Chapter 41: Retirement

That night, both Wolf B and Red Blood Cell celebrated joyfully.

“Lieutenant Guo, Lieutenant Zhang, we’re a rapid reaction unit—I toast you both with tea today.”

The paratrooper raised his cup filled with tea to toast Guo Jing; though he couldn’t offer alcohol, he made sure the ceremony was complete.

After three rounds of tea, everyone eagerly asked Guo Jing and Zhang Chu’an about how they humiliated Old Doghead Gao, watching them with fiery eyes.

Guo Jing and Zhang Chu’an felt it necessary to clarify, otherwise countless conflicting versions of how they humiliated Old Doghead Gao would spread through Wolf Fang Battalion.

Guo Jing cleared his throat and quickly explained:

“How to put it? Uncle Gao wasn’t prepared that day, so we caught him off guard—it wasn’t as exaggerated as it sounds; his strength still surpasses ours.”

“He was just too careless, that’s why he lost. That’s how it happened.”

After hearing Guo Jing’s account, Wolf B’s men didn’t believe a single word; after their brief interaction, they understood Guo Jing’s personality.

In short, he was a people-pleaser who avoided offending anyone and gave others face.

So they all took Guo Jing’s words as giving Old Doghead Gao face.

Guo Jing and Zhang Chu’an tried to explain further, but it only made things worse.

On the other side, Red Blood Cell, He Chenguang, and others set up dishes and celebrated Nie Huaishang becoming their commander.

After the celebrations, Nie Huaishang and his team returned to their individual dorms.

After a brief nap on his bed, Nie Huaishang sent a message in the group chat first.

Nie Huaishang: “Everyone here?”

Guo Jing: “Yes, Zhang Chu’an and I just finished celebrating and got back to the dorm. What’s up?”

Nie Huaishang: “Yes—I’m thinking about the three major villains in the special forces. We’ve already eliminated two. If we eliminate the last one, drug lord Ma Yunfei, we’ll perfectly complete the task assigned by the Master God, right?”

Guo Jing: “True, but we can’t be careless—we must leave him no chance to turn things around.”

Nie Huaishang: “I’m not being lax—I just feel reluctant to leave here. I’m wondering if we’ll ever come back after we go.”

They had soul-transmigrated here; the years of upbringing and emotional bonds were too hard to sever.

Guo Jing: “This world holds too many people I can’t bear to leave behind.”

Zhang Chu’an: “Now that you say it, I feel the same. Having grown up as an orphan for years, I can’t let them go.”

Zhang Xiaofan: “I think as long as we gain higher authority with the Master God, we’ll eventually return here.”

Nie Huaishang: “Then we can’t afford the slightest slack—Ma Yunfei isn’t an easy target, and Ma Shichang, the drug trafficker on the southwest border, is even harder to deal with.”

Nie Huaishang: “More importantly, these two rarely act alone. Black Cat and Scorpion only dared come into the country because they trusted their own combat skills.”

Zhang Chu’an: “Besides, they aren’t the real bosses. But the Ma family father and son? They’re the true top bosses of the Golden Triangle drug syndicate—they’d never risk themselves personally. The strategy of luring them in won’t work anymore.”

Undoubtedly, the Ma family father and son are the hardest to handle. In the original plot, Old Doghead Gao’s Wolf A and Lei Keming’s Cobra were deployed together.

They were followed by large-scale military forces, and with Xiao Zhuang as a mole feeding constant intelligence, they managed it.

Even then, after his arrest, Ma Yunfei still created opportunities to take hostages and later escaped successfully.

Scorpion and Black Cat were formidable for their combat prowess and experience; Ma Yunfei’s strength lay in his power and cunning.

Nie Huaishang: “Ma Qitong is our major breakthrough. By the way, Guo Jing, after Major Miao retired, he’s becoming the head of the Anti-Drug Division, right? You should stay in close contact with him and gather intel.”

Guo Jing: “By the way, who among us four is going to play the hero and save the beauty? The hero must win her heart—not make her promise to serve him as a cow or horse in the next life.”

Guo Jing: “Let me be clear—I’m average-looking and awkward. I’ll probably end up as her cow or horse in the next life.”

Zhang Xiaofan: “Same here. If I save Ma Qitong, she’ll probably be my cow or horse in the next life.”

Zhang Chu’an: “I think I can make Ma Qitong fall for me.”

Guo Jing: “You can’t—you’re passable-looking, but your aura is too sleazy.”

Nie Huaishang: “Are you implying I’m the one who has to do this hero-saving-beauty job?”

Guo Jing: “I think you’re the best-looking among us, and your acting skills are solid—you can totally fool Ma Yunfei and his crew.”

As for whether Xiao Zhuang should fulfill his original plot role, the four never considered it—they were all extraordinary cultivators with unique skills; even if exposed, they could fight their way out.

If Xiao Zhuang, an ordinary person, was exposed, it would mean certain death.

Nie Huaishang: “I’ll try my best.”

Though Nie Huaishang had never been in love, his acting skills were excellent—he could easily deceive Ma Qitong.

Overall, Guo Jing and the others trusted Nie Huaishang—he was the smartest and best actor among them, even though Zhang Chu’an had decent intelligence.

But his “handsome for three seconds” trait was frustrating.

After the discussion, Guo Jing thought of Major Miao and felt a pang of sadness; the old company commander had treated him well.

Having served for over a decade, leaving his beloved unit must be painful. Emotionally and morally, he should go see him.

The next day during training, he slipped away to find Battalion Commander He Zhijun.

Hearing Guo Jing’s request, He Zhijun laughed: “Your old company commander is retiring—want to see him off? I’ll grant you leave.”

“Thank you, Battalion Commander.”

Guo Jing thanked him with ecstatic joy.

Guo Jing walked out of the office, visibly relieved—seeing off his old company commander meant neither he nor Xiao Zhuang would have regrets.

At Night Tiger Recon Company headquarters, Major Miao packed his belongings and stepped out of his office, glancing back at the place he’d lived in for years.

To be honest, he truly didn’t want to leave—every soldier, every person here, he would never forget.

He had sent off wave after wave of veterans retiring or transferring; now it was his turn.

With a sigh, Major Miao swiftly grabbed his luggage and descended the stairs.

Right at the bottom, he saw the entire company with red-rimmed eyes staring at him.

“Commander, I won’t let you go.”

Someone shouted this first, instantly igniting the whole company—voices of pleading and begging filled the air.

Hearing the company’s pleas, Major Miao remembered his past days, every soldier of Night Tiger.

He wanted to shout aloud: I don’t want to leave.

But he couldn’t.