The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

Wan Hongxin's finger tightened on the trigger, and he pressed down hard—

"..."

There was no response. Surprisingly, the barrel was already clogged with sand, and the shot was a dud!

Wan Hongxin was stunned.

How could...this happen?

He couldn't believe it.

The giant lizard, however, had already sensed his malice. The big guy didn't give him another chance. Its thick tail swept across the air and slammed into Wan Hongxin's waist with a "bang".

He was like a human sandbag being thrown into the air, his whole body soaring into the air and drawing a long arc.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

A heart-wrenching scream echoed across the desert.

The next second—

"Thump!" He fell face-first to the ground.

As luck would have it, he was standing right beneath a dense thicket of camel thorns. The long, sharp thorns on the branches instantly pierced his flesh, leaving several bloody holes in Wan Hongxin's body, making him look like a deflated balloon.

If it weren't for the thick cotton-padded coat he was wearing, it would probably have turned him into a sieve.

Wan Hongxin was in so much pain that he couldn't even scream.

What terrified him even more was the thought that if these monitor lizards smelled the blood on him, they would swarm him...

He didn't even know how he died!

Fortunately, amidst the misfortune, the lead monitor lizard suddenly turned around and walked towards Tian Tian.

The others followed behind, their massive bodies completely obscuring Sweetie.

Wan Hongxin could no longer hold on. He knew that Tian Tian would be torn to pieces by the lizard. The bloody scene, combined with the pain in his body, made him faint.

On the other side, Tian Tian was so frightened that she didn't dare to open her eyes, wishing she could shrink herself into a tiny ball.

"Waaaah... Don't eat Sweetie... Sweetie hasn't seen Daddy yet..."

"Big monster, get away from me!"

She was sobbing uncontrollably, covering her face, when suddenly her body felt light. A long, soft, sticky thing wrapped around her waist and lifted her up with a gentle pull.

"Wow—!" Sweetie screamed in fright, squeezing her eyes even tighter.

"Big monster, let me go! Waaaaah..."

Sweetie felt like she was sitting on something solid. It felt hard and cool, yet strangely stable.

Before she could react, her body swayed slightly, and she found herself moving involuntarily!

"Huh?" Sweetie choked on her sobs, a little confused.

Isn't the big monster going to eat her? Is it like in Mom's stories, where they capture her in a cave first and then eat her slowly?

"Ahhh... Sweetie, don't get eaten... You big monster, you're so mean..."

She cried as she waved her little hands haphazardly.

But the "big monster" didn't bite her; instead, it carried her and ran steadily.

A gentle breeze blew by, lifting the stray hairs on her forehead and brushing against her braids, as if tenderly caressing her.

Gradually, Tian Tian stopped crying.

She carefully opened her right eye a crack.

Huh?

Why is the sand on both sides moving backward?

Sweetie is... riding on the back of a giant monster?

She let out a small gasp and slowly opened her left eye as well.

Turning her head, she saw several identical monitor lizards following beside her. These huge creatures were carrying her, running at breakneck speed across the desert!

One of the monitor lizards even had the branch covered in red berries that she had picked up earlier still in its mouth!

"Wow... the big monster didn't eat any sweets..."

The little girl was still in shock; her heart, which had been pounding in her chest, finally settled back into place.

She finally understood! The giant monster not only didn't eat her, but also let her ride a "giant horse"!

"Big monsters, you're not eating Sweetie anymore? Is it because... Sweetie is a good girl?"

A monitor lizard nearby rolled its dark yellow eyes. Its gaze seemed to say: "You little fool."

Sweetie is no longer afraid.

She tentatively reached out her small hand and slowly placed it on the monitor lizard's head. The enormous creature didn't flinch; instead, it obediently raised its head and rubbed its cool, hard scales against her palm.

"Hehe..." Sweetie felt a little itchy and couldn't help but laugh.

The clear, childlike voice was innocent and adorable.

"Hello, big monster. My name is Sweetie. Thank you for helping me chase away the bad guys."

The monitor lizard stuck out its long tongue and nodded its large head slightly, as if in response.

Originally, the distance to the experimental site was more than a mile. But thanks to the monitor lizards' rapid running, it was getting closer and closer. Sweetie looked up, and in the distance, the towering launch pad stretched into the sky like a giant, with several domed control stations scattered among them. The anemometers, wind vanes, and radar antennas on the top of the towers were slowly rotating. The neat and uniform layout and solemn atmosphere contrasted sharply with the random sand dunes around them.

"There! Dad and the grandpas are all there!"

Sweetie excitedly pointed. The monitor lizard seemed to understand her, immediately adjusting its direction and carrying her forward at breakneck speed.

Soon, they arrived at their destination. A huge warning sign stood by the roadside, with the words "No Entry" written in bold letters.

Further ahead, there were layers upon layers of barbed wire, cold searchlights, towering watchtowers, and soldiers armed to the teeth, ready for battle.

Security here is much tighter than at the base; in addition to a special pass, one must also undergo multiple identity verifications to enter and exit.

The monitor lizard stopped in front of the no-entry sign, bent its neck, and let Sweetie slide to the ground.

The restricted area is so dangerous that even animals dare not approach it easily.

Sweetie didn't recognize the words on the sign, but she could clearly feel the cold and bleak atmosphere.

"Thank you, big monster." The little girl tiptoed and gently patted the monitor lizard's head again, then took the branch covered with red berries from the mouth of another monitor lizard.

The monitor lizard seemed to understand her. It tilted its long, narrow head, its dark yellow eyes glancing at her. Then it turned and quickly disappeared behind the dunes with its companions.

Sweetie dragged the tree branch alone toward the sentry post.

She had only taken a few steps when guards spotted her.

Two guards stepped forward, guns drawn, and shouted, "Halt! Who goes there! Hands up!"

They weren't unaware that the person in front of them was just a young child, but in the brutal years of war, ruthless enemies had repeatedly used children as human bombs. Therefore, they had to conduct thorough checks on everyone, regardless of who they were dealing with.

Sweetie stared at the dark muzzle of the gun, her big eyes blinking innocently.

"Uncle, my name is Tiantian. I'm looking for Liang Zhe—he's my dad."

These guards were stationed at the experimental field year-round and did not participate in base life, so they were unaware that Commander Liang Zhe had a daughter, though they knew his name. The two men exchanged a glance, and one of them said, "I'll go report." With that, he turned and ran towards the guard tower.

Another guard kept a close watch on Sweetie the whole time.