The next morning, the high-ranking official from the Ministry of Public Security who had picked them up yesterday arrived at the guesthouse with his team to collect Qin Feng and the others. However, he knocked on the door for a long time without any response from inside.
"Sir!" A service worker from the guesthouse hurried over from a distance. "Sir, the people staying in these rooms have already left!"
"What?" The public security leader's eyes widened in shock. He asked, "When did they leave?"
"They left before dawn!" the service worker replied truthfully. "They didn't say where they were going!"
The public security leader was stunned by the service worker's words. He immediately had the service worker open the doors.
The rooms were meticulously tidy, with the quilts folded into neat squares, even cleaner and tidier than the service workers themselves would have managed.
A note was also left on the table with a few neatly written characters: Thank you for your hospitality!
Looking at the note, the leader felt an overwhelming sense of emotion. To be able to forgo immense honor and remain anonymous.
These soldiers were truly exemplary!
At the base of the Ministry of Public Security building, internal reporters in uniform were drafting their articles for upcoming interviews. Cameras, like long cannons, were set up everywhere on the scene.
They had received notification that morning that the individuals to be interviewed were national secret heroes. Their faces would be pixelated, their voices altered during post-production, and the original footage would be destroyed immediately after editing. No archival of the original file would be tolerated, and any such act would be met with the severest punishment.
The internal reporters for the police were accustomed to such interviews. They had interviewed countless people's heroes, most of whom were heroes operating on the hidden front lines, their identities never to be exposed in their lifetime!
Once their identities were leaked, they could face furious retaliation from enemies.
In the earlier years, many heroes had suffered bloody pursuit from enemies due to insufficient security measures, and not a few had lost their entire families. Therefore, security measures had continuously improved.
These unsung heroes, while creating immortal achievements, were unknown to the public and bore immense risks.
They assumed various identities – perhaps a middle-aged uncle selling goods by the roadside, or a cleaning lady passing by.
While countless people marveled at their good lives, they toiled silently on the front lines.
At ten o'clock in the morning, Minister Zhang appeared punctually at the base of the Ministry of Public Security building. All the reporters immediately picked up their microphones, ready to interview him.
However, Minister Zhang had no time for the reporters. He anxiously checked his watch, "Where are they? Why haven't they arrived yet?"
His assistant immediately replied, "The 'Tuna' has arrived!"
Hearing this, Minister Zhang looked in the direction his assistant pointed. Indeed, Wang Qingshan, with a bandaged arm, was nervously looking around, seemingly searching for Wang Yanbing.
"Why haven't Xiao Qin and the others arrived yet?" Minister Zhang asked directly.
His assistant shook his head, "We don't know yet. Director Li has already gone to the guesthouse to pick them up. They should be here soon!"
As they were speaking, the assistant's phone rang. Seeing that it was Director Li, the assistant paused for a moment, then quickly moved to a quiet spot to answer.
A moment later, the assistant returned to Minister Zhang with a troubled expression, saying nervously, "Minister, Qin Feng... they've left!"
"What? Left?" Minister Zhang's eyes widened in disbelief.
The assistant nodded with certainty, "Yes, they've left! It's reported they left before dawn and left a note saying 'Thank you for your hospitality.'"
Minister Zhang stood there, stunned.
He could vividly imagine the six tall figures, facing the first ray of dawn, heading towards the train station. Their figures were not desolate but full of swagger, even with cheerful smiles on their faces.
"Soldiers of Yan Country! These are the iron-willed soldiers of Yan Country!" Minister Zhang couldn't help but sigh, his eyes filled with reverence.
"Sir!"
While Minister Zhang was lost in contemplation, he heard someone call him and immediately turned to look behind him.
At some point, Wang Qingshan had walked up to his side.
"Reporting, sir!" Wang Qingshan said cautiously, "May I apply to not participate in this press conference?"
"Ah! You're not participating either?" Minister Zhang was even more bewildered by this.
The military personnel were from a secret unit, so their non-participation was understandable. But Wang Qingshan had safely returned to the country and was to be reassigned to a less active role. What was the meaning of his refusal to participate?
Did this mean that he had gathered the reporters here just to listen to him speak a monologue?
"Why are you not participating either?" Minister Zhang asked urgently.
Wang Qingshan smiled bitterly, "After so many years of working undercover, I get nervous standing in front of so many people..."
"What I want most right now is to be an ordinary person and spend more time with my son! After all, I owe him fifteen whole years, and I don't know how many more fifteen-year periods I have left to spend with him..."
Hearing Wang Qingshan's words, another high-ranking official interjected urgently, "We understand what you're saying, and we will certainly make arrangements for you. But your commendation..."
"I don't deserve this medal or this honor!" Wang Qingshan said seriously. "Over these fifteen years, I've seen too many brothers die before my eyes. It was their lives that protected me, allowing me to live to this day! All the credit should belong to them, and those medals should also belong to them! They are the true heroes, and I merely inherited their will!"
"Compared to them, I am truly nothing!"
With that, Wang Qingshan saluted all the senior officials of the Ministry of Public Security and then walked away with his head held high.
All the senior officials of the Ministry of Public Security felt a pang of sorrow at this scene.
These were the heroes of Yan Country, true unsung heroes, who sacrificed selflessly and sought no reward.
Looking at Wang Qingshan's slightly stooped, aged back, Minister Zhang was filled with emotion. He said to his assistant, "Special commendations must be increased. Find out every nameless soldier who sacrificed! The pensions and special commendations must be personally delivered to the families of each martyr!"
"And this 'Tuna' must be heavily utilized!" Minister Zhang said earnestly to his assistant. "He has extremely rich experience and is an indispensable talent for our police force!"
"Understood!"
"Also, the commendations for the military soldiers must be delivered," Minister Zhang said sternly. "This is what we owe them!"
"Yes!"