Upper Capital, command center.
The white glare on the giant screen slowly faded, replaced by a slowly rising mushroom cloud.
An orange-red fireball churned beneath the cloud, while black smoke shot straight into the sky, staining half the heavens dark red.
The image froze on that frame. No one spoke.
Dozens of people stood in the command center, staring blankly at the frozen mushroom cloud.
The technicians' fingers hovered above their keyboards, forgotten in mid-keystroke. The staff officers' hands hung at their sides, documents still clutched in them.
Some covered their mouths. Some clenched their fists. Some turned away, unable to keep watching.
Commander Tian stood before the command platform, utterly still.
Both hands braced against the console, his knuckles were white with strain, his entire body taut like a steel plate about to snap.
His eyes were locked on the mushroom cloud on the screen, their rims reddening.
"Any news... from the safe house?" His voice was so hoarse it was nearly inaudible.
The aide beside him shook his head. His lips moved, but no sound came out.
Commander Tian's gaze left the screen.
Regret began to consume him. He never should have let Fang Tianyi carry out this mission.
It was his fault. He had recommended him—it was he who had overruled all objections and said, "Only Major Fang Tianyi can complete this mission."
It was he who had assured his superiors that Major Fang Tianyi was capable enough to handle any emergency.
It was he who had been too confident in Major Fang Tianyi.
And now? The nuclear bomb had gone off, and the man was gone. How was he supposed to face the people of this country? How was he supposed to face Tianyi's mother?
Second by second, time crawled on, and a deathly silence filled