Chapter 84: Leading the Troops

A few days later, Xuzhou.

The sky over Xuzhou City was gloomy, the heavy cloud layer seemed ready to press down, cloaking the whole city in a suffocating atmosphere. Inside the Headquarters, the lights were dim, and the air was filled with a tense and oppressive breath.

"Jingxing, is he back?" the Chairman sat upright at the desk, his face dark, eyes fixed on the documents on the table, asking without raising his head.

"Yes, Chairman, he's waiting outside," the Adjutent replied respectfully, his voice standing out sharply in the quiet room.

"Tell him to come in," the Chairman slammed the table, the documents trembling and scattering a bit, a flash of irritation crossing his eyes.

A short while later, Li Yuxuan entered, his head slightly bowed, not daring to meet the Chairman's eyes. "Young Master, I'm back," his voice was hoarse, tinged with fatigue.

"You still remember to come back; do you still have this Young Master?" the Chairman stood, circled the desk, walked to Jingxing, his gaze blazing with anger.

Li Yuxuan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "Yes, yes."

"I shouldn't have let you command the Fifth Army; look at what you've done," the Chairman, hands behind his back, paced the room, each step seeming to step on Li Yuxuan's heart. "From now on stay by my side, you may not go anywhere."

"Yes, Young Master," Li Yuxuan replied helplessly, pausing, then added, "But Young Master, the Fifth Army cannot be without a commander."

"I will command personally," the Chairman stopped, his face resolute.

"Oh," Jingxing replied softly, a hint of doubt unable to hide on his face.

"What expression is that?" the Chairman, keenly noticing Li Yuxuan's change, his complexion growing more sour.

Li Yuxuan felt a bad omen in his heart, but the words were already at his lips and couldn't be retracted, "You forgot your last command, when Chen Geng slipped out behind you. This time there's no Chen Geng."

"You damn fool, if you can't speak, shut your mouth," the Chairman's face flushed red, pointing at Li Yuxuan, "Because of your matter, I'm still dealing with things internationally, and you, you keep spouting cold words here."

Li Yuxuan lowered his head, daring not to speak again. The room fell into a dead silence, only the Chairman's heavy breathing echoing in the air.

After a long while, the Chairman slowly sat down, rubbing his temples, seeming exhausted to the extreme, "Do you know how serious this matter is? International public opinion is very unfavorable to us; every nation is watching us, and a slight misstep will plunge us into an irrecoverable abyss."

Li Yuxuan furtively lifted his eyes to glance at the Chairman, seeing his face full of fatigue and helplessness, feeling a pang of guilt, "Young Master, I know I was wrong, I shouldn't have been so impulsive."

"What's the use of saying this now?" the Chairman waved his hand, "The Fifth Army is our ace unit; no more mistakes can be allowed. Stay put and reflect on your own faults."

"Yes, Young Master. I will reflect properly," Li Yuxuan hurriedly said.

"Leave," the Chairman waved his hand, as if he had suddenly lost all strength. Li Yuxuan's final words were like a tiny spike, stabbing deep into the memory he most dreaded to touch. "You forgot your last command, when Chen Geng slipped out behind you..." Chen Geng... that name, together with that chaotic, life‑and‑death ordeal, burst through the deliberately sealed gate in an instant, so vivid it made his heart race. The embarrassment and danger of that time, intertwined with the current international condemnation and internal infighting, turned into a massive sense of helplessness that almost devoured him. He had to admit that Jingxing's words, though harsh, struck the hidden worry deep within himself that he himself refused to face — military command was truly not his strength.

Li Yuxuan silently stepped out, and the moment the door closed, the Chairman, exhausted, leaned against the chair back, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

The door behind Li Yuxuan closed gently, sealing the suffocating oppression inside the room as well. He did not leave immediately, but stood quietly outside for a moment; the dim corridor light stretched his upright silhouette into a thin shape, casting it onto the cold granite floor. He raised his hand, forcefully rubbing his brow, trying to dispel the lingering fatigue of recent days and the tumult of complex emotions in his heart—some resentment, some helplessness, and a deep worry for the uncertain future of the Fifth Army. In the end, he let out a barely audible sigh, turned, and with slightly heavy steps vanished at the end of the corridor.

Back in his own room, Li Yuxuan sat on the bedside, his thoughts a whirlwind.

At that moment, the Chairman sat alone in the Headquarters room, gazing at the overcast sky outside, sinking into deep contemplation. He recalled Chen Geng, that clever and brave commander; if he were on his side, perhaps things wouldn't have turned so badly. He also thought of the Fifth Army, the unit he had placed great hopes in, which could not be brought down by this incident. He knew he had to pull himself together, command the Fifth Army personally, turn the situation around, and not let others look down on him.

But he also knew in his heart that the road ahead was fraught with hardships; international pressure and domestic circumstances weighed on him heavily. Yet he was the Chairman, the leader of the people, with no room for choice; he could only grit his teeth and move forward, even if thorns grew everywhere, he had to carve a bloody path.

"I refuse to believe that without Jingxing the Fifth Army can't fight! Without Jingxing, I'm at a standstill!" he sat up sharply, as if to dispel all doubts, speaking to the empty room and to his own heart, declaring resolutely. Yet the slight dampness seeping from his clenched fists revealed a faint, barely perceptible emptiness deep within him. This game, now that far along, each move feels increasingly like treading on thin ice.