First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: Damn It

Lian Sheng glanced to the side and noticed Fang Jianchen had already fallen asleep on Ye Buqing's back.

The sudden silence from such a chatterbox felt strangely unsettling.

Fang Jianchen truly had nerves of steel. Normally, someone with extensive burns would be crying out in pain, yet here he was, sleeping soundly.

But sleep was good. They didn't even have water to clean his wounds. The air in this emergency passage was humid, compounded by the recent muggy weather. His injuries would likely worsen quickly.

Ji Ban was picking at the wall with his fingers, seemingly fascinated by the architectural structure. Then he lay flat on the ground to examine the distant walls.

Their current location was at an entrance node of the passage—safe for now. But according to Lian Sheng's map, deeper inside would be various alarm systems and defensive weapons.

Doctor Lin, receiving no response, grew anxious and barked, "I'm not joking! Do you understand me?"

"We're not joking either," Lian Sheng said, looking up. "We're still assessing the situation. We haven't decided to go yet."

Doctor Lin asked sternly, "Have you calculated it yet?"

Lian Sheng frowned. "It's complicated. Too many variables."

The veteran soldier felt aged. Though he was a veteran in service years, this was the first time he felt old in age too. These students were going to be the death of him.

"Isn't living well enough? Why court death?" the veteran pleaded. "Trust me, students, even if you figure it out, you won't make it through. Just stay here and wait for us to bring you home."

From their conversation, the veteran had discerned that Lian Sheng was the decision-maker. Her commanding presence naturally drew others to follow her lead. Moreover, Doctor Lin's reprimands were always directed at her, confirming her leadership role.

Targeting his persuasion, the veteran said, "Young lady, think about your boyfriend."

"Thank you," Lian Sheng replied without looking up. "My life is dedicated to the Alliance and its citizens. I'm striving for them now."

The veteran: "..."

With a pained expression, he tried again, "Think about your parents."

Lian Sheng: "My father already gave his life heroically for the Alliance. His spirit inspires me every moment. I've decided to follow his example."

The veteran snapped, "Think about your friends and comrades!"

"Exactly," Lian Sheng pointed beside her. "My friend needs medical treatment. We need to get out quickly."

The veteran shut his mouth.

Lu Mingyuan adjusted the optical computer slightly and said, "It's roughly like this."

The most direct route from their current position to the signal tower was a straight line. However, the emergency passage's design featured numerous straight but crisscrossing paths, forming an intricate maze. Some intersections even had irregular six-way splits—one wrong turn and there'd be no way back.

Approximately every two hundred meters was a branching intersection node. Each node required inputting a different passcode to deactivate its internal detection systems before proceeding safely.

Lian Sheng asked, "How many passcodes would we need total?"

Lu Mingyuan said, "A whole lot."

Lian Sheng carefully considered the emphasis on "whole" and felt she understood.

So their security system relied on overwhelming passcode quantity?

Small patrol machines moved back and forth along designated routes within the passage.

Their patrol patterns were highly complex, with angles and speeds following randomized sequences based on specific algorithms.

That was the rule, but the algorithm data wasn't included in the map.

Lian Sheng asked, "We're missing data. Can we request additional information to fill the gaps?"

Doctor Lin pressed his lips together and remained silent.

Lian Sheng continued, "It's not like we're doing anything else while stuck here—"

The veteran cut in, "Then do nothing."

Lian Sheng said, "We could contribute to the Alliance. What if we succeed?"

Doctor Lin said bluntly, "The only contribution you'll make is your corpse."

Lian Sheng strongly disagreed.

Propping her chin on her hand, she said, "How many pattern variations are there? Maybe I'll go scout ahead."

Doctor Lin sighed and pulled out a scalpel from his pocket. The veteran beside him recoiled half a step, shaking his head frantically behind the doctor.

The doctor was being driven mad. Why were these students so difficult?

Doctor Lin sat back down and said, "Others have been in similar situations before and had the same idea as you."

When lives were being lost every minute, no one could resist the temptation of acting immediately.

Lian Sheng looked up. "Did they do it?"

"They did. Two hundred thirty-one people. I'm talking about the Expeditionary Force numbers. Only three of us survived, including me. The rest all died." Doctor Lin's expression darkened. "The emergency passage is cramped yet extremely dangerous. If something goes wrong, there's nowhere to hide. It gives no second chances."

Lian Sheng felt the number sounded vaguely familiar. "How did they die?"

Doctor Lin pinched the blade in his hand, watching his blurred reflection on the metal surface. "One person panicked and triggered a mechanism. Everyone behind them died."

"Which proves large groups are ineffective. Good thing we only have seven people," Lian Sheng said. "Ji Ban and Lu Mingyuan aren't fast runners, and Fang Jianchen can't run at all."

Doctor Lin paused. "There was blood everywhere. Flecks of flesh and fabric. No one could tell who was who. Don't expect me to collect your remains."

Recalling the scene, his memories were in grayscale—only fragmented images remained. He didn't even remember how he'd made it out of the passage back then; the process and outcome were relayed to him by other soldiers later.

Only those numbers remained etched in his mind, a stark reminder that those blurred memories were real.

The veteran behind him placed a hand on his shoulder. Doctor Lin startled before coming back to himself. "Doctor?" the veteran called.

Doctor Lin shook his head.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. In the end, we all return to the earth—same difference," Lian Sheng said. "Tell me more."

"Nothing more to tell. I've forgotten." Doctor Lin said, "I won't stop you. Do as you see fit."

"History often repeats, but that doesn't mean tragedies must recur," Lian Sheng said. "Doctor Lin, if you made that choice back then, you must understand me now."

Lin Shu wanted to say he understood nothing—maybe he'd been forced into it back then, for all he could remember.

Doctor Lin took a deep breath, thoughts churning, before finally relenting. "Fine, submit a request for her. See if Command will approve it."

The veteran protested, "That's not acceptable!"

Doctor Lin said irritably, "Let Command decide. I'm washing my hands of this."

The veteran thought he'd do the same and passed the buck to Command.

Moments later, Lian Sheng looked down and said, "Approved."

The veteran was shocked. "How can this be? That doesn't count—send it back!"

Lian Sheng ignored him, noticing additional data attached. "Oh! They even sent us passcodes!" she said excitedly. "Over three thousand have been decrypted. Let me check the map—some sections overlap. We can get through several kilometers at least."

Lian Sheng traced routes on the map but couldn't match them up, so she called over Lu Mingyuan and Ji Ban for technical assistance.

After examining it, Lu Mingyuan also said, "Something seems off. Are the markers wrong?"

Doctor Lin said with half-lidded eyes, "Actually, your current location is the exit. The signal tower is the entrance."

Lian Sheng: "And?"

Doctor Lin: "Passcode decryption only works from entrance to exit. Not the reverse."

The group: "..."

These passcodes were the cheapest freebie ever. How utterly unreliable.

Reading Lian Sheng's expression, Lu Mingyuan said, "I know what you're thinking. I also find this policy highly illogical."

Lian Sheng said, "No, I think it's perfectly logical."

From the map, security nodes were distributed throughout the city. If enemy forces obtained their emergency passage maps and had decryption capabilities—or worse, if there were moles in the control center—they could penetrate from any perimeter point straight to the city's core.

Then the "emergency passage" would need renaming. It'd be a express lane to headquarters.

This arrangement meant that during an attack, holding the central district and redirecting forces inward would provide a strategic advantage.

Of course, the 36th District was special. Their moles weren't in the control center—they were everywhere. The central district fell first. Impressive, really.

"Our signal range doesn't cover the central district! If they go deeper, their comms will lose signal. What then? And they're not specialists—even if they make it, they wouldn't know how to reset the access permissions. Their going would be pointless!" the veteran argued. "Doctor, you can't let them throw their lives away!"

"I'll go with them. I'll pilot Moshi and bring a signal converter," Doctor Lin said. "Ji Ban, give me your system passcode now."

Ji Ban hesitated before reciting a string of numbers. "Doctor, can you pilot it?"

"It's just driving. I have a license," Doctor Lin said dismissively, then emphasized, "If your comms lose signal, stay put and wait for us. Lian Sheng, I'm warning you seriously!"

With that, he stood and disappeared from the comm screen.

Lian Sheng cross-referenced the decryption table with Lu Mingyuan's model, running simulations in her mind as if she hadn't heard Doctor Lin's stern warning. She nodded. "I understand."

Lian Sheng stood. "We can't all go. Choose someone fast with good stamina to scout ahead."

She turned, her gaze unconsciously landing on Zhao Zhuoluo—only to find him already looking at her.

His eyes held no particular emotion, just steady focus locked onto hers with an almost magnetic intensity.

Lian Sheng didn't speak, lowering her head instead.

Even with only seven of them, even with such limited options, she still couldn't bring herself to say it.

Zhao Zhuoluo's voice was calm. "I'll go. I'm fast."

Ye Buqing: "I'll go too. I have good burst speed."

Cheng Ze shoved his shoulder. "Burst speed is useless here—it's about endurance. It's several kilometers. I should go."

Zhao Zhuoluo: "Rock-paper-scissors."

The three held out their hands for the game.

Zhao Zhuoluo showed scissors; the other two showed rock.

Ye Buqing pocketed his hand. "Forget it. I'm going with you. Safety in numbers."

Zhao Zhuoluo shook his head and clapped Ye Buqing's shoulder. "I'll come back."

"Don't be so damn noble," Cheng Ze said hoarsely, voice cracking. "I won't be able to live with myself otherwise."

"Zhuoluo and I will go. No more arguments," Lian Sheng said. "This isn't the time for brotherly loyalty. Learn to accept fate's arrangements. Take care of Fang Jianchen. We're leaving."

Zhao Zhuoluo pressed down on her shoulder to stop her. "You stay. You can't risk it. Aunt Lin is waiting for you. She can't lose you too."

"If I stay, who'll direct you?" Lian Sheng side-eyed him. "Further in, there's no comm signal. Can you read the maps or patrol patterns alone? Could you manage without me?"

"..." Zhao Zhuoluo said, "I can read them."

Lian Sheng: "By next year, maybe."

Zhao Zhuoluo's grip loosened slightly, his expression grim.

"Zhuoluo," Cheng Ze began, then faltered. He opened his arms.

They embraced briefly.

Cheng Ze's throat constricted with suppressed emotion.

Zhao Zhuoluo released him and turned to follow Lian Sheng into the depths of the passage.

Meanwhile, Doctor Lin headed toward Moshi's location, only to find the trainees who should've been on the evacuation ships standing before him.

They looked like they had something to say but couldn't articulate it.

Doctor Lin understood. "Those who want to leave may do so. I'm not asking you to stay—it's not safe here. Don't emulate their misguided heroics."

They'd once thought serving their country in battle would be glorious.

They didn't know their enemies—to them, enemy lives were just abstract concepts.

But at the base's rear, the wrecked mechs and bloodstains splattered everywhere—even just glimpses—had shaken them to the core.

Killing wasn't glorious. Whether the blood belonged to enemies or allies, it filled them with horror and grief.

No matter how despicable Gelen's forces were, hadn't they shown humanity too?

Yet facing this reality was something they had to learn.

They did want to leave. But they also knew that if they walked away now, they'd never find the courage to return.

"We're coming too," a male student stepped forward. "We'll help however we can. But don't make us sit idle, and don't send us back. We want to stand up."

The sunlight grew harsher.

For a moment, Lin Shu saw his long-lost comrades, equally spirited in their youth.

That era was over now. It had been so long.

Doctor Lin squinted at them and exhaled heavily. "Final decision?"

The students nodded.

"Find two who don't get carsick to come with me. The rest report to the Expeditionary Force," Doctor Lin pocketed his hands. "No burial if you die. Be prepared."

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