Chapter 147: My Son Has Made Something of Himself
Ironhand City, South District.
At the Song Family home, Song Jianmin and his wife, Tao Ling, were packing up their belongings in their little house.
Ever since the two of them had entered the steel factory under the Zhang Group, they had shown exceptionally strong work ability.
Especially Song Jianmin. Relying on his own skill, he won over both his coworkers and his superiors, and rose to become the leader of the Smelting Team.
His wife, Tao Ling, became the deputy leader of the Forging Team.
Their wages had increased tremendously.
But this was only the beginning, and the two of them could not feel happy at all. Their son had joined the Abyss-Suppressing Army and then been sent to the border.
The more they thought about it, the more it felt as though this job had come in exchange for their son’s life.
So ever since Song Chuhe left, the two of them had done little but sigh.
They had not even had the heart to move away from here.
During the sealing-off phase of Jinhua Steel Factory, these lowest-level staff dormitories had fallen into a state where no one was managing them.
So this group of unemployed people had simply continued living here.
Now that Jinhua had completely collapsed, the dormitory buildings were about to be torn down for redevelopment, and someone had notified these people to move out as soon as possible. So they had no choice but to pack up and leave.
Just as the couple came downstairs with their bundles, still sighing heavily, they heard the sound of several vehicles pulling up outside.
The neighbors, who had already gathered outside the corridor and were loading their belongings into vehicles, were also drawn by the noise, and a wave of noisy discussion broke out.
Song Jianmin and Tao Ling pushed through the crowd, and the neighbors hurriedly stepped aside for them.
At the same time, they kept calling out things like, “Congratulations, Old Song!” and “Old Song, you’ve really been hiding your strength!” and “Your kid really has made something of himself!”
The couple listened in confusion.
But the moment they stepped out from the crowd, the sight before them instantly brought tears to their eyes.
Three pickup trucks from the Military Residential District were parked in front of the building.
Wearing the uniform of the Abyss-Suppressing Army, looking sharp and full of spirit, Song Chuhe was walking toward the entrance to the corridor.
Behind him followed more than ten sturdy, broad-shouldered members of the Military Residential District Security Force.
They seemed to be preparing to follow Song Chuhe upstairs.
The moment Song Chuhe saw his parents, he immediately slowed his steps and stopped in front of the old couple.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Then Song Chuhe snapped to attention and gave the Abyss-Suppressing Army salute, his voice thick with tears as he said, “Wolf Guard of the Abyss-Suppressing Army, Deputy Commanding Officer of the Sixth Battalion of the Tiger Roar Army, Song Chuhe, reporting to Father and Mother!”
In this battle, Li Mu ranked first in merit. He received 1,400 Merit and was awarded the First-Class Merit ‘Vanguard Breaker’ Medal.
Song Chuhe ranked second in merit. He received 1,200 Merit and was awarded the First-Class Merit ‘Skilled Warrior’ Medal.
His rank had risen directly to Wolf Guard!
That rate of promotion was even faster than Li Mu’s.
Calling it deification in a single battle would not be an exaggeration at all.
After Liang Huajun and the others finished reviewing the full battle breakdown, all of them joked that Li Mu had benefited from Song Chuhe’s brilliance.
Although Li Mu’s role had been indispensable, and the strategy could not have been carried out without his Somersault Cloud and intelligence, it was also true that without Song Chuhe, the battle could never have been fought so beautifully.
Of course, there was more joking than seriousness in that way of putting it.
The growth of the Tiger Roar Camp soldiers, those pills, the Corpse Dissolution Flower liquid,
and most importantly, the Power of Faith brought by Li Mu as a kind of living totem—none of those could be missing.
Li Mu was an irreplaceable core.
And precisely because of that, the idea that Li Mu had somehow benefited from Song Chuhe’s brilliance was obviously a joke the moment one heard it.
Mother Tao Ling did not even really understand what her son meant by Wolf Guard or commanding officer.
From the moment she saw her son, only one thought remained in her mind.
My son is back!
My son is still alive!
“Wuu...” Tao Ling instantly covered her mouth and began to cry, stepping forward with trembling hands.
Song Chuhe hurried over, and Tao Ling pulled her son into her arms, pinching his face one moment and squeezing his arm the next, crying so hard that tears poured down her cheeks.
She kept asking whether he had been hurt.
Whether he had suffered any hidden injuries.
As for Song Jianmin, he pressed his old lips together tightly, and the tears turned round and round in his eyes, but still did not fall.
Yet his deep gaze met Song Chuhe’s as the latter comforted his mother.
Song Jianmin kept nodding.
That was a look of affirmation.
He slowly let out a long breath of turbid air.
It was as though he were exhaling in one breath all the bitterness and hardship he had endured for this family over the years.
And it was also as though he wanted to say something to the ancestors of the Song Family, but could not quite find the words.
Generation after generation, the Song Family had been commoners.
With my generation, Song Jianmin thought, that ends here!
The surrounding neighbors all came forward to offer their congratulations.
In the past, everyone had envied the Song couple, some had even been jealous, wondering how the two of them had managed to get jobs under the Zhang Group.
But now, they were no longer jealous.
Nor did they dare to be.
A beggar might not envy a millionaire, but he would certainly envy another beggar who earned more than he did.
A group of Military Residential District security personnel helped the Song Family load their things into the truck.
Even after getting in, Tao Ling was still asking, “Son, where are we going? Are you taking your mother with you to the front line? That’s fine too, at least you’ll be able to eat hot meals.”
Song Jianmin gave a bitter smile.
His wife was clearly too overwhelmed right now to think straight.
Song Chuhe laughed and said, “Mom, we’re moving into the Military Residential District. I have a military post now, so I’ve been assigned a house there.”
“Oh...” Tao Ling responded half-understandingly, then turned to look at her husband in confusion.
Only after Song Jianmin had recovered a little did he finally ask, “Son, how did you rise so quickly to... this... should I even be asking this?”
He lowered his voice halfway through, glancing toward the driver seated in front.
“There’s a confidentiality agreement. I can’t tell you the details.”
The confidentiality agreement allowed them to reveal their rank and military post.
But many things involving strategy, tactics, or internal military secrets were not permitted for discussion.
“But you only need to know one thing. I followed the right leader.”
“And I will absolutely prove worthy of the value he has placed on me!”
“As for my safety, you and Mom don’t need to worry too much in the future.”
“My position is much safer than that of the frontline soldiers.”
In truth, even a commanding officer often had to follow the battlefield in many campaigns.
He said that partly to reassure his parents, and partly because it really was somewhat safer than charging directly on the front line.
The same kind of scene also played out at Zhang Zhiwei’s home and Lu Chenfeng’s home.
Zhang Zhiwei and Lu Chenfeng had not contributed all that much in this battle.
Each had received 400 Merit and been promoted to Mid Wolf Guard.
Even at that rate, Lu Chenfeng’s father, Lu Zhenshan, was still full of approval, and the father and son drank together.
Zhang Chaoyang went even further and laid out a huge family banquet.
Of course, he did not dare flaunt it too openly, since his family had a Military-Industrial-Grade Enterprise in the background.
Being too showy would bring no benefits.
But he had nowhere to vent all that swagger, so he could only treat the entire Zhang household staff to delicacies from land and sea.
Maids, cooks, the security team—even the gardener ended up at the table drinking fine liquor that ordinary bosses could never get their hands on.
Li Mu’s home and Wang Longcheng’s home were naturally just as lively.
After the meal, Bai Tiewei and Yang Suying chatted happily together.
Chen Jiaqi and Chen Jiafeng clung to the beautiful older sister Wang Yinhuan, asking her to tell them amusing stories about the Research Institute.
As for Wang Longcheng, he and Li Mu sat on the sofa drinking tea.
Li Mu poured Wang Longcheng a cup.
Wang Longcheng looked at Li Mu, his eyes full of admiration.
He himself had built up his achievements over more than ten years, accumulating slowly and then erupting all at once, surviving countless brushes with death and commanding battle after battle.
This time, he had only barely reached Mid Tiger Marquis by riding the fading warmth of Li Mu’s great merit.
If he wanted to rise another step, he would probably still have to endure for a very long time.
But Li Mu—Li Mu was now only 100 Merit short of Mid Tiger Marquis!
Even if Li Mu did absolutely nothing, once the Military Merit Bureau calculated the drop in mortality among blade-type Martial Artists in the next quarter, Li Mu would immediately receive at least several hundred Merit.
Surpassing Wang Longcheng was only a matter of time.
Maybe only a month.
Maybe only ten days or so...And Li Mu’s cultivation was advancing at a shocking rate as well.
He was already an Eighth Grade expert now!
Even the principal of Blackwater High School, Yin Changming, had no higher cultivation than that.
As for true fighting power, if they really fought, Wang Longcheng admitted that he himself probably would not be Li Mu’s match.
That boy was growing far too quickly.
What shocked him most of all was that Li Mu had tested his Talent again after coming back.
S-Grade Talent, “Source of Strength.”
Compared to the F-Grade Talent “Heavy Strike” he had once had, it was the difference between heaven and earth.
“Didn’t you promise Yinhuan that you’d go take a look at Linyuan City?”
Wang Longcheng asked.
“I did. And it just so happens I can go have a look around the Research Institute where she works.”
Li Mu smiled.
“Mhm. But the Wanren Military District on Linyuan City’s side has already sent word. They hope you’ll go take a look around Wanren Military District as well.”
“You can take the chance to inspect the environment and see whether the Abyss under Linyuan City suits you.”
“If you think it does, then I’ll recommend that you compete for a full post in Wanren Military District.”
The moment Wang Longcheng finished speaking, Li Mu froze.
“Uncle Wang, I...”
“Hey.”
Wang Longcheng raised a hand and cut him off.
“I know what you’re going to say. Don’t worry. No matter where you go, your roots will always remain in Pearl Military District. That much will not change!”
“But you are an eagle! The sky above Ironhand City is too small.”
“The Abyss under Linyuan City and the Abyss under Ironhand City are two different worlds!”
“Once you go there, you’ll understand naturally why I want you to develop there. It will absolutely do you great good.”
“And besides, Tiger Roar Camp has already been divided into six major camps on this side.”
“Your Tiger-numbered Tiger Roar Army needs to be expanded by at least another seven thousand men!”
“Wanren Military District was the biggest supporter in terms of manpower sent to us.”
“If you establish yourself firmly in Wanren Military District, it will help you build up your own foundation even better.”
“With Song Chuhe looking after Tiger Roar Army on this side, you should be able to feel at ease.”
Wang Longcheng both persuaded him and laid out the logic step by step.
But that only made Li Mu more puzzled.
“To be honest, there’s always been one question on my mind. It’s about the Abyss.”
“Why does everyone say that the Abyss under Linyuan City and our Abyss are two different worlds?”
“And why is it that as we expand outward through the Abyss, the monsters grow stronger layer by layer, their strength gradually increasing?”
“So far, I’ve only ever seen Profound Rank monsters. I still haven’t seen an Earth Rank monster, just as I still haven’t seen an Earth Rank Martial Artist.”
Wang Longcheng laughed.
“Your position really has reached the level where you should be thinking about the truth of the Abyss.”
“But your high school curriculum hasn’t reached that part yet. And even when it does, what you’ll learn will only be the most superficial layer.”
“Well then, today I’ll tell you everything I know about the secrets of the Abyss.”