Sporadic gunfire rang out amidst the chaos. A few Trisolaran warriors attempted to break through the perimeter, but they were picked off by snipers before they could even clear the warehouse.
Because of David's warning, Chang Weisi had been mentally prepared. The moment the outer casing of the nuclear device shattered and toxic gas began to leak, he immediately ordered his troops to shift their guard to the exterior of the warehouse.
The cleanup after the chaos was a long and arduous process. It was undeniably a massive victory, yet under the shadow of an alien invasion far beyond human comprehension, no one could muster a smile.
Ye Wenjie watched with a face full of sorrow as the bodies of Trisolaran warriors were carried out of the warehouse, covered in white sheets. The elite UN forces were disciplined, and Chang Weisi's reaction had been swift. They had moved fast enough that the most serious injuries among the soldiers were merely minor wounds and negligible radiation exposure.
However, the Trisolaran warriors at the epicenter of the leak were not so fortunate. Several rebels standing near Ye Wenjie suffered extensive radiation burns; their skin tissue began to necrose and slough off. Many more, unable to evacuate to open ground in time, inhaled significant amounts of radioactive particles, requiring gastric lavage, full-body blood transfusions, or even organ transplants.
David kept a firm grip on Ye Wenjie's hand. The unconscious girl lay on the ground nearby, her shattered arm bones twisted into a gruesome position.
With the merit of capturing Ye Wenjie, David's chances of becoming a Swordholder had increased significantly. Even if his standing was still slightly short, he had his psionic abilities. With a little behind-the-scenes manipulation, he was seventy percent certain of securing the position.
Of course, doing so in the East was nearly impossible because of Luo Ji's existence. David had no intention of touching the Dark Forest Law; with psionics and the Astartes Legions, the so-called Dark Forest lost its absolute meaning.
David actually planned to let Luo Ji draw the Trisolarans' fire, giving him the breathing room to hand-craft a batch of Night Lords and send them to Trisolaris via Warp travel to see how they measured up.
David and Ye Wenjie both looked away from each other.
"David, there's an order. It came from Beijing."
Chang Weisi approached with several soldiers. The men first gave David a military salute; his heroic feat of dismantling a nuclear bomb with his bare hands had earned their genuine respect. Then, the soldiers took hold of Ye Wenjie, shackled her, and led her to a black sedan. Dozens of convoys departed simultaneously, heading for different airports around Beijing to serve as decoys.
At the moment of departure, Ye Wenjie looked back at David. Her gaze was complex—bitter, yet carrying a degree of relief and peace.
"Take care of Yang Dong for me," Ye Wenjie whispered.
Shi Qiang and Chang Weisi, standing closest, saw their eyes flicker, but both remained silent. They did not move to stop this clear violation of security protocols.
After Ye Wenjie was gone, Chang Weisi produced a document bearing the golden seal of the United Nations.
"The higher-ups require you to travel to Stockholm, Sweden, within one week to undergo a loyalty test under the supervision of all humanity."
Seeing that David didn't respond, Chang Weisi added, "It's not a bad thing, don't worry."
"Generally speaking," Shi Qiang interjected from the side, "if someone in our line of work achieves a massive merit and is suddenly called to some place you can't even find on a satellite map for a loyalty test, it usually means a promotion or a transfer to a department with a much higher security clearance."
After the day's ordeal, Shi Qiang was uncharacteristically not smoking. Instead, he stared at the sky with such focus it looked as though he was trying to burn a hole through the firmament with his gaze.
"I understand. How much prep time do I actually have?" David asked.
"A small passenger plane will be waiting for you at Beiqiao Airport in three days," Chang Weisi replied, watching a formation of J-35 fighters roar overhead.
It was late autumn. The air was crisp and slightly cool. David stood by the woods in front of the research institute, waiting for Yang Dong to finish work.
David waved to her. Yang Dong acted as if nothing had happened, nodding slightly before walking quickly toward him.
"Is there any progress in your investigation?" Yang Dong asked as she reached his side.
"No news for the time being."
David looked at the nearly perfect woman before him. She possessed profound knowledge and beauty, but unfortunately, she could not escape being burdened by her lineage. History seemed to have circled back to its starting point for her, but perhaps Yang Dong was truly the one destined to break this cycle.
Whether it was the suicide in the previous timeline or the fact that she was currently dragging David to the Civil Affairs Bureau to handle paperwork, she had already stepped halfway out of that cycle of reincarnation.
"This matter is too big. No one can guarantee that the UN tribunal won't sentence Professor Ye to death."
"..."
Yang Dong looked deep into David's eyes. "What if someone can provide vital intelligence?"
"I will do my best to mediate."
David was startled by the seriousness in Yang Dong's eyes. He hadn't expected her response to be so blunt. Her expression reminded him once again that he was in a real world. Yang Dong might have committed suicide over Ye Wenjie's betrayal of humanity, but she would also risk her life to save her mother.
"Trust me, there is a solution for everything," David promised, gripping her hand. Her fingers were cold, and her nails were trimmed short for lab work.
When the marriage registrar shook his head, explaining that due to "special reasons," the system could not approve their marriage application and that any stamp he gave would be legally void, Yang Dong closed her eyes. Her grip on David's hand tightened slightly.
"Everything is going according to plan, except for Yang Dong..."
"But as long as I become a Swordholder, I can personally erase any UN suspicions regarding her."
David walked out of a secure base built in the Lapland region of Sweden, north of the Arctic Circle, by the Earth Defense Security Department. He looked up at the beautiful aurora borealis that formed over northern Sweden every September to March.
After passing the loyalty test, David had received hints from the Department. Having knowledge of the plot, he knew this was the omen of the UN beginning to prepare the candidates for the "Wallfacers."
He was certain that because of his previous performance, he was now on the shortlist for the Wallfacer Project. The final selection would likely be announced at the UN General Assembly in January of the following year. Until then, no candidate would know the detailed contents of the list.
The Earth Defense Department had recently undergone reorganization into the Planetary Defense Council (PDC), and David's rank had been promoted from Second Lieutenant to Captain.
Meanwhile, due to its excellent quality, Black Crusade was seeing its revenue soar, providing David with a steady stream of Warp points.
In other words, he had a rare period of free time.
Walking along the Swedish beach, taking in the magnificent scenery of nature, David's mind wandered. However, during this rare moment of relaxation, a message caught his attention.
"Has the gene-seed inside Smoothbore matured this quickly... or do Night Lords naturally have a bonus when it comes to criminals?"
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Notes:
Wallfacer - Wallfacers are individuals chosen by the United Nations and given absolute authority and unlimited resources by humanity to develop secret strategies against the Trisolarans. Their plans are known only to themselves, allowing them to act without revealing their intentions—even to allies—since the enemy can monitor human communications via Sophons. The idea is that by keeping their true plans hidden within their own minds, Wallfacers can outmaneuver an opponent that has near-total surveillance, making secrecy itself humanity's greatest weapon.