September 30, noon.
The sixtieth hour since the battle began.
Yun Heng stood above the leaden clouds, head bowed as he focused on his phone screen.
At that moment, his baby-faced features, which always carried a three-point smile, were utterly solemn.
Only after the video finished did he swipe a few times, flip through the attached written report, and toss the phone to Li Guitang beside him.
Li Guitang reached out to catch it and tapped the play button.
On the screen was a silent surveillance recording.
In the footage, a man wearing a major's insignia paced back and forth in an office.
The resolution was high enough to make out his agitated expression.
He walked for roughly three minutes before suddenly clenching his fists, as though he had finally made some decision.
The man then sat back down in the chair behind his desk, leaned back, and slowly closed his eyes.
The image seemed to freeze there.
But the time digits flickering in one corner of the screen proved that the footage was still running.
Another two or three minutes passed before the digits suddenly began changing much faster.
The video had been fast-forwarded.
On-screen, the major maintained his reclined posture, not moving an inch.
More than three hours later, a shadow flashed through the office, and the rapid fast-forwarding stopped.
A second lieutenant cautiously made his way to the major's side and reached out to pat his shoulder.
When the other man showed no reaction, the second lieutenant pushed him again.
Still unable to wake the major, the second lieutenant grew frantic in both movement and expression before turning and running out.
Before long, a crowd poured into the office and, with everyone lending a hand, carried the major out of the frame.
The video ended there.
Li