Just as Regiment 425 had only managed to find out Han Qingyu's grade, Regiment 439 had merely made rough inquiries as well, learning that the highest grade among their batch of recruits was B-.
As for the specific test results of each individual, those remained unclear for the time being. They had to wait until all six armies of the Sole Witness Legion finished testing; only then would the compiled data be sent out to each regiment.
Those who were impatient went to ask.
The regiment answered that it would take another two or three days. In the meantime, the recruits only had morning drills to maintain their physical conditioning; for the rest of the time, they were left completely free to do as they pleased.
The management style of the Azure Coalition felt bizarre.
When they trained you, it was as if they wanted every second of every minute to grind you down, reminding you that you could die in battle at any moment. Yet when they set you loose, as long as you didn't breach military discipline, they truly left you alone. It made you feel like an idle, carefree drifter who was provided with food and lodging.
That probably had something to do with the fact that in the future, they genuinely could die at any moment.
"If they don't give you some time to zone out and forget about it, you'll go mad," said Lao Jian, who still hadn't left the base.
However, he had actually come to see Han Qingyu today for something else: Zhang Dao'an wanted to invite him to dinner.
Lao Jian explained that he wasn't particularly close to Zhang Dao'an. After all, Lao Jian was stationed out in the field year-round, and back when he was a recruit, Zhang Dao'an hadn't been an instructor yet.
Yet Zhang Dao'an had suddenly invited him out for a meal... and told him to bring Han Qingyu and Wen Jifei along.
"So, Instructor Zhang probably wants to treat Qingzi to a meal, but finding it awkward because of his status as chief instructor, he invited me first," Lao Jian concluded in his analysis, before adding to Wen Jifei, "and then had me bring you along for the ride."
The reason Zhang Dao'an was treating Han Qingyu, of course, wasn't because of his Grade A degree of fusion... It was because of that earlier phone call from Station Master Old Miao of Reserve Station 700.
It was the first call Zhang Dao'an had received from an old acquaintance of the Red Erasers in seven years.
And it was from the very man who had treated him like a younger brother back then.
Over the phone back then, Old Miao's tone while discussing business had been stiff and cold. Zhang Dao'an had listened quietly all the way through, only working up the nerve at the very end to choke out, "Brother Miao."
After a moment of silence on the other end, the line had gone dead.
Even so, Zhang Dao'an was still deeply grateful to Han Qingyu.
"You two find and buy a couple decent bottles of liquor to bring along."
After saying this, Lao Jian turned to leave, only to feel a tug on his clothes.
Han Qingyu held out a hand. "Got no money."
Once the halfway point of training was reached, the recruits were granted permission to shop on base, but they hadn't received any pay yet.
Lao Jian glanced at him, looking suddenly aggrieved. Pulling both his pockets inside out, he snapped in tragic indignation, "Get lost! I don't have any money either. Not a single cent to my name... and I'm up to my ears in debt!"
Han Qingyu: "..."
Fortunately, Wen Jifei had money. He had brought more than two thousand yuan, and had not spent a single cent of it since arriving.
After Lao Jian left, the two of them called the others from Dormitory 11 to go out together.
The Azure living base sold a wide variety of goods: the latest cassette tapes from pop stars, books by popular authors, game consoles, clothes, and lipstick in the latest styles. Some items couldn't even be bought out on the civilian market.
"This is way too cheap." Standing in front of the shop, Wen Jifei held up the two bottles of name-brand baijiu to the light, inspecting them like an expert. "They're the real deal... At these prices, they're probably tax-free, and they're definitely not turning a profit... Other than the risk of losing your life, this place is really great."
As he said that last part, the boys of Dormitory 11 were wandering around the base's commercial district, stealing glances at female squad leaders wearing skirts... In any case, addressing every veteran as "squad leader" couldn't go wrong.
"Halt! Talking to you lot, you greenhorns... Freeze right there."
Passing by the entrance of a bar, they were stopped in their tracks by a woman's voice.
Woman or not, she was still a veteran. As the bottom rung of the Azure Coalition's food chain, the group hurriedly and obediently stopped, falling into line.
"Squad leader, is something the matter?" Yang Qingbai asked carefully.
"None of your business." A group of female soldiers, around seven or eight of them, were sitting outside the bar. First they murmured among themselves, then dissolved into giggles and playfully shoved one another, before finally asking, "Do you boys still remember your big sisters?"
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison with utmost certainty.
In reality, of course, none of them remembered. But had they answered otherwise, they would probably have been dead meat today.
"Remember what?"
"Remember..."
"Speak up."
"..."
Just then, one of the female soldiers waved to call over a server, ordering two more bottles of beer. As her sleeve slipped down, Han Qingyu caught sight of a long scar running across her forearm.
"Reporting: I remember our first day here! When we were looking around from the back of the truck, Squad Leader waved to us!" Han Qingyu replied loudly.
The female soldiers exchanged glances. "They really do remember!" "Yeah, haha!" Satisfied, the female squad leaders smiled and said, "Come over here... You, and you. It was you two back then, wasn't it?"
Han Qingyu and Wen Jifei obediently walked over and stood before them.
"Which one of you is that Grade A recruit?" the female soldiers asked next.
Han Qingyu: "...Me."
"Oh, at least you're honest." The female soldier nodded slowly, then suddenly reached out with a grin... She was actually pinching their cheeks!
One by one.
After finishing her pinches, the female soldiers said, "Remember us even better now? Your big sisters are heading back to the front lines soon, so make sure you don't forget... And another thing: stay alive. If we see each other again next time, we won't tease you like this."
"Yes!" Han Qingyu answered reflexively.
"'Yes'? What do you mean 'yes'? That we won't be allowed to tease you anymore?" the female squad leader teased, pouncing on his phrasing.
"I mean staying alive," Han Qingyu replied in the posture of a soldier. "The same goes for our big sisters... Until next time."
"..." The female soldiers quieted down. After a long silence, they nodded. "All right... Then you—all of you—make 425 proud, okay? When you make something of yourselves in the future, your big sisters can brag to people that we pinched your face..."
As she said this, the woman who had smiled the most brilliantly—the one with the scar on her forearm—reached out and gently patted Han Qingyu's cheek, just like an elder sister treating a younger brother.
A truck pulled up not far away.
The female soldiers set down their beer bottles, retrieved their simple luggage from behind their seats, tossed the bags onto the truck bed, and agilely hopped aboard. Standing at the rear of the truck, they waved goodbye.
So by "heading back soon," they had meant leaving right this second.
...
On the way back to the dormitory, Han Qingyu was called away once again by Hu Haipeng. The route they took seemed to lead toward Regimental Commander Li's office once more.
"Higher-ups have arrived to present you with a medal... When you see that elderly gentleman in a bit, remember to address him as Commander," Hu Haipeng briefed him on the way.
Army commander—what an immense figure... Coming from a small village, Han Qingyu was momentarily stunned. "Our Ninth Army Commander?"
"Yes, but he's the former commander. He retired three years ago and mostly handles ceremonial duties now..." Hu Haipeng paused, then reminded him further, "Remember to mind your manners. The old commander commands immense respect in our Ninth Army. Practically all the leading officers currently running the army were promoted by him."
Han Qingyu nodded hastily.
"Go on in yourself, then... I've got to pack my bags." Reaching the corridor, Hu Haipeng waved and turned to leave.
Right, Assistant Instructor Hu was heading to the front lines too. Han Qingyu watched him disappear down the stairwell before turning around. He knocked on the door and called out, "Reporting!"
Li Wangqiang replied, "Enter."
Pushing the door open, he saluted. There were only three people before him: Regimental Commander Li, the regimental chief of staff, and an elderly man with graying temples, a straight spine, and a kindly face.
"Greetings, Old Commander!"
"At ease."
The old army commander, Shen Fengting, nodded as he stepped closer with narrowed eyes. He looked Han Qingyu up and down, scrutinizing him thoroughly several times from head to toe and back, before nodding with deep satisfaction.
The medal presentation was reduced to its simplest private form. The Silver Azure Medal was pinned to his chest, making Regimental Commander Li and the chief of staff look on with envy and frustration... Only Han Qingyu himself remained oblivious to its prestige and significance for now.
"Grade A degree of fusion... and the first recruit in twenty years to enter service bearing a Silver Azure Guardian," the old commander said. "Not bad, young man. Have a seat."
For a moment, Han Qingyu didn't dare move.
"If the old commander tells you to sit, sit," Li Wangqiang chimed in from the side.
"Thank you, Commander." Only then did Han Qingyu sit down.
"Mhm, don't be nervous. Let's just have a casual chat, treat me like an elder in your family," the old commander said with a gentle manner, then asked, "Where is your hometown?"
"Yuejiang Province... Fenglong'ao," Han Qingyu answered honestly.
"Ah, a country boy," the old commander remarked.
"Yes, he's an honest, well-behaved kid," Commander Li added from the side.
"Honest kids are good. I like honest kids." Shen Fengting turned back to look at Han Qingyu for another moment before suddenly asking, "How old are you? Did you go to school? Are you married back home?"
"Nineteen. I came here after graduating high school... Not married," Han Qingyu answered promptly, not daring to be remiss.
"Oh, what about a girlfriend? Are you seeing anyone?"
"Reporting to Old Commander: no."
"Good, good." Shen Fengting paused, then continued in a serious yet genial tone, "It's like this: I have a granddaughter... roughly your age."
Chapter 42