260: meet

Hongdu

The base's airport runway was swept spotless, and the winter sunlight spilled onto the brand-new concrete, reflecting a faint white glow.

The sky was clear with sparse clouds, a wash of brilliant blue.

According to the schedule, representatives from the Western Military Region and the Southern Military Region would arrive one after another on this day.

Jiang Xin attached great importance to this, personally leading Zhang Lei and Tanya to the airport to welcome them, showing respect for the two major military regions, especially their long-term ally, the Southern Military Region.

The first to appear on the horizon was the Southern Military Region's transport plane, which landed smoothly on the runway and taxied to the designated area.

The cabin door opened, and Yang Zhen of the Southern Military Region, dressed in a sharp general's uniform and looking hale and hearty, was the first to step down the gangway. Following closely behind him was the valiant and heroic Nangong Yu, though her brow seemed clouded with complex thoughts, along with a crack escort team.

With a sincere smile on his face, Jiang Xin strode forward and cupped his hands in greeting, his posture warm yet retaining the air of a powerful leader: "General Yang! It's been a long journey! You look radiant; I trust everything has been well lately!" He then turned to Nangong Yu, waving his hand with a gentle smile: "Miss Nangong, it's been a long time. Your elegance is even greater than before!"

Yang Zhen laughed and shook Jiang Xin's hand firmly, his grip full of strength: "Young friend Jiang Xin! Thanks to you, everything is fine! It has indeed been a while since we parted at Lingnan. Commander-in-Chief Zhou gave me strict instructions before I left to make sure I thanked you and the soldiers of your Red Alert Legion in person! If not for your assistance during the last Lingnan Campaign, the area north of Lingnan probably wouldn't have been liberated so quickly! Our Southern Military Region will keep this friendship in our hearts!"

"General Yang, you're too kind!" Jiang Xin quickly waved his hand, his tone sincere. "As fellow soldiers of China, helping each other and overcoming difficulties together is only our duty. Mutual aid is the only way to win a glimmer of hope for our human race in this post-apocalyptic world." He stepped aside, bringing Zhang Lei forward to introduce him formally: "General Yang, Miss Nangong, this is the pillar of my Red Alert Legion and my brother-in-arms—Zhang Lei."

Zhang Lei was a bit embarrassed by Jiang Xin's formal introduction and gave Jiang Xin a playful punch on the shoulder with a laugh: "You rascal!" Then he pulled back his smile and cupped his hands toward Yang Zhen, his attitude humble and polite: "Old General Yang, I have long heard of your great name! I, Zhang Lei, greet the General."

Yang Zhen sized Zhang Lei up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light as he made no secret of his admiration: "It is I who have heard so much about you, young friend Zhang Lei! The 'ice fire divine lord,' the second-ranked expert in China! Beneath the walls of Lujiang, you fought the Zombie Tide single-handedly. Your display of Water and Fire Divine Arts was earth-shaking; just watching the real-time footage was enough to make one's blood boil! Seeing you today, you truly are a hero from the younger generation!"

"General Yang, you overpraise me; I don't deserve such honor," Zhang Lei said with a humble smile, but his upright posture and the occasional flash of brilliance in his eyes all displayed the confidence of a powerful expert.

"Xiao Yu," Yang Zhen said with a beaming face as he gently pushed the somewhat quiet Nangong Yu forward. "You've known Commander-in-Chief Jiang for a long time, but this is your first time meeting General Zhang. You're all young talents, so it's a good chance to get to know each other."

Nangong Yu took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in her heart. First, she stood at attention in a standard military posture and gave Jiang Xin and Zhang Lei a crisp, clean salute. Her voice was clear: "General Jiang! General Zhang!" Then she reached out and shook hands with them in turn. Her hand was warm and strong, but when it touched Jiang Xin's palm, it seemed to pause for an imperceptible moment.

"Miss Nangong, you're being too formal," Jiang Xin said, sensing her official manner. He laughed, "We've been friends for a while now; you can just call me Jiang Xin. Using 'General' this and 'General' that only makes us seem like strangers."

Nangong Yu looked up at Jiang Xin, then quickly looked away. She maintained a polite smile, but her voice dropped a few octaves: "General Jiang... your strength is unfathomable. During the battle at Phoenix City, I almost died at the hands of the Twin Giants; it was thanks to General Jiang that I was saved. Moreover, you protect the people and have achieved brilliant military feats. Whether in terms of strength, merit, or personally... I should maintain my respect and would not dare to be rude."

Watching from the side, Yang Zhen grew anxious. This girl was usually so decisive and vigorous in the military region; why was she so restrained here? He chuckled to smooth things over: "Aiyoh! Xiao Yu, look at you. Although Commander-in-Chief Jiang and General Zhang have achieved great things, they're both young men, your peers! Don't be so serious. Just treat them as friends of the same generation and talk. Young people have plenty in common!"

How could Nangong Yu not hear the underlying meaning in Yang Zhen's words? Governor Zheng Xiu-yuan's earnest yet highly suggestive "heart-to-heart" before their departure surfaced in her mind again.

In her heart, she did indeed feel admiration and even a faint, hazy liking for this powerful, steady, and decisive young Commander. However, being proactive in "catering to" or "vying for" him went against her pride as an expert and her straightforward personality as a soldier.

Being pushed like this by Yang Zhen, a faint blush couldn't help but creep onto her face. She subconsciously glanced at Jiang Xin again, only to meet his calm yet deep gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head again.

With his keen eyes, Zhang Lei had long since seen through Yang Zhen's intentions and Nangong Yu's subtle reactions. He gave a mischievous smile and chimed in: "Miss Nangong, don't listen to General Yang's official talk. Jiang Xin has been very free lately; he definitely has time to invite you for tea! Go ahead and don't worry, he wouldn't dare neglect you. If he dares to ignore you, you won't even have to lift a finger—as his brother, I'll beat him to a pulp first!" As he spoke, he even brandished his fist, looking as if he were "backing her up."

Jiang Xin gave Zhang Lei a helpless eye-roll; this guy really loved to stir up trouble. Nangong Yu, however, was a bit flustered by Zhang Lei's joking "support." Her soldierly valiancy was momentarily diluted by a young woman's shyness, and she actually nodded subconsciously, letting out a soft "Mm."

"Heh, men."

A cold voice, carrying a trace of imperceptible mockery, came from the side. Tanya, who had been standing quietly behind Jiang Xin, slightly furrowed her beautiful brows. Her eyes swept over Jiang Xin and Zhang Lei before lingering on Nangong Yu for a split second. She then quickly looked away, standing with her arms crossed in a cold, elegant, and aloof posture.

Nangong Yu immediately felt the unusual atmosphere and the scrutiny in that cold gaze. She instantly regained some of her composure and looked toward Tanya.

Nangong Yu had long heard of this woman—one of the core high-ranking members of the Red Alert Legion, a powerful Valkyrie, and one who was often by Jiang Xin's side... "I haven't asked yet, this is..." Nangong Yu took the initiative to speak, trying to break the subtle atmosphere.

"Tanya!" The cold voice rang out crisply, not even waiting for Nangong Yu to finish. Tanya just gave a slight nod as a greeting, her gaze meeting Nangong Yu's squarely. The eyes of these two equally outstanding, high-ranking women met in the air; there were no sparks, but there was a silent contest. The scene fell quiet for a moment, carrying a hint of indescribable awkwardness.

"Swoosh—Woo—"

Just then, another large transport plane bearing the insignia of the Western Military Region streaked across the sky, landing steadily on an adjacent runway with a low roar, breaking the brief awkwardness.

The cabin door opened, and a team stepped down quickly. The woman in the lead was tall, her steps steady and powerful. The hem of her well-tailored, dark blue field officer's woolen greatcoat swayed slightly in the wind as she walked, further accentuating her upright posture.

On her feet were polished tall military boots, wrapping around her long and gracefully lined legs, each step resounding and rhythmic.