Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Feng Chen and the others walked on stage amidst thunderous applause, receiving their certificates from Chen Sizhe and Ran Pinghao. Chen Sizhe whispered to Feng Chen during the handshake, audible only to them, "Keep it up, Ping will surely be proud of you."

After a brief speech, they turned to leave the stage. As Feng Chen reached the side of the stage, he quickly scanned the crowd below, locking eyes with an excitedly blushing Yan Bubu, subtly saluting him by touching the brim of his cap.

"Wow, the sentinel walking at the end is so handsome."

"Absolutely dashing... Feng Chen, his name is Feng Chen."

"Has he ever been matched? I don't recall seeing his name on the list of matched personnel."

"Actually, I've already inquired with people from Sentinel Squad Two. Though he hasn't joined the matching program, he has a guide, and they share a very close bond."

"The other three are also so handsome, I like that female sentinel!"

……

Yan Bubu, covering his wildly beating heart, overheard the whispers around him and urgently wanted to loudly claim his rights. But having read and interacted with people for some time, he knew it wasn't appropriate to just declare it to everyone.

After some thought, he deliberately asked Wang Suizi loudly, "Isn’t my sentinel, my Feng Chen, amazing?"

Wang Suizi, momentarily startled, quickly caught on, "Of course, he's amazing. Your sentinel Feng Chen is definitely outstanding." She then added, "And the two of you have such a good relationship."

Yan Bubu didn't expect Wang Suizi to not only understand his intention but also extrapolate further, delivering such fitting remarks. He couldn’t help but smile broadly, "Still, it's better to keep a low profile..."

On the stage, Kong Siyin took a few steps forward with the list, continuing into the microphone, "Now, announcing the list of meritorious guide students. Recipients of the Third-Class Merit: Liu Li, Zhao Cui..."

As Zhao Cui went on stage, the area of Guide Squad Three erupted in cheers, with students loudly hailing "Sister Cui's valor." The sentinels from Wang Decai's class also joined in the raucous, shouting towards the stage, calling her "Aunt Wang."

Standing on stage, Zhao Cui initially smiled brightly, but her face fell immediately upon hearing "Aunt Wang." Wang Decai below tried to stop those calling out, "Call her 'sister', not 'aunt' or 'lady'..."

"Wife Wang... Wife Wang..." the sentinels changed their call, which visibly improved Zhao Cui's mood.

After the announcement of the guide’s Third-Class Merits, it was time for the Second-Class. As the guides gave their speeches on stage, Yan Bubu listened while turning to look at the area of Sentinel Squad Two, trying to spot Feng Chen in the crowd.

Although all the sentinels were tall and well-built, Feng Chen still stood out among them. Yan Bubu kept his gaze fixed on him, and Feng Chen looked back, pointing to the stage, signaling Yan Bubu to listen attentively.

Yan Bubu, having received a response to his gaze, contentedly turned his attention back to the stage.

"Among these five guide students, two blocked the gap at the shelter during the Central City collapse. One guided civilians to safety on the second level and closed the passage in time. The other two lured zombies away on the first level, securing precious time for the civilians' retreat..."

As Yan Bubu listened, he felt a tug at his trouser leg. Looking down, he saw Binunu, expressionless, staring at the legs of people in front.

Although Binunu said nothing, Yan Bubu understood its intention and picked it up, allowing it to see the stage.

"Are you satisfied with this height, my lord?" Yan Bubu whispered in its ear.

Binunu nodded slightly, a small gesture indicating its satisfaction.

Before Yan Bubu could continue, Wang Suizi suddenly pulled him, "Did you hear that? Are they talking about us? It feels like they're describing us, right?"

"Huh? What?"

"The words just said by Director Kong, didn't you hear?" Wang Suizi turned to ask Chen Wenchao, "Could the two who lured the zombies on the first level be me and Yan Bubu? And the one who closed the passage on the second level, that's you, right?"

Chen Wenchao, with drooping eyelids, replied, "I don't know."

Realizing that the announcement on stage might be about him and Wang Suizi, Yan Bubu perked up his ears, listening intently to Kong Siyin's following words.

"Now, I will announce the names of these five guide students: Hong Cheng, Li Shiqi, Chen Wenchao, Wang Suizi, Yan Bubu."

"Ah!!!" Two low-pitched screams echoed in the hall; Wang Suizi grabbed Yan Bubu's arm, "I didn't hear wrong, did I? Please tell me I didn’t."

Overwhelmed by the unexpected surprise, Yan Bubu was momentarily stunned, only coming to his senses amidst thunderous applause, repeatedly saying, "It's us, it's us! You heard right!"

Kong Siyin announced, "Next, I invite the five guides who have been awarded first-class merits to come to the stage."

The three stood still for a moment, but Binunu eagerly jumped down and hurried toward the stage. Chen Wenchao was the first to react, urging the two in front, "Let's go, let's go, it's time to go on stage."

"Ah... right, on stage, on stage."

Yan Bubu and Wang Suizi seemed to float onto the stage as if walking on clouds, with Wang Suizi in a daze and Yan Bubu constantly smiling foolishly.

Binunu stood proudly next to Yan Bubu's legs, chest puffed out, looking solemn. The head instructor beside Kong Siyin glanced down at it and was about to ask when the students from Guide Squad Three interjected, "Head Instructor, it's the quantum beast of meritorious guide Yan Bubu."

"Whatever score Yan Bubu gets in the exams, it gets the same. Yan Bubu is awarded a first-class merit, and it's being honored too."

The head instructor paused but said nothing more.

Each of them received their first-class merit certificates from Chen Sizhe and Ran Pinghao, holding them up proudly against their chests. Yan Bubu adjusted the ribbon, shortening it to hang it properly on Binunu.

Holding his certificate, Yan Bubu looked towards Feng Chen in the crowd. Feng Chen smiled at him from among the people, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Now, I invite the five meritorious guides to speak," Kong Siyin said, clapping as he stepped aside.

The first to speak were the other two guides, each taking about two minutes, thanking the academy leaders and instructors before returning to their places. As the thunderous applause subsided, Chen Wenchao looked towards Yan Bubu and Wang Suizi.

"You go first, you go first, I don't know what to say..." Wang Suizi's voice trembled with nerves.

Chen Wenchao stepped up to the microphone: "Thanks to the academy and the Western Alliance Army for their guidance, thank you."

With just that brief statement, he stepped back and stood in place, eyelids drooping, looking as if he had said all he needed to.

The audience, not expecting such a brief speech, was momentarily taken aback, and the room fell unusually quiet.

"Well said! Bravo!" Cai Tao shouted from below, clapping vigorously and turning around, "What are you all waiting for? Applaud!"

A wave of applause rose.

The clapping filled the room.

Wang Suizi inched towards the microphone, her voice trembling, "Actually, there are many students who performed better than me. I thank the academy and the Western Alliance Army for their training. I'm just... I'm just lucky..."

She started stammering, but Ji Yi kept smiling encouragingly at her, even placing a peacock on her head, spreading its beautiful tail and striking various poses. Comforted by Ji Yi's relaxed and amusing demeanor, Wang Suizi's nervousness eased, and she spoke more fluidly.

After Wang Suizi finished, it was Yan Bubu's turn.

Yan Bubu stepped forward to the microphone, facing the packed crowd below, brewing his opening words in his mind.

Everyone was silent, waiting for his speech. After a quiet moment, he chuckled before even beginning, "Haha."

His laughter, amplified by the microphone, resonated through the room, and the audience joined in, "Haha..."

Feng Chen squinted slightly, watching him with a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

Yan Bubu cleared his throat, recalling the earlier awardees' speeches and making slight modifications, "Actually, many students performed better than me. I thank the academy and the East—West Alliance Army for their nurturing. I will definitely work even harder in the future..."

Yan Bubu's speech encompassed elements from the previous speakers, though it was a bit of a copy-paste, it was appropriate and error-free.

Just as he was about to step back, he looked down at Feng Chen and added, "Thank you to my sentinel Feng Chen, um... me too."

He wanted to say 'I love you' in front of everyone, but knew it was too ostentatious. He altered his words, but believed Feng Chen understood, as Feng Chen slowly smiled, his eyes twinkling with a light that made Yan Bubu's heart flutter.

Yan Bubu stepped back into place. Having all spoken, they were supposed to leave the stage, but at this moment, Binunu stepped forward, standing in front of the microphone stand.

"Is the quantum beast going to give a speech? Hahaha..."

"Let's welcome the quantum beast to share its meritorious feelings."

Someone in the crowd started clapping, and others followed with applause and whistles, creating an incredibly lively atmosphere. Even the two political leaders and the academy director on stage didn't intervene, smiling as they let the excitement unfold.

Binunu, unaffected by the commotion, stood solemnly, its eyes fixed on the microphone above.

At that moment, Feng Chen squeezed through the crowd, leaped onto the stage, and lowered the microphone stand until it was level with Binunu before hopping back down.

"Quiet, quiet, everyone quiet, let's listen to the quantum beast's speech."

"Shh... no more noise."

Binunu leaned close to the microphone, pausing as if to consider its words, then let out a howl. It waved its paws towards the crowd, then calmly stepped back to stand beside Yan Bubu.

"Well said! Let's give a round of applause!" Cai Tao cheered loudly.

All the sentinel and guide students laughed and echoed in agreement, "The quantum beast spoke well! A first-class merit quantum beast is indeed special."

With all the meritorious students having received their certificates, the ceremony concluded. Yan Bubu, clutching his certificate and Binunu adorned with a ribbon, squeezed through the crowd to find Feng Chen and hurried back to their dormitory.

"Brother, look! My certificate! Let's see if ours are different... Hehe, they're the same... I also got a first-class merit, hehe..."

While Yan Bubu excitedly examined his certificate with Feng Chen, Binunu solemnly hung its ribbon around the neck of the Black Lion.

The Black Lion touched the ribbon with its paw, cherishing it, then approached Feng Chen, looking up at him.

Understanding the gesture, Feng Chen took down his own ribbon from the bedpost, adjusted its length, and handed it to the Black Lion.

The Black Lion, holding the ribbon, also solemnly hung it around Binunu's neck.

After dinner, Yan Bubu and his companion went for a walk in the plantation, with the Black Lion and Binunu, both adorned with ribbons, following behind.

As the camp was bordered by Yinxia Mountain on the left and a desert on the right, couples often frequented the plantation for dates. They encountered several pairs strolling along the paths.

The leftmost part of the plantation bordered the large camp where civilians from Central City's first level resided. Yan Bubu, led by Feng Chen along the field ridges, surrounded by soybean sprouts, suddenly spotted two familiar figures on a distant ridge.

"Look, isn't that Chen Wenchao and Cai Tao?" Yan Bubu pointed them out to Feng Chen.

Feng Chen glanced in that direction, "Yes."

Yan Bubu laughed, "Yesterday, Chen Wenchao was fuming, calling Cai Tao a stupid dog, swearing never to see him again. Yet today, they're back together."

Feng Chen also smiled, about to say something, when suddenly several gunshots rang out from the direction of the large camp on the left side of the plantation, followed by heart-wrenching cries: "Don’t kill my dad! He turned into a zombie, just drive him to the mountains! Don’t kill him... Dad... Dad..."

Everyone walking in the plantation turned their heads towards the source of the noise.

Back in Central City, when the military dealt with zombies, those in emergency situations were immediately killed, while those who turned at isolation points were disposed of outside the city to spare relatives severe psychological trauma.

But now, without the ability to separate zombies and humans into different levels, what else could be done? The only option was to have relatives leave before executing the zombies.

Yet, even so, many people couldn't bear the emotional impact upon hearing the gunshots.

Hearing the mournful cries, Yan Bubu lost the desire to continue walking. He whispered to Feng Chen, "Brother, I want to go back."

Feng Chen, without further questions, just held his hand and returned to their double sentinel quarters in the mining camp.