"I understand, I understand. Sister-in-law, you've had it so hard, raising Qinglong all by yourself."
"Then, sir, what about the enlistment slot..."
"No problem! I'll take care of it!"
Captain Li patted his chest in assurance.
"Thank you so much. I'll go call Qinglong over and have him greet you."
As Mom Lü spoke, she started to get up, ready to knock on Lü Qinglong's door, but he stopped her.
"Don't trouble yourself, Sister-in-law. I know Qinglong. He's born to be a soldier. It's getting late, so I won't disturb your rest."
"Have Qinglong come to the Armed Forces Department tomorrow afternoon to pick up his gear. He can leave for the army the day after."
Captain Li shook hands with Mom Lü. By the time she came to her senses, they were already at the doorway.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"It's nothing, it's nothing. It's the least I can do. If Old Brother Lü comes back, just give him my regards."
The captain left the Lü family with a hearty smile.
"Captain, don't we need to take a look at her son? We're sending him straight to the army, and we only have one slot left. You just gave it to her that easily?"
After they went downstairs and got into the car, the aide who had always stayed by the captain's side asked with some confusion.
In recent days, parents had been practically breaking their heads trying to secure that final slot.
But the captain hadn't given it to a single one of them. Yet after one phone call from this woman, he'd gone straight to her home and handed her the slot.
"Xiao Wang, does the name Lü Qinglong ring a bell?"
The captain didn't answer him, instead asking a different question.
"Lü Qinglong... Sounds a little familiar..."
Aide Xiao Wang murmured the name, furrowing his brow as he searched his memory.
"What about Lü Qingtian?"
The captain prompted him.
"Huh? Captain! You mean the martyr from our city who was named a First-Class Combat Hero last year?!"
"He's this Lü Qingtian's younger brother! I get it, Captain!"
Xiao Wang wasn't stupid. With the captain's reminder and the conversation they'd just had, he immediately understood.
"You've got part of it. You'll understand the rest tomorrow."
"Go order three sets of extra-large camouflage uniforms. Make sure they're four sizes bigger than the largest size, and you'll be responsible for handing them to Lü Qinglong tomorrow."
"Yes, Captain."
Xiao Wang didn't understand why the captain was being so cryptic, but he nodded and agreed anyway.
The next afternoon, following his mother's instructions, Lü Qinglong went to the Yangcheng Armed Forces Department to pick up his gear.
There were a lot of people outside the Armed Forces Department. Maybe it was because today was the scheduled day for everyone to collect their gear.
The place had been packed since noon, and even in the afternoon people were still crowding around to queue for their gear. Noise rose and fell through the crowd:
"Hey, hey, you there! Don't cut in line! Is your kid the only one enlisting and picking up gear?"
"Can't you wait your turn? What's wrong with you, cutting in line? You're in a hurry, but do you think the rest of us parents behind you aren't?"
"Exactly! And you want to be a role model for your kid? That's so uncivilized!"
But even with the parents in the back shouting at them, the people in front kept cutting in line.
At a time like this, every parent put their own child first. Even with staff maintaining order at the very front, things still looked rather chaotic.
That was, until a massive figure appeared.
"What's going on? It's only five o'clock, but the sun outside looks like it's getting dark?"
The parent at the very back asked in confusion, standing with his child.
Something had blocked the light. He turned around instinctively.
"Who put such a huge stone pillar behind me? Hm? Why's it warm?"
The parent reached out and touched the black stone pillar, until it coughed twice:
"Ahem! Ahem!"
The two thunderous coughs made the parent jump in fright. He looked up at the stone pillar's face.
Deep-set eyes glinted coldly beneath shadowed brows. His face was covered in hard muscle, his features sharply defined. And his bald head made him look even more menacing.
His build was like that of a giant bear standing on two legs. His hands in particular were huge and powerful, as though he could tear someone apart with ease.
His whole body radiated a savage aura. He looked even more terrifying than a murderer.
The parent swallowed, too scared to breathe properly. He stammered:
"Um... sir... you... I... Sorry, my wife's about to give birth. I have to go..."
Then he took his child and ran for his life.
"Hm? His wife's about to give birth? What an older mother."
Lü Qinglong furrowed his brow. That parent had looked to be in his early fifties. His wife had to be at least in her forties, right?
Having a child at that age was too dangerous.
The parent in front heard the commotion behind him and turned around too.
As soon as he saw Lü Qinglong's face, which looked just like a murderer's, he instinctively gave up his place and said the same thing as the previous parent.
"I... my wife's about to give birth too... sir... you can stand in front of me..."
Scenes like this kept happening inside the Armed Forces Department.
In less than a minute, Lü Qinglong had gone from the very last place in line to the very front.
"This is so strange. In just a little while, five wives have gone into labor, three gas stoves have been left on, two sisters-in-law have called people over for dinner, and one family's been visited by Old Wang."
"Why's everyone so busy these days?"
Lü Qinglong was a little confused, but he still ended up in the number-one spot and waited quietly for the staff inside to call him.
"Next."
The staff member's voice came from inside the room. Lü Qinglong lowered his head and went in.
"You... Ah."
When Aide Xiao Wang saw Lü Qinglong, his mouth fell open and he froze on the spot.
It took him a few seconds to snap out of it. He pulled out his phone, which was on the dial screen with "110" entered.
"Um, I'm Lü Qinglong. I'm here to pick up my gear."
Lü Qinglong spoke first to explain.
"Lü... Lü Qinglong?"
"Oh, right! I get it. Come on, your gear is here. I'll get it for you."
Only then did Aide Xiao Wang put away his phone. He took a cardboard box off a shelf. It looked a full size bigger than the others.
"Brother, you're so built!"
Even as he handed the box to Lü Qinglong, Aide Xiao Wang couldn't help complimenting him.
The night before, when the captain had said Lü Qinglong might be a little on the big side, he hadn't thought much of it.
But after seeing him in person today, he realized that "a little on the big side" was an understatement!
Before you continue