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

Night fell, and the bright moon shone like frost.

The boundless stars, like tiny gems, adorn the dark sky.

Night quietly descends upon the vast desert.

The time was 7:41 p.m. Less than twenty minutes later, the receiving helicopter would cross the border and evacuate them according to the pre-arranged plan.

Gao Yanzhou turned off the engine, leaned against the car door, and gazed wistfully at the horizon.

Yan Shijun sat cross-legged opposite him, wrapped in a heavy military overcoat, smoking one cigarette after another.

Suddenly, an unusual sound came from afar.

At first faint, it grew louder and louder as several bright beams of light tore through the night and shot out from behind the mushroom-shaped rock.

"Oh shit!"

Yan Shijun suddenly stood up. Under the blinding beam of light, several shadowy figures pounced like cheetahs, like cheetahs in the dark, straight towards this place!

Gao Yanzhou's face darkened, and he yanked open the car door: "Deputy Station Chief, quick!"

Yan Shijun jumped into the car, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "How were we exposed?"

"have no idea."

Gao Yanzhou replied hastily, his fingers just touching the ignition switch when Yan Shijun raised his hand and pressed down on his wrist.

"Turn off the lights!"

Turning on night vision lights in the dark is tantamount to making yourself a sitting duck.

Gao Yanzhou's eyes narrowed, and he obediently turned off the light source. The car shot out of the shadow of the mushroom rock like an arrow, speeding recklessly along deserted paths.

But he underestimated the other side's preparations. Just as they rounded a sand dune, two bright headlights blocked their way.

"Gao Yanzhou, surrender! You're surrounded!"

The other person's voice came through the loudspeaker from afar, sounding clear yet jarring in the otherwise silent desert.

Gao Yanzhou tightened his jawline and remained silent.

"Drive that way!"

Yan Shijun, quick-witted, pointed to the sandy road on the other side and shouted.

Unexpectedly, they were surrounded by the enemy shortly after they drove out.

"damn it!"

Gao Yanzhou slammed his fist on the steering wheel. It seemed the other side had already laid a trap, just waiting for them to fall into it.

"Deputy stationmaster, what should we do?"

Yan Shijun glanced at his watch; only fifteen minutes remained until the agreed time. Even if the helicopter arrived on time, under such intense firepower, they would have no chance of boarding.

"We lost."

He shook his head dejectedly and sighed deeply.

"Surrender, Team Leader Gao."

"impossible!"

Gao Yanzhou refused without hesitation!

"Then what other options do you have? There are people everywhere! We have no way to escape."

"Are you afraid of dying?" Gao Yanzhou suddenly turned his head and asked fiercely.

Yan Shijun's heart skipped a beat: "What...do you mean?"

"Deputy stationmaster," Gao Yanzhou's lips curled into a sinister sneer, "you forgot, we still have one more weapon we haven't used yet."

In a flash, Yan Shijun's face turned deathly pale. He almost immediately understood what Gao Yanzhou was referring to.

"Are you crazy? We're doomed if we go in!"

"We have to drag a few people down with us!"

A cold glint flashed in Gao Yanzhou's eyes. "A dozen vehicles, dozens of lives—it's worth it for the two of us!"

"..."

Yan Shijun was speechless, a chill running down his spine. What kind of demon was this man before him, that he would act so extremely, willing to die to drag a group of people down with him?

"Old Gao," he softened his tone, using a more affectionate address, trying to persuade him, "Listen to me, surrendering temporarily is not admitting defeat, it's about accumulating strength. As long as you're alive, you might be able to make a comeback."

"We still have a chance. Temporary surrender is to accumulate more strength. As long as we live, we may be able to make a comeback."

"Live?" Gao Yanzhou scoffed. "You think they'd let us live?"

"Treat prisoners of war well; that's their policy!"

"Oh?" Gao Yanzhou raised an eyebrow. "You plan to reveal all the organization's secrets to them?"

He successfully shut Yan Shijun up with a single sentence.

"Why do you think Wan Hongxin hesitated to confess after being arrested?"

Yan Shijun remained silent.

"Because his illegitimate child is in the organization's hands!"

Gao Yanzhou sneered, "Everything about Wan's life is fake, except for the child born to that American woman. If he utters just one more word, the organization can make sure his son is killed without a trace."

Yan Shijun felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to his calm and even tone, and couldn't help but shiver.

"As far as I know, Deputy Station Chief Yan, your family is also in the organization's hands, isn't it? If your beautiful wife and young children found out that you've surrendered and betrayed us, guess what the consequences will be?"

Yan Shijun froze, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

He was well aware, of course, that when selecting people, the organization would always pinpoint each person's weaknesses to prevent them from turning against them. The only one truly willing to risk everything without any scruples was probably that madman, Gao Yanzhou.

"No, actually, they also have something on me."

Gao Yanzhou seemed to see through his thoughts and gave a bitter smile.

"I once used my geological knowledge to cause the deaths of several people with communist affiliations during exploration."

"The organization has found out about this, so if I surrender, I will only face death."

Yan Shijun stared at him in shock. This seemingly ordinary man actually harbored such a demonic nature deep down.

"So, Deputy Station Chief Yan, what's your decision?"

Yan Shijun stared at the dark, sandy road ahead, the echoes of pursuit coming from all directions, the headlights of cars piercing him like swords.

"I..." After a long silence, he finally made the most difficult, and perhaps final, decision of his life.

"...I'll listen to Yanzhou."

"good!"

A frenzied excitement flashed across Gao Yanzhou's eyes. He suddenly turned the steering wheel, and the jeep roared as it sped off into a dark and unpredictable path!

In the pursuing convoy, Song Dazhuang gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes, burning with rage, gleaming like a hawk's in the darkness, sharply locking onto the vehicles ahead.

Beside him, Liang Zhe held Tian Tian in his arms. The little girl's small body was slightly tense, and her little hand pointed firmly in one direction—

Even though the night was as dark as ink, her gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, firmly locking onto the fleeing vehicle ahead.

Reports from the communications soldier kept coming through the radio: an invisible net was closing in on Liang Zhe, sealing off all possible escape routes for Gao Yanzhou.

There was only one opening, which they deliberately and had to leave.

The territory of an army ant colony!

After witnessing firsthand the immense destructive power of the army ants, everyone consciously gave way and dared not approach again. But strangely, according to the communications soldier's report, Gao Yanzhou and his group seemed to be fleeing in that direction.

"Commander Liang, something's not right."

While keeping the course steady, Song Dazhuang wondered, "That bastard Gao Yanzhou couldn't possibly be unaware of the power of army ants, so why would he flee in this direction?"

Before he could finish speaking, Brigade Commander Bai's voice came through the walkie-talkie, "Liang Zhe, be careful. The other side may be doing this on purpose, trying to lure us into a swarm of ants."

Liang Zhe took the walkie-talkie and said, "Brigadier, if it's an ant colony, they might encounter it first because army ants are mobile. They might get trapped before we even enter."

"We can't rule out the possibility that they've gone to extreme lengths and are using us as bait," Commander Bai said calmly. "Maintain speed, don't get too close, and closely observe their movements."

"yes!"

The convoy continued its pursuit, and a few minutes later, the outline of Gao Yanzhou's vehicle could be vaguely seen, and the distance between the two vehicles was constantly closing.

"Dazhuang, don't follow too closely."

Liang Zhe carefully observed through the binoculars but did not find any typical hourglass-shaped pit marks on the ground.

While she was still wondering, Tian Tian suddenly trembled and grabbed Liang Zhe tightly with her little hand!

"Dad, stop the car! Stop the car now!"