Bowing her head to kiss the coffin, Bai Yueran choked out the words, “Little sister, I am here to take you home.”
The military music quickly began to play and the majestic melody resounded over the airspace above the Imperial Capital International Airport.
The world was solemn, time traversed, white clouds morphed into different shapes, and life was impermanent.
At that moment, the red sun burst into the sky and the golden light spilled onto the cherry wood coffin to surround the bouquet of lilies and the bright red national flag with a dazzling golden halo.
The dignified atmosphere was very touching.
Although there were sacrifices, it was precisely these sacrifices that we brought real hope!
Bai Yueran sighed quietly when she saw Zhao Liangze carrying the right front side of the coffin and standing motionlessly.
She had no idea where his mission had taken him over the past few months, but his face was completely ashened even though his skin looked darker than usual.
He looked straight ahead, completely turning a blind eye to Bai Yueran who came to offer flowers.
Bai Yueran could only sigh when thinking about the relationship between Bai Shuang and Zhao Liangze.
She walked away in silence and watched the four tall and burly Special Operations Forces soldiers carry the coffin farther and farther away. Just like Zhao Liangze’s heart, it also drifted further and further away from her.
She knew that things between them would never go back to the way they were before.
…
Gu Nianzhi and Huo Shaoheng got off the plane after the crowd who came to attend the funeral finally left.
Huo Shaoheng couldn’t show up, while Gu Nianzhi didn’t want to show up.
Today was Bai Shuang’s big day, so no one should take away her limelight.
Gu Nianzhi leaned her head on Huo Shaoheng’s shoulder and murmured, “Huo Shao, Bai Shuang… She basically committed suicide…”
If she told them that she had been shot a little earlier, if she didn’t wear the eye-catching red dress–the consequences might be different, right?
The gunshot wound was not immediately fatal, but the excessive bleeding killed her in a very short period of time.
Huo Shaoheng didn’t speak, but the line of his jaw was tight like an arched bow.
He touched her head, turned around and kissed her on the forehead.
Huo Shaoheng paused when his warm lips touched Gu Nianzhi’s slightly cool skin.
The sensation was so pleasant that he couldn’t bear to let go.
So when his lips drifted down her forehead and passed her straight, delicate nose, he kissed her adorable and plump lips once again.
Gu Nianzhi’s lips were tingling after being kissed, and her vision spun so much that her heart thumped rapidly.
It was just a kiss, how could she feel so breathless?
The weather must be too hot, the plane was too stuffy, that must be it…
…
It was already 8 in the morning by the time they got off the plane.
The future was on the horizon and it stretched limitlessly ahead.
Huo Shaoheng’s driver picked him up and went straight to the compound where the Supreme Military Council was located.
Gu Nianzhi also went with him, at General Ji’s request.
They arrived at the highest security level meeting room within the military compound, with Gu Nianzhi walking in behind Huo Shaoheng.
There were seven people in the conference room–five standing committee members, Speaker Long and Prime Minister Bai Jiancheng. Everyone present was from the highest leadership of the empire.
If a cannonball hit this room at this moment, it could wipe out the three generations of elites from the upper echelon of the Huaxia Empire. The Huaxia Empire would regress at least 50 years.
Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi walked in with the letter from Gu Nianzhi’s grandfather Gu Haoze in their hands.
Huo Shaoheng was the first to walk to the podium in the conference room and said solemnly, “Dear chiefs, I am Huo Shaoheng, the commander of the Special Operations Forces and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme Military Council. This time, our unit implemented a secret operation codenamed Fox Hunt. The briefing has already been sent to you.”
He had already reported the entire situation to General Ji.
Li Dexi, the famous “underground Tsar” of the CIA, had been killed at the hands of Bai Shuang. He also gave a simple explanation of the data on the genome of the main ethnic group of the Huaxia Empire.
Of course, the latter was top-secret information that was only mentioned in the briefing without many details.
“What I want to say is that, Comrade Bai Shuang made the greatest contribution within this mission. She chose to die with Li Dexi in order to save all of us. For such a person, I request to reward her with her exemplary honor. Record her name in the annals of history and let her be respected by thousands.”
The conference room was silent. General Ji looked at Gu Nianzhi, who was standing silently and raised his hand, “Nianzhi, that letter belongs to your family. Please read it to everyone.”
“Okay, Chief.” Gu Nianzhi stepped up to the podium while Huo Shaoheng stood by in straight military posture.
Gu Nianzhi opened the letter and began to read the words of her grandfather, Gu Haoze.
“At the time of writing this letter, I do not have many days left. Before I pass away, I will record this forgotten battle and record the names of the Huaxia men and women who rallied together against the concentration camp. I hope that future generations will remember their names.”
“Every individual who sacrificed themselves for the benefit of the group is worthy of respect and remembrance.”
“Their names were: He Shouwang, Zhang Aliang, Zhao Tongxin, Wang Qi, Yang Yiqin, Duan Yongbo, Qian Man, Shu Huan, Wei Xiangyun…”
Her normally youthful and melodic voice sounded a bit fatigued because of her sadness, but it better reflected the feelings of the person who wrote this letter.
The hardened hearts of the military leaders were extremely shaken by the words, “…I hope that anyone who reads this letter can proudly tell them that the mountains and rivers remain in the Huaxia Empire, and our country is peaceful.”
The five gray-haired standing members of the Supreme Council of the Army stood up together.
“Stand at attention, salute!”
They made a standard military salute in Gu Nianzhi’s direction.
Huo Shaoheng also saluted beside Gu Nianzhi.
Speaker Bai Jiancheng and Speaker Long were not soldiers, but they also stood up and bowed deeply in Gu Nianzhi’s direction.
Of course, they were not saluting and bowing to Gu Nianzhi.
They were showing their respect to the Huaxia men and women who rebelled against enemy forces in the letter.
General Ji said in a deep voice, “This list must be preserved in our museum for future generations to remember.”
Gu Nianzhi nodded slowly and said, “Although this letter is for my family, the information in it has long exceeded the scope of one family. There is also a page of priceless data that belongs to our entire Chinese nation. I will donate this letter to the country, and I hope that you can preserve it properly. Please don’t disappoint the martyrs from the letter.”
As Gu Nianzhi spoke, put the letter back into the envelope. Holding it with both hands, she walked down from the podium and handed it to General Ji.
General Ji suddenly felt the extreme weight of this very thin letter.
They all knew about the concentration camps in the Northeastern region of the Huaxia Empire, but they didn’t expect that there would actually be such a set of data that could shake the foundation of the entire nation’s existence.
“Don’t worry. I will let Shaoheng preserve this data. The Special Operations Forces have the highest security level, so this is the most appropriate solution.” General Ji said as he handed the letter to Huo Shaoheng, and said, ” The data page must be properly preserved at the highest security level. Scientists who can access this data must undergo the most stringent political review by the Special Operations Forces.”
Huo Shaoheng raised his hands to accept it and replied in a deep voice, “Yes, Chief!”
…
At the end of the meeting, Huo Shaoheng wanted to depart and appear at the Annual Warrior Competition.
However, that wasn’t actually part of his official work requirements. He had only led the team there as a cover.
After he left, an official special forces military instructor came to take over the training.
He was merely showing up now to conclude this event.
He would return after taking a group photo with everyone at the opening ceremony.
Gu Nianzhi was very reluctant to see him go, so she held onto his waist and refused to let him leave.
Huo Shaoheng was a little helpless, but he knew that Gu Nianzhi was in low spirits because of what happened to Bai Shuang. She needed someone to comfort her.
But he still had a task in his hands, so it was impossible to delay too much.
Seeing Gu Nianzhi so miserable, he couldn’t bear to leave immediately.
“Why don’t you come with me?” Huo Shaoheng had an idea, “I will call Speaker Long and request a vacation from the Senate for you?”
“Really?!” Gu Nianzhi’s eyes lit up and broke into a wide grin, “Hurry up and call him! I’ll go with you!”
Gu Nianzhi couldn’t ask for more than to continue spending time with Huo Shaoheng.
