Chapter 452

"Su Yang's contributions speak for themselves—report them truthfully, and I'll personally recommend him!" Qin Qin Pengcheng nodded. "Even if this mission fails, the next one will succeed."

"The rest: Su Yang receives a Special-Class Merit; Qu Fei, Zhou Jiayun, Hou Yongning, and Wang Hong each receive a First-Class Merit; Hao Ren and Liu Mengyun each receive a Second-Class Merit; the Fourteenth Emergency Team and the crew of Wurm Train No. 1056 each receive a Collective Second-Class Merit!" Yao Xing read out, then asked, "What do you all think?"

"No objections!"

"Agreed!"

"Passed!"

"..."

"With this operation, Su Yang has now completely shattered the Shoushen Sect's southern advance plans twice!" Qin Qin Pengcheng smiled. "Even if I led the mission myself, I couldn't have done better. His merits qualify him for a Special-Class Merit."

"General Qin is too modest. Each has his own specialty—Su Yang's tracking and investigative skills are simply outstanding. Calling him the best in the Southwest Military Department isn't an exaggeration."

"Exactly! General Qin is the strongest in our Southwest!"

"..."

"Enough!" Qin Qin Pengcheng waved his hand. If he didn't stop them, they'd keep fawning endlessly. "But Su Yang has eliminated a major threat to our Southwest... With Su Yang here, honestly, I'm no longer very worried about the Shoushen Sect."

The High-ranking military officials nodded in silence.

If the Shoushen Sect dared to expand further into the Southwest, all they needed to do was send Su Yang—with enough bodyguards and personnel—and that would be enough!

After this operation, Su Yang had already demonstrated his formidable abilities to them.

"Raise Su Yang's benefits to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel!" Qin Qin Pengcheng leaned back in his chair and murmured. "Also, I heard Old Yang has recovered and been discharged?"

"Yes, Old Yang's body has recovered, but the doctors say he has only a few years left to live, and his combat power has plummeted!" A High-ranking military official spoke in a Heavy tone. "The Yang family wants him to retire, but Old Yang is stubborn as hell—he came back today and is now drinking tea in my office. He told me straight out: he wants to return to the military. Luckily, there was a meeting, so I escaped. Otherwise, I couldn't have held out... I think General Qin should be the one to persuade him."

"How old is Old Yang? Doesn't he seem much older than you?" Qin Qin Pengcheng rubbed his face. "When I first enlisted, he was my instructor."

Qin Qin Pengcheng remembered he'd once taken several slaps from Old Yang!

But he wouldn't mention that.

"According to the records, Old Yang should be 173 years old," replied a bespectacled official solemnly. "Enlisted at fifteen—168 years of service. He's our Southwest Military Department's longest-serving veteran!"

"About Old Yang..." Qin Qin Pengcheng tapped his index finger rhythmically on the conference table, lost in thought. No one spoke. After a minute, he said, "When this meeting ends, I'll handle Old Yang's matter. Go bring him here."

"Yes, General Qin!"

The High-ranking military official immediately brightened upon hearing Qin Qin Pengcheng would take over.

That man was simply too difficult—he couldn't handle him!

Shortly after the meeting ended, an old man in military uniform, serious-faced, thin and small, pushed open the Huiyishi Sect door.

"General Qin!"

He gave Qin Qin Pengcheng a standard military salute.

Yang Wanzhong had lost several teeth; his speech was slightly airy.

"Sit!"

"Alright!"

Yang Wanzhong sat across from Qin Qin Pengcheng.

Just recovered from serious injury, Yang Wanzhong was emaciated—his uniform hung loosely on him, looking almost comical.

But no one in the military department who had seen Yang Wanzhong could laugh.

Qin Qin Pengcheng spoke: "I heard you're applying to return to active duty?"

"Yes, I've fully recovered!"

"But your current physical condition is unsuitable for intense combat."

Yang Wanzhong insisted: "General Qin, I can still fight. As long as I'm alive, I want to keep fighting!"

Facing General Qin Qin Pengcheng of the Southwest Military Department, Yang Wanzhong showed not the slightest retreat.

Seeing Yang Wanzhong's firm, stubborn gaze, Qin Qin Pengcheng yielded.

"Fine. I approve your request to return to active duty."

"Thank you, General Qin!"

"Good. One of the key agenda items in this high-level meeting requires a powerful, experienced, and utterly loyal warrior to oversee it."

"I fit perfectly!" Yang Wanzhong's wrinkled face beamed like a blooming chrysanthemum. "General Qin, assign me!"

"I heard you've recovered and discharged—I also think this important mission suits you best."

"I obey military orders!"

"Certain?"

Yang Wanzhong shouted loudly: "General Qin, don't doubt my loyalty!"

"Good!" Qin Qin Pengcheng nodded. "Have you heard of Su Yang?"

"Yes, a very capable junior!" Yang Wanzhong smiled. "I heard he crushed the Shenjiaona Gang in the north, making them cry for their mothers. A fine young man—I heard he's only fifteen?"

"Correct. He's exactly fifteen—the Southwest's top genius, Platinum-level expert, Lieutenant, and commander of the Fourteenth Emergency Team."

"Impressive!"

"Do you think he's important to our Southwest Military Department?"

"Of course. In potential and ability, he's likely the best in the Southwest," Yang Wanzhong said. "In my hundred-plus years, I've never seen such a talented youth..."

"We've received intelligence that, due to Su Yang inflicting heavy losses on the Shoushen Sect and the Black Feather Organization, they may target him."

As for the intelligence—Qin Qin Pengcheng said it existed, so it did.

Yang Wanzhong nodded: "Those bastards would do exactly that. Su Yang must be protected."

"Su Yang spends most of his time with the Emergency Team. Even when deployed, he's surrounded by capable fighters—his safety is reasonably assured. But Su Yang is also a Beast Tamer—he needs training and combat. We can't interfere too much with his actions... What our military department fears now is the safety of Su Yang's family," Qin Qin Pengcheng said. "If his family is kidnapped or killed, our Southwest Military Department will be put on the defensive—and this genius might be ruined."

"Yang Wanzhong, you are one of our Southwest Military Department's most experienced and strongest warriors, and your loyalty is unquestioned," Qin Qin Pengcheng stood up. "Therefore, I assign you this extremely important task: protect Su Yang's family."

Yang Wanzhong stared blankly at Qin Qin Pengcheng: "General Qin, you want me to protect Su Yang's family? Isn't that a bit... overkill?"

"Su Yang's current abilities fully match those of three Emergency Teams—and he's still growing rapidly!" Qin Qin Pengcheng said with a serious tone. "To put it bluntly—if I had to choose between you and Su Yang, I'd pick Su Yang without hesitation. He's more valuable than you. Sending you to protect his family, so he can fight without worry—what's wrong with that?"