Anecdotes about the Seine

([-]) Dubious tasks

The war preparation week had just passed, and news came from the quick response team: something happened to Xiaoqian.

Qian Beiting didn't participate in the war preparation week, and Lu Ting knew about it, because she went on a secret mission with a team of three other people.But the news came that the mission had failed, someone had betrayed, and Xiaoqian was seriously injured, but fortunately he was rescued in the end.

Hearing the news, Lu Ting's first reaction was to go to the hospital to see her, but she was called to the office by Feng Xinduo before she could leave.

"There is a task for you." Feng Xinduo looked very serious, but strangely, he seemed a little unhappy.

"No problem." Lu Ting said, "But can you let me go and see Xiaoqian first?"

"No." Feng Xinduo flatly refused, which surprised Lu Ting.

"Why?" Lu Ting couldn't help asking.

"Because this mission is related to her." Feng Xinduo said surprisingly, "To be precise, it is related to their mission."

Lu Ting was at a loss.

After Feng Xinduo's explanation, Lu Ting finally understood that the mission that Xiaoqian participated in did not fail. Although she paid a certain price of casualties, she finally got the information she wanted to obtain.Feng Xinduo didn't want to say more about how he got it, so Lu Ting didn't ask in detail.But there is still a piece of information missing—the information is encrypted, but the Imperial Army, the mother of the code, has not mastered it, so even if the information is obtained, it is meaningless.

Feng Xinduo pushed his glasses: "Your task is to go to country Y to find General X who has access to the password master copy, start with him, and finally get the mother copy."

Lu Ting opened her mouth wide: "Am I alone?"

Feng Xinduo looked at her with scrutiny: "Yes, you are alone."

Lu Ting was puzzled: "Why me?"

Feng Xinduo wanted to say something, but he didn't say it. He just replied lightly: "Why do you ask so many questions? Just follow the order."

Lu Ting had no choice but to agree: "Yes."

The plan of the mission is as follows: Lu Ting pretends to be an international student, applies for a study visa to country Y, and approaches General X as an exchange student at the institute of science and technology of country Y, and obtains the text of the SSH private key hidden on him. Then use this private key to hack into the server to obtain the password master.

"When you arrive in country Y, an agent code-named Z will contact you. She has been lurking in country Y for many years and will take care of your mission logistics and evacuation support."

Lu Ting nodded: "Okay, I understand."

For the next month, Lu Ting was forbidden to see Xiaoqian and had no way to contact her, which made her very anxious.The Imperial Army arranged for her a passport and visa, and she was not allowed to contact the outside world. She just stayed in the camp and learned all kinds of espionage knowledge and fighting skills in case of emergencies.Lu Ting read the newspaper, only to know that the betrayer in Xiaoqian's mission had been arrested and sentenced. She even read the story of the entanglement between Xiaoqian and this person. She was shocked and worried about Xiaoqian's safety.But at this moment, she has more important tasks, but she can't do anything.

"Wait for me to come back." Lu Ting thought in her heart, "Wait for me to come back, Xiaoqian, I must have a good chat with you."

Time passed quickly, and it was time to go abroad to perform missions.Lu Ting took a midnight flight, but Feng Xinduo didn't come to see her off.In fact, it is also understandable, after all, it is a confidential task.

Lu Ting dressed up like an ordinary foreign student, carried a suitcase, and boarded the plane.

She didn't know if she was too nervous and caused physical problems. Just after getting off the plane, Lu Ting sneezed and felt that she had caught a cold.She obviously felt that her body temperature had risen, she was dizzy, and her body was in severe pain.

Sure enough, the code name Z came to pick her up. It was a somewhat short girl who looked young, only sixteen or seventeen years old.

"You are Z?" Lu Ting looked at her suspiciously.

The girl nodded, but her expression seemed a little unnatural.But Lu Ting was so sick and groggy at this time that she didn't see anything, so she followed Z and got into a car outside the airport.

Z arranged everything very well.She took Lu Ting to the residence, and when she settled down, she took her to the school to register. General X's speech was just three days later.

After making arrangements, Z left.The rest is up to her.

Everything was ready, all Lu Ting could do was wait.

The two days of waiting were very boring, so Lu Ting wandered around the capital city of Country Y.She walked under the blue sky and white clouds, walked through the museum but didn't have the desire to go in, walked through the market but didn't have anything she wanted to buy, and didn't stop by the river until the sky darkened. , sitting on a chair on the bank, staring blankly at the boats passing by on the river, and the people singing, dancing and drinking on the boats.

For some reason, she had never felt so alone.

At this moment, she tried to think back to her college days, but she felt as far away as a dream.Ever since joining the Imperial Army, everything has changed.She was forced to do something she was not good at, struggling desperately in an unfamiliar field.Countless days and nights of gritted teeth, every time I think about it, it's like sprinkling a handful of salt on the atrium. It's astringent and bitter, but it makes people feel a little satisfied.

Satisfied because of what?Maybe it's because I managed to accomplish a little after all, maybe it's because... I met that person.

If it weren't for that person's "special care" and the actions that forced her to work hard; if she didn't have the urge to prove it to others, then I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to persevere.

But anyway, she finally persisted.

If it is said that she always persevered in this way, desperately resisting the anxiety, fear, inferiority, and loneliness in her heart, if it is said that she has been desperately supporting her life that is considered successful in the eyes of outsiders for many years, but she is dead. To live in the gap in my heart, for fear of being seen.

So now, this gap should be filled by that person.

Lu Ting sat quietly by the river for a long time until the night was completely dark.

It's the day of General X's speech.Everything went smoothly and according to plan.During the lecture, Lu Ting asked General X questions in fluent English, and got the affirmation and answers from the other party, just like an excellent foreign student.Of course, everything is arranged.

After the lecture, Lu Ting easily got the chance to be alone with General X.Don't ask how you got it, and you can't tell if you ask.It can only be said that the information provided by Z was too accurate, and it deeply hit the general's vitals.

After the door of the room was closed, Lu Ting finally used the fighting skills she had practiced for a month, and easily knocked down the drunk general.According to Z's instructions, General X's hair should be shaved with an electric clipper at this time.Lu Ting was very skeptical about this order, but Z's information should not be wrong.So she fought back her nausea and shaved off her thick brown hair.

Sure enough, the general had the key tattooed on his scalp.Still mirrored.

While lamenting the excellent intelligence work of the Imperial Army, Lu Ting copied the key in front of the mirror.

According to the plan, she should send the key back to the Imperial Army headquarters in encrypted communication, and then take the nearest flight as soon as possible to leave Country Y immediately.She once asked Z how to operate when evacuating, but the strange thing is that although Z arranged every step before it very properly, when it came to the final step of evacuating, she was extremely vague and unclear.

"You can book any flight you want." Z said with evasive eyes.

Although Lu Ting was puzzled, she couldn't ask any more questions, so she secretly made up her mind to leave immediately after the task was completed, so as not to have long nights and dreams.

After sending the key back to the Imperial Army headquarters, Lu Ting felt relieved.Because she had been tense all the time, she suppressed the sickness brought by the fever and cold by herself. When she was acting, she was concentrating on it, but she didn't feel anything.But at this moment, as soon as she relaxed, she felt that splitting headache came back, as if she would fall down at any time.

But no, I have to hold on a little longer at this time, so it's important to run quickly.

Lu Ting first went back to her residence, packed her things briefly, then put on a baseball cap and sunglasses, and boarded a train heading for the airport.

When she got to the airport gate, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

The police force is abnormally large, and there are policemen in fluorescent yellow vests everywhere.Even though she was wearing sunglasses, she could still feel the scorching gaze cast from all around.The eyes can be blocked, the skin color cannot be blocked, and the hair color cannot be blocked.At first glance, it looks like a foreigner, which is always suspicious.

But it's part of the mission plan to leave the civilian flight from the airport, can it be wrong?

Lu Ting has already booked the latest flight back home, which is a joint flight from country Y.She originally wanted to check in online, but it always showed an error, so she had to go to the airport to check in by herself.

But standing in front of the machine, she hesitated.

Although at the moment she was dizzy due to the fever and her body hurt so much that she left, Lu Ting's mind was still calm.

something is wrong.Really not quite right.

She hesitated for a long time, did not check in, and went back to the gate of the airport, walking back and forth.

It was as if there was an intuition telling her, no, something will happen.

Seeing that the deadline for check-in was approaching, she began to waver. Am I a little too nervous?If you miss this flight, the next one will have to wait until tomorrow.

Forget it, long nights and many dreams, let's go.

Just as she was going back to the check-in machine to scan her passport, someone grabbed her by the arm and roughly pulled her outside.

Just as Lu Ting wanted to scream, she realized that the person who grabbed her was also wearing a baseball cap.

The man's eyes looked from under the hat, and they were a pair of big eyes.

Feng Xinduo grabbed her arm tightly and said in a low voice, "Shut up, follow me."

Lu Ting was in a fog, but following Feng Xinduo was always right, so she obediently dragged her out all the way.From the corner of her eyes, Lu Ting saw more and more police officers gathered in front of the machine where she had just swiped her passport, as if they were looking for someone who wanted to check in.

Fortunately, the two of them have already left in a hurry with their heads down.

Feng Xinduo and Lu Ting lowered their hats and walked in a hurry until they reached a small fast food restaurant near the train station.

"Just treat us as ordinary tourists." Feng Xinduo whispered in Lu Ting's ear, and then ordered hamburgers and Coke naturally.

The two of them sat down in a corner. Lu Ting already felt hungry, but she couldn't take a bite.The feeling of fever was getting stronger and stronger, and she felt ill all over.But too many mysteries have not been solved, so she cheered up and asked Feng Xinduo, "Why are you here?"

Feng Xinduo looked into Lu Ting's eyes, his expression was as calm as his tone: "Come to save you."

Lu Ting was even more puzzled: "What's going on?"

Feng Xinduo explained it succinctly.Only then did Lu Ting know that the agent Z who had been lurking for many years had actually betrayed long ago.It was she who told the police in Country Y that Lu Ting was about to take a flight back to China, that's why so many police officers stayed near the airport.

Lu Ting's first reaction was, if it's broken, wouldn't the mission fail?The key should not be fake, right?

Feng Xinduo shook his head: "You can't imagine that Z is a double agent. She has been staring at you to ensure that the key has been sent back to the headquarters before disclosing your whereabouts to the Y police."

Lu Ting was still at a loss: "What does this mean? Why did she do this?"

"I don't know either." Feng Xinduo said honestly, "Z has disappeared, and we can't contact her, so we don't know whether she really went to country Y, or ran away after cheating two sums of money."

After a pause, she continued: "But these are not important. The important thing is to transfer you back as soon as possible."

At this moment, Lu Ting only felt dizzy in her head and couldn't hold it anymore.Panting heavily, she couldn't help but lay down on the table, gritted her teeth, and showed pain on her face.

Seeing this, Feng Xinduo quickly sat beside her, and reached out to touch her forehead. "God, it's so hot." Feng Xinduo said in a low voice.Seeing Lu Ting trembling, she took off her coat and put it on her body.

"I'm fine." Lu Ting wanted to support herself and sit upright, but her body softened, her eyes darkened, and she fell heavily into the arms of the person in front of her, and then she didn't know anything.

When she woke up again, Lu Ting found that she was in a closed room.Everything around her was shaking slightly, so she judged that she was on a boat.

Looking around again, Feng Xinduo was sitting on a cushion with his legs crossed, dozing off little by little.She was already thin and small, and she was even smaller when she was holding her, which made people feel a little pitiful.

Feeling that Lu Ting seemed to wake up, Feng Xinduo raised his head, woke up, and looked at her quietly.

The two of them just looked at each other quietly until Lu Ting coughed and broke the silence: "Are we on the boat back home?"

Feng Xinduo nodded.

Lu Ting lifted the quilt, got out of bed and stood up, still feeling dizzy, but it was indeed much better than before.She looked at the medicine bottle and a glass of water on the table, and guessed that Feng Xinduo should have given herself medicine.She turned around, walked to Feng Xinduo, sat down too, and said, "Thank you."

Feng Xinduo was taken aback for a moment, but smiled: "You are still the same, you just want to hold on."

Lu Ting retorted solemnly: "No, I'm really strong, not stubborn." But after she finished speaking, she laughed herself, showing her white teeth.

Feng Xinduo also smiled, very flatly, but there were stars in his eyes.

"So this mission was successful, right?" Lu Ting asked suddenly, her eyes full of expectation.

Feng Xinduo didn't look at her, but just looked out the window, nodded vaguely, with a trace of anxiety in his eyes.

Lu Ting didn't notice it, but clapped her hands happily: "That's great. I've completed two tasks!" She looked at Feng Xinduo expectantly, "Will there be any commendation and promotion when I go back?"

Feng Xinduo smiled and said, "There should be."

Then the two of them didn't talk much.Soon it was time for dinner, because Feng Xinduo reached a private agreement with the head of the warehouse on the ship, the two stayed on the ship as smugglers, so the meals were brought in quietly.

While eating the cold and hard bread and cheese, the two chatted indiscriminately.Lu Ting hadn't eaten something for a long time, so no matter how hard it was to swallow, she ate happily because she was so hungry.Feng Xinduo stopped after eating a little.Lu Ting asked her why she didn't eat, she said with a smile: "I used to eat very little."

Then Lu Ting unceremoniously ate the rest of her.

After she was full, Lu Ting was obviously much more energetic.She began to express her envy for Feng Xinduo's qualifications in a teasing way: "You are from the junior class, right? You went to university at the age of 15, graduated at the age of 19, and then joined the technical team."

Feng Xinduo nodded: "How do you know?"

"I saw that report, the star of the Imperial Army." Lu Ting said, "I really envy you, your technical ability is so good."

Feng Xinduo smiled and shook his head: "It's not very useful, I don't do technology directly now."

Lu Ting said: "That's right, you are the captain now." She hugged her legs, looked out of the window, and said with some disappointment: "If only I could be like you."

Feng Xinduo looked at her expression, bowed his head and remained silent.

Suddenly, she raised her head again and asked Lu Ting, "Have you always worked so hard?"

"Desperate?" Lu Ting was taken aback, "It's not really a desperation. It's just... I want to do things better, and then do a few more things that can be done well." She smiled, "After all, I really have nothing natural. It seems that there is no advantage in talent."

"Why not?" Feng Xinduo looked serious and angry, "You don't need to prove that you are good, do you understand? You are already good."

Hearing this, Lu Ting was stunned suddenly, and then her eye circles turned red.

She sniffed, dabbed a couple of times on her face, and showed that iconic smile again: "I know, I'm already fine."

The voice seemed a little choked up, and a little happy.

Then the two of them didn't talk much until the boat docked.This is a dock in a neutral country. If you arrive here safely, you can fly back directly.

On the plane, Lu Ting felt unprecedented peace of mind, and finally successfully completed the mission, returning to China was just around the corner, with Feng Xinduo by her side.She looked at Feng Xinduo, but found that the latter couldn't hide his worry, frowning, and his eyes didn't know where to look.

Lu Ting couldn't help asking her in doubt: "What's wrong with you?"

Feng Xinduo came back to his senses, and his expression became calm again: "It's okay."

If she didn't say anything, Lu Ting couldn't ask any more questions. She just rolled her eyes in her heart, put on her blindfold, and fell asleep.

What Lu Ting didn't see was that Feng Xinduo didn't sleep for a second during the nearly ten-hour air travel.Just quietly looking at her sleeping face, looking all the way.

Many years later, when Lu Ting thinks back, she will know that the reason why she kept looking at her like this at that time is probably because she already knew that once the two of them set foot on the land of the empire, she might never see her again. It's her time.