Today is a big day for all fans of *Soldiers Sortie*!
Chapter 23 has been released, and the website is making a huge splash, announcing that the next chapter will be the grand finale!
In fact, many had already sensed it. At the end of Chapter 22, when Yuan Lang decided to give Xu Sanduo, who wanted to be discharged, a month's leave to go out and explore, the devoted readers following the story closely realized the end was near.
But no one wanted it to end!
How they wished it could go on, just a little longer. Those who truly loved this story couldn't bear to part with Xu Sanduo or this military camp.
Yet the website's full-scale promotion made them truly realize that farewell was approaching...
At eight o'clock in the evening, whether it was fans who had already gone home for dinner or hard workers like Mu Yucheng still burning the midnight oil, they all picked up their phones or opened web pages, refreshing for the latest chapter.
Mu Yucheng had the fastest internet, so he was the first to see the new chapter on his phone. As usual, it had no chapter title, but he didn't rush to read it. Instead, he sat in a daze, recalling the first time he stumbled upon this book.
That must have been a war scene, right? To this day, there's no trace of that war. How will this finale transition to it?
And what about Xu Sanduo, who fell from the trestle bridge? What kind of fate will the author arrange for him? Will he really be discharged?
Mu Yucheng thought of Wu Liuyi, who was injured and became lame—a man with even higher aspirations than Cheng Cai, always confident. He chose to be discharged rather than burden Xu Sanduo or the unit. Would Xu Sanduo end up with the same "fate"?
Maybe "fate" sounds a bit demeaning, but for a man who wants to make his mark in the military, leaving the army is the greatest torment!
Pulling himself together, Mu Yucheng continued reading.
This chapter was long. First, Xu Sanduo was dragged by his old comrades to Gao Cheng's place, where he also ran into Cheng Cai, that arrogant, still indifferent fellow villager.
It seemed like a pretty平淡 plot.
But suddenly, the situation shifted. Xu Sanduo's eldest brother found the unit and appeared beside Yuan Lang, who then started searching everywhere for Xu Sanduo until they connected by phone.
Mu Yucheng's heart tightened: Something must have happened!
Sure enough, Mu Yucheng saw that a major incident had occurred! Xu Sanduo's father had opened a small mine with someone else, but the explosives they bought privately had detonated!
His father was thrown in jail, and now the two injured men were hounding them for money every day. Even his eldest brother, Xu Yile, had fled!
This part of the story was heart-wrenching, but what moved Mu Yucheng was that later, when Captain Yuan Lang received Xu Sanduo's call asking to borrow money, he didn't hesitate and just said, "How much?"
The comrades in the unit quickly pooled together 200,000 yuan for Xu Sanduo. This debt would probably take him ages to repay. But when Xu Sanduo said he would definitely pay it back, Yuan Lang simply replied, "As you wish."
Reading this, Mu Yucheng felt a mix of emotions—moved, yes, but more than that, it was a deep sense of awe! Awe at the simplicity of military relationships, at their unwavering support for their comrades!
In real life, it would be hard to find such an example, wouldn't it?
After handling his personal affairs, Xu Sanduo returned to the unit, and Cheng Cai appeared in the selection sequence for the special forces brigade. His performance as a sniper was stunning!
"Here it comes!" Mu Yucheng's eyes lit up. Cheng Cai had appeared in the first chapter; he should be a talent in the brigade.
Sure enough, after some back-and-forth with Xu Sanduo, Yuan Lang set aside his prejudices and included Cheng Cai in the "Silent" squad list: Yuan Lang, Wu Zhe, Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai...
But Mu Yucheng never expected the author to switch scenes so quickly, skipping straight past the磨合 to the final battlefield! The plot from the first chapter played out again...
"So it's just an exercise!" Mu Yucheng saw Xu Sanduo's final mental struggle before falling, but he couldn't help cursing, "You idiot, why didn't you call for help? It's just an exercise!"
When Xu Sanduo fell, Cheng Cai saw it through his sniper scope, and Captain Yuan Lang saw it too! Wu Zhe couldn't reach Xu Sanduo, and everyone's hearts sank.
Mu Yucheng's heart sank too.
The words Yuan Lang used to scold Cheng Cai afterward struck Mu Yucheng as terrifying. He felt that this captain, who had once moved him, was too cold!
How could he? It was just an exercise! Why not go help his comrade? Was he supposed to just watch him die?
But deep down, Mu Yucheng understood that Yuan Lang was right in what he did and said. A soldier, whether in an exercise or not, must carry out the mission, even if a comrade falls!
Never abandon, never give up. But Xu Sanduo gave up calling for rescue for the sake of the mission.
And Yuan Lang, likewise, couldn't risk exposing himself to save Xu Sanduo for the mission.
Still, Mu Yucheng was relieved to see that they did contact for rescue, having the enemy provide aid for Xu Sanduo while they continued their mission.
But Mu Yucheng's heart tightened again.
Because he saw Xu Sanduo, dragging his broken leg, stand up. He struggled to dodge the enemy's rescue vehicle, like an idiot, forcing himself to reset his ankle, crawling through enemy territory with his broken leg.
He even hijacked his old instructor He Hongtao's jeep...
Seeing this, Mu Yucheng laughed until tears welled up in his eyes: "You idiot, why are you still so fierce?"
The subsequent mission, as expected, was successfully completed thanks to the desperate efforts of Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai, Wu Zhe, and Yuan Lang, even though the cost was severe.
It was about to end... Mu Yucheng felt a pang of gloom as he reached the final part.
"Yuan Lang: 'Yeah, the road is long, longer than Xu Sanduo's. You'll be more lost than him, so...' He gently patted Xu Sanduo, hoping to ease his pain, 'I have to ask you first: if this is your path, are you willing to join our old A?' Xu Sanduo trembled in pain, while Cheng Cai hugged his trembling friend, crying because this sentence was too long and far from an answer. (End)"
This ending wasn't bad... Cheng Cai joined old A, and Xu Sanduo didn't die. After recovering, he would definitely become stronger! And for sure, he'd pay back the captain and the others!
Even though it was a good ending, Mu Yucheng didn't know why the tears in his eyes wouldn't stop.
He eagerly opened the review section, but he was too slow. He stared blankly as a flood of readers had already said what he wanted to say.
"Damn it! How can it end so fast?"
"I think the author could have held on for another few hundred thousand words! Old A could keep going on missions; I want to see more of their stories!"
"That's it? I can't believe it! No, how will I get by without Xu Sanduo from now on?"
"That big idiot Xu Sanduo, that whole bunch of idiots in old A, made me cry!"
"Damn, I'm a soldier. Reading this exercise part, I cried like a baby. It reminded me of a brother in the army who twisted his ankle during an exercise and didn't say a word, holding on till the end. He was completely exhausted by then!"
"Begging the author to start a new book. After reading *Soldiers Sortie*, all other military novels feel bland!"
"Just a quiet question: does anyone know where to buy the physical book? I want to get a copy to treasure..."