Two palm-sized sheets of thick cardstock lay before Han Qingyu.
To onlookers, Han Qingyu appeared to hesitate for a moment before making his choice. After all, that training was rumored to be tailored for officers likely to be promoted to field grade soon.
Milla was attending precisely because the Coalition intended to use the opportunity to raise her rank, allowing her to play an even greater role upon returning to the Xiongzhanli Front.
Yet those present who knew him, like Wen Jifei and Lao Jian, were well aware that Qingzi was merely collecting himself, perhaps afraid he might burst into tears in front of so many people...
This Azure soldier hailed as a combat genius, this pillar of Squad 1777, was at heart still that kid who wanted nothing more than to go home and see his parents.
"Should I ask Qingzi to bring something back to my parents?"
Wen Jifei thought about it, then decided against it. They probably weren't lacking anything; he would just write them more letters in the future.
"I was just thinking," Lao Jian remarked with a touch of emotion to Qin Guowen beside him, "today marks exactly one year since he left home."
He naturally made no mention of how he had threatened and tricked Han Qingyu into joining.
Without surprise, Han Qingyu reached out and took the family visit leave slip directly into his hand.
Once the meeting dispersed, he hurried impatiently to the regional branch base and bought a mountain of goods, packing two full bags to the brim. Han Qingyu also took his savings passbook and his military medals... "Azure medals are certainly different from the regular army's, but my parents won't know the difference anyway."
As for a military uniform, he had the branch personnel help him procure a set.
Finished packing, Han Qingyu pondered again: What a pity the family shop hasn't had a telephone installed yet... A letter? No point writing a letter; I should get home before it does.
This was a personal trip, so requisitioning an Azure aircraft was naturally out of the question, even if he paid out of pocket. Han Qingyu had someone from the branch inquire about flights from Chuanshu to Yuejiang Province, only to be told that flights were extremely sparse and there were no tickets available for the next few days.
Left with no choice, he had to take the train. Early the next morning, having barely slept all night, Han Qingyu rose early, hoisted his bags, and headed out, planning to have Yang Qingbai fly him to an adjacent prefecture-level city with train service.
Just as he was about to board the helicopter, Lao Jian hurried over specifically to remind him to take his combat suit, device, and blade along.
Han Qingyu stared blankly. "Why?"
"Look at you, all muddled—did the excitement turn you stupid?" In truth, Lao Jian had only just remembered it himself. He said, "Don't forget, there's a bounty on your head."
Rusty Sister soon fetched his device, weapon, and combat suit.
Han Qingyu took them numbly and boarded the helicopter in a daze.
Upon arriving in the city, he boarded the train with lingering hesitation.
"So should I really be going home? Could I be watched?"
The threats weren't limited to assassins from the City of Iniquity; there were also potential moles planted by the Alphonse family, and perhaps even enemies he hadn't crossed paths with yet... Even as he sat on the train, Han Qingyu remained torn and anxious.
Every Azure soldier's hometown and relatives were top secret.
Currently, only Lao Jian and Wen Jifei in Squad 1777 knew the location of Han Qingyu's home and family—an unavoidable circumstance. But beyond them, not even a regimental commander had the right to know where an ordinary soldier's hometown was or who their family members were.
In this state of mind, Han Qingyu rode trains, transferred lines, and continually changed his disguises. After five days and four nights, he finally reached the prefecture-level city that encompassed his hometown.
The date: August 21.
Stepping off the train, Han Qingyu had a plan in mind: he would wander the city until evening, then trek across the mountains and forests under cover of night, traversing two counties on foot to shake off any potential tails.
*That should do it,* he thought, his excitement rising at the certainty of finally going home to see his parents.
"Beep, beep-beep..."
"Hey pal, your pager is going off."
Someone in the crowd exiting the station gave him a heads-up.
"Uh... thanks."
Han Qingyu quickly broke away from the crowd, found a corner, and turned on his communicator. He had brought the communicator with him, but at this distance, it was impossible for Squad 1777, the regiment, or the army corps to contact him.
Only the Rejecters could.
"Brother Qingzi." Sure enough, Tu Zi's voice came through the communicator.
"What is it?! You ready to pay back my source energy blocks?" Han Qingyu retorted grumpily.
"No, Brother Qingzi." Tu Zi seemed used to this by now and gave a wry laugh. "There's something I need to tell you..."
At noon on August 16, 1991, along the border between Huaxia and the southern nations, on the southern face of Xilang Peak, the world's highest summit:
The Rejecters' strongest interdiction measure failed. Two shuttle craft landed simultaneously.
The two squads of the Indedu Front stationed there were routed in battle, and subsequent relief efforts faltered.
Together, the two shuttle craft completed their traction array setup.
Early the next morning, a battleship-class Great Spike spacecraft appeared atop Xilang Peak.
Preliminary estimates indicated at least 800 to 1,000 Great Spikes had descended. Among them were several dozen blue-sheened Great Spikes, with suspected Red Shoulders present as well.
Thus, the first large-scale war between human civilization and the Great Spikes abruptly erupted.
"Right now, over twenty thousand troops from the southern nations and emergency Coalition reinforcements have already deployed there," Tu Zi continued. "But after clashing, they realized that's still not enough. The numbers will likely be reinforced to forty thousand..."
"Wait," Han Qingyu couldn't help cutting in. "If it's a war on that scale, does it even matter whether I go or not?"
Tu Zi wouldn't contact him for no reason, as Han Qingyu well knew. But in a conflict of this magnitude and scale, he hardly seemed significant. *So why would they mobilize me?!* he thought, somewhat disgruntled.
"To be honest, it doesn't," Tu Zi admitted candidly on the other end. "There are many top combat powers participating. Besides that, just from Indedu and the Coalition reinforcements, there are already three super combat powers on Xilang Peak right now. Next, our Huaxia Front is definitely going to dispatch super combat powers there as well..."
At this point, Tu Zi paused for two or three seconds before continuing, "Over the past two days, our Huaxia Front's Southwest Region has been pulling large numbers of elite squads to rush to the Xilang Peak area as reinforcements and join the fray... Squad 1777 is among them."
Han Qingyu: "..."
"So I thought I ought to let you know, Brother Qingzi. This isn't an order from your corps—I was just worried that if I didn't tell you..."
He understood. Han Qingyu fell silent, then said, "Thank you."
To a massive battle involving tens of thousands, he was indeed not so important. But to Squad 1777, marching under orders into the conflict, he was... unimaginably important.
"Have they already set out?"
"Yeah, they left yesterday morning."
...
The call ended. Han Qingyu stood silently for a moment, then walked out of the station.
Standing on the plaza in front of the station, he unconsciously glanced toward the direction of his hometown... Right now, he was only about six hours' drive away from Fenglong'ao.
"Are you... Qingzi?"
Suddenly, a hesitant voice came from beside him.
Han Qingyu turned and verified the face. "Village Head Wang? Village Head, what are you doing here?"
This was the village head of Fenglong'ao. His son had enlisted last year, just like Han Qingyu. Only, his son had joined the country's regular army, while Han Qingyu had actually gone to Azure.
"I'm here to run a few errands," Village Head Wang said, looking him up and down. "I heard you performed meritorious deeds in the army. What, are you back on home leave? Aiya, my Jinfang hasn't even been allowed to come home on leave yet. Those who render distinguished service sure get better treatment."
Han Qingyu said nothing.
"What a coincidence—I'm just about to head back too. Shall we go together? Come on, Uncle will take you out for a meal first."
"No," Han Qingyu spoke up, offering a smile. "I'm just on a mission and happened to be passing through our city... I have to head back right away. Uncle, when you get back, please pass word to my parents for me... Look at me, everything's great now, and I've grown sturdy."
Chapter 244