Chapter 2 – Training Before Marriage (Begining)
Confirming where Wu Xing Yun stands, General Hong nodded in satisfaction and said: “We soldier’s mission in life is to obey orders, so it is very good that you have that proper mindset. In order for you to get into the matters as soon as possible, starting now, there’s no need for you to conduct the training anymore. I will leave someone behind to help you thoroughly understand everything about the enemy, for the sake of your future life, for the sake of the peace on both sides, and to build a good foundation.”
Wu Xing Yun answered in a salute like a conditioned reflex: “Sir, yes sir!”
General Hong stood up. Before he leaves the conference room, he patted Wu Xing Yun’s shoulder with a sigh and said: “You are a good soldier! The Federal Union let you down…..”
Wu Xing Yun’s mind was blank, his eyes following General Hong as he leaves.
Following blindly behind General Hong is his Administrative Assistant who walked besides him as they leave. The one stayed behind is the Lieutenant Commander.
Soon, it was only Wu Xing Yun and the Lieutenant Commander all by themselves.
The Lieutenant Commander is about 25 years old. He had smart handsome look, his height is 186 cm, and his grey military uniform is untainted by even a speck of dust, it was exceptionally clean.
Right now, the expression on Lieutenant Commander’s eyes are overcome with sorrow as he looked at Wu Xing Yun.
As a matter of fact, from the moment they boarded the Glider Jet, his gaze never left Wu Xing Yun’s side.
The large conference room seemed so exceptionally quiet at this moment. The dark domed ceiling was inlaid with small blue lights. Standing at that place was as if you are standing in the vast cosmos of the universe, the small light blue lights looked like stars filling the whole space. Under the lights of the stars, there was sadness, reluctance, and wrath hidden in the Lieutenant Commander’s eyes. All kinds of emotions seemed like it wanted to overflow from the socket of his eyes.
The Lieutenant Commander is called Wen Nuo. He was previously Wu Xin Yun’s Company Commander. But because he submitted his new military treatise three years ago on top of excellent service, he got promoted to Lieutenant Commander and was taken of active duty to become a Military Staff Officer. Just when he got transferred back for the first time, he didn’t expect that he will be assigned a task he absolutely don’t want to carry out.
Wu Xing Yun smiled at Wen Nuo: “Company Commander, why you’re here?”
Wen Nuo barely squeezed out a bitter smile: “You fool, I’m that person sent and tasked to assist you to be oriented in the enemy’s state of affairs.”
Wu Xing Yun didn’t have the slightest awareness of Wen Nuo’s dejection. His mouth curved into a gleeful smile, his exposed white and even teeth sparkled brilliantly: “Really? That’s great, I can be with the Company Commander again! Ever since Company Commander left, I’m always missing you! I thought that we will never see each other again, who would have imagined that we could be together again so soon!”
Wen Nuo’s heart nevertheless felt pained, his smile was forced. He said: “Do not call me like that again, I am not you Company Commander anymore.”
Wu Xing Yun stood in attention: “Sir, yes sir!” Then afterwards he asked again with slight uncertainty: “Then…..how should I address you sir?”
The Lieutenant Commander felt helpless in his heart. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and lighted it. He inhaled a mouthful then said softly: “Just call me by my name.”
Wu Xing Yun readily obeyed the command: “Ok, Wen Ge!” After he did, he then remembered something and says: “But, that doesn’t seem to conform with the regulation. According to the rules in the army, I should address you by your rank.”
Those words further provoked Lieutenant Commander Wen Nuo’s ire. His face flushed red and he ferociously flung the cigarette in his hand. He roared from the hollow of his chest: “Regulations? Fuck the regulations! All this time, you’ve always been so slow in the head an yet you still remember the regulations! Which rules that says, they can give away an outstanding soldier to the enemy? Which rules that says, a soldier’s mission also includes being married off? Fuck those rules and those bastards. The people who made those rules didn’t even know everything about it and yet, you still abide by those so much!?”
Wen Nuo’s rare display of anger made Wu Xing Yun choked in words. He didn’t speak anymore and just obediently listen to Wen Nuo’s cursing. After a long while, Wen Nuo’s voice turned hoarse and increasingly depressed.
“The biggest joke of all is me. I can’t even do a single thing to change it. I even have to personally guide the soldier I’m most proud of with such matter! To think that I must send my most beloved soldier to that damned place! I am such a useless person….” Wen Nuo’s voice gradually quiet down, he crouches on the ground in suffering. His buried his long slender fingers into his hair, making his military cap fall to the side.
Upon seeing this, Wu Xing Yun was caught in his thoughts for a while before he finally spoke to comfort his previous superior: “Company Commander, rest assured, I will study hard everyday. I won’t let you down!”
Wen Nuo raised his head and saw the young soldier’s face brimming with fighting spirit, his black pupils was pure and clear without a trace of impurity. His white teeth shows upon smiling, making him look foolish yet adorable.
Despite being such an innocent, simple soldier full of loyalty and affection towards his superiors, they still sold him out and handed him over to the enemy.
Thinking like this, Wen Nuo’s heart was stuffed with painful feelings.
Wu Xing Yun saw his declaration didn’t cheered up his Company Commander didn’t cheered, in fact, his senior officer became even more depressed in front of him. He scratches his head hesitantly and said: “Company Commander, I….tell me what did I do wrong?”
Wen Nuo stood up. He hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he placed his hands on Wu Xing Yun’s shoulder. There is a bit of strength in his grip as he pulled Wu Xing Yun in his embrace.
Wen Nuo embraced the soldier in his arms tightly. He personally recruited this soldier, pouring his blood and sweat in successfully training him. This soldier was once his pride, but now, this pride of his is being given away to the enemy, all because of dirty politics.
Wen Nuo patted Wu Xing Yun’s back, then he softly strokes his face. He spoke only after a while: “No, you’ve done nothing wrong. You’ve been good, always been good. The one who are wrong…..are those bastards!”
Wu Xing Yun was stumped. He didn’t know how to comfort Wen Nuo. He can only stay still like a small puppy, quietly leaning on Wen Nuo’s chest and letting him stroke his back.
He didn’t know how long had passed when he finally let Wu Xing Yun go. He managed to regained the usual calmness of his voice as he spoke: “Xing Yun, where is your dormitory? After you’re done packing up, follow me.”
Wu Xing Yun asked: “Where?”
“The higher ups had arranged a special residence for you, at another suitable planet.”
Wu Xing Yun stood in attention and replied ‘Sir, yes sir!’. He picked up the fallen military cap and handed it over to Wen Nuo: “Company Commander, your cap.”
Wen Nuo looked back at the soldier in front of him somewhat helpless, yet deep in his eyes is absorbed with pampering. It looks like this soldier with youthful and gentle appearance, will never realize why is he stressing about it.
When Wu Xing Yun went back to the dormitories, the training of the soldiers had just ended. As the soldiers in the dormitories saw him packing his stuff, they all curiously asked: “Sergeant Major, where are you going?”
Wu Xing Yun haven’t replied yet when Wen Nuo’s voice rang out: “This is a confidential military affairs, anyone who asked will not let go unpunished. Weren’t the《Confidential Ordinance》not taught to you all?”
The soldiers immediately stop their questioning but they still winked at Wu Xing Yun’s direction.
One of them was even audacious enough to speak out his guess: “The Sergeant Major will definitely undertake a special mission. A mission that will surely be very glorious!”
“Wrong, I’m guessing that the Sergeant Major is going home to get a wife. The Sergeant Major will finally get laid, didn’t you all see that he’s grinning all this time?”
On the training ground, Wu Xing Yun was very strict with the training regulations. He was absolutely ruthless, there’s no soldier would dare throw jokes at him.
But after getting back to the dormitories and his combat suit is taken off, his youthful and gentle yet honest persona surfaces. All the soldiers felt that they can get along freely with this side of the Sergeant Major.
Wu Xing Yun smiled idiotically because of their teasing: “That’s not true, it’s because I can be together with the Company Commander again so I’m very happy.”
When the soldier saw Wen Nuo standing besides him with a dark look, they all conscientiously withdraws.
Wu Xing Yun was soon done with packing his stuff. He followed Wen Nuo to the elevator going up to the ground floor.
Asides from the training ground on the surface, other areas have already been completely modified. All the buildings have huge transparent dome shaped roofs. There’s a bay on the immense domed roofs where all the aircraft are parked and covered. When people walked under these roofs, they don’t need to wear their protective suits.
One man walking on the front while the other follows from behind was walking to the wide corridor leading to the airport. There are numerous portraits of past generations of heroes hanged on both sides of the corridor wall. It was year 114[1] in Milky Way when the first war hero emerges. And up to the present, there are no less than a hundreds of portraits lined up in the aisle.
[1] – The calendar they started after complete departure from earth.
Today marks the 9th Month of the Year 2014 in Milky Way. Almost every 20 years, there will be a high-ranking soldier with achievements that will earn eternal glory.
A human’s life span, lasts only for a brief moment. And for 2000 years, a war hero emerges prominently one after another. But there has been only one enemy from the beginning up till now.
Wu Xing Yun glances at the hero portraits on both sides, he can’t help but ask: “Company Commander, please tell me something about ‘that person’.”
Wen Nuo tilted his head slightly to the side. He looked at the person walking besides him, a military soldier standing tall and straight.
He was originally tasked to briefed Wu Xing Yun about the enemy as quickly as possible, so when he heard the other person asked, even though he was extremely unwilling, he still opened his mouth to talk: “‘That person’, from the time we first encountered him up to now, he had already been existing for more than 1900 years.”
“I heard that he and us are mostly the same in appearance?”
“The following words I’m about to tell you are absolutely confidential. Everything you will know must be maintain with complete secrecy. There would be consequences if this secret is leaked.”
“Sir, yes sir!” Wu Xing Yun stood in attention.
Wen Nuo paused for a moment, then he sets his light grey eyes on the soldier in front of him. His expression serious as he spoke: “His……his name is Ye Sui Kong. He is not any kind of monster, nor he is an extraterrestrial. He is of the same ancestors as us.”
“But how can he live for so long? Why is he so strong? The first time I saw him, he was in the space not wearing a single piece of equipment, he doesn’t even need a protective suit!”
Wen Nuo’s voice turned faintly discernible, he ennunciated every word he says: “He a legendary mutant after the event of the Great Nirvana. To us ordinary humans, he is the most formidable enemy.”
