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

The emotions that had been taut for so long erupted like a suppressed volcano! The observation room was instantly engulfed by a wave of ecstasy!

The researchers hugged and high-fived each other, their eyes brimming with emotion. Chief Designer Wang and Professor Qian shook hands tightly, both with tears in their eyes.

Brigade Commander Bai finally loosened his clenched fist, his palms covered in sweat. He turned around and looked at Commander Liu.

Commander Liu remained standing there, his back to the revelers, facing the observation window. Only then did his tense body hunch slightly, making him look like an ordinary old man, or as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

After a long while, he raised his hand and waved to the guards behind him.

The guard immediately grabbed the dedicated communication phone: "Connect me to the base's main switchboard!"

"This is the test site! Announcement to the entire base: The prototype engine's first full-condition long-duration test run was a complete success! Repeat, a complete success!"

The message was instantly transmitted back to the base area five kilometers away via radio waves. At that moment, everyone was speculating about the jubilation that would erupt among the base personnel who received the news.

The celebratory atmosphere continued inside the observation room, with people hugging, congratulating each other, and looking forward to their work. All the gloom seemed to have been completely burned away by the ten-minute-long flames.

Just then, the red dedicated phone line that had just been put down, directly connecting to the base, started shrieking again without warning.

"Ring ring ring—!"

The shrill sound instantly shattered all the jubilation.

The guard closest to the phone instinctively grabbed the receiver: "This is...?"

His voice abruptly stopped, and the excitement and color in his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a horrifying paleness. He turned sharply to look at Commander Liu, his lips trembling, his eyes filled with unbelievable terror.

"Commander... an urgent message from the base..." He only managed to say a few words before his voice involuntarily choked up.

Commander Liu's smile froze instantly, his brows furrowed, and he strode over.

He grabbed the receiver: "This is Liu Zhenbang! Speak!"

The soldier's hoarse, almost broken voice came through the receiver:

"...Commander! Tian Tian... Tian Tian has been kidnapped by Shen Ruowen and Wu Hao! They knocked out Comrade Li Guihua and stabbed Comrade Xing Yuxiu! Xing Yuxiu's injuries are extremely serious, and she is in critical condition..."

With each word the other party spoke, Commander Liu's heart sank a little further.

Everyone in the monitoring room was stunned. They stood frozen in place, their eyes filled with shock, fear, and utter anger.

"Li Guihua is an excellent marksman," he murmured, "and she's been secretly protecting Tiantian all along..."

"Was it Wu Hao?" Brigade Commander Bai felt a chill run down his spine. "That orderly? I didn't expect him to be so well-hidden?"

"Without Wu Hao as an inside man, Shen Ruowen wouldn't have succeeded!" the soldier roared in grief and anger. "Comrade Li Guihua was completely unprepared!"

"Spare no effort to save Xing Yuxiu!" Commander Liu forcibly suppressed his surging anger. "Notify all available personnel, immediately..."

"Commander!" Before he could finish speaking, a soldier urgently interrupted him, "There's been a problem with the pipeline project! The water is overflowing and it's still not under control! Requesting backup!"

The observation room was completely silent.

Three life-or-death hurdles were almost simultaneously placed before them—

Rescue Xing Yuxiu, find Tian Tian, ​​and urgently repair the piping failure.

Every challenge is a race against time; every challenge is urgent and requires our full effort!

No, there is a fourth step: the core research personnel cannot leave the test site. They must immediately confirm the engine status, reset the system safety to zero, and fully record this hard-won first-hand test data.

This means that the available manpower will be reduced by nearly 30%.

Commander Liu's eyebrows were furrowed into a tight knot, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

His large hand gripped the receiver tightly, with such force that it seemed he wanted to crush it.

Just then—

"Liang Tuan! Calm down—!!!"

A gasp came from outside the observation room, followed by chaotic and hurried footsteps.

Commander Bai reacted the fastest, pulling open the heavy iron door and rushing out like an arrow.

They bumped right into Liang Zhe, who was being held tightly by Song Dazhuang and several soldiers.

At this moment, Liang Zhe was like a trapped beast that had been thoroughly enraged and lost its cubs. His eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded a terrifying aura of ferocity and despair, as if he were about to be devoured by invisible hatred.

He struggled frantically in the soldiers' grasp, a hoarse roar bursting from the depths of his throat: "Let me go—! Let me go—!"

"Liang Zhe!" Brigade Commander Bai strode forward, pressing his hands heavily on Liang Zhe's shoulders like iron clamps, trying to pull him back from the brink of losing control. "Look at me! You're a soldier! Now is not the time to break down!"

"Brigadier, let me go!" Liang Zhe cried out desperately, as if grasping at a straw. "I can find the child!"

"Sweetie's whereabouts are currently unknown. Acting rashly will only get us into trouble! We must plan carefully!"

"I can't wait!" Liang Zhe was on the verge of collapse, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. Just thinking about Tian Tian falling into the hands of vicious enemy agents tore his heart apart. "That's my daughter! She's only three years old..."

"I can't wait a second longer! I have to save her!"

Shen Ruowen and Wu Hao could be so ruthless to Xing Yuxiu, who was pregnant, so how could they possibly have any humanity left for an innocent child?

Just thinking about the possible abuse Tian Tian might suffer makes Liang Zhe want to tear those sinners apart immediately, even if it means dying together with them!

"She's calling for her father! Can you hear her? She's calling for my father!" Liang Zhe's voice was choked with sobs, filled with unbearable grief. "I'm her only family! If I can't even protect her, what's the point of my life?!"

"Who said you're her only family member!"

Commander Liu, who had caught up with them, let out a thunderous roar. The old commander had spent his life in the military and had experienced countless life-and-death tests. Even in the midst of gunfire, he had always maintained the composure of a soldier. But now, he was also extremely angry!

"Sweetie is my granddaughter too! My own granddaughter! Anyone who dares to harm my granddaughter, no matter who they are, I'll tear them to pieces!!!"

The ferocity ignited by battle was unleashed at this moment. Brigade Commander Bai stomped his foot heavily, "Liang Zhe! You're a soldier for crying out loud! If you've got the guts, fight alongside us, like hunters, and drag these bastards out, instead of mindlessly barging in here! Do you understand?!"

Song Dazhuang wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, stepped forward, and loudly volunteered, "Commander, give the order! I request to join the first echelon. Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find the child!"

"Now is not the time to act rashly!" Professor Qian remained highly rational throughout. Although his hands trembled with anger, his voice was still steady. "The enemy has set up such a large scheme to make it difficult for us to defend ourselves on both sides."

He looked at Commander Liu and said in a deep voice, "Commander, the timing of the pipeline emergency is too coincidental."

Commander Liu whirled around: "What do you mean?"