Chen Tianjian (Seeking Collection)

As the station was almost within sight and the remaining distance wasn't far, I had the driver make an early stop. I got out of the back seat.

The station was crowded, packed with people as far as the eye could see.

A large area had been cordoned off. Standing in this open space were many New Recruits in camouflage uniforms, with large red flowers pinned to their chests.

They were saying goodbye to their parents. Many of the New Recruits' parents were in tears, while the New Recruits themselves were comforting them, clearly still caught up in the excitement of leaving home.

At the very front of the open area stood several officers in camouflage uniforms, their shoulders bearing the rank of First Lieutenant. They were also holding forms.

"What the— Old Zhang! Look over there! Is that person a terrorist!"

"A terrorist? Where would you find terrorists these days? This is a harmonious society now. Besides, there are so many soldiers here... It really is a terrorist!"

"Oh my god, that person is wearing the same camouflage uniform as our child!"

Amidst the commotion in the crowd, the orderly lines suddenly became chaotic.

They look so orderly from a distance, but up close it's like a busy marketplace, all noisy and boisterous, Lü Qinglong muttered to himself. With his slight height advantage over the average person, he spotted the assembly point at a glance.

He strode towards the cluster of New Recruits, who were also wearing camouflage uniforms.

A New Recruit at the back, thinking it was dark, turned and saw a giant grinning at him, making him tremble all over.

"Uh... Brother, why don't you stand in front of me?"

The New Recruit asked tentatively.

"This is a roll call for enlistment, and there's no discipline at all. This isn't a market for buying vegetables, why should I stand in front of you?"

Lü Qinglong felt a bit bewildered.

Because his father and older brother were both soldiers, he had a basic understanding of the military and knew a little about everything.

The army valued discipline. The jostling he had just witnessed among the New Recruits would likely only happen before they experienced the New Recruit Company.

Once they were out of the New Recruit Company, this situation probably wouldn't occur.

"Uh... Okay."

The New Recruit nodded stammeringly, standing ramrod straight, no longer looking so relaxed.

"Are you Lü Qinglong?"

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice came from beside him. Turning his head slightly in the direction of the voice, Lü Qinglong saw a young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, wearing a starry camouflage uniform.

The rank insignia on the man's shoulders consisted of one bar and three stars.

Lü Qinglong knew this rank; it represented a Captain, typically corresponding to the position of Company Commander or Political Instructor in the army. Such an officer could lead a company of about a hundred men in combat.

"I am. And you are?"

"My name is Chen Tianjian. I'm your cadre."

"You'll be under my charge from now on. Come stand with our Group Army's contingent," Chen Tianjian said, pointing to the nearly full line of New Recruits beside him.

"Okay, thank you."

Lü Qinglong nodded and walked towards the line he indicated.

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that Chen Tianjian's tone had been noticeably excited when speaking to him just now. It felt like seeing a relative after a long time. But he didn't know the man, which was strange.

Despite the strangeness, Lü Qinglong took his place at the end of the line.

The New Recruit who had been at the end finally breathed a sigh of relief when Lü Qinglong moved away. That guy was too intimidating; he hadn't dared to breathe deeply while standing behind him.

Chen Tianjian, standing at the front of his contingent, checked the list on his form again.

Once he confirmed everything was in order, he called out loudly:

"Parents of these recruits, you may now leave. I will take your children to the army, where they will undergo the tempering of the military's melting pot."

"Rest assured, parents, no matter how mischievous your children were at home, I believe that in two years, we will return to you upright men!"

Hearing Chen Tianjian's voice, and as the line of New Recruits began to move towards the station, the parents reluctantly released their hands, watching their children embark on their military journey.

"Mom! I'll definitely make something of myself in the army!"

Someone in the New Recruit line shouted, and then one by one, the other New Recruits joined in.

Their voices were loud, and the parents outside the lines could no longer hold back their tears, which began to flow freely. The scene made the New Recruits reluctant to look back, and they quickened their pace into the train station.

During these days of new recruit enlistment, the train station always set aside a special passage and a dedicated waiting area.

As Chen Tianjian led all the New Recruits into the station, the train arrived. Most of the New Recruits were carrying only a black transport bag issued by the Armed Forces Department.

Basically, these days, New Recruits do some research before enlisting.

They know that in the military, there's no need to worry about food or clothing, and they even get extra camouflage uniforms, so most people's bags are practically empty.

The New Recruits boarded the green-skinned train one after another. Several carriages were specially set aside on the green-skinned train for these New Recruits.

"You'll be in this carriage; just find any seat you like."

Chen Tianjian led this group of New Recruits to a carriage near the end. After he finished speaking, the other New Recruits immediately started looking for seats.

Rather than looking for seats, it was more like they were scrambling for window seats.

Their age range was similar; most people who joined the army were within the suitable age bracket of 18-24. Many were leaving home for the first time, so they were fascinated by the scenery outside.

In comparison, Lü Qinglong was fine with it. He just wanted to find a rack to place his black duffel bag and then sit in that spot.

There happened to be an empty seat not far away, and there was also an empty spot on the rack above it. Lü Qinglong simply placed his black bag on the rack above and then plopped down.

The seats on the green-skinned train were connected three-person seats, facing each other with a small table in between.

The seat Lü Qinglong chose was at the innermost spot, where a New Recruit wearing headphones was sitting by the window, happily playing on his phone.

Suddenly, he felt something pressing down on him from the side.

He was about to see whose butt was so big, squeezing next to him when there was clearly so much empty space.

He turned his head and saw a face that could only be described as ferocious, especially those three-quarters white eyes, with only a sliver of black pupils showing, staring intently at him.