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

"That depends on whose women and children they are." Yan Shijun's gun barrel remained motionless. "People from the Great Xia military are the enemy. Do I need to remind you of this ironclad rule again?"

"She's only three years old! She can't even lift a gun!" Shen Ruowen shouted hoarsely.

"Cut the weeds, make sure to pull them out completely." Yan Shijun's tone was icy, without a trace of emotion. "Deputy Team Leader Shen, it's such a pity. You're in the prime of your life, yet you've committed a capital offense of betraying the organization. Even if I plead with your team leader, I can't save you."

"Rest in peace. Considering your many years of service to the organization, I will grant you a proper burial."

This statement is tantamount to a final death sentence.

A flash of despair crossed Shen Ruowen's eyes. She still had so many unfulfilled wishes, and she was unwilling to die here like this!

But the thought of the inhuman torture that Tian Tian would suffer after her death made her heart feel like it was being torn apart alive.

Now that things have come to this, she knows that the other party will never let her leave alive; death will be her inevitable fate.

She closed her eyes helplessly and whispered, "...Deputy stationmaster, I confess my guilt and am willing to die. Could you please... spare that child?"

"You can destroy the base, you can destroy the testing grounds, but please, don't let a three-year-old child die here."

This was her final plea; even if it wasn't accepted in the end, she had done her best.

She awaited the final shot.

But no gunshot was fired. The gun barrel pressed against his chest was firmly pressed down by another hand.

Gao Yanzhou had already treated the other two unconscious subordinates at some point, and now stood aside, his gaze sweeping over Shen Ruowen's pale face like a cold, sharp blade.

"Ruowen, do you have a younger sister in Taiwan?"

Shen Ruowen's lips trembled violently as she stared at Gao Yanzhou in disbelief, as if she were seeing a demon crawling out of hell: "You... what do you want to do?"

"I heard she's a good student and receives a lot of attention from the school." Gao Yanzhou's tone was calm, but there was a hint of cruelty that he couldn't suppress.

"An organization takes care of the families of those who are loyal, so naturally... it can also deal with the relatives of traitors. You understand this principle."

"No...don't..."

Shen Ruowen, with a strength she didn't know she possessed, struggled to kneel up and pleaded incoherently.

"Team leader! Please! It's all my fault! It has nothing to do with my sister! Please, have mercy..."

"Let you go?"

Gao Yanzhou looked down at her as if she were an ant at his feet, then glanced at Tian Tian not far away.

"The organization's compensation and preferential treatment are only given to martyrs and loyal subjects," he said slowly. "This 'honor' and your sister's safety now depend on your choice."

Shen Ruowen froze. She slowly turned her head to look at Tiantian. The little girl's face was still wet with tears, but she pursed her lips tightly and glared angrily at everyone present with her clear eyes.

She may not have fully understood all those murderous conversations, but the child could clearly sense the pure malice within them.

These bad people are trying to use the most important person to Aunt Shen to pressure her.

How could anyone be so evil? They arrested her, locked her up, strapped explosives to her, and even wanted to use her to blow up the uncles and aunts at the base!

My father said that begging for mercy from bad people is useless; their hearts are black. Only by defeating them can we be saved.

A strange, unprecedented emotion surged into her heart in an instant.

It was no longer just fear, but something sharper and hotter, filling her limbs and bones, burning like flames in her chest.

It's anger! It's rage!

It's hatred!

She hated those who made Aunt Shen cry and forced her to do bad things!

Never before had her goal been so clear:

She wants to defeat these bad guys so that they will never dare to bully good people again and will never be able to do bad things again!

At that moment, she saw Shen Ruowen struggle to walk up to her, her freed hands gently cupping her cheeks. The warmth of her palms concealed a sweet pain that she couldn't understand, yet it was enough for her to feel.

"Aunt Shen..."

She asked softly, "Are you...are you going to be killed by bad guys too?"

"I'm sorry, Tian Tian..." Shen Ruowen burst into tears. She knew she had nowhere to turn. No matter what she chose, the outcome was already predetermined.

However, she couldn't bear to see the child blown to pieces, and she couldn't bear to see her harm more innocent people.

As for her sister on Taiwan, she knew she would inevitably implicate her, but now there was no other way.

Jingwen, I'm sorry, I have to leave. I hope you take care of yourself and escape from "Grey Sparrow" soon, regaining your freedom.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered in the little girl's ear, "You just took a nap, it won't hurt, Auntie will be there soon..."

Take a nap? Like those heroes in Mom's stories who never wake up again?

No! Absolutely not! Sweetie doesn't want Aunt Shen to die!

All fear was consumed by an even stronger rage at that moment.

She straightened her small chest, bound with explosives, and roared at the demons with a childlike yet terrifying voice: "You big bad guys! None of you will escape!"

"You brat, you're about to die and you're still being stubborn!" Lin Hanyuan was enraged by her shout and raised his hand to hit her.

Just as his hand was about to touch Tian Tian's cheek—

Suddenly, the sand beneath my feet made a rustling sound as it flowed.

Sweet senses became unusually sharp in her extreme anger. She couldn't hear the wind, but she could "feel" something cold and dormant deep in the sand beneath her feet, "awakened" by her hatred.

She clenched her little fists tightly, only one thought churning in her mind: "Get away! Don't touch me! Bite him! Bite them!"

Almost the instant the thought flashed through her mind, the sand beneath everyone's feet sank without warning!

A dark shadow shot out from the sand like a black lightning bolt and bit Lin Hanyuan's palm with perfect accuracy!

"laugh!"

The faint sound of flesh being pierced was clear and piercing at that moment.

Before anyone could react, Lin Hanyuan let out a piercing scream.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that what was biting his palm was a king cobra with its head held high and its neck bulging out!

Everything happened too fast.

In just a few seconds, Lin Hanyuan's screams came to an abrupt halt. His entire arm instantly turned black and purple.

His eyes bulged out, and a strange "clucking" sound came from his throat. Then he fell straight backward, crashing heavily onto the sand. His respiratory muscles were completely paralyzed, and he died before he could even utter a single last word.

This sudden scene terrified everyone. Even the cold-blooded Gao Yanzhou instinctively took several steps back. Shen Ruowen trembled with fear, her first reaction being to tightly hug Tiantian and cover her eyes.

Yan Zhengjun's pupils constricted sharply, and he nearly dropped the gun from his hand.

No one could understand how a king cobra could suddenly emerge from under the desert sand and attack Lin Hanyuan with such precision.

Du Feng, who was closest, reacted the fastest. His agent instincts overcame his fear, and with a flick of his wrist, the muzzle flashed!

"Bang bang bang!"

Gunfire erupted rapidly!

It was remarkable that he maintained such excellent accuracy even under such unforeseen circumstances. Despite its ferocity and speed, the cobra was still flesh and blood, and all three bullets pierced its body.

The ferocious venomous snake writhed violently, and its head finally drooped down from its coiled body, which gradually stiffened.

Gao Yanzhou let out a long sigh of relief, his back already covered in a layer of cold sweat. That attack had just happened so suddenly, he was still shaken.

"Du Feng, great marksmanship!" He, who was usually stingy with praise, rarely showed a hint of encouraging smile.

"Deputy Station Chief, are you alright?" Du Feng, having done a good deed, turned to check on Yan Zhengjun first.

Yan Zhengjun shook his head, his brow furrowed: "Strange, where did this snake come from?"

"We cannot linger here; we must proceed according to plan immediately," Gao Yanzhou said in a deep voice.

"Deputy station chief, what about Xiao Lin...?" Du Feng glanced at his comrade on the ground, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected that his mission would be so close to success, yet his comrade had died such a tragic death.

"He has served the organization faithfully, so let him stay here." Yan Zhengjun's tone was flat, implying that the mission was the priority and there was no time to deal with his funeral arrangements.

"The deputy station chief is right. Xiao Lin was bitten by a poisonous snake. Let's not touch him to avoid any further complications," Gao Yanzhou agreed.

"It's all that beast's fault!" Du Feng said angrily, raising his foot to kick the cobra on the ground away.

"Don't touch it!" Yan Zhengjun suddenly realized and hurriedly stopped him.

But it was all too late.

The cobra, which should have been dead, seemed to have its nerves triggered. It suddenly raised its broken head, revealing its white fangs, and bit into Du Feng's shoe.