Director Xi had a splitting headache.
Outside the Qinghe Research Institute, the campus had descended into chaos. The Olympiad had officially ended, yet parents and reporters were still stranded beyond the gates, their panic rising with every glimpse of armed soldiers patrolling the perimeter.
Someone had finally realized something was wrong. And they wanted answers.
Military command had taken over the institute entirely. No one was allowed in. No one was allowed out. And Director Xi had just spent the better part of this hour trying to pacify them.
Inside the compound, the atmosphere was no better.
Students were confined to their exam rooms - while military units conducted a full purge of remaining Black Lotus agents. The sound of boots, radios, and distant metallic clatter echoed endlessly through the concrete halls.
Director Xi slammed his palm against the conference table. His institute's reputation was completely destroyed! This was a security disaster.
"Major Huo, I want an explanation. Now." His voice shook with fury barely held in check.
"You assured us everything was under control. And yet gunfire erupted on campus - with students present." His eyes burned. "Is this your definition of control?"
Huo Yichen stood at attention, though his posture betrayed him.
His uniform was stained. Blood had soaked through hastily applied bandages beneath the fabric. He'd received only the most basic first aid before being dragged into this emergency debrief with institute leadership and high command.
And worst of all - the Grand Commander General was flying in to personally oversee the mission.
He didn't know how to explain what had gone wrong.
He remembered regaining consciousness to see The Black Lotus retreating when reinforcements arrived. They secured the institute and confirmed that Senior Mo was still protected.
That much was certain.
"Report."
Chi Yang's voice cut through the room, steady and professional.
"All students are safe. Black Lotus operatives were found unconscious in multiple locations. They never had the chance to execute any hostages."
A scoff followed immediately.
"Well, at least your team isn't completely useless," Director Xi sneered. "Now that's done, can you let the students go? Their parents are getting restless - and we can no longer pacify them."
Chi Yang threw a glance at his boss. Huo Yichen, despite looking bedraggled, still held himself with authority. He gave a curt nod, indicating that was ok.
Looking a little relieved, Chi Yang turned to relay that in his comms. At least something is going right!
"And what about Researcher Mo?" pressed Director Xi.
Huo Yichen straightened instinctively.
"He was with us in the control room," he replied without hesitation. "Black Lotus breached the saferoom, but they failed to extract him."
In his mind, the mission directives were clear.
Protect Researcher Mo. Keep the children safe.
Both objectives had been met, for which Huo Yichen was secretly relieved. At least he wouldn;t loose all face in front of the Grand Commander General.
Cai Jun was injured - but so was he. That was the price of duty. Soldiers understood that.
He told himself that casualties were unavoidable, that the outcome justified the cost.
It never crossed his mind that the losses could have been prevented. It was his own arrogance that had blinded him and had unraveled the entire mission.
The mission was saved by 2 extraordinary people, who even without knowing each other, worked together to keep the students and the researcher safe.
"Senior Mo is receiving treatment," Huo Yichen continued, blissfully ignorant of what had happened. "Two of my men are stationed with him at all times. Once he's stable, I'll bring him up to meet you."
Director Xi looked unconvinced, but before he could press further, the doors burst open.
President Fu strode in, breathless. Sweat clung to his temples, his composure precarious.
"The Project Nexus files," he said urgently. "They're gone."
The room froze.
"All records have been erased," President Fu continued grimly. "System logs show the last access was approximately an hour ago - from within the institute. Using our internal IP."
Shock rippled through the room.
An hour ago, Black Lotus had already begun their assault.
Director Xi's expression darkened. "So their objective wasn't just extraction," he murmured. "They wanted to cripple us."
That was top classified research that the country had heavily invested in. All that was reduced to nothing in minutes.
Huo Yichen felt something twist sharply in his chest. This was bad he thought, an ominous feeling rising in his chest.
"That's impossible," he said flatly. "The only system capable of such a breach was in the control tower. And my people were there all the time. Chi Yang - when you sent the SOS, did you detect any abnormal network activity?"
Chi Yang hesitated.
Then lowered his head.
"Sir… we didn't send the SOS."
Silence.
"It was… a teacher," Chi Yang admitted. "She entered the control room with a student. She had clearance. We didn't question it. By the time Black Lotus breached the door, it was already too late."
Huo Yichen's gaze snapped to him, sharp and furious. He did not know this!
"A teacher?" His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "Bring her to me. Immediately."
"And bring Senior Mo as well," President Fu cut in, eyes cold. "Even with clearance, a civilian wouldn't have access to Project Nexus protocols. Only she did - I want to know what happened!"
Ten minutes later, Huo Yichen understood what it meant for the ground to vanish beneath his feet.
The room was deathly quiet as the truth settled in.
"I want to speak to the Grand Commander" President Fu said, his voice trembling with controlled rage. "Now."
He turned toward Huo Yichen.
"I want to ask him how his so-called top soldier failed to recognize the very person he was ordered to protect."
The Senior Mo they had guarded, whom they had held in the safe room, was not Mo Jiali
So where is the real Researcher Mo? Who erased those files?
More importantly, who had sent the SOS?
Huo Yichen did not have the answers. And for the first time since donning his uniform, he didn't quite know what to do.