Translator: CinderTL
Guided by Mu Qing, Feng Qi and Liu Yue entered Dawn Manor.
Dawn Manor was vast. As they walked along the main road, a snow bamboo forest stretched out to their left, where several white bear cubs were being raised.
To the right of the main road lay a sizable hot spring lake, with a path leading directly to a pavilion at its center.
At the far end of the lake, a cluster of buildings required them to detour around the lake via the main road.
Continuing past the lake, they encountered functional buildings: training rooms, equipment depots, underground parking garages, a cinema—every facility imaginable.
Beyond the functional buildings, they reached the residential area, consisting of rows of detached houses.
Mu Qing explained that with the Dawn Battle Group's membership now approaching ten thousand, members were typically assigned five to a house, with rooms chosen freely. Senior officers, however, were granted the privilege of sharing a house with only one other person.
"What about you?" Feng Qi asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I'm the group leader," Mu Qing replied with a smile. "Of course I get a house to myself. A little privilege is necessary, don't you think?"
After walking a short distance with Mu Qing, they arrived at a residential building.
"Feng Qi, you'll be staying here from now on. I'm in Unit 001 next door, and Liu Yue is in Unit 003."
Hearing this, Feng Qi immediately shook his head.
"That doesn't seem right. Making special arrangements just because I'm new? If the other members see this, they'll think I'm some kept man you're hiding on the side. I'd lose all face."
Mu Qing rolled her eyes.
"Kept man? My decisions are the group's decisions. They always follow my orders."
"Then let's compromise. Liu Yue can share my unit. One unit per person is too wasteful."
Seeing Feng Qi's earnest expression, Mu Qing nodded.
"Alright, you two can share. The unit's already been prepared for you. Go inside and drop off your luggage. We'll have a welcome ceremony for you at the Dawn Restaurant tonight. I need to take care of some things first."
"Okay, you go ahead and get busy," Feng Qi replied with a nod.
He and Liu Yue carried their luggage up the steps to the unit's door and pushed it open.
The interior was decorated in a monochrome palette of black and white, with all the necessary furniture.
After choosing a room on the second floor, he set down his luggage and unpacked his clothes, neatly arranging them in the wardrobe.
Once finished, he slid open the floor-to-ceiling glass door leading to the balcony.
Compared to the centrally heated interior, the outside air was frigid, like stepping into another world.
Standing on the balcony, he surveyed the scene at Dawn Manor.
A horizontal path lined with greenery stretched out before the residential building, winding toward the B Residential Area in the distance.
Beyond the path lay a hot spring lake, its surface shrouded in mist, resembling a celestial realm.
The environment here was serene and refreshing, yet he knew the cruelty hidden beneath its tranquil facade.
This was the front lines.
The number of corpses buried beneath the deep snow must be staggering.
The media frequently reported on the front lines, including the treatment of the soldiers stationed there. Yet no one ever complained about why they received such good treatment.
Everyone understood the burden these warriors carried.
Living like this was akin to licking blood off a blade.
Before each mission, no one could be certain they would see the sun rise again.
After a long while, he turned and went back inside.
Just then, Liu Yue emerged from his room. The two of them then explored every room on each floor, noting the purpose of each space.
As night fell, Mu Qing arrived again.
Entering the room, she found Feng Qi and Liu Yue lounging on the sofa, watching satellite TV. A smile spread across her face.
"Come to the Dawn Restaurant," she said. "The welcoming ceremony is about to begin."
Hearing this, Feng Qi leaned forward, rising to his feet with curiosity. "The entire regiment must have nearly ten thousand members by now. Wouldn't it be incredibly troublesome to hold a welcoming ceremony for every new recruit?"
Mu Qing shook her head. "Holding a full-regiment ceremony for every newcomer would indeed be too much trouble. That's why I established a rule: each new recruit receives a welcoming ceremony within their assigned squad."
"However, there are exceptions. For example, during the annual graduation season, when a large influx of new recruits arrives, we hold a full-regiment welcoming ceremony."
Hearing this, Feng Qi quickly shook his head. "Let's just have a simple meal with the three of us. A full-regiment ceremony would be far too extravagant."
"Don't forget, you're the vice-commander of our Dawn Battle Group," Mu Qing said with a smile and a wink.
Feng Qi froze, startled by her words.
He had actually been planning to discuss the vice-commander position with Mu Qing since his arrival.
After years of development, the Dawn Battle Group had grown into a formidable force. As a newcomer, Feng Qi knew that being immediately appointed to such a high-ranking position would inevitably breed resentment among many members. Until he proved his capabilities, he had no intention of fulfilling the promise he had made years ago.
The concept of leadership was far from unfamiliar to him.
In a previous timeline, he had founded the Dawn Organization, personally guiding its growth from obscurity to prominence.
Yet despite his familiarity with leadership, he believed a proper process was still necessary.
With this in mind, he looked at Mu Qing and said, "Senior sister, I don't think I'm quite ready for the vice-commander position. I need some time to transition."
Mu Qing seemed to understand his hesitation. She met his gaze directly and said,
"In my eyes, Feng Qi is a natural-born leader. He possesses all the qualities a leader should have: kindness, decisiveness, self-sacrifice, resilience, talent... Back then, we all looked to you as our guiding force."
"This is the front lines, where positions are earned by merit. If you believe you have the capability to handle the vice-commander's role, then take the position first and prove yourself over time."
"When I first came to the front lines, it was the same. I immediately became a core member of the team. I fought for that position because I knew I was capable. There's no need for modesty here. I want to see the sharp, ambitious Feng Qi I used to know."
Seeing Mu Qing's expectant gaze, Feng Qi smiled and nodded.
"Very well, Group Leader. Vice-Commander Feng Qi reporting for duty!"
"You don't have to call me Group Leader in private, Feng Qi," Mu Qing said with a smile, reminding him.
"Understood, Senior Sister."
Listening to their exchange, Liu Yue, still sprawled on the sofa, felt like an outsider.
He glanced down at Jianlan, cradled in his arms.
Hmm, women only slow down my sword-drawing speed!
It was eight o'clock in the evening.
Inside Dawn Restaurant, thousands of people had gathered.
Mu Qing led Feng Qi to the podium at the front of the hall.
Standing on the stage, Feng Qi could immediately sense the Dawn Battle Group's strict discipline.
Before Mu Qing even spoke, not a single person in the vast hall dared to utter a word. Everyone sat ramrod straight in their seats, chests puffed out.
"Allow me to introduce our Dawn Battle Group's new vice-commander, Feng Qi! Like me, he hails from Star City Academy, so I'm sure many of you are already familiar with him!"
As her words echoed through the hall, thunderous applause erupted.
Feng Qi, however, was utterly bewildered.
How could they possibly be familiar with me?
Mu Qing stepped closer, smiling. "You've been my go-to example for motivating the team. I often quote your past teachings to them and tell them about your extraordinary talent. They all know you—it's just that you don't know them."
"Isn't this just setting me up for a fall?" Feng Qi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"You have the strength. Be more confident," Mu Qing said, looking at Feng Qi.
"The welcome ceremony is simple. Just go up and say a few words to introduce yourself."
He nodded in response.
Stepping onto the podium, he gazed at the thousands of faces below. Suddenly, he recalled a previous timeline.
The last time he'd seen such a large crowd, it had been at an execution ground...
During his speech, he avoided grand pronouncements about the future or detailed plans for the Dawn Battle Group's development. He simply introduced himself and stepped down amid applause.
In his view, respect from the warriors was earned through actions, not empty words.
During dinner, Mu Qing introduced him to the Dawn Battle Group's senior officers.
Through Mu Qing's explanations, he learned that the Dawn Battle Group currently had 8,687 members, divided into eight battle teams, each with over 1,000 warriors. Each battle team was further subdivided into three smaller squads.
Under normal circumstances, battle groups handle routine missions in squad formations.
For joint operations to dispel Domain Fields, the entire battle group mobilizes, led personally by Mu Qing.
Typically, a battle group leader's role is to command and coordinate overall strategy, with combat taking a secondary role.
But the Dawn Battle Group is an exception.
Through dining with Dawn's senior officers, Feng Qi learned that Mu Qing is not only the group leader but also the absolute core and primary combatant of the battle group.
After years of military service, she has become the backbone of the group, earning the complete trust and admiration of every member.
This trust has even evolved into a wartime faith.
They all believe that as long as Mu Qing is present, victory is assured.
Feng Qi wasn't surprised by this.
Without personal charisma, how could so many people in the future have been willing to endure the condemnation of all humanity to continue following her?
Such loyalty clearly requires absolute faith in her.
During their casual conversation, Feng Qi experienced the camaraderie that Xia Long and Yan Yue often spoke of—the genuine, life-or-death bonds of wartime brotherhood, free from false flattery.
In the Domain Field, they had entrusted their lives to one another and were willing to sacrifice themselves for their comrades in critical moments.
This bond, forged in blood, needed no pretense to enhance their mutual worth. They were free to be themselves, unburdened by artifice.
The atmosphere was thick with camaraderie. Though he hadn't drunk alcohol in years, he indulged heavily that night.
By 11 PM, he and Liu Yue had returned to their room from the Dawn Restaurant.
After washing up, he lay in bed, tossing and turning restlessly.
Finally, he slipped into his pajamas, pushed open the door, and stepped onto the balcony.
Outside, thick snowflakes continued to fall, carried by a biting wind.
Looking up, he could still see the green aurora borealis stretching across the sky. The air here was pristine, and the stars shone brighter than anywhere else he had ever been.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a harmonica drifting from the side.
The melody was tender and plaintive, reminiscent of their first encounter by the lake that summer.
But as he listened more closely, he realized the tune now carried notes of hope and the future.
If the opening bars had been a descent into boundless darkness, the music that followed felt like a crimson sun slowly rising from the horizon, its radiant light piercing the night and illuminating all around.
Turning his head, he saw Mu Qing leaning over the balcony of the neighboring residence, gazing up at the starry sky just as he was. Her hands clasped the white harmonica he had given her years ago.
As the melody faded, Mu Qing turned to look at him, a captivating smile gracing her lips.
"Feng Qi, it's been nine years since we first met."
"Yeah, we kept our childhood promise to walk together into the future."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like they were transported back to that summer night years ago.
Looking up at the stars again, a warm current flowed through his heart.
At that moment, he felt utterly real.
Even though every timeline's future was a hell he couldn't accept, the Feng Qi who struggled and wandered through each timeline had his own unique story and experiences.
Just like the Feng Qi standing here now.
In high spirits, he grinned at Mu Qing.
"Senior sister, play 'The Great River Flows Eastward' again—'The stars in the sky, like the Big Dipper above.'"
Mu Qing: ...
(End of the Chapter)
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