First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Equipment

Lin Lie leaned against the wall, lost in thought. The department head came out and asked, "Colonel Lin?"

Lin Lie snapped back to attention and straightened up to look at him.

The department head said, "By the way, what did you want to see me about today?"

Lin Lie hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "It's nothing. Sorry to bother you, I'll be going now."

"Alright," the department head replied.

Lin Lie nodded at him and turned to leave.

She returned to her aircraft, preparing to head back when she noticed Sun Yan had proactively sent her a message.

Turning off the engine again, she accepted the call.

Sun Yan said, "Colonel Lin, my son told me his match has ended. If you still need it, you can give me the girl's ID and I'll pass it along to him."

Lin Lie: "Alright. Thank you for your trouble."

Lin Lie forwarded Lian Sheng's Star Network ID number and thanked her again.

Noticing Lin Lie's distracted expression, Sun Yan asked, "Perhaps this is presumptuous, but is something wrong, Colonel Lin?"

Lin Lie sighed: "I watched her match today. When she stood on the battlefield, she became a completely different person."

Sun Yan chuckled lightly: "That's how it is. That's their battlefield—anyone who dares stand in their way must be eliminated. This isn't the time for sentimentality."

Lin Lie lowered her head: "Our household never had sensor simulators, and I never taught her. But only today did I realize... perhaps she truly loves being a commander. She's put in so much effort during times I didn't know about."

Lin Lie turned her face slightly, gazing at nothing in particular: "Though she probably doesn't remember her father anymore, and though their personalities are completely different... sometimes, they're so alike."

That same bold, domineering confidence and decisiveness that brooked no doubt.

Sun Yan said: "Perhaps she didn't want you to worry. But when she could make her own decisions, she wanted to try."

Lin Lie closed her eyes and asked: "If one day he came to ask you... would you allow your son to go to the front lines?"

"I've thought about this question many times. But the only answer I can ever give myself is this," Sun Yan said in a gentle voice. "I hope he can be cowardly, but at the same time, I hope he can be brave. This is the contradictory hope every parent has. What he learns comes from us and this society. If he's willing to fight for this society, for more people, I would feel comforted—it would mean he loves this world. If he goes chasing his own glory, I can only support him. If he... unfortunately doesn't return, I can only spend the rest of my life remembering him. But these are all his choices, Colonel. Only he can choose."

Lin Lie had made many difficult decisions in her life, but none had ever come from her work. She could never handle these emotional choices as easily as she handled professional matters.

She never regretted the decisions she'd made, but she couldn't stop herself from recalling those heartbreaking truths.

---

Lian Sheng returned to her dorm and took a shower first. After coming out, she turned on her optical computer and checked—the points on the academic system had already been updated.

They were indeed efficient.

Checking the details: Her kill points for this match were only eleven, with ten participation points for a lost battle. But her final total had just reached five hundred.

Then she opened the academy's official website to check the professors' comments.

The professors' evaluations of Lian Sheng were all highly positive.

Though this battle had ended in defeat, her performance far exceeded everyone's expectations. Her strategic foresight and combat aggressiveness were impeccable. The courage and boldness she displayed were admirable and awe-inspiring.

In every aspect, she was the unbelievable zero-point legend among soldiers.

Her strength was undeniable, and her future was worth anticipating.

At the same time, she'd made one glaring mistake—interfering with the commander's decisions on the battlefield.

Regardless of whether the commander's decisions were right or wrong, all a soldier could do was obey and offer suggestions. She had clearly overstepped her authority.

The reason they'd rounded her score up to five hundred was that several professors unanimously agreed her abilities shouldn't remain at zero points—this was their expectation for her future. They hoped she could quickly raise her score and appear on the large battlefield again.

Additionally, an unusually high number of people received extra points this time.

All members of the assault team who followed Lian Sheng received twenty bonus points. Ye Buqing and Cheng Ze received an additional ten points for their outstanding performance in combat.

This was essentially strong implicit approval of the correctness of Lian Sheng's strategy.

Just as she set down her optical computer, preparing to go eat, the device vibrated slightly, notifying her of an unfamiliar message.

The sender asked when she'd be free to go online so they could explain the rules of 111 to her. If it was her first time, she should create an anonymous account first.

During military academy league matches, they logged in through the campus intranet connected to Sanyao's official system with real-name registration using student IDs. But for regular training or internet use, they could choose anonymous login.

Only then did Lian Sheng realize a serious problem—she didn't even have the equipment.

As she pondered this with her chin in her hand, noise came from outside—her roommates had returned.

The three roommates, noticing her door was open, rushed over together, crowding the doorway.

Roommate A exclaimed in surprise: "You're back! We were looking for you everywhere! Everyone's searching for you!"

Lian Sheng, drying her damp hair, turned to ask: "Looking for me for what?"

Roommate A: "Sister Lian."

Roommate B: "Sister Lian."

Roommate C: "Hubby!"

The other two immediately reached out to push her head down.

Roommate A said: "It's like this..."

Roommate C stubbornly lifted her head and said: "We want your autograph."

"..." Roommate A, interrupted, forgot what she was going to say and nodded: "Yeah, that works."

Lian Sheng: "..."

Roommate B said: "This concerns our school's collective honor! Though the process was a bit bumpy, Comrade Lian Sheng, you're famous!"

Lian Sheng: "Really?"

Roommate A said: "You were so cool today! We just want to ask—how did you learn those moves, Sister Lian? When did you learn them? Oh my god, are you a deity?!"

Roommate C: "Hubby!!"

The other two covered her mouth and pulled her aside.

Unable to handle the girls' enthusiasm, Lian Sheng tossed down her towel and walked out, saying: "I'm going to eat."

Roommate B nodded: "Go ahead, we already ate before coming back. Try the third cafeteria—their dishes are pretty good today."

Roommate C said shyly: "Actually, I have two stomachs. My second stomach is reviving and getting restless!"

Roommate A waved at her and whispered: "Save some face for later use."

Lian Sheng raised a hand to cover her mouth.

...Had the world turned upside down?

---

After eating, Lian Sheng went to ask at the training room. Sure enough, equipment couldn't be borrowed—everything was booked for at least the next week.

So, almost as if possessed, she went to the infirmary.

There were a few people in the infirmary.

Doctor Lin was still sitting to the side, looking at his optical computer.

Lian Sheng walked up behind him. Sensing her presence, Doctor Lin turned around.

"Oh, it's you. Not bad." Doctor Lin leaned sideways, slapping the table with one hand. "Didn't catch the live stream, but I saw the results. Seems you did well this time—at least you didn't seize command authority."

Lian Sheng bent down to ask: "Do you have that thing?"

Doctor Lin was taken aback: "What?"

Lian Sheng struggled to describe it, bumping her two fists together.

Doctor Lin inhaled sharply, finding this impossible, and asked: "You're dating someone already?"

"What?" Lian Sheng said. "I'm busy earning points—who has time for romance?"

Doctor Lin's expression darkened as he stood up: "Come with me."

Delighted, Lian Sheng followed him.

Doctor Lin led her to an inner room, stopping in front of an examination device. Pressing her head down, he said: "First, let's check your brain."

Lian Sheng ducked away, displeased: "Why do you always want to check my brain?"

Doctor Lin barked at her: "If your brain wasn't messed up, why would you come to the infirmary to borrow training equipment?!"

Lian Sheng: "You have a lot of machines here."

Doctor Lin angrily said: "Are they the same thing?! Are you treating my place like a storage room? If your brain isn't broken, are you just messing with me?"

Lian Sheng: "..."

"My apologies!" Lian Sheng saluted him, then quickly retreated: "Farewell!"

---

Zheng Lei was walking down the road when he spotted Lian Sheng fleeing in haste. He called out loudly: "Lian Sheng!"

Lian Sheng stopped. Zheng Lei jogged over and asked: "Why were you at the infirmary?"

Lian Sheng coughed dryly: "I was asking where I could borrow training equipment."

"Oh, the training room's hard to book, right? Besides us military students, students from other majors also need sensor simulators. Plus, two weeks each month are reserved for people with matches—you'd have to wait forever in line." Zheng Lei winked. "Congrats on getting five hundred points! You're the first soldier to get five hundred points!"

People had scored higher before, but they were at least at the lieutenant level. Soldiers usually just followed commanders' orders in battle—rarely did they have such standout opportunities.

Perhaps because of Zheng Lei's loud shout, someone heard them. A male student up ahead suddenly broke into a sprint, heading straight for them before cutting between the two.

Both were startled.

The newcomer looked Lian Sheng up and down, then raised his optical computer to compare with a photo, confirming it was her. Another male student followed closely behind, pulling him back somewhat awkwardly while offering the two an apologetic smile.

His friend complained quietly: "I asked if you'd calmed down yet! Do you even know her, coming to campus to find her like this? She'll think you're a psycho! Control yourself, bro! Did those insults really fry your brain?!"

Unsure of his intentions, Lian Sheng flexed her fingers, ready to fight if needed.

"You're Lian Sheng?" The young man extended his hand. "I'm Zhang Ce, the new commander of the Chu team this time."

Zheng Lei proactively reached out to shake his hand but was swatted away.

Zhang Ce looked startled: "What are you doing?"

Zheng Lei said: "What are you doing?! Single dogs shouldn't use opportunities like this to hold a girl's hand. Where's your shame?"

Zhang Ce: "I came all the way from First Military Academy to find Lian Sheng—don't make me sound so creepy!"

Hearing "First Military Academy," Zheng Lei immediately rolled up his sleeves, hostility rising: "Who cares about you! What do you want? This is Alliance University territory—think carefully if you want to start something."

Lian Sheng was somewhat surprised—she hadn't expected him to come in person.

Though they'd argued before, they'd never met face-to-face. Afterward, she hadn't watched the video either, so this was her first time seeing what he looked like.

She didn't think it was necessary—wasn't it just a disagreement during an argument?

Lian Sheng asked: "Why are you looking for me?"

"I came to apologize." Zhang Ce paused, his face slightly red, but he straightened his posture and enunciated clearly: "During today's league match, because of my personal subjective opinion, I rejected your suggestion, leading to our defeat. That was my mistake."

It took Lian Sheng a moment to process what he was referring to. She said: "For this? Then you don't need to apologize to me."

Zhang Ce stood at attention, military-straight: "No, the fact that I made a mistake can't be changed. Apologizing to you is my own choice. Of course, I don't expect your forgiveness—I just want to show my sincerity. If you have any requests..."

Listening to his lengthy speech, Lian Sheng directly cut him off, somewhat annoyed: "When I say you don't need to apologize to me, I'm not saying you didn't make a mistake. I'm saying you shouldn't be apologizing to me. A commander absolutely has the right to reject a subordinate's suggestion—that itself has nothing to do with whether what I said was right or wrong. In that regard, you didn't do anything wrong. You just made an error in analysis, leading to a faulty decision."

Lian Sheng continued: "The responsibility for defeat is yours to bear. Whether as a general or a commander, you should be prepared for that. Your responsibility was to five thousand soldiers—five thousand lives—and whatever you were fighting to protect. Your greatest failure wasn't ignoring my suggestion—it was pointlessly sacrificing your own soldiers and losing the meaning of the battle. So the person you should really be apologizing to isn't me."

Zhang Ce stood frozen, stunned by her words.

That look in her eyes—that look made him feel utterly ashamed. And every word she said made him feel particularly childish in that moment.

But heaven knew he'd only mustered the courage to come here through the fervor after their defeat... In truth, he'd started regretting it the moment he got in the car. Did Lian Sheng think this was completely meaningless?

Seeing his reaction, Lian Sheng realized she'd been too harsh. Changing her tone, she said: "Your attitude is very good—worthy of praise. Your awareness needs work—room for improvement. Keep working hard—I have high hopes for you."

Zhang Ce stood dumbfounded until his friend nudged him, snapping him out of it. By then, Lian Sheng had already walked some distance away.

In a sudden burst of urgency, Zhang Ce shouted after her: "Lian Sheng! Next league match, I definitely won't lose to you! Losing to you this time doesn't mean there's anything wrong with our military academy! I look forward to our next match!"

Lian Sheng turned back to look at him, but he'd already fled with his friend in what seemed like panic.

"Is that guy sick?" Zheng Lei tilted his head. "Does he really think someone with zero points can get selected for league matches twice?"

Lian Sheng corrected him: "I have five hundred points now."

Zheng Lei shrugged: "Same difference." Both were struggles at the bottom of the barrel.

Lian Sheng snorted.

---

Lian Sheng was still troubled by the equipment issue, but she truly had no solution for the novel device. After lying in bed searching for a long time without finding any feasible rental options, she was about to discuss it with her point-earning partner when Lin Lie unexpectedly sent a message.

Lin Lie: "I remember you don't have a sensor simulator yet. Training equipment will be delivered to you tomorrow. Arrives at 8:00—remember to sign for it."

Lian Sheng bolted upright in bed, exclaiming: "You bought it?"

Lin Lie: "Who else would you prefer?"

Lian Sheng: "...No one. Thank you."

Lin Lie: "Mhm. Rest early."

Lian Sheng jumped up and snapped her fingers.

Now that she had equipment, Lian Sheng immediately contacted her point-earning partner to schedule a time for the next day.

---

The four members of Zhao Zhuoluo's dorm were sitting in their small common area eating late-night snacks.

He received a message and said: "Tomorrow morning at nine—everyone's free, right? Let's all go on Star Network to help someone earn some points."

Cheng Ze, intrigued, asked: "You're helping someone earn points? Oh? Who is it?"

Zhao Zhuoluo: "A friend's kid that my mom knows."

Cheng Ze stirred his noodles meaningfully: "That's quite the distant connection."

Fang Jianchen twisted around in his chair, excited: "Male or female? Single?"

Zhao Zhuoluo's lips parted: "Eight years old."

All conversation ceased immediately.

"..." Fang Jianchen turned back around. "Goodbye."

Cheng Ze said in surprise: "So young? What's she doing on Sanyao? Treating it like a game?"

Zhao Zhuoluo said: "Probably something like that. Said she wanted to learn about military stuff."

"Military matters aren't that simple—it's completely different. And she's way too young." Ye Buqing asked, "How long are you planning to guide her?"

Zhao Zhuoluo stood and walked toward Fang Jianchen, saying: "I'll help her earn a couple points first, then find an excuse to turn her down."

Fang Jianchen, sensing the shadow over him, grinned: "I'm a studious person. I still have several books to read. Most importantly, I want to self-study mech repair—heard that stuff's expensive. I need to save future-me some money."

Zhao Zhuoluo said: "You owe me one kill today."

Fang Jianchen: "Come on, did I really owe you that? That was rightfully mine!"

Zhao Zhuoluo raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

Cheng Ze said: "Twenty-plus years of singlehood in that hand—you'd better take care."

Zhao Zhuoluo: "..."

Fang Jianchen wiped his face: "Fine. I'll go."

---

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