The Legend of Chu Qiao

Prologue

Time's up!

The red dot on the GPS vanished...

Confirming it was correct, Chu Qiao slipped the DVD into her pocket. She then discovered C4 explosives with enhanced firepower in the deceased’s briefcase and set them up in the room, activating the trigger mechanism. The red light on the black box began to flash rapidly.

After taking one final look at the lifeless body, Chu Qiao opened the door and stepped outside. Suddenly, a chilling sensation raced across her neck!

In an instant, Chu Qiao ducked down, rolling backward just in time to evade a bullet. The gunfire continued to rain down as she slammed the door shut with a loud bang. Kneeling on the floor, she listened to the deep breaths of those outside, sensing that her position had been compromised.

With her muscles taut, she controlled her breathing, fixating her gaze on the door across from her. She was not merely 005, a super-agent of the elite 9th division. Her training at military school had equipped her with skills in demolition, strategic planning, and executing highly effective, large-scale operations using precise intelligence and minimal resources.

Yet, with danger just three meters away, she recognized that a direct assault was not the wisest choice. Her eyes shifted to the sorrowful figure of the man who had passed away peacefully.

Without warning, the main door was kicked open, and a woman stood confidently in the doorway, surveying the two men lurking outside the guest room. Their astonishment at her solo emergence momentarily caught them off guard.

With a deliberate motion, Chu Qiao dropped her dagger and AK onto the floor. Shifting her weight back, she raised her palms in a Taijiquan[i] stance. Facing the men, she shouted a battle cry from the Cold War era, signaling them to come forward—her intention was clear: Together!

The two men holding high-caliber submachine guns were furious. They dropped their weapons and adopted a Japanese Taekwondo[ii] stance. With a deadly glare, they leaped with all their might and quickly closed in on her.

The small room felt like a blast of cold air; a fishy smell wafted through, rattling the curtains and dimming the lights. The deadly atmosphere seemed to rise from the floor, trailing the two men who hurried toward Chu Qiao. Just by looking at their muscular bodies and fierce movements, one could easily guess the fate of this unaware lady.

The lady's serious expression suddenly shifted into a grin, her lips curling into a cold, proud, yet emotionless smile. A Japanese-made M609, a small-caliber shotgun, appeared as if by magic in her hand. The M609 was perfect for close-quarters fighting. It might not pierce through, but it was guaranteed to blow heads off!

Only two muffled blasts were heard; the five seconds of killing did not even allow the men to cry out in pain. The close-range shot blasted their heads off, with their brains splattering all over Chu Qiao.

Chu Qiao hatefully kicked the men out of her way, then quickly opened the bathroom door. Although she hadn't predicted these two men, the operation was running smoothly, saving her twenty minutes and giving her time to clean up.

After 15 minutes, a woman in a black suit from the military law department left the department's restroom. She strolled through the guest department corridors on the second floor, greeting the officials of the fourth prison with a cheerful smile. Within three minutes, she quietly opened the doors on the second level and walked out.

The gentle, cool evening breeze caressed her face as Chu Qiao moved through the main hall of the fourth prison on the ground floor. Everyone was engaged in their work, including the nation's top soldiers. She looked at her wrist; just ten seconds had elapsed before the explosion.

Chu Qiao kept walking, her face steady. As she moved, she grabbed a copy of yesterday's newspaper from the stand beside her.

10, 9, 8…

May 11th marks another case of the type of SARS disease diagnosed in Shangjing. Now, the 47th patient has been diagnosed with this disease. The port and some flights to and from our country have been halted; our tourism industry has suffered greatly, and stock markets are plummeting with no signs of recovery…

7, 6, 5…

Xinhua News Agency reported that, as of now, country M has 6,890 confirmed cases of SARS; suspected infections number 10,272, with 4,287 deaths, a figure that continues to grow uncontrollably. Meanwhile, country Y has 6521 confirmed cases, 5,219 suspected infections, and 1244 deaths. Country A…

4, 3…

Choulian News Agency in country M reported that researchers suspect country Z is the source of the current SARS-CoV-2 virus variant. The virus likely emerged after a massive earthquake in country Z disrupted atmospheric stability. The government's slow and ineffective response to the earthquake has contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. In response, country M's government decided to implement a short-term solution: halt all trade with country Z, deport its citizens from country Z, and deny entry to all citizens of country Z. Parliament is actively debating these measures and is expected to reach a decision soon.

2, 1, 0!

Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and a loud explosion rocked me as red alarms blared. Thick smoke and blazing flames appeared. The blast shook the fourth prison badly.

The thick smoke blinded their eyes. All the trained soldiers of the 4th prison grabbed their weapons and rushed to the scene of the explosion. Chu Qiao was covered in dust. Looking shocked, she pulled a man in a military uniform by his arm and asked loudly, "Comrade! What is going on?"

The man saw the worn-out military law department suit and immediately knew she didn't belong to the fourth prison. Holding her, he said, "Are you from the military law department? Come with me and let me take you out."

The soldier hurriedly helped a colleague from another department, unaware that the person he was assisting was the real culprit behind the explosion. Furthermore, she was responsible for the deaths of more than ten of his comrades from the military law department.

Following the chaotic crowd rushing out of the ground-level main hall, both rushed forward and crashed into a man frantically running into the hall.

"Ah! Sorry for that! Ah, it's Colonel Li!" the man apologized while supporting his colleague.

"What happened inside?" Li Yang furrowed his brows and asked. Glancing sideways, his eyes widened at the sight of Chu Qiao. He pointed at her, and his jaw dropped with shock. "Chu…"

"You are here to look for me, right? There is an explosion inside; we should talk outside."

Chu Qiao quickly cut Li Yang off. Hearing this, the soldier hurriedly said, "Then I won't send you guys out. I don't even know what's going on inside. I have to go back and take a look."

Li Yang nodded. As the soldier walked further, he pulled Chu Qiao close and asked sincerely, "What happened? Why did the military court want to put you on trial? How did you get out?"

“The SARS virus is not just a disaster; it's a man-made catastrophe. Senior officials M, R, Y, F, and ten others from Western countries are involved, alongside some reckless and greedy officials from our own nation. When we captured Team X, the 'hostages' they held were not real hostages; they were disease experts hiding within each country's military research centers. Their goal was to spread this disease worldwide to cripple the economy. At the last moment, they planned to introduce antibiotics through a listed company, profiting immensely from treating and preventing SARS. My team has uncovered evidence of their criminal activities."

“Here it is,” Chu Qiao explained as she pulled a DVD from her pocket and handed it to him.

She continued, “When Xiao Shi went to Tokyo last time to kill the senior commander of Team X, she brought back evidence she obtained by trading it for the life of one of my contacts. Unfortunately, Xiao Shi died on the streets of Tokyo, leaving this matter unresolved. One of the culprits behind this type of SARS virus is Team X. They appear to be an organ reseller, but in reality, they are secretly researching this deadly, contagious virus. They sent spies into our country undercover, protected by corrupted senior leadership. These spies posed as colleagues from the military law department, entered the fourth prison, and stole my evidence, but I have eliminated them all."

Li Yang gasped in shock and said incredulously, "You are saying the one who killed Xiao Shi was…"

“Yes!" Chu Qiao nodded and said confidently, "The man who ordered to give up 003 is the enemy spy hiding deep undercover in the leadership, and it was also he who told me to be detained in the fourth prison, steal my evidence, and try to hide their terrible deeds.

Li Yang was still in shock, his brows tightly furrowed and fury burning in his dark eyes. He said softly, "Country M's artillery experts are still headed to Shang Jing today to visit and learn. Jing Hua Army's Advisor Qian and I put so much effort into preparing, I can't believe they..."

"What did you say?" Chu Qiao raised her voice suddenly.

Li Yang paused and asked, "What?"

"Are you saying that country M's artillery experts are coming to Shangjing?"

Li Yang nodded and replied, "Yes, they arrived last night."

Chu Qiao's face went white, and she patted him down, searching for something. "Did you bring the GPS to locate the military's arsenal?"

"Why are you looking for that?"

Chu Qiao raged and snapped, "Did you bring it?"

"How would I bring such a thing with me?" Li Yang hurriedly asked as he saw Chu Qiao's nervous expression. "Come with me; I know where to get it."

They jumped into an electric car and quickly left the busy yard.

After two minutes, her mind went blank as she kept seeing the red blinking dot on the GPS.

"What is going on? Why would the courtroom have a bomb?"

Chu Qiao quickly stood up, searching for a suitable weapon in the warehouse. As she hurried, she said, "Country M has no trust in Team X from Country R; they were afraid that they would fail, causing everything to be leaked to the public. That's why they placed a GPS-triggered bomb inside the courtroom. Once the time is up, the bomb will explode. The fourth prison will be leveled and destroyed when that happens, along with me and the evidence."

"Then what should we do? I will inform the bomb disposal unit immediately. At the same time, I'll request backup from the special forces to control the ambassadors from country M."

"There is no time," Chu Qiao said with a grieving expression, "Prepare a helicopter for me now to disperse the crowd. What you must do is hand this evidence over to Commander Hua. The lives of Xiao Shi, the 14 super agents from the 11th division, and the people who are about to die from this virus are in your hands. You cannot afford to make a mistake."

After realizing the immense responsibility resting on his shoulders, he was left speechless. In the distance, smoke spiraled upward, and the crowd moved restlessly. He noticed the determined look in her eyes on her weathered face. His heart aching, he was stunned. After a moment, he gathered his resolve and said, "I will succeed, Chu Qiao. Be safe."

"You too."

·········⋆༺𓆩❀𓆪༻⋆·········

Completing her task, she bolted out of the warehouse, leaving the prison cell behind, a place she had escaped from after enduring countless trials.

Ten minutes later, a helicopter lifted off from the parade ground of the fourth prison. It ascended above the facility, accelerated away, and headed into the barren countryside.

In the car en route to meet the commander, Li Yang monitored the GPS bomb locator, watching the small dot representing the 4th-level courtroom as it gradually moved towards the parade square, weaving through the buildings before quickly heading into the rural areas of Shangjing.

Then, a thunderous explosion echoed through the air. The red dot on the GPS vanished, leaving the screen dark and void.

Without looking back, Li Yang sat in the car, tears streaming down his face in the darkness. The night in Shangjing fell into complete silence.

[i] Taijiquan (太極拳), literally meaning "Supreme Ultimate Boxing," is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both self-defense and its extensive health benefits. Tai Chi is a soft-style martial art that uses slow, flowing movements combined with deep breathing and mental focus to improve health and develop combat skills based on yielding rather than opposing force.

[ii] Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and Olympic combat sport, renowned for its fast, high, and spinning kicks, often described as "the way of the foot and the fist". It combines self-defense, sport, exercise, and discipline, emphasizing values like respect and perseverance. It is widely practiced globally, focusing heavily on leg techniques over hand strikes

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