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

After an unknown amount of time, the wind gradually subsided, and the earth returned to tranquility.

Last night's all-consuming fury seemed like a nightmare that was far too real. The sandstorm has taken away all its power, leaving only the ravaged dunes, either torn into jagged chasms or piled into new curves, as witnesses to all that had happened.

The sky gradually washed away the dust, returning to a clear, light blue. Golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, scattering like fragments of gold upon the warriors protected by the camel herd, dispelling the chill of the night.

The camels were the first to sense that the storm had subsided.

The large male camel twitched its ears and slowly straightened its body. The sand buried in its thick fur rustled as it moved, and tiny dust particles danced and leaped in the sunlight.

It raised its head and snorted, its breath damp.

The other camels rose one after another, gently touching each other's necks and emitting low moans, as if to confirm that their companions were alright.

The commotion startled the lightly sleeping soldiers.

The sentries on duty stood at attention almost as soon as the camels began to move, followed by Brigade Commander Bai, Song Dazhuang, and others. Their military vigilance was ingrained in their very bones, and they possessed a keen, hawk-like sensitivity.

Liang Zhe barely slept a wink that night. He held his little daughter tightly in his arms, constantly adjusting her clothes to keep her warm in the desert night.

The temperature difference between day and night in the desert is extreme, and a thin layer of frost has formed on the eyelashes of many people. If it weren't for the warmth of the camels' bodies keeping them warm throughout the night, it's hard to imagine how many people would have frozen to death.

But Tian Tian was well protected by Liang Zhe. Her little body was warm and cozy as she slept, and her round face was as rosy as a ripe apple.

The desert regained clear visibility in the early morning. The soldiers looked at each other, seeing their disheveled appearance, and couldn't help but sigh with relief at surviving such a disaster.

Their hair, collars, and hems were all filled with fine sand, and everyone looked like they had been dug out of a pile of dirt, but they all survived.

"Is it over?" someone asked in a hoarse voice.

"It's over." The voice that answered was also choked with emotion.

They wanted to laugh, but their lips were too stiff to form a smile, and their eyes welled up with tears first.

Having survived a brush with death, everyone realized how precious peace is in the face of the might of nature.

Brigade Commander Bai stood up, brushed the sand off his uniform, and regained his former authority: "Song Dazhuang, count the number of men and check the equipment."

"yes!"

Song Dazhuang walked into the crowd, and soon, the sounds of low counting, packing, and checking water bottles could be heard. A moment later, the results were tallied: twenty-two people, no one had fallen behind, no one was seriously injured, and apart from exhaustion and mild dehydration, everyone was miraculously unharmed.

Only then did everyone's gaze, as if by unspoken agreement, gently turn in the same direction—

The male camel that Liang Zhe had been leaning against had already moved aside and was leisurely nibbling on a few clumps of camel thorns sprouting from the edge of the sand dune. Liang Zhe, however, remained sitting on the ground, his arms tightly wrapped around his daughter.

Sweetie is still sleeping.

The little girl buried her face against her father's sand-covered chest, her mouth slightly open, her breathing even. Her little hand was still clutching her father's clothes, looking extremely obedient and adorable.

Amidst a night of raging storms, she remained the most serene one in the eye of the tempest.

No one spoke. The soldiers were afraid of disturbing this little lucky star. Their eyes were filled with concern and love, and they moved even more gently.

Liang Zhe looked at his comrades and shook his head to indicate that his daughter was alright. He had held the child all night, and his shoulders and arms were already numb, but he couldn't bear to move an inch, not wanting to disturb her dreams.

Just then, Sweetie's eyelashes trembled.

The little girl seemed to feel the sunlight on her body, stirred her small body, and groggily opened her eyes.

Those dark, bright eyes, still drowsy, looked blankly at her father's chin, then turned her head to look around.

"Daddy..." The child's voice was soft and sweet, with a nasal tone from just waking up, "Has Grandpa Wind left?"

"Let's go." Liang Zhe rubbed his chin against her smooth forehead. "The sun is out, we can go home now."

It seemed to take Sweetie a few seconds to connect the scene before her with her memories of last night. When she turned her head and saw the camel herd grazing not far away, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Big monster!" she exclaimed happily, struggling to get down from Liang Zhe's arms.

Liang Zhe did not stop her, but carefully supported her and helped her stand on the sand.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Sweetie ran towards the nearest camel. It was this big monster that kept her father company last night, allowing Sweetie to have a good night's sleep.

The camel seemed to recognize the tiny creature, stopped chewing, turned its head, and obediently lowered its neck.

Sweetie ran up to it, stretched out her little hand, and touched its rough nose: "Good morning, big monster! Thank you for protecting us while we sleep!"

The camel breathed a warm breath from its nostrils, gently brushing against the sweet little hand in response.

This scene brought warm smiles to the faces of all the soldiers who were silently watching.

The sun finally broke through the last wisp of dust, and its golden-red rays shone on the boundless sea of ​​sand, as well as on the soldiers and the camel herd, covering them with a layer of warmth.

Song Dazhuang organized everyone to pack their belongings and distributed the remaining water. Then he went forward and said goodbye to each of the camels.

Someone took out the last few compressed biscuits from their backpack, and the other soldiers followed suit, taking out their own dry rations and placing them on the sand.

This is the most sincere gratitude that a group of tough men can offer.

Commander Bai stood aside, quietly watching this scene. He understood that after last night's life-and-death bond, a special connection had already formed between these soldiers and the wild camels, witnessing together this warmth that transcends species.

The camels quietly finished their breakfast and raised their heads. The tall male camel turned around and let out a long, drawn-out whinny.

This is a signal of farewell.

The other camels watched the warriors and did the same.

Then, the male camel turned around and led its herd deeper into the desert.

Only clear hoofprints remain, pointing into the distance.

Commander Bai looked up to observe the sun's position and compared it with the direction the camels had left. He already knew that this route roughly matched their route back to base, and their convoy was stuck on this sandy road.

"Everyone, prepare to depart," Commander Bai ordered. "Follow the camel tracks and dig out our vehicle first."