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

Liang Zhe rushed to the conference room door, stood at attention, and said in a deep voice, "Report!"

"Go!" came Commander Liu's deep voice.

Upon entering, he found only Commander Liu and Brigade Commander Bai sitting in the conference room. Several documents were spread out on the table, the ashtray was filled with cigarette butts, and the air was filled with a faint smell of tobacco.

The other experts involved in the engine troubleshooting are still at the test site finishing up and have not yet returned.

"You've come at the right time, please have a seat." Brigade Commander Bai gestured to the empty seat beside him.

Liang Zhe sat down as instructed.

Brigade Commander Bai picked up an interrogation report from the table and pushed it forward: "Song Dazhuang has completed the preliminary interrogation. Wan Hongxin has confessed completely. He admitted to engaging in enemy spy activities at the base, having an affair with Yang Yan at the town hospital, breaking Qian Lao's medicine bottle, and tampering with the basic data of the 'Longsword' project. He did all of these things."

Liang Zhe frowned slightly: "He's alone? Communication between the base and the outside world is strictly controlled. How is he communicating with the outside world?"

"Using the base's encrypted phone." Commander Bai turned to a page in the report. "He admitted to using night shifts to contact the outside world via a specific frequency."

"And who was it that drugged the guard and released Professor Jiang Guoqiang? Was that also him?" Liang Zhe pressed. "And Wan Hongxin was already under our pursuit when it happened, how could he have come back to rescue him?"

Commander Bai's expression was grim: "This is precisely the most puzzling part. We detected ether residue on the guards' mouths and noses, but we found no trace of ether on Wan Hongxin's body, in his residence, or even in places he might have come into contact with. The footprints and fingerprints at the scene also didn't match."

"But he insisted that he did it all himself, and no matter how he was interrogated, he refused to say another word. It was clear that he was going to stick to his guns."

Commander Liu flicked the ash from his cigarette and snorted coldly, "This kid, he's determined to protect someone, isn't he?"

He turned to Commander Bai, his eyes, sharp as ever through the smoke, revealing the veteran's keen gaze: "Among the four foreign experts who came this time, has Professor Zheng Hong and his assistant, Technician Gao Yanzhou, shown any unusual activity?"

"Since Wan Hongxin's incident, we have been secretly monitoring them and have assigned people to track their movements," Brigade Commander Bai reported. "So far, apart from normal work exchanges, the two have not had any contact with any suspicious persons, nor have they violated regulations by entering or leaving classified areas or trying to obtain core data. So far, we have not found anything suspicious."

Commander Liu nodded slowly.

"Commander, what's the next step in dealing with Wan Hongxin? Continue detaining and interrogating him?"

Commander Liu pondered for a moment and made a decision: "He can't cause any trouble here, and it's easy for him to have wishful thinking and collude with the undercover agents. I'll call Beijing and have him transported back by helicopter. Once he's at the Ministry of State Security, I don't believe he won't confess."

"Understood," Commander Bai replied, "I'll arrange it right away."

"Liang Zhe," Commander Liu turned his head, his tone softening slightly, "I called you over not only to report on Wan Hongxin's interrogation, but also to discuss another matter with you."

Liang Zhe's heart sank, and he immediately stood up at attention: "Reporting to the commander, I can explain the matter of reporter Shen Ruowen. I helped her purely out of military duty, without any personal motives."

"Sit down," Commander Liu waved his hand. "It's not a serious issue, just a normal conversation."

Brigade Commander Bai coughed lightly from the side. "Xiao Liang, we're both men, so I'll be frank. What's your opinion of that reporter, Shen Ruowen?"

"Opinion?" Liang Zhe was taken aback, and repeated it somewhat blankly.

"It's just a first impression, right?" Commander Bai smiled. "I know you haven't known each other for long, but after spending time together, you should have a preliminary impression, like her character and personality."

Liang Zhe replied almost without hesitation: "Reporting to the brigade commander, I have no symptoms."

"Nothing at all?" Brigade Commander Bai raised an eyebrow and joked, "But the way she looks at you isn't the way ordinary people look at soldiers."

Liang Zhe's expression was serious: "Brigade Commander, I only had two encounters with her. Once was when I helped her retrieve her satchel and stopped a robbery. The other was today when I escorted her back to the barracks. Apart from that, we haven't met privately at all. As for why she came to the Gobi Desert and why she wanted to enter the base, I have absolutely no idea."

"Don't be nervous." Commander Liu lit another cigarette, took a puff, and looked at him with a half-smile. "This female comrade, you went to great lengths to get into our heavily guarded base. Whether you have other intentions or are simply after you, Liang Zhe, it's hard to say right now."

"Targeting me?" Liang Zhe suddenly stood up. "Commander, I just met her by chance. How could she be targeting me? There must be some misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? You said she was reporting the news, and she could have gathered plenty of material right there in the Gobi Desert; you said she got lost, but she just happened to get 'lost' near our secluded base."

The old commander laughed so hard he could speak in his native dialect, "You young lad, you're usually so sharp at observing enemy movements, how come you're so clueless about this kind of thing? That female comrade was practically bewitched by you, and you were the only one who didn't notice."

Liang Zheteng's face flushed red instantly. "Commander! I didn't! Commander! I absolutely didn't have such thoughts! I'm a married man..."

His voice suddenly went hoarse halfway through his sentence.

An awkward silence fell over the meeting room.

Brigade Commander Bai sighed softly and gestured for him to sit down: "Liang Zhe, we all know your wife passed away early, and you can't let her go for a while, which shows your deep affection. But life must go on, and the organization has never required comrades to remain faithful. You are still young, and Tian Tian is still young. She will need a mother's companionship as she grows up."

"Comrade Bai Shuyong is right," Commander Liu said earnestly, taking a breath.

"You're a good comrade, young and promising, and an upright person. It's normal for someone like you to be liked and remembered. But you must remember—"

He paused, then said, word by word, "We are now in a special period and a special place. Enemy agents are everywhere; they may exploit any weakness or emotion to infiltrate us."

"The timing of that reporter Shen's appearance is too coincidental. Until her identity is fully confirmed, you need to be vigilant, keep your distance, and remain cautious."

Liang Zhe took a deep breath. "Yes, Commander, I understand."

"It's not that serious." Seeing that Commander Liu's few words had made Liang Zhe's shoulders tense, Brigade Commander Bai raised his hand to signal him to relax.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We have already arranged for Comrade Li Guihua to take care of her daily needs. However, as someone she knows, you will inevitably have to come into contact with her in the future. Just keep that in mind."

"It's not just a matter of knowing the numbers." Commander Liu's attitude on this matter differed slightly from Brigade Commander Bai's. Brigade Commander Bai was genuinely concerned about Liang Zhe's marriage, but Commander Liu was more worried about Tian Tian, ​​Liang Zhe's future wife, and the security of the entire base.

"You must report promptly to prevent problems before they occur. This is not a sign of distrusting your comrades, but rather a responsibility to the revolutionary cause."

The old commander got up and walked to the window, gazing at the vast, gray-yellow Gobi Desert outside: "Wan Hongxin has been captured, but that doesn't mean the danger is over. The fact that he could remain hidden for so long shows that there are still loopholes in our security work. Now, another unidentified female reporter has arrived... Liang Zhe, you have a heavy burden on your shoulders."

"Please rest assured, sir!" Liang Zhe stood up again. "I guarantee to complete the mission. I will not let personal feelings affect my work, nor will I give the enemy any opportunity to take advantage of me."