"The more I understand, the heavier the burden on my shoulders feels." Baili Pangpang sighed, then shook his head self-deprecatingly, "I never imagined that I, the young patriarch of the dignified Baili family, would one day become a member of the Night Watch..."
"Strictly speaking, you are not yet a Night's Watchman; the swearing-in ceremony doesn't begin until tomorrow," Cao Yuan corrected."
...
"You, Cao Yuan, I'm a patient right now, and you're still picking on me? Don't you have a conscience?"
"No, I don't."
"..." Baili Pangpang rolled up his sleeves, as if he wanted to fight Cao Yuan.
Lin Qiye smiled and said, "Fatty, you should cherish this opportunity. After all... after tomorrow, no one will be able to find fault with you."
Upon hearing this, Cao Yuan and Baili Pangpang were both taken aback and fell silent.
Lin Qiye was silent for a moment, then looked at Baili Pangpang and said, "After you return to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, what are your plans? Go home? Or join the Night Watch?"
Without hesitation, Baili Pangpang said, "Go to the Night's Watch."
Cao Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Don't you want the maids anymore?"
"Yes." Baili Pangpang declared righteously, "When the organization needs me, I'm always on watch; when the organization is free... I'm still the handsome younger brother of the maid sisters, hehehe."
Cao Yuan rolled his eyes and looked at Lin Qiye, "I'm in Huaihai City, which is quite close to Cangnan. You can come visit me when you have time."
Lin Qiye hummed in agreement.
"Qiye, if you ask me... you should just form a special squad." Baili Pangpang grinned.
Lin Qiye was taken aback. "A special team?"
"Yeah, think about it. You and your sister are dual-god agents, so being the captain and vice captain of a special team shouldn't be a problem, right? Once you're the captain, you can form a team, and then you can bring us all in, and we'll be all together again, won't we?"
Baili Pangpang became more and more excited as he spoke, "You are the agent of the two gods, and I am the young master of the Baili family, a veritable collector of forbidden items! Being a member of a special team won't make you lose face, will it?"
"Although Cao Yuan, that idiot, doesn't get along with me, his Forbidden Ruins are extremely high-risk, and he's the number one person below the Divine Ruins. It's not too much to ask him to be a member of a special team, is it?"
"It's a pity about that arrogant guy... otherwise, if the five of us got together, wouldn't the strongest special team be born?!"
"Five people? How can that be enough to form a special team?" Cao Yuan shook his head.
"Hey, the world's so big, surely there are some like-minded and capable people out there? If all else fails, we can always bring Molly in too..."
"I oppose office romances!" Cao Yuan raised his hand.
"I agree," Lin Qiye followed suit, raising his hand.
"Alright, alright, then we won't bring Molly... Sigh, choosing someone isn't a problem, we'll always find a way."
Lin Qiye stared blankly at the campfire before him, the image of the [Masked] squad flashing through his mind. They were gathered around a table, laughing and joking; they carried their sword cases without a word, heading together into the abyss and hell...
It seems quite good?
"It's too early to establish a special squad. Have you ever seen a special squad that lets a recruit at the 'Pool' Realm be its leader?" Lin Qiye shook his head. "Besides, it's a decision for the higher-ups of the Night Watch, not something we can decide."
"That's true..." Baili Pangpang sighed, then looked at Lin Qiye seriously, "However, if you ever really have the chance to form a special team, you must come to Guangzhou and Shenzhen to find me!"
Cao Yuan followed up, "And me, I'll be waiting for you in Huaihai City."
Looking at their solemn expressions, Lin Qiye nodded heavily, "If that day ever comes, I definitely will."
Under the shimmering sky, the rich aroma of meat wafted in the air. Three teenagers sat together, their voices echoing on the rooftop.
This scene wasn't limited to the infirmary; it was secretly playing out in every corner of the training camp.
Today, no instructors came to stop them.
...
The next morning.
Unusually, Baili Pangpang didn't stay in bed. Instead, he got up early, washed up, folded his blankets, packed his belongings, and meticulously buttoned up his military uniform in front of the mirror.
"Qiye, how do I look?"
He turned around and looked at Lin Qiye, who was already fully dressed.
"Very formal, very energetic." Lin Qiye looked him over carefully and nodded seriously.
Baili Pangpang smiled, glanced at the time on the wall, and said, "It's about time we went."
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow in surprise, "There's still half an hour before the ceremony starts, are you going now?"
"Going early won't be wrong."
"OK."
The two walked out of the dormitory and headed straight for the training ground. When they arrived at the training ground, Lin Qiye realized that half of the new recruits in the entire training camp had already arrived.
They were dressed solemnly in their military uniforms, talking to each other on the training ground, their faces filled with solemnity and barely concealed excitement.
They have been in the training camp for a year.
This year, they endured hardship, complained of exhaustion, and considered giving up, but they persevered in the end, and they transformed.
Now, they are facing the most glorious and most important time of the year.
Time passed by, and soon it was time for the oath-taking ceremony to begin. The instructors walked onto the training platform one by one, and the restless recruits instantly quieted down.
Yuan Gang's gaze swept over the crowd, and he calmly spoke:
"Before the oath-taking ceremony begins, there is one more thing..."
Everyone was taken aback. Then, several instructors stepped forward with the black box, and Yuan Gang continued:
"You performed exceptionally well in this rescue operation, truly demonstrating the glory of our Great Xia soldiers and our Night Watchmen in the face of this great disaster!"
"Therefore... we award every new recruit who participates in the rescue operation a 'Spark' medal."
The eyes of the crowd below lit up immediately, their expressions filled with surprise.
"In this rescue operation, two of our soldiers sacrificed their lives. One of them chose to give his own life to protect the lives of his comrades and instructors..."
"His name is Shen Qingzhu."
Upon hearing those three words, everyone fell silent.
"He was the troublemaker in the training camp, but he... is a hero of the Night Watch. Therefore, we award Shen Qingzhu the 'Starlight' medal!"
"As for the next individual—regrettably, she remains hospitalized. Her name is Lin Xi Chen. She sacrificed herself to eliminate more than half of the 'Believers' dispatched by the Ancient Church and single-handedly destroyed a projected soul at the 'Sea' Realm."
"Despite sustaining injuries so severe she nearly lost her life, her unwavering resolve drove her to prioritize her comrades and others above all else. We award Lin Xi Chen the 'Starlight' Medal!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all the instructors on the stage simultaneously raised their right hands and gave a standard military salute!
At the same time, all the new recruits below the stage raised their hands and solemnly saluted.
The instructors distributed the medals to everyone, but Instructor Hong solemnly put away the medal that belonged to Shen Qingzhu.
This medal, along with his cloak will be buried in the Night's Watch's tomb.
In accordance with Shen Qingzhu's final wishes, Instructor Hong informed Yuan Gang that Shen Qingzhu had decided to bequeath the Star Sword and his emblem to Lin Xi Chen. Yuan Gang approved this decision, allowing Lin Xi Chen to receive the two items Shen Qingzhu had entrusted to her.
Below the stage, Li Liang and Deng Wei, their eyes bloodshot and bodies trembling slightly, stared at the gleaming medal, their fists clenched tightly…
Brother Shen, may you rest in peace.