Blood Queen

Western Military District Logistics Compound, a family residential building.

The home of Han Guowei, Deputy Commander of Shadow Arrow Western Surveillance District, welcomed a rare guest on Saturday: Meng Huai, current leader of the Xuan Jia Squad.

When Meng Huai appeared outside the door carrying a bag of fruit, Han Xiao could hardly believe her eyes.

"Little Meng is here, come in and sit! Why did you bring fruit?"

Mother Han came forward, looking very pleased at the tall, handsome young man before her, while also nudging her daughter's arm: "Go call your father. What overtime is he working on the weekend? Tell him to come back quickly, we're about to have lunch."

Han Xiao looked suspiciously at Meng Huai in his formal suit, still not understanding why he would appear at her home today in this appearance.

In her memory, the few times Meng Huai had visited, he was always in military uniform.

Urged by her mother, Han Xiao walked toward her bedroom with some strange thoughts, almost turning back every three steps.

She found her phone by the bedside and quickly connected to her father's office. On the phone, Han Guowei was also somewhat surprised, but knowing that Meng Huai's visit today must have a reason, he smiled and agreed to his daughter's words.

Just as she was about to leave the bedroom, Han Xiao suddenly saw her reflection in the wardrobe mirror, dressed in the most plain home clothes possible, which clearly made Han Xiao feel somewhat uncomfortable.

After hesitating, Han Xiao still closed the door tightly, then opened her wardrobe, picking and choosing with gains and losses in mind.

What was originally a simple lunch became more elaborate due to Meng Huai's arrival. While Han Guowei hadn't yet returned home, Mother Han hurriedly prepared two additional dishes.

After her son's sacrifice several months ago, Mother Han had gradually accepted reality, and her life's attention had once again focused on her last remaining daughter.

She was very clear about the Han family traditions, as she herself came from a multi-generational Shadow Arrow family background, naturally understanding her husband's regard for Meng Huai.

Setting aside his family background, Mother Han had an extremely good impression of Meng Huai, whether regarding his appearance or character.

Hearing that Meng Huai was recuperating due to Stage Two physical condition and might face withdrawal from frontline duty or even career transition, Mother Han felt more at ease instead. After all, Stage Two wouldn't affect his whole life, and it was just right to leave the high-risk frontline position.

The meal proceeded in an orderly fashion. Meng Huai's unique stubborn style of fixedly eating from the nearest dish made Mother Han both cry and laugh, while her daughter Han Xiao had been blushing slightly from the beginning, occasionally rolling her eyes at Meng Huai.

Earlier in the bedroom, Han Xiao had temporarily changed into a beige thin gauze long-sleeved mid-length dress. Unfortunately, her hairstyle hadn't kept up, otherwise she would have had quite a bit of professional urban woman charm.

Unfortunately, Meng Huai maintained his eternally unchanging rigid expression, his gaze almost never lingering on Han Xiao for more than two seconds.

Han Guowei's emotions were even more stable. Apart from occasionally discussing his physical examination situation in Beijing, he inquired about the current training situation of the Xuan Jia Squad, without any family conversation beyond work.

"...The condition has stabilized? It seems headquarters' treatment plan is indeed stronger than our theater-level Medical Support Center. I also heard that Director Tang plans to bring a group of students to stay at headquarters' Medical Support Department for several months to train more medical support talent for our Western Surveillance District."

Han Guowei sipped rice wine in small gulps–the final bottom line of constant compromise and downgrading in situations where he couldn't quit drinking. He had some mental preparation for Meng Huai's visit and knew much classified information.

"Little Meng has come to our house so few times over the years that we can count them on one hand, and you're discussing these things at the dinner table."

Mother Han gently hit her husband's arm with mild reproach, while serving Meng Huai food: "Little Meng, you need to change this eating habit. There's no such thing as just burying your head in eating one dish in front of you. You're used to eating unit meals, right? In our home, just be casual."

Without speaking, just nodding, Meng Huai gently put down his bowls and chopsticks, resuming an upright sitting posture, using silent behavior to express that he had finished eating.

In the study, Han Guowei drew the curtains. When he turned around, his expression had become extremely serious.

"Speak. What's the matter? With your personality and temperament, even I as Deputy Commander can't suppress you. Without some special reason, I couldn't invite you to visit."

"Chief, can I return to normal duty at the Xuan Jia Squad?"

After hesitating, Meng Huai still stated one of his reasons for today's visit.

"You want to return to duty? Although the internal investigation of the Xuan Jia Squad has basically ended and will soon resume combat readiness, your physical condition is no longer suitable. Headquarters gave you three months of special freedom of action, but I still don't recommend this."

A barely detectable smile appeared at the corner of Han Guowei's mouth, probably thinking the other party ultimately planned to stay with the Xuan Jia Squad. From the perspective of his only hidden personal interest, if Meng Huai made this choice, it would probably be what he most wanted to see.

"Regarding participation in headquarters' Special Classified Action Group, I want to ask the Chief..."

"Stop! Meng Huai, you should know the importance of confidentiality discipline. Don't discuss this topic with me. If you want to express any thoughts, follow headquarters' rules. Whatever the result, make the phone call when you should!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ Nov3lFɪre.ɴet

Han Guowei's expression changed as he quickly raised his hand in a refusing gesture: "I know you have many confusions that need my help to resolve, and I myself have some thoughts, but these cannot become variables that interfere with your final decision!"

Meng Huai took out his phone. He had long memorized that mysterious phone number by heart.

"Then I'll call now."

"Wait!"

A flash of panic crossed Han Guowei's eyes, but it was quickly covered by a more complex expression. One hand pressed directly on Meng Huai's arm.

After hesitating for more than ten seconds, Han Guowei finally spoke softly: "Meng Huai, if I must offer any opinion, I suggest you follow headquarters' written rules and call on the last day, not now! Think carefully, you must think carefully, don't leave yourself any regrets!

"No matter what decision you make, I absolutely support you. Regarding Han Xiao, I have both personal and public interests, but now I've realized that can't become your psychological burden. Everything should follow your own heart. Don't rush, make the decision on the last day."

Looking quietly at the young man before him, Han Guowei sighed gently, a hint of moisture appearing in the corners of his eyes: "For seventy years, how many excellent children have silently guarded the country. The Han family's sacrifice is insignificant compared to yours."

"Chief, I have no attachments and don't need to wait until the last day."

Meng Huai straightened his back with an unchanged expression.

"Coming today, I also want the organization to agree to two things: First, I want my mother's official files without any concealment. Second, the investigation results regarding the leaked action plan of the 430 Work Group."

Han Guowei seemed to have known his thoughts long ago, slowly standing up and pacing in the study with hands behind his back, a bitter smile on his face.

"Comrade Meng Huai, I knew you would say this... Precisely because of this, it shows you still have many, many attachments. The Xuan Jia Squad, your mother, these are all your mental demons... you still care about much."

Meng Huai was stunned, his mind chewing on the logic of these seemingly linguistic traps, confusion appearing on his face.

"Alright, there's still time. You can walk around more, think more, do anything you want to do, then tell everyone an answer. I agree to your first request. However, regarding the internal leak, headquarters has already taken over, and I have no qualification to inquire. The confidentiality level of this matter is higher than your special freedom of action authority."

Han Guowei smiled and patted Meng Huai's arm, then turned to open the door and walk out.

After receiving the appropriate response, Meng Huai didn't linger and directly left Han Guowei's home.

"Hey, Old Han, what did you say? Were you discussing Little Meng's future arrangements? You should consider your daughter more and try to arrange Little Meng with the logistics departments. If he must change careers, it must be to local police systems or municipal government departments, understand?"

Under Mother Han's hint, Han Xiao got up to see Meng Huai downstairs, while Mother Han herself immediately grabbed her husband the moment the door closed, looking anxious.

"Hehe, his military service record is enough for him to choose whatever he wants. Do I need to worry?

"As for other arrangements, they involve confidentiality discipline, so I can't say anything. Don't mention Meng Huai's matter for now... Also, regarding Xiao Yun, talk to her after a while. She and Sheng'er were only married for a year and have no children. We can't delay her whole life. If there are suitable people, introduce them so she can start a new life."

Han Guowei smiled bitterly as he broke free from his wife's hands, turning his head toward a corner of the living room where hung a photo of their sacrificed son Han Jiesheng.

"Wuwu... You Han family men are all heartless! My Sheng'er was only twenty-seven when he left. You deserve to have no descendants, Han Guowei!"

Mother Han thought of sad things again. Her mind and body, which had recovered for several months, were suddenly filled with thick sorrow again. Her body softly leaned against the sofa as she wiped tears with her handkerchief.

"Han Xiao, no need to see me off. I'll walk out and take a taxi myself."

At the bottom of the building, Meng Huai turned around and showed a slight smile to the girl behind him who was full of worries.

"Ah... you didn't drive today? Uh, aren't you still in recovery period? Walking out of the compound from here is at least a kilometer, right? Where are you going? I'll just drive you there."

Speaking, Han Xiao walked toward the parking lot with her head down, not meeting Meng Huai's eyes directly.

"I know you don't like women like me. I'll explain things clearly to mom and dad... We can still be good colleagues, good comrades."

After muttering this last sentence, Han Xiao quickened her pace.

Watching the retreating figure of the girl, Meng Huai sighed gently.

Taking out his phone and opening the message page, unfortunately there were no so-called unread new messages.

After Jiang Yan's drunken night, Meng Huai had sent messages, more than one, but all sank like stones into the sea without any feedback.

Not knowing who had taken over his body and thoughts, when Meng Huai came back to his senses from his daze, he found himself sitting in Han Xiao's car at Burning Lamp Temple Cemetery.

This place backed against the Longquan Mountain Range, faced Jade Belt Lake, leaned left against Lion Mountain, and neighbored Burning Lamp Temple on the right. It was C City's most popular cemetery park area with affordable prices and decent scenery.

Meng Huai took a deep breath, opened the car door, and stepped onto the cemetery's stone steps under the sparse autumn rain.

"Meng Huai, you've never voluntarily talked about your family..."

Looking at the solemn cemetery gate, Han Xiao hesitated whether to follow him in.

"For your Han family, my story is completely transparent... Thank you for driving me here."

Meng Huai's figure disappeared into the depths of the cemetery. Han Xiao dejectedly rested her chin on the steering wheel, staring at the alternating real and virtual world beyond the windshield wipers, not knowing what she was thinking.

Another military vehicle quietly stopped beside Han Xiao's car, rolling down the passenger window. After a honk, Han Xiao came back to her senses. Turning her head, her gaze passed through the other vehicle's passenger seat to see that ridiculously young face.

"Are you following me or Meng Huai?"

Han Xiao gave the grinning Han Jieli a big eye roll.

Passing through the densely packed, neatly arranged graves, in the most remote corner, Meng Huai found his mother Meng Xiang's burial site.

His mother's burial place from over twenty years ago was overgrown with weeds, plain and simple, with nothing more than the four characters "Tomb of Meng Xiang" and no additional description.

Despite constant nightmares that reminded him of the existence of his last obsession in the world, Meng Huai had rarely come to his mother's grave in over twenty years. Because this was a twisted symbol where the reality others spoke of was completely inconsistent with his own dreams, inspiring fear.

Staring fixedly at the tombstone and the dark brown soil beneath it, Meng Huai's mind suddenly recalled the confidential communication with two headquarters Intelligence Bureau personnel in Beijing ten days ago.

An even more unreal feeling quietly emerged. Meng Huai somewhat doubted whether what lay beneath this grave soil was truly his mother. He now even wanted to find a shovel and dig up the grave soil to investigate.

More than ten minutes later, Meng Huai crouched before his mother's grave, almost completely soaked.

After taking a deep breath and wiping the rainwater from his face, Meng Huai didn't get up but suddenly turned to look in a certain direction behind him: "I've discovered that you've been following me intentionally or unintentionally. Do you also think I'm special? Or do you actually already know..."

Not far behind him, Han Jieli was somehow standing under a pine tree, also with wet shoulders, but holding two unopened umbrellas in his hands.

"I'd rather not be a tagalong... Brother Meng, do you believe in destiny?"

Han Jieli walked over, first bending down to casually pull up several wild grasses beside Meng Xiang's tombstone, then placing his right hand on the tombstone, looking thoughtful.

"Hehe, you mean where I came from is where I should return, right?"

Meng Huai let out a brief cold laugh and knocked away Han Jieli's hand.

"That's just a helplessly pessimistic way of saying it."

Han Jieli stood up, looking toward the countless tombstones in the distance around them, his tone very calm: "Some people, from birth, shoulder heavy responsibilities. No matter how tortuous their subsequent growth, they must ultimately listen to the mission briefing that belongs to them.

"See, when I put it this way, doesn't it sound more noble? Actually I'm talking about myself, because three years ago, I never thought I would become a soldier, let alone Shadow Arrow."

Meng Huai slowly stood up, contempt at the corners of his mouth: "Comparing me with the Han family? I can't reach that level."

"Brother Meng, you're actually someone with choices, unlike me, Sister Xiao, Brother Sheng, and Third Uncle… We were all born without any choices. The Han family's destiny is to be irreconcilable with vampires, but you're not necessarily so."

After Han Jieli finished speaking, he smiled and handed the umbrella in his hand to Meng Huai.

Listening sideways to this somewhat self-mocking speech, Meng Huai was also lost in thought.