Ye Fan sat up straight, adjusted his attitude, and began to narrate slowly. His voice was slightly low: "At three o'clock this afternoon, Johnny Mathius from Class Two and Yang Shixiu from Class Four encountered unidentified civilians during an armed escort. Then, one minute later, they were attacked by two armed men."
"Yang Shixiu?" I thought for a moment. The name sounded somewhat familiar. After searching in my mind, I remembered the corresponding person. "Isn't he a medic?"
"Yeah, so the ambushers weren't dealt with by them. Instead, it was an MQ-1 drone that had its mission changed temporarily."
"So, that plane was..."
"It was originally supposed to pick you up." Emilyka took over my words. "But there were anti-aircraft weapons where you were."
Ye Fan slightly lifted his chin: "That's right. So the MQ-1 drone changed its course halfway and flew to that valley. One precision-guided bomb solved all the problems."
"What happened then?" I raised my doubts.
"Let me finish." Ye Fan waved his hand, signaling me to be patient. "After the battle ended, Johnny insisted on conducting a body search on a female member among the civilians. And then..."
Ye Fan took a deep breath: "She had a bomb on her."
Both Emilyka and I sighed. The taste of coffee spread on the tip of my tongue, with an unnatural bitterness that was rather choking. I didn't say anything and just shifted my gaze out of the window. There wasn't a single ray of light in the night.
"This is the seventh one." I sighed. Amid the sadness for the sacrifice of our colleagues, there was also a sense of feeling forlorn like "when the hare dies, the fox mourns." This was the battlefield. You never knew when the companions who were still laughing and chatting beside you would leave without you realizing it. Maybe the next one would be yourself. When the first death occurred, the entire Krebell Military Base fell into a panic. But the next day, everyone returned to their normal selves - sadness wouldn't reduce the casualties. That was why in just half a month, the students in Yitlan had changed in ways that they wouldn't have even after a year of training in the academy. War was the best weapon to temper human nature. You either shot and killed others or you were the one to die. Maybe some people wouldn't be afraid of their own death, but what about those companions who were with you day and night?
Emilyka raised her head, and her sea-blue eyes stared straight at Ye Fan: "Why did she do that?"
"The official report should be released tomorrow. However, Academy C and Academy D have already reached a conclusion. It doesn't matter if I tell you now." Ye Fan sighed like us and continued in a rambling manner, "A month ago, the 'Northern Alliance' army that was still stationed here had a fierce battle with the anti-government forces in a small village. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, and almost the entire village was destroyed. That woman's husband and children died in it. Guess what? While they were fighting, they blew up a small building, and a family of four, old and young, were all buried alive. Only that woman was rescued. She came out for revenge today. She was tied up with homemade bombs all over her body. If she caught us, she would blow us up. If she caught the anti-government forces, she would blow them up too. Only that plane just now -" Ye Fan pointed to the sky, "- is carrying Johnny's remains. They will be transported back to Esbjerg overnight."
I didn't say anything and just stared out of the window without a word. Emilyka made the sign of the cross on her chest, looking holy: "Amen."
Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Emilyka answered the call, said "um" a few times, and then stood up: "I won't eat anymore. I'm setting off early tonight."
She trotted away from the restaurant, and her silver-white long hair swayed slightly, attracting many people's attention. The half-eaten steak on the table was still steaming and giving off the fragrance of black pepper.
"Can I eat it?" Ye Fan pointed at the steak. "It's a pity to waste it."
"Are you that stingy?!" I glared at him. "Just say it if you don't want to die."
"Alright." Ye Fan's expression was full of helplessness. "Anyway, I came to you for something serious. Just like the battle you had this afternoon, didn't it end strangely?"
I raised my eyebrows: "Is that it?"
"Don't interrupt. Actually, there have been more than just one or two such battles this week. On other people's territory, we can only be on the receiving end. The frequency of attacks by the anti-government forces on us is getting higher and higher. I suspect that the combat capabilities and various data of our classes have been figured out by them."
I began to understand Ye Fan's train of thought, but I was still skeptical about his inference: "According to what you said, there's someone behind them giving instructions. But that doesn't make sense. If the anti-government forces had such strength, they would have replaced Ata long ago. Why would they still need us to come here and risk our lives?"
"Yes, there is." Ye Fan lowered his voice. "Group E7 said they observed people from the 'Holy Hall'."
"The 'Holy Hall'?"
The "Holy Hall" was the name of the branch of the World Revolutionary Army in Akria and the surrounding areas. Unlike other terrorist organizations, the World Revolutionary Army had extremely huge financial and technological support. It had been lurking in the shadows all year round. When it didn't make a move, it was fine. But once it did, it would surely make a big splash.
If the "Holy Hall" was really behind this series of events, then that meant...
I stood up all of a sudden, looking serious: "Didn't you report it?!"
"I did." Ye Fan's face had a hint of bitterness. "But no one believed me upstairs. Group E7 has gone missing. I was the last person to contact them. They suspect that I'm collaborating with C4 and betraying our side."
"What should we do then?!"
"I don't know. I have to find a way to investigate this matter further. Also, you must remember..."
"Be extra careful tonight."
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