The abandoned four-story theater on the outskirts had been requisitioned as a temporary venue for the Study Session. The displaced people who had originally lived there had all been driven elsewhere.
When the Station Announcer called "Grand Theater Station," Uncle Dong let out a long breath, stepped off the bus, and stood beside the stop, momentarily lost in thought.
Ever since he'd received an invitation to lecture at the Study Session yesterday, he hadn't closed his eyes for eighteen straight hours.
He couldn't tell if he was excited or terrified.
But now that he was actually here, all his thoughts suddenly vanished, leaving only waves of bewilderment churning in his heart.
After standing dazed for a moment, Uncle Dong came to his senses and followed a narrow path trampled through the weeds toward the theater.
Two or three hundred steps ahead, a sign stood in the middle of the path:
Audience, go left and enter through the front gate to reach the stage. Lecturers, go right and enter through the back door to reach the backstage area.
He turned toward the back door. Soon, he saw four guards standing watch in front of it, along with a line of lecturers waiting to enter.
When his turn came, Uncle Dong pulled an iron badge from his pocket.
A guard took it and swiped it over a Defense Communicator. An electronic voice immediately sounded:
[Verification passed]
[Blood Dragon Legion Level 02 Green Dragon Team, Winter Squad, Captain Xia Dong.]
At the announcement, the four guards' expressions shifted. They immediately adopted respectful looks.
The Blood Dragon Legion had advanced one level every year since its founding and had now reached Level 29.
The man's Level 02 designation meant he'd been with the legion since its second year.
The Green Dragon Team was the legion's third tier (Hatchling Dragon, Thorn Dragon, Green Dragon, Winged Dragon, Stone Dragon, Blood Dragon). Even now, the entire legion had only a little over a hundred Green Dragon Teams.
To have retired and lived to this day—there was no question about it. This man was one of the Buffer Zone's living fossils!
"Captain Xia, please come in!"
"Thank you."
He took back his badge and put it in his pocket, then stepped forward with some trepidation and entered through the back door.
Whoosh.
The light changed, and a gentle breeze drifted down from above.
Though it was only being used as a temporary venue, the theater's interior had undergone a major renovation the previous night.
As Halin had put it, Infected had been so active since the beginning of the year that sessions like this needed to be held often and on a large scale, to keep the inspectors combat-ready.
So more than a hundred workers had worked through the night.
By today, the trash and filth on the first and second floors had been thoroughly cleared away. The broken lights and old fixtures had been replaced with brand-new ones, creating a striking contrast with the dilapidated exterior.
As Uncle Dong walked along the corridor, his heart, long since subdued, began to pound. Even the pain in his arm seemed to fade away.
He rounded two corners, then abruptly stopped.
An indescribable expression crossed his face before settling on the people gathered in the far corner.
Four men, two women.
Every one of them was injured, and every one of them was disabled in some way.
But Uncle Dong's eyes stayed fixed on the scarred, middle-aged woman. He couldn't look away.
If Cheng Ye had been there, he would only have needed to watch the way Uncle Dong's gaze shifted to guess that there had to be enough melodrama between them to fill dozens of TV episodes.
And that was exactly right. Uncle Dong really did have a long history with the woman.
But there was no need to bring up that melodramatic story.
The past was past. People couldn't spend their lives in beautiful memories they'd made up for themselves.
"After all these years, I'd actually figured it out a long time ago. I just didn't want to face it."
"Now the goods have all been ruined by the flood, and who knows how many Infected have entered the Buffer Zone. What's there left to be afraid of?"
The unease he'd felt outside had, here, turned into a touch of acceptance.
A jumble of memories flashed through Uncle Dong's mind, then he swept them all into a corner of his thoughts.
He paused, put on the kind, familiar smile Cheng Ye knew so well, and walked along the wall.
"Everyone, looking lively as ever!"
Uncle Dong's voice wasn't loud in the chaotic backstage area, but the six people sitting together all jolted.
When they turned and saw who it was, delight burst across every face.
"Old Xia's here!"
"Haha, the captain finally showed up!"
"The captain still looks so young. You can tell he's had an easier life than us!"
"Old Xia, I thought even the Study Session couldn't get you to come!"
All six crowded around him at once, surrounding Uncle Dong like stars around the moon.
As first-generation soldiers of the Blood Dragon Legion, there were quite a few survivors. But in all of Xingfu City, only a handful of squads had managed to remain at full strength after retiring.
Uncle Dong nodded to each of them in turn. When his eyes reached the scarred woman's face, he gave a soft laugh. "Yun Wei, long time no see."
She paused, then shook her head with a rueful smile. "Long time no see."
Those four short words seemed to hold their entire story, folding all their past into them.
The other five exchanged knowing looks and discreetly gave the two of them some space.
"How have you been lately?"
"Same as ever. I can't sit still, so I went out on the road with a truck crew. We deliver goods to the neighboring provinces and cities. It doesn't pay much, but at least it's not tiring."
"The Infected have been acting up this year. It's dangerous out there now. You're still not taking a break?"
"How could I take a break so easily? We all signed ten-year contracts. I've still got three years left." Before she finished speaking, she glanced at Uncle Dong's arm. "You haven't been sitting around either, have you? That old injury's been hurting for years. Why haven't you gotten it treated?"
"It can't be fixed. I've had several operations already, but it's a problem at the root. It's not easy."
Uncle Dong sighed. A few vicious old scars peeked out from beneath his sleeve in the light.
The conversation seemed to reach its end. For a moment, neither of them could find anything else to say.
Fortunately, a burst of applause suddenly came from the main hall, breaking the heavy silence.
"That's strange. Everyone sitting down there is an inspector. They're applauding us?"
Yun Wei rose onto her toes to peer toward the stage, looking puzzled.
Their ragtag bunch had been invited to share their experience, but how could they possibly teach the inspectors?
They were among the most respected people in the Buffer Zone. Just getting them to listen to the whole lecture was already a miracle.
Applause and welcomes were far too much to hope for.
"That applause isn't for you. There's a lecture going on. The speaker used to be an instructor at the Public Security Bureau. His wife is an inspector too, and a Fourth Stage inspector with real authority."
A familiar voice came from nearby. The two turned and saw someone from the Lei Yue Squad.
He was one of their old comrades, though only one member of the Lei Yue Squad remained.
"Miao Yang, from the way you put it, are you actually hoping the inspectors will applaud you?" someone nearby teased.
"Hey, I'm just saying. Aren't we all here for those eight Contribution Points?"
Miao Yang rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "But I've got something really good prepared. It's stuff I never even shared when the Blood Dragon Legion invited me to lecture over the years. Maybe the big shots in the audience will like it enough to applaud."
"Something really good? Are you going to talk about how the Lei Yue Squad almost got wiped out back then?"
"Get lost!" Miao Yang laughed and shoved him. "Your Chi Xue Squad only has you left too, doesn't it?"
"That's different! We still had five people when we retired."
"..."
Listening to Miao Yang banter with the others, Uncle Dong and Yun Wei exchanged helpless smiles and moved to a quiet spot nearby.
"How about I lend you some money so you can get the surgery?"
"Why would I need to borrow money from you? If I'd really wanted to fix this, the favors I've scraped together over the years would've been more than enough. There's no need."
Uncle Dong shook his head. "After all these years, why haven't you found someone?"
"I've been waiting for you."
Yun Wei's eyelashes trembled as she looked up. Then she suddenly burst out laughing. "Is that what you wanted me to say? I heard that's how romance dramas from the Old Era always went!"
"Xia Dong, you're allowed to be afraid of dying, but I'm not?"
"That's not why I was afraid..."
Uncle Dong's throat worked as he tried to argue, but in the end all he could manage was a sigh.
The two of them had dated back then, and had even settled on a wedding date.
Unfortunately, an accident had occurred during a mission. The squad had been surrounded by Infected. They'd somehow survived against all odds, and no one had died, but every one of them had suffered injuries, big or small.
As captain, Uncle Dong had sensed that the Infected were behaving strangely. Even though the squad was on the verge of being promoted to the Winged Dragon level and joining the Blood Dragon Legion's middle ranks, he'd still resolutely chosen to retire, leaving behind the rest of the Winter Squad.
Without him as their backbone, the other members had gradually lost heart and retired one after another.
Everyone had resented Xia Dong, believing he'd been a coward, afraid to die, and had ruined their futures.
Naturally, his relationship with Yun Wei had ended too.
But fate had other plans. That very winter, after everyone retired, Xingfu City was hit by a terrifying "Blight"-level Infected Tide.
Almost every squad that had served alongside the Winter Squad was wiped out. Only a few lucky survivors remained.
The devastating turn of events made the Winter Squad suddenly realize how far-sighted Xia Dong had been. They also realized how reckless they'd been to ignore all danger just because they were about to be promoted.
It was a shame that while the others had eventually forgiven and understood him, Xia Dong himself could never get past it.
Put simply, his heart had broken.
A brave and ambitious soldier, at the height of his career, had chosen to retire and run away.
That decision had tormented him for more than twenty years.
"You used to argue with me every time. What's wrong, finally accepted your fate?"
"I have. What else can I do? I'm just a useless coward who's afraid to die. You don't know how scared I was last night when I heard the Duty Station Chief had been killed and Infected had gotten inside. Good thing I didn't embarrass myself in front of the younger folks. I even managed to put on the airs of a big shot."
Uncle Dong grinned and patted the badge hanging on his chest.
"You deserve it!"
"Good one!" Yun Wei gave him a thumbs-up. "Want me to join in and insult you too?"
"No way. You all said you'd forgiven me."
Uncle Dong's slightly smug look made Yun Wei laugh.
The other five members of the Winter Squad, who'd been eavesdropping nearby, relaxed.
They'd tried plenty of times over the years to get the two of them back together, but Uncle Dong had always dodged them.
Could it really happen this time?
"Damn it, I've been talking up there forever. It's bad enough that the inspectors look down on us, but what's with those Observers and staff in the back? Who do they think they are, acting like that?"
"Was my lecture really that bad? Have I killed fewer Infected than they have?"
Just then, Miao Yang came storming back backstage, cursing under his breath.
He hadn't noticed how many people had listened to the real material he'd prepared, but he'd seen exactly how many were daydreaming.
Not only the inspectors—even ordinary people in the back couldn't be bothered to lift their eyes. This was just fucking looking down on him!
"Come on, didn't you say you were just here for the Contribution Points? Don't shout nonsense. If someone hears you, you'll be in for a rough time," someone hurriedly cautioned him.
The staff member in charge of announcements walked over with a blank expression, gave Miao Yang a long look, then turned to Uncle Dong. "Winter Squad, get ready. You're up next. Decide among yourselves who's going first."
Who would go first?
"I will." Uncle Dong dusted off some nonexistent dirt. "Last time I was the first to run away. This time, I can't be the last to go up."
He didn't think he'd be much better than Miao Yang, but as for embarrassing himself, he'd done plenty of that over the years. One more time wouldn't matter.
"Captain, you're the best!"
"Captain, you've still got it! That's awesome!"
"Haha, go on up, Captain. If nobody applauds, we will!"
Amid the cheering, Uncle Dong took a deep breath and turned to look at Yun Wei.
She blinked, either encouraging him or asking whether he'd truly gotten his nerve back.
Had he?
Uncle Dong shook his head with a self-mocking smile. What nerve could a worn-out old man from a General Store possibly have? He was just scraping by.
"Next, let's welcome Blood Dragon Legion Level 02 Green Dragon Captain Xia Dong to give us a lecture."
The introduction rang out. Uncle Dong drew a deep breath and walked onto the stage.
The lights weren't nearly as dazzling as he'd imagined. It was nothing like the Old Era magazines he'd scavenged from the Flea Market described, where the lights made you feel as if all eyes were upon you.
He looked down.
The inspectors in the front row had their heads lowered, paying him no attention.
The inspectors in the middle were whispering among themselves, apparently discussing something important.
As for the back, Uncle Dong had wanted to look for Cheng Ye, but there were too many people. He didn't have time to search carefully.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Xia Dong, a soldier who was lucky enough to survive the battlefield."
"Today, I'll be teaching you how to deal with area-of-effect attacks from Hydrophilic Type Infected."
"..."
Five minutes wasn't enough to get into much detail.
Uncle Dong broke down a battle the Winter Squad had fought and explained their approach and the results in full.
His explanation was clear and compelling.
The squad members standing backstage couldn't help applauding. Even Yun Wei's eyes burned as though she were seeing the Xia Dong of old again.
But the reaction from the audience was lukewarm. Miao Yang, watching from the side, pursed his lips and sighed helplessly.
"All right, that's the complete approach. Does anyone have any questions?"
No one in the audience raised a hand.
Uncle Dong wasn't surprised. He gave a slight bow. "Then, thank you for listening."
With that, he turned to leave the stage.
But just then, unexpected applause rang out in the silent hall.
It wasn't loud, but it stood out sharply in the quiet!
It came from...
Cheng Ye, clapping softly. To everyone else, Uncle Dong was just an insignificant nobody.
But to him, after arriving in the Wasteland, he was one of the few people he could talk to and pass the time with.
"Brilliant!"
He rose slightly and nodded to the people around him, paying no mind to their astonished looks as he applauded without holding back.
Clap, clap, clap.
Seeing this, Li Maitai stood up and joined in, not caring in the slightest about the strange looks people gave him.
He loved moments like this: no real risk, but plenty of attention.
However,
just as he got to his feet and began applauding, he heard clapping from behind him, right in sync!
Huh?
Was Cheng Ye really so popular that someone else was joining in?
Curious, Li Maitai turned around. He wanted to see who else would dare ignore the dispute between the two factions and step forward to draw attention to himself.
Could it be some fearless little nobody—
?
Their eyes met across the rows. Dario Haven kept clapping, his expression tinged with confusion.
It was as if he were asking, Are you seriously trying to steal my thunder?
"Dario Haven?"
Li Maitai froze. His expression stiffened, and his eyes filled with disbelief, as if he'd seen a ghost.
How was this possible?
The Xiren Fifth Stage Inspector. Halin's number-one supporter.
The man most likely to succeed the Duty Station Chief.
He—he was applauding too?
Was he trying to win Cheng Ye over and bring him into the Xiren Faction?
No. The man had lost his mind. He was so fanatical about choosing sides that he'd applaud a Dongren Warrior?
The bewildered Xiren Inspectors turned around, their faces full of astonishment.
Then, whether it was some bootlicker who started it or not, someone joined Dario Haven in applauding.
The scattered claps grew loud in an instant. The Xiren Faction's Observers and staff saw what was happening and hurried to join in.
It really was a case of "the world's gone mad—the mice are bridesmaids at the cats' wedding"!
The Xiren Faction was applauding a Dongren?
The Dongren Inspectors in the front row hesitated. They couldn't let themselves be outdone, they thought. If even the Xiren were willing to applaud Cheng Ye, what did they have to fear? One after another, they joined in.
The applause came in waves, growing louder as more and more people stood up!
The whole hall erupted in a roar of applause unlike anything it had ever seen.
???
What was happening?
Barely three or four seconds had passed between the first clap and the whole room's thunderous applause. Uncle Dong's steps abruptly faltered, disbelief and astonishment flashing across his face.
He whipped around, his memories seeming to slip out of place.
For a fleeting moment, he really was standing on the stage depicted in that old magazine.
The lights glittered, dazzling as scattered diamonds.
The crowd roared, surging like rolling thunder.
Applause swept in from every direction like ocean waves, surrounding him, swallowing him up, almost leaving him breathless.
Though every eye in the room was focused not on him, but on a young inspector in the center of the back row!
That inspector was looking at him, his gaze warm and faintly astonished, as if to tell him:
Xia Dong, you're not some worthless nobody whom no one cares about!
P.S. Here's the 4.8k-word update. Uncle Dong is one of my favorite characters. Old soldiers never die; they just slowly fade away. The first half of Uncle Dong's life has ended, but the second half is only just beginning. He won't be written out here—he'll return in an unexpected way.
P.S. 2: I've heard that the book should be available for purchase on July 1. I'll do my best to speed up the setup before then, so the paid chapters won't be bogged down with filler.
P.S. 3: Thank you all for supporting me along the way. Creating an original world isn't easy, so I hope I can ask you for a few votes as encouragement~
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