Chapter 1261

Zhao Chi directly turned his grip and held her hand.

Su Qin was startled for a moment, but didn't struggle, letting him hold it.

At this moment, the host cleared his throat and said through a sound-amplifying art:

"It's almost 9 o'clock. Lords who haven't taken their seats yet, please hurry."

"If any award-winning lord is unable to attend due to security duties, please have a superior lord accept the award on their behalf."

"The statistics for this battle have already been completed. Several squadron leaders and our brigade commander have confirmed them—no issues."

"Our commendation assembly has always been fair and just. If you have any objections, please don't make a scene. After the meeting ends, report it individually to your squadron leader."

"Alright, time's about right. Next, let's invite General Yan Ling to the stage to speak."

The moment that name came out, the venue erupted in thunderous applause.

Zhao Chi looked up.

He saw a male lord in his fifties stand up from the front row—that was Yan Ling.

His hair was streaked with grey.

Logically speaking, at that age his hair shouldn't look like that.

Either he worried too much, his heart and mind utterly worn out.

Or, he wasn't as young as he appeared.

But this time Yan Ling's spirits were much better than when Zhao Chi had last seen him; he seemed to have had a good sleep.

Yan Ling walked up to the stage.

He strode steadily to the center of the stage.

The applause continued.

He smiled and nodded, pressing his hands downward.

The applause gradually subsided.

The sound-amplifying art the host had just cast had a very long duration.

Yan Ling's voice was slightly hoarse, but his breath was strong and full.

"Greetings, lords. Today is the commendation assembly celebrating our capture of Copper Rock Town. This means that, in this Snowfield City, we now have four town-level strongholds!"

"Combined with our other towns and bases in various places, we can be said to be stronger than ever before."

"But the road ahead is long. What we must do is to unify all of humanity's cities."

"The goal is grand, but the road is destined to be winding."

"Along the way, many companions have already departed."

"We who remain alive will never forget them."

"Their names will forever be recorded in our history books, and have already been carved onto our memorial wall. Everyone, when you have time, go offer a flower."

"Next, let us observe one minute of silence for the companions who fell this time."

"Everyone, stand!"

In an instant, the sound of people rising came from everywhere.

Zhao Chi released Su Qin's hand and stood up.

The venue was utterly silent.

Not a sound could be heard.

One minute later.

Yan Ling's voice came through:

"The silence is concluded. Please be seated."

Another wave of sounds of people sitting down.

Yan Ling said: "Alright, then next, the commendation assembly officially begins."

Having said that, he nodded to the host beside him, then left through the side door at the front.

Six men in black left with him.

The host said:

"Next, we proceed with the first commendation—the Intelligence Award!"

"Intelligence is our eyes and ears. Without intelligence, we are the blind, the deaf!"

"I won't mention past information, but this time we first relied on intelligence to encircle and annihilate a werewolf squadron, and then relied on intelligence to raid and take Copper Rock Town!"

"It can be said that intelligence is our foremost merit!"

"But it's a great pity that, due to the special nature of intelligence work, these heroes in the darkness cannot appear before everyone's eyes."

"Therefore, ten squadron leaders can only accept the commendation on their behalf."

"Then, squadron leaders whose names I call, please come up to the stage to receive the award!"

"Star Squadron Leader Jiang Fan, Blaze Squadron Leader Feng Hen, Jade Squadron Leader Li Ruanyu, …"

The squadron leaders seated in the front row walked up one by one.

They accepted the awards in silence.

Zhao Chi suddenly felt that the host was no ordinary person.

He was extremely familiar with these squadron leaders' names, and after those squadron leaders came up, he showed no trace of deference.

Instead, he nodded in acknowledgment.

Zhao Chi quietly asked Su Qin.

Su Qin was a little surprised: "You don't even know him? He's our Binghe brigade's vice-commander, Gu Zhan."

"Gu Zhan? Surname Gu?"

"Yes, same surname as Sister Gu Qing."

"That young and already Deputy Captain? How old is he?"

Su Qin said softly, "I don't know, but we guessed he should be under thirty-five."

Zhao Chi nodded: "I thought he was just in his early twenties. Pretty impressive. But you said you *guessed* he's under thirty-five? Who's 'we'?"

Su Qin laughed lightly: "Xiang Yuan and the other female lords, of course. What, you're going to audit my contact list?"

Zhao Chi laughed: "No, I was just curious who else was this nosy besides you. So it's all women — then I get it."

Su Qin pouted: "Weren't you just asking too? You're pretty nosy yourself."

Zhao Chi defended himself: "I was just curious. After all, he's the Deputy Captain, and so young."

Su Qin huffed: "Just because *you're* curious, we can't be?"

Zhao Chi laughed and nodded: "Fine, fine, fine, talking back like that — tonight I'm not giving you ten extra energy points, and that's that!"

Su Qin not only wasn't afraid, she tilted her chin up.

"Good, a deal's a deal. Less than ten and I won't let you go either."

"Then twenty."

"Even a hundred I could handle."

"You little brat, getting more and more disobedient. Don't come begging for mercy tonight."

Su Qin giggled: "Hmph, I don't believe you'd really do that. You definitely couldn't bear to, right?"

At that moment, Xiang Yuan nudged Su Qin.

Her expression was complicated.

"You two, keep your voices down. Saying things like that so shamelessly…"

Su Qin was shocked: "You could hear that?"

Xiang Yuan sighed: "Even Fu Yi could hear it."

Su Qin still clung to a sliver of hope: "Really? … I was using a whisper when I said it."

Xiang Yuan said: "When it's quiet, a whisper actually comes through more clearly."

Su Qin's face flushed red at once: "What about Geng Zhan?"

Xiang Yuan shook her head: "He didn't…"

Su Qin covered her cheeks: "As long as he didn't hear, otherwise with that big mouth of his…"

Geng Zhan poked his head in just then.

His gaze swept past Fu Yi and Xiang Yuan, and he asked Su Qin: "What did I hear?"

"Nothing, be quiet." Su Qin closed her eyes, not wanting to say a thing.

Zhao Chi was a little awkward too.