CH 25.1

Chapter 25.1 – Triumph

As expected of being the Alliance flower, the snowdrop’s popularity was extremely high. People who lived around heard that the flowers were blooming, so they couldn’t help but take a look. For the next few days, everyone gathered around Zhou Pingan’s bed to look at it as if they were visiting.

Someone also saw Shi Yuan in the process, recognized him, and said in surprise, “Hey, aren’t you that, that stage play performer? I’ve seen your performance.”

“I’ve seen it too, the one who plays the God of Salvation!”

“That’s right, that’s him…”

Someone actually asked for his autograph, Shi Yuan couldn’t shirk it, and left a crooked signature.

After another three weeks, the snowdrop’s flowering period was greatly shortened due to lack of sunlight, and finally, the flowers bloomed to full bloom.

The glow of the petals faded, but the battle situation improved.

The good news on the radio continued, and the Horn’s attack was being repelled.

Lu Tinghan’s performance was outstanding, and Shi Yuan could hear his name on the radio more than a dozen times a day.

Unlike Su Enqi or other commanders, Lu Tinghan was rarely inside the fortified fortress, but was closer to the front line instead – he wanted to get close to the monsters, so as to more accurately infer their actions and figure out their behavior. He wanted to read their minds and understand the fleeting logic and laws in their frenzied and chaotic thoughts.

The danger of the front line was self-evident, and with his identity, he no longer had to risk his life like this.

They said that he always ran to the battlefield like this, without exception.

He wanted to win more than anyone.

The people around Shi Yuan were also discussing Lu Tinghan, all with praise and expectation.

Zhou Ping’an was especially excited: “Really, if General Lu was born 50 years earlier, there would be no monsters!”

The woman in the same room also smiled and covered her mouth: “Isn’t that right? I think the alarm will be lifted soon. Fortunately, we have General Lu.”

Even the old lady changed her attitude – she no longer called Lu Tinghan a villain. When others were discussing the situation of the battle, she would just sit by and listen silently, occasionally showing a kind smile.

The fighting situation has improved, and people’s mentality has improved a lot. Laughter can often be heard in a small room.

Zhou Ping’an found a deck of cards from nowhere and dragged others to play them all day long. A tailor from the next room brought down materials, and they borrowed a small box of buttons as chips.

Shi Yuan was made dizzy by “Blackjack”, “Landlord”, and “Poker”, he couldn’t win at all and lost all his buttons in a short while, so he could only watch from the sidelines.

He thought, humans are really smart, and he still has so much to learn.

Occasionally an alarm would sound. The metal door of the room was closed tightly, the lights went out and it was dark, but this time there was no more crying.

“We’ll win,” they all said.

On the last day of 2240, December 31st, the Level I alert was lifted, which lasted 34 days.

The average time for a Level I alert to be lifted was three months, which was record fast.

The passages leading to the surface were wide open, people left the cramped room in an orderly manner and walked upwards.

Upward.

Go to the sun-covered ground.

It was early morning at this time, and the thick white fog had already dissipated. The morning glow in the sky was very warm, the winter was still cold and people exhaled white air from their mouths. The alarm came suddenly, and many people did not bring enough clothes, and were shivering from the cold. Groups of soldiers were stationed in Gleaning City, there were large areas of ashes, rubble, and bullet casings on the ground, but the smiles could not be restrained, and reached to everyone’s eyes.

Unexpectedly, the flowers bloomed.

Before going to the shelter, snowdrops were raised on the balcony of every house. It deserves to be known for its tenacity. It has been unattended for more than a month, and it still opened vigorously, with a light fragrance all over the city.

People returned home one after another. Shi Yuan was walking on the lively street, a gust of wind blew, and the petals fell one after another. He stretched out his hand and caught a glimmer of light.

The roar of the aircraft pierced the sky, and 5 aircraft roared from the direction of the main city.

“General Lu is back!” someone shouted.

The aircraft stopped at the military base in the west of the city. After 30 minutes, the black convoy could be seen from a distance.

People nearby walked to the streets, and others gathered from afar.

Shi Yuan was also in the crowd, rubbing shoulders everywhere, squeezing his heels together. He felt that the whole city seemed to be here, all for Lu Tinghan.

There were so many people that Shi Yuan struggled to stand on tiptoe and could barely see into the distance.

When the convoy came, they greeted each other. Young girls with flower headbands, old men with hunched backs, young couples holding hands, fathers holding their young daughters above their heads so they could see the street, saying loudly over the noise, “Look! General Lu is there!”

Don’t know who started it, but someone threw out a bunch of snowdrops.

The bright white flowers swept through the air, the petals were blooming and vigorous, and they fell towards the convoy under the golden orange sky with a shimmer.

Then came the second, third, fourth…

On the side of the street, upstairs and downstairs, flowers rushed to the convoy from all directions. In the blink of an eye, the light fragrance and brilliance converged into an ocean, like a swirling falling snow. Applause, together with cheers, buzzing conversations and laughter, drowned out the world.

A gust of wind blew, and the bright white flowers were swirling, flying over the crisscrossing streets, scattered houses, squares, platforms, and majestic bell towers. After a long battle, the convoy returned home with a sea of flowers.

Shi Yuan’s eyes widened, his jet-black eyes were lit up by the flowers, and a few fell on his shoulders.

When Lu Tinghan left, it was in the early foggy morning, surrounded by a blanket of gloom that screamed fear. The people who were against him held up placards and occupied the squares and streets, clamoring for him to step down from his position.

When he came back, the sky was full of light, the city was full of flowers, and the streets and alleys were full of people who loved and admired him. No matter how he looked, he couldn’t see the end. It was so grand, like a festival that would never end.

Lu Tinghan was right, the people who like him are much more than those who oppose him.

Once again, he clearly delivered a perfect solution to the Alliance’s fortress.

Shi Yuan was draped in a sea of flowers like this, listening to the cheers, and watching the convoy go away a little bit.

The tip of his tail shook happily, he lowered his head, bent his eyes, and smiled with two pointed canine teeth.

‘This is my human ah,’ he thought.

The human who had accompanied him for ten years was a triumphant hero, holding the attention of all the people in his arms, and belonging to him alone.

The convoy drove away, but the crowd still hugged each other excitedly. Shi Yuan took a few steps back and left quietly.

*

“Turn left at the intersection ahead,” Lu Tinghan said.

The driver froze for a moment: “You’re not going home?”

Lu Tinghan looked at the turbulent crowd on the street and said, “No, someone is waiting for me over there.”

Who is waiting? Where are they waiting? How did the General know?

The driver was full of doubts. Following Lu Tinghan’s instructions, he turned left and took a long detour, avoiding the main road where crowds gathered, and stopped at the end of an alley.

Lu Tinghan got out of the car, with a casual coat on his arm: “You can go, no need to wait for me.”

Driver: ??

Do I really just drive away? How can anyone stay in such an alley?

The general’s order was unquestionable, he couldn’t figure it out, but he still drove off.

Lu Tinghan walked along the alley, his military boots stepped on the ground, making a heavy sound.

His intuition was clamoring, he knew someone was waiting for him – the same thing had happened before, that’s how he found Shi Yuan at the end of an alley.

After walking for less than half a minute, Shi Yuan’s figure appeared in front of him.

Sure enough. In the vast sea of people, he could always find Shi Yuan.

Lu Tinghan raised his eyebrows.

Shi Yuan was walking alone, with the tip of his tail cocked, his steps were brisk, and he was on his way home.

Shi Yuan’s alertness had always been low, and the voices in the distance were loud, even if the sound of military boots was so obvious, he still didn’t look back. Lu Tinghan quickened his steps and walked almost immediately behind him.

After a month, Shi Yuan did not change at all, and it seemed that his physical condition and spirit were good. He never looked back, and Lu Tinghan followed silently, looking at Shi Yuan’s black hair and devil horns, and the tail swaying in front of him.

Seeing that Shi Yuan was about to leave the alley and he still hadn’t looked back.

Lu Tinghan coughed softly.

Shi Yuan: ?

He was not sure what the sound was, he was briefly puzzled for half a second, and continued to walk forward.

Lu Tinghan coughed again.

Shi Yuan: ??

He looked around, puzzled for a second, and continued to walk.

Lu Tinghan: “Shi Yuan.”

This time, Shi Yuan finally reacted and turned his head to look—

In an instant, Lu Tinghan had an extra Shi Yuan in his arms.

“How did you find me!!” Shi Yuan was overwhelmed with surprise, and the tip of his tail swayed wildly. “You can find me every time, you are amazing!”

Lu Tinghan couldn’t tell, he just knew, that’s all. If you really want to compare it, it’s like… he can know what those monsters are thinking.

In any case, he found Shi Yuan again.

That’s what’s important.