74: Chapter 74 The Last Meal

In the warehouse, a strange smell permeated the air.

It was the aroma of food mixed with the scent of blood and the dusty smell of gunpowder smoke.

The Soldiers lined up, silently receiving their portion of dinner.

It was also their last meal.

There were no hot dishes.

Only some hard, dry flatbreads and a pot of thin rice soup that could barely be called porridge.

There were also some canned goods.

Those were exchanged by Chen Xi using his "Contribution Points" from that cold system mall.

He had almost cleared out all the food available for exchange.

Canned beef.

Canned luncheon meat.

Canned yellow peaches.

These industrial foods, which were the most ordinary things in 2026.

At this moment, they had become the most luxurious delicacies.

No one spoke.

The entire warehouse was terrifyingly quiet.

There was only the sound of chewing and the occasional one or two uncontrollable coughs.

This wasn't a victory banquet.

This was a farewell meal.

A young Soldier from Hubei Province found his fellow townsman.

That fellow townsman had been assigned to the first group to evacuate.

From his chest, he pulled out a letter soaked in sweat and crumpled into a ball.

He stuffed it into his townsman's hand.

"If... if you make it back..."

He wanted to say something, but his throat felt as if it were blocked.

"Give it to my mother."

The townsman didn't speak.

He just nodded heavily.

He carefully placed the letter into his innermost pocket.

Then, he patted it firmly.

As if what was stored there was a thousand-pound burden.

Scenes like this were playing out in every corner of the warehouse.

There was no loud wailing.

There were no dramatic partings between life and death.

Only silent, clumsy entrustments.

Shangguan Zhibiao sat on a pile of ammo crates, eating the canned beef in his hand bite by bite.

He ate very slowly and carefully.

As if he wanted to remember this taste.

A veteran Soldier approached, holding half a crumpled cigarette in his hand.

"Company Commander, can I get a light?"

Shangguan Zhibiao fished a match out of his pocket, struck it, and lit it for him.

The veteran took a deep drag and coughed from the smoke.

Amidst the swirling smoke, his face flickered in and out of the light.

"When I get back, I'm definitely going to marry a wife."

The veteran grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"I don't care if she's pretty, as long as she can make me a bowl of hot noodle soup."

Another Soldier heard this and came over as well.

"I just want to go home and see the kid I've never met. I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl."

They chatted.

Talking about those simplest of wishes that might never be realized.

Shangguan Zhibiao did not join them.

He just listened silently, finishing the last piece of beef bite by bite.

Then, he carefully placed the empty tin at his feet.

Chen Xi leaned against the corner of the wall.

He didn't eat anything.

He just stood there, watching quietly.

He watched those young, tired, yet exceptionally calm faces under the dim light.

He watched them clumsily entrusting their final affairs.

He watched them longing for the hometowns they couldn't return to amidst the smoke.

In the history books of later generations, these people would be just a cold number.

A vague symbol named the "Eight Hundred Heroes."

But at this moment.

They were living people of flesh and blood.

They could feel pain, they could feel fear, and they could miss home.

But not a single one of them was backing down.

Chen Xi's heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand.

It hurt so much he could hardly breathe.

He finally understood what it was he was protecting.

It wasn't a piece of cold history.

Nor was it a hollow game dungeon.

But these great souls who used their lives and blood to pave a path toward the light for future generations.

He lowered his head.

Looking at his hands, which were covered in bloodstains and dust.

These hands had once taken countless lives.

They had also saved countless lives.

And now, they would decide the final fate of these four hundred-plus Soldiers.

*Buzz.*

In his mind, the cold system interface vibrated slightly.

A line of cold text appeared before his eyes.

[Intense emotional fluctuation detected in the player. Enable "Emotion Shielding" mode?]

Chen Xi smiled faintly.

Shielding?

Using his consciousness, he selected "No."

He wanted to remember this feeling.

To remember this heaviness, enough to tear the soul apart.

Because this was the only meaning for him to continue... The meal was finished.

The last cigarette had also been smoked.

The Soldiers began to silently pack their things.

Actually, there wasn't much to pack.

Just a rifle, a few rows of bullets, and a uniform that had long since been soaked in blood and gunpowder smoke.

Xie Jinyuan stood up.

He walked to the center of the warehouse.

Every eye was focused on him.

He didn't give any pre-battle pep talk.

Nor did he say anything to boost morale.

He simply scanned everyone present with those calm yet sharp eyes.

Then, in an exceptionally clear and steady voice, he said:

"Brothers."

"The meal is finished."

"Prepare to go home."

Home.

Two simple words.

Yet they were like a clap of thunder, exploding in the depths of everyone's heart.

No one cheered.

No one shouted.

They just silently straightened their long-exhausted backs.

They picked up their rifles.

Checking the last bullet in the chamber.

Then, with an almost pious and solemn posture, they placed their worn, blood-stained military caps squarely on their heads.

In the entire warehouse, there was only the crisp sound of clashing metal.

And the sounds of suppressed yet incredibly firm breathing.

Night deepened.

An unprecedented retreat, heading toward death to find life.

Was about to begin.