“Alright, Li Yang, I understand everything you’ve said.” The elder’s expression remained unchanged, revealing no emotion as he said gravely: “This Mountain Cat operation was executed beautifully, and I understand the enormous effort your Military Intelligence Department invested in it. However, since they are the nation’s elites, they should always be prepared to sacrifice their lives for the country. They should understand the first rule of the agent code better than you do.”
Li Yang’s heart jolted, his brow furrowing tightly. How could he not know the first rule of the agent code: Everything for the nation’s interests. And within this “everything” lay such profound meaning. Li Yang took a deep breath and, after thinking, still refused to give up: “Shouzhang, I understand the importance of this incident, but our agents all infiltrated secretly without any entry or exit records. Especially Agent 003—she infiltrated via an American West Coast submarine…”
“Li Yang!” Shouzhang frowned, saying sternly: “You are a soldier of the nation and should understand a soldier’s duty. Don’t let personal loyalty cloud your judgment. Today’s matter ends here. Meeting adjourned.”
Upon hearing this, all the generals rose in unison, gathered their documents from the table, and prepared to follow Shouzhang out.
“Shouzhang!” Li Yang suddenly shouted, his voice sharp and resonant, echoing back and forth in the West Conference Hall. Everyone was stunned, not expecting this small major from Military Intelligence to have such audacity. They all turned their heads in surprise, their gazes focused entirely on him.
“Shouzhang,” Li Yang grabbed the documents from the table and rushed to Shouzhang’s front in a few steps, his face urgent, his eyes burning with the fervor of a gambler as he said gravely: “In 2002, Agent 003 personally went to Iraq to apprehend a traitorous high-ranking military officer. Over three months, she eliminated twenty-eight high-level terrorist leaders and ultimately brought the traitor back to face national justice despite enemy carpet-bombing and manhunts. The national secrets and interests she preserved are immeasurable. In 2003, Agent 003 participated in luring and capturing anti-government elements from an unfriendly nation, ultimately destroying three intelligence agencies of that unfriendly nation operating in our country, retrieving crucial secrets from Shanghai’s financial market, and successfully preventing a new round of Western economic warfare. She was awarded a second-class medal by the government. In September 2003, Agent 003 accepted national assignment and successfully turned an Iranian ace pilot using honey trap tactics, obtaining classified HK47 data. In 2004, she successfully infiltrated our embassy in Syria that was controlled by terrorists, rescued thirty-seven hostages, and eliminated over forty terrorists. Two months later, she infiltrated a terrorist stronghold in the Syrian mountains, destroyed twenty-one enemy buildings, and dismantled an underground weapons factory. In 2005…”
“Enough, Major Li!”
“Shouzhang!” Li Yang roared, shouting: “In 2006, she stole classified attack plans from an Al-Qaeda base in Afghanistan but was framed by the enemy, who spread news of Agent 003’s defection. Military Intelligence was temporarily deceived and dispatched over twenty agents to capture her. Agent 003 escaped from a national underground prison, risked her life to reach Chicago, prevented the enemy plan’s implementation, and destroyed the base’s bombers. At that time, you were on the plane to Chicago!”
Shouzhang’s expression froze, the gravity on his face slowly dissipating. He finally patted Li Yang’s shoulder heavily and said gravely: “Major Li, I deeply understand Agent 003’s contributions to the nation. I also know she is our country’s most outstanding and exceptional super agent. But all of this cannot supersede national interests. The Mountain Cat operation has touched the sensitive nerves of several major powers. Even if our agents left no trace of evidence, we cannot let the nation bear such risks. We must abandon all Mountain Cat operation personnel, which pains me greatly as well. But for the interests and safety of our nation’s 1.3 billion people, we have no choice. We are the nation’s guardians, and often we cannot afford ordinary human emotions.”
Having said this, Shouzhang abruptly turned away and sternly ordered a nearby guard: “From now on, Major Li Yang is not permitted to leave the West Conference Hall.”
The heavy doors of the West Conference Hall closed with finality. Li Yang’s face turned ashen, and his heart sank with them.
“Xiao Shi, you escaped from so many life-and-death ordeals, but this time, could you have guessed that the country you serve would turn its blade against you?”
Time passed slowly, and the night grew ever darker.
In the chaos, countless eerie voices continuously echoed in Agent 003’s ears, scene after scene flashing like a movie. Tang Xiaoshi tried to clench her fists, her fingertips struggling to search for the Colt 2000 pistol that had accompanied her for many years, but her entire body felt filled with mercury, devoid of any strength. The immense pressure made her mind dizzy. She bit down hard on her lower lip, and the warm metallic taste of blood suddenly surged, reminding her that if she relaxed her will and closed her eyes at this moment, she would lose the chance to open them ever again in this lifetime.
“Calling headquarters, calling headquarters, mission complete.” Someone approached to lift her eyelids, tested her heartbeat and pulse, then said calmly into a micro-receiver: “Target confirmed dead, requesting retreat.”
“Dead?” Xiao Shi suddenly felt a tremendous thunderbolt explode within her body. What death? She was clearly still alive, could still hear their voices—why was this person saying she was dead? Could the Navy Marines’ quality be so poor that they couldn’t determine whether she was truly dead?
No! She couldn’t die here so inexplicably. A fierce survival instinct suddenly supported the last remaining strength in Xiao Shi’s body, which had been torn apart by C4 explosives. She used all her strength to draw a breath, her vision instantly went black, and a rush of hot blood surged up in her mouth, making her voice sound as weak as a mosquito’s buzz: “I… possess… Iran’s… HK48 blueprints… I… possess…”
“Boom!” Endless darkness immediately engulfed her. Xiao Shi’s neck felt sharp pain. In life’s final moment, she only saw her broken body being roughly dragged up by someone. A Navy Marine in digital camouflage even kicked her viciously, while her head was now being held in someone’s hands.
“Retreat!”
The brief command rang out in the night. In Tokyo’s sky, another desperate soul had been added.
In the pitch-black space, broken voices echoed unwillingly in the darkness. A hawk with spreading black wings perched on a branch, crying out mournfully, harmonizing with the air’s hateful emotions like a desperate dirge.
Above is heaven, below is earth. I devoted my life to the nation, yet met this fate. I cannot rest in peace!
“Master, she seems to have something to say.” A shrill voice suddenly rang out in the air, particularly strange and discordant among the desperate screams. A pale-faced man in dark blue servant’s robes slowly approached an enchanting young woman dressed in bright red, speaking obsequiously.
“Oh? What more is there to say?” The young woman sat on a nanmu wood chair with golden silk backing, wearing a bright red phoenix robe with a purple-gold double-phoenix crown on her head. At the center of her brow was a heart-shaped deep purple North Sea pearl ornament. Her lips were blood-red, her eyebrows and eyes painted like a picture. Her eyes glanced slightly to one side, looking at the pale blue-clothed woman beside her who was unconscious and pallid. She snorted disdainfully: “Useless thing, what more is there to say?”
“Uh…” The blue-robed servant approached the blue-clothed woman, placing his ear near her petal-pale lips. After a while, he replied with complete confusion: “Master, this servant doesn’t understand what Concubine Lan is saying. Something about blueprints?”
“Blueprints?” The red-clothed woman raised her eyebrow and said gravely: “She’s probably scared senseless. Who would have thought such a timid creature would dare betray His Majesty and have private affairs with someone? Isn’t that seeking death?”
“Exactly, exactly.” The servant agreed repeatedly with a fawning smile.
Just then, chaotic footsteps suddenly approached. The red-clothed woman frowned and turned to look. At the far end of the luxurious hall, three women in brocade robes walked briskly forward. The leading woman wore the same bright red deep robes, her eyes slightly upturned, her hair coiled high in clouds. Her slender snow-white neck was raised proudly as she called out from a distance to the red-clothed woman: “The Crown Princess is gravely ill, and the five families of the Eastern Palace jointly hold the phoenix seal. Now that such a major incident has occurred, is Sister Concubine Dan trying to control everything single-handedly by handling this alone?”
Concubine Dan laughed coldly, her narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowing as she looked at the approaching woman and said gravely: “I dare not. I only heard that three days ago, Sister Concubine Rou had a miscarriage, so I dared not disturb you.”
“Hmph!” Concubine Rou’s title meant “gentle,” but her personality was anything but. She looked coldly at the grand entourage behind Concubine Dan and said icily: “I had a miscarriage, not a death. Even if I were bedridden, I cannot let you have your way! Someone, help Concubine Lan up! Under the Son of Heaven’s feet, within the Eastern Palace, there is still heavenly law and royal justice. We cannot let shameless scoundrels treat human life carelessly!”
“Stop!” Concubine Dan suddenly shot up from her seat, her phoenix eyes turning cold as she said sternly: “With me here, let’s see who dares make a move!”
“I dare!” Concubine Rou met her head-on, taking a bold step forward. “Zhu Danchen, though the Crown Princess is bedridden with serious illness, there’s still me, Shangguan Roulan. In the Eastern Palace’s seven palaces and thirteen halls, your Yunxiang Hall cannot dominate alone. If you want to use borrowed knives to kill, you must first ask if I agree!”
“I had forgotten that though the Shangguan family has fallen like a tree with scattered monkeys, there’s still you, this fearless one, maintaining appearances! Fine, today I’ll fulfill your wish and let you see clearly who truly rules with an iron fist in this Eastern Palace!” Concubine Dan gracefully raised her hand and clapped twice. More than ten blue-robed servants immediately surged forward. Concubine Dan sneered and said to the other two concubines: “Concubine Chen, Concubine De, you’d better step aside, or don’t blame me for turning ruthless!”