Years ago, on a remote mineral star at the border between the West Woods Region and Bermuda Region, Whitewater Company's Team 7 was carrying out a secret mission. Bai Magnolia was hit in the chest by a piece of hard fiber shrapnel. His ribs were cut open, and blood flowed out like a stream. However, despite suffering such heavy injuries, Bai Yulan didn't make a single sound. She didn't even frown as she led the members of Team 7 to maintain a semicircle defensive formation. Relying on the federation's advanced weapons and their valiant determination, they successfully held on until reinforcements arrived.
For a full 16 minutes, Bai Magnolia, who was wearing a full body isolation suit, stood behind the self-propelled armored vehicle. He did not retreat a single step until the wide-winged space fighter glided over. Only then did he collapse.
That scene fell into the eyes of Xiong Linquan, Liu Jiao, and the rest of Team 7's combat personnel. It was deeply engraved in their minds until today. So when they saw Bai Magnolia collapse on the street, the anger in their hearts suddenly erupted. The cold murderous intent in their hearts rose to an uncontrollable level. Even with Lan Xiaolong's strict suppression, they could not control it. In the end, the reason why they calmed down a little was because of Bai Magnolia's words.
That person was Xu Le.
…
…
The tip of the knife had injured his lung. It seemed to be a serious injury, but for someone like Bai Magnolia who was born in the military, it was just a small surgery. He quietly laid on the hospital bed and signaled Lan Xiaolong beside him to turn off the automatic electronic anesthesia pump. He frowned and said in a hoarse voice, "Help me light a cigarette."
After bleeding so much and undergoing surgery, the first thing a seriously injured person said after waking up was to smoke. The silent people in the ward did not express any shock. For these people in the ward, injuries were a common occurrence. But everyone felt that the knife that Lao Bai was stabbed with today was somewhat indescribable.
What was even stranger was that these people in the ward knew very well that Bai Magnolia had stopped smoking after his failed experiment last autumn and was sent to the military court. Why did he want to smoke today?
Xiong Linquan lit a cigarette and took two puffs to make it burn brighter. He silently put the cigarette between his thin lips. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Is that kid really Xu Le?"
Bai Magnolia lay on the bed. Other than the new wounds that had been glued together by physiological glue, there were also many old scars on his bare back. He took a puff of his cigarette and said faintly, "During last year's gathering, I told you that if the Department of Defense and the company really wanted to reorganize Team 7, he would be the most important person … He is the leader that I found for everyone."
A strange emotion flashed across Xiong Linquan's face. He opened his mouth slightly as if he wanted to curse, but in the end, it only turned into a sigh. Last year, during a few of their occasional gatherings, Bai Yulan had seriously mentioned the current technical director of Team 7. Her words were filled with sincere praise, admiration, and love. After hearing this many times, they naturally started to believe her.
"Now, Xu Le and I are the only two people left in Team 7. He is the technical director, and I am his secretary." Bai Magnolia said softly, "Unfortunately, there won't be such a pairing in the future."
Xiong Linquan, Liu Jiao, and the rest of the people in the room fell silent. The Federal military was a place that valued strength and respected the strong. As the combat director of Team 7, Bai Magnolia was once the most outstanding soldier in the Federal military. She had given Xu Le such high praise, which naturally made them believe her. However, they didn't understand. Lao Bai clearly liked that young man very much, so why did something like this happen today? Lao Bai didn't even fight back. What exactly happened?
"Xu Le has a good personality. He treats people well and is very strong. Plus, he has a background in the Department of Defense. I thought that Team 7 would be the best choice to follow him." Bai Magnolia flicked away the ash from her cigarette and said softly, "Unfortunately, it looks like the military will definitely not let you all come back. He must be very disappointed in me. This team will be disbanded in the end."
For Bai Yulan and the rest of the people in the room, Team 7 was the place where they had fought and lived. It was their truest history. They constantly wanted the Ministry of Defense to rescind the original order and rebuild Team 7, but all of this seemed so illusory.
"That Xu Le … is he really the developer of the MX mecha? Why didn't I see him at the unveiling ceremony of the assembly line last month? " Liu Jiao asked with a frown. In fact, he had never doubted Bai Magnolia's praise of that young man, but he just found it somewhat unbelievable.
Bai Magnolia naturally wouldn't tell him that at that time, Xu Le had still been locked up in a dark military prison.
Xiong Linquan sighed and said, "If you hadn't said it yourself, I really wouldn't have believed that this seemingly normal guy could actually operate a mecha and kill that young lieutenant colonel from the military god's family on the summit of Mount Kaqi."
Lan Xiaolong, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, "This is a military secret. It's best not to talk about it."
Xiong Linquan laughed coldly and said, "This kind of thing can't be hidden for too long."
Lan Xiaolong smiled. Just as he was about to say something, the phone in his hand rang. He walked out of the door. Bai Magnolia, who was lying on the hospital bed, threw away the cigarette butt in her hand. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "What a pity, what a pity."
"What's a pity?" asked an officer.
"A pity that Team 7 is disbanded just like that. It's one less person who was destined to be the most ferocious person to go to the frontlines, or even to the Empire to do some of the most ferocious deeds." Bai Magnolia said softly, "Such a loyal and loyal boss, f * ck … it would be hard to find a second one in the entire Federation."
…
…
Lan Xiaolong pushed open the door and entered. He looked at Bai Magnolia with a strange expression, his hand still holding the encrypted military phone he always carried with him. Everyone in the room felt that something was wrong with him, and they all looked over.
Lan Xiaolong looked at the outstanding officers in the room, who had been through the flames of war, and shrugged helplessly. He said, "This is the first news that just came out. The War Strategy Office of the Ministry of Defense has issued a written order. The Whitewater Company's Team 7 is officially reorganizing. The transfer order should be on its way to your unit right now."
As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became a little strange. The officers in the room had all fought in Team 7. In the relatively peaceful era, they had fought a life-and-death battle with the Empire's invaders. Although now they were the trump cards of their respective units, as soldiers of the Federation, in the quiet night, how could they not miss the starry battlefields, the mines, the bullet holes, and the past battle scenes?
Bai Magnolia's delicate eyes flashed with a glimmer of light. She asked softly, "You're now just a colonel in the garrison area. The Ministry of Defense can't possibly inform you."
Lan Xiaolong shrugged again, somewhat innocently. He adjusted his military cap and said, "Remember my mission in Harbor City last year? I was responsible for protecting a certain chief. "
Bai Magnolia's eyes grew brighter and brighter. She asked, "Who's the new leader of Team 7?"
"Xu Le." Lan Xiaolong smiled and replied, "But it's estimated that there will be an expansion because it seems that the 8384 Division will also be transferring people over. The entire reorganization timetable will take about three months."
Everyone in the room finally understood what he was talking about. The shock in their hearts could not be erased. Instead, there was a trace of doubt. Even the 17th Armored Division would be transferring people over. What exactly did the Ministry of Defense want to do by reorganizing Team 7?
…
…
The capital special district was just like the other places in the Federation. There were rich and poor like the clouds in the sky, and poor like the black mud. In the barren world of the Donglin District, there were also extremely luxurious nightclubs. In this city, which was the center of the Federation, there were not only places like Linyuan and the Windy Slope Club, but also small restaurants on the streets.
To be precise, Xu Le had been released from prison for less than 24 hours, but he had already done a lot of things. He had obtained a special pardon from the president, signed a contract to sell himself to the Federal military, and even stabbed someone in the back. At this moment, he was sitting on a chair and taking big mouthfuls of vegetables in sesame oil from the pot. He was sweating profusely and seemed to be very happy.
Xi Zhiyuan wasn't used to eating in this kind of place. He frowned and looked at the oil stains and stains on the table. He then looked at the pile of food in the big pot. He really didn't have much of an appetite.
"After being locked in prison for five months, what I want to eat the most is something hot or even hot. It's best if it can burn my cold stomach until it hurts." Xu Le put down his chopsticks and explained with a smile.
"You probably don't want to think about the things I want you to think about. Li Pifu, President, the military and the others bailed you out. What exactly do they want you to do? Do you know? "
In front of Xu Le, Tai Zhiyuan did not look like the son of a noble family, but the environment he grew up in made him look so elegant when he wiped the corners of his mouth with a paper towel in this small restaurant. However, it was this kind of elegance that was too inconsistent with the environment that Xu Le could not help but laugh.
After going through so many things, Xu Le's state of mind had changed a lot. He was gradually returning to the orphan from Donglin's Zhonglou Street. Perhaps he did not need to pick up that broken but sharp hydraulic pipe anymore. His state of mind had already returned to that murderous, rainy night. He was still as persevering, stubborn, and cheerful as before. The silence that covered his face was gradually disappearing, and the blocks in his heart turned into sharp stones.
Pressing forward courageously was not because he could not see ahead. Although he was a little confused about his future life, the biggest fear and apprehension since escaping from Donglin had disappeared. His identity as a fugitive from the Federation and his secret had already been caught. It was unnecessary to be nervous and silent. It was like an old scar that was always itching. Once it was abruptly removed, although it hurt a little, it was also exceptionally satisfying.
Moreover, the Federation's war god seemed to have become his distant relative. He no longer needed to constantly worry about his identity as a fugitive. How could a cheerful young man like Xu Le not be sunny?
His eyes were smiling like the two moons in the sky. He said, "Why do you care so much? At most, the Ministry of Defense will send me to the frontlines as cannon fodder. If I can kill a few more Empire people, it won't be too much of a loss. After all, I should have been a dead man to begin with. "
"I think the government won't spare a mecha genius like you from being cannon fodder."
Tai Zhiyuan looked at the narrowed eyes of Xu Le in front of him with slight ridicule, and his heart warmed a little. There were still a lot of inside stories that he had not figured out. What was the reason for Li Pifu to come out of seclusion? Why did his mother want him to die? And why was he still alive? Because of all these, Xu Le's smiling face seemed somewhat mysterious at this moment. However, as a friend, he did not want to find out what was underneath the mystery.
"The government is about to make a big move," Tai Zhiyuan suddenly said.
Xu Le understood the abilities of this young man in front of him very well. He knew that the big move he was talking about was definitely not a small matter. In an instant, the bustling little restaurant seemed to have quietened down. He raised his head seriously.
"To be precise, it's Mr. Pabre. This big move is related to Green Dragon Mountain."
"Is there going to be a war?" Xu Le asked worriedly. Ever since they found out about Macklin's true identity, anyone who knew the inside story was shocked and fearful of the Empire's ambitions and foresight. The Federation now needed unity more than ever before. If the government attacked Green Dragon Mountain again, who knew what kind of negative effects it would bring? It might even give the Empire some opportunities to take advantage of.
"No, it's a negotiation. It's to implement the agreement at the end of last year." Tai Zhiyuan shook his head. Sitting at the simple table, they were all involved in the big incident that year, and even the masterminds. However, there was still Shi Qinghai, who was currently still locked up in prison.
"The president will invite the leader of Nanshui to S1 for formal negotiations. If Green Dragon Mountain is really willing to join the government, this will definitely be the most explosive good news in recent years. Of course, the difficulty is also very high. If it wasn't for the fact that the threat from the Empire is too great, it would be very difficult for the government and the parliament to come to a consensus. However, the problem is that we don't know how Green Dragon Mountain is prepared to respond. "
"This is a rare piece of good news." Xu Le put down his chopsticks and was silent for a moment before nodding seriously.
"If the negotiations are successful, and the anti-government forces are really willing to be incorporated, they will probably transfer a unit to the West Woods to express their attitude. Of course, this is mainly because of the greater symbolic significance. President Pabre is very sincere. The main forces of the Second Military Region have already been withdrawn, and the unit I belong to will be transferred to the West Woods to fight in rotation. "Tai Zhiyuan said calmly," I'll be leaving tomorrow. "
"Take care." Xu Le said softly, "Perhaps the next time we meet again, we'll both be on the front lines of the West Woods."
A trace of worry appeared between Tai Zhiyuan's brows. "I'm staying for a few more days mainly because of you. In reality, the situation in the West Woods isn't stable. The Fourth Military Region has refused the Joint Chiefs of Staff's order to increase the offensive. That Commander Zhong has guarded the Federation border for so many years and knows the Empire's people much better than we do. The problem is that the Federation needs a small scale victory right now … to raise morale. My main mission in the West Woods this time is to persuade Commander Zhong."
Of the seven major families in the Federation, the Zhong family in the West Woods was the only one who held military power. Without a doubt, they had always been under pressure from both the Empire's main offensive and the Federation's suspicions. Hearing this, Xu Le couldn't help but think of the little girl on the warship. He wondered how the little princess of the Zhong family looked like now. More importantly, after stabbing Bai Yulan, he still needed to fish Shi Qinghai out and confirm where that brat Li Wei had been sent by Madam Zhong.
…
…
The next day, Tai Zhiyuan disappeared again. Xu Le knew that this friend of his carried the glory and pressure of the thousand-year-old family. He didn't know if this friend of his could really become the president of the Federation in this long life and satisfy that madam's ambition. He only knew that Tai Zhiyuan wasn't necessarily happy. It was just that everyone had their own unique identity. This identity represented many things, and it wasn't something that could be easily shaken off.
Xu Le had the ability to change his identity. As long as he changed the chip on the back of his neck, he would be able to tear up the documents from the Ministry of Defense like they were pieces of paper. He would then be able to enter the Federation Star System and not have to worry about anything anymore. The problem was that he couldn't change because there were still many people he cared about in this world, such as Shi Qinghai and Zou Yu. An identity was a real life. Giving up one's identity meant giving up everything in this life.
Xu Le wanted to live a life of wandering in the universe. He didn't know if he would end up like his uncle if he changed his life too much. He didn't know if he would end up like his uncle and become a loner who couldn't return home. Other than going to the sanatorium to visit prostitutes and order around his useless students, he was actually a lonely mess with no one to talk to or drink with.
In the following days, he nervously made a call to Madam Zhong. From her vague answer, he roughly knew Li Wei's whereabouts and confirmed that he was safe. Then, he went to the Zou family in the West Mountain Compound to visit Minister Zou Yingxing. At the same time, he had a private discussion with Zou Yu about many things. He basically spent the rest of his time negotiating with the relevant departments …
He was now cheerful and sunny. Because he had nothing to lose, he had nothing to fear. Therefore, he was seeking Shi Qinghai's special pardon. The problem was that the Internal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Defense was not willing to intervene at all, and the President's official residence refused to pick up a call from a nobody like him. As for the relevant departments that could decide these things, it was really confusing. Today, it was this department, tomorrow it was that committee. The doors of the relevant departments were always closed to him.
He didn't know about President Pabre's highly targeted speech at the Nebula Award Ceremony a few days ago. He had been busy during this period of time. It wasn't until one day when he saw the article by Chief Editor Bob and Reporter Wood in the Capital Special District Daily that he found out about what was happening in the Federation.
The negotiations between the Federation government and Green Dragon Mountain were unanimously supported by hundreds of millions of people in the Federation. In the face of the evil invaders of the Empire, the citizens were really unwilling to see their own internal bloodshed. What was more eye-catching was that the government's Ministry of Justice had once again launched the Medellin Special Case …
Senator Medellin was a spy of the Empire. This shameful matter to the Federation would probably be locked in the central database forever and kept a secret. However, just based on the investigation of the terrorist attack that had gathered a lot of evidence last year, it was enough to sentence the dead man in absentia. The Federation would not allow such a person to enjoy the respect of the people after his death.
This move would probably anger some of the loyal Medellin youth soldiers, but the shocking news of the government starting negotiations with Green Dragon Mountain covered up too much of their emotions. At this moment, President Pabre and the government had the sincere support of the whole society. Even if there were some demonstrations, they wouldn't cause much of a stir.
President Pabre's timing to restart the Medellin Special Case was perfect. It fully demonstrated his increasingly skilled political skills and wise political wisdom.
The Federation began to smear dirty vintage ink on the dead Medellin, but no one dared to stand up and oppose the investigation like those in the previous era. In order to prevent the investigation from implicating them and smearing the ink on their faces, they were like those in the previous era. Including the fortune-tellers who had a very deep relationship with Medellin, they all maintained absolute silence.
Taking advantage of this rare opportunity where the seven major families of the Federation were collectively silent, the government's Ministry of Finance and the Tax Committee jointly attacked. On the 17th of June, Parliament Hill passed the gold fusion algorithm that had been debated for decades. The information disclosure that George Carlin had mentioned in his book all those years ago was a huge step forward. However, the financial giant of the Federation, the Iron Mathletes, suffered a heavy blow.
Xu Le was gratified to see the news, and then he finally received his transfer arrangements. To his surprise, the Ministry of Defense did not send him to the armored division on the front line of the West Woods. Instead, he was sent to a mysterious training base in a military vehicle.
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
