First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 45
Chapter 45: Result
The statistics area was in an uproar, with people in the back constantly pushing forward. The instructor responsible for supervision was nearly being rubbed against the table and finally couldn't take it anymore, shouting sternly: "Everyone, disperse!"
A student pleaded: "Instructor, let us take a look! There's no space to move!"
Just as the instructor was about to lose his temper, the screen behind him flashed as the data was sent to the backend, leaving only a blue screen visible.
The students collectively wailed: "Ah—!"
The statistics personnel shooed them away: "The competition is officially over, everyone return and wait for the results."
The students left reluctantly, still discussing: "Just now the Red Team still had more people!"
Another said: "Of course the Red Team had more! They originally had many more members. With such intense head-on clashes, of course the White Team would lose more."
The students were confused: "Then what was the White Team thinking? The Red Team clearly had the overwhelming advantage. After holding out for so long, they just went to feed the enemy kills?"
"We don't know the situation on the mountain now, any guesses would be pointless," a student said. "But since they managed to reverse the battle situation before, surely they wouldn't be so reckless?"
The crowd gathered in front of the command platform, waiting for their comrades to descend the mountain.
This was the first time they'd ended so early. It was still afternoon, not even dinner time yet. In previous years when battles dragged on, it would take at least a full day and night.
Meanwhile, on the mountain.
The gunfire ceased abruptly, leaving complete silence all around.
The participants were momentarily stunned. The echoes of "boom boom boom" still rang in their ears, and the excitement in their chests hadn't yet faded.
Belatedly, they lowered their guns and touched their shoulders. Their arms were numb and nearly senseless from the strain. The violent collisions while dodging had left many bruises on their bodies.
Someone covered their ears and asked: "Which side won in the end?"
"No idea."
"Someone count the numbers?"
"Hey, am I dead?"
"I'm still alive, hahaha!"
"Wait, when did I get taken out?"
Zheng Lei jumped up from the ground and rushed excitedly toward Lian Sheng: "Ahhh—! Commander Lian Sheng!"
Lian Sheng gave him an expressionless look, then sat down cross-legged.
Zheng Lei's outstretched arms froze in midair: "..."
An instructor appeared and urged: "Time to descend the mountain, you people over there, move out first! No more discussions, results will be announced in half an hour!"
Because the mountain battle had been so intense, all students eliminated in the melee had to wait until it was over before descending, so there were many people gathered here.
A student stubbornly turned his head: "Where's the legendary Lian Sheng? Let me see her first!"
Others nearby also turned: "Me too! I want to see her too!"
A Red Team member asked excitedly: "Is Lian Sheng still alive? Who took her out?"
"Lian Sheng! Lian Sheng, please wave at me!"
Lian Sheng: "..."
An instructor kicked out at them, scolding: "Hurry up and leave, what are you looking at? You think she's some kind of mascot?"
The students formed lines and began leaving. After sitting for a while, Lian Sheng also stood up.
She was relatively short and slight, but among this crowd she stood out remarkably.
—Because she was Lian Sheng. The commander who had taken over mid-battle and achieved a major reversal.
The crowd automatically made way for her, creating a path while carefully examining her.
...She looked exhausted. Her legs didn't seem steady—she looked like she might collapse at any moment.
Ji Fangxiao, carrying his gun, caught up from behind and called her name: "Lian Sheng!"
The crowd collectively turned to look.
Lian Sheng stopped and turned.
"Regardless of the final results, from a command perspective, I lost." Ji Fangxiao's tone was unreadable as he extended his hand openly: "You're a remarkably talented individual."
This had been his most disastrous campaign. Not in terms of outcome, but in process.
He'd commanded many battles before. Even when completely defeated before, never had he been so thoroughly anticipated, falling into her traps again and again. It was as if she had eyes constantly watching his every move from behind.
The helplessness of defeat... and the humiliation of being outmatched.
He hated losing.
"Oh." Lian Sheng said. "You should work harder too."
The crowd: "..."
Cheng Ze, following nearby, exclaimed in shock: "You're Lian Sheng?!" His voice had gone completely shrill.
Lian Sheng gave him a sidelong glance and continued forward.
Zhao Zhuoluo looked at her condition and asked: "Should I carry your gun for you?"
Lian Sheng very much wanted to say, carrying a gun doesn't make you a hero—how about carrying the person instead! But she nodded and handed over her weapon.
Lian Sheng followed the instructors down first—it was time for her bathroom break again. Zhao Zhuoluo and the others continued waiting in line.
Cheng Ze slung an arm over Zhao Zhuoluo's shoulder and whispered: "I always thought your excellence meant you had no luck with women. Never imagined you could even understand Lian Sheng's mind. I underestimated you, brother."
Someone nearby chimed in: "A woman's heart is as deep as the ocean—I've truly learned my lesson this time."
Another upperclassman immediately countered: "Ordinary women's hearts might be ocean-deep, but Lian Sheng's heart—that needle's all the way in the earth's core, isn't it?"
Zhao Zhuoluo said: "It's precisely because it's impossible to understand that I think whatever you can guess must be wrong."
The group pondered this and had a collective epiphany: "That makes sense."
The first group descended the mountain, and the waiting students immediately rushed over, asking: "How did it go?"
The frontliners removed their gear, wiping sweat from their brows as they smiled: "It was exhilarating."
The crowd moved with them toward the equipment return area.
"And? Did the Red Team win?"
"No idea."
"The situation was complicated," a student said. "No one knew how many were left at the end."
Soon the instructors emerged from the monitoring room. Straightening their uniforms, they came to organize the teams.
The students surged toward them, clamoring: "Instructor, which side won?"
"The battle was extremely intense," an instructor said with satisfaction. "We don't know either!"
The students: "..."
Would this never end? Couldn't they just get a straight answer?!
The students were on the verge of losing their minds from the suspense. Before long, the lieutenant arrived. Everyone formed ranks, waiting for his announcement.
This time, unusually, the lieutenant skipped the commentary and went straight to the point.
"This exercise was exceptionally valuable. I witnessed in you the spirit and passion befitting soldiers. It was deeply gratifying." The lieutenant said, "Now, I will announce the final scores for both sides."
Reading from his optical computer, the lieutenant said: "Red Team remaining personnel: one hundred thirty-two. White Team remaining personnel: sixty-eight."
As soon as he spoke, a minority of Red Team members began cheering—only to notice their friends standing motionless.
What did this mean? A sixty-four person advantage—this was solid, right?
The White Team members sighed internally, not particularly surprised. As long as it wasn't negative, they'd be thankful.
Yet curiously, most of the cheers came from their White Team comrades who had been eliminated earlier.
Both sides were momentarily baffled.
A guy nudged his neighbor: "Are you White or Red?"
The comrade replied: "White!"
He was shocked: "Are you a spy?"
An instructor barked: "Quiet! Maintain silence!"
The crowd settled down, and the lieutenant continued: "Red Team enemy eliminations: sixty-eight. White Team enemy eliminations: zero."
The lieutenant looked up: "I now declare the Red vs. White Faction Battle victors: the White Team. Congratulations."
The abrupt reversal left the crowd struggling to process their emotions. After a second's delay, the White Team erupted in cheers.
The comrade nudged his neighbor back, urging: "Come on! Cheer!"
"..." The guy clapped halfheartedly. "We won? We actually won?"
"Impossible! This can't be!" Early-eliminated Red Team members shouted. "When we left, we were already deep in White Team territory! How could their penalty count be zero?"
"What the hell? Did both sides switch positions?"
"Lieutenant, did you read it wrong?"
"Was this a command error? After finally breaking into enemy territory, they just walked back out?"
"With such a huge early advantage, you actually lost? Did you all just self-destruct?"
The lieutenant put away his optical computer and observed them from the platform.
"Quiet! All of you, quiet!" An instructor stepped forward. "Let me say this fairly. The Red Team's commander performed exceptionally well this time, truly making no mistakes."
"No mistakes and this is the result? Instructor, you must be joking."
"Everyone, remain calm." The lieutenant said, "I believe you're all very curious about this match. So I've asked the technical team to specially edit footage that will be screened tonight. It's truly exemplary material worth studying."
They made a video? This was unprecedented. What exactly had happened on that mountain?
A student raised his hand: "Instructor, who was this match's MVP?"
"Still your Lian Sheng." The instructor said meaningfully, "The MVP among MVPs. Truly."
The crowd erupted in jeers: "Pfft—!"
"Additionally, I must announce disciplinary action against one individual." The lieutenant said, "Lian Sheng. For disobeying orders, all accumulated points are reset to zero."
The recently quieted crowd broke into murmurs again.
"M...MVP?" People looked around in confusion, seeking answers: "Zero points? What's going on?"
Aside from Lian Sheng's own squad, no one else knew the circumstances.
White Team members shouted: "Lieutenant, you've got it wrong! Lian Sheng only offered suggestions—we can all testify!"
The lieutenant said: "She actively disobeyed orders."
Jiang Jiake raised his hand firmly: "I voluntarily transferred command authority!"
Lian Sheng was now the White Team's savior, having corrected his major mistakes. To have her bear a zero-point result—how could he face his comrades?
Give some face here, superiors!
The lieutenant said: "That was your subsequent arrangement. But when ambushing Fang Jianchen, it was Lian Sheng who took initiative to lead her platoon into position."
"Huh...?" Hearing his name, Fang Jianchen looked up excitedly: "I contributed? My death was that meaningful?"
Those nearby: "..." Have some shame, will you?
The crowd turned toward the command department students. Probing, confused, curious.
Lian Sheng stood at the center of the storm, face as impassive as ever.
The lieutenant asked: "Comrade Lian Sheng, do you have any regrets now?"
Lian Sheng straightened her posture: "I accept my mistake, but I have no regrets. Judging by the results, I believe it was entirely worthwhile."
The lieutenant praised: "Well said!"
He hadn't particularly liked this newly transferred, physically weak student who talked back after causing trouble. But this time, he'd truly changed his opinion of Lian Sheng.
Resolute and decisive, swift and thorough. Bold yet meticulous, unflappable in crisis. Most importantly, her command talent was astonishing.
This young one had tremendous potential!
The lieutenant nodded: "I now announce. This exercise's exemplary soldier recognition is awarded to Comrade Lian Sheng!"
The crowd's astonished exclamations came one after another, completely bewildered by this turn of events.
"She... she really is MVP?"
What kind of monumental achievement could earn her exemplary honors despite rule-breaking and point forfeiture?
"I'm sure you're all very curious—you can find the answers in tonight's screening." The lieutenant led the applause: "Now all personnel are dismissed. Rest well, you've earned it, comrades!"
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Thank you for the update!!
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