security procedures as the head nurse of the highest military chief of staff. Although Huo Xuenong was retired, he still held the rank of General.
Grandfather Huo nodded. “Go get tested.” Since he had asked her as well, Zhang Feng had no choice but to follow the sentinel to the post anxiously. Because Zhang Feng was the last person to be tested, another sentinel called Huo Shaoheng’s official residence to ask if the group could be allowed inside. The personnel answering the phone didn’t dare make the decision, so he rushed over to the dining room to find Huo Shaoheng. However, he only saw Yin Shixiong, Zhao Liangze, and Gu Nianzhi chatting. “Where is Mr. Huo?” The personnel asked frantically. “The sentinel at the entrance just called and he said that Grandfather Huo brought the family here to celebrate Lunar New Year.”
“What? Say that again! Who brought who here?!” Yin Shixiong jumped out of his seat. “What the h*ll! Why can’t they let us have a nice New Year!”
Zhao Liangze narrowed his eyes and then slowly stood up and turned on his Bluetooth speaker to call the operator. “Connect me to the sentinel.” The operator quickly connected the line to the sentinel at the entrance. Zhao Liangze listened for a while and then nodded. “Got it, just wait. I have to ask Mr. Huo.” The sentinel at the entrance received the order and proceeded to not let the group in by saying the verification was not completed yet.
Gu Nianzhi was stunned. Really, can’t they let us have a nice New Year! She thought sadly.
Zhao Liangze said, “I can’t get through to Mr. Huo, I don’t know if he didn’t turn on his phone or if he doesn’t have it on him.”
“Then I’ll go find him and ask what he wants to do.” Gu Nianzhi went to find Huo Shaoheng.
Outside, Grandfather Huo’s expression darkened. He knew for certain that Huo Shaoheng didn’t want to let them in after making them wait for so long and not granting access.
“When can we go inside? I’m starving.” Zhang Wenjie grumbled. He had been fasting since the afternoon because he had known there was going to be a delicious New Year dinner, but it was already eight in the evening and he still hadn’t broken his fast. He was at his limit.
Zhang Feng glanced at him. “I have some biscuits here. Eat these some for now.”
“I don’t want that.” Zhang Wenjie saw that the biscuits were for old people like Grandfather Huo, so he immediately refused to touch them.
“Elder Huo, it’s already past eight. How about we go home?” Zhang Feng couldn’t bear it anymore. “You haven’t eaten anything all night.”
Grandfather Huo was chilled from walking outside in the cold wind for a long time and now the car was too warm. The change in temperature was a shock to his body and he almost couldn’t take it anymore. He rubbed his forehead and remained silent.
Zhang Feng quickly checked the temperature of Grandfather Huo with the back of her hand, “Elder Huo has a fever! We have to treat him right now!” She turned to the sentinel and spoke sternly, “The Chief has suddenly become ill. Are you going to take the responsibility of whatever happens and not let us inside?!”
All headquarters of the Military Regions had fully equipped hospitals and medical officers on duty. Zhang Feng knew very well that the Special Ops headquarters certainly had their own as well because this was her expertise.