Boom!
Those words struck the heart of every Bureau 7 agent present like bolts of thunder from the nine heavens!
Their bodies trembled.
Their blood burned.
Their souls shuddered!
The story Elder Xu had told earlier had shaken them, but a veil of years had still stood between them and those events.
Now, through the impassioned cries of Sun Desheng, who had lived through it all, those turbulent years and that towering figure became utterly clear, utterly real, as though he stood right before them!
What an extraordinary breadth of heart!
What an extraordinary spirit!
He had shouldered his own life and death, along with the honor and disgrace of his country!
"Uh..."
One young agent could no longer control his emotions. He crouched on the ground, covered his face, and let out a stifled sob.
He remembered the oath he had sworn when he joined Bureau 7, remembered the passion that had once filled his heart.
But what had he done all these years?
For credit, for promotion, he had learned to scheme, learned to flatter, and even learned to turn a blind eye to Hou Liangbing's abuses!
He had sullied this uniform and betrayed their founder's beliefs!
Smack!
Another sharp slap rang out as another agent struck himself hard across the face, his eyes red.
Shame!
Shame so deep he wished the ground would swallow him!
For a moment, every Bureau 7 agent bowed his head, unable to look at Yue Xiaofei, much less the statue in the distance.
"Hmph!"
Sun Desheng snorted and turned his cold gaze on Hou Liangbing, his eyes sharp.
"You said spending my life guarding graves here was my atonement?"
"Wrong! Completely wrong!"
"I'm not atoning. I'm protecting them!"
He extended his calloused hand, pointed at the endless rows of gravestones behind him,