85: Chapter 85 Not One Less

The air in the warehouse was scalding hot.

It was ignited by over four hundred men, fueled by the ecstasy of survival and long-suppressed grief.

Cries.

Laughter.

Roars.

Mingled together, they almost blew the roof off this small, temporary sanctuary.

A Soldier knelt on the ground, his fists pounding the cold floor relentlessly.

He wasn't crying.

He was just laughing.

But as he laughed, tears began to stream down his face.

Another Soldier held his comrade in a death grip.

They pounded each other's backs with all their might, as if trying to beat out every ounce of fear and despair from the past few days.

Shangguan Zhibiao, a man made of iron, was now slumped on the ground like a child.

He buried his face deep in the crook of his arm.

His shoulders shook with violent, uncontrollable sobs.

The entire warehouse had become an ocean of joy and sorrow.

Chen Xi leaned against a corner.

The cold wall sent sharp, burning waves of pain through the wounds on his back.

But he didn't care.

He watched the chaotic yet incredibly real scene before him.

He looked at those young faces, stained with blood and smoke, yet so vibrantly alive.

He smiled.

A smile from the heart—exhausted, yet profoundly satisfied.

It was worth it.

He reached out his hand.

Trembling, he reached toward the pocket over his chest.

His fingertips brushed against a cold, hard, small bulge.

It was the copper button that belonged to Chen Shusheng.

He gently clasped it in his palm.

The button seemed to still hold the warmth of that young man's body.

And that final shout that transcended time and space.

"Brother Chen, for me... take a look at the future China!"

(Little Chen.)

(Do you see it?)

Chen Xi closed his eyes and whispered back in his heart.

(Your brothers.)

(Not a single one... is missing.)

(We've all come home.)

A tall figure blocked the light in front of him.

It was Xie Jinyuan.

He had already tidied his uniform, but his bloodshot eyes, still stained with tear tracks, betrayed his own loss of composure just moments ago.

He said nothing.

He simply stood there, under the gaze of everyone present, and slowly raised his right hand toward the blood-soaked young man leaning in the corner.

A military salute—the most standard, the most noble, and the most heavy.

"I, Xie Jinyuan!"

His voice was hoarse, yet it rang out with power.

"On behalf of all the officers and men of my 524th Regiment!"

"On behalf of these four hundred and twenty-three lives behind me, who have escaped death!"

"Thank you, Sir!"

"For saving our lives!"

He lowered his head.

This iron-blooded regimental commander, who had never bowed his head to any enemy on the battlefield.

At this moment, he deeply bowed his proud head to this young man of unknown origin.

A collective rustle—

The Soldiers behind him seemed to be instantly ignited by this gesture.

They stopped crying; they stopped cheering.

Spontaneously, they scrambled up from the ground and stood at attention.

They crowded around.

Surrounding Chen Xi in the very center.

They didn't speak.

They simply stared at him with burning eyes, filled with a mixture of awe, gratitude, and fervor.

And then.

A Soldier unhooked the canteen from his waist and clumsily held it out.

Another Soldier pulled half a piece of hard, dry flatbread from his tunic and offered it.

Someone else even tried to hand him their rifle.

They didn't know how to express themselves.

They only wanted to give everything precious they had to this "god" who had granted them a second life.

Shangguan Zhibiao also walked over.

He stood before Chen Xi, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

He just repeated the salute over and over again.

As if he wanted to exhaust all the respect of his remaining years in this single moment.

[Waaaah... I can't take this...]

[We did it! We really did it!]

[Not a single one left behind! Master Xi! You're a fucking god!]

[This is a fucking hero of my Dragon Country! This is it!]

[In this life, I have no regrets being born in Huaxia! In this life, I have no regrets being born in Huaxia!]

The year 2026.

Late at night.

In countless homes, offices, and internet cafes.

Before glowing screens.

There was a sea of tears.

People embraced, wept, and cheered.

As if the ones who created that miracle weren't the ancestors of eighty-nine years ago.

But they themselves.

An unprecedented, massive, and pure torrent of emotion.

Transcended time and space, converging upon that cold system panel.

*Buzz—*

In Chen Xi's mind, the system interface that had been silent for a long time began to flash frantically.

Scarlet warnings and golden data streams intertwined, nearly causing his consciousness to explode.

[Warning! Ultra-massive influx of emotion points detected!]

[emotion points have exceeded the historical threshold!]

[Unlocking... Ultimate Authority...]

The cold, mechanical notification voice roared frantically inside Chen Xi's mind.

But Chen Xi didn't even bother to spare it a glance.

He just struggled to raise his hand.

Pushing away the canteens and flatbreads held out before him.

He looked at those sincere, simple, and lovely faces.

He wanted to say something.

But he was too tired.

The wounds on his back felt as if countless ants were devouring his flesh.

The dizziness from blood loss came in waves, like a rising tide.

His vision began to darken.

Before losing consciousness completely.

He only managed to use his last bit of strength to crack a smile and say two words to these brothers whose lives he had traded his own for.

"It's wonderful."