Under the moonlight

The next morning, they took their walkie-talkies with them, communicated with their two colleagues, and then set off ahead.

Because the main city was blocked, the only way to get to the port was through the main city. Huang Meng and Xu Ao came to the blockade line just like yesterday. Huang Meng recognized the mercenary who had spoken to them yesterday. He was leaning against the car door. Huang Meng walked directly to him and said, "Hello, we came here yesterday. If you want to get to the port, please move the obstacles."

Xu Ao followed closely behind Huang Meng. The mercenary stood up, straightened his clothes, glanced at Huang Meng, and said nothing. He walked straight to the edge of the blockade, said a few words to the mercenaries on guard, and then waved to them. After Huang Meng and Xu Ao walked over, they saw that the mercenaries had already cleared a path. After watching Huang Meng and Xu Ao walk over, they quickly restored the blockade. After Huang Meng walked over, she turned around and saw that the mercenary was leaning against the car door again, just like before.

Stepping into the main urban area once again, Huang Meng instantly felt every cell in her body tense up. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled to relieve her tension.

Since the bombing began, Xu Ao had been in the embassy. During those days, bombs rained down from the sky, and he watched them crash to the ground. He could imagine how horrific the place would be under the impact of the bombardment.

The shock of what they saw far exceeded their imagination. There was nowhere to put their feet. The once wide road was now piled with fallen boulders mixed with steel bars. All the buildings along the roadside were destroyed, with only the relatively solid foundations remaining. Many people were resting against the walls that had not yet collapsed.

Before they even moved forward, they could already see many corpses lying under the boulders, crushed to death. Xu Ao saw a boy under a rock not far from where they were standing, his big eyes staring blankly at the sky, his head sunken as if it had been emptied out.

Xu Ao clearly saw a flying insect land on his eyeball; those large eyes were already lifeless. Xu Ao took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the churning sensation in his stomach. He turned to look at Huang Meng, whose pained expression suggested she was in no better shape than him. Xu Ao glanced back at what lay behind him; the distance of only a few hundred meters felt like the vastness of heaven and hell.

Xu Ao looked at Huang Meng and said, "Let's go. It's still a bit far from the port, and it'll probably take a while to walk." He took Huang Meng's hand and slowly made his way towards the main city area, looking for a path to step on.

Huang Meng looked at Xu Ao walking in front of her, and then looked around. The atmosphere was even more lifeless than when she left. Surprisingly, she wasn't as flustered as she had been at the beginning, since she had someone with her this time.

Xu Ao walked ahead, his brows furrowing deeper as he went further in. He could no longer distinguish where the road was; everywhere was gravel and even corpses that had begun to rot.

Although the bombings stopped for three days, all the water and electricity in the main urban area were destroyed. Xu Ao looked up at the destroyed buildings around him; it seemed that the hospital and other infrastructure must have been destroyed long ago. These unclaimed corpses could only be left here to rot. Xu Ao sniffed; sure enough, there was a foul smell in the air, not very strong but hard to ignore. If this continued, the living would face another test from death.

"Do those new policymakers want to turn the main urban area into a dead city? They just want to seize power, why go to such lengths? What did these ordinary people do wrong?" Huang Meng said with a gloomy face.

She also discovered that although the main city was already a ruin when she left, the people there still had the will to struggle for survival. They would still run among the ruins, searching for food or a way out. But now, after walking for so long, they hadn't seen any living people like them, and the occasional appearance of one or two rotting corpses sent chills down her spine.

Xu Ao tightened his grip on the small hand in his palm and said helplessly, "They just want to force the current leader to hand over power through this means. But once the power is handed over, the future development of this country will be greatly changed. They believe that the current policy is the most suitable for the development of their country. So they are willing to sacrifice the lives of some people in the main urban area of ​​a city in exchange for the stable development of the whole country. They have considered the importance of each other much more deeply."

Huang Meng looked up at Xu Ao's profile, his expression resolute yet sorrowful. She thought of the many dynasties that had risen and fallen in C country, many of which had seen sacrifices and bloodshed in exchange for a prosperous and peaceful era. She sighed, said nothing more, and only wanted to reach the port as quickly as possible.

Xu Ao led Huang Meng along the way, and they stopped at what seemed like a crossroads. There were several people searching through the ruins, and they finally found someone still alive.

They exchanged a glance and went forward. A gaunt man was struggling to turn over a large rock. Xu Ao quickly went to help. The man looked up and nodded to Xu Ao in thanks. Huang Meng looked at his profile and felt that he was very familiar. She moved in front of the man and asked inquiringly, "Nasha?"

The man looked up at Huang Meng when he heard someone call his name. He was stunned for a moment. Huang Meng saw the man's deep-set eyes and his sunken face, which only showed high cheekbones and a straight nose. She could hardly believe that this was Nasha.

Huang Meng stared blankly for a long time without uttering a word. Nasha, seeing that it was indeed Huang Meng, excitedly said, "Meng, you, you, what are you doing here? Didn't you go to the embassy?"

It wasn't until she heard the familiar voice that Huang Meng was certain that the person in front of her was Nasha, who had helped her before. Huang Meng looked him up and down. He was thin and emaciated. What difference was there between him and a corpse lying on the ground? He was just an empty shell.

Huang Meng excitedly stepped forward and looked at Nasha, saying, "What are you doing here? Are Yaqin and the others alright?"

Xu Ao, seeing the expressions on the two people's faces, knew they knew each other, so he remained silent and stood quietly to the side. Nasha looked at Huang Meng excitedly and said, "They're all well. We're still in the same shelter you left in. Would you like to go see them?"

Huang Meng nodded excitedly, but then, remembering that they still had things to do, she lowered her head and looked at Xu Ao with some difficulty. Xu Ao understood and asked directly, "What's wrong? Tell me."

“This is Nasha; her family saved me before.”

Seeing her hesitant expression and the expectation in Nasha's eyes, Xu Ao smiled at Nasha and then said to Huang Meng, "I know you probably want to meet them too, but we still have a mission. If we don't arrive at the port by the agreed time..." Xu Ao didn't finish his sentence. He looked deeply at Huang Meng, thinking she should understand what he meant.

Sure enough, a hint of disappointment flashed in Huang Meng's eyes, but she quickly recovered. She looked at Nasha and said, "I'm doing well at the embassy. Today we need to go to the port. Our supply ship has been detained, and we need to get it back."

After Huang Meng finished speaking, Nasha slowly nodded and said, "Okay, then. You still have things to do, so go ahead." Looking at Nasha's haggard face, Huang Meng couldn't help but ask, "Have you eaten enough? Is Duowa alright?"

Nasha's eyes dimmed instantly, but she still managed a forced smile and said, "It's alright, we're not eating much, but we can still manage. I believe our motherland will not abandon us."

Looking into his eyes, Huang Meng saw the unwavering determination in them—even in the depths of despair, he still believed in his country. She sniffled, her nose stinging, and forced a smile, saying, "Okay, sure. I'll bring you some food when I have the chance. You must take good care of yourselves."

After saying goodbye to Nasha, they continued walking towards the port. Because the explosion had almost completely destroyed all the buildings and the roads were covered in rubble, they had difficulty discerning directions and could only rely on their general bearings. Xu Ao held Huang Meng's hand the whole time, and seeing her sorrowful expression, he asked, "Hey, what do you think our relationship is now?" Huang Meng was preoccupied with Nasha's family and didn't react to his sudden question.

"Huh? What kind of relationship?" Huang Meng looked up at him in confusion.

"It's just the two of us?" Xu Ao lifted their hands and shook them, looking at Huang Meng with a smile in his eyes.

She then realized what he meant and felt embarrassed. She lowered her head and muttered softly, "It's just... that kind of relationship."

Seeing her shy expression, Xu Ao seemed to feel much better. He smiled and said, "Look, we've held hands and kissed, so aren't we boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"What, what do you mean by boyfriend and girlfriend? I haven't thought about it yet," Huang Meng said somewhat guiltily, glancing at her hand that he was holding tightly.

"Hmm, I see. How much longer do you need to think about it?"

"What's wrong? Are you losing patience?"

"No, I have plenty of patience and endurance. I'm just afraid you won't be able to stand the loneliness."

Xu Ao whispered the last few words into Huang Meng's ear, and almost instantly her ears turned red. Xu Ao seemed very satisfied with his masterpiece, his eyes smiling and the little tiger teeth peeking out from the corners of his mouth showing his good mood.

Huang Meng was speechless for a moment. How could her blank dating experience compare to this experienced old fox? She angrily pulled her hand out of his palm, glared at Xu Ao hatefully, and strode forward.

Watching her puffed-up back, Xu Ao laughed even more heartily. Only these witty remarks could ease her tense and uneasy mood. However, the smile in his eyes soon disappeared, replaced by a calm and solemn expression that was completely opposite to what he had just seen. He looked at the sea not far ahead. The port had been reached.

Xu Ao quickly stepped forward, clenched the restless little hand in his own, and said to Huang Meng in a deep voice, "We've arrived at the port. You'll stand behind me in a moment, remember that." After hearing him finish speaking, Huang Meng looked up and saw that the road in front of her was still full of gravel. She had to stand on tiptoe to see the sea and a building that looked like a lighthouse on the sea.

Huang Meng said irritably, "Hmph, being tall is an advantage."

Xu Ao reached out and pinched her smiling face, saying with a smile, "Go back and vent your anger, do whatever you want, sweetie. This isn't the time for you to act cute with me." Huang Meng was speechless. When had she ever acted cute with him?

However, as Huang Meng watched the port draw closer, she gradually became nervous, not knowing what kind of situation she would face later.

As the two walked to the port, the mercenaries guarding the side immediately surrounded them. After Huang Meng explained the situation to them, she was taken to the lighthouse built on the sea that she had just seen.

To get there from the road, they had to cross a pier built over the sea. Huang Men followed behind Xu Ao, observing their surroundings. Besides the pier they were on, there should have been many lighthouses along the coastline, but they all seemed to have been demolished, leaving only the one in front of them. S country was a small country with a relatively short coastline, and this city only had one side facing the sea; the rest was mountainous. That's why it could be so easily blocked off. Apart from the airport, the sea was the only way for this city to connect with the outside world.

They were led into the lighthouse, where several mercenaries, presumably their officers, sat. The man who brought them in saluted at the door and left. Xu Ao walked ahead and stood before them, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly: "We are representatives of the C country embassy. Our supply ship has been detained in port, and we have come to retrieve our supplies." Huang Meng, standing behind Xu Ao, translated his words word by word.

The group exchanged a knowing smile, and Huang Meng noticed a hint of disdain in their laughter. She inwardly cursed, realizing that these people were not as simple as they seemed.

She glanced furtively at Xu Ao, whose tall, imposing back completely blocked her view. His hands, hanging loosely at his sides, betrayed no nervousness. Then she heard his calm voice: "We just need to retrieve our own supply ship. I don't think you want to cause any more trouble." Huang Meng then translated his words, and her heart calmed down. For some reason, she felt a strange trust in him.