The battleship landed in the jubilant spaceport. Amidst the blast of air, the cheerful military music grew louder and shook the clouds. A few minutes later, this group of soldiers who were going to participate in the welcome ceremony walked out from under the huge battleship. Many soldiers looked at the scene in front of them with surprised and nervous expressions.
Xu Le was also one of them, but he was not surprised or frightened by the Federation's enthusiasm at this moment. The sunglasses on the bridge of his nose reflected the clear afternoon sun. He dragged the box that Jian Shui'er had specially sent over with his left hand and slowly walked out from the caterpillar tunnel under the belly of the battleship. In the distance, Shi Qinghai was mixed in with the Green Dragon Mountain team. He raised his eyebrows and walked down from the belly of the battleship with a smile on his face. He was also dragging a box beside him. In the box was the ACW that Mr. President had specially approved.
Wearing a neat military uniform and a young and determined face, he could really be described as handsome. However, there were countless Federation soldiers arriving at the spaceport today, so the two of them were naturally submerged in the crowd.
Most of the soldiers who participated in the battle had already returned to their respective planets. The native soldiers of the West Woods had probably already returned home to enjoy the delicious taste of mashed potatoes and stewed meat slices. Only a small number of soldiers could appear at the Federation's welcome ceremony today. However, a small number here was a relatively new concept. More than 30,000 Federation soldiers gathered together, still a black mass spread over the entire tarmac. It was a very spectacular sight.
The stern and austere military orders of the military commanders of the various troops rang out. Tens of thousands of Federation soldiers quickly lined up on the tarmac. In a very short time, they were divided into three square formations and lined up neatly in front of the rostrum.
The military music gradually stopped. On the rostrum, General Miles gave a speech that was full of enthusiasm but also full of the tone of a military camp. Then, he began to call the names of the soldiers who had participated in the battle to come up to the rostrum.
The soldiers who could be praised at the ceremony were naturally people who had made outstanding contributions on the frontlines. Xu Le was not surprised to hear his name called. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose that was not used to the dry air of S1. He followed behind a captain that he did not recognize and walked up to the rostrum.
There was a sense of discipline in the award ceremony. Other than making the soldiers on the tarmac feel excited, there was nothing special about it until President Pabre personally hung a Purple Star medal on the left chest of Xu Le's military uniform.
The Purple Star was the Federal military's highest honor. Even Madman Li, who had the most outstanding achievements on the frontlines, had not won this medal until today. The people in the Federal forces were very clear about the important role that Lieutenant Colonel Xu Le played in this victorious military campaign. They were very clear about the excellent performance he had displayed in the battle. However, when they saw the Purple Star medal hanging on his chest, they could not help but feel shocked.
During the award ceremony, President Pabre's tanned face did not have any extra emotions. He calmly looked at Xu Le and arranged his medal ribbon. His thick lips slightly opened and said in a low voice, "Little guy, this time, we have returned what the Federation owed you."
Xu Le did not reply. As the person involved, he was very clear that this Purple Star medal, which represented the highest honor, was mainly a reward for assassinating Macklin and thus stopping the Empire's great conspiracy. The award from the President and the Ministry of Defense was just to make up for the past debt.
After a moment of silence, he looked at President Pabre, raised his right hand, and performed a standard Federation military salute. He said, "Thank you, Mr. President."
Following that, there were still quite a few officers who received awards. Among them, the most eye-catching one was of course that Du Shaoqing, who stood in the wind like a snow plum blossom proudly admiring himself, yet was truly astonishingly brilliant and made people admire him.
The award ceremony continued until the end. Zhong Shouhu, who stood at the front of the square formation, walked up to the rostrum with an expressionless face. He slowly raised his forearm and the tip of his second finger was perfectly aligned with the brim of his hat.
As the highest military officer who led the entire Federation's counterattack operation, Commander Zhong naturally had to have a different appearance.
President Prabble stared at the Cillin warlord whom the federal political circle viewed as an enemy and an irreconcilable enemy. After a moment of silence, he naturally opened his arms and gave the other party a warm and sincere hug, much to the surprise of the tens of thousands of soldiers present.
"You've worked hard." President Pabre handed a square agarwood box to Zhong Shouhu and said with a smile, "The Federation has nothing to reward you with. This is just a personal gift from me to express the admiration of the female role in my family for your commanding skills."
"Mr. President, you flatter me," Commander Zhong said with a smile. "I just didn't let you down."
Hearing this, President Pabre put his hands on his waist and laughed out loud in a manner that was completely uncharacteristic of a politician.
The ceremony was still going on. Xu Le, who was enjoying the treatment of a deputy division commander, could only obediently occupy an inconspicuous corner at the back of the countless generals on the rostrum. He watched the big shots of the military in front of him happily conversing. In his heart, he kept thinking about what he should do first when he returned to Wangdu Apartments later.
At this moment, he saw that in the front row of the rostrum, Zhong Shouhu was looking straight ahead, but he raised his right hand and hooked his finger behind him, making a gesture to greet him forward.
Xu Le was slightly dazed. The war heroes and high-level officers of the federation next to him, on the other hand, had already cleared the way with envious eyes and knowing smiles.
He scratched his head and walked forward along the path that his colleagues had made way for him. He stood behind Commander Zhong and asked in a low voice, "Commander, what orders do you have?"
"The upper echelons of the Federation have all arrived. Representatives from all over the capital city have come to welcome you. Everywhere you look, there is jubilation and respect." Zhong Shouhu did not turn around. He asked with a smile, "Does it feel good?"
Xu Le lowered his head and thought for a moment. He then replied with a smile, "It does feel good."
General Miles, who was standing in the middle of the first row, heard the conversation between him and Zhong Shouhu. He said indifferently, "Kid, this is the treatment we deserve as soldiers, so you have to get used to it. “
Zhong Shouhu looked straight ahead, shook his head and said, "General, you stole my line. I saw this young man first."
General Miles, as the chairman of the Joint Staff Officers, was the real boss of the military. Faced with the question of the local tyrant of the West Woods, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Is that so? The problem is that I got this guy out of Qingcheng Prison. "
Xu Le did not know how to respond when he heard the two top military bosses arguing about such a boring topic that was closely related to him. He could only lower his head and look at the dust on his military boots, keeping his mouth shut.
At this time, he did not realize what kind of shock this scene of standing behind the two bosses and having a very private conversation would bring to the people present. This shock was not only the confirmation of some rumors, but also some problems in the future.
"I declare victory. The military operation has achieved the most complete victory! From this moment on, no invader of the Empire can stand on our own land! "
At this time, President Pabre finally began his speech. The president, who was born as a lawyer, continued his super speaking ability that he had shown in countless elections. His words were like countless heavy fruits that fell on the fertile land, making the whole spaceport quiet down. The tens of thousands of Federation soldiers were focused, and a strong impulse and sense of honor was born spontaneously, making it hard to forget.
At the end of the speech, the president waved his right arm vigorously, his body slightly leaned forward, and with a calm and determined look, he looked down at the participating troops and countless reporters and flashing lights in the spaceport, and said, "The free people will never be satisfied with the temporary victory over the despotic darkness. This year, or next year, I and all of you here will definitely fight to the homeland of the Empire!"
"The Federation has never been a collection of belligerent citizens. The purpose of war is peace. It is still the same time, this year or next year, but we will definitely march forward bravely." Mr. Pabre stared at a young soldier in front of the dense square and said solemnly, "But we will not be blinded by victory. I can only promise you that that day will come, but I can't promise when it will come."
"Perhaps this is a strange remark that no one in the Federation who is used to winning is willing to say. But I have to say it. "The president smiled and said," Please maintain a certain degree of patience. "
There was still no timetable to enter the homeland of the Empire, and the political circle of the Federation was still hesitating. Even in such a grand ceremony, the president admitted it. Hearing those words, many people in the Federal military standing on the rostrum lowered their eyes. What those generals and heroes hoped most was that the Federation could fight to the homeland of the Empire as soon as possible.
On the spacious tarmac of the capital's military airport, it suddenly became quiet. No one applauded. The soldiers looked at the blurry figures on the rostrum with complicated feelings. They even had some bad omens. Could it be that during the glorious welcome ceremony, there would actually be signs of trouble on the stage?
At this moment, Zhong Shouhu, the commander of the West Woods Military District, who no one expected, began to clap very seriously. General Miles began to clap without changing his expression. Then, Minister of National Defense Zou Yingxing and Mr. Lee Jae-do, the president of the First Military Academy, began to clap one after another.
Applause seemed to be something that was naturally contagious. Especially after the four military leaders made clear reactions, the participating troops, the government, and the high officials of the parliament all began to clap hard. In an instant, the thunderous applause soared into the sky.
When the ceremony was over and Xu Le was about to leave with his team, a sentence suddenly floated into his ears. "Come to my house for dinner in two days."
Minister of National Defense Zou Yingxing stood at the front of the rostrum and didn't turn his head. No one could be sure if it was him who said those words.
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