Once We Lived in Nanjing

Chapter 172: Final Act (1)_2



But he was just a senior in high school, only eighteen years old—what did this huge upheaval in life bring to him?

As a counselor, Lian Qiao was powerless to extricate Bai Yang from this mire, believing that no one could manage it. Bai Yang was already strong enough and well-protected. Anyone else might have already had a mental breakdown.

Lian Qiao could only watch helplessly as Bai Yang sank deeper and deeper, until he was completely engulfed—on the evening of January 3rd at eight o'clock, BG4MSR returned to Meihua Villa early.

Bai Yang was surprised, but his surprise quickly turned into astonishment, and then into panic.

"Why did you come back? Was the nuclear bomb successfully detonated? Now... Now Meihua Villa is still not safe…"

"Listen to me, BG, listen to me." The girl gasped, "I don't know how much time I have left, I need to go up now and tie the handheld radio to the Yagi Antenna, switch the radio to satellite signal, you can receive the satellite signal, right? The relay satellite, test if the link is clear."

"Wait... what are you saying? What are you talking about?"

Bai Yang was dumbfounded.

What is all this suddenly about?

The other party sighed, fell silent for a few seconds, and then said softly:

"BG, Bai Yang, the plan was successful, the nuclear bomb was detonated, and next I'm going to First Base to retrieve all the stored data, completing the final objective of the mission."

"No... you don't need to rush, you can't come back, you should stay in the safe zone for a full week..."

"There's no time,"

the girl said.

"I... I don't understand, Miss, what's happening on your side? Tell us what happened, let the headquarters make a plan for you."

"Don't waste words, the nuclear bomb was indeed successfully detonated, but the bad news is that killing one attracted a whole bunch, and they're about to land in Nanjing. Once they land, it'll be no longer possible to retrieve the data from First Base, I'm not sure how much time I have left, listen carefully, now execute the preset plan, I'm going to switch the radio signal, there will be a period of silence, but soon you will be able to receive data, do you understand? If you understand, respond to me."

The girl's voice was fast and urgent, spilling out her words like pouring beans.

"Understood."

"Don't worry, I'm running to the Purple Observatory Office Building, believe me, I can run very fast... an hour, at most an hour, and you will be able to receive the data."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Bai Yang roared, "You can't go! It's not safe! It's not safe there!"

The other side shouted back:

"If I don't go, will you? If not, then shut up!"

Bai Yang was suddenly speechless.

He sat on the chair in a daze, almost unable to hold his microphone.

The girl suddenly became hysterical.

"Think about me too, BG." Ban Xia's voice slowly lowered, "I was halfway to escaping and then turned back, but what can I do? If there is only you left in this world, if you don't do it no one else will... wait for me an hour, at most two hours, I'm running there, you know I can run very fast."

"You don't have this responsibility." Bai Yang's voice trembled, "Escape, don't worry about these things anymore, the farther the better..."

"But I want to save you all."

The connection was interrupted, Ban Xia switched the radio signal, she tied the handheld radio to the rooftop Yagi Antenna and set the Icom725 radio to receive the satellite signal mode beforehand.

These action plans had been rehearsed many times with headquarters, making her very familiar with the process. Evidently, Ban Xia believed she didn't have time to reach First Base and then return to Meihua Villa to open the satellite reception link, so she had to keep the handheld radio on the rooftop and switch the radio to satellite signal reception mode before departing. This method was convenient, but it would also cause them to lose contact.

The headquarters was in uproar.

A sudden thunder made the relaxed people jump up. Bai Zhen and Wang Ning almost couldn't believe it, while Zhao Bowen furiously cursed in the living room, unsure who he could even curse at.

But they could do nothing, everyone was trapped in a long and powerless silence.

And what would be the ultimate outcome of this wait?

No one dared to speculate or predict anymore, and Zhao Bowen slumped down on the couch, burying his face deep in his hands. As the main promoter of the entire plan, the core leader of the whole team, this man who always unscrupulously pushed forward, was finally helpless and could only quietly await fate's judgement.

The radio only filled with prolonged silence, a silence that might never end.

Bai Yang endured what might be the most unbearable two hours of his life, Lian Qiao was speechlessly mute. There was nothing she could do, not even hugs were of any use, if hugs were useful she would rather hug that young girl fighting alone, all these people huddled in a peaceful and orderly era yet utterly useless, what a bunch of failures.

Every two seconds in the living room, a "beep—" sounded, it was the beacon of the relay satellite, the continuous sound meant the data link was clear, but a clear link was meaningless without data passing through.

Bai Zhen and Wang Ning looked at each other, not daring to speak.

Compared to Bai Yang, they were even more clueless and helpless, this was a completely unexpected scenario, everything was going well, so many obstacles were overcome, so many problems solved, no great adversity could stand against a determined heart, their confidence was bursting—yet a sudden blow knocked several old monsters back to square one, fate just took a tiny twist and flung them beyond sight.


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