Morning, the Old House
The wind lifted a corner of the curtain, and the light from the sea spilled in through the gap, falling onto a piece of paper on the dining table.Glaire tightened his tactical belt while casually picking up the drawing. Beneath the rough crayon strokes, a tall man stood against a black background, surrounded by a halo. The light wasn't the sun or a lamp; it seemed to emanate from him, as if it came from within his body.Behind the man, there was a crack in the blackness, like the ground had torn open, stretching into an abyss."Dad has light."Those were the words his daughter had said when she finished the drawing yesterday.He remembered her skipping around, saying, "I know you always protect people, so light must be what happens when you're protecting someone!"He couldn't speak, only pressing the drawing onto the fridge. But that morning, he quietly took it down.The little girl was still asleep, her small face buried in the blankets, her red canvas shoes neatly placed at the door. Glaire stood for a moment, folded the drawing carefully, and tucked it into the inner pocket of his combat suit. He gently closed the door behind him.
Part 2: Eastern Wing of the Base, Strategy Meeting
The air in the war room always smelled faintly of tin and old cables, and the sand table projection flickered with a cold blue light. The five members of the Gray Spotted Team gathered around the control desk, their faces showing fatigue, but none of them let their guard down."Has the terrain update for the Shell Fracture Zone come in?" Glaire asked."No," Old Meng took a sip of coffee and shook his head. "We'll go in through Node 8 as usual. 30 minutes of stealth, 15 minutes to clear, and 20 minutes to extract.""How's fire support arranged?""Your people clear the path first. Fire a round of M773 illumination rounds, then go silent. Once the beacon's up, we move in."Glaire nodded and turned his gaze to the man marked as "No. 3," Tang En Esso.He looked like someone who had just stepped out of a factory workshop—fully equipped, carrying a heavy engineering pack, his eyes calm and focused."Esso," Glaire said, "Are you familiar with M-type capacitive landmines?""I handled two of them last month on the Vino front, both unexploded high explosives.""This time, they're trigger-type. You're the vanguard. One slip of your hand, and the whole team goes up.""I won't slip." Esso responded calmly.The rest of the team remained silent, checking their weapons and gear again. Silence was the only language of understanding they shared.Five minutes before the mission, everyone stood up. Glaire handed Old Meng a handwritten Morse code contingency plan."Once you're in the sewers, communication might cut out. Use this."Old Meng took the note. "Just wait for us to clear the mines from below, and those 'Divine Justice' rounds of yours won't go to waste.""Better not let me miss." Glaire's face remained expressionless.
Part 3: Pre-Mission Solitude
Night fell, and Glaire returned to the backup fire control station.A row of old ammunition terminals was still running, with green cursors flashing on the black screens. He opened the main console, entered the backup coordinates, and pulled out the folded drawing once again."Dad has light."He wasn't sure if light could really protect anyone. But he knew the darkness was real—it was where the Gray Spotted Team was heading.He gently traced the black crack in the drawing, which, on the map, corresponded to the fracture zone in the Shell Fracture Zone.The sea breeze seeped through the slats of the blinds, carrying the scent of salt. He folded the drawing back and tucked it deep inside his military jacket's inner pocket. Like a ritual.The operation terminal in his hand vibrated—a signal from the Gray Spotted Team: "Entering the sewers."He stood up, put on his tactical vest, and headed to the observation post.The countdown began.
Part 4: Gray Spotted Night Raid - Light in the Darkness
Seven minutes into the mission, the sewers were narrower than expected. Tang En Esso, leading the way, held a small flashlight that barely lit a step ahead.Gray water seeped from the walls, and the metal plates underfoot were slick with industrial rust. With every step, the team made a faint clicking sound."Stop." Old Meng whispered, "Capacitive line ahead."Esso immediately crouched down, his hand dipping into the muddy water. One finger steadied the ground while the other slowly brushed away the floating sand.Cold sweat dripped down his temple. He saw it: the main trigger wire of a transparent-cased mine, coiled tightly along the wall."The model's been modified. Half-second delay on the trigger."He pulled out a fiber sleeve from his tool kit and carefully cut off the power circuit in the darkness."Done," he whispered.The team moved forward again. Old Meng muttered from behind, "Three, you've got steady hands.""My dad taught me. He said if your hand shakes, you won't make it out alive.""What does your dad do?""Specialized artillery." He didn't turn around, just kept moving forward.Half an hour later, the team reached the target node. Communications Officer No. 1 fired two signal flares, activating the surface coordinates.Suddenly, the night sky lit up with two high-arc projectiles."They're here," Esso whispered.M773 illumination rounds streaked through the night, instantly lighting up the underground fissures, exposing enemy sentries. The Gray Spotted Team activated their assault protocol.Above ground, Glaire stood at the control desk, watching the explosive flashes light up the skyline of Saint Moaty. He didn't speak, only drew a light arc in his notebook, his strokes heavy and broad, like the halo in his daughter's drawing.
Late Night
"You were right. Dad does have light. But someone still has to be brave enough to walk into that crack."