Chapter 41 You Are Free

Chapter 41: You Are Free

Zhu Shinian pressed the gun against his temple.

The pistol was loaded; if he pulled the trigger, the bullet would instantly pierce his skull.

Almost everyone froze.

"Colonel," the alpha in the back seat said, seemingly startled by him. "Bro, can you at least put the safety back on? This is too freaking scary..."

"Either give the order now, or ask Gu Zhen for orders right now," Zhu Shinian took a deep breath and continued speaking to Chen Yueming. "I need to see with my own eyes that they're safe. Gu Zhen just wants me back. As long as I return, he won't care where these people go. If I die, you'll have a hard time explaining yourself."

"Zhu Shinian." Chen Yueming took a deep breath on the other end of the radio, calling out his name with some difficulty. "You really are..."

Was he supposed to admit that Zhu Shinian was really something? Chen Yueming remembered that back in the day, Zhu Shinian was always good at trying to secure the best possible outcome when things had already gone badly.

When Chen Yueming failed his final exams, Zhu Shinian compiled notes and helped him figure out how to retake the exams. When a fugitive they were chasing escaped, Zhu Shinian went back to detain his family, doing his best to maximize the chance of catching him if he sneaked back. When their squad was outgunned by the enemy, Zhu Shinian led them to avoid direct confrontations as much as possible, holding out until reinforcements arrived.

Zhu Shinian always seemed like that—the more hopeless things got, the harder he worked to make them less bad.

"Take the mountain path," Chen Yueming said. "I won't pursue you, and nobody behind will come after you."

"When the Major General asks, I'll say you threatened me with the gun to your head. He ordered me not to hurt you, so I didn't dare stop you from leaving. At worst, he'll chew me out, fire me, and send me back home... I never wanted to point my gun at my own countrymen on the battlefield anyway."

When he said the last part, it didn't sound like he was talking to Zhu Shinian anymore, more like he was muttering to himself.

*Chen Yueming, you're really pathetic. You don't want to be enemies with Zhu Shinian and Nie Hang, but they can't wait to be your enemies.*

*But it seems this Empire owes them far too much, so maybe what they're doing isn't that big of a deal.*

"You're free," Chen Yueming said. "Go do what you want to do."

.......

Zhu Shinian once had many things he wanted to do.

When his family was still around, they always tried to help him achieve what he wanted.

When he was four, the child of an official from the capital visiting the Twenty-Sixth District was playing with a bubble gun on the street. Beautiful colorful bubbles came out of it, and Zhu Shinian was envious. He wanted to blow bubbles too.

Although his father couldn't buy such an exquisite bubble gun, he managed to make soapy water at home and taught Zhu Shinian how to blow bubbles with it.

At age six, Zhu Shinian watched other children running and playing on the streets with their backpacks, and told his parents he wanted to go to school.

His father and mother discussed it all night. The next day, his mother went to work as a maid in a noble family in the Fourth District. Half a year later, both Zhu Shinian and his brother were sent to school.

At age thirteen, Zhu Shinian said he wanted to attend a military academy in the capital. This time, his family couldn't help him much.

But they sincerely believed he was the smartest, most capable child, and a year later, he truly was admitted to the Capital First Military Academy.

Later, both his father and mother passed away. Then his brother died too. Gradually, Zhu Shinian no longer had so many things he wanted to do.

He drifted aimlessly by Gu Zhen's side, year after year, thinking that as long as his grandmother was still with him, he wasn't completely empty.

He almost didn't want to remember why he had originally told his brother he wanted to go to a military academy in the capital.

Seven years ago, he wanted to go to military school because he wanted to change this Empire—even if just a little.

*A speck of dust can still add to mountains and seas; a firefly's glow can still brighten the sun and moon.*

On November 7, 784 of the New Imperial Calendar, Ning Ye, the Governor of the Second District, was assassinated. The Imperial Capital Police Department identified the killer the next day as Zhu Shinian, a colonel from the military's A2 Group, and determined that he had colluded with the rebel zone and murdered the governor to incite panic.

The military and police launched a joint operation to arrest the killer. On November 8, the pursuit failed; the killer fled the country, arriving at the neutral military zone of St. Gallen.

St. Gallen refused to provide asylum for the murderer but was instead held hostage by the suspect. To protect its own soldiers, it was forced to transfer the suspect to the rebel zone's capital, the Twenty-Ninth District.

From Finance Minister Jiang Zhuoxi to Governor Ning Ye of the Second District, based on repeated provocations by the rebel zone against the Empire, on November 12, Crown Prince Xiao Jin, the lawful heir to the throne, officially declared war on the rebel army and decided to personally campaign in the Twenty-Seventh District.

Unfortunately, the Empire's first battle ended in failure.

Crown Prince Xiao Jin was captured. The Twenty-Fourth, Twenty-Fifth, and Twenty-Sixth Districts were declared lost.

"Now recognizing the Resistance Joint Operations Department, temporary commander of the Twenty-Seventh District Northern Line Campaign, Zhu Shinian. He led a team to break through enemy command nodes, destroying three Imperial armored units in close-range firefights, cutting off the link between the front line and rear dispatch channels, directly causing enemy command system paralysis."

"The Resistance Command unanimously agrees that Zhu Shinian demonstrated exceptional judgment, decisiveness, and high responsibility for his comrades' lives in this campaign. It is decided to award Zhu Shinian the Second-Class Medal of Merit of the Resistance, and promote him to Major General in the Resistance Army. Hereby commended."

The Resistance's commendation ceremony was held in the Twenty-Ninth District's old Assembly Hall.

This place once belonged to the Empire. The vaulted ceiling was high and empty; the exaggerated dome murals had been chiseled away, leaving only rough traces.

A makeshift projection screen flickered with faint light. The chairs were a mix of old and new, and even the military dress uniforms were inconsistent in color, but the applause from the audience was genuine and fervent.

Zhu Shinian stood up and walked to the stage. Tao Juan personally awarded him the medal.

The medal was simple, without extra decoration, engraved only with the Resistance's temporary emblem and a serial number. Tao Juan carefully leaned down to fasten the medal to his chest, handed the microphone to him, and asked if he wanted to say a few words.

"Thank you, Governor Tao, for your encouragement. But this operation succeeded more because of everyone's teamwork, and of course, the support of our compatriots in the occupied territories, enabling us to achieve this victory..."

"When I praise you, I praise you. Don't be so modest," a burst of good-natured laughter rose from the audience. Tao Juan patted his shoulder, his smile warm. "Is today your birthday too?"

"Twenty-two?" Tao Juan thought for a moment. "Time flies."

When Tao Juan first taught him at the Capital First Military Academy, Zhu Shinian was only fourteen, skinny, with a round face.

Now, he had grown up in the blink of an eye.

"The Resistance is poor right now, and I don't have anything decent to give you," Tao Juan said. "I'll use my personal account to give you a little red envelope and grant you a day off."

Knowing Tao Juan's personality, the red envelope probably wouldn't be much, but hearing that he could have a day off, the audience couldn't hide their envy.

Zhu Shinian's commendation was saved for last. Under Tao Juan's leadership, the Resistance had simplified things. After Zhu Shinian stepped down, the ceremony soon ended.

When he walked out of the hall, it was already dark. Tao Juan offered to drive him home.

The Resistance's night lacked the neon lights and skyscrapers of the capital, but the streets were clean and tidy, the streetlights bright.

Zhu Shinian used his key to open the door. A crisp "pop" sounded, and colorful confetti burst in the air.

Floating ribbons landed on his head and shoulders. Zhu Shinian blinked instinctively. By the time he realized, he was covered in confetti.

Tao Juan, behind him, was also showered, looking unexpectedly funny.

Nie Hang, holding the confetti cannon, scratched his head awkwardly—he hadn't expected Zhu Shinian to be with Tao Juan.

Before Zhu Shinian could attend to himself, he turned to brush the confetti off Tao Juan.

"Let you young people have your fun," Tao Juan waved his hand. "I was just dropping off Xiao Zhu and will be on my way now."

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Zhu Shinian naturally felt embarrassed letting Tao Juan act as just a driver, so he quickly tried to persuade him.

"Goodbye, Governor!" Nie Hang's voice almost rang out at the same time. He had been waiting for Tao Juan to say just that.

One of Zhu Shinian's subordinates, who had come from the capital, happened to bring board games and playing cards today, planning to play together later. With Tao Juan here, they couldn't really cut loose.

"......See, someone's driving me away," Tao Juan said, glancing in Nie Hang's direction. Nie Hang grinned and said, "Not at all, I was just thinking your wife might be waiting for you at home."

"The dumplings are ready," came Grandma's voice from the kitchen. "Who's hungry? Come eat first."

Zhu Shinian quickly urged him to stay: "Please stay and have a few dumplings with us. If you're in a hurry to get home, you can leave right after eating—we won't keep you."

"Alright," Tao Juan said, as if he couldn't stand Nie Hang's smugness, and cheerfully agreed. "I'll eat and then go, won't disturb you young folks having fun."

Because only Zhu Shinian and his grandmother lived there, the house was small. The kitchen and dining area were combined, and the table was not big. As soon as a bamboo dumpling tray was set down, there was hardly any room left for eating.

Tao Juan and Zhu Shinian took their plates of dumplings out to the living room and ate them on the coffee table. Li Qianxu got up to find a broom to sweep up the scattered confetti, while the others went into the kitchen to help Grandma wrap more dumplings.

The heating was on, and Grandma's dumplings were steaming hot. One bite warmed the whole body. Since they were all soldiers, they ate quickly, and within a few minutes, most of the dumplings were gone.

"Since it's your birthday, is there any wish you want to make?" Tao Juan glanced at Zhu Shinian and asked with a smile.

"Capture the 20th District first," Zhu Shinian thought for a moment and answered very seriously.

The 20th District was the wealthiest area in the north of the Empire, rich in energy resources and many heavy industrial facilities that could be converted into munitions factories right after the war, making it an important strategic stronghold.

Taking the 20th District would greatly aid the Resistance's subsequent advance.

Tao Juan was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh.

"These are things we should achieve ourselves, and things we can achieve ourselves," Tao Juan said with a hearty laugh, finishing the last of the dumplings on his plate. "Think about it again, and make a different wish when you light the candles."

"No need to see me off." Tao Juan stood up, and when he saw Zhu Shinian about to rise, he gently pressed his shoulder, signaling him to sit back down.

The dumplings boiled quickly. Having already eaten, Zhu Shinian went back to the kitchen to cook more. Soon everyone had eaten their fill, and they cleaned Zhu Shinian's kitchen spotlessly.

Grandma brought out the cake. She had made it herself, and it was piled high with fruit as if it cost nothing—there was barely room to insert the candles.

Grandma used a fruit pick to take a piece of melon from the center and gave it to Zhu Shinian, and only then could they successfully insert the candles.

Zhu Shinian had never had a birthday like this.

A heated house, boisterous companions, a huge twelve-inch cream and fruit cake.

"Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!"

"Boss, make a wish!"

The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness, leaving only the flickering candlelight.

Ten pairs of eyes, reflecting the candlelight, looked at Zhu Shinian. Surrounded by the crowd, he closed his eyes and pressed his palms together.

His eyelashes cast delicate shadows on his eyelids, trembling slightly like a butterfly's fluttering wings.

The teacher said many things can be achieved through one's own efforts, so then make a different wish.

A different wish...

The Resistance was advancing triumphantly, Grandma was safe and healthy, and even Gu Zhen and Chen Yueming hadn't suffered much because of his defection.

Zhu Shinian wasn't greedy; he really didn't have that many wishes to make.

If there was anything more to ask for, let me see Zhu Cheng one more time.

...Even if only in a dream.