First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 183

Chapter 183: Guard Tower

The group headed into the mall. Zhao Zhuoluo had already ordered food for them.

There really wasn't much good food here, so they ended up eating barbecue. It wasn't expensive anyway, and their group wasn't particular. Zhao Zhuoluo directly swiped his card to treat everyone.

Harry, holding a knife and fork, asked a question from the soul: "Is being a soldier in the Alliance that lucrative?"

Lian Sheng said without changing expression: "Yeah. Like us, when we entered the military base for training, initially there was no money, just room and board provided by the base."

Harry and Cornell looked at her seriously.

"And now, we have official positions," Lian Sheng continued. "I can manage the family's money."

The two: "..."

"Are you guys short on money?" Ji Ban looked up and asked. "How many years have you been soldiers? I heard the salary for frontline mech pilots is very high, and you're even a Lieutenant Colonel! But the military subsidy here in Kafa doesn't seem high? But even if it's not high, it should still be quite high, right?"

In the Alliance, mech pilots were one of the highest-paid military branches.

Because they were extremely close to the front lines. If a mech pilot had an accident during combat, survival was generally unlikely. The most dangerous job naturally warranted the highest salary.

Moreover, it required high aptitude and abilities, and the service period was short. Basically, when their muscle strength or mental reaction speed began to decline, they would transfer to other branches.

Those selected were talents chosen from a hundred. The effort they put in deserved this salary.

Harry said confidently: "We'll earn our own money!"

Lian Sheng said: "Being a soldier in the Alliance might not make you super rich, but if you're willing, it's relatively convenient to earn money."

As she spoke, she gave a look, and Lu Mingyuan understood: "I study command support. I can do data analysis for those who need it. Before I graduated, I started at three thousand per order. Now with the Expeditionary Force endorsement, it should probably increase tenfold."

Harry's hand trembled. Even Cornell couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

"I can repair various machines and debug and create various software. So I can also take orders and work outside," Ji Ban said. "Mechanical products have very high profits. As long as the patent for the core technology is in hand, after assembly, the profit can increase several hundred times, and people still think it's cheap."

Harry pursed his lips, questioning: "Don't lie."

Ji Ban said innocently: "I'm not."

Harry turned his gaze back to Lian Sheng.

"Why look at me? I also have a job." Lian Sheng tugged at her military jacket, saying proudly: "I'm listed in Hundred Meter Flying Dagger's studio. Do you know who Hundred Meter Flying Dagger is? The Vice Commander of the Sixth Army Corps. And my listing price is twice his. Look, the starting price for an Expeditionary Force trainee is thirty thousand; how much would an official military officer vice commander cost?"

Cornell continued eating, quickly finishing one portion. With their physical exertion, one steak wasn't enough, so he ordered another.

Harry saw him ignoring the others, and the topic wasn't easy to discuss, so he didn't pursue it further.

Lian Sheng pointed to Zhao Zhuoluo and the others: "If you want to earn money, you can learn from them."

Harry's knife and fork paused: "...By inheritance?"

Everyone: "..."

"It's guidance! The Alliance has plenty of laypeople who need professional guidance, like how to pilot a mech. And their mechs are the standard configuration in Sanyao. Compared to real ones, they're much simpler," Lian Sheng said. "With your strength, you can definitely handle it easily. Plus, with so many years of border combat experience, you'd be very impressive bluffing people outside."

Cornell cut her off first: "We haven't studied, we don't know the Alliance standard language. We only know a few commands in the local Kafa script. We can't do what you're talking about."

Lian Sheng said: "It doesn't matter, being able to speak is enough. Aren't you training us too?"

Cornell's face darkened, his voice low: "We don't need it."

Lian Sheng seemed not to notice his tone, crossing her arms with a light laugh: "No one doesn't need it. To live, one always needs something to look forward to."

Cornell slammed his fork down forcefully, interrupting her, and said sharply: "I said we don't need it! We have our way of life. Since you don't understand, don't disturb us! This is Kafa's 12th District, not your Alliance's 12th District!"

After speaking, he turned and left directly.

"Cornell!"

Harry called out, then hastily put down his knife and fork and chased after him.

People eating nearby looked towards them. Seeing them look back, they lowered their heads again as if nothing happened.

The seven sat in their original seats, feeling a chill around them, an indescribable low mood.

Zhao Zhuoluo disapproved: "You shouldn't provoke them. We are just outsiders; we don't know their choices. Maybe they have reasons they don't want to waver from. Besides, we haven't even experienced a real battlefield."

"There are many ways for a person to survive. But how to choose should only be decided by oneself," Lian Sheng said. "Even if Kafa is different from the Alliance, people are still the same. They all have the chance to start over. Besides, they are still so young."

Choosing is an extremely painful thing; it requires immense courage. Because choosing itself means giving up certain things while taking on others anew.

Lian Sheng lowered her eyes, looking at the plate Cornell left behind, and said: "If they were born somewhere else, maybe they would still be people needing protection. But now, harboring hope for this world, must they bear its darkness? Why doesn't the effort they put in yield returns for them?"

Cheng Ze was at a loss for words: "Lian Sheng..."

"Lian Sheng, I always thought you were a very calm person. I hope you can continue to remain objective." Ye Buqing's hand paused mid-plate. "Many things are inherently unfair, but much unfairness is just our perception. If they feel their efforts have yielded the returns they desired, then there's no unfairness. Isn't the desire to protect someone also a form of return?"

Zhao Zhuoluo asked: "If you were a Kafa native, would you resist the United Army even if no one understood you? Would you make the same choice as them, even if there were no results?"

Lian Sheng looked at him, her gaze clear: "I would."

The others asked themselves inwardly, they would too.

But this answer stemmed from their deep love for the Alliance. From all the family and friends they had encountered in the Alliance over the past twenty-plus years. From the deep-rooted patriotism tied to that land. From all the beauty, all the things the Alliance had bestowed upon them.

And Kafa? Cornell and Harry? Had they truly received these things? Even the most basic trust and gratitude, had they received them?

"But," Lian Sheng added, "that would be my own choice. A choice made after careful consideration, after seeing the world. Not being forced onto a path unknowingly, and then forced to continue down it."

Lian Sheng said: "The people here hate war so much, yet who is closer to war, enduring more danger, more malice than them?"

If this were a war where the future could be seen, where hope could be seen, perhaps they could keep walking. Even without a lifelong service rule, they would keep walking.

But this war had dragged on for too long, over a hundred years now. How many people still remembered its meaning? How many could see its end?

A battle with no end point and no support was just endless suffering. For those at the center of the vortex, how could they navigate a life without direction?

Lian Sheng picked up the fork Cornell had slammed down, noticing the tips had left several marks on the table, and said: "Isn't his strength a bit too much?"

Zhao Zhuoluo: "...I think it's just his anger that's a bit too much."

Harry chased after Cornell, running along the road ahead.

Cornell took large strides. Although his frequency wasn't fast, Harry had to jog to keep up.

"Cornell! Cornell!" Harry shouted. "Why did you leave? Cornell, slow down!"

Cornell finally slowed down ahead, looking up at the starry sky above. It was a night that could never be pierced.

Harry shivered, only then realizing it had gotten dark.

Kafa's night was like floating ice in winter, so cold yet so beautiful.

Harry rolled down his pant legs, not knowing what to say. He asked: "Hey, tell me, Cornell, what is school like?"

"Cornell, if it were you, you would definitely know, right?" Harry said. "Because you're Cornell. If..."

"Harry, I have nowhere to go." Cornell turned back, looking at him seriously: "I'm different from you. Don't follow me anymore. We are different."

Cornell raised his hand and pointed: "I am that."

"..." Harry said with difficulty, "Very... bright?"

Cornell said: "The starry sky we see now is just a scene from tens of thousands of years ago. They have long passed, and don't exist now."

Harry: "But you... you're here..."

Cornell tilted his head back, golden strands of hair brushing against his face. He didn't speak again.

The next day, everyone resumed training as if yesterday hadn't happened.

Several male students gathered to discuss:

"I found that the army here in Kafa is very civilian."

"Very civilian, but the civilians here are not civilian at all."

"They'll give you the middle finger behind your back and curse! Damn! Think I don't understand Kafa language? Even if I don't understand, I can still tell!"

"So unfriendly, the overall atmosphere is like this. Those kids imitate them, not even understanding the meaning, just passing down that malice. What do they want? Don't they know how bad this is for the next generation?!"

"It's okay. Didn't say very respectful, but at least they greeted us, and no one did anything as offensive as you described."

"I think it's okay. Yesterday where I went, the boss even treated us to noodles. Quite polite to us."

The others said jealously: "Ho—ly—crap, why! I'm so handsome and didn't get this treatment!"

Lian Sheng clapped her hands: "Positions, prepare for training! Stop spacing out!"

Their morning was still positioning training. This activity repeated daily, yet the situation was completely different each day.

To adapt to the feel of various explosive weapons, they wished they could hold the weapons even while sleeping, tossing and playing with them whenever they had free time. Much like the passion they had for playing ball back then.

Repetitive training easily showed results. At least after thousands upon thousands of throwing motions each day, they had a clear distinction between the weight and feel of various weapons. Coupled with increasing familiarity with the terrain, they could already gain an advantage and change formations while maintaining the defensive line, performing withdrawals, forward attacks, consolidation formations, etc.

At the very least, they had perfectly achieved that upon seeing a brother fall beside them, the first reaction wasn't cursing "Holy crap," but considering whether they should fill the gap.

Initially, they couldn't keep up with Lian Sheng's commands. Later, they barely kept up, relying entirely on her third-person perspective reminders. As time passed, they began to learn to call out autonomously, analyze the battle situation, and coordinate position changes. Lian Sheng only needed to make minor adjustments on the side.

This was a huge change. Although judgments were occasionally wrong, and responses were often flustered, the shift from passive to active status meant they had stepped onto a new level. This was where humans excelled over machines.

Whether commander or soldier, everyone felt a sense of ease; turns out fighting and cooperating weren't that difficult.

After things stabilized, Cornell took them to a different location, changing it daily.

Perfect cooperation could never rely on the map; after all, not all wars had home-field advantage. One had to learn the essence to deal with real enemies.

Besides progress in training, Lian Sheng felt life was also something to look forward to.

For example, Lian Sheng met the elusive landlord. The other party didn't show hatred or resistance as imagined, and even revealed a rare smile when Lian Sheng handed him a meat patty.

Of course, perhaps it was also related to their status as students merely here for training.

However, Cornell and Harry, during non-training periods, always maintained distance from them.

Lian Sheng thought, one gets closer, the other gets farther away, what kind of situation was this?

After staying in Kafa for a while, everyone did their best, learning frantically.

The term "war weapon," though terrifying, also reflected Cornell and Harry's strength from the side. Especially in the use of thermal weapons, they held absolute authority.

Occasionally, they communicated with family, sent one or two reports and self-summaries to the military department periodically, and spent holidays playing games and chatting with instructors in the dormitory. Time actually passed quickly.

But this kind of life made them constantly forget the date, and how long they had been here. A feeling of being both fulfilled and wasted.

Everyone gradually adapted to Kafa's weather.

Actually, the pattern was quite easy to grasp, just consistently hard to accept. Especially rainy days. Once it started raining, it would often continue for days, causing roads to become slippery, making climbing and taking cover very difficult. Dragging heavy clothes back from outside, the fatigue doubled.

Every time after getting caught in the rain, two or three students would catch a cold. So on rainy days, training would end early at 2 PM, to avoid the temperature dropping outside when they returned to the dormitory, preventing mass illness from wearing wet clothes.

During this period, two small-scale internal conflicts occurred on the periphery.

Cornell was dispatched, letting someone else substitute teach. He returned quickly, indicating it was resolved. The external conflicts had little impact on the central area.

Kafa's 12th District was not stable. Besides external influences, the inside was still a mess. Since the populace was dissatisfied, someone would definitely take the opportunity to stir up trouble. Buying prohibited weapons here was possible; jurisdiction couldn't be meticulously enforced, always leaving loopholes.

Aerial training was unsafe and couldn't be conducted. There were no rivers or seas near the base, so naval training couldn't proceed. Equipment was insufficient, even internal personnel had to queue, so mech training also couldn't proceed.

Therefore, Lian Sheng and the others practiced land warfare the most.

Switching from defensive to offensive positions, Lian Sheng led them in constantly adjusting formations and mastering new cooperative lineups.

This day, during the mid-session break, everyone sat under the corner of the wall. The person delivering lunch wasn't the usual familiar cafeteria manager, but Tina. She pushed a food cart over, bringing them bread and drinks.

These single dogs went straight to their rooms to rest upon returning to the accommodation. Plus, Tina always intentionally avoided them. Although living in the same building, many students still hadn't met her.

Tina tucked her hair back: "I came to bring you something to eat."

Lian Sheng accepted: "Thank you."

"No, this is my job. Starting today, I'm helping out at the base," Tina said. "I'm responsible for preparing your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and delivering meals. Mainly for you Alliance military personnel."

Lian Sheng was surprised: "Your parents... agreed?"

Didn't they dislike the military department? Tina didn't even dare mention eating a meal with them, so how could they let her help out at the military base?

Tina said happily: "Yes! I told them you are good people, and you will protect me if I come to the military base, so no need to worry."

Lian Sheng nodded.

Wasn't this a good thing? It meant the other party had started trusting them, and they were essentially soldiers too, soldiers who spent all day with the Kafa military.

Tina blushed slightly and continued: "But mainly because there was another problem at Dad's workplace. The factory is on the periphery, and there were some clashes recently, so he can't go to work now. The military department reassigned them positions, so he could only come to the cafeteria to help cook. He resisted for a few days, but eventually, with no income, he came."

Lian Sheng's eyes widened. This was really, really improper!

How could they let someone who disliked them manage their food? Didn't they know how to treat their soldiers well?!

Lian Sheng grasped Tina's hand: "You have to watch them, Tina! Watch them cook, how much seasoning they put, whether they add anything extra."

"Also!" Lian Sheng asked seriously, "Did they wash their hands!"

Tina: "..."

Tina didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "They wouldn't do that, don't worry, there will be food safety inspections."

After delivering lunch, Tina didn't leave immediately but sat down beside them, hugging her legs.

She asked: "Can I stay here?"

Lian Sheng was quite surprised she would be interested in this place.

"Don't misunderstand, I have no ill intentions towards them," Tina said. "Actually, I think they are very good people. I just want to know what their daily life is like."

Lian Sheng shrugged: "Their usual life is definitely different from now. Now they're just playing with us."

Tina smiled, resting her chin on her hand and looking into the distance. Her eyes drifted, unsure who they were following.

Just as Lian Sheng was about to walk away, Tina asked: "What kind of people do you think they are?"

Lian Sheng turned her head: "Who?"

Tina: "Them. Those who refuse to stop the war."

Lian Sheng paced a couple of steps, then sat down again: "Then what do you think Kafa is like?"

Tina frowned, thinking carefully.

"Before," Tina said, "when I was little, I lived in the most dangerous outer ring. Back then, I didn't know what danger was. Mom and Dad had to work, no time for me, so I could only play with other kids. We often met an uncle dressed in very shabby clothes. He sat at the street corner, playing the accordion for them."

Tina looked up, seemingly reminiscing: "I thought the sound he played was beautiful. Even if I can never hear it again, I still remember the tunes he played. All around were the sounds of adults complaining, only his accordion was always so cheerful. He would also tell us stories about the past, things no one wanted to hear."

Lian Sheng: "En. So what did he say?"

Tina: "He said, Kafa used to be a very romantic place. Music, flowers, fine wine, evening lights. It was a place where people could dance freely, sing freely. The people there were very friendly. They would welcome friends from afar and treat them warmly. They would be grateful for help from others and also enthusiastically help others. That was Kafa, the place we are now is Kafa."

Lian Sheng casually picked a dry blade of grass and wrapped it around her finger.

Tina said: "I think Kafa is a very good place. I hope one day it can be peaceful."

This was something no one could guarantee.

Tina: "I've always believed this. Although I might not live to see that day."

Lian Sheng: "That's good."

Tina showed a smile: "But those days were too beautiful, why can't we believe in them like that? Complaining and hating irritably every day is the root of making oneself more miserable, right? There are too many people worse off than us."

Lian Sheng: "I hope one day, without comparing to worse situations, you can also feel happy."

"He told me what happiness is, but he didn't tell me how to obtain happiness." Tina became downcast again. "Is war really the only way to stop war?"

Lian Sheng was silent for a moment, then said: "Because only harm can make humans reflect on their mistakes."

Tina said: "That's too sad."

The two sat for a while longer. Tina looked down at the time, realizing it was getting late. She went over to pack things up and pushed the cart back to the cafeteria.

In the distance, Cornell walked towards Lian Sheng.

Lian Sheng swung the blade of grass in her hand, squinting at him.

This was the first time Cornell had actively approached her since their previous falling out.

Cornell said: "Tomorrow, you guys try guarding the watchtower."

Lian Sheng: "Weren't we guarding the watchtower every day before?"

Cornell glanced at her and continued: "We need to temporarily reassign the soldiers from here."

Lian Sheng: "Oh—you mean really hand over the watchtower to us?"

"En, someone might come over for trials, just respond as usual. Be prepared at all times," Cornell said. "But we're very busy here recently, it probably won't happen."

Lian Sheng: "En. Got it."

Cornell said: "If there's a special situation, absolutely do not abandon the watchtower and run. You need to report the situation in real-time. But we will quickly find someone to replace you."

Cornell still trusted Lian Sheng's way of handling things. After speaking, he prepared to leave.

Lian Sheng asked: "Recently, what's happening outside?"

Cornell said: "Nothing? Just routine itching."

Lian Sheng was more inclined to believe something had happened in Kafa. They couldn't spare more manpower, so they handed over the relatively safer areas to them and went to the periphery.

Her intuition was always wickedly accurate when guessing unfortunate events.

Cornell had been out frequently these past few days. When he wasn't around, Harry didn't come either. Only near noon or evening would he come over to take a look.

His limbs were intact, just his spirit seemed a bit weary.

Mech pilots were mostly like this. Either they returned alive, or if injured, they were often directly half-disabled.

Tina still came every day to deliver their meals, sometimes staying for a while, sometimes returning directly. Not seeing them, she seemed very worried.

Lian Sheng quietly asked her: "What happened outside?"

"Internal strife. Kafa often has internal strife. The irreconcilable conflict between the war faction and the peace faction," Tina said with downcast eyes. "It's just that the frequency of riots has increased in recent years, and the scale of accidents has also grown larger. More and more people are joining in, wanting to split the military department."

Tina shrugged: "Look, isn't it ridiculous?"

The so-called peace faction ultimately chose the same method as the military department, using violence to counter another form of violence.

How could they simultaneously wage war and claim they supported peace, completely different from the military department?

Their biggest difference was that the military department fought against the powerful Gelen United Army, while they fought against the increasingly weakened Kafa military department.

Did defeating the weaker make them righteous?

It was just under a different name; why could they gain public support?

She really didn't understand.

"It's not ridiculous; humans have always been contradictory," Lian Sheng said. "If described more accurately, it should be, 'once on the pirate ship, can't get off.' At this point, they have to fight even if they don't want to, because there really is no second way. Negotiations only appear when one side can no longer continue."

Tina said: "Actually, what has made everyone more intolerant in recent years is the constantly occurring internal strife nearby. It feels like everyone is becoming more irritable, and opinions about the military department are growing stronger."

Betrayal from one's own kind more easily snaps taut strings, even leading them to feel empathy born of shared suffering.

But where was the shared suffering? The only things shared were interests and equally foolish minds.

Lian Sheng rubbed her chin, thought for a moment, felt something wasn't right, and said: "The rebel army has no equipment, no weapons. In this era, they shouldn't succeed. Why has suppression lasted so long without results?"

This was no longer an era where one could rise up with just passion; technology and weapons represented everything here.

The instructor told them that although Kafa looked backward, research had been ongoing. And they still had mechs; they shouldn't be unable to suppress the opponent.

Tina shook her head: "I don't know anything; I only heard from my dad. His factory was bombed, luckily he wasn't inside—ah! Right, they had weapons this time."

Lian Sheng: "What?"

Tina said: "Dad spoke very angrily; many people must have died. I saw the central district is still under martial law; this time must really be serious, right?"

Tina felt a chill as she spoke: "Could it be the Gelen United Army?"

Lian Sheng: "No, if it were the United Army, the Alliance would have sent people already, and we would have gone to take shelter. It's a bit tricky, but the problem shouldn't be big."

"Heavens!" Tina said. "I hope they are all okay."

No matter how turbulent the situation outside, the inside was still harmonious.

Everyone stayed on the watchtower, utterly bored.

They gazed into the distance every day, but there was never any sign of enemy troops. They could only guard within their fixed hundred-meter range, unable to go anywhere. Not daring to abandon their posts or slack off, at most chatting in the channel to pass the time.

"Could patience also be a test?"

"Of course. Just like an ambush. The opponent might want to rely on wearing down our endurance to achieve their conspiracy."

"During an ambush, you have to maintain the same posture for hours, without even a chance to speak. Brothers, thinking about it this way isn't so bad; at least now we can still jump around ourselves."

"Deep thoughts!"

"So when exactly is the opponent coming over?"

Lian Sheng: "..."

Thinking way too much.

"Hey, friends, wake up."

"Compared to when the opponent is coming, when will things outside finally end? What's the situation with the Kafa military?"

"Facing their own compatriots, it's always hard to strike, right? I see their attitude towards civilians is quite friendly; they should be in a standoff now."

"Will they let them in?"

"Friend, wake up!"

"When they resolve it, the trials can come, right? I know."

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