"What do you mean, 'blowing smoke'?" Secretary Chen could no longer sit still. "Comrade Gu Chen, watch your wording."
Gu Chen rolled his eyes internally. "So when you all said you'd start transferring people to the Ark in half a month, that was all just hot air."
Secretary Chen laughed, exasperated. "There are so many steps, and they have to be completed one by one! Alright, let's not talk about the Ark for now. Let's discuss the immediate problem."
"Comrade Xiao Gu, I've noticed your attitude has been less than positive lately, and your conduct has been a bit... casual." 'And he's always talking back to us old comrades!'
Comrade Xiao Gu snorted inwardly but mumbled aloud, "Old Chen, it's not like this is the first day you've known what I'm like."
"Fine, let's get down to business." Gu Chen flipped over one of the photos and pointed at it. "These sandstorms at the Gushang Base... they include mutated bugs?"
"Correct."
