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MTL - How to Feed an Abyss!-Chapter 65 teachers and students
half an hour ago.
On the screen, a large number of red dots are approaching the outpost. The infection group in the No. 3 abyss is menacing. Their characteristic is "skeletonization". Looking around, there are countless twisted skeletons moving forward on the wasteland. The canine skeletons ran in groups. Guns and shells shattered them, and the broken bones came back together, trembling to build new monsters.
"Colonel... we may not be able to hold on anymore." The adjutant said, "The ammunition is almost out, and more underground infected creatures are approaching. The air support has almost no suppression against them. They have crossed the minefield."
Su Liang looked at the wave of monsters in the distance.
Flames spewed out from the muzzles of the guns, and the aircraft dropped bombs, which could not stop the advancing monsters. He calmly issued an order to transfer the third and fourth teams to the front line to replace the exhausted fighters of the first team, and at the same time follow up the coordination of point defense and air strikes.
When the new line of defense was adjusted, Su Liang said: "There is no need to apply for support. If you want to save us, more people will die. Pass on my order: stick to the line of defense and fight to the end. If there are any deserters, I will do it myself." solve."
The adjutant asked: "Do you need to ask Admiral Su for instructions?"
"No need." Su Liang said, "This is my order."
The death order was delivered.
There were no deserters, no cowers, only more violent gunfire.
After a quarter of an hour, the adjutant reported again: "Colonel Su, the general will contact you."
Su Liang connected to the communication, and saluted Su Enqi in the holographic image: "Admiral, what orders do you have?"
Su Enqi's voice suppressed anger: "The battle situation is like this, why don't you apply for support?"
"I have made my own judgment. Support is not worth the loss. I have issued a death order to let the brothers fight to the end." Su Liang said, "No one has any objections."
"Have you got my approval?!"
Su Liang replied: "No. I am willing to take all responsibilities."
Su Enqi's chest heaved violently: "What else can you bear if you die? I order you to prepare for evacuation immediately, and I will send support troops to the outpost."
Su Liang said, "Forgive me, it's hard to obey."
"Do you dare to violate the order?" Su Enqi's cloudy eyes were filled with anger, "Colonel Su Liang, where is your military discipline and military regulations?! The alliance only needs soldiers who obey orders, where will you put honor and disgrace! You..."
His words stopped abruptly.
——Su Liang tore off the colonel's epaulettes, threw them on the ground in front of him, and said, "I have violated my duty as a soldier, and I am not worthy of this epaulettes. I am just an ordinary person guarding a post now, and I just know a little Strategy, some knives and guns, and a few brothers who are willing to live and die together."
Su Enqi's hands were trembling with anger: "Okay, okay, the wings are hard. Brat, wait for me, and I will show you what the real military law is."
He was about to cut off the communication and send support when he heard Su Liang shout: "Dad."
Su Enqi hadn't heard this title for 30 years, so he stopped immediately.
Su Liang looked at him and said, "Dad, I've been thinking about this question all these years, what do you think of me?"
Su Enqi: "What nonsense are you talking about at this time."
Su Liang smiled: "There are only three juniors who are close to you, me, Jiang Huachi and Lu Tinghan."
"Jiang Huachi is the son of your old friend. Every time you get into trouble, you come to wipe his ass, but you are reluctant to say a harsh word, probably because he looks like Jiang Ruo. I still remember that Jiang Huachi took cigarette butts when he was young. Went to burn Second Lieutenant Zhong’s pet dog, and burned six scars. After you knew it, you looked at him and sighed, and didn’t say anything. Relying on your doting, you stole chickens and dogs when you were a child, and killed people when you grew up. Whenever I think of him, I feel that the old man cannot be chased, so he is the weakness that you can't let go of."
Before Su Enqi could speak, Su Liang said again: "As for Lu Tinghan, you made an exception and accepted him as a student, because he was furious when he went to be an abyss watcher, and when he came back, you resisted all opinions, Help him climb up until he fights side by side with you. I envy Lu Tinghan, his talent, and your appreciation and preference for him. You suspect him because of the watcher, but I know that he is still It is your irreplaceable comrade-in-arms, and your... lifelong pride."
Su Enqi: "...What are you going to say?"
Su Liang stood up straight: "One of them is weakness, the other is pride, but I am nothing. You let me join the army very early. I stayed in the wasteland for several months and went home. I was on the verge of life and death several times. You also Never asked me a few more words. Later, we didn't have a candid conversation for several years, just two strangers."
"..." Su Enqi breathed out slowly, "Su Liang, now is not the time to talk about this, wait for me..."
Su Liang interrupted him: "I can't be as lawless as Jiang Huachi, and attract your doting and attention; I can't be as dazzling as Lu Tinghan, I am already a colonel, and the light is still completely covered by him, there is the sun Who will pay attention to the moon at that time? I am always mediocre, just wondering if there will be a moment in my life that will make you look straight in the eyes."
He smiled: "Now is the time."
"Su Liang, are you angry with me? Just for this?" Su Enqi spoke quickly again, "I repeat, I order you to prepare for evacuation immediately!"
"How could it be out of anger?" Su Liang asked back, "Have I ever been self-willed since I was a child? I'm not those two people, I'm just your unremarkable son."
He took a deep breath and saluted Su Enqi: "I hope that at this last moment, I will be both your weakness and your pride."
Communications cut off.
No matter how much Su Enqi contacted, the outpost never responded. He stood up suddenly and kicked over the table!
The documents were scattered all over the place, and there was a "click", and the photo frame on the desktop fell to pieces. In the broken glass are three cracked smiling faces: Su Enqi when she was young, the woman holding flowers and the baby in her arms.
Su Enqi stared at the photo, the veins on his forehead popped out, and he walked quickly outside the house—
He thought, **** the pride, I haven't distinguished the rose from the rose yet.
In the command room, Su Enqi ordered sharply: "Mobilize all nearby teams to support! The outpost must not be lost, absolutely must not be lost!"
There was only silence to answer him. No matter how he urged, no one moved.
Looking up again, Lu Tinghan was standing in the middle of the command room, looking at him silently.
The boy who followed behind him and listened to his teachings has grown up, and he is in charge of the future on his shoulders. He was already taller than him, with broad shoulders and a straight back, and he was extraordinarily decisive when giving orders. I don't know when it started, people believed him above everything else.
Su Enqi watched Lu Tinghan walking all the way, and saw the fire in his eyes.
When Lu Tinghan stood in the light and looked at him surrounded by officers, Su Enqi was surprised to find that he didn't seem to know Lu Tinghan anymore.
His students, his comrades-in-arms, his pride, have the most familiar and strange faces, far away from him.
"...What does this mean?" Su Enqi said slowly, "Admiral Lu, can you explain it to me?"
Lu Tinghan remained expressionless: "General Su, I have received a doctor's notice that you are in poor health and may need to rest for a while."
Su Enqi paused every word: "I'm not dead yet, and the command is still in my hands. We got to know each other once, so we might as well open the skylight and speak brightly, and don't call me these bureaucratic accents."
Lu Tinghan nodded and said, "That's right. Then I'll just say it straight. Chairman Chai Yongning and I both think that it's time for you to retire."
The adjutant handed a piece of paper in front of Su Enqi.
Lu Tinghan continued: "Chairman Chai Yongning has signed and approved it. You only need to sign the application for discharge from the army, and then you can recuperate well."
Su Enqi tore up the application form: "It's against you. What do you mean by stopping me from ordering the rescue of the outpost? What's your intention? This signature is not a fart, don't think I can't see that the old guy named Chai is Your puppet."
He raised his hand, and the shredded papers fell down one after another.
Lu Tinghan: "Do you really think we should save the outpost?"
"Otherwise?" Su Enqi asked back, "Do you need me to tell you the significance of the outpost to the city? Land general, as long as the main city sends troops in time to save the outpost this time, I can treat you this time." conduct shall not be prosecuted."
Lu Tinghan asked again: "Do you really think we should save the outpost?" He looked at Su Enqi, "Didn't you teach me how to give up?"
"…What's the meaning?"
"The first time I lost in the simulation training was because I refused to give up a team." Lu Tinghan said lightly, "Do you still remember?"
This is the second time Lu Tinghan mentioned this matter, the last time he mentioned it was when he was with the Rock Snake.
Su Enqi hadn't thought about it before, but this time in his rage, the past flashed across his mind like a flash of light——
At that time Lu Tinghan was 12 years old and had just learned conducting from him.
Lu Tinghan was very talented, and he had won all the previous simulated battles with optical brains. Compared with experienced military officers, his results could be considered mid-to-upper, and he had his own shining points. The military admired him greatly, calling him a genius, and even Su Enqi, who has always been harsh, couldn't be stingy in his praise.
After the first few victories, Lu Tinghan ushered in his first defeat.
In "Simulation Training 27", Lu Tinghan faced the infection wave in the No. 7 abyss, and those giant monsters that covered the sky and covered the sky flocked to the outpost and the city.
In the first two hours of the simulation, Lu Tinghan did an impeccable job, blocking the offensive again and again.
In the third hour, in order to protect a troop at the outpost, Lu Tinghan mobilized most of the city's troops for support. The price he paid was disastrous: less than half of the soldiers at the outpost survived, and the support troops suffered heavy casualties. Powerless.
After taking off the optical brain, Lu Tinghan remained expressionless.
The young man is far from the calmness of the future, and he can't let go of the bitterness of defeat for the first time.
Su Enqi witnessed the whole process, stood behind him and asked, "Lu Tinghan, do you know why you lost?"
Lu Tinghan replied: "I didn't play well enough."
"Where is it not good enough?"
"When it comes to support, the vertical encirclement by land and air should be done better, or there is a problem with coordination..." Lu Tinghan talked a lot, and listed out the things that were not done well.
Su Enqi listened patiently, and said with his hands behind his back, "Wrong."
"What's wrong?" Lu Tinghan looked up at him.
"It was wrong from the beginning." Su Enqi pointed to the frozen tactical picture on the holographic screen, "You were defeated because you refused to let that team die, and you always wanted to be perfect and save everyone."
Lu Tinghan: "As long as I do better, I can save them."
"Perhaps there is a million-to-one chance that you can do it." Su Enqi said, "But can you bet? The reality is not a simulated battle, and it is impossible to do it all over again. You are responsible for every choice you make."
Lu Tinghan pursed his lips slightly, not convinced.
Su Enqi laughed: "Don't believe me? Let's do it again!"
In the following day, Lu Tinghan tried twice more. Every time he tried to save the outpost, he failed every time, always by a little bit.
"I was almost there," he said.
"What's not so close?" Su Enqi asked him, "The league almost went into the space age, the city almost didn't fall, those people almost didn't die - if we can't do it, we can't do it, we are Commander, not a god."
Lu Tinghan: "But..."
"Your heart is softening." Su Enqi said, "Lu Tinghan, your heart is softening. Forget that the reason why we have come to this day is the courage of countless strong men who broke their wrists." He put his hand on Lu Tinghan's shoulder, "Life is priceless and precious, but in this era, at least soldiers must have a heart that regards death as home. Don't be afraid of death, don't avoid death, when necessary, we can all be the price of being sacrificed."
The boy looked up at him.
Su Enqi looked at his gray-blue eyes, and wrinkled the ends of his eyes with a smile: "You are too young to understand this." He pointed to his heart, where there was the logo of the Alliance Snow Flower, " Remember that line? 'May the glory of the League last forever.' Now do it again and don't be softhearted."
The teenager put on the optical brain again.
Infested creatures roar, outposts are flooded with dark torrents, and the city finally ushers in light.
After nearly 20 years, the scene of simulated combat reappeared in reality, but the roles were reversed.
Lu Tinghan stood in front of Su Enqi, looked at him and said, "Your heart has softened."
Su Enqi was speechless.
Lu Tinghan: "This is not the first time. Every mistake you have made in the past few years is because you were not decisive enough - you wanted to save everyone, but sacrificed more." He paused, "Just like me once , but these are obviously what you taught me."
Su Enqi: "..." he said slowly, "I just made what I think is the right choice."
He took a long breath: "You don't understand, the older a person is, the more he sees life and death, the more he will soften his heart. I used to be like you, invincible, and I would not change my choice." In this kind of situation At that time, he even pulled the corners of his mouth and smiled, "When the peak period came last time, there was not enough manpower. I ordered children to participate in the production line, even high-risk production. At that time, a child died, and he was caught in the machine and died. , The newspaper published this news, and many people scolded me bloody, but I have no regrets, thinking that this is a necessary sacrifice."
Lu Tinghan raised his eyebrows politely.
"The child labor law was abolished after the peak period." Su Enqi said, "Later, I was getting old, and I don't know why I always dreamed about that child and that cold machine, and his mother's crying. sound. They linger in my dreams, haunt me, and refuse to leave."
He also said: "I have done many such things, such as sacrificing a team, or sending my son to the front line. I regret it, I regret it all. In this hopeless era, I can live one more day Just one day, nothing else matters. What I want to save is the person in front of me." He took a deep breath, looked at Lu Tinghan, "I want to send troops to support the outpost. Maybe it's just a little bit, a little bit, everything Everyone survives."
Still no one obeyed his orders.
There was complete silence in the room, and everyone was waiting for Lu Tinghan's reaction.
Su Enqi couldn't suppress his anger: "Lu Tinghan, I have trained you for so many years. When you insisted on being a monitor, I tried my best to let you continue to command, so I let you stand in this position. I regard you as a The pride of this life, is this how you repay me?"
"Master's kindness is unforgettable." Lu Tinghan said, "But I also have something to hold on to. You understand, and you must understand, whether you should save people or not."
Su Enqi opened his mouth, but said nothing.
Looking around, the officer was unmoved, and each face had cold and hard lines. Their position is clear, they abandoned the old and soft-hearted old general.
He has been in the command room for 40 years, and he has also called the wind and rain to guide the country for 40 years. For the first time, he was so powerless, and finally realized exactly: no one will listen to him anymore.
Everyone was moving forward, Lu Tinghan and Su Liang too, leaving him where he was, leaving him in the memories that softened his heart.
At this moment, he was on the verge of falling, as if he had aged ten years.
The minute hand moved forward a little bit, and the outpost was almost unable to hold on.
Su Enqi finally gave in, and said in a low voice: "...Lu Tinghan, General Lu, send troops to support them and save them. The city needs outposts. He, he is my only child."
Lu Tinghan: "You know my decision." He paused, "You also know Colonel Su Liang's choice. Long before you contacted the outpost, he and the soldiers at the outpost had already expressed their willingness to die His will, and I say yes. He's an admirable fighter, they all are, and we don't deserve to shame them. If it were me, I'd make the same choice."
Su Enqi was almost unable to stand still, holding onto the table with his hands.
The day the "heavy hammer" fell, he understood Lu Tinghan's determination.
But just like Lu Tinghan and Su Liang, he was willing to die... He wanted to tell Lu Tinghan that if you were at the outpost today, I would do anything to save him—but when he looked up at Lu Tinghan, the two The people looked at each other, and in an instant Su Enqi understood, no need to say more, Lu Tinghan knew this, he knew everything.
20 years of teachers and students, what can really hide from each other?
Su Enqi said in a voice that no one could hear: "I haven't seen a rose yet...how come..."
Lu Tinghan winked: "Take Admiral Su to rest."
Someone stepped forward to help Su Enqi, but he threw him away.
"I can go by myself." Su Enqi said in a hoarse voice, "...give me the application for discharge from the army. No one will listen to me anyway, it's boring, it's boring to keep it, why don't you give me a face and let me say goodbye at the end."
Lu Tinghan: "Okay."
A new application form was placed in front of him, and Chai Yongning had already signed it, leaving him with a vacant corner.
Su Enqi picked up the pen, and just about to put it down, he suddenly looked up at Lu Tinghan: "Lu Tinghan, you have been a monitor, and I can't trust you 100%. I—I want you to swear, I want You swear by everything you have, that you will always be on the side of humanity!"
"No need to swear." Lu Tinghan said, "It's always been like this."
"..." Su Enqi took a long breath, remembering something, but his expression became gentle, "When I first saw you, you were only so tall, you pestered me to teach you how to fight, why? He grew up all of a sudden."
Lu Tinghan said softly: "Time flies so fast, we all hope it can slow down."
"Yeah, it would be great if I could go back to the past." Su Enqi said, "It's like going back to the beginning of time like Abyss 0, the city is still there, and those people are still there. Su Liang didn't go to the front line, what about Jiang Huachi? I haven't done it yet, you follow me and call me Teacher Su again."
He closed his eyes, trembling hands, and signed his name for the last time.
"May the glory of the Union live on," he said.
Lu Tinghan said: "May the glory of mankind last forever."