Liu Xi snapped to attention and shouted,
"Reporting, sir! I have brothers from different mothers and fathers. I'm not an only child!"
Hearing this, the general was so furious his nose nearly twisted, and his face darkened completely.
"Fine, fine, fine! You've all got your reasons!"
This time, even the staff officer couldn't help looking down at the ranks.
Among more than a thousand people, not a single foot had stepped back.
The general slammed his fist onto the lectern.
Bang!
The dull sound erupted through the military camp.
"Nonsense!"
"Do you want to be heroes that badly?!"
No one answered.
Everyone looked at him.
There was no fanaticism in those eyes, no pretense, not the slightest hint of showing off.
Only calm and resolve.
The general wanted to curse them out.
He wanted to curse them for disobeying orders, for not understanding the stakes, for taking their own lives too lightly.
But how could he bring himself to say it?
What heroes?
They were just a bunch of kids who had changed clothes and stood in the ranks, learning from their predecessors how to defend their country.
The general lowered his eyes and remained silent for a full three seconds.
He sighed.
"You're all good kids."
Yes.
All good kids.
Before the disaster, many of them might still have been attending university, sneaking glances at girls they liked by the training grounds, or telling their parents only the good news while on leave.
But now, they stood here with their final letters written, waiting for a written order to send them toward a Demon God.
The general closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, his face had regained that composure that bordered on cold severity.
"Since no one's withdrawing, we'll have the computer select at random."
He