Chapter 134: I'm here!

"Wang Hu... truly lives up to the name 'Armored Tiger,' a real tiger of a general!"

A general let out a sigh of emotion, and then he couldn't resist wiping his face.

"These are my men, my men!"

A general's voice trembled as he spoke. He held his cap level and said, "Sir, there's nothing more to say, a first-class merit indeed!"

"Forget about first-class merit, I don't even think that suffices! We should reinstate the honor of Special Merit!"

Li Wen took a deep breath, then he pointed to the speaking general and said, "General Luo is right. We are at wartime, and it's a critical moment concerning the survival of the entire human race. It is appropriate to use Special Merit to commend those soldiers and officers who have made exceptionally great contributions in the fight against the Aliens."

"Exactly, Special Merit! Special battle heroes, but we must issue it with strict scrutiny!"

"No one would argue against Comrade Wang Hu receiving Special Merit, but if we set the standard based on his contributions, wouldn't the bar be set too high for others to receive Special Merit afterward?"

Li Wen waved his hand and said, "Regarding the restoration and awarding criteria for Special Merit, let us discuss and make a decision on it later."

Gao Yuan whispered, "I'm sorry, I know I should not interrupt, but I wanted to say that Stonegate Branch One made a great contribution. They gave all their artillery to Branch Two..."

Li Wen looked toward Gao Yuan, then turned his gaze to Xiang Weiguo.

Xiang Weiguo sighed and said, "Branch Two's achievements were not small, but the achievements of Branch One were equally significant."

Just then, Xinghe suddenly said, "Do I need to play the recordings? I have their communication records."

Li Wen hesitated for a moment, then he said to Xinghe, "Not for now. Later we will ask you to play their conversations for us, and we will record them in detail. Right now, we do not have the means to record."

Xinghe nodded and said, "Okay."

General Luo was Wang Hu's superior. Gao Yuan did not know General Luo's exact name, but at that moment, General Luo said in a deep voice, "I propose granting the designation of 'Fierce Tiger Brigade' to the 33258 Brigade as an honor!"

Without any hesitation, Li Wen proclaimed loudly, "Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed."

None of the generals present objected. Seeing that everyone immediately made their stance clear, Li Wen nodded and said, "This task, we need to do it meticulously and then announce it to the entire army."

General Luo continued in a low voice, "Our military history books will gain a new Fierce Tiger Brigade, but will also lose one, what a pity..."

At that moment, Gao Yuan suddenly realized the implication of General Luo's words and hurriedly said, "Wait, that's not right. There are survivors!"

Xiang Weiguo nodded at Gao Yuan, signaling that he was right to speak up at this time.

Frankly, it was only because of Gao Yuan and Xinghe's relationship, and because Xiang Weiguo and the others had been with Xinghe for some time. Otherwise, how could people like Gao Yuan and Luo Xingyu possibly be in this place? It would be possible for Xiang Weiguo to be invited, though.

However, here, it was not Xiang Weiguo's place to speak.

Gao Yuan fumbled hurriedly in his pocket and took out a red flag, then he carefully unfolded it.

"332588 Brigade has survivors! I am one! I am a new recruit of the Da Hong Third Company, really, if there is someone from Da Hong Third Company, then there is someone from the 33258 Brigade."

Everyone looked somewhat stunned. Gao Yuan spoke urgently, "Did I make myself clear? That's what happened. Da Hong Third Company was on a holding mission. They knew none would survive, so the company commander gave me the company flag to keep and had me enlist temporarily. So I am part of Da Hong Third Company."

General Luo took a deep breath, wiped his eyes with his hands, and spoke softly, "I'm getting old, my apologies..."

After finishing, General Luo walked up to Gao Yuan, patted his shoulder, and spoke softly, "Xiao Gao, I understand your feelings, but you don't realize—Wang Hu and his brigade have all sacrificed, but their names will be heavily inscribed in the military history books and in the history books as well. We need to communicate their spirit to everyone. But as for you, a temporarily enlisted new recruit, you're not really a new recruit, and you know it, we..."

Gao Yuan became somewhat anxious and said loudly, "What do you mean?"

General Luo spoke softly, "332588 Brigade hasn't ceased to exist; it just exists in a different form now. The spirit of the Fierce Tiger Brigade will never die, and the spirit of Wang Hu will always be with us."

This was to place the 33258 Brigade on the Honor Wall, but that also meant they would only exist on the Honor Wall now.

Gao Yuan immediately looked toward Xinghe and said, "You have the recordings from that time, don't you? Play them! Play the recordings for me!"

Without any hesitation, Xinghe said, "Start from where you took the flag? Okay."

"That's right!"

The sound began playing from Xinghe's mecha, and soon enough, the voice of Company Commander Zhou Shaoqiang echoed.

"Gao Yuan!"

"Here!"

"You're a volunteer, not a soldier, right?"

"Reporting, I'm not a soldier."

"Good, I now specially recruit you to join the glorious Da Hong Third Company. Are you willing?"

"Reporting to the company commander, I'm willing!"

"Good, from now on you are a member of Da Hong Third Company. I order you to take good care of our company flag. You must not die! You're not allowed to die! As long as you live, Da Hong Third Company still has its seed. As long as there is someone from Da Hong Third Company, I won't have to disband it. You're not allowed to die; this is an order!"

"I promise to complete the mission!"

Amid the dialogue between Zhou Shaoqiang and Gao Yuan, Gao Yuan, with one hand holding the company flag and the other pointing at the mecha, shouted, "Did you hear that? Did you all hear?! I wasn't wrong, was I? I'm a soldier of Da Hong Third Company!"

At that moment, a loud shout came from inside the mecha: "Abandon all illusions, embrace death!"

Amid Zhou Shaoqiang's shout, Gao Yuan also bellowed, "Our company commander said we don't need glory, we don't want any glory! We just need Da Hong Third Company to keep existing, we can't be disbanded! We can't!"

Xiang Weiguo shouted to Gao Yuan, "Gao Yuan! Calm down!"

Luo Xingyu was frightened. She had never seen Gao Yuan so agitated, so she ran to the front of Gao Yuan and grabbed his hand.

Li Wen appeared very troubled, while General Luo was eagerly looking at Li Wen.

Li Wen said softly, "In this kind of situation..."

Gao Yuan shouted loudly, "What else is there? What else? Commander Wang also said I must survive. I am the seed of the 33258 Brigade! Xinghe, come out quickly!"

General Luo muttered, "Can an exception be made?"

A general nearby said with a distressed look, "But the order has already been officially issued for a long time, many meritorious battalions have been disbanded after being decimated. If we make an exception this time, in the future, other battalions... it would be unfavorable for the ongoing military reorganization efforts."

Military orders are like mountains, this phrase is absolutely true. To change a command that has already begun to be executed involves too many implications. To describe it as "pull one hair and move the whole body" is not an exaggeration.

Li Wen also felt troubled because everyone knew that the tactics of Commander Wang Hu and Da Hong Third Company's Zhou Shaoqiang were definitely a clever manipulation.

Above there are policies, below there are countermeasures, but the question is whether the upper echelons are willing to acknowledge the countermeasures below.

Many units are watching eagerly.

A general muttered, "Whether it's recruiting new soldiers to replenish or drawing manpower from other units to form the 33258 Brigade, it currently seems totally unrealistic. Otherwise, how about this? We temporarily put aside this designation, not disband nor re-establish. How's that?"

"No, that won't do. We have publicly declared them as a heroic unit of the whole army. They must either all perish, henceforth becoming a symbol of spirit, or keep fighting on the front lines. This kind of limbo can be concealed, but, but I feel it's not good for the honor of the Fierce Tiger Brigade!"

Listened to the generals' discussions, Gao Yuan really got anxious. He didn't understand what there was to discuss.

What is there to discuss?

"Don't you understand? Did you not understand? Did I not make myself clear? I'm a soldier of Da Hong Third Company; I'm not dead! I'm alive! With me here, Da Hong Third Company exists; with me here, Fierce Tiger Brigade exists, I am the Fierce Tiger Brigade! Who dares to challenge this!"

Gao Yuan shook off Luo Xingyu's hand, then patted his chest and roared, "I'm standing right here! Can't you see? The whole of Da Hong Third Company is standing right here! All of Fierce Tiger Brigade is assembled here, right in front of your eyes, can't you see? Who dares to disband our designation! Who dares!"

Xiang Weiguo was stunned and then shouted loudly, "Gao Yuan! What are you doing!"

Gao Yuan had never been so hot-tempered or so bold, really not, but now, he seemed to have lost his ability to control himself. He knew who everyone here was, but he seemed to have lost the ability to feel awe and fear.

Gao Yuan continued to pat his chest and bellowed, "We don't need honor anymore! Forget the honor! You don't need to pull troops from elsewhere; as long as the Fierce Tiger Brigade exists, it can recruit new soldiers. Fierce Tiger Brigade won't be put on the wall. The Da Hong Third Company's flag won't enter the honor exhibition room; we will carry the flag and continue to fight!"

Xiang Weiguo panicked, running to Gao Yuan and suddenly pulling his hand, shouting, "Have you gone mad? The leaders didn't say they wouldn't agree to your request, what are you raging for!"

Gao Yuan immediately looked at Li Wen.

Li Wen smiled and then slowly said, "Abandon all illusions, embrace death, I think, the company commander of Da Hong Third Company who uttered that phrase must have felt desperate at that moment."

Looking at all the expectant generals, Li Wen continued slowly, "Such a company cannot be disbanded, a unit like Fierce Tiger Brigade can't be lost either. We decide to disband battalions that have fought to their last because honor belongs to the past, and we must face new challenges. But if the old units have fought to new glory, why must they be disbanded? Besides... Big Red Third Company of the Fierce Tiger Brigade still has people, doesn't it!"

Li Wen pointed at Gao Yuan, "Xiao Gao, no need to be anxious. We'll retain the designation of 33258 Brigade, and the honorary title for the Fierce Tiger Brigade will also be granted."

Gao Yuan let out a long sigh of relief. He felt on the verge of collapse, and after taking a desperate breath, he said softly, "Thank you, I'm sorry, thank you leaders, I'm sorry..."

Li Wen sighed and said, "But there are conditions. I think, for quite some time, the Fierce Tiger Brigade might indeed have only you. There's a reason for this, which I'll explain later. Right now, we have more important matters to discuss. Our scientists have arrived. I would like to ask Xinghe to have a dialog with our scientists first. I hope you can understand."

Gao Yuan immediately said, "I understand, I'm sorry, I was too excited just now, I couldn't control my emotions, I'm sorry! You talk, go on with the important matters, we'll take our leave, sorry..."