Chapter 40: Helping Out

Chapter 40: Helping

When the company commander walked up to Squad Leader Wu, his expression revealed a trace of reluctance to part.

Yet, since nothing could change the outcome, lingering reluctance was useless. He could only let out a sentimental sigh, "Since you are leaving, go start anew somewhere else."

"I believe that no matter where you go, you will always be the most outstanding."

Hearing this, Squad Leader Wu snapped to attention, opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words.

Finally, the company commander reached out and unpinned his shoulder insignia.

Although Squad Leader Wu did not show his emotions as openly as the others, the strain of him holding back could still be seen.

Turning his head away to avoid looking at him, the company commander walked over to the next person.

No matter who witnessed this scene, it was bound to feel heavy, especially for those who still had comrades among the departing soldiers.

Xu Qiao could even hear faint sobs coming from behind her.

Yet she forced back her tears. She knew that crying at a moment like this was nothing to be ashamed of, but she felt that her squad leader simply did not want to see her cry—perhaps he simply wished to avoid such a sorrowful atmosphere.

Throughout these past few days, whether during training or breaks, she had spent her time memorizing codes, studying cipher texts, or dealing with various communication devices, leaving her with no time to care about her mobile phone.

Thus, she hurriedly nodded, "Squad Leader, don't you worry. I will... definitely not make any more mistakes."

Normally, they were permitted to use mobile phones, but only during break times. At all other moments, the phones were kept in their respective storage boxes.

As the military trucks carrying the retired veterans slowly rolled out of the barracks, Xu Qiao's tears finally broke free and fell.

Amidst the conversations of a few soldiers, the whistle blew, signaling that all the veterans needed to board the trucks.

The official ceremony had ended, leaving everyone a final moment to say goodbye.

"Xu Qiao, where are you going?" Seeing her turn to leave without hesitation, Yin Li looked over in surprise.

Squad Leader Wu looked at her with a bitter smile, "How could I possibly not consider you my soldier?"

"Do you think she's really mad?" Yin Li asked instinctively.

Meanwhile, Xu Qiao gave no further thought to their affairs and headed straight back to the communications squad.

"As long as you... apply yourself, there will be no problem at all."

"You can pretty much be considered... my final apprentice," he said with a nostalgic sigh. "I never imagined that at the very end, I would end up teaching a female apprentice."

Hearing this, everyone present was stunned.

Disregarding the reactions of the others, Xu Qiao looked straight at Squad Leader Wu, "Squad Leader, if you face any hardships when you return... you must come to us."

Having barely managed to hold back her tears earlier, Xu Qiao felt her eyes instantly redden at those words, "Squad Leader, did you... never truly see me as your soldier?"

He sighed softly afterward, "Let her blow off some steam. We can talk to her in a few days."

Xu Ruofei was slightly taken aback, "Surely not..."

Squad Leader Wu was startled upon hearing this, but then simply smiled and nodded without saying another word.

"I came to see the squad leader off, and since you didn't even give me a heads-up, why should I bother talking to you?" Xu Qiao said purposely, her pace never slowing down.

"Do well in the communications squad too, and make sure you don't bring shame to my name."

"Did we... really do something wrong?" someone asked softly.

Although there was no need to worry about his future safety, the bond between master and apprentice would end right here.

Looking at her phone, which had completely run out of power, Xu Qiao plugged it in to charge while pondering how to resolve this matter.

Though Xu Qiao was a female soldier, ever since she joined the cooking squad, no one could tell she was a woman by the way she carried herself.

In truth, Xu Qiao despised such farewell scenes; in her past life, farewells were all too familiar to her.

Therefore, she rarely took the phone out during breaks.

Putting herself in his shoes, if it were she who was leaving and she saw those around her weeping and wailing, it would only make the parting even harder to bear, wouldn't it?

The few of them exchanged glances. They figured that if their own squad leaders were leaving and had kept it a secret from them, they wouldn't feel very comfortable either.

Squad Leader Wu shook his head, "I simply didn't want to witness this kind of atmosphere."

"She's furious right now. If you go to explain now, won't you just be pouring oil on the fire?" Xu Ruofei interrupted him.

At this thought, Yin Li hurriedly said, "Should I go explain it to her?"

Yet for the very first time, the men of the cooking squad witnessed her in such a state, and not a single one of them laughed at her, because the group of grown men around her were faring no better.

The sound of weeping grew increasingly distinct all around.

With this thought in mind, she turned around and walked toward the communications squad.

Xu Qiao knew that he was only worried she might revert to her old ways.

Unlike the others, Xu Qiao never took her phone out to play the moment a break started.

Squad Leader Wu had instructed her for several months. It was no exaggeration to say that everything she understood about the military since arriving in this world had been taught to her by Squad Leader Wu.

She understood what retirement signified; a parting like this might mean they would never have the chance to meet again.

In this lifetime, at least she knew that even though Squad Leader Wu was taking off his military uniform, he would still live a good life. That alone was far better than her past life.

Hearing this, Squad Leader Wu gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, "The squad leader believes in you!"

Saying goodbye to family, saying goodbye to comrades—there were separations in life, and even eternal farewells through death.

At this moment, not only were they consumed by sorrow, but sounds of farewell and weeping echoed from all around. Xu Qiao could even see tear tracks on the usually stoic face of Cheng Yifei.

Hearing their promises, Squad Leader Wu finally looked at Xu Qiao, "And as for you, your learning ability surpasses theirs, and your mind is agile. You are truly suited to be a soldier."

The others nodded hurriedly, "Don't worry, Squad Leader. No matter where we go or what kind of soldiers we become, we will strive to be the best."

"Yet even though I told you not to come, didn't you run over here anyway?"

Looking at them with deep emotion, Squad Leader Wu said, "Though I am leaving, you must not disgrace me. Even in the cooking squad, you have to make something of yourselves!"

Seeing his reaction, Xu Qiao knew immediately that trying to make him ask for help was completely out of the question.

A silent sigh escaped her heart, leaving her with no choice but to think of another way.

The more she dwelled on it, the more Xu Qiao felt she could not just stand by and do nothing.

If she were the old Xu Qiao, even if she genuinely wanted to help, she would have immediately called upon her group of fair-weather friends.

Yet she harbored an instinctive aversion toward those people. It wasn't that they couldn't help; on the contrary, since they were currently trying to cling to her influence, they would certainly comply.

However, until she could ascertain their true circumstances, she preferred not to contact them.

Besides, in her memories, aside from those friends, the only others left were family members with whom she shared a rather strained relationship.