A generation of soldiers begins with Feng Yuxiu traveling through time and space with Xu Sanduo

Chapter 246 Feng Yuxiu promoted to second lieutenant

"Lieutenant Colonel Yuan Lang, the higher-ups have decided to transfer the former Old A Brigade Commander, Railway, to a leadership position in a municipal government department. You will officially take over as the commander of the Old A Brigade, and your rank will be promoted to colonel."

Yuan Lang stood in the corridor, listening blankly to the unilateral announcement of the appointment.

"Excuse me……"

"Colonel Yuan Lang will be promoted to his rank at a later date, and his appointment letter will be issued to the Old A Brigade at the same time."

A wave of guilt washed over Yuan Lang. The Old A Brigade had made a mistake during the last mission, and now the punishment came so directly—the brigade leader was dismissed. Although he was transferred from the railway to a local position, he was essentially stripped of his post.

"Excuse me, when will Xu Sanduo be able to come out? Should I wait for him here, or..." Yuan Lang felt that all of this was a bit absurd. Right here in the corridor, he was announced to have received the military rank promotion he had been longing for.

"Please wait a moment."

-

-

A gentle breeze slipped in through the cracks in the window, softly stirring the air in the room.

Feng Yuxiu gently stroked Li Xuanxuan's forehead, which was tightly wrapped in white medical gauze.

Recalling that 7.62mm bullet, flying at high speed against the wind from a distance of 1,600 meters away, it deviated from its trajectory due to the influence of the mountain breeze and hit Li Xuanxuan.

At this point, the bullet's kinetic energy was practically negligible. If it hadn't hit a relatively vulnerable area, and instead hit the shoulder, the wound would likely have healed long ago.

Feng Yuxiu subconsciously touched his shoulder blade, where he had been hit, but the fracture marks had long since disappeared.

Supported by his abundant vital energy, his body's recovery ability and speed far exceed those of ordinary people, several times higher than the average level.

Li Xuanxuan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze immediately landing precisely on Feng Yuxiu's face beside the bed.

However, in just a moment, Li Xuanxuan's face froze, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes.

Feng Yuxiu silently stood up and gazed at her quietly, and a silence fell between them for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, two lines of clear tears silently slid down Li Xuanxuan's pale face, soaking the pillow beneath her.

"The child... is gone..."

Outside the door, a woman covered her mouth tightly with both hands, her body trembling uncontrollably as she wept silently, her grief seemingly threatening to overwhelm her.

Feng Yuxiu sat down next to Li Xuanxuan, took her cold hands in his, and said softly, "I know."

At this moment, he was filled with self-blame and hatred, hating himself for running away back then.

He chose to leave when Li Xuanxuan was at her most vulnerable and needed him the most. In fact, he might not have even appeared here if Li Xuanxuan hadn't woken up.

This sinister emotion ignited a burning anger within him.

He secretly resolved that only by using all the skills he had learned in his life on the scorpion could he quell the raging anger in his heart.

"I know," Feng Yuxiu said softly again, trying to comfort Li Xuanxuan.

Li Xuanxuan choked back tears as she said, "The baby... the doctor said it's a girl..."

“I know, as long as you’re alive, that’s enough. We’ll have another child. I will definitely avenge this child,” Feng Yuxiu said, his eyes red and his voice hoarse.

"Did my dad send you? I've been sleeping for so long and you haven't come to see me. Don't you want me anymore?"

At this moment, Li Xuanxuan was no longer the dashing and heroic figure she once was, her face full of pitiful expression, like an abandoned child, helpless and sad.

At this moment, her heart was incredibly vulnerable.

For a woman, especially a young woman who is inexperienced in the ways of the world, her first child is a treasure that is deeply cherished.

She had finally felt the movement of the new life in her womb, but now, that hope was shattered.

Feng Yuxiu gently shook his head and said, "No, I've gone on a mission. It's not that I don't want you. You should rest now and wait until you recover..."

He couldn't bring himself to say the rest.

On a family level, he and Li Xuanxuan seemed to live in two completely different worlds.

He was just a farmer's son from Xia Rongshu Village in Henan Province, and only a sergeant in the army.

Li Xuanxuan, on the other hand, was already a captain after graduating from military academy. She was young, promising, and had a bright future.

Moreover, Li Xuanxuan's father's status was extremely prestigious, a level that he could never reach in his entire life.

"I don't want it, I don't want it, you just don't plan to have me. I asked the doctors around me, and they all said they've never seen you before."

Li Xuanxuan suddenly broke down in tears, sobbing loudly, her cries filled with grievance and despair.

Feng Yuxiu sighed helplessly and said, "I can't even see you. If it weren't for orders from my superiors, I wouldn't even be able to get into this hospital corridor."

Li Xuanxuan choked up, and asked with a glimmer of hope, "Really?"

“It’s true. My captain came with me this time, which is why I had the chance to see you. You must take good care of yourself. When you return to the army, we can meet again. As long as you live, child… we will have more children.”

These words were actually spoken against his will by Feng Yuxiu. He knew in his heart that once he stepped out of this hospital, the gap between him and Li Xuanxuan would be as vast as heaven and earth.

Now he finally understood why Li Xuanxuan's father had sent him here.

When Li Xuanxuan was at her most vulnerable, the person she most wanted to see was herself, or rather, the father of the child who had passed away before being born.

Aside from that, he was just an ordinary person.

Only under such a relationship did he have the opportunity to meet Li Xuanxuan.

Li Xuanxuan nodded gently and said, "I know, I will take good care of myself."

However, she remained depressed, and the expression on her face was not as cheerful as her words suggested; sadness still lingered over her.

Feng Yuxiu stood up, lowered his head, and said, "I'm leaving."

Li Xuanxuan raised her head, forcing back her tears, and struggled to kneel on the hospital bed, gazing at Feng Yuxiu. Beneath that beautiful face lay a heart torn apart by unbearable pain.

Before being hit by this bullet, she was a dashing captain in the army, a young genius grappling expert, and a top student in the command department of the Army Academy.

But now, this sudden and heavy blow has completely shattered her inner strength.

"Come here," Li Xuanxuan suddenly beckoned with her finger.

Feng Yuxiu was somewhat puzzled, but he still slowly lowered his head.

“mua”

A crisp, light kiss stunned Feng Yuxiu, who stared blankly at the smiling face so close to his.

"Remember, I'll come find you when I'm better." Li Xuanxuan flashed a bright smile, revealing her white teeth.

Feng Yuxiu glanced subconsciously at Li Xuanxuan's abdomen, then stood up, nodded, and said, "Then I'm leaving."

After saying that, he slowly turned around, and in that instant, a violent killing intent appeared on his face.

Scorpion!

Li Xuanxuan maintained her smile as she watched Feng Yuxiu's retreating figure.

Her smile gradually faded only after the ward door opened and closed repeatedly. Then, she covered her head, buried herself in the blanket, and burst into tears.

The pain of losing one's child before even having a chance to see the beauty of the world is not something that can be easily forgiven.

-

In the corridor.

A beautiful woman quietly gazed in the direction Feng Yuxiu had left.

Only after Feng Yuxiu turned the corner and disappeared from sight did the woman slowly close her eyes and whisper, "What a tragic fate."

Then, the woman pushed open the door and went into the room at the end of the corridor. Li Xuanxuan's father was standing there with his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.

“We’ve always protected Xuanxuan very well; she’s never been in a relationship before. But just like that, without us noticing, she’s fallen into the whirlpool of emotions. It looks like it will take her a long time to recover from this,” the woman said worriedly.

Li Xuanxuan's father calmly said, "She will get through this. A young girl's love is always passionate but short-lived; time heals all wounds."

Li Xuanxuan's mother frowned and said, "Aside from his family background not being as good as Xuanxuan's, this child is actually quite good in every way. I've also looked at his file."

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Xuanxuan's injury is already heartbreaking enough. She's just a sergeant; she's far from being qualified," Li Xuanxuan's father said firmly.

"What if he can grow into someone worthy of Xuanxuan in a short time?" the woman asked unwillingly.

Li Xuanxuan's father opened his eyes and looked calmly at the woman.

The woman pursed her lips and shook her head.

She knew she was overthinking things. No matter how high the other party's military rank was, in Li Xuanxuan's father's eyes, they could be easily judged.

This is ultimately a tragic fate.

-

-

Outside the hospital.

Yuan Lang sat in the car, waiting quietly.

Feng Yuxiu walked out of the hospital, slowly turned around, looked up at the ward on the top floor, his eyes revealing complex emotions, and no one could guess what he was thinking at that moment.

This relationship was as luxurious as a mirage, but now he finds that he can no longer easily let go of it.

Li Xuanxuan is not a substitute for anyone else; she is the one and only Li Xuanxuan.

Feng Yuxiu slowly clenched his fists, secretly making up his mind that he would continue to fight in the army, step by step, until he reached the highest position, so as to give this silly woman he loved so deeply a stable home.

Yuan Lang stared quietly at Feng Yuxiu's back until Feng Yuxiu reached the car before he spoke: "Now, are you at peace? If you're not at peace, you won't be able to do anything well."

Feng Yuxiu said calmly, "I am calmer than before, and now I know clearly what I want."

Yuan Lang stared intently into Feng Yuxiu's eyes, their gazes meeting in the air as if engaged in a silent contest.

"Are you still able to continue the mission?"

Feng Yuxiu said in a deep voice, "I can complete any mission, but I have one condition."

"Go ahead."

"Once I find the scorpion, I want to skin it myself."

For others, "skinning" might just be a verb, but for Feng Yuxiu, it was a revenge he was determined to carry out.

Yuan Lang frowned and said, "Hatred can make people lose their minds and their goals. If you encounter him again, you might lose your composure. He is a master, and in a duel between masters, it is often a contest of who can remain calmer."

Feng Yuxiu's lips curled into a cold smile as he said, "Believe me, no one is more composed than me on the verge of life and death. Next time we meet, victory will surely be mine."

"Get in the car."

The car's engine started, emitting a deep roar that vibrated throughout the entire vehicle.

After another day and night of travel, they finally returned to Old A's base.

The car didn't stop; it drove directly to Yuan Lang's office building.

The two got out of the car, went into the office, and closed the door.

Yuan Lang took out a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, lit it, took a deep drag, and said, "Now I'm going to talk to you about what I mentioned before. Remember? When you left, I said that if you decided to come back, I had something important to do with you."

Feng Yuxiu said in a deep voice, "It's definitely not a combat mission. Our Old A's combat missions are all sudden; it's impossible to give that many days' notice in advance. So, what exactly is this matter you're talking about?"

Yuan Lang stubbed out his cigarette, looked at Feng Yuxiu seriously, and said, "Have you heard of the 'Survival and Assault' event in the International Reconnaissance Competition?"

Feng Yuxiu shook his head.

Yuan Lang began to explain: "This is a competition of infiltration operations behind enemy lines held by major military powers after the end of the Cold War in the last century to strengthen military exchanges. It is said to be to enhance friendship, but you and I both know that the so-called friendship is based on the competition of strength."

This competition earned a reputation for being 'inhumane' from the start due to its extremely harsh geographical location and demanding conditions. However, it was precisely this 'inhumanity' that perfectly suited the needs of the most brutal behind-enemy-lines operations, making it incredibly attractive to teams every year. Of course, many teams also withdrew midway through each competition because they couldn't withstand these 'inhumane' conditions.

Feng Yuxiu asked, "Inhumanity?"

Yuan Lang nodded, his expression turning serious, and said, "In the competition, real deaths caused by harsh environments and by stray bullets are allowed. Do you have a general idea now?"

The competition was held in a primeval jungle spanning over 300 kilometers in diameter, requiring participants to complete more than 20 tasks along the route within 87 hours. Furthermore, the opposing force's strength, size, and deployment were configured entirely according to standards for localized special operations warfare. You can take more information back with you.

As Feng Yuxiu listened, an uncontrollable surge of fervor welled up within him.

He hadn't experienced a real life-or-death crisis in a long time, and the unique feature of the martial arts technique he practiced was that it could stimulate a strong adrenaline rush when facing life and death, thereby activating all the cells in his body.

Yuan Lang unscrewed a bottle of mineral water, took a sip, and said, "I hope you can give me a reply after you have read all this information."

Our country has never gone all out in this world-class competition. Each time, teams are rotated among the military regions, and we've always achieved quite good results. This time it's our military region's turn, and considering our past performance, I actually feel some pressure.

"Pressure? Were the previous participants very strong?"

Yuan Lang nodded and said, "The achievements of each military region in the past are very good, even better than our current records. Xu Sanduo, I believe that China has the best infantry, and this does not only refer to our military region."

"Moreover, this is also your best chance to be promoted to officer. The honor and technical level of international competitions are highly recognized. If you can achieve excellent results in the competition, you will be promoted to officer, and not just as a second lieutenant."

Feng Yuxiu was stunned and said, "Second Lieutenant? I'm only a second-class sergeant now."

“No longer.” Yuan Lang pulled a piece of paper from the drawer and handed it to Feng Yuxiu.

Feng Yuxiu took the paper, glanced at it, and said in surprise, "Second Lieutenant? I only graduated from junior high school and never even went to military academy. How could I possibly be promoted to second lieutenant?"

Yuan Lang lit another cigarette, seemingly feeling a bit stifled from not smoking for the past two days. He said, "Remember what I said before? China is a society that values ​​personal connections. We can determine the outcome first and then fill in the details later. If you can achieve good results in this international competition, then those tedious promotion processes won't be so important."

"A top soldier like you shouldn't waste years going to military academy; that would be merciful to the enemy."

"Who else is on the team?" Feng Yuxiu asked.

Yuan Lang spoke up, "We will select two teams to participate, four people per team. My team is you, Wu Zhe. This kid is an all-around genius, he will definitely be of great use this time."

Feng Yuxiu was somewhat surprised, "Where are Wu Liuyi and Qi Huan?"

Yuan Lang pondered for a moment, "No, Wu Liuyi's legs can't withstand such terrifying pressure, Qi Huan doesn't have that endurance, and he has to continue training in the Old A team."

Yuan Lang didn't mention the replacement of the leader of the Old A Brigade. After he left, Qi Huan was able to serve as an instructor here.

The next batch of new veterans is about to arrive, which will bring another round of intense training pressure.

The butcher's name will once again spread.

"Who is the other person?"

The team consisted of four people: Yuan Lang, Wu Zhe, and himself.

There's still one person missing, but it's definitely not one of Old A's candidates, otherwise Yuan Lang wouldn't have specifically mentioned it.

Yuan Lang exhaled a smoke ring. "No one has been chosen yet. I want to reserve the last spot for an ordinary infantryman from an infantry regiment, just like you. When it comes to individual combat skills, many of them are no worse than the elite A soldiers. This group has extremely tenacious endurance, and they are at the age where they are full of energy and ready to fight."

Yuan Lang pushed the pile of documents toward Feng Yuxiu: "The candidates recommended by each team will arrive the day after tomorrow. I will conduct another round of elimination, followed by several months of special training."

Speaking of special training, Yuan Lang smiled. He looked at Feng Yuxiu and said, "For you, the main focus is on foreign language training. I hope that in the next few months your foreign language level will reach at least level six. This time we are heading towards the international stage, so foreign languages ​​are very important."

Feng Yuxiu picked up the documents from the table and slowly looked at Yuan Lang.

"When to set off?"

"It's April now, and we'll set off on August 1st sharp! I believe this day will be very exciting."

(End of this chapter)