Redemption - Novelbike

…

Nanhai Middle School

April 3, 2012, 5:00 PM

There are still

twenty-two hours left until the disaster

Finally, amidst the gloom, frustration, and chaos, this unbearable afternoon dragged on at a crawl.

Throughout the afternoon, Zong Rui was restlessly watching Jia Ying, who was equally restless. Seeing her in distress only made his own anxiety worse. But it couldn’t be blamed on Zong Rui being overly sentimental; the bizarre events of the day were more than what most people would encounter in a lifetime, leaving the typically sharp-minded boy at a complete loss. The most troubling part for him was the mysterious boy in white and his cryptic words before leaving. Everything combined made Zong Rui feel as if he had put on a shoe filled with cockroaches-his mood was utterly ruined.

As soon as the bell rang, Jia Ying quickly stood up and walked out of the classroom. It seemed she had been anticipating this moment. Zong Rui intended to stop her one more time, but he quickly dismissed that thought. He knew that the biggest burden on her heart was her father’s ambiguous death. If someone claimed to know the ins and outs of the situation, there was no doubt that this girl, tormented by the issue for a whole decade, would be willing to take any risk. Stopping her now would be futile; the only thing he could do was to try to keep her as safe as possible.

Unlike usual, Jia Ying didn’t call for Zong Rui or any of her close friends to join her, but walked alone with her head down toward the school gate. Zong Rui looked at the sorrowful yet determined girl, sighed softly, and then seemed to make up his mind, quickly catching up with her. When Jia Ying noticed him following, she let out a gentle sigh and said, “You really don’t have to try to persuade me; I won’t listen to any advice…”

Zong Rui’s lips curved into a slight smirk as he replied, “I’m not here to persuade you. Since you’ve decided to do this, then as your… classmate, even if it’s a foolish decision, I can only go along with you. Alright, no more talking. I’m going with you.”

As he finished speaking, Zong Rui stepped forward ahead of her. Jia Ying stood still, momentarily stunned, watching the boy’s figure as he moved under the fading glow of the setting sun, which was about to sink into the ocean. For a fleeting moment, she thought he looked a little heroic. Her eyes grew moist, but she quickly shook her head firmly. She wasn’t the type to let anyone see her vulnerable side. Being self-reliant was part of her overly proud nature.

A few seconds later, Jia Ying lifted her head again. This time, the sorrow and worry in her expression were completely replaced by a newfound determination-and perhaps even a spark of excitement. As she replayed Zong Rui’s words in her mind, she murmured softly to herself, “Together, we’ll make this mistake all the way to the end… Thank you, Zong Rui. As a return…”

At that point, she glanced at the boy’s silhouette walking toward the sunset. Her face shifted slightly, a faint blush rising to her originally pale cheeks. She lowered her voice and said, “I’ll stick with you to the end as well…”

First Secret Document – Declassified

Document Number: A1

Title: The Jia Yi Incident

Recorder: Breissel Company Confidential Archives Bureau

Record Time: June 2002

Jia Yi, male, born December 1964. Enlisted in the People’s Liberation Army of Country Z in June 1983. Due to his exceptional talent in marksmanship and his relentless training efforts, he was promoted to sergeant that same year. In 1984, he rose to junior officer rank. Thanks to his outstanding achievements in combat, he was later promoted to captain. According to military records, no one in the entire military region could surpass Jia Yi in shooting competitions-he was an unrivaled sniper.

Upon retiring from the military, Jia Yi was assigned to the Public Security Bureau in Nanhai City, where he married Zhang Lin, a female police officer. The couple had a daughter, Jia Ying. Tragically, less than a year after Jia Ying’s birth, Zhang Lin passed away from illness. Jia Yi never remarried. Instead, he became even more obsessed with refining his sniper skills, earning several national shooting championships.

Years later, Jia Yi left his post at the Nanhai City Public Security Bureau and traveled to Africa, where he accidentally discovered one of the company’s secret bases and forced his way in. After clashing with Captain Weber, the head of the base’s sniper defense team, Jia Yi managed to uncover part of the company’s confidential information. During the confrontation, he injured Captain Weber and escaped with a stolen firearm. Concerned that Jia Yi’s knowledge might jeopardize the company’s plans, the decision was made to send Captain Weber to eliminate him.

After returning to Country Z, Jia Yi did not publicly expose the company’s secrets. In 2002, while Jia Yi was preparing to participate in another national shooting competition, Captain Weber ambushed and killed him on his way home. Following the assassination, Captain Weber promptly fled Country Z. The operation left no traceable evidence, and despite the public uproar caused by Jia Yi’s death, law enforcement in Country Z never suspected the company’s involvement. As a result, the company’s confidential information remained secure.

In light of this incident, the company resolved to enhance its security measures. Moreover, since Nanhai City was home to one of its branch offices, the company decided to expedite its experimental project. Nanhai City was added to the candidate list for the experiment and was highly likely to be selected as the final site.