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墨書 Inktalez
"The Nightingale" was captured.
To everyone's surprise, it was the seemingly harmless female anchor, always smiling. It was said that she had been a spy planted by an armed organization for years, using her identity as a journalist to gather intelligence and planning to coordinate an attack with external forces during the evacuation to create chaos.
Fortunately, Li Heng intercepted the intelligence in advance, turning the tables and laying out a trap. The "attack" that occurred during the evacuation was actually a carefully orchestrated act by Li Heng. The goal was to lure the Nightingale into revealing herself and capture her along with the militants who came to assist.
As for the helicopter that took off early, it was merely bait; there were no real casualties or journalists on board, only special forces arranged by Li Heng. The real evacuation was just beginning.
Upon realizing the truth, I was left speechless. It turned out that Li Heng had already set everything in motion. He truly was meticulous and thorough. He could be ruthless as well. Even I had been kept completely in the dark.
However, thinking it over, I realized he didn't tell me to protect me. After all, having one more person aware of the plan increased the risk of leaks. Moreover, given my state at that time, knowing would have only led to unnecessary worry.
Once I understood this, the small annoyance of being kept in the dark faded away. Instead, I found myself somewhat admiring him. This man was even more formidable than I had imagined.
The actual evacuation went smoothly. I boarded a military transport plane arranged for me and left the place where I had experienced some of the most thrilling and unforgettable days of my life.
Li Heng did not come to see me off. He said he had further work to attend to. Just before boarding, he sent me a message: "Let me know when you arrive safely."
Those simple four words warmed my heart unexpectedly. As the plane took off, I watched through the window as the Peacekeeping Camp gradually receded into the distance, gazing at that vast and solemn land.
A whirlwind of emotions swirled within me.
Goodbye to this land of yellow sands and gunfire.
Goodbye to those brave and resilient Peacekeeping Soldiers.
Goodbye… Li Heng.
I wonder… will we ever meet again?
Upon returning home, I immediately immersed myself in the intense post-production work.
Sorting materials, writing articles, conducting interviews…
I was as busy as a spinning top.
My in-depth report on the Peacekeeping Operation and Humanitarian Aid garnered immense attention.
The authentic, objective, and powerful words and images touched countless hearts.
It also catapulted me, an obscure little reporter, into the limelight.
Various honors and awards followed suit.
Yet, deep down, I felt… something was missing.
In the quiet of the night, I often found myself reminiscing about those days at the Peacekeeping Camp.
I recalled those heart-stopping moments, the kind-hearted villagers, and the soldiers who fought alongside me…
Of course, I also thought of Li Heng.
I remembered the clumsy tenderness that occasionally broke through his cold exterior.
I recalled the complex gaze he directed at me.
I remembered how he shielded me with his body and assured me with a firm “Trust me.”
And then there was that small pendant made from a bullet shell, engraved with the letter “H.”
I wore it close to my heart.
Sometimes I would take it out and trace its cool surface with my fingers.
It felt as if we had reestablished some form of connection.
But it was merely… an occasional connection.
He would sometimes text me to check on how I was doing.
I would ask about his situation over there.
Our conversations were mostly brief and restrained.
Like two… ordinary friends.
No one mentioned the past anymore, nor did they bring up the future.
I didn’t know what he was thinking.
I also didn’t know what we were to each other.
This ambiguous state left me feeling somewhat… restless.
I even began to doubt whether everything that happened on the terrace of the Paris Celebration Banquet was just… a dream?
Or perhaps… merely a product of impulsiveness after surviving a catastrophe?
After all, the circumstances were too unique.
In life-and-death situations, emotions tend to be magnified.
Maybe… once we returned to our normal lives, those so-called “thrills” and “opportunities” would no longer matter?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I became, and the less certain I felt.
I even started to deliberately avoid contacting him.
When he sent messages, I took a long time to reply.
Or sometimes, I simply didn’t reply at all.
He seemed to notice my distance, and gradually, his messages became less frequent.
It felt as if we had returned to that state of… forgetting each other in the vastness of the world.
Perhaps this was for the best, I told myself.
We were never from the same world.
He was destined to be a soldier guarding peace amidst gunfire.
And I was a journalist chasing news stories.
Our life trajectories had long diverged.
Forcing ourselves to entangle with each other might not be good for either of us.
I tried hard to channel my energy into work, attempting to numb myself with busyness.
But that void inside me could never be filled.
Occasionally, when I came across news about the Peacekeeping Forces, I would instinctively look for that familiar name and figure.
Seeing news of his safety would make me breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Reading about his honors would genuinely make me happy for him.
It turned out…
Some people, even if they say they want to forget, can never truly let go in their hearts.
That day, I was in the office working on a draft when my phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar local number. I hesitated for a moment but decided to answer it.
"Hello?"
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then a voice came through that made my heart stop.
"Zhi Yi."
It was Li Heng. He… had come back?
"…Li Heng?" My voice tightened. "You… are back in the country?"
"Yeah," he replied. "Just got off the plane."
"…Oh." I was at a loss for words. How could he… suddenly return? Had his mission ended? Or was it something else?
"Are you free tonight?" he suddenly asked.
"Huh?" I was taken aback.
"Let's have dinner together," he said.
Dinner together? He wanted to invite me to dinner? My heart raced uncontrollably.
"I…" I instinctively wanted to find an excuse to refuse. But then I heard him say:
"There are some things I want to… clarify with you in person."
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