He snapped his legs together, raised his right hand, and saluted Lin Yi with a Chinese military salute.
His dark face was filled with solemnity and profound respect.
Lin Yi watched Andre's earnest expression and paused for a moment.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face. He raised his hand solemnly and returned Andre's salute with a perfect military salute.
At that moment, no words were needed.
Only then did Andre lower his hand. Overjoyed, he took the box and said loudly, "Thank you, Chief Instructor. This is the greatest honor of my life!"
Clutching the box, he practically bounced off the stage, drawing a wave of good-natured laughter from the crowd below.
The other foreign trainees were then called up one by one to receive these unexpected, precious gifts—tokens of recognition and remembrance.
Every face was lit with excitement and the warmth of belonging to the group.
The ceremony continued, and the atmosphere grew warmer and more congenial.
When the final trainee returned to the ranks, gear in his arms and his own parting words ringing in his ears, the setting sun cast a golden outline around this new force.
Lin Yi returned to the center of the platform and slowly surveyed the young, resolute faces below—faces that now seemed to have been tempered in fire.
He skipped the lengthy speech and simply smiled. "Exchange the contact codes on your portable Detectors."
"From today on, you're not just comrades-in-arms; you're a team, each other's most trusted support. When you run into a problem, discuss it with one another first. The clash of ideas often creates the brightest sparks."
Then Lin Yi paused and raised his voice slightly. "Of course, if you come across a problem you really can't solve..."
All the trainees looked up at him expectantly.
Lin