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The morning sun shone on the temporary camp. Tang Yue lifted the tent flap and saw a row of county magistrates standing neatly outside the tent, their respectful posture already something she was used to.
Tang Yue casually glanced at the crowd, and she keenly noticed that two people were missing—Zhou Dechang from Pingyuan County and Wu Liren from Yunhe County.
Tang Yue walked calmly to the washroom, immersing her hands in the cool water with unhurried movements.
Ruan Wenxiong, standing to the side, was like an ant on a hot pan, his eyes fixed on the goddess's every move, his feet occasionally pausing on the ground, and several times he seemed about to speak but then stopped. Tang Yue scooped up some water to wash the sleepiness off her face, then sat down at the table and ate her meal slowly and deliberately, seemingly completely unconcerned about the two absent people.
Ruan Wenxiong kept rubbing his hands together. Although they both had their heads down, Tang Yue noticed that he would occasionally steal a glance at her. Moreover, the other county magistrates didn't seem to be in good spirits either.
Finally, just as Tang Yue put down her chopsticks and prepared to close her eyes and meditate, Ruan Wenxiong could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward, his voice tinged with trepidation: "Goddess, County Magistrate Zhou and County Magistrate Wu... are not here today because..."
Tang Yue slowly opened her eyes, her gaze calm as she looked at Ruan Wenxiong: "Because they no longer want to participate in the attack on Base 5?"
Ruan Wenxiong was taken aback, not expecting that the goddess had already seen through his plans. He quickly nodded, "That's right! After returning yesterday, we discussed it with the able-bodied men in the county. In the middle of the night, the two of them came to tell us that they would not be involved. After that, they left with the able-bodied men from both counties."
We tried to persuade them with all our might, telling them that this was an opportunity to protect our homeland and also to repay the goddess's kindness. But they…” Nguyen Van Hung’s voice gradually lowered, his eyes filled with disappointment and resentment.
"It's alright! I've said before that this is too dangerous, and I don't want you to get involved. Their choice is perfectly normal." Tang Yue's voice remained calm, but her words provoked resentment among the other county magistrates.
Ruan Wenxiong said through gritted teeth, "Zhou Dechang said that Base No. 5 is too dangerous, and going there would be a pointless death. He can't let the able-bodied men of his county become cannon fodder."
Wu Liren went even further, saying that the affairs of our Bianyue Kingdom should not involve the Goddess. Now that the Goddess is leaving, we should immediately stop and live our own lives; why risk our lives to provoke the American army!
He even said that he had only fought alongside the goddess against the American army because of the circumstances, and that saving his own life was the most important thing now!
"Ungrateful!" County Magistrate Chen couldn't help but shout angrily. "If it weren't for the goddess, their county would have been razed to the ground by the American army long ago, and the people might not even be alive today! Now, they back down at the first sign of danger and utter such callous words!"
The other county magistrates echoed their sentiments, filled with righteous indignation. Tang Yue listened quietly, her expression unchanged, but she felt a pang of unease in her heart. Who would want to raise a bunch of ungrateful wretches?
However, she had indeed agreed that they could choose not to go to this war, so she naturally wouldn't say much. But she recalled the times she taught these people how to defend against the American army, personally instructing them on tactics and exhausting her energy to improve their equipment.
At the brink of life and death, some people were so cowardly and selfish. It would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken. Tang Yue could only comfort herself by thinking that it was fortunate they weren't Chinese.
"Let them go." Tang Yue sighed softly, her tone tinged with helplessness. "It's useless to keep those who are afraid of death. It's just a pity for those young men who are determined to protect their homes, having to deal with a county magistrate like this."
Nguyen Van Hung clenched his fist: "Goddess, rest assured, the rest of us will follow you wholeheartedly! Even if it means going through fire and water, we will take down Base 5 and let the US military know that we, the people of Bien Viet, are not to be trifled with!"
Tang Yue nodded slightly, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes: "I have felt your sincerity. However, this operation is indeed dangerous. If you have any concerns, it is not too late to withdraw now."
"We will never back down!" the county magistrates shouted in unison, their voices echoing throughout the camp and startling the birds in the treetops.
Tang Yue stood up, her gaze fixed firmly on the distance, her heart already prepared. The retreat of those two county magistrates was merely a minor episode before the great battle; true warriors were already prepared to sacrifice themselves for their homes and for justice.
Tang Yue didn't say anything else, giving everyone three days to prepare. Their fighting had been ongoing recently, and the elderly, women, and children had been busy in the county town preparing rations for the able-bodied men, as well as homemade guns and bombs for the battlefield.
However, they had too much to do, and the smoke grenades and bombs were running out quickly. Their supplies were running low. These past few days, while all the able-bodied men were resting, they could help out.
Recently, the county magistrates have arranged for people to bring back and utilize everything that could support the war effort from chemical plants, ironworks, and other facilities near more than a dozen counties. Most of these factories are now shut down. The few that are still in production have also been forced to cease operations.
Tang Yue wasn't in a hurry. She knew her father and the battalion commander would need time to get to Base 5. They hoped to work together from the inside and outside to solve the problem.
Although Tang Yue felt she could have handled the matter herself, she had already made too many contributions, and Mr. Qi had said there was nothing more to reward her with. In truth, whether she had made any contributions or not was no longer of great significance.
She hoped her battalion commander and her father would earn more military merits in this battle. Her goal was for her father to also become a commander. Putting aside whether it was prestigious or not, at least the family's safety would be greatly enhanced.
She'll also have more freedom. There are still so many countries she hasn't been to, and she feels time is running out.
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