Of Course He Joined

Xiao Shou felt utterly exhausted, as though he had stayed up for several nights in a row.

His throat was dry, and even breathing hurt. Struggling upright, he wanted to find some water.

The commotion alerted the medics outside.

They hurried in, told him to lie back down, and brought him water.

Just as he set down the cup, Mao Shucheng, Zhu Qian, and Jin Rong pushed open the door and came in.

"Xiao Shou, how are you feeling?"

Jin Rong asked first.

"My head feels a little foggy and swollen."

Jin Rong let out a sigh of relief.

"It's fine. That's a normal reaction after a neural drift connection. You'll be fine once you get used to it."

Jin Rong then took a slight step back, leaving Mao Shucheng and Zhu Qian some space.

"Kid, it's still the same question. If the kaiju attack again, now that you have the qualifications, do you want to give them up and return to the life of an ordinary person, or pilot a Jaeger to fight them, protect the country, and protect your Orphanage?"

"Sir, I said before, this isn't a multiple-choice question!"

"Then, Xiao Shou, the Pan-Pacific Defense Line's Shatterdome base in Dalian welcomes you to the Jaeger Combat Department!"

Xiao Shou straightened his back solemnly and accepted.

"Then let's talk about your conditions."

Xiao Shou looked blankly at Jin Rong.

"What you want—things like your salary and benefits."

Jin Rong explained with a smile.

Xiao Shou pondered for a moment.

"If possible, could you send some doctors to examine the elderly people at our Orphanage? Grandma Li, Grandma Liu, Grandpa Zheng, and the others endure their illnesses every day, yet they keep telling me they're fine. They just don't want to cause us trouble."

"Of course. That was something we should have done anyway. It's just that Dalian is still undergoing post-disaster reconstruction, and there's too much to handle at the moment. We'll gradually make sure it all reaches your Orphanage."

"But since you've brought it up, someone will take over the matter shortly. Don't worry. Is there anything else?"

"If possible, could the elderly and children at the Orphanage have a chicken drumstick added to their lunch every day? The old people and children haven't had even a bit of meat for half a month. Even when there is meat, the elderly give it to the children. It breaks my heart every time I see it."

"Of course, that won't be a problem. And then?"

Xiao Shou shook his head, indicating there was nothing else.

"Haha, you're an interesting kid! And I like that!"

Mao Shucheng burst into laughter. He had always been forthright by nature and never concealed his true thoughts because of his status.

Behind him, Zhu Qian also smiled for the first time in a long while. Originally, he had not wanted Xiao Shou to become the second pilot.

Choosing an ordinary person would intensify the conflicts between certain people in the Jaeger Combat Department and the military.

But now, it seemed Mao Shucheng and Jin Rong might have been right to persist.

In this restless society, threatened by kaiju, people as kindhearted and sincere as Xiao Shou were rare.

Such qualities were more precious than anything else.

"Kid, do you know about the U.S.'s Explorer Jaeger?"

Xiao Shou nodded. As one of the first two Jaegers ever built, it had defeated the kaiju Blade that attacked Australia a year ago.

It had become immensely famous, its combat footage played continuously around the world to inspire people.

"Then do you know how much the U.S. military paid to recruit Ritter Harry, one of Explorer's pilots?"

"Ritter Harry asked for one billion!"

"U.S. dollars!"

Xiao Shou froze slightly. That number was something he had never even dared imagine.

"They definitely didn't agree to that, right? The U.S. military must have haggled him down quite a bit."

"No, they agreed. There was no discount. They even transferred the money that same day."

Xiao Shou found it difficult to accept.

"That's normal, kid. Jaeger pilots bear the safety of the entire country, even the whole Pan-Pacific Defense Line. If kaiju attack, the losses would be even greater! Any price is worth it, because material possessions are worthless before life."

"So, I'll give you another chance. Name your conditions again."

Xiao Shou still shook his head.

What he cared about most was the Orphanage, and that problem had already been solved.

They would no longer need to worry about food, supplies, or medical care.

The Old Director could not come back from the dead, so there was nothing else he wanted.

Money? What use was it? Jaeger pilots were destined to live at the Shatterdome base.

Even leaving required a report and formal approval.

Food and daily necessities were all strictly regulated.

Even if he had money, there would be nowhere to spend it.

"I'll give you one day to rest and settle your personal matters. Tomorrow, you'll officially begin neural drift connection training with your partner!"

With that, Mao Shucheng and Zhu Qian left.

"Do you want me to take you to the Orphanage so you can say goodbye to the elderly and children?"

Jin Rong asked.

Xiao Shou nodded. Naturally, he had to go back and let them know.

From now on, he would be stationed permanently at the Shatterdome base. It would be hard for him to find time to visit the elderly and children often.

Sitting in the car, Xiao Shou still felt as though he were in a daze.

Too much had happened today, and it all felt unreal.

One moment, he had merely been a food delivery waiter. The next, he had become the pilot of a Jaeger.

The country's only Jaeger, and he was one of its two pilots.

It was too dreamlike, like rising from a humble farmer in the morning to entering the imperial court by evening.

His identity had changed too quickly for him to settle into the role.

They soon arrived at the Orphanage, where several ambulances were already parked.

There was also a soldier in uniform speaking with Li Xintong.

They seemed to be discussing relocating the Orphanage.

A section of a newly built sanatorium in Dalian had been set aside for it.

The military truly acted quickly.

There was no dragging their feet.

Once they made a decision, they acted immediately.

When Li Xintong saw Xiao Shou, she ran over as well.

She was somewhat confused. She had no idea why the Orphanage, which no one had cared about or paid attention to before, had suddenly become so important.

They were sending medical care and arranging new accommodations.

From the hints she picked up, she learned that it was all connected to Xiao Shou.

She learned that Xiao Shou was going to serve in a military unit, and the organization was specially resolving his worries for him.

Li Xintong was not some sheltered little girl. She knew that even enlisting usually only brought a family a few preferential policies and a little support.

A mobilization on this scale for the dozens of people in an Orphanage was unheard of.

Unless the unit he was serving in was unusual—special, but also extremely dangerous.

"Can't you not go? We're all worried about you. Give me two more years—no, one year. I'll make everyone's lives better. You don't need to put yourself in danger."

Li Xintong's eyes were filled with worry as she looked at Xiao Shou.

"It's okay, Sister Bao'er. I'm joining Aunt Rong's unit. It won't be dangerous."

Xiao Shou hinted for Jin Rong to say something.

Jin Rong gave Li Xintong a slight nod, signaling that everything was fine.

Xiao Shou went inside and visited the elderly and children room by room.

He told them he was going to work in another city, where he would earn more money, and told them not to worry.

A well-intentioned lie was necessary.

Because of their loneliness, these elderly people had long regarded Xiao Shou as one of their own children.

If they learned that Xiao Shou was going to fight kaiju directly, they would certainly try to stop him.

The children at the Orphanage were also reluctant to part with Xiao Shou.

But in the end, Xiao Shou still had to leave.

On the way back, they also stopped by Grandma He's Noodle House.

He specifically said goodbye to Grandma He.

Grandma He did not stop him either. Xiao Shou was still young, and she could not have him work as a waiter for the rest of his life.

In fact, the old woman had previously wanted her daughter to help Xiao Shou get into a good university.

Now that he clearly had a better path ahead of him, that was no longer necessary.

And so, Xiao Shou began his own "Jaeger military" career.