Returning to her residence, Song Ran couldn’t stop thinking about Li Zan’s earlier words, which lingered in her mind like a lighthouse in the fog, leaving her both confused and curious. Just then, Benjamin, the leader of the mercenaries, happened to run into Song Ran as she was buying apples. He approached her with a smile, attempting to strike up a conversation. However, Song Ran, already aware of his intentions, straightforwardly told him that she preferred a simpler, rural life—growing vegetables was far more straightforward than navigating complicated interpersonal relationships. Seeing her resolve, Benjamin didn’t press further but instead offered to take her home. Song Ran politely declined, explaining that she lived nearby and didn’t want to trouble him.
Unnoticed by Song Ran, Benjamin secretly took an apple. Sasin, who witnessed this, directly accused Benjamin of theft and demanded he return the apple. Instead of getting angry, Benjamin provocatively questioned Sasin’s disdain for mercenaries, sarcastically remarking that if Sasin’s country were strong enough, they wouldn’t need mercenaries in the first place.
Hearing this, Sasin’s expression darkened, and he was visibly furious. Song Ran, hearing the commotion, approached and questioned Benjamin about the apple. Benjamin tried to defend himself, claiming the apple had fallen, but Song Ran immediately saw through his lie—the apple showed no signs of damage. Without further comment, Song Ran left with Sasin, comforting him and advising him not to take Benjamin’s words to heart. Although Sasin claimed to be angry, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that Benjamin’s words held some truth, which only added to his frustration.
At that moment, Lena arrived with a basket of fruit, saying it was a gift from her son. Song Ran immediately recognized the fruit as the same kind Sasin had brought earlier, realizing that Lena’s son was Sasin. Sasin was puzzled by his mother’s secretive way of meeting him, and Lena reluctantly explained the truth: she didn’t want others to know Sasin had a mother like her, fearing it might affect his future. Moreover, Sasin’s father didn’t want them to meet. Lena begged Song Ran to keep this secret, and Song Ran agreed, though she also expressed her opinion that there was nothing shameful about it.
Later, Song Ran and Sasin went out together to deliver much-needed supplies to the local residents. This experience brought Song Ran unprecedented joy, as she felt she had transcended herself and genuinely made a tangible difference in the lives of the locals. From a kind elderly woman, Song Ran received a meaningful gift—seeds from a white olive tree. Li Zan had once told her that olive trees symbolized peace, but in this land of East Asia, battered by wind and sand, the olive trees seemed dull and lifeless.
When Benjamin caught sight of the olive tree seeds, his face was filled with disdain, convinced it was a trick orchestrated by Sasin and others. Just then, Li Zan appeared, firmly defending the facts that Benjamin had not witnessed himself. Seizing the opportunity, Benjamin brought up Sasin’s past misconduct at a hotel, which infuriated Sasin.
At that moment, a suspicious figure quietly entered their line of sight. Li Zan,敏锐地察觉ing something amiss, quickly took the camera from Song Ran and captured a crucial image, unexpectedly discovering a bomb. They immediately became alert, realizing this was a premeditated attack, and the atmosphere grew tense.
However, they were unarmed and in an extremely dangerous situation. Sasin, thinking quickly, remembered a guard post not far ahead and suggested seeking help there. But Benjamin, claiming he wasn’t a soldier, felt there was nothing he could do. In this critical moment, Li Zan and Jiang Lin stepped forward without hesitation. Jiang Lin, with his敏捷的身手, swiftly subdued the suspect, while Li Zan began defusing the bomb. He discovered it was a dual-controlled bomb, making it extremely difficult to disarm and requiring significant time.
Just then, Sasin noticed a window on the top floor of an abandoned building unexpectedly open, and he grew suspicious, suspecting an ambush. He immediately ordered Benjamin to investigate. As expected, someone hidden in the shadows began throwing stones, trying to lure them into the open. Fortunately, Benjamin was quick-witted and pulled Sasin away, averting disaster. With time running out, Li Zan took decisive action, driving a vehicle into a wall to create chaos and buy more precious time for the bomb disposal.
The sound of an explosion suddenly rang out, and Song Ran’s heart leaped into her throat. She rushed to the hospital, only to find Li Zan’s clothes, mistakenly believing he had met with misfortune. Tears streamed down her face. However, at that moment, Li Zan appeared. Using his wisdom and courage, he had successfully escaped death’s grasp. Seeing Li Zan safe and sound, Song Ran’s heart finally settled. Li Zan revealed to her that he had used the suspect’s body to hold down the detonator, allowing him to escape. This heart-stopping experience deepened their bond, making their relationship even stronger.
