Time froze at 2:00 AM on May 12, 2009, in a desolate area outside the capital city of Beijing, the heart of the nation.

Seven black sedans sped through the wilderness, two in front, two behind, and two on each side, protecting the black Mercedes in the middle. The military-grade high-performance engines purred smoothly. The car bodies were made entirely of high-performance aluminum alloy, and spiral-shaped bulletproof patterns were faintly visible on the windshields. Without license plates or special military markings, one couldn’t help but wonder how such a convoy had managed to exit the heavily guarded capital gates.

An hour later, the convoy drove into an unremarkable tan-colored building in the suburbs. Four soldiers in camouflage uniforms approached, gesturing for the people in the cars to stop for inspection. The door of one of the front vehicles opened, and a young man in a black suit stepped out. He handed over a deep red card. After examining it for some time, the soldier said gravely, “I need to report to my superior.”

The man raised an eyebrow, his tone urgent and slightly angry as he lowered his voice: “This has Commander Hua’s signature. Who else do you need to report to?”

The soldier maintained his expressionless face and continued, “Major, superior command just issued orders that apart from the commander himself, everyone entering the military restricted area requires joint signatures from Commander Hua and Chief of Staff Zhang. Otherwise, entry is denied.”

“You—”

“Li Yang.”

A deep voice suddenly sounded from inside the car behind him. The black Mercedes slowly pulled forward, and the driver lowered the window, revealing a somewhat tired, elderly face inside. The soldier looked up in surprise, immediately stood at attention, and gave a military salute: “Greetings, Commander!”

Commander Hua nodded lightly: “Now can we enter?”

The soldier hesitated slightly, saying, “Report to Commander, Chief of Staff Zhang ordered that no vehicles are allowed in the military restricted area. Everyone must proceed on foot.”

Commander Hua frowned slightly, patting his leg: “I also need to walk?”

The soldier’s expression grew increasingly uncomfortable. His gaze through the window lingered on Commander Hua’s injured leg, but he still stated woodenly, “I’m sorry, Commander, but superior orders state that no one may drive in. Everyone must proceed on foot!”

Li Yang’s expression changed instantly with anger. Commander Hua waved his hand lightly and turned to Li Yang, saying gravely, “Li Yang, go in yourself with my documents. You must bring 005 out safely and intact. Military Intelligence cannot sustain another loss like 003. They are all national treasures.”

Li Yang was visibly moved. Facing the tired, gray-haired elder, he gave a respectful military salute and said firmly, “Rest assured, Commander. I will complete the mission!”

Just then, a tremendous explosion echoed through the air. A black mushroom cloud rose under the blinding flash in the night sky. Li Yang’s eyes widened, blue veins popping on his forehead as he turned without a word and sprinted toward the military restricted area!

That night, while the capital’s citizens slept peacefully, an explosion massive enough to shock the world occurred at the Fourth Military Prison on the outskirts. In the darkness, the eyes of various nations secretly converged on this location, waiting for daybreak a few hours later.

Four hours earlier.

In the courtroom of the National Fourth Military Prison sat seven high-ranking military officers in uniform, stars gleaming on their shoulder boards, indicating they were all generals. On the judgment bench were five military judges, each from different military regions and not belonging to the same military system. Below stood more than twenty elite national special forces soldiers armed with Colt MOD733 5.56mm assault rifles, vigilant as if facing a great enemy.

The entire courtroom atmosphere was solemn and severe. All eyes were fixed on the defendant’s seat. The uniformed chief judge cleared his throat and said gravely, “Name.”

“Chu Qiao.”

A calm, cool voice responded softly. Though somewhat hoarse, one could immediately determine the person’s gender.

Indeed, sitting in the defendant’s seat was a delicate woman wearing light green military pants and a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves revealing half of her fair forearms. Her expression was calm, her eyes pure, showing not the slightest sign of nervousness.

The chief judge continued the dry procedure: “Gender.”

“Female.”

“Date of birth.”

“October 8, 1982.”

“Place of origin.”

“Antu County, Jilin Province.”

“Military service record.”

“Enrolled in the Central Military Academy in 1999. Selected for training at the Fifth Intelligence Division of the Central Military Command in 2001. Joined the Eagle Group’s Seventh Unit for training in late 2001. Officially joined the Fifth Intelligence Division on August 27, 2003, assigned to the Second Team for intelligence analysis and deployment. Transferred to Xinjiang Intelligence Bureau in December 2003, cooperating with Military Intelligence Section 9 to execute the Sweep Operation. Went undercover abroad in June 2004. Returned to the country in 2007 to join Command Post 11 as Deputy Commander, a position I hold until now.”

“What operations have you executed during your tenure?”

“From 2007 to April 2009, Division 11 executed 97 missions of various scales. I handled 29, including eleven five-star operations, nine four-star operations, five three-star operations, four two-star operations, and none at one-star level.”

“Please report accurately on the two-star missions you executed.”

“In August 2007, based on intelligence from Military Intelligence Section 7, Military Intelligence Section 9 took action. Senior Colonel Li from Section 9 and I jointly planned the ‘Sea Salt Operation,’ successfully acquiring three hundred tons of uranium ore. In November 2007, Division 11 cooperated with Overseas Division 6 to execute the entrapment strategy, capturing the traitorous general known as ‘Mika Half-Mouse’ and destroying Country F’s nuclear reactor. In April 2008, we planned the defection of a special operative from Country E and recovered the vulnerability codes from the Central Bank. In June 2008, with assistance from Country X, Division 11 planned, with the help of special operatives and primarily Agent 003 from Section 9, Operation Ximeng, successfully obtaining the blueprints for HK47.”

The chief judge pushed his glasses up, checking the documents as he gravely said, “Please elaborate on your relationship with Agent 003 from Military Intelligence Section 9.”

The woman slightly raised her eyebrows, her long-unchanged expression growing somewhat cold. Her gaze swept across each of the seven military officers on the jury, before she finally said gravely, “During training at the Seventh Unit in 2001, Agent 003, Deputy Staff Officer Huang Minrui from Division 11, and I shared quarters. In March 2004, 003 came to the Xinjiang Intelligence Bureau to execute the East Turkestan terrorist elimination plan. We collaborated for two months. In 2008, we cooperated on Operation Ximeng.”

The chief judge asked solemnly, “What was the nature of your relationship? Comrades-in-arms, colleagues, or mere acquaintances?”

The woman’s expression remained composed as she raised an eyebrow slightly. After a long while, she said gravely, “We were friends.”

A slight murmur immediately arose from the jury. The woman’s gaze shifted toward the two of them, her sharp eyes catching the smiles that hadn’t yet faded from the corners of their mouths.

“So you and 003 were close, sharing everything as intimate friends, correct?” asked a female judge in a dark green uniform, approximately in her forties, in a grave tone.

The woman turned her head, her gaze traveling over the seemingly amiable face of the female judge, and finally said solemnly, “Judge, 003 and I are both highly qualified military personnel specially trained by the state. We understand clearly what can and cannot be said. Therefore, regarding the phrase ‘sharing everything’ in your questioning, I consider it a disregard for our professional qualifications and the greatest disrespect to a martyr who has heroically sacrificed for national interests.”

The female judge paled, pressing her lips together, and spoke no more. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

The chief judge continued, “Chu Qiao, now please provide a brief statement and defense regarding Operation M1N1.”

At this point, the questioning had finally reached the key issue. Two jury members in their fifties leaned forward slightly, their expressions highly focused. Chu Qiao lowered her head. After a long while, she raised her chin and said deliberately, “I request to see my superior or to accept trial by a military tribunal under the Supreme People’s Court. Before that, I will not make any statement regarding Operation M1N1.”

Hearing this, the chief judge frowned, his voice containing a trace of anger as he said slowly, “Are you questioning the authority of this military tribunal, jointly dispatched by the five military regions and formed by top legal experts?”

“I am not,” Chu Qiao raised her head, repeating, “I only request to see my superior. Without a declassification document personally signed by Commander Hua, I regret that I cannot disclose the materials and content of Operation M1N1.”

The chief judge’s brows remained tightly knit as he continued, “Then please provide your defense and explanation for ordering the explosion of the Administration Building, which resulted in the deaths of more than twenty hostages from various countries.”

“They were not hostages.”

Chu Qiao raised her head and said gravely, “All orders I issued comply with military regulations. I did not wrongfully kill anyone. Once I see my superior and Commander Hua’s signed document, I will provide the military tribunal with the most complete testimony. Before that, I will not accept any trial.”

The trial had reached an impasse. After Chu Qiao was taken away, all the judges and generals filed out of the hall. Strict monitoring devices recorded their every movement. However, under the bench where the high-ranking military officials had just been sitting, a tiny device flashing with a red light silently pulsed.

Time was running out.

Chu Qiao sat on the iron bed, head lowered, silent and still. Her cell was surrounded on all four sides by specially tempered glass. Those outside could see everything inside, while those inside couldn’t see the slightest movement outside, providing absolutely no privacy. The hardness of the glass was such that even if one were to continuously fire a German M7KB large-caliber submachine gun for a year, it would only create a small bullet hole. To break the glass and escape might require the help of an atomic bomb.

Although she couldn’t see or hear outside, as a high-level commander in the nation’s most secretive intelligence division, she knew exactly how everything was arranged outside. Touching her pulse, she silently calculated the time. She knew mealtime was approaching.

Sure enough, with a crisp click, a corner door at the bottom of the glass opened, and a hand carrying a tray slowly placed it inside.

Chu Qiao sat on the bed without moving. Just then, a small pebble suddenly flew out, precisely and silently hitting the clasp of a watch, which fell into the cell with a clatter.

The soldier outside was startled and reached in to feel around a couple of times but couldn’t reach it. Hearing the sound, Chu Qiao seemingly casually turned her head, frowning in confusion. She knew that besides this soldier, someone else stood outside, closely monitoring her.

According to regulations, prisoners were not allowed near the cell door during meal deliveries. But at this moment, Chu Qiao stretched out her hand and gestured to herself. The soldier outside saw this, reached in twice more without success, and then knocked twice on the ground with his fist to signal agreement.

Chu Qiao jumped off the iron bed, picked up the watch from the floor, handed it to the soldier, gave a slight smile toward the reinforced glass through which she couldn’t see outside, then picked up her meal and returned to the bed.

Outside, everything quickly quieted down.

It all seemed perfectly natural, without the slightest abnormality.

After finishing her meal, Chu Qiao walked to the simple bathroom and opened the door.

The government was humane enough; the bathroom setup provided some privacy. Except for above the shoulders, everything else was made of opaque plastic. Chu Qiao sat on the toilet, her head slightly lowered. She knew someone outside was watching her, and her bathroom time could not exceed twenty minutes.

In the bathroom, hidden from others’ view, she gently extended her fair hand. On the fingertip that had just touched the soldier’s finger was a transparent film bearing his fingerprint, inadvertently collected by her. Chu Qiao knew time was short. She had to act now.