1 How Can You Forget Our Allegiance To The Country, Yuer?

In a deserted and dilapidated place, haphazardly laid many dead bodies, some were shot in the chest, and some were in the head. Distinct smell of blood enveloped the whole place into a dreary atmosphere.

Burned infrastructure, and disfigured bodies denoted an earth splitting bomb explosions; turning a beautiful tourist destination into a heart-rending curse.

This place once attracted thousands of tourists from all around the world. Surrounded by green mountain range and blue ocean, it captivated people's hearts irrespective of colour, caste, and nationality.

Here dolphins kiss people through the water because they like to, not because they are trained, which itself was a miracle. People could touch clouds and feel it through their open palms, if stand on top of the mountains, while many species of birds would fly over their heads; as though, God had poured all of his kindness in this place alone.

It is said, on earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it; until now this one was one of the big pieces for sure.

In the present condition, no sane person would want to spend a single second there as the place was too gruesome and vomit inducing.

However, indifferent to the surroundings, a man and woman stood facing each other, staring deep into each other's eyes.

The six footer tall man was clad in a military uniform. One tassel and one star on his shoulder batch indicated that he was a major general.

The woman, on the other hand, was ripped off her glory. Even though she was also clad in the military uniform, there was no sign of her waist belt, pistol holder, batch or cap telling the very obvious. The twinkle that once decorated her eyes dimmed. Her all time perfectly combed hair was now a mess; face and whole body was smeared with dirt, clumsily concealing the bruises formed there.

The man slowly raised his pistol and pointed it on her forehead just above the space between her eyebrows. The dour man who was known for dismaying soldiers on the battlefield, couldn't maintain his disposition at the moment.

Unbeknownst to him, the anguish on his eyes and tremor of his hand betrayed his stoic facade.

Nonetheless, the woman in question didn't even flinch. The piston on her forehead didn't disquiet her at all, as if she was devoid of any fear. Instead, there was strange relief and unfathomable happiness on her face.

Perhaps, because the burden which had been suffocating her for years, was lifted off her chest finally.

Time had come for her nightmares to cease forever. Heh! Her karma finally came to bite her.

Until that day, Zhao Yu was afraid of her judgment day. However, at that moment? She was not. As her life was going to end by the man she loved most in the world, Zhao Yu rather considered it as a benediction to have her last moment with him.

If there was one thing Zhao Yu was anxious about at that particular moment, it was the sole fact whether his love turned into abhor for her.

"Ah Sheng, now that you have found out about my crimes... do.. you love me anymore?" Focusing her unwavering gaze on him, Zhao Yu asked the question which had been bugging her inside since the beginning of this destruction in the name of Operation Searchlight. She was afraid of the answer, yet was eager to hear it from his mouth.

He was her boyfriend. They had known each other for two years, and started dating six months ago. At first, he was averse to the idea of any romantic relationship, as he was fully committed to his work, his country, and didn't want any distraction; it would be more appropriate to call it a bait for his enemy to lure him into unwanted situations. However, she wasn't one to give up easily, after his countless refusals, she managed to slowly wiggle her way into his heart. They were supposed to get wedded on the first day of next month, on their six months anniversary.

One lone tear dropped from Lu Yunsheng's left eye. After a moment of silence which felt forever to her, he opened his mouth, "I do Yuer, and I will love you forever." He swallowed the lump on his throat, hurt. "If it was between you and I, I would choose you above me." His voice so deep, yet pleasant and smooth to hear, reverberated throughout the place surrounded by mountains.

If Zhao Yu stabbed Lu Yunsheng into his heart thousands of times, he would tolerate it muted, not a single whimper of pain would have left from his lips. He would let her have her way with him as always, however, she had to go for the country! Their country!

"How can you forget our allegiance to the country, Yuer?! How! How could you bring yourself to kill Wang Bojing, who took two bullets in order to save you in the North Hill mission? And Hu Guang, he worshipped you as his big sister, always following you around like a lost puppy! Didn't your conscience prick you while splitting all of his limbs and taking out the organs?!" Lu Yunsheng yelled at her with uncontrollable rage, and inexplicable pain in heart.

Zhao Yu smiled revealing her two rows of white pearl teeth. A kind of smile, deprived of a single ounce of joy rather filled with excruciating pain.

"When I realized my mistake or should I say crime? Heh! It was too late, Ah Sheng. Trust me, I tried to forswear but didn't have any way out. The weight of my crimes was as heavy as a mountain, it pinned me down completely, and didn't allow me to raise my head." Zhao Yu said slowly with a low voice. Her lips wobbled as tears welled up in her eyes. Even though she were to try to reform her ways, there was no way they would let her turn into a new leaf. Her haunting past would always catch up to her.

Zhao Yu knew her punishment was ineluctable and she had already accepted her destiny. She was willing to get punished for the crimes she committed, but the only thing was... she was hoping to spend a little more time with him..if possible.