Chapter 83 Guide 11
He Cang was captivated by the commander's scent; even the barely perceptible inhalation while he spoke made him feel incredibly comfortable. He guessed that Lu Xuejin must be very worried about their situation, so he deliberately refused, saying, "Never mind."
Sure enough, the commander's voice immediately turned stern: "Soldiers."
He Cang laughed: "Commander, I'm really fine. This kind of pressure is nothing new for us. If I really went back, I would be laughed at by the others. Don't worry, I care about my health the most, and I won't be foolish enough to overwork myself for others."
As he spoke, his pupils constricted to pinpoints, and he trembled nervously—one of the signs of severe overload.
He Cang suppressed his maddening impulse, ignored the corpses scattered all over the field, and spoke in an extremely light tone—even in a high-pitched voice—to share his fresh experiences outside the sentry post with Lu Xuejin.
The atmosphere gradually relaxed.
Lu Xuejin seemed bewildered by him and stopped asking about her physical condition. Before closing the personal channel, he said, "Get some rest, and be alert this afternoon. I need you to be the calmest and sharpest blade. Only with you there can the others clean the core area with peace of mind, and only then can I feel at ease."
"You can do it. Right?"
"Okay." The gray-eyed sentinel looked up into the darkness.
As if pulled by an invisible thread, he forced out the last bit of strength, dragging his leaden legs, and picked up his weapon again.
In the rear sentry post, the moment the mute button was pressed, Lu Xuejin's worried expression vanished like a mask, replaced by a cold assessment and keen interest. His slender fingers tapped rapidly on the encrypted control panel, generating a report from the sensor data. He quickly scanned the indicators, his gaze lingering briefly on the "expected collapse threshold," before manually postponing it.
The relentless pace of missions often led to frequent operational problems for many squads, a common occurrence among Federation soldiers. However, within the elite squads, Lu Xuejin would always offer individual comfort and encouragement to each member before they reached their limits. Despite their disdain for the sentry command, the squad members were still willing to push themselves to the limit for their commander without a single complaint.
The difficult days lasted for half a month, until finally the rotation day arrived. The first thing the sentries did upon returning to their posts was to take a hot shower. Although there were bases outside the contaminated area for short rest, the facilities were outdated and lacked filtration systems, making showering a painful experience.
Lu Xuejin gave them a day to do as they pleased, and the next day she invited them to the cafeteria for special meals.
The private room was brightly lit, with gleaming tables and chairs. Most importantly, the air was filled with the long-lost aroma of real food: the spiciness of stewed meat, the charred fragrance of toasted bread, and the refreshing scent of fresh vegetables... These flavors were rich yet not overpowering, instead whetting one's appetite.
The commander was sitting across the long table. He had changed out of his combat uniform and was now wearing a clean, soft white civilian outfit. A gentle smile graced his face as his gaze swept over each member.
Wan Hong and Luo Mang were fine, but Wei Jing and He Cang were a bit stunned. This was the first time they had been so close to their guide—the guide who had been comforting and encouraging them privately for the past month.
"Why are you all standing? Sit down." Lu Xuejin's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a strange soothing power. It overlapped with the voice on the communication channel, but with an added sense of authenticity. "I'm not sure what you like to eat, so I asked the chef to prepare a little bit of everything. If there's anything you want to eat, you can order it separately."
These elite sentries, who kill without blinking an eye on the battlefield and strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, stood before him speechless, sitting down with extreme restraint, not even daring to let their combat uniforms fully touch the clean tabletop, for fear of soiling something.
Lu Xuejin smiled enigmatically: "What, am I more terrifying than pollutants?"
Wei Jing and He Cang immediately wanted to refute, but they were tongue-tied. In the end, it was Luo Mang who spoke up: "Everyone is very excited to meet the Commander for the first time."
Lu Xuejin looked at him, her gaze sweeping over the silent Wan Hong, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "This isn't the first time I've met you."
The usually proud and composed captain was thrown into disarray by this half-intimate teasing remark, and picked up his empty water glass somewhat awkwardly.
Let's eat!
Although sentries have heightened senses, it doesn't mean they can't eat some flavorful food. However, controlling the flavors perfectly is a troublesome task, which is naturally impossible in a military region border where efficiency is paramount. The merit points required to order such a hot meal specifically for sentries are unimaginable to these new recruits.
The final product did not disappoint Lu Xuejin's expectations at all. Even He Cang, who had the most gloomy temperament, showed a satisfied expression after taking a few big bites of the stewed meat. In fact, the sentries are like dogs; they are easily satisfied.
Wan Hong caught a glimpse of Lu Xuejin eating a pork chop, so he forked a small piece that was perfectly grilled with charred edges and put it in his mouth.
A long-awaited, explosive flavor surged through his numb taste barrier like a torrent. The salty and savory aroma, the richness of the fat, and the complex fragrance brought by the caramelization reaction, all burst on his tongue along with the meat juices, creating an unbelievably fresh taste.
No matter how carefully the cafeteria prepares the food, it's impossible to make ordinary ingredients taste like delicacies.
I picked up another piece of vegetable with my chopsticks; it was sweet, tender, and juicy.
Wan Hong paused very slightly, his fingers tightening slightly as he gripped his chopsticks. He chewed imperceptibly, but his peripheral vision quickly swept over the others at the table.
When he looked up again, he met Lu Xuejin's casual yet seemingly deliberate glance.
[Dedication Points +5]
The other three men buried themselves in their food, while Romain leisurely ate his vegetables, showing no interest whatsoever in the stew and steaks that were being frantically devoured. As the son of a senator, he probably enjoyed this kind of food often, which is why he didn't reveal the ferocity of a hungry wolf.
He seemed more interested in the commander in front of him than the table full of food.
Why does this guy keep glancing at you?
Lu Xuejin joked, "Trying to get closer to me?"
This sentry, who came from an extraordinary background, seemed genuinely eager to get to know him. While the others ate in silence, he took the initiative to find topics to discuss with Lu Xuejin, mentioning a senior guide.
"How is Ms. Lin? She saved my cousin's life before. If it weren't for her help, my cousin would have died long ago."
The Ms. Lin that Luo Mang mentioned is a meritorious guide. Among the five people present, only Lu Xuejin is qualified to have contact with her. The others have no room to interject on this topic.
Lu Xuejin glanced at Luo Mang, seemingly oblivious to his little scheme. "The lady said she's retired, so don't bother her, but she still goes to the tower every day to teach the younger generation. She's in good health and spirits."
The response was lukewarm, and Romans didn't seem to find it particularly endearing.
The meal ended with Luo Mang occasionally bringing up topics and Lu Xuejin responding indifferently. Just as Luo Mang got up to leave with the sentries, Lu Xuejin suddenly said, "Wan Hong, stay for a moment."
[Dedication Points +5]
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
Wei Jing exchanged a meaningful glance with He Cang with a simple smile, while Luo Mang's expression remained unchanged: "Alright, I'll take them and leave first."
"Come with me." Lu Xuejin raised her chin.
The tall sentry obediently followed him into the office. When there were no field missions, this place also served as an evacuation room, so the decor was simple yet warm, quiet and soft, with white noise playing continuously under the filter.
Following the guide's instructions, Wan Hong sat down on a lounge chair opposite the long table, calmly watching Lu Xuejin like a well-behaved dog waiting for a command.
He no longer had that lazy and listless demeanor he had when we first met.
"Isn't it strange that you were the only one left behind?"
Wan Hong blinked slowly and gave a soft "hmm," behaving so obediently that he didn't resemble a murderer covered in blood at all.
Lu Xuejin suddenly sighed, looked up at the white ceiling, and after a while, slowly lowered her head. "Actually, I hesitated for a long time before finally making a decision today."
Her eyelids were lifted, and her long, thick eyelashes, like a fan, veiled her lake-blue eyes.
Wan Hong's face was reflected there, with a high nose, thin lips, and handsome eyebrows, quietly waiting for the guide to give instructions.
“Our compatibility is 100%, and our heat rate is as high as 85%. But as your superior, we will inevitably have to work together on the next mission, which is very risky.” The guide paused here, as if what he was about to say was difficult for him to say.
"...Soldier, would you be willing to form a 'partner' relationship with me?"
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