My Ultimate Sign-in System Made Me Invincible Chapter 549 The Coordination Teams Arrival

Full coordination and assignment orientation consumed a whole day. By its conclusion, every staff member was clear on their specific responsibilities, their designated airport, and the expectations awaiting them upon arrival.

The following morning saw their reassembly at the bay.

Seven shuttles stood ready, each already docked and prepared for departure. The groups, numbering five each, proceeded to their assigned craft without fanfare. Once the final individual had boarded, the docking clamps released, and the seven shuttles ascended in unison, commencing their flight.

They cleared the base, accelerating swiftly. The lunar surface receded below, the moon's curvature becoming apparent and then diminishing as they gained altitude. Soon, Earth loomed ahead, a vast expanse of blue and white filling the viewport, its prominence far greater than it had been just two weeks prior.

Flight paths were logged, and destination airports were duly notified. Authorities at all twenty-four pre-determined locations were already activating their operations centers, hospitality lounges, and ground access points – all the elements detailed in the coordination notices weeks ago were now materializing into reality.

Yet, the airport authorities anticipated more than just a procedural handoff.

Their focus was on the returning staff. They were eager to see the same individuals who had traversed their tarmacs mere weeks before, luggage in tow, their expressions reflecting a decision to embark on an endeavor beyond complete preparation.

The key question was: what effect had two weeks at Lunar Base Sanctuary had on them? Was it outwardly visible? Did the individuals returning resemble those who had departed?

Predictably, news of the space shuttle's arrival inevitably surfaced, a common occurrence. As a result, crowds had already begun to congregate along the perimeter roads, anticipating a glimpse of the shuttles, perhaps for the first time, and more importantly, to see the returning staff.

Military and intelligence units stationed at JFK had been meticulously monitoring the airspace at precisely seven thousand feet since before dawn. Their sophisticated systems were calibrated to that specific altitude, scanning the entire airport's radius.

They were aware of the impending arrival. Having experienced it once before, they had spent two weeks dissecting every facet of the previous event. Preparedness was paramount.

However, their readiness proved inconsequential.

The shuttle materialized at seven thousand feet, precisely as it had on the prior occasion. There was no preceding communication from any system, no discernible approach in the sky, no warning whatsoever. Then, in the very next moment, its transponder activated, and the craft appeared cleanly on every display, directly overhead the designated landing zone, commencing its descent.

The intelligence officer at the secondary monitoring station ran his diagnostic checks. Nothing registered below seven thousand feet. No unusual signals were detected within the approach trajectory. Not a single trace of the vehicle existed at any altitude prior to the precise instant it chose to reveal its presence.

This outcome, though anticipated, still disturbed him. Additional resources had been allocated to monitor this specific altitude band, with all systems focused intently on the known appearance altitude of the shuttle, yet it had still materialized without any prior indication. He logged the findings without comment, redirecting his attention back to the monitoring displays.

Beyond the airport perimeter, the throngs had reassembled. Word of the space shuttle's imminent arrival had spread like wildfire, and the perimeter was now thronged with an even larger crowd than before.

People stood with their mobile phones aloft, gazes fixed skyward, patiently and curiously awaiting the space shuttle's descent.

Broadcasting crews had established themselves in the same vantage points as previously, their cameras aimed squarely at the landing zone. Reporters delivered live commentary to an audience that had followed every development since the initial announcement on Nova Night and had no intention of missing this momentous occasion.

The shuttle descended through the morning sky, a silent, vertical journey. It was just as awe-inspiring the second time around. The assembled crowd watched its approach, comparing the sight before them with the enduring memory carried for the past two weeks, and found the reality to be an exact match.

Moments later, the shuttle touched down. The landing was so seamless and precise that it barely registered on the landing zone cameras – there was no discernible impact, no compression.

A boarding ramp extended from the shuttle's underbelly, drawing the crowd's attention forward.

Five figures, clad in formal suits, disembarked via the ramp.

The crowd instantly recognized them. The attire was the same formal wear, the bearing as composed, the stillness identical to that which had ignited days of speculation and unanswered questions.

Exclamations arose from the crowd, and cameras immediately focused in. Broadcasting reporters, who had been in mid-sentence, seamlessly adjusted their focus without missing a beat, their camera operators already tracking the descending ramp.

Two of the five individuals in suits stepped off the ramp first, moving to opposite sides of its base to assume positions precisely as they had done previously.

The remaining three disembarked together, standing in a unified group as they awaited further developments.

The boarding ramp retracted, ascending back into the shuttle.

The onlookers were eager to witness who would make their appearance next.

The platform descended once more, this time carrying five distinct individuals. They were not the same quintet that had embarked at JFK a fortnight prior, a fact readily apparent to the assembled crowd. Two figures were instantly recognizable, their features etched into the memories of those who had meticulously studied the initial boarding footage—a considerable number, as it turned out. However, the remaining three presented faces entirely unknown to the onlookers.

Simultaneously, every camera lens pivoted towards the newcomers.

As the staff disembarked from the platform, their gaze swept across the tarmac, the terminal building, the throng of spectators, and the myriad news cameras. An effortless composure radiated from them, noticeable even from afar. Their smiles seemed natural, not directed at any particular subject, nor were they performing for the cameras or making deliberate gestures to acknowledge the crowd.

Two of the returnees surveyed the familiar airport surroundings, perceiving a subtle shift in its appearance, despite no actual alteration having taken place.

They proceeded towards the terminal entrance, with the three Synths falling into formation behind them.

At the terminal's gateway, the representative from the airport authority stood ready with his team. He had contemplated this very moment since receiving the notification for the return, pondering the impact of two weeks at Lunar Base Sanctuary on those who had ventured there. Would it manifest visibly? Would he perceive a change in them upon their arrival?

And indeed, he could see it.

Stepping forward to greet them, he extended his hand, offered a word of welcome, and guided them into the building.