Yi Xiaorou, female, 26 years old, Colonel rank, an academician at the Great Dragon Country's Advanced Weaponry Research Institute, specializing in Artificial Intelligence.

Seven years prior, Yi Xiaorou noticed patch-like discoloration appearing on her body—a rusty brown-yellow hue. Though it caused no pain, itching, or interference with her daily work and life, the patches were distinctly hard. This was a source of profound inner torment, especially for a woman who was naturally beautiful and cherished her appearance. For years, Yi Xiaorou was deeply troubled by this condition.

The most distinguished physicians in the Great Dragon Country conducted meticulous examinations on Yi Xiaorou, yet they found neither bacteria nor viruses, nor could they devise a cure. As time wore on, the iron-rust spots began to surface even on her previously mature and exquisite face. This great beauty was rapidly turning into a frightful spectacle.

Typically, mineral-laden hot spring baths are considered beneficial, or at least harmless, for those suffering from skin ailments. However, Yi Xiaorou experienced the exact opposite; bathing only exacerbated her condition. Eventually, routine washing—even just for bathing, washing hands, or cleansing her face—became a significant problem. More dangerously, sweating caused the rusted patches on her body to worsen.

Three years ago, Hua Qingqing, the most renowned young doctor at Huashi Hospital, took over Yi Xiaorou’s case. Her first action was to specially compound a body powder for Yi Xiaorou, intended to replace water bathing. This powder was incredibly fine and smooth, possessing cleansing properties, making it ideally suited for Yi Xiaorou’s affliction.

Once Yi Xiaorou’s condition was brought under control, Hua Qingqing launched a detailed investigation into the rust spots. Laboratory results revealed that these patches were, astonishingly, a form of oxide, chemically identical to iron rust. Her body’s iron levels were tremendously excessive, with the highest concentration on the surface of her skin. This disease was truly unprecedented globally, explaining why contact with water would accelerate its severity.

Yi Xiaorou herself hailed from an illustrious family, and her recent breakthroughs in AI research had far surpassed those of Star Country, making her a top national scientist. To find a cure for this "rusting sickness," the nation poured enormous medical funding into her treatment and continuously dispatched doctors abroad to research the pathology. However, every return report confirmed that there was currently no known treatment for this condition anywhere in the world.

Fortunately, three years earlier, while examining traditional Chinese medicinal herbs acquired from a certain mountainous region, Hua Qingqing stumbled upon several peculiar plants. These plants bore no leaves or branches, only sharp, rigid stalks. After Yi Xiaorou consumed a medicinal decoction mixed with juice from these plants, the rust spots on her body showed remarkable regression.

Through further investigation and comparison with global data, Hua Qingqing deduced that this unidentified plant contained a specialized substance, tentatively named 'Substance B' internationally. This substance had previously been observed in certain species of mutated snakes and was known to be highly effective against common viruses. Theoretically, it could even cure Yi Xiaorou’s rust spot disease, provided the dosage was sufficient.

Hua Qingqing thus hypothesized that a population of mutated snakes must be hidden within that mountainous area—perhaps an entire race, or just a highly mutated solitary individual. The sharp, rigid plants grew in the ground where these snakes slithered, meaning their secretions would naturally be deposited onto the vegetation.

Given Yi Xiaorou’s critical status, the nation quickly dispatched a secret military unit into the mountains to search. They captured hundreds of baskets of snakes, but not a single one matched the required profile. This left Hua Qingqing uncertain; perhaps Substance B was not exclusively confined to the snakes, or perhaps the plant itself contained the substance.

As a last resort, Huashi Hospital organized the large-scale purchase of this specific plant from the small town. The collected material was processed to extract Substance B for Yi Xiaorou’s treatment. However, no matter how much raw material they acquired, the extracted Substance B could never fully cure Yi Xiaorou; it could only maintain her condition at a point where it no longer deteriorated.

Then, a little over a month ago, shortly after a giant python had been consumed, the medicinal herbs flown back to the main research lab at Huashi Hospital were tested and found to have critically low levels of Substance B—so low that it was insufficient to maintain control over Yi Xiaorou's condition.

Worse still, the latest examination results indicated that Yi Xiaorou’s disease was actively worsening. Rust spots were now appearing in her lungs and stomach. Based on Hua Qingqing’s projections, if this progression continued, the rust patches would likely fuse together within one or two years, rendering Yi Xiaorou’s internal organs, including her heart and lungs, incapable of functioning. The outcome would be catastrophic.

While external rust spots could be managed by preventing water contact, the internal spots presented an insurmountable obstacle. One couldn't simply stop the patient from eating or drinking; furthermore, survival required constant hydration, and the stomach was a vital digestive organ. Yi Xiaorou’s condition had reached a point of extreme emergency.

******

Yi Xiaorou’s research day had concluded. She sat quietly in her private office, lost in thought. In addition to the worsening rust spots over the past few days, a terrible, persistent itch had also begun.

This was a dire omen. Previously, although the rust had ruined her appearance, it hadn't significantly impacted her research. Now, if the condition escalated to full-body itching, she feared she would lose all mental capacity to continue her work.

Yet, this was precisely the critical phase for the AI guidance system research on ballistic missiles. If she were forced to withdraw due to illness, it could derail the entire research trajectory, potentially nullifying years of effort.

Yi Xiaorou picked up the phone and dialed Hua Qingqing’s number.

“Qingqing, it’s Xiaorou.”

“Sister Rou, I was just about to call you. I’ve been reconsidering your condition these past few days. I believe we absolutely must travel to that town in person. Based on all the feedback we’ve received, our only hope lies with Substance B. Regardless of the outcome, we have to try. I’ll bring all the necessary equipment. Perhaps we can find a miracle.”

Yi Xiaorou sighed. “Alright. I’ll speak with the Director. They can send a car for you tomorrow.”

******

I never expected being a mover to involve such stringent background checks. Thankfully, my political standing and physical qualifications cleared the hurdles. Early this morning, I arrived at the Beijing headquarters of Huashi Hospital to wait, accompanying a colleague of a colleague of a cousin of the sister of the second uncle of my neighbor Zhu Da.

Not long after, a military-plated truck pulled up. I followed the vehicle to the back lot and helped load a stack of crates onto the truck bed. Afterward, I rode tucked inside the cargo area, trailing a Red Flag sedan toward the airport.

The convoy left the outskirts of Beijing and soon entered a heavily guarded military base. Inside the base, the vehicle drove a short distance before reaching a small tarmac where three Flying Dragon armed helicopters—famous internationally—were parked. As far as I knew, these helicopters were entirely domestically produced. Apart from their firepower and electronic navigation systems, which were comparable to Star Country’s, all other performance metrics surpassed similar foreign models. If only I could get my hands on the manufacturing schematics to input into the base computer and produce a few hundred of them.

The truck stopped, and someone directed me to move the crates onto one of the helicopters, then instructed me to wait aboard a different one. A faint, natural jasmine scent drifted through the air—nothing like cheap perfume, and wonderfully soothing.

I looked up to see four people boarding the helicopter. Leading them was an officer completely masked—a respirator, sunglasses, and a military cap drawn low. She looked like a mummy, but the one discernible fact was that she was female, given the remarkable fullness of her chest. Heh, Fang Yanmeng would be furious if she saw that.

Next was a mature, beautiful young female doctor. She possessed an aura distinct from other women; it was unique, differing from Fang Yanmeng’s vivacity or Xiao Chuchu’s composed maturity. This temperament made the girl beside me appear more dignified, steady, and highly cultivated. Coupled with a pristine white medical uniform, she radiated an air of profound, mature allure beneath her composure.

The other two were plainclothes men, both in their thirties. One kept his head down, looking listless, yet I sensed his seemingly drowsy eyes and ears were ceaselessly monitoring the subtle environmental shifts. The other looked sharp and alert, as if boundless energy was coiled within him.

The young doctor sat next to me. Her subtle jasmine scent was intoxicating; the fragrance originated from her. She quietly asked, “You are Old Zhang’s cousin?”

Following Zhu Da’s prior instructions, I confirmed the fabricated relationship. “Yes, I apologize for the trouble I’m causing.”

The doctor smiled, shaking her head, and lapsed into silence.

I had no idea how long the flight would last, and the lack of conversation made the cabin atmosphere stifling. I decided to close my eyes and sleep. When I woke, looking outside revealed a vast expanse of dense mountain forest. We must have reached the mountainous region and were nearing our destination.

Suddenly, the alarm light on the helicopter flashed urgently red. The pilot turned back, his face pale. “This is bad! Our helicopter has been locked on by a missile!”

“What!” All five of us in the cabin recoiled in shock. The muscular man’s eyes bulged like eggs. He shouted, “Impossible! This is within our own domestic military jurisdiction! Is this a misunderstanding with the ground troops? Contact them immediately! Order Flying Dragon Two and Three, our escorts, to activate their air-to-air missile systems and prepare to intercept any incoming attacks.”

The pilot tried hailing them for a while, receiving no response. Seeing the severity of the situation, the muscular man immediately moved into the cockpit to operate the communications console.

“What’s going on? We can’t reach the radio, and the secure code channel isn’t working either.”

The pilot checked briefly before telling the muscular man, “The signal is being jammed. We cannot contact the outside world... Oh no! The enemy missile has successfully launched! It will be in range in fifty seconds.”

The female doctor nervously asked the ‘Mummy,’ “Sister Rou, is this just a surprise drill? Why are things so tense?”

The ‘Mummy’ yanked off her mask and sunglasses. “Don’t be afraid, Qingqing. It’s probably just sabotage from some agents. Don't worry, we’ll be fine.”

Curiously, I glanced at the ‘Mummy.’ That single look made me jump. How could her entire face be covered in yellow blotches? A few spots might be one thing, but being so covered that her features were unrecognizable was terrifying. Yet, disregarding the discoloration, this ‘Mummy’ possessed a unique attraction—a deep, mature sexuality that Fang Yanmeng and Zhao Fen didn't possess.

Thankfully, I remembered I must respect others. After that startled glance, I quickly averted my gaze, cursing myself internally for tagging along on this ride. It looked like I wouldn't be taking a flight home; poor little Raindrop Sister, you just got an older brother and you’re about to lose him.

The enemy likely used a portable launcher for micro-missiles. The first wave consisted of three missiles, all aimed precisely at our helicopter, deliberately bypassing the other two Flying Dragon choppers.

Our team was far from helpless. Four air-to-air interceptor missiles were successfully launched with distinct swishes. With two loud booms, two of the incoming missiles were shot down at a two-to-one exchange.

A Flying Dragon armed helicopter can carry a maximum of two air-to-air missiles. The remaining incoming missile had to be handled by our own aircraft. The pilot executed a sharp tail slide and hit the launch button. The enemy missile deftly evaded the first interceptor; their guidance system was clearly quite advanced.

However, our side had launched two interceptors in total. The enemy missile, after dodging the first, flew straight into the path of the second one. Boom! Another massive explosion. The third incoming missile was also shot down.

The female doctor let out a huge breath. “Thank goodness we were prepared, or this would have been disastrous. Sister Rou, it seems your movements have been completely exposed. How else would the enemy target only our helicopter?”

The female officer sternly addressed the listless man. “Number Eleven, you must investigate this thoroughly. There must be a traitor in our system. My personal safety is a small matter, but research cannot suffer any error at this critical juncture.”

The man codenamed Eleven nodded. “Please rest assured, Chief. We know how to proceed.”

The pilot suddenly yelled, “The danger isn’t over! Three more missiles have launched!”

Damn it! We’re finished. The previous three missiles depleted our defensive capacity. What can we do against three more?

Number Eleven urgently instructed everyone, “There are life vests under your seats—put them on quickly! When the cabin door opens, jump!”

I looked out the window glass—Good heavens, jumping from this height without a parachute—you’d have to be a deity not to die.

The muscular man, codenamed Ten, frantically contacted the other two helicopters. “Flying Dragon Two and Three, do you have any means left to intercept these missiles? The Chief’s safety cannot be compromised for a moment. We must rely on each other now!”

Though they couldn't contact the outside world, communication between the three helicopters remained functional within this local area. Flying Dragon Two and Three responded: “Chief, rest assured! As long as your soldiers are here, the enemy’s plot will not succeed. Comrade Ten, Comrade Eleven, esteemed Chief—farewell to you all!”

Before the transmission ended, the other two Flying Dragon helicopters suddenly accelerated, flying headlong into the incoming missiles. With two tremendous booms, debris from the explosions rattled against the hull of our helicopter like hail.

I froze. Was this real? Was this some kind of war movie? Did those two helicopters and their pilots just sacrifice themselves? Is this ‘Mummy’ female officer truly that important? I thought such heroic sacrifices only happened in stories; I never imagined experiencing one while just catching a ride.

The muscular man, codenamed Ten, slammed his fist onto the instrument panel. “When we catch this mole, I will tear him limb from limb to avenge our comrades!”

The pilot warned, “The third missile didn’t detonate—it’s circling back! Everyone, think of something quickly! A vertical landing might not evade such a highly guided missile. We need to bail out! I will pilot the helicopter to draw the missile away; that way, the chance of survival will be slightly higher.”

The ‘Mummy’ said mournfully, “I’ve implicated everyone. If it weren’t for coming here to treat me, perhaps none of this would have happened. Qingqing, I’m sorry, I’ve harmed you.”

The female doctor’s voice choked with tears. “Forget it, Sister Rou. In truth, this is my fault too. If I hadn’t insisted on dragging you here, this wouldn't have happened. But I’m proud of you. The fact that the enemy went to such lengths to assassinate you shows how much of a threat you pose. I only lament that I haven’t found a boyfriend yet, but you already have a husband—that’s so unfair.”

Number Eleven suddenly yanked the cabin door open, and a violent rush of air immediately flooded in. “Everyone jump! The trees are dense below; you’ll be fine!”