The smell of disinfectant from the base hospital had not yet dissipated, and a sense of victory mixed with tragedy, exhaustion, and repression, like a heavy leaden cloud, enveloped the entire base.
Old Zhao battled death in the intensive care unit, the twisted wreckage of the "Shadow" silently testified in a corner of the hangar, and the reconnaissance data stained with blood and irrefutable evidence was locked in the base's most core top-secret archive.
Late at night, the core members of the project team were secretly summoned to a highly shielded meeting room deep inside the base.
The air was so heavy you could wring water out of it.
Zhang Meng stood at the end of the long table, her face tired but carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
In front of him was an open, lead-sealed document box with a top-secret serial number.
“Comrades,” Zhang Meng’s voice was low and hoarse, yet it struck a chord clearly in everyone’s hearts, “the highest level… commendation order.”
There was no applause, no cheers.
Everyone held their breath.
Su Xuan straightened his back, his eyes flashing with a complex light.
Wang Tiezhu hung his head, his hands clenched tightly. Jiang Feng stood like a statue by the door, his sharp eyes scanning the room and the outside world.
Mingzhao sat to Zhang Meng's right, still wearing the same faded work clothes, as calm as an ancient well.
Zhang Meng took out an order printed on the highest-level encrypted paper from the document box and began to read it aloud.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried immense power:
"We hereby commend all members of the Xuan Ying Project Team for their bravery, outstanding skills, and unwavering will and exceptional wisdom in Operation Sky Curtain, which successfully defended the dignity of the nation's airspace, thwarted enemy provocations, and achieved a landmark strategic victory!"
Special Recognition:
"Comrade Zhang Meng, as the chief person in charge of the project, commanded with composure, overcame all objections, and made outstanding contributions!"
"Comrade Mingzhao, as the core of the technology team, had a clear understanding of the overall situation, turned the tide, and made great contributions!"
"Comrade Zhao Weiguo (Old Zhao), as a test flight hero, possessed superb skills and an iron will. Despite his serious injuries, his spirit will live on forever!"
"Comrade Jiang Feng, responsible for security, confidentiality, and counter-espionage, is keenly observant, decisive in action, and has made outstanding contributions!"
"Su Xuan and all the technical and support staff worked together diligently and overcame difficulties; their contributions are indispensable!"
As she read each name, Zhang Meng's gaze swept over the person being mentioned as if branded with a heavy mark.
When the words "Comrade Zhao Weiguo, seriously wounded, but whose spirit lives on" were read, his voice trembled slightly, Su Xuan bit his lip, and Wang Tiezhu's shoulders shrugged slightly.
"Given the extremely sensitive nature of the operation, the results are of paramount importance,"
Zhang Meng's voice suddenly turned into a more solemn tone, as if reading a verdict.
"Project Shadow, its existence and all related technical details, the entire process of Operation Sky Curtain and its final results are classified as top state secrets! All participants, including those being honored, must strictly maintain secrecy! Their achievements must not be publicly publicized! Their honors will forever remain in the archives and history! Violators will be treated as traitors!"
The last eight words, like icicles, pierced the hearts of everyone.
The temperature inside the meeting room seemed to drop suddenly.
"Eternal silence."
Zhang Meng put down the order, looked around at everyone, and her tired but sharp eyes held an undeniable power.
"This is the path we have chosen. For a stronger tomorrow, today's glory must be buried in darkness. Your names, your achievements, will only be remembered by this land, this sky, and the highest archives... Comrades, can you do it?"
Silence. A deathly silence.
Immense glory and heavy shackles descended simultaneously.
The excited light in Su Xuan's eyes was replaced by a deep, sorrowful resolve.
Wang Tiezhu raised his head, looking at the commendation order with a complicated expression, then at Zhang Meng and Mingzhao, and finally let out a heavy sigh and slowly nodded.
Jiang Feng straightened his back and silently gave a standard military salute, his eyes as firm as iron.
Mingzhao's gaze fell on his own name on the commendation order.
Her expression remained unchanged, as if it were merely an insignificant symbol.
Her fingertips unconsciously brushed over the newly released detailed analysis report on the "silent" material's internal crack propagation path and degradation mechanism under extreme high temperatures.
The report's cold conclusions garnered far more attention than the words on the commendation order.
"Meeting adjourned," Zhang Meng announced.
Everyone silently rose and took turns signing and affixing their fingerprints to the confidentiality agreement.
The atmosphere was as oppressive as attending a silent funeral.
Mingzhao was the last to leave the meeting room.
She didn't go back to her dormitory, but went straight to the materials laboratory. The corridor was empty and quiet in the dead of night, with only the sound of her own footsteps echoing.
At the laboratory entrance, an inconspicuous young soldier in a logistics uniform stopped her and respectfully handed her a small, unmarked kraft paper package.
"Comrade Mingzhao, this was handed over by the guard room. They said it's your... special part."
Mingzhao took the package. It was very light.
She returned to the lab bench and disassembled it under the cold light.
There were no parts inside, only a few oddly shaped dark gray metal substrates carefully wrapped in anti-static cotton, with extremely complex micro-circuits etched on them.
Underneath the substrate, there was a folded piece of ordinary paper.
Unfold the letter.
There was no title, no signature. Only a simple sketch drawn with a few pencil strokes:
The drawing depicts an old-fashioned tube radio with a small wrench next to it.
The radio's tuning knob was deliberately drawn in the shape of a miniature gear.
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