Chapter 1636: Doing My Best! Living Up to the Mission
Jiangnan was furious. They had agreed beforehand that he would take the blame for him, so why did he insist on dragging him along?
So he was planning to shift the blame on the spot? What a three-eyed bastard! Good thing he had been prepared! Everyone who plays tactics has a dirty heart!
(angry squint)
Pfft!
Di Rui's gaze fell on Jiangnan, and as he looked at the entire team, he was also stunned for a moment.
Good heavens, he really brought the whole family? Adults and children all present, even some non-humans? This lineup is indeed quite complete!
Then he smiled amiably: (friendly smile) "It's cold outside. Everyone, come inside!"
Jiangnan and the others stood straight and quickly saluted! (saluting) "Yes, Chief Commander!"
The other old men also looked at them with smiles.
Then his gaze turned to Yang Jian, and he glared and scolded: (scolding look) "What are you looking at? Don't stand there like a telephone pole. Get inside!"
Yang Jian: (awkward sweat)
Do you have to change your expression so quickly? That's really double standards!
As everyone entered the yard and prepared to go inside, they saw Xing Cheng turn and fix her eyes on the two sugar-coated hawthorn sticks protruding from the snowman. Her eyes sparkled! (sparkling eyes)
This looks edible? So she pounced over and opened her mouth to bite the snowman!
Jiangnan exclaimed: (shocked face) "You... don't! You can't just eat that! That's the Chief Commander's sugar-coated hawthorn, you..."
But it was too late; Xing Cheng had already eaten it. She showed a melting expression. (melting face) Sweet! Delicious~
Jiangnan's expression froze; he was about to speak when he heard Di Rui laugh heartily: (laughing) "It's fine! She's just a child! Eating it is okay, but is it really fine that she ate the bamboo stick too?"
Jiangnan smiled wryly: "Never mind bamboo sticks, even the moon was chewed up by her!"
Di Rui was startled inwardly. This... is the human form of that Star-Devouring Giant Worm?
Xing Cheng tilted her head, pointing at where the snowman had been with a cute expression: (pointing) "Yours?"
Di Rui's mouth twitched. How could he admit that he hadn't eaten one in a long time and bought it to secretly enjoy when no one was around? If these young people knew that an old man of his age still ate sugar-coated hawthorn, wouldn't he lose face?
(awkward laugh) "Ahaha—I bought it for my granddaughter, thinking she'd like it. Kids all love this, right? It's fine, you..."
Before he finished speaking, Xing Cheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Jiangnan immediately had a bad feeling. "Damn!"
Sure enough! Xing Cheng instantly darted behind Di Rui, grabbed his head, and bit him right on the forehead!
In an instant, Di Rui froze in place, blood streaming down his face, completely stunned. (stunned face) "Is this... is this how young people greet each other nowadays?"
Xing Cheng: (teary eyes) "Woo—more!"
Jiangnan: !!! (panicking) "Damn! Quick! Let go of the Chief Commander! You'll go to jail, I'm telling you!"
"Even if you bite him, there's no extra sugar-coated hawthorn for you!"
Yang Jian was terrified; he immediately joined the few old men in the room to pull Xing Cheng off, but it was no use!
The rule that biting heads gives delicious food was one of the clearest pieces of knowledge Xing Cheng had mastered among the few she knew.
Jiangnan had no choice but to quickly pull out a huge fresh vine branch from the Alternate Dimension. This lured Xing Cheng down. She ate the vine in a few bites and looked satisfied. (satisfied face)
As expected! The law of biting head for food is correct!
Don't ask where the vine branch came from; it was obviously cut from Little Moon. Jiangnan had prepared a large snack reserve for Xing Cheng.
Mila quickly cast a healing spell on Di Rui, and his bitten head recovered as before.
The group entered the house. Di Rui, afraid of being bitten again, kept his distance.
Jiangnan's face darkened even more. He had come expecting to be beaten, but instead, before any beating, he ended up having the Chief Commander's head bitten! Could it be more exciting?
If only he hadn't brought Xing Cheng! (apologetic) "I'm... I'm sorry. She's young, not very sensible, she..."
Di Rui waved his hand and smiled kindly. "It's fine. But about your earlier fake death..."
At this point, Di Rui paused. Jiangnan's heart was in his throat.
Then he continued: "I understand the whole story. I don't blame you. It was a desperate move to avoid harassment from the Holy Star."
"But next time, remember to inform us. Although we old men are old, our acting skills are quite good."
"Otherwise, if you do this a few more times, our old hearts can't take it."
Jiangnan was startled. Huh? No beating? Then he quickly said: "Yes, Grandpa Di!"
Then Di Rui's gaze fell on Yang Jian, his expression darkening. (stern face) "As for you! As Secretary-General, you knew the truth but didn't report it. You concealed information from your superiors. Do you still remember the duties of the Secretary-General?"
Yang Jian stood up straight, lowered his head, and said in a low voice: "I remember."
Di Rui said impatiently: (unhappy face) "Remember? Good that you remember! From today, you are relieved of your position as Secretary-General! A mistake is a mistake!"
Yang Jian bowed his head. (dejected) "Yes."
But Jiangnan became anxious: (worried face) "Grandpa Di, are you really firing Brother Jian? He has elderly above and young below. If he loses his job, he'll have to kneel on a washboard at home!"
"This... this isn't Brother Jian's fault. I suggested it, and I asked him to keep it secret. I..."
Di Rui's expression remained unchanged. "Yang Jian is no longer fit for the position of Secretary-General. Pack your things this afternoon and hand over your work."
"Later, you will assume the post of Dispatch Envoy, taking office immediately. There will be many things to handle."
Yang Jian was stunned, completely dumbfounded! (shocked face)
Jiangnan looked dejected: (sad face) It's over. Brother Jian lost his job. That Dispatch Envoy doesn't sound impressive at all?
"Brother Jian! It's okay, whatever the salary difference is from before, I'll make it up to you!"
Yang Jian's face flushed: (flushed face) "Make it up my ass! I've been promoted! I'll get a raise!"
Dispatch Envoy? Heaven! This is a level higher than Secretary-General, with the authority to coordinate and dispatch all parties. In summary, it's equivalent to the external spokesperson of the core leadership. A position with substantial power!
Jiangnan was startled. P...promoted? Damn! That scared me. Grandpa Di, this old man, is really crafty.
Di Rui smiled. (smirking face) "What? I heard the fake death was your idea?"
Jiangnan's expression stiffened, full of guilt: (guilty face) "No... no! How could I? I just took the blame to plead for Brother Jian. It was all Brother Jian's idea!"
Yang Jian: (deadpan face)... Give me back my being moved!
Di Rui laughed and scolded: "You clever little brat! Come here!"
Jiangnan stepped forward with a nervous heart, lips dry.
Di Rui's expression turned serious. He took Jiangnan's hand and handed him a new officer's ID.
"The moon! Well done!"
Jiangnan blushed and eagerly opened the ID to check. Then his eyes widened. (wide-eyed shock) "Su...Supreme Marshal?"
This is almost the top, right? He was a Junior Marshal before. Jumping ranks?
Yang Jian peeked and his eyes twitched. Damn! His rank is higher than mine?
Di Rui smiled: "You deserve it."
"All our lives, we old men have been doing one thing: wanting the people to live good lives, no matter the winds of change or the changing times."
"Now the future of Hua Xia is in your hands!"
As he spoke, his big hand heavily patted Jiangnan's palm.
On the officer's ID, the red steel stamps were glaringly conspicuous, almost overlapping and filling the page.
Each steel stamp represented countless life-and-death battles and narrow escapes. Di Rui knew better than anyone what this 23-year-old young man had gone through over the years, and how he had come this far.
Jiangnan took a deep breath, stood at attention, and saluted. "Doing my best! Living up to the mission!"
Di Rui chuckled: "Good! Good lad! You like medals, right? Let me add a few more for you!"
He took out an exquisite small box and pinned medals onto Jiangnan's chest, which was already full of medals.
There were the Red Dragon Medal, the latest Star Pioneer Medal, the Moon Grasp Medal, and the Moon Ignition Medal.
This time it was truly full. If he wanted to add more, he'd have to learn from Tom Cat and get a medal rack.
Zhong Yingxue and the others who came along also received their own honorary medals.
Jiangnan touched the medals on his chest with great fondness, breathing on them and wiping them repeatedly. He was as happy as a kid who got a "Three Good Student" award.
Di Rui smiled: "Due to the special period this time, we won't hold the medal ceremony, to avoid unnecessary trouble."
"The remaining honorary medals will be delivered to everyone in due course. None will be missed."
Jiangnan suddenly thought of something: (thoughtful face) "There's a Long Yuan Army member named Zhang San! He made a huge contribution! The Moon counteroffensive couldn't have been won without him!"
"He really likes small medals. Don't forget to give my Third Brother his!"
Di Rui was startled, turned to Yang Jian, who nodded, looking puzzled: "Zhang San... huh? Don't worry, we'll arrange it for sure!"
Jiangnan rolled his eyes. How could he be at ease? Later you will forget! He had to remind them. His Third Brother's small medals must be properly arranged!
After receiving the small medals, Jiangnan thought there was nothing else and was about to leave, but Elder Yang Zhiyi put his arm around his shoulders and pulled him to the sand table.
"You brat, still want to leave? Did you really think we called you here just to give you medals and praise?"
Jiangnan swallowed: (nervous) "Is... is it not?"
Di Rui stood up and came to the sand table, on which was a panoramic topographic map of all regions within Hua Xia. It was detailed to the point of showing troop deployments, personnel, weapon reserves, and all other information everywhere.
"Take a look! We few old men originally gathered to discuss the next action strategy of Hua Xia!"
"With the Extreme Yin Igniting Star, the Holy Star launching a new round of counterattack is inevitable. Without knowing the enemy's methods, we are in a completely passive position."
"So during this period, we must be fully prepared. We old fellows want to hear your opinions."
"After all, we are behind the scenes making decisions; there are things we don't fully understand. But you, lad, have been charging at the forefront, and you know much more about the Holy Star than we do."
Jiangnan swallowed. What's happening? Let me participate in decision-making?