"Cuckoo...cuckoo...cuckoo..."

That's the call of a cuckoo.

The other people in the dormitory were still fast asleep, completely oblivious to the birdsong in the dead of night. To them, it was probably just a wild bird in heat in the mountains.

But Su Tang's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly in the darkness.

This is not an ordinary bird call.

This was an emergency communication code that she and Qin Ye had agreed upon long ago.

Three short "cuckoo" calls signify an emergency and an immediate meeting.

Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately sat up in bed. Her movements were as light as a cat's, without making a sound. She quickly and silently put on her training uniform.

She listened intently to the sounds inside the dormitory, making sure everyone was still asleep. Then, like a shadow, she silently slid off the bed, landing without a sound, and bypassed any clutter that might make noise, arriving at the door.

She slipped out and, using the same technique, closed the door again from the outside, the whole process flowing smoothly.

The night breeze was cool and refreshing, carrying the unique scent of grass and trees from the mountains and forests.

Su Tang took a deep breath, suppressing all the speculations in her mind. With a flash, she disappeared into the thick shadows behind the barracks.

Like a nimble cheetah, Su Tang avoided all the patrol routes and arrived at the destination they had set in less than five minutes.

From afar, she spotted that familiar figure.

Qin Ye stood with his back to her on a boulder, dressed in a crisp training uniform, his posture as straight as a pine tree. The cool moonlight shone on his broad shoulders, casting a long shadow of him, exuding an aloofness and coldness that blended seamlessly with the night.

He seemed to sense her arrival and slowly turned around.

Their eyes met.

There were no words, but the tense, volatile atmosphere in the air vanished instantly.

Su Tang quickly stepped forward, lowered her voice, and asked with a hint of urgency that she herself didn't realize: "What happened?"

Qin Ye didn't answer immediately. He reached out and casually tucked a stray lock of her hair, ruffled by the night breeze, behind her ear. His fingertips were icy cold, and their touch on her warm cheek sent a slight shiver through him.

"Are you cold?" His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible tenderness.

"Let's get down to business." Su Tang subtly dodged. She didn't like this feeling, as if something was beyond her control.

Qin Ye looked at her feigned composure, and a complex emotion flashed in her usually calm eyes.

He paused for a moment, then took out a stack of things from his shirt pocket.

It was a stack of neatly folded manuscript paper, its color pale in the moonlight.

"There's something you need to see." He handed the stack of papers to Su Tang.

Su Tang's heart sank again. She took the stack of papers; they felt damp to the touch and carried a faint smell of sweat, as if they had been taken from someone's pocket.

She unfolded the manuscript paper.

On the first page, a line of large, crooked yet powerful characters written in red ink immediately catches the eye.

"A tearful, real-name report! Female soldier Su An and male soldier Gao Kai of the Third Battalion have violated military discipline, engaged in illicit affairs, and driven someone to death! They are suspected of being enemy agents. I request the organization to conduct a thorough investigation!"

Every word seemed to be written with blood and resentment, mad and ferocious.

Su Tang's pupils suddenly contracted.