After Crossing Over, Chapter 72 : The Empress Emerges

The Empress's camp was set up near the makeshift guesthouse.

Though the space wasn't large, the area divisions were clear.

The command center was in the innermost independent military tent, the middle was a military restricted area, and the outermost plaza was a public access zone with more people.

On the plaza, besides so officers and soldiers resting in shifts, there were many dical staff, supply personnel, and logistics workers coming and going.

Dawn hadn't broken yet, but the entire camp was brightly lit, with the acrid sll of burnt materials still lingering in the air.

A news interview vehicle was parked in a corner of the plaza.

Live broadcast equipnt was set up on the vehicle's roof, streaming real-ti panoramic views of the camp plaza.

Two reporters and a caraman behind them were permitted to interview people on the plaza, provided they didn't interfere with disaster relief efforts.

At this mont, a helicopter slowly descended onto the temporary helipad outside the plaza.

A stretcher was first brought out from the cabin, carried by two soldiers heading straight into the camp.

Seeing this, everyone quickly cleared a path to allow the stretcher unobstructed passage.

The four news workers also skillfully retreated to the side.

Only after the stretcher had left the plaza area did they give a brief report.

[The person on the stretcher is a mber of the Empress's personal guard team. She's injured in the head and shoulder. We hope this brave soldier recovers soon.]

[According to the latest news received by our station, the Northern Commander has safely arrived at the military camp. One of those who went to rescue the commander was the guard team soldier we just saw.]

Upon receiving this news, the over 600 million online citizens finally felt their taut nerves truly relax.

Ordinary people feared civil war most.

Natural disasters and foreign enemies could be resisted and fought against collectively, snatching life from death's grasp.

But civil war was different. No matter which side won, everyone would lose in the end.

"Oh? Another guard team mber ca down from the helicopter."

"That's Captain Shen! I heard she led the team to rescue the Northern Commander!"

Soone on the plaza recognized Shen Han's captain status.

The four TV station staff hurried over with their equipnt. They certainly wouldn't ignore such "fresh" firsthand information.

The four understood propriety and didn't run up to block Shen Han's path.

They just fild and interviewed alongside her.

[Captain Shen, did you engage in close combat with the foreign ard forces?]

[Can you briefly describe the situation at the ti?]

[Captain Shen, do you think this was a long-planned terrorist attack?]

Shen Han still wore the camouflage combat uniform she had left in.

After several rounds of intense fighting, it was damaged in places, with bloodstains on the torn fabric, collar, and legs.

This Alpha captain who had just returned from the battlefield looked sowhat disheveled, but her entire being exuded an air of iron-blooded devotion.

Her back remained straight, slender yet giving an impression of indomitability.

Hearing the reporters' questions, Shen Han halted her steps.

She raised her eyes to et the cara lens directly facing her and spoke steadily and firmly: "The territory of the Free Federation is inviolable. Should any dare to invade, we will punish them, no matter how far!"

Shen Han couldn't disclose information about the previous battles or Gu Yuwei here.

But she knew there must have been public unrest during this night, so she made that statent.

The Alpha captain's declaration, through various channels, traversed thousands of miles to reach the eyes and ears of Federation citizens.

It instantly stirred a sense of pride and passion in everyone's hearts!

In an instant, the screen of the Federation's Second Television Station's live broadcast room was flooded with bullet comnts.

Countless people repeatedly posted the phrase "Should any dare to invade, we will punish them, no matter how far!"

In the main city of the Fourth Southern District, at the He family estate.

The He family's younger generation had barely woken up when they were called to pay attention to this current event.

They didn't dare complain aloud, but all felt the old master was being overly cautious.

How could civil war break out so easily?

Even the political upheaval a year ago, which was so fierce, ended up fine, didn't it?

He ng thought the sa, but she didn't dare disobey her grandfather's arrangents.

She covered a yawn as she stood up, intending to sneak a cigarette under the guise of going to the bathroom to wake herself up.

Suddenly, she heard a female reporter addressing Captain Shen behind her.

At first, He ng didn't pay much attention, until she heard that sowhat familiar voice sound from behind, causing her to turn abruptly, her eyes fixed on the projection screen.

In the image, the Alpha still had the sa handso yet delicate appearance she rembered.

But at this mont, her eyes held a determination He ng had never seen before.

Facing the enemy with drawn sword!

After hearing the Alpha's brief yet powerful statent, He ng felt her eyes inexplicably stinging.

She also felt so regret. Why had she committed that disciplinary violation when she was hired as a special instructor for the prospective guard team?

If she were still an instructor now, wouldn't she have had the chance to be by her side?

A year ago, He ng's attitude towards Shen Han was more one of curiosity.

But now, she genuinely felt that the other was an exceptionally outstanding and charismatic person!

So commotion arose in the projected screen.

The two cara lenses originally focused on Shen Han, one of them now switched angles.

The TV station's live broadcast reacted extrely quickly, presenting one wide shot and two close-ups simultaneously in split-screen.

In the wide shot, a group of people could be seen erging from within the camp.

Soldiers with guns lined up in two rows, leaving a central passage.

The close-ups were focused on two people respectively.

One was Shen Han standing in place, the other was Gu Junwan walking out of the camp surrounded by guards.

The Empress had erged!

So much had happened in one night, and Gu Junwan had been personally coordinating rescue and combat operations from the command room.

It could be said that although she hadn't rushed to the front lines, the pressure she bore was no less than anyone else's.

The 11th Division soldiers had already arrested the few rcenaries who had fled after being injured in the car crash.

And at the road battlefield, rescue and cleanup work was already underway.

The disaster relief officers and soldiers resting on the plaza had now stood up, all rendering a salute in Gu Junwan's direction.

The TV station's news workers were asked to retreat a distance, but the guards didn't stop them from continuing to film, just not allowing them to get too close to the Empress.

An hour ago, Gu Junwan had heard reports about the situation at the abandoned theater.

She knew Shen Han and Ning Xi were both injured, and she had been waiting for her Alpha's return.

Only because they encountered Gu Yuwei's air force midway did they delay for quite a while.

When she finally saw the little red dot representing Shen Han's locator appear outside the camp, she found the dot had stopped moving after a while.

Then, in the Second Television Station's news broadcast, she saw her Alpha and heard what she said.

She knew her appearance now would attract a lot of attention.

But she wanted to see Shen Han imdiately, couldn't wait a mont longer!

So, this scene unfolded before the live broadcast caras.

Watching Gu Junwan walk towards her, Shen Han's heart instantly filled with warmth.

Sensing the concern and tenderness hidden beneath her Oga's calm facade, she felt everything she had done was worthwhile.

"Snap!"

Shen Han gave a standard military salute to the Empress standing before her.

Gu Junwan slightly raised her chin, her golden eyes reflecting only the beads of sweat on her Alpha's forehead and her split lip.

The Oga's slender hand, hidden beneath her sleeve, clenched tightly, her knuckles turning sowhat pale from the force.

Her heart felt as if gripped by an invisible hand, even her breathing becoming labored.

In the instant their eyes t, without anyone speaking, everything was understood.

Just as Gu Junwan was about to have soone take Shen Han to the dical bay,

The Alpha, who had been standing straight before her saluting a second ago, suddenly collapsed forward.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

"Captain Shen has fainted!"

"dic! Where's the dic?"

Shen Han's sudden collapse caused a small commotion both in front of and behind the caras.

The reporter who had been chasing Shen Han with questions earlier now looked very upset.

She turned to her cara crew and said quietly, "I didn't know she was injured. If I had, I definitely wouldn't have asked her so many questions."

The caraman, slightly older, imdiately comforted her: "It was unintentional, don't worry."

"Captain Shen's words and actions before the cara just now have inspired countless citizens. Don't worry, she'll be fine."

The collapsing Captain Shen fell onto Gu Junwan, then pushed her backwards.

Fortunately, Xu Zhao, following closely behind, was quick to catch her Empress's back, preventing them both from falling to the ground.

Guard team mbers lifted their unconscious captain onto the dics' stretcher, then the group moved together to the central area of the camp.

Those on the original plaza couldn't enter, but silently prayed for Captain Shen's wellbeing.

In this situation, even the citizens who had been eagerly following online didn't joke or make wild speculations.

Only He ng, far away in the He family residence in the Fourth District, felt she had caught sothing.

Earlier, the two cara lenses had been focused on Gu Junwan and Shen Han's faces.

In the fra, one looked composed and beautiful, the other stood at attention saluting, nothing seeming amiss.

But He ng still noticed a subtle detail in Gu Junwan's eyes.

She felt that when looking at Shen Han, it wasn't the gaze of an Empress towards her guard.

It was more like... an Oga looking at her Alpha!

Once this bold speculation arose, He ng's thoughts began to race uncontrollably.

She belatedly realized she had overlooked a crucial link all along.

A year ago, it was indeed wrong of her to ambush Shen Han outside her apartnt building with contraband, she admitted that.

But how did such an insignificant episode end up being reported to the Empress?

To make an imperfect analogy, this question was like illegal parking.

Many people do it every day, but most cases aren't easily caught.

Previously, He ng had thought she just had bad luck, happening to be made an example of by the Empress.

Now, she realized that while it was indeed bad luck, the nature of it was completely different.

Thinking of this, He ng couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

So, had she accidentally tried to 'steal' from the Empress herself?!