Huo Shaoheng became very vigilant after Hong Kangquan had fled the last time. Tan Dongbang was taken away and detained by his own confidantes, right before his eyes. He had personally brought soldiers with him to arrest and detain Cai Songyin. The losses would be inestimable if even one of those three people disappeared. Fortunately, those three were being detained in the Special Operations Forces, so this connection could be drawn to shore now.
…
It was already two in the morning when he returned to the base, and another day had passed. Huo Shaoheng walked up the stairs toward his bedroom. He and Gu Nianzhi lived on the second floor of his official residence. Their suites faced each other directly across the opposite ends of the hallway. When Huo Shaoheng opened the door to his suite, he turned to glance at Gu Nianzhi’s side and discovered that he could still see a faint light from the crack under the door. She still hadn’t gone to bed yet?
Huo Shaoheng thought about it but chose to use his palm print to open Gu Nianzhi’s door and walk inside. The light was from the branch-shaped floor lamp in the living room. Like a clump of reeds, it arched over the corner sofa. Gu Nianzhi was slumped on the sofa and hugged her panda pillow while sleeping peacefully.
Huo Shaoheng quietly admired her sleeping face and after a while, he finally bent over to lift his hand and brush aside her long, tousled hair. Then he picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom.
Gu Nianzhi still wore a black military cotton T-shirt that was long enough to cover her legs as her pajamas. Her fair, rosy skin contrasted against the black T-shirt in a uniquely beautiful way and was like a cactus flower blooming magnificently in the quiet night.
After setting her down on the bed and covering her with a thin quilt, Huo Shaoheng pressed a kiss on her forehead. He was just about to leave when Gu Nianzhi groggily woke up. She had been waiting for Huo Shaoheng in the living room but didn’t expect to fall asleep as she waited and waited.
In her dream, she felt someone come in. She was about to be vigilant, but she knew it was Huo Shaoheng when she felt the reassuring atmosphere in the air. Aside from him, no one else could give her this incredible sense of ease, even while she was dreaming.
After he pressed a kiss on her forehead, she finally opened her eyes to take a look and grumbled, “It’s already so late. Hurry up and go to bed. It’s not good for your health to stay up every night…” As she spoke, she naturally embraced Huo Shaoheng and found a comfortable position in the crook of his arm before curling her legs and falling asleep again. Huo Shaoheng discreetly shifted his body outwards but didn’t move his arm. He allowed her to sleep on him like that for half the night.
Huo Shaoheng woke up as soon as it was 6am the next day. This was determined by his circadian rhythm. Quietly getting up from bed, he went out to exercise before coming back at 7am to shower and have breakfast. Breakfast was served at 7:30am, and Gu Nianzhi was actually awake as well. She sat in the dining room to wait for Huo Shaoheng.
When Huo Shaoheng arrived, Yin Shixiong was with him. He also had his own room inside Huo Shaoheng’s official residence, so he typically lived there whenever he wasn’t on a mission. “Nianzhi, good morning.” Yin Shixiong greeted her cheerfully.
Gu Nianzhi nodded. “Good morning, Brother Xiong. Good morning, Huo Shao.”
Huo Shaoheng grunted before taking a seat across from her and asking, “Did you rest well last night?”
“Yes, I slept more peacefully than ever before.” Gu Nianzhi winked at Huo Shaoheng with a smile. It was rare that Huo Shaoheng didn’t toss her around when they slept together, so she had to commend him!
Huo Shaoheng glanced at her and cut his steak without acknowledging her unspoken comment. “When do you plan on going back to work at the Senate?”
Gu Nianzhi counted on her fingers as she said, “There are still a few things I haven’t finished, and I was also injured the last time. I have to rest for a few more days, since I don’t want to deviate from the masses.”
Pfft–! Yin Shixiong nearly sprayed coffee out of his mouth. “You… deviate from the masses?!” Yin Shixiong was about to die from laughter.
Gu Nianzhi pointed at herself smugly. “Of course. The masses typically need ten days to two weeks to recover from an injury, so of course I can’t be too dramatic. Even if I don’t take ten days to two weeks, I should at least take a week or so.” She didn’t want other people to regard her as a freak, so she tried her best to align with the physiques of regular people.
Huo Shaoheng used a fork to pick up another piece of cut steak and ate it. He only replied after swallowing it. “Of course it’s good for you to rest for a few more days. But Nianzhi, have you really decided to work at the Senate?” When he heard that Gu Nianzhi was going back to the Senate, that meant she would be signing a contract.
Gu Nianzhi propped her head up on her hand and said with a frustrated expression, “I really don’t even know what I can do aside from that. I can also go work at a law firm, but I’ve never really submitted any resumes. I don’t want to give certain people the opportunity to insult me.”
“You’re overthinking it.” Huo Shaoheng shook his head. “You can go work at the Senate for a while more, since you’re only signing a contract, anyway. It’s best if it’s no longer than two years. You can always renegotiate the contract after two years.”
Gu Nianzhi nodded. “I understand now. I’ll go tell Speaker Long that.”
Yin Shixiong gave her a thumbs up from the side and used his other hand to casually switch on the TV. The morning news was actually broadcasting news about Japan. The Japanese Prime Minister and Emperor of Japan were imploring the newly elected Prime Minister of the Huaxia Empire, Bai Jiancheng, to take action on their behalf. “Prime Minister Bai, can you really bear to watch our frogmen soldiers perish at the bottom of the ocean like that?”
“Prime Minister Bai, you are a noble and righteous hero with compassion and kindness in your heart. Saving just one life is more important than any other good deed, not to mention this would be the lives of over 200 people.”
“As a responsible, major nation, Prime Minister Bai must not want to leave an international impression that ‘the Huaxia Empire is cruel, cold blooded, and ruthless.’”
When Gu Nianzhi heard that, she only wanted to say one thing—”MDZZ!” (An acronym for “motherf**ing idiot!”)
“If Prime Minister Bai actually answers the calls from Japan, I will feel despair for this world.” Gu Nianzhi stuffed a spoonful of congee into her mouth with great indignation.
Huo Shaoheng’s stern gaze flashed towards her. “Don’t open your mouth to speak while you’re eating.”
Gu Nianzhi quickly shut her mouth and finished the spoonful of congee before replying lazily, “But speaking of which, those frogmen soldiers have pretty good endurance. Shouldn’t their scuba tanks almost be depleted by now?”
Huo Shaoheng glanced at his watch and replied calmly, “Their scuba tanks can still hold out for another 18 hours, so you don’t need to worry.”
The violet electric arcs marked by the circle buoys had formed an electric fence. Since this was a fence, only the perimeter was important. It became even more powerful after receiving a charge, but this was only where the buoys were located. The voltage on the seafloor in the center of the circle of buoys was still slightly lower.
Gu Nianzhi had once experienced electric shock in seawater. It was obviously painful—like tens of thousands of tiny needles as fine as hairs continuously pricking at her. However, they were still “needles as fine as hairs” after all, so it wasn’t completely intolerable. Of course, the Japanese frogmen were truly impressive for refusing to die despite hiding on the seafloor under the circle of buoys for over 36 hours!
“Huo Shao, what do you want to do?” Gu Nianzhi asked with curiosity. She originally assumed that Huo Shaoheng would command his subordinates to kill off those Japanese frogmen.
Huo Shaoheng finished eating his steak and gave her a half smile. “What could I even do? The wonders of nature are so amazing, so I was even trapped there myself. Wouldn’t they bring shame to their commanding officer if they didn’t get trapped there?”
Yin Shixiong remarked strangely from the side, “Yes, yes. Are their lives more precious than ours? If we were the ones in trouble, then they would only bow at a 90-degree angle to express their regret at most.” Yin Shixiong’s words were like a prophecy.
Soon afterwards, Bai Jiancheng appeared on TV. This was the first time he was making a televised speech as the elected prime minister. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen, as well as the audiences watching on television. As everyone knows, Japan has implored me several times to help rescue their frogmen soldiers. This has caused me serious distress. My attitude towards Japan has been very obvious from beginning to end.
“In order to receive our help, I have three conditions. One, they must acknowledge their war crimes, apologize, and repent for the tens of millions of innocent citizens killed in the war. Formally give a written apology to our nation. The letter of apology must have the signatures of the current prime minister and the Emperor of Japan.
“Two, demolish the ****kuni Shrine. War criminals do not deserve to be worshiped, and bad people are still bad people even after they die. They won’t become gods. Death cannot make a despicable person become noble.
“Three, return all land and cultural relics stolen from the Huaxia Empire and make reparations for the losses suffered from the war.”
Bai Jiancheng finished stating the three points before continuing, “As for the experience faced by the Japanese frogmen troops, this is the Japanese government’s own responsibility. They are trapped in Japan’s maritime exclusive economic zone. The entire incident has no connection to our Huaxia Empire whatsoever, so these demands are inexplicable and bewildering.
“Our nation has been technically blocked by the international community for many years now, so we are a backwards, developing country. We do not have such advanced technological conditions to help your frogmen soldiers escape from the dangers of the wonders of nature. The only thing I can offer is my sincere condolences. I’m sorry for your loss.”
As Bai Jiancheng said this, he actually bowed. No one could find any fault in him.
