Chapter 122: What Lofty Patriotic Sentiment

"So, everything was part of your calculation, wasn't it? From the very beginning, you started manipulating Jiang Nanyan into following your lead."

"Uh-huh."

"You knew Jiang Nanyan wouldn't let you go, so you agreed to save the lives but held something back, leveraging that for greater gains."

"Uh-huh."

"And you also knew that Jiang Nanyan, desperate to break his word and send you back, would inevitably form an alliance with certain people. Then, at the critical moment, when Elder Jiang’s health took a turn for the worse, the Jiang family would be in such a precarious position that they would have no choice but to agree to your terms, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then do you know that your fiancée—me!—almost ended up marrying another man!" Liu Yan’s face, which had been smiling a moment ago, turned livid. She slammed the table and shouted, "Qin Yang, are you even a man? You even factored me into your schemes!"

Qin Yang, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and his legs crossed, chuckled. "Don't give me that. You almost forced me to compromise with the old man back then, and I haven't even settled that score with you yet. Besides, I honestly didn't expect you to go that far. I only said those things before 'fainting' to make it look realistic. Jiang Nanyan is truly dim-witted; I'm a doctor, so how could I be knocked out by some mere anesthetic? It’s laughable. He didn't even notice such a massive loophole. It’s a shame I gave him such an opportunity."

Liu Yan huffed, her expression returning to normal. "I knew you’d hold something back, which is why I scheduled the wedding for a month later. I was worried that if you didn't make a move within that month, I’d really be trapped."

"If you knew that, why did you agree to it?" Qin Yang asked curiously.

"If I hadn't, how could Jiang Nanyan have suffered such a public humiliation?" Liu Yan sneered.

"Do you realize that once the wedding is called off, you’ll easily be branded as a sacrificial pawn?" Qin Yang frowned.

"Are you worried about me?" Liu Yan asked with a smile.

Qin Yang exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I suppose so."

"In our circles, that’s just an unspoken fact. Even if I hadn't done this, the outcome would have been the same," Liu Yan said, her face calm. "Since that’s the case, why shouldn't I seize this opportunity and make the most of it? Jiang Nanyan nearly destroyed the relationship between you and me; why shouldn't I make him look like a fool?"

"Why did you agree to marry me in the first place?" Qin Yang asked, puzzled. "You know Qin Yang has always been seen as a good-for-nothing playboy."

"But facts have proven otherwise," Liu Yan said, packing her bag. "Alright, I’m off. I have to go back and manage the business at Hailong Jewelry. My work is busy, unlike you, waiting here for people to bring you food and drink. Besides, for the time being, I am still your legitimate fiancée. I’ll consider everything you did to deal with Jiang Nanyan as having been done for me. I’m pleased with that. I can turn a blind eye to your womanizing, but if you make me lose face, I’ll make you lose face as well. You can try me."

Watching her walk away, Qin Yang shivered.

"Damn, women are scarier than men when they get ruthless."

Meanwhile, while Qin Yang was in high spirits inside the Black Prison, the outside world was a different story. Not only was the Jiang Nanyan family running around like ants on a hot pan, but the internet was also in an uproar. At a specific point in time, the Ares Squad had become the center of attention—not with the respect and admiration that followed their bloody battle, but with pain and pity.

"The Ares Squad, a miraculous team. We’d never heard of this name before. Military enthusiasts usually prefer to discuss the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Squad. Although no outsider can confirm if the Golden Dragon Squad even exists, one thing is certain: we had never heard even a whisper of the Ares Squad before. Not a single trace! Could it be that the Ares Squad was assembled on the fly? How do they actually exist? Comrade Zhou Xiao recorded final words for all the soldiers who fought, yet there were none for the members of the Ares Squad. But if you listen closely to the recording, you’ll notice a few extra seconds of audio containing a weary, heart-wrenching voice: 'We members of the Ares Squad died a long, long time ago!'"

"This is deeply perplexing. Allow me to use my imagination: is the Ares Squad a group of former soldiers who were secretly imprisoned somewhere for some past mistake? This part is certain—I’ve spoken to a hostage (whose name I will not reveal), and he said that when a member of the Ares Squad requested reinforcements, the response was 'three hours.' The soldier’s reply was a challenge: 'You have a million soldiers in China and you can’t send reinforcements? Is someone playing dirty?' What does this mean? Let’s leave that aside and look at the next sentence: 'You know better than anyone the suffering my brothers have endured. If they are injured or killed because of someone’s games, don't think a depth of two hundred meters underground can hold me. Even if it were two thousand meters deep, I’d kill my way out!'"

"This is the most baffling part. A 'two-hundred-meter-deep hell'? What is it? Were the members of the Ares Squad being monitored two hundred meters underground? After all, the soldier said 'kill my way out,' implying they couldn't get out on their own! Connecting this to the 'playing dirty' comment, it’s clear: they were being persecuted. Yet, when civilians were threatened by terrorists, they still agreed to fight! Even more confusing is how, when the terrorists invaded in force and hundreds surrounded thirty-some soldiers, the military couldn't send reinforcements? It required three hours? That’s too fake, isn't it? The war was happening within our borders, not outside them! What does this prove? There are people playing games behind the scenes! They want the Ares Squad dead!"

"What is this 'two-hundred-meter-deep hell'? How did the Ares Squad members exist before this? What kind of suppression were our soldiers under? Aside from the twelve members of the Ares Squad, are there other soldiers trapped in that two-hundred-meter-deep hell?"

Articles like this appeared on major forums within just a few hours. People love gossip, especially when the protagonists are the Ares Squad, who had just accomplished a feat that shocked the nation. After reading these articles, everyone was filled with doubt. The mystery surrounding the Ares Squad was too great, and their enigma drove netizens and loyal fans to dig deeper.

The online discussion intensified, becoming the trending topic within a single day. Some news websites even featured similar essays.

However, they were soon deleted, and the original posts on major forums were scrubbed. In the past, such things might have blown over, but this time was different. The impact of the Ares Squad was nation-wide; they had made the terrorists pay in blood and let every citizen know they lived in a safe environment. They hadn't just protected those thirty-two hostages—if these national heroes were truly being persecuted and monitored, then it was beyond unfair. Yet, even so, the Ares Squad had stepped forward to fight the enemy and defend the country. What a great display of patriotism!

The discussion grew fiercer. The blind suppression only seemed to make the netizens angrier, as they reasoned that those who have nothing to hide should have nothing to fear. Therefore, the suppression itself was proof that it was true.

The people in the Black Prison saw these messages online.

One by one, they scratched their heads in shame. "I really wasn't being persecuted; I just couldn't get out. 'Great display of patriotism'—man, I’ve got goosebumps all over. I can't watch this anymore, I really can't."

"Look at your lack of backbone," Qin Yang said, glaring at them.