The clock struck midnight. A cool wind whispered through the silence, chilling the air and sending calm ripples across the lake's surface.
Surveillance was absolute. Even a fly couldn't slip past border security undetected.
Sensors, cameras, and motion detectors surrounded the entire perimeter to prevent any intrusions. Yet, something was about to shatter that illusion of perfect security.
The water trembled. A small vibration ran across its surface like ink spreading across a sheet of white paper.
From the center of the disturbance, a figure emerged slowly from the depths.
His hair gleamed darker than the moonless sky itself, soaked and plastered to his skin as it fell over broad, muscular shoulders. Beneath the wet strands, his hazel eyes seemed to glow with an almost supernatural intensity in the darkness, scanning his surroundings with practiced, military precision.
He wore tattered clothes that resembled a beggar's rags from the streets, but his bearing—the way he held himself, the confidence in his movements—was unmistakably that of someone important.
"Albert, I'm in."
His hand reached up to touch his ear, biceps flexing as he spoke quietly into the concealed communication device.
"Excellent work, sir," an elderly voice replied through the earpiece.
"I must caution you once again about the tremendous danger you're placing yourself in. Do you really have to enter the middle of enemy territory like this? There must be another way."
A small, cold smile flashed across the man's chiseled face.
"I don't think need to remind you about this mission's importance, Albert. Even if it takes months, years, or decades, I will complete it."
"But sir, please reconsider—"
Before Albert could finish his plea, the mysterious figure clenched the communication device tightly in his hand.
It shattered into small pieces with a soft crack, which he casually tossed into the dark lake water.
Next, he retrieved a small blue pill from a waterproof pouch and swallowed it quickly.
Almost immediately, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the muddy ground.
Less than a minute later, the piercing sound of an alarm blared across the facility.
Red emergency lights flashed in violent pulses, and the thunder of dozens of footsteps rose into a deafening cacophony.
Guards dressed in black tactical suits materialized on the scene with military efficiency, all gripping assault rifles equipped with mounted tactical lights.
The letters BMF were carved prominently into their badges—the Bansha Military Force had arrived in full strength.
"Move, move, move!"
Soldiers poured out of a nearby reinforced facility, their formations tight and lethal.
At the front of the tactical group, a woman wielding an M416 rifle took point position.
"Take your formations! Secure the perimeter immediately! The motion sensors indicate the intruder is somewhere in this direction," she commanded the soldiers behind her with absolute authority.
Together, they advanced slowly and methodically, approaching the coordinates where the sensors had detected the intrusion.
When they climbed a small hill, the mysterious figure came into view, lying motionless on the muddy edge of the water, unconscious.
"Commander Rose, over there!"
One of the soldiers pointed with his weapon, his voice trembling with fear as it crackled through the voice communications system.
"Is that... is that an actual person?"
"It could be a trap. Someone call the Bomb Squad immediately."
"This must be a coordinated attack from Mexico or one of the other nations."
It was evident from their panicked voices and stiff body language that they were scared.
The reason for their fear was simple and undeniable—this location was supposed to be completely impenetrable. So how had a man appeared here without triggering any alarms until now?
Commander Rose lifted her hand sharply to silence the anxious chatter. Her jaw was clenched tight, but her sharp eyes stayed locked on her target with unwavering focus.
She moved forward slowly and deliberately, watching every single step she took. Her men collectively held their breath, genuinely scared for their commander's safety.
When she finally reached the unconscious man lying on the shore, she found herself momentarily taken aback by his strikingly handsome features—the sharp jawline, the aristocratic bone structure.
However, Rose refused to let herself become distracted by appearances. She quickly checked him over with professional efficiency and confirmed he had indeed passed out cold.
Twelve hours later.
The blinding fluorescent lights in the sterile interrogation room pulled the man roughly from unconsciousness.
He groaned deeply and shook his head several times to clear his blurred vision.
"Nice. I did it. Now that they've taken me in for interrogation, I just need to..."
"You're finally awake."
A cold, emotionless voice interrupted his internal thoughts. He turned slowly toward the speaker.
Rose's hair was the rich color of brown chocolate, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her skin was flawless, and her figure was undeniably curvy beneath her military uniform.
"What's your name?"
The words emerged more like a direct command than a polite question.
"My name... my name is Damien Smith."
Damien furrowed his brows deeply, putting on a convincing performance of someone who'd lost all his memories. His acting skills were absolutely perfect, but they only served to make Commander Rose even more deeply suspicious of him.
"We ran your name through every database we have access to—no records whatsoever. Not a single trace of you exists anywhere."
She leaned forward intensely.
"Tell me, Damien, who are you really, and how exactly did you manage to bypass our security systems?"
Damien laughed internally with satisfaction.
"Like I would ever tell you the truth."
Outwardly, though, he clutched his head dramatically and frowned with apparent confusion.
"I don't know anything. I don't remember who I am or how I got here."
Rose narrowed her eyes dangerously. She suddenly slammed both palms down on the metal table with explosive force and screamed directly at Damien.
"You bastard! Stop pretending to be ignorant! Do you have any idea what the punishment is for illegally intruding into another country during a time of war like this?!"
Damien recoiled convincingly, his entire performance radiating fear. He made his face appear pitiful and confused, like a lost child.
"I really don't know, miss. Please, I'm telling you the truth."
"Then you're going straight to military prison for the rest of your life!"
Before Rose could physically grab Damien and violently squeeze the answers out of him, she suddenly received an urgent order through her earpiece to step outside the interrogation room immediately.
She shot Damien one final stern, threatening look before marching outside.
Outside the interrogation room, behind thick, opaque observation glass, a heavyset man stood with his hands clasped formally behind his back, watching everything.
Upon seeing him, Rose immediately snapped to attention and bowed respectfully.
"I sincerely apologize for losing my temper in there, sir. It's just that—"
"I understand completely, Commander," her superior answered, his voice measured and calm. He lowered his gaze thoughtfully to the floor.
"This is an extremely serious matter, especially considering we're currently at war with multiple other nations."
He sighed.
"We simply don't know if that young man is a highly trained spy, a walking biological weapon, or something else entirely."
Commander Rose gasped audibly. She genuinely hadn't considered the situation from that particular angle. Her superior continued speaking gravely.
"If the suspect is legitimately claiming to have lost his memory, there's unfortunately nothing we can legally do to hold him right now. Release him from custody but assign a full surveillance team to monitor his movements constantly."
"If I may respectfully suggest an alternative approach," Rose interjected confidently.
"As the Commander responsible for all security operations at this border facility, I would like to personally take this case as my direct responsibility and figure out exactly what the enemy has planned."
Her superior raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"And precisely how do you plan to accomplish that, Commander?"
Rose smirked with cold calculation.
"It's quite simple, really. I'll be taking the suspect directly to my home and making absolutely certain to observe him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. With no memories of his past, he can't possibly claim to have any family waiting for him. He has nowhere to go."
Her superior appeared genuinely impressed by the strategy.
"I see now. The plan is excellent and tactically sound."
He nodded approvingly.
"If our suspect refuses your generous hospitality, that will immediately raise red flags and potentially ruin whatever operation he's running. On the other hand, if he agrees to your offer..."
"I'll be able to monitor and analyze his every single move," Rose completed the thought smoothly. She turned, her penetrating gaze locking onto Damien's figure behind the opaque glass.
"I don't know who he really is or what organization sent him, but whatever elaborate plan he's got in motion won't succeed. I'll personally make absolutely certain of it."
Her superior looked her directly in the eye with respect.
"You've been actively participating in dangerous field missions despite your family's ongoing financial difficulties and declining social status. I genuinely admire that level of dedication."
He walked closer to her and placed one hand on her shoulder in a paternal gesture.
"Take a temporary break from your regular duties and focus exclusively on this case. If you can successfully complete this mission and uncover this man's true identity and purpose..."
He paused meaningfully.
"I'll seriously consider recommending you for that promotion you've been working toward."
His words only seemed to dramatically increase her iron determination. She silently resolved to figure out exactly who this mysterious man was and why he had illegally infiltrated Bansha—no matter what it took.