Those Who Do Not Return from the Western Front

Daie had learned to exploit human emotion and psychology. And the recovered Han Qingyu, on the surface, appeared far less cold and decisive than before... but very few knew that he had actually become harsher—toward himself. Han Qingyu's final parting instruction was, up until now, still only understood by Wen Jifei and the Little Prince. In the receding distance of their gaze, a colossal boulder of ice shattered. Daie's massive frame remained visible, but Major Qing's figure had completely vanished into the swirling snow. Yet the incessant crashes of source energy continued to ring out, letting them know he was still fighting. "Why Tangtang?!" Rusty Sister spoke up amid the slaughter, full of worry and confusion. Many shared her bewilderment. In this duel to the death against Daie, Qingzi clearly had no intention of seeking reinforcements; his very first words earlier had been to tell the pink-haired freak not to follow if he showed up. Even if he did want a hand to help take down Daie first, perhaps only Wu Xu could help hold the line, and maybe Weize would have a chance to launch a sneak attack. Yet Han Qingyu obviously had no wish to strip away the high-end combat power here. Why, of all people, did he specifically single out He Tangtang to follow? In a battle of that caliber, the guy shouldn't be able to help at all! "Has my strength finally earned Qingzi's recognition? Have I improved enough to join the fight against Daie? I can help? I can really help!" In the entire field, perhaps only He Tangtang himself wasn't the least bit confused. At this moment, all he felt was excitement, thrilling through every hair on his body until goosebumps broke out along his arms. "Hey, what do I actually do once I get there?!" Guided by the last shred of rationality beneath his swelling ego, He Tangtang rushed over to Wen Jifei and asked anxiously. Amid the chaotic battlefield, Wen Jifei snapped his head around to look at him. The emotions contained in that look were something He Tangtang didn't notice, nor could he understand. He had no idea how difficult the words Wen Jifei was about to deliver were. At this moment, if not for the four thousand Stream Blades warriors still present, Wen Jifei on his own would rather have died than carry this out. He wanted to grab Qingzi and say no, wanted to say *can't we talk about this some more, at worst we die together.* Yet the man had already gone far into the distance, and no more sound came from the communicator... This might well be their last conversation in this lifetime, and his last parting words to him. Earlier, when Han Qingyu said to let Tangtang come, he hadn't specified whom he was addressing, shouting it as if to all of Stream Blades. But Wen Jifei knew that sentence was really meant for him alone. Because Qingzi knew he would understand. Because he was the commander on the scene. And because that bastard Han Qingyu also knew that in the end, Wen Jifei would definitely carry out his wishes, and do everything possible to execute them in the most fitting and best way. "You... just follow them. You don't have to do anything. Just keep up," Wen Jifei paused, seemingly forcing the words from his throat with great difficulty, and said, "Then, do whatever Qingzi tells you to do." "What?" He Tangtang didn't catch it clearly. "Follow them. Do whatever Qingzi tells you to do," Wen Jifei repeated. "Oh." Thinking *that sounds simple enough, that sets my mind at ease,* He Tangtang nodded. His speed was definitely nowhere near Qingzi's or Daie's, but after all, they had to fight, and Qingzi would surely find ways to stall... He Tangtang only needed to run. Even if he lost sight of them, he could just run toward the sounds. "Remember: whatever Qingzi tells you to do, do it—even if it drives you insane." Wen Jifei turned his head away as he spoke, refusing to look at He Tangtang... Tears welled in his reddened eyes, but he gritted his teeth and held strong. He could only say this much. Any more, and he feared Tangtang would be stunned into confusion; he feared too many people on the field wouldn't be able to bear the mental picture and would hesitate in agony, unable to follow through. "Don't worry, I won't go crazy. I'm not even afraid to die today..." He Tangtang thumped his chest hard. He thought to himself, *What kind of talk is that? Even if I can only block a single strike for Qingzi today, I'll die with a smile on my face.* "Good, then... send him out!" Wen Jifei waved his hand. Led by Wu Xu and Weize, the high-end combat group unleashed a collective death-defying burst and abruptly launched a full-scale assault toward the flank. They didn't understand why Qingzi and Wen Jifei had made this decision or why He Tangtang had been chosen either, but since the two had decided, they carried it out with everything they had. The sudden assault quickly carved out a passage of distance. Yet the Great Spike swarm was still thick and dense, with more Great Spikes surging along the charge route to plug the breach. They couldn't get out themselves... *Whoosh!* Following the plan arranged by the Little Prince, Regiment Commander Tempest and others in the rear joined forces, using the giant sled that had previously hauled the massive dead iron block like a catapult to suddenly hurl He Tangtang into the air... If an ordinary soldier were launched this way, they wouldn't survive on the outside, because there were still plenty of Great Spikes prowling where he landed and along the way. Fortunately, the He Tangtang of today was already at the peak of the top tier. Crashing down like an artillery shell, he shattered the ice upon landing. He Tangtang tumbled and slid forward on his momentum, scrambled to his feet, and under everyone's watching eyes, swiftly hacked down several Great Spikes pouncing from behind, sprinting desperately in the direction of the fighting sounds. "Wait for us to come back!" As he vanished, his voice, full of confidence, drifted back on the wind. Four thousand people, now short of one, then two... then a hundred. By now, Stream Blades clearly understood that it was utterly impossible to continue attacking the tractor field. In their hearts, they had long abandoned any hope or expectation of surviving. Yet simply because the man named Han Qingyu had not given up and was still struggling... they held on as well, shifting their fight to one of sheer survival. Perhaps they would wait for him to return. Perhaps they would die apart. Beneath the tractor field, the churning swarm of Great Spikes resumed moving, rolling forward like a black swamp to crush them. The only thing Stream Blades could do now was contract their formation in place, minimizing the number of Great Spikes that could attack them simultaneously. Under the command of Wen Jifei and the Little Prince, the ranks rapidly shifted into a rotating defensive formation, with all high-end combat power stationed along the outer perimeter to protect local tactical units to the utmost. The moths rushing into the fire had now become bugs struggling within a millstone. ... "Refuser battle report: Daie has suddenly appeared beneath the Pole tractor field. Taking advantage of Major Qing's heavy wounds, it engaged him one-on-one, forcing him away from the battlefield..." "We are currently making every effort to track down the location of this duel." "Meanwhile, the entirety of Stream Blades is trapped in a grinding siege on their positions..." In truth, even without the Refuser announcing it, everyone already knew, as they had all seen the footage earlier of that force encircled by layer upon layer of the Great Spike swarm. In the images, the less than four thousand troops appeared so minuscule, while the Great Spike swarm flowed like a vast, shifting marsh. They had now lost Major Qing. For the ordinary people of this world, whether Major Qing was on the battlefield was the difference between hope and despair. "They are still fighting!" said the Refuser broadcaster. After saying this, the speaker paused for a moment before continuing: "Report: along the line connecting the peninsula to the main continent, the elite forces returning from our western front have at last successfully punched through the final defensive line of the Great Spikes." "Soon, the Peninsula battlefield will receive reinforcements from the western front's high-end combat power and elite formations. Extrapolating from the remaining number of Red Shoulders on the peninsula, the situation will quickly be reversed..." The number of Red Shoulders on the Antarctic Peninsula would not increase anymore; because of Stream Blades' assault on the tractor field, nearly all the main forces of Red Shoulders and Great Spikes on the main continent had pulled back to reinforce or were sweeping around in an encirclement. Once the more than two hundred thousand elite troops from the western front returned to the peninsula and finished intercepting and killing the Red Shoulders, Azure's numerical advantage on the Peninsula battlefield would come into play, completely turning the tide. This was a victory, for Azure's late-stage strategic objective had finally been realized. This was not a victory, for not a single person—including the soldiers and logistics personnel welcoming the reinforcements on the Peninsula battlefield—felt the slightest joy. ... Ellsworth Land, the line connecting the Antarctic Peninsula to the main continent. The remnant Great Spikes were being cleared away, but the breach was already open, and the final defensive line across the return march was broken. The scarred and battered warriors of the western front's elite forces, having fought their way out along the entire journey, were surging through the breach like a long dragon, charging toward the Peninsula battlefield. There, they would change the entire course of the war... "Commander Hua, Commander Hua, are you alright? How are your wounds?" Major General Adan from Azure Headquarters asked worriedly as he walked up the slope. This was a low ice slope. General Hua Bixuan, a top Super of the Huaxia Front and the true commander of the western front's subsequent breakout battles, stood upon it with fewer than ten of his personal retinue warriors remaining. His right hand still gripped his war blade, while in his left palm sat a communicator set to active, tuned to the Refuser's open frequency. "Commander Hua," Major General Adan called out softly as he reached the top of the slope. "Ah, it's nothing. I'm fine." Even as he spoke, Commander Hua raised his head and looked south. That was the direction of the tractor field. "The main force is returning to reinforce..." Major General Adan reported. "I know." Commander Hua turned his head to glance at the formations rushing through the breach below. Up to this point, roughly a hundred thousand troops had already returned, including the vast majority of the best-preserved units and battle formations. "...Phew!" Lifting his left hand, Commander Hua switched the channel, blew a breath over the communicator to clear away the ice shavings and snow, brought it to his lips, and spoke: "Report: Hua Bixuan, Super combat power directly affiliated with the Sole Witness Legion, Azure Huaxia Front, reporting from Ellsworth Land: the mission to command the return reinforcements is complete." "Thank you, Commander Hua!" The response came simultaneously from the Azure Military Department and the Presidium of the Council, solemn and even choked with emotion. "You're welcome." His white combat uniform soaked in blood, Commander Hua curled his lips into a faint smile and said, "I'm wounded, quite heavily. Did you know?" "...We know." The other side seemed hesitant and bewildered, but still answered. "Then I will not be returning." Hua Bixuan turned to look at his personal guards. After locking eyes with each of them, he said, "Hua Bixuan, Azure Huaxia, together with eight personal retinue warriors, formally requests to halt our return and march south to the Pole tractor field to join the battle." "What?! You... all of you..." "If fortune favors us, we wish to fight shoulder to shoulder with the warriors of Stream Blades. If not, we are willing to die as they do, slain on the path assaulting the tractor field."