Just as she was about to turn around and excitedly report to Company Commander Zhang—

 

“There’s a hidden compartment in this truck, and something is stored inside—”

 

Before she could finish, a burst of gunfire erupted.

 

In an instant, bullets streaked through the air like meteors, slicing through the night with sharp whooshing sounds.

 

The soldiers reacted immediately, diving for cover while raising their guns to return fire.

 

Muzzle flashes flickered in the darkness as bullets struck vehicles and nearby objects, sending sparks flying.

 

Meng Youyou barely had time to react before two shadowy figures rushed at her from behind.

 

Before she could even see clearly, a powerful force yanked her away—then she was dragged into a vehicle.

 

Bang! The door slammed shut.

 

The car shot forward like a wild horse, speeding away.

 

…

 

Overwhelming fear blurred her consciousness. Her vision grew hazy, and faint whimpers escaped her throat.

 

She was dragged roughly by a dark, burly man. Time seemed to stretch endlessly. At some point, she vaguely felt herself being pulled into a dense, bottomless forest, branches scraping against her body along the way.

 

So this is how I die…

 

That was the only thought left in her mind before everything went black.

 

…

 

She didn’t know how long had passed—perhaps a very, very long time.

 

When her awareness slowly returned, she opened her eyes and saw a tall man in military uniform, about four or five meters away, locked in a brutal fight with the kidnapper.

 

Every punch landed solidly.

 

After a fierce struggle, the soldier gradually gained the upper hand. His gaze was resolute, his movements swift and decisive. He raised a dagger and drove it straight into the kidnapper’s chest.

 

The moment the blade pierced flesh, the man’s body jerked. Pain twisted across his face as blood poured from his mouth. His eyes grew dull, as if he had lost the ability to resist.

 

Meng Youyou thought it was over and let out a breath—

 

But suddenly, the injured kidnapper pulled out a grenade from somewhere.

 

Her eyes widened in terror.

 

Huo Qingshan reacted instantly. His gaze sharpened as he forced the dagger deeper, then swiftly kicked the grenade away.

 

Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted toward Meng Youyou, throwing himself over her.

 

A powerful force pressed her down. She could feel the heat of his body.

 

A deafening explosion followed.

 

The grenade detonated in the distance, the shockwave violently shaking the surrounding trees.

 

Before losing consciousness again, Meng Youyou faintly heard a low, suppressed groan.

 

---

 

When she woke up again, it was already the next afternoon.

 

Her head throbbed. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her waist, forcing her to stop.

 

She lifted her hands slowly—her skin was covered in scratches of varying sizes, silent reminders of the ordeal.

 

Turning her head slightly, she realized she had been changed into a clean, light green cotton shirt. Its simple design carried the understated style of the era.

 

Enduring the pain, she forced herself up.

 

She needed to know what had happened last night.

 

More importantly—

 

Was the soldier who protected her injured? How badly?

 

As soon as she reached the training ground, a loud ding-ling-ling rang out—the meal bell.

 

The soldiers immediately moved, rushing toward the assembly point.

 

Amid the crowd, she spotted a lone figure running on the field.

 

Focusing her gaze—

 

Wasn’t that Company Commander Zhang from yesterday?

 

She quickly jogged over. Seeing her approach, Zhang Yong stopped running.

 

“Company Commander Zhang, are you injured?”

 

“I’m fine. What about you, Translator Meng? Are you feeling alright?”

 

“I’m okay, nothing serious. But… why is everyone else going to eat, and you’re still running?”

 

Zhang Yong hesitated before answering, somewhat awkwardly:

 

“…During last night’s operation, I made a serious mistake. The battalion commander ordered me to run ten kilometers as punishment.”

 

After a pause, he added,

 

“Also… don’t call me Company Commander Zhang anymore. I’ve been demoted to deputy company commander. It’s not appropriate now.”

 

From this short exchange, Meng Youyou more or less understood what had happened.

 

It turned out that the border patrol team had already detected something suspicious before she did. They had informed Zhang Yong via radio to let the vehicles pass, as the base had already set up an ambush ahead.

 

But her interference had disrupted the plan—and resulted in two new recruits getting injured.

 

Meng Youyou immediately became agitated.

 

“That was my fault! What does it have to do with you? How can your battalion commander blame you and even demote you? Is that how a leader should act—without distinguishing right from wrong?”

 

Zhang Yong’s expression suddenly changed. Looking past her, he quickly tried to stop her:

 

“Translator Meng, please don’t say that. You need to be careful with your words in the army.”

 

Unaware of anything unusual, she continued,

 

“If you ask me, your battalion commander is like those incompetent officials from ancient times—unable to tell right from wrong!”

 

A cold, sharp voice suddenly rang out behind her—

 

“Zhang Yong, who told you to stop? Keep running.”

 

Her throat tightened instantly, and her words were cut off.

 

“Yes, Battalion Commander.”

 

Zhang Yong immediately resumed running.

 

That icy voice lingered in her ears. Even after he ran off, her heart was still pounding uncontrollably.

 

She instinctively straightened her back and slowly turned around.

 

A man stood there like an immovable mountain.

 

His gaze was sharp as a hawk, fixed firmly on her.

 

A flicker of panic crossed Meng Youyou’s face, but she quickly composed herself.

 

“You’re his battalion commander?”

 

The man’s eyes swept over her like blades, as if piercing straight through her.

 

“Yes.”

 

Just one word—but it carried undeniable authority.

 

Meng Youyou was momentarily stunned.

 

In all her twenty-one years, she had never encountered someone like this—someone who commanded presence without even showing anger.

 

Still, she steadied herself.

 

“You must have heard what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to badmouth you behind your back… but I truly think your decision was wrong. It’s unfair to him. It wasn’t his fault.”

 

A faint, mocking smile curled at the man’s lips.

 

“If it wasn’t his fault… then whose was it?”

 

The question was deliberate.

 

Everyone present knew the answer.

 

Including her.

 

Embarrassment and frustration surged within her. After a brief internal struggle, she finally admitted it:

 

“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have interfered with your operation.”

 

Then she added defensively,

 

“I didn’t think it through. I just got here—I didn’t understand the situation. I didn’t mean to cause anyone to get hurt.”

 

“A pile of excuses,” he said coldly.

 

“You acted without understanding the situation—reckless, impulsive, and shortsighted. On the battlefield, that kind of behavior can lead to catastrophic consequences. Punishing him with ten kilometers and a demotion is already lenient.”

 

“If someone makes a mistake, they should take responsibility themselves,” Meng Youyou shot back, lifting her chin. “Don’t make others pay for it. If you want to punish someone, punish me.”

 

Huo Qingshan raised his chin slightly, one brow lifting.

 

“A specially assigned elite translator from the central government… a pampered young lady coming to our small post for experience. The entire unit is afraid of offending you. Who would dare punish you?”

 

His tone was casual—yet filled with undisguised disdain.

 

That contempt hit her head-on.

 

Her temper flared instantly.

 

“You think being a battalion commander makes you so great? Who are you looking down on? I admitted my mistake—punish me however you want, I won’t complain. But what kind of man just stands here making sarcastic remarks? That’s not manly at all. I don’t respect you one bit!”

 

Nearby soldiers who had just returned from dinner froze in place.

 

The new translator…

 

was pointing at their terrifying battalion commander and yelling—

 

“You’re not even a real man!”

 

Everyone looked like they wanted to disappear on the spot.

 

Huo Qingshan’s expression darkened like a storm about to break.

 

“Fine,” he said coldly. “You asked for it.”

 

He turned his head.

 

“Zhang Yong—stop running. Go eat.”

 

Then he looked back at her.

 

“He has five kilometers left. You’ll run it for him. No food, no sleep until you finish tonight.”

 

His gaze pressed down on her like a mountain.

 

Meng Youyou’s head spun.

 

She had always been weak—running 800 meters in university fitness tests nearly killed her.

 

Five kilometers?

 

That was basically a death sentence.

 

But—

 

She had already said those words.

 

Backing out now would be humiliating.

 

And that arrogant battalion commander would definitely laugh at her.

 

Left with no choice, she puffed up and snapped,

 

“Hmph. Fine. I’ll run. Who’s afraid of who?”

 

Then she turned and started running.

 

---

 

The sky gradually darkened.

 

The fiery sunset faded, replaced by an endless black night.

 

Meng Youyou struggled forward, her clothes soaked in sweat.

 

Her face was pale, her lips bloodless. Her breathing grew heavy, her legs felt like lead. Every step drained what little strength she had left.

 

Her hair clung messily to her damp face.

 

Her eyes were filled with exhaustion and pain—

 

but also stubborn determination.

 

Her body had already reached its limit.

 

At any moment, she might collapse.

 

But she clenched her teeth and kept going.

 

She refused to be looked down on by that man.

 

---

 

Zhong Heng, entrusted by Zhang Yong, quietly came over with food.

 

He stopped her on the field.

 

“Comrade Meng, eat something first. You’ll need energy to keep running.”

 

She looked at him.

 

His skin was a healthy wheat tone, and his bright smile broke the heavy atmosphere of the place.

 

But she refused without hesitation.

 

“I said I’d accept punishment, so I’ll see it through. Your battalion commander didn’t suddenly grow kind and allow this, did he? Or is this some kind of trap—sending you to tempt me into breaking the rules?”

 

Zhong Heng blinked in confusion.

 

“What trap? Zhang Yong asked me to bring this. You took his punishment for him—he feels bad, but he still has to write a report, so he asked me to help. Oh, right—I’m Zhong Heng.”

 

“Zhong Heng…” she murmured.

 

Then she remembered.

 

“Company Commander Zhang mentioned you. You were the one leading the ambush last night, right? Thank you… for saving me.”

 

He scratched his head shyly.

 

“It wasn’t all me. No need to thank me. It was mainly our battalion commander’s plan, and last night he was the one who—”

 

“I don’t want to talk about him.”

 

She cut him off instantly, her tone full of annoyance.