KUNLUN – The Little Lotus

Chapter Eight

Identification was completed quickly.

The wounded man belonged to one of the PLA's Special Operations Forces, an elite task force composed of specialists from the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, and the Joint Logistic Support Force. Whenever a mission reached the point where failure was no longer an option, this unit was deployed. Every assignment they accepted was considered a near-certain death sentence, yet somehow they had returned alive from every single operation without losing a single operator. Within the Ministry of State Security, everyone knew the reason. Lianhua. Although she officially remained behind the scenes, she had become the mind guiding the entire unit. Every operation passed through her hands before the team was deployed. Her strategies were direct, layered, and accounted for possibilities that others never even considered. Time after time, missions believed to be impossible ended in complete success because she had already anticipated every contingency. The unit had first encountered Lianhua during an operation in Germany. By pure coincidence, both had been investigating the very same criminal organization. The soldiers had been hunting the syndicate as part of an international operation, while Lianhua had pursued them because they were responsible for trafficking women and children. After days of preparation, the operators had finally reached the enemy stronghold, only to discover that the battle was already over. Standing alone amidst the aftermath was a little girl who had already sent every member of the organization straight to hell. Because of her Chinese heritage, she had later been invited to join the Special Operations Forces. At first, not even the Ministry had understood just how extraordinary she truly was. It had taken only a handful of operations before everyone—including the unit's former commander—had accepted her as the one leading them from behind the scenes. Yet it wasn't only her tactical brilliance that had earned their absolute trust. Lianhua was also a miracle doctor. The medicines she created accomplished things that no one believed possible, saving countless lives that should have been lost. Every member of that special unit knew exactly what they owed her. Without a second thought, any one of them would willingly throw themselves in front of a bullet if it meant protecting the small girl who had brought every one of them home alive.

But none of that had ever been what the little girl wanted. Wu Yangchen, who had originally been the commander of that special task force, still remembered the first time he had met her as though it had happened yesterday. He had been among the first operators to force their way into the gang's hideout, expecting to launch a surprise assault. Instead, he had walked straight into a nightmare. One after another, the gang members had fallen before his eyes. The little girl moved through them like a demon that had crawled out of hell itself, using their own weapons against them with frightening precision. By the time he reached the center of the building, every single criminal was already dead. Yet the moment the fighting ended, the terrifying little demon disappeared completely. Without a trace of hesitation, she knelt beside the injured women and children, calmly treating every wound as though nothing extraordinary had happened. She spared him only a single glance before reaching into her backpack and pulling out a thick file. "Here," she had said simply. Once every victim had received treatment, she had stood up and quietly walked away. Yangchen had remained rooted to the spot, silently watching her disappear. Inside the file was everything they needed—every piece of evidence, every name, every transaction, every connection. He had handed it over to his superior, together with the unbelievable story of what he had witnessed. No one had believed him. At least, not until they met the little girl themselves.

He had not seen her again until he himself had been lying on the edge of death. Only then had he truly understood how extraordinary she was. She had dragged him back from the gates of hell with her own hands. Sometimes he jokingly imagined that, on her way back, she had probably kicked the Devil squarely in the face just to make sure he stayed behind. From that day onward, he had chosen to follow her. He knew perfectly well how strange the two of them looked together. He was a tall, broad-shouldered soldier with a body built by years of military training, while Shadow was little more than a tiny, fragile-looking girl who appeared as though a strong gust of wind might carry her away. Yet appearances had always been deceptive. She possessed an uncanny ability to make people forget she was even there. She spoke so little, moved so quietly, and carried herself with such complete stillness that, when she wished it, it felt as though the shadows themselves swallowed her whole. People simply stopped noticing her. The years she had spent living with that family had taught her never to reveal what she truly felt. She was still far too young for anyone to know what kind of woman she would one day become, yet Yangchen had never doubted it. The foundation was already there. One day, the little girl who hid herself inside the shadows would undoubtedly grow into someone truly extraordinary. Yangchen cast one last glance at the unconscious soldier before motioning Guowei over. "Take him to the ambulance, then get him to the hospital with the rest of his team." Guowei looked toward the small figure standing several meters away. " You're leaving Shadow here alone?“ Yangchen raised an eyebrow. "Are you questioning an order?" Guowei immediately shook his head. "Question an order given by the Devil herself? Never. I'll take him right away." Without another word, he bent down, effortlessly lifted the injured soldier onto his shoulder, and jogged toward the forest entrance. By the time he reached the waiting ambulance, the paramedics already had a stretcher prepared. Carefully lowering the man onto it, Guowei nodded toward them. "We've stabilized him for now. The rest can be done at the hospital. His teammates are already on their way." The paramedics acknowledged him with quick nods before climbing into the ambulance. Moments later, its siren faded into the distance as it disappeared down the road.