"Optimistic, friendly and loving life?" Sherman sneered. "What do you mean by optimistic? Bomb attacks or hijacking school buses? Last year alone, no less than four digits of civilians in the European Region died at your hands."
"I'm also sad for them, kid. But you should know that sometimes ordinary people have to make sacrifices for noble goals. During the Battle of Moscow, tens of thousands of civilians starved to death in the rear of Russia. Their sacrifices only appeared as numbers in history. Such sacrifices happened many times. In the Huaxia Region, there were even incidents of people exchanging their children for food to defend the city. Sacrifice is necessary. Maybe you'll understand when you reach my age."
"Come on! Seriously? There can't be anyone who actually thinks it's understandable, right?" Sherman scoffed. "I won't betray your troops or your home like you did. You really look like a Brit when you're spouting nonsense. Cut the crap and just shoot me."
"Maybe my words don't work on you, kid."
"Then what are you going to do? Hurry up and take out your gun."
"No," Bourbon shook his head and suddenly raised his voice, "Come in, Helen!"
Hearing this name, Sherman's pupils contracted, and he stared nervously at the door. The wooden door creaked, and the girl walked in bathed in sunlight. Seeing Helen, Sherman trembled all over, and finally, his words turned into a furious roar:
"B##CH! What have you done to her!"
"I didn't do anything to Miss Helen," Bourbon patiently explained aside. "Look, she's not hurt at all."
"Mr. Bourbon really didn't hurt me, Sherman," Helen chimed in beside him.
"Then what did he do to you!"
"He told me some facts."
Helen lowered her eyelids. Sherman couldn't see her eyes clearly. There seemed to be a layer of mist in them. Hearing this, he asked in a trembling voice, "You betrayed us?"
"..."
Helen didn't reply. Realizing what had happened, Sherman trembled violently and spat out a mouthful of black blood. His voice was like a desperate howl of a wild beast: "You betrayed us!"
Helen quickly joined Bourbon to hold Sherman down. There was a tinge of crying in the girl's voice: "Sherman, don't move! It's bad for your wounds!"
"You betrayed us!" Sherman stared at Helen with bloodshot eyes. Spittle mixed with blood flew everywhere as he said, "Are you worthy of Mia? Are you worthy of Hardy? They died because of you. I still remember even if you don't. Hardy died on the way to cover you. His body was torn apart by the heavy machine gun..."
"Sherman, Helen just joined us. It's different from betraying you and your companions." Bourbon glanced at his watch. The golden hands slowly moved down. "It's getting late. We should go, Helen."
"Yes."
"Where are you going?"
Sherman's voice was hoarse. The violent movements just now had drained all his strength.
"Where are you going!"
No one paid attention to him. There was only the creaking sound of the wooden door opening and closing again.
"Go and do what you should do, kid. For your..."
"For my father." Helen ran outside, and Bourbon stood at the door, watching her back.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." He murmured to himself, with the expression of the most sincere believer on his face.
Seeing the girl leave Bourbon's side, a young man from Asoke immediately raised the AKM automatic rifle in his hand and aimed at Helen's receding back. His brown face wrinkled up, and his eyes were filled with hatred, anger, and the twisted desire to see the girl's blood splattered on the spot!
"Bang!"
A gunshot different from that of the AKM rang out. A blood spurt shot up from the young man's head. His hand loosened its grip on the rifle weakly. The gerbil had raised the muzzle of the AK74M and then lowered it in less than a second. The 5.45mm bullet accurately pierced through the skull, bringing out milky-white brain matter like tofu, which spilled on the ground and soon only left dry marks.
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Two hours later, David Stoner, a Class A trainee on duty at the gate, noticed an unidentified woman approaching the base entrance. After he and another trainee, Mikhail, issued a warning to her, the woman fainted. They then immediately took her to the field hospital.
That night, the woman's identity was identified as Helen Grigaus, a trainee from Group E7 of Courtyard B who had been in a Missing in Action (MIA) status.