264: Hongdu Military Parade and Conferment Ceremony

A deep, rich, and highly penetrating voice, sounding as if it carried a metallic vibration, suddenly exploded through the massive speakers around the square! It was Chen Hao, serving as the field Commander-in-Chief for this parade!

Those four words were like an invisible command, instantly silencing the hundreds of thousands of people in the square! Even their breathing seemed to slow down.

A Sentinel Detachment composed of elite soldiers from the Red Alert Legion appeared, moving as if the most precise machinery had been activated.

They wore ceremonial military caps and polished boots, carrying standard-issue rifles with fixed bayonets that glinted coldly in the morning light.

Upon command, they began goose-stepping in unison, their movements so perfectly synchronized it was breathtaking!

"Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!"

Each time their boot heels struck the granite ground, they produced a heavy, sonorous, and rhythmic bang. The sound merged into a soul-stirring torrent that hammered against everyone's hearts.

Their eyes were like torches, staring straight ahead, the determination and killing intent in their gaze making all onlookers tremble with awe. The sentinels marched with absolute precision in their steps and spacing to designated points at key locations across the square. Then, with a "swish," they halted, turned, and lowered their rifles in a series of clean, sharp movements, freezing like statues cast in steel. Their presence immediately defined the most solemn boundaries for the entire square, and an aura of stern solemnity filled the air.

Once all the sentinels were firmly in place like driven nails, Jiang Feifei stepped forward again. Facing the microphone, she announced in an even loftier and more ceremonial voice:

"The Hongdu Military Parade and Commissioning Ceremony begins now!"

"First, please welcome the Qin Guoqiang of the Red Alert Legion—Comrade Jiang Xin, to deliver a speech!"

A tide of applause erupted instantly, echoing over the square like thunder.

Jiang Xin stood up from the center of the viewing stand. He once again adjusted his already meticulous collar and cuffs, took a deep breath, his gaze steady and profound. He stepped out, walking along the red carpet toward the rostrum, each step firm and powerful, as if carrying the expectations of the millions of people in Xijiang Province.

Jiang Xin walked to the microphone, lightly resting his hands on the edge of the podium. He looked out over the sea below, formed by countless gazes of longing, trust, and reverence.

"Fellow compatriots! Fellow comrades-in-arms! Friends who have come from afar!" His voice broadcast through the speakers; at first, it seemed to carry a hint of imperceptible hoarseness—a trace left by months of campaigning and exhaustive effort. Yet, rather than weakening its impact, this hoarseness added a weathered, incredibly weighty quality to his words.

"I, Jiang, made a vow in Lujiang several months ago!" He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through time and space to return to that difficult moment of beginning.

"I said that I, Jiang Xin, would surely lead everyone to reclaim Xijiang Province, restore our homeland, and let the land of Xijiang see the light of day again!" His voice suddenly rose, filled with sonorous power and immense pride: "Today! Right here! Beneath the walls of the Hero City—Hongdu! Before the witness of countless elders of Xijiang! I... can finally tell everyone loudly—" He clenched his fist and swung it heavily: "We! Did it!!!"

"Waaaah————————!!!"

Before his voice even faded, the entire square completely boiled over! Applause, cheers, and shouts erupted like a long-suppressed volcano, soaring straight into the clouds!

Countless people had tears in their eyes, clapping so hard their palms turned red without them even noticing. This was not just a cult of personality for Jiang Xin, but a collective resonance and emotional release for all participants and for this arduous yet glorious journey!

Jiang Xin raised his hand slightly, signaling for silence. Once the waves of sound subsided a bit, he spoke again, his voice becoming even more powerful and full of emotion: "Our Xijiang is a red land of hot blood with a glorious revolutionary tradition and a lineage of heroes! We have the majestic revolutionary sacred mountain—Red Mountain, and the Hero City, Hongdu! When the apocalypse broke out and the world was overturned, I, Jiang, traveled through the various cities of Xijiang and saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears—every city has her own heroes! Every ordinary citizen is using unimaginable tenacity to persist and to fight!"

Jiang Xin's gaze swept over the figures in the front row below the stage: "Not just Lujiang, where I started, but the Region, Sword City, Qianzhou, Hongdu... under the leadership of countless heroic sons and daughters of Xijiang, battle standards were raised in the face of desperation, and a Great Wall was built with flesh and blood to stubbornly resist this apocalyptic natural disaster!"

"It is precisely because of these unyielding heroes and the millions of compatriots who did not give up that our Red Alert Legion could gather this unstoppable force and finally succeed in reclaiming the entire territory of Xijiang Province!"

Jiang Xin's voice was filled with sincere respect. "Here, I first wish to pay the highest tribute to the heroes of Xijiang Province! And taking this opportunity, I, Jiang Xin, on behalf of the Red Alert Legion, will present medals of honor to their outstanding representatives!" Following his words, Lu Qinian, Governor Wu Changming, Tang Qi, Luo Chen, Yao Ke, Huangfu Yao, and others sitting in the front row of the VIP section stood up excitedly. Facing Jiang Xin and the Monument to the Heroes on the stage, they stood solemnly at attention and gave a standard military salute. Their figures represented the unyielding souls of the resistance forces from all over Xijiang.

"Although I, Jiang, am the leader of this legion," Jiang Xin's tone turned low, filled with sentiment, "every victory and every city's liberation was won by the thousands of soldiers under my command, who fought bloody battles without fear of death! Some of them remain forever on the road to reclaiming a certain county town; others sacrificed themselves heroically while covering the evacuation of the masses..."

Jiang Xin faced the square, the countless citizens, and seemingly the invisible souls of the fallen, as he slowly and deeply bowed.

"Here, I want to express my most heartfelt thanks—to all my soldiers! You are the greatest contributors to the liberation of Xijiang!" This bow was profound and heavy with emotion. The audience below instantly erupted into thunderous, long-lasting applause once more. Many soldiers had tears in their eyes and straightened their chests; the citizens responded with even more enthusiastic cheers for this Commander who shared their joys and sorrows and never forgot his roots.

Jiang Xin's impassioned and deeply felt speech completely ignited the emotions of the crowd, as a strong sense of belonging and pride surged in everyone's hearts.

Subsequently, Jiang Xin solemnly invited General Qin Guoqiang, the National Government's Qin Guoqiang, to the stage to give the final address. General Qin Guoqiang's speech was visionary, fully affirming the achievements of the Red Alert Legion and expressing firm confidence in the future of Xijiang and even the entire country, once again elevating the significance of the ceremony to a national level.

Finally, Jiang Feifei announced in a clear voice:

"The Hongdu Military Parade and Commissioning Ceremony is officially open!"

"Fire the salute guns!!!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ..."

Eleven salute guns roared in succession, deafeningly, symbolizing the eleven major cities of Xijiang Province (including Hongdu)! The sound of the cannons was continuous, with faint smoke drifting. A total of ten rounds of roaring seemed to announce the arrival of a new era to the heavens and earth, while also paying tribute to past sacrifices and future journeys with the most solemn of ceremonies!

Amidst the soul-shaking echoes of the salute guns and under the gazes of countless people who were too emotional to contain themselves, the National Flag Guard began to march in their most majestic posture, slowly proceeding from the entrance of the square toward the rostrum and the Monument to the Heroes!!!!