Chapter 26: Departure

Chapter 26: Departure

The Company Commander certainly did not think that a casual, joking remark would strike the deepest secret in her heart. Instead, he solemnly produced a certificate of commendation, stood up, and snapped to attention. "Xu Qiao!"

"Here!" Xu Qiao reacted immediately, rising to attention as well.

"For your outstanding performance in this exercise, the regiment has decided to commend you!"

Xu Qiao took the certificate with both hands and offered a sharp, solemn military salute, a smile she could barely contain blooming on her face.

The Company Commander looked at her with a helpless expression. "If you want to smile, go ahead. This is a happy occasion; there’s nothing wrong with being happy."

Hearing this, Xu Qiao dropped all pretense and laughed, lowering her head to look at the commendation in her hands. It wasn't that she had never received medals before, but this was the first reward she had earned since arriving in this world.

It was the first step toward changing how everyone viewed her. She hadn't been responsible for the past actions of the original Xu Qiao, but since she had taken over this life, she had to bear the consequences of the mistakes made. Therefore, she didn't need to justify herself; she simply needed to do what she wanted to do now.

"However, I heard you are still living with the Communications Platoon, so it shouldn't be too much trouble. Take some time to say goodbye to the folks in the Mess Hall, and return to the Communications Platoon for training tomorrow."

When Xu Qiao returned to the Mess Hall, Sergeant Wu was preparing dinner, just like any other day.

Xu Qiao’s face changed as she heard the news. "Why? He just earned a merit; you can't just discard a loyal servant once the task is done!"

The Company Commander’s face darkened. "What are you talking about? What kind of people do you think we are? It’s not that we want him to go; he chose to leave himself."

Xu Qiao was stunned. "But... he wants to leave now. We’ve tried to persuade him, but we can't just keep holding him back, can we?"

The Company Commander sighed deeply. "To be honest, we want to keep such soldiers. With experienced veterans like them around, we feel more secure. But he has his reasons."

Xu Qiao felt a tightness in her chest. She had made her first friends in this world in the Mess Hall, and she had come to understand the life of a soldier here. She had originally thought that military training was all there was to it—that being a soldier just meant fighting. But after this exercise, she realized that in this era, knowing only how to fight wasn't enough.

The communications equipment and jamming devices in the barracks—even the computers she remembered from her past life—were things she had never seen before. Now that she had access to all of this, how could she not want to learn?

"But that is the Mess Hall, after all," the Company Commander continued. "We are the Communications Company. You can't spend a year in the army and only know how to cook, without knowing how to use communications equipment."

Xu Qiao hesitated, then asked, "Company Commander, could I... stay in the Mess Hall a little longer?"

"What?" The Company Commander looked at her, disbelieving, as if he had misheard.

"I feel like I can learn more from Sergeant Wu in the Mess Hall," she explained.

"But Sergeant Wu might be leaving, too," the Commander said.

Xu Qiao was shocked. She never expected that Sergeant Wu, who loved his uniform and the barracks so much, would actually leave.

When she returned to the kitchen, Sergeant Wu was turning around and noticed her. "What’s wrong? Did the Company Commander scold you?"

Xu Qiao shook her head. "No, he gave me this."

Sergeant Wu leaned in to take a look. "Oh, a commendation! Not bad!"

"Sergeant," Xu Qiao asked, her voice trembling, "is it true that you’re leaving?"

The entire kitchen went silent, save for the sound of steam rising from the pots. Sergeant Wu scanned the room and gave a resigned smile. "I was planning to find a time to tell everyone, but since you already know..."

"Why?" Xu Qiao asked, unable to accept it. "You’re so talented, and I’ve learned so much from you. If it weren't for what you taught me, I never could have achieved what I did in this exercise."

Sergeant Wu shook his head. "The barracks are like iron, but the soldiers are like flowing water; I am no exception. I’m getting old, and I won’t contribute much more if I stay. If I stubbornly cling to my spot, I’ll just be a burden to the unit."

"It’s better to go home now while I’m not yet too old, while I can still work, and find a good job to support my family."

Hearing these reasons, they could no longer find the words to persuade him to stay.