Chapter Sixty-Six: I Surrender

Goodness gracious.

So after all those twists and turns, after intimidation and temptation, it was all just to extend an olive branch to me!

But Du Huaishan didn’t understand. So far, he had only shown talent in combat, while the Special Operations Platoon didn’t directly participate in frontline fighting—their strength lay in intelligence gathering. So why go to such lengths to recruit him?

Recalling what Lai Yanlong had said in the car, Du Huaishan decided not to offend the Special Operations Platoon for now, and instead played along with Tan Hai’s sly tricks: “Lieutenant Sun flatters me. I still have much to learn. If there’s an opportunity in the future, I hope to seek your guidance.”

“Very good.” Sun Jianheng assumed Du Huaishan had fallen for his ploy. “The Special Operations Platoon works closely with the Institute of Special Military Research. If you gain even a bit from their ongoing projects, it could benefit you for a long time. When the chance arises, I could introduce you.”

The Institute of Special Military Research…

Wasn’t that where Instructor Lin Zhaoshu worked?

So, all the military research in Yingzhou concerning demons, red marrow, compatibility ratios, and core training methods were held in the hands of this mysterious institute.

Yet Sun Jianheng’s promise was nothing but empty words, painting a grand vision.

He really thinks I’m a child.

Du Huaishan chuckled inwardly but straightened his posture, “Thank you, Lieutenant Sun!”

Next, Sun Jianheng traced the path where the Black Pillar Aberrant had lain in ambush, all the way to its route infiltrating the patrol guards.

All were killed instantly—no wonder there were no distress signals. Though Guardian Spirits could empower humans, unless one entered the Oni Transformation state, they’d only be slightly stronger than ordinary people. Only someone like Luo Zongwen, who had completed multiple Spirit Awakenings, could possess such monstrous physical prowess in their normal state.

“Are all the remains collected?” Sun Jianheng turned to ask his deputy, who had been following all along.

The deputy nodded. He had already packed all the significant remains of the Black Pillar Demon into bags and stowed them in his backpack. Larger chunks of viscous flesh were marked, awaiting the transport convoy.

After Feng Zhengwei finished clearing the battlefield, Du Huaishan watched as the logistics team loaded corpse after corpse into the transport trucks.

It was all so reminiscent of the carnage at the Xintun battlefield.

The only difference was—he hadn’t known any of the fallen at Xintun, but here, most of the bodies were familiar, especially Sun Tian.

Du Huaishan couldn’t imagine how Sun Tian’s mother would break down in tears when the Military Academy summoned his family to identify the body.

Of a hundred who live, only one survives—the thought tears the heart asunder.

Such is life in troubled times…

By the time Du Huaishan returned to the Military Academy, the sun was already setting.

He planned to head to the dormitory first to reassure Tan Hai and the others, then visit Instructor Luo Zongwen to study his newly awakened special ability.

But as soon as the guard at the gate saw the license plate and scanned the passengers inside, he shouted, “Sirs! Orders from Brigade Commander Pan Weilen of the 73rd Brigade, Chief Instructor Luo Zongwen, and Senior Instructor Lai Yanlong of the 173rd Class: Once Du Huaishan returns, he must report immediately to the central building of the Command Academy!”

All three had left instructions?

Feng Zhengwei and Sun Jianheng exchanged glances, baffled at Pan’s intentions, and why Luo Zongwen was involved.

“Alright, I’ll take him there,” Feng Zhengwei said, and once the guard let them through, he directed the driver toward the Command Academy to the north.

“It’s getting dark—be careful on the road. Off you go.” When they arrived at the central command building, Sun Jianheng even got out to open the door for Du Huaishan, giving him a half-smile and a parting reminder.

Still putting on airs at a time like this? Hmph!

Du Huaishan nodded slightly but cursed under his breath.

This central building of the Command Academy was indeed worthy of housing the Academy’s upper echelons; stepping inside, one was greeted by a vast, nearly ten-meter-high atrium, all built from white marble.

Once his identity was verified, the guard led him straight to the top floor meeting room.

“Du Huaishan, is it?” A deputy with heterochromatic eyes rose at the door.

Double pupils!

Du Huaishan nodded. It was his first time seeing a soldier who had completed a second Spirit Awakening serving as a mere aide.

Knock, knock—the deputy tapped the door twice.

The laughter inside ceased. “Come in.”

“Commander, Du Huaishan has arrived.”

“Ha! Let him in. I’ve been curious to see what this young man looks like!”

Du Huaishan followed the aide into the meeting room.

It was a rectangular, wool-carpeted, rosewood-furnished tea room. Sitting on either side were Luo Zongwen, Lai Yanlong, and a cultured major general with a straight mustache.

The “Commander,” who had just spoken, sat at the head.

Dressed in a woolen uniform, with a close-cropped haircut, fair skin, and large, bright eyes, he looked strikingly young—perhaps twenty-seven or twenty-eight—even younger than Chang Sui’an.

Yet despite his youth, he bore a major general’s insignia and had three heterochromatic pupils!

As Du Huaishan observed him, the young commander was also sizing him up. He pursed his lips and smiled deeply: “Hmm! Looks just like I did back in the day, ha ha ha…”

The three others laughed in chorus.

Bandages wrapped around Lai Yanlong’s ribs as he took the initiative to introduce, “Du Huaishan, this is Commander Zhang Yiming of the 1st Composite Brigade, Brigade Commander Pan Weilen of the 73rd Brigade, and the Army’s Chief Instructor, Mr. Luo Zongwen.”

“President Cui of the Academy is occupied with military affairs. Given your past merits and today’s incident of issuing a false order, the four of us will decide your case.”

Zhang Yiming? The eldest son of Zhang Shichang, Supreme Commander of the Yingzhou Army!

No wonder he had such ability at a young age, personally commanding the army’s elite brigade. The Composite Brigade was far larger than any regular 73rd or 62nd Brigade.

Du Huaishan knew of Zhang Yiming from the academy’s history. When the Academy was first reformed, Zhang Yiming, as one of the inaugural command cadets, graduated top of his class in both infantry and artillery, broke through the third threshold of the second Spirit Awakening, and was immediately appointed regimental commander—a peerless talent.

He straightened up and saluted them in turn. “I was young and foolish. I beg my superiors to discipline me.”

“Young? I don’t think so!” Zhang Yiming, though young and gifted and holding high office, spoke with warmth and affability. “Ha, in just a short while, I’ve heard Mr. Luo and Instructor Lai praise you more than once!”

“On your first day, you single-handedly took down four veterans, came second in the mobility cable training, first in demon fusion training. Your other results might not be outstanding, but I hear you did it all with a weighted sandbag…”

“Recently you killed an enemy infiltrator and provided the Academy with the latest foreign training methods for orientation and balance. Today, you turned the tide during the Aberrant incursion, saving elite trainees and instructors. I could write a novel of over a hundred thousand words just recounting your deeds, ha ha…”

Du Huaishan grinned. “Commander, it’s all minor achievements…”

“You’re too modest! The Grand Commander always said that at the Academy, our first duty is to learn well. In this, you’ve done admirably!”

Zhang Yiming rose from his chair, walked over, and clapped him on the shoulder.

“A fine soldier needs strength, courage, strategy, and guts. As for the brawls and bloodshed, those are rites of passage for men—not a big deal.”

As he spoke, his aide brought over a delicate red wooden box.

“All your deeds were reported by Instructor Lai to President Cui. But President Cui was recently dispatched by the Grand Commander to the Shanlong Pass front, so he entrusted me to handle this.”

Zhang Yiming slowly opened the box. Inside lay fifty shining silver dollars and five bottles of sparkling red marrow energy, bright as pomegranate seeds.

Most important of all were two insignias in the center—yellow wool background with two thick purple-red stripes.

“Du Huaishan, recruit of the 173rd class of the Yingzhou Army Military Academy, attend!”

“Here!”

“For excellent conduct, eliminating an infiltrator, contributing training equipment, and bringing honor, you are awarded fifty silver dollars, five bottles of red marrow elixir, and promoted to Army Warrant Officer, with all associated privileges—effective immediately. Signed: Cui Fulin, President of the Yingzhou Army Military Academy!”

“Thank you, President Cui! Thank you, Commander Zhang!” Du Huaishan saluted and accepted the box.

The Yingzhou Army had three ranks: general, field-grade, and company-grade officers, each with three levels—upper, middle, and lower. The only exception was at the company-grade, where below Second Lieutenant was the special rank of Warrant Officer.

Though the number of ranks seemed few, the army’s organization was also compact. Many squad leaders never reached Warrant Officer, which was typically reserved for elite squads or deputy platoon leaders.

Red marrow elixir supply was directly tied to rank, making each promotion immensely valuable.

Du Huaishan’s new rank was now just one step below Chang Sui’an!

“However…” Zhang Yiming’s tone shifted after reading the order. “Issuing a false command is a grave offense in the Yingzhou Army. But since this was your first infraction, and you saved so many trainees and instructors, your merit outweighs your fault. Still, you should learn your lesson.”

Before Du Huaishan could react, Zhang Yiming reached into the box and removed one silver dollar.

“I’ll deduct one silver dollar as punishment.”

“Thank you, Commander Zhang!”

He hadn’t expected Zhang Yiming to be so approachable and generous—what a far cry from Sun Jianheng.

Once the ceremony was over, Lai Yanlong, Luo Zongwen, and Pan Weilen gathered round to applaud.

“Huaishan, you must keep up the good work! Don’t let President Cui and Commander Zhang down!” Lai Yanlong was the most pleased of them all.

To have his own recruit promoted during basic training was a great honor.

“Du Huaishan, well done. I’ve heard Lieutenant Sun mention you often—said you were quite the figure, and I didn’t believe it. But after hearing the Commander list your exploits, you’ve truly impressed us.” Pan Weilen stroked his mustache, echoing the praise, even dropping Sun Jianheng’s name.

Du Huaishan saw through the flattery but replied courteously.

As for Luo Zongwen, he said little throughout, but his lotus-like heterochromatic eyes seemed to see straight through him.

Du Huaishan understood—rank and praise meant little to Luo Zongwen. Only strength mattered.

Instructor Luo must have noticed I broke through the first threshold of Oni Transformation!

When the meeting ended, Zhang Yiming and the others departed.

After a word with Luo Zongwen, Du Huaishan picked up his box and jogged over to Lai Yanlong.

Lai Yanlong stroked his goatee. “What brings you to me this time?”

“Instructor Lai, our Eighth Squad’s Sun Tian fell at Qingshi Mountain. Will his family be called to collect his remains?”

“…Yes.” Lai Yanlong paused for half a second, lowered his head, and a shadow of sorrow crossed his eyes. “Rest assured, the Academy won’t be stingy with compensation—there will be a survivor’s benefit and funeral expenses.”

“Instructor Lai, I’d like to contribute ten silver dollars from my own pocket to Sun Tian’s family, to count toward their compensation.”

Du Huaishan pulled out ten silver dollars.

He had planned this from the start. Ten silver dollars was no great burden for him now, but for Sun Tian’s impoverished parents, it was a small fortune.

After all, Sun Tian had always helped him mend his sandbags.

“…That’s very kind of you.” Lai Yanlong hesitated but took the silver dollars. “I’ll make sure they receive it.”

“Thank you, Instructor Lai!”

Du Huaishan said his farewell and hurried to Luo Zongwen’s residence.

As expected, upon entering, Luo’s aide told him that the instructor was waiting in the third-floor training room.

Du Huaishan raced upstairs, pushed the door—

Whoosh!

A cold gleam, slicing through the air, suddenly assailed him!

Clang!

Sensing danger, Du Huaishan erupted in black light, instantly activating Oni Transformation. Leaving behind an afterimage, he vanished and reappeared behind Luo Zongwen.

It was Luo Zongwen testing him with a great spear!

Xingyi Crushing Fist!

Eager to test his strength, Du Huaishan held nothing back, discarding the spear and thrusting out his right fist.

Boom!

As the sonic boom echoed, Luo Zongwen exploded with golden lightning, roaring like a lion. The impact of fist and spearhead clashed with a thunderous crack, sending Du Huaishan flying.

With a ripping sound, Luo Zongwen’s black robe tore; his body swelled, looming like a small mountain. With a backhand swipe, lightning transformed into a giant golden hand, which hurtled toward Du Huaishan.

Du Huaishan’s eyes widened.

He hadn’t expected Luo Zongwen to possess such monstrous power. He hurriedly used “Instant Movement” again.

Whoosh!

The moment he vanished, Luo Zongwen’s expression changed. Two massive phantoms surged into his heart, eyes blazing with golden lightning, as if about to explode. With a snap, he lunged, muscles bulging, seizing Du Huaishan by the breastplate and slamming him into the wall!

Boom!

The wall fractured into a web of cracks.

“Instructor Luo! Enough! I surrender!”