After the fierce battle, the atmosphere in the refugee camp gradually became lighter. The Japanese forces had finally retreated from the area after suffering heavy losses. Engfa and the resistance team had fought bravely, and now they temporarily held the upper hand. Everyone in the camp sighed with relief, but Engfa knew that the war was not truly over.

The dim light of early morning spread across the refugee camp, with weak rays of sunlight pouring in after a fierce battle. Engfa was resting after a long march when Sun - a close member of the resistance - approached her with a serious expression. He handed her a rolled-up piece of paper, his face showing concern.

• "This is a message from Bangkok," Sun said, his voice low but urgent.

• "The commander wants you to handle it immediately."

Engfa carefully opened the small rolled-up paper. It contained a jumbled sequence of code; the characters seemed tangled together. She frowned, unable to immediately understand its content.

• "The code is too complicated; I can't decipher it right away," Engfa sighed, her eyes heavy as she looked at the string of characters.

Sun looked at her anxiously.

• "The commander said this is important information. It could contain our next strategies or details about transportation routes. But we don't have a decoding machine here..."

• "We have nothing," Engfa replied. "We have to solve this ourselves."

Sun furrowed his brow but said nothing more. Engfa knew that under these difficult resistance conditions, there was no way to decode information quickly. Sometimes, she wondered how much information had been lost simply because essential tools were unavailable.

Feeling a mix of frustration and anxiety, Engfa tucked the coded message into her military uniform pocket. She stepped out of the command tent, walking past rows of tents, inadvertently passing by Charlotte's room.

Inside, Charlotte was focused, the weak light from the desk lamp casting a glow on her concentrated face. Charlotte was carefully jotting down notes on scrap paper, each line written quickly and meticulously.

Engfa paused for a moment, silently observing. She couldn't help but notice the secrecy in Charlotte's actions. Charlotte was not part of the command team, and her gathering of information was not a typical task. Engfa's mind began to fill with suspicion.

Why was Charlotte acting so secretly? Was something wrong? But Engfa did not reveal her thoughts.

Charlotte was engrossed in the stack of newspapers in front of her, the light from the oil lamp creating hazy streaks across the desk. The lines she wrote flowed quickly, her hand moving swiftly over the pages as if she didn't want to miss any detail. But through a small mirror placed on the desk, Charlotte caught sight of Engfa standing at the threshold, silently observing.

Charlotte slightly smiled, her lips curving into a knowing grin, and spoke in a gentle voice loud enough for Engfa to hear:

• "Standing there for so long, aren't you coming in, Officer Engfa?"

Engfa suddenly realized she had been caught. She stepped forward a few paces, trying to maintain her composure.

• "What are you doing, Charlotte?"

Charlotte turned, setting down her pen, still keeping a gentle smile on her face.

• "Oh, I'm just gathering some small bits of information to help the others in the camp understand the situation better."

Engfa looked at the newspapers and notes in front of Charlotte, her growing suspicion in her heart.

• "Isn't your duty to provide medical support? Is this information gathering really necessary?"

Charlotte gazed directly into Engfa's eyes, her voice suddenly becoming more serious:

• "Sometimes, knowing a little more can help us prepare better, don't you think? In war, information is power."

Engfa searched Charlotte's eyes, trying to find answers. There was something about Charlotte that made her uneasy, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that Charlotte was right. In wartime, information was always the most powerful weapon.

• "I understand," Engfa replied curtly, trying not to show her doubts.

• "But next time, you could ask for my support if needed."

Charlotte nodded, her gaze still fixed on Engfa.

• "I'll remember that; thank you."

A moment of silence enveloped them, both merely looking at each other, but in each of their eyes were unspoken words. Engfa felt an underlying tension, but she knew this was not the time to ask more. She turned and left the room, leaving Charlotte alone in a silence full of mystery.

After Engfa left, Charlotte looked into the mirror, her smile fading. Within her rose complex emotions. She understood that she was treading a dangerous path, and Engfa's suspicions could be the first step toward uncovering greater secrets about this war.

Charlotte recalled her secret meeting with Thuniwad in Bangkok before being assigned here:

In the dim yellow light of a quiet tea house in the heart of Bangkok, Charlotte sat opposite Thuniwad. His face bore the marks of age, but his eyes remained bright and sharp. Thuniwad was not only an important leader in the resistance movement but also someone Charlotte respected like a father.

• "Charlotte," Thuniwad began, his voice warm yet underscored by seriousness.

• "Do you understand how important this mission is?"

Charlotte nodded, her eyes filled with determination.

• "I understand. I will go to the northern border and join the resistance forces. I will pretend to gather information about the routes, but in reality, I will send false information to the Japanese. This way, they will be misled about the routes that the resistance is actually using."

Thuniwad looked at Charlotte, his eyes filled with trust mixed with concern.

• "Most importantly, you must win Engfa's trust. Engfa is not only a skilled fighter but also holds significant influence in the resistance. If Engfa suspects you, the entire plan will collapse."

Charlotte smiled lightly.

• "Don't worry. I've carried out similar missions before, and I know how to earn Engfa's trust without raising suspicions."

Thuniwad maintained his stern expression, but the tension in his face did not disappear.

• "Engfa is very perceptive. Just one small mistake, and she will find out. You must be extremely careful."

Charlotte bowed her head, her heart full of resolve.

• "I won't let any mistakes happen. I know what I need to do."

Thuniwad smiled faintly and took out a neatly rolled-up piece of paper.

• "This is the first piece of information you need to give Engfa. It's a sequence of codes, but you must ensure that Engfa cannot decipher it without your help. This will force Engfa to seek you out, giving you a chance to gain her trust."

Charlotte took the paper, feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, yet her heart was filled with pride. This was not only an important mission for the resistance movement but also an opportunity for her to prove her abilities and worth.

As the conversation was coming to a close, Charlotte glanced at Thuniwad with a hesitant look. Gathering her courage, she lowered her voice:

• "Do you... have any news about my father?"

Thuniwad paused for a moment before answering.

• "These are difficult times, Charlotte. Your family is in a safe place, but nothing can be guaranteed. You should focus on your mission for now."

Charlotte nodded, but her heart was filled with unease. She couldn't shake her worries about her father amidst this chaotic backdrop.

---

Will her secrets triumph over her emotions when facing her?

Hy.