Chapter 580: The Arrival of an Uninvited Guest

"We've arrived."

"Everyone get off."

A little after 2 a. m., a troop transport tasked with "collecting corpses" stopped at a camp stationed near the directorate.

This place houses eliminated soldiers from both the Red and Blue sides on the battlefield, and many people mockingly call it the "Righteous Manor" or the "Corpse Staging Room".

On an autumn night, the temperature swings wildly between day and night; when the cold wind blows, the soldiers who "fell" from the vehicle hunch their necks, their hair standing on end.

It really feels like a terrifying out‑of‑body experience.

"The one behind you, still f***ing holding the corpse, we've reached the spot—get out!"

Kang Changyi groggily opened his eyes, yawned after jumping out, and stretched lazily.

He followed closely behind the others, heading toward the shelter.

At the doorway, boxes of bottled mineral water lay on the ground; anyone could just take one if they wanted a drink.

Kang Changyi grabbed a bottle and walked in, thinking of finding a bed to make do for a night.

Trailing Lu Yang for two or three days of continuous infiltration reconnaissance was truly life‑threatening; his legs were almost no longer his own.

Back then, Kang Changyi kept complaining to Lu Yang: "Can we rest a bit? Even Motorized Infantry can't stand up and kick after marching; this motorbike can't handle it!"

While he was daydreaming, someone behind him suddenly called out to him.

"Kang Changyi?!"

"Hm?"

Kang Changyi turned his head and saw two familiar faces.

"Sun Chen, Liu Ziqiang."

"You also fell?"

"Hmm, aren't you drinking the Meng Po broth?"

Kang Changyi shook the bottle in his hand and gulped a few swallows.

Liu Ziqiang quickly produced some food and handed it to him; he was starving too, shoveling it in greedily.

Sun Chen patted his back from behind, and, noting that others nearby were resting, whispered, "How's the situation on the battlefield?"

After being eliminated, they were placed in the shelter and couldn't learn anything about the battlefield, so they were eager to know how the Blue army was faring now.

Kang Changyi wiped his mouth and said, "When I fell, the Red side had already reached the Blue army's last position."

"What?"

The two shouted in surprise, waking the soldiers resting on nearby beds.

On the adjacent bed, QiDelong recognized Kang Changyi and, still half‑asleep, sat up.

"Platoon Leader Kang, how did you also fall?"

"Me? I volunteered to die, heroically sacrificing myself."

"Volunteered to die?"

"Hmm."

Kang Changyi sat on the marching cot, rolled up his sleeves, and began bragging loudly about his heroic deeds.

He claimed that he, Lu Yang, and Ding Tengfei had risked their lives to infiltrate deep into Red territory, covering eighty li a day to evade pursuit.

"WTF, that's some divine speed!"

"Shh, just basic skills, that's nothing; we also pulled off several major feats…"

They reportedly snuck in secretly and blew up the Red side's ammunition depot, destroying the Logistics supply.

They also succeeded in cutting off the enemy's key technical units midway, completely severing the Red side's overall vision, which made Liu Ziqiang and the others increasingly excited.

Around them, the still‑awake Blue soldiers gathered, all showing excitement and admiration.

Three people, in three days, raided so many places and accomplished such feats—they couldn't even imagine it.

Kang Changyi kept bragging, even claiming he contributed crucial ideas: "In the end, when we attacked a Red backup depot, we were discovered."

"To cover Third Company Commander Lu Yang and Ding Tengfei's safe retreat, I resolutely drew all the enemies away alone, creating an escape opportunity for them."

"Damn, is that really you? How can you be so selfless, so great?" Liu Ziqiang looked as if hearing a story, his face full of disbelief.

"Is this still the same you who once, greedy for glory, led the squad into a human trap and killed a bunch of people?" Sun Chen also wore a skeptical expression.

"Hey, who hasn't made a mistake, who hasn't messed up?" Kang Changyi rolled his eyes: "We've been through years of storms together; progress and growth are expected, otherwise all these years the troops would have ended up in a dog's belly."

"If you don't believe it, you can go ask Ding Tengfei later, or ask Company Commander Lu; there's absolutely no exaggeration."

"Believe, believe, believe—just because you lured the pursuers away, that's you!"

"Anything else?"

"Yes, of course! We ambushed midway, caused a crash and captured the Red side's tech‑savvy female soldier who gave us a hard time; we then turned her into a human bomb, blowing up many Red soldiers…"

"WTF, awesome, you even used human bombs; you get what it means to have no mercy!"

"Exactly!" Kang Changyi lifted his head proudly: "At the time the two hesitated to act, saying she's a female soldier after all, but I gave her a good scolding; on the battlefield, there are only the living and the dead, no gender distinction."

"Well said, well said!"

Around them, applause erupted; almost every fallen Blue soldier gathered to hear Kang Changyi's tale.

Some offered him a cigarette, others massaged his shoulders and neck, and QiDelong even squatted on the ground to knead his legs for relaxation.

It thrilled Kang Changyi; still alive, he was already getting treatment fit for a martyr—nothing could top that.

In reality, aside from the last claim which had fabricated elements, the rest was flawless—even Lu Yang standing aside couldn't find any fault.

Thus, Kang Changyi's showoff was factual, justified, and naturally full of confidence.

But he didn't notice that beyond three layers of crowd, a group of two men and a woman glared with clenched teeth, eyes full of resentment.

Red side's Platoon Leader: "That bastard blew up the Logistics Warehouse, caused the crash midway, and knocked me out!"

Section Chief Xiao Tang: "Messing with a female comrade is one thing, but turning us into human bombs and killing so many innocent comrades is sheer madness!"

Red side's Ninth Company Commander stared coldly: "Later find a chance, cut him!"

"It must be cut, cut him hard!"

Tonight, for the fallen soldiers of the Blue army, it is destined to be a sleepless night.

The news brought by Kang Changyi was already enough to excite people, and the arriving fallen soldiers then reported the subsequent battle situation.

When they learned that every assault by the Red side was repelled by Gao Feng and his men, forcing a retreat, all the Blue soldiers gathered in the tent boiled over.

"Second Company Commander is awesome, Second Company Commander is mighty!"

"Truly worthy of being the commander of Hard Bone Company!"

"In this situation, I just want to sing a song: Climbing Gao Feng, gazing at home, the yellow sand stretches for ten thousand miles~"

Not far away, at the exercise directing department entrance, Zheng Chengfeng and Xiong Yao, who had stepped out for air, watched from afar with smiles on their faces.

In the earlier battle, even the chief director said it was truly spectacular, and singled out the Blue army's outstanding performance for praise.

Whether it's Lu Yang's infiltration behind enemy lines with continuous precise sabotage, Gao Feng's tenacious defense, or Ma Qing'an's flank harassment, all are commendable.

Now, the Blue army is already organizing a counterattack against the Red side; they plan to seize the crucial moment when the Red side's ammunition resupply lags, and crush them in one blow.

Xiong Yao said, "It's not just Lu Yang; everyone in the team hasn't disappointed us; along this road, everyone has improved a lot."

Zheng Chengfeng hummed and said, "Next comes the shift between attack and defense; the Red side can't hold out long, victory is destined for the Blue army!"

"Brigade Commander Feng, this time even my nose is about to get crooked."

"Probably already crooked, hahaha!"

After a brief chat, the two prepared to return to the directing department, when suddenly a Mengshi military vehicle sped toward them from behind.

The vehicle raced like lightning, and a sudden brake left a long skid mark on the ground.

When the door opened, the first to step out, an uninvited guest, made Zheng Chengfeng and the other turn pale.

"Brigade Commander Zheng, such refined taste, are you moon‑gazing here?"

"Zhao Haishen, what are you all here for?"

"Of course we're just here to join the fun."

Zhao Haishen smiled and walked up, saluting him: "We won't be unwelcome, right?"