A four-story abandoned grand theater in the suburbs has been requisitioned as a temporary venue for study meetings, and the refugees who once lived there have all been driven away to other places.

When the announcement system sounded "Grand Theater Station," Uncle Dong let out a long sigh of relief, got off the bus, and stood by the platform, momentarily lost in thought.

Since receiving the lecture invitation for the study meeting yesterday, he hasn't closed his eyes for 18 consecutive hours.

He couldn't tell if it was excitement or panic.

But upon arriving here, all his thoughts were suddenly emptied, leaving only a vague sense of bewilderment swirling in his mind.

After a moment of absent-mindedness, Uncle Dong came to his senses and walked along the weed-trodden path towards the theater.

About two or three hundred steps forward, there was a sign in the middle of the road:

Attendees, please proceed to the left entrance to the stage, lecturers, please go to the back entrance.

He turned his steps toward the back door and soon saw the four guards stationed there, as well as the queue of lecturers entering.

When it was Uncle Dong's turn, he took an iron badge out of his pocket.

The guard took it and swiped it against Defense Communication, and an electronic voice promptly announced:

[Verification Passed]

[Blood Dragon Corps Level 02, Green Dragon Squad, Captain Xia Dong.]

Upon hearing the announcement, the faces of the four guards slightly changed, and they immediately adopted a respectful demeanor.

Since its establishment, the Blood Dragon Corps has been promoted one level each year and has now developed to Level 29.

The man's Level 02 signifies his seniority from the second year of the Corps' inception.

Within the Corps, the Green Dragon Squad ranks third (consisting of Hatchling Dragons, Thorn Dragons, Green Dragons, Winged Dragons, Stone Dragons, and Blood Dragons), and even today, there are only a little over a hundred Green Dragon Squads in the entire Corps.

To be able to retire and survive to this day, there is no doubt he must be one of the Buffer Zone's living fossils!

"Captain Xia, please come in!"

"Thank you."

Uncle Dong took back the badge, put it in his pocket, and stepped forward through the back door, slightly anxious.

Whew.

The transition from light to dark brought a gentle breeze from above.

Although only temporarily used as a venue, the interior of the theater had undergone extensive refurbishment last night.

According to Harlem, since the Infected Body activity became so frequent at the beginning of the year, such study meetings must be held regularly and extensively to maintain the fighting strength of the Inspector teams.

Thus, hundreds of workers worked through the night.

By today, the garbage and dirt on the first and second floors had been thoroughly cleaned, and the broken light fixtures and old equipment had been replaced with brand-new ones, forming a stark contrast to the dilapidated exterior.

As he advanced step by step along the aisle, Uncle Dong's long-dormant heart pounded wildly, and even the pain in his arm seemed to disappear.

Until turning two corners, his steps suddenly halted.

An indescribable expression flickered across his face, eventually settling on a few people in the distant corner.

Four men, two women.

Everyone bore injuries, everyone was somewhat disabled.

But Uncle Dong's gaze remained fixed on the scarred face of the middle-aged woman, unable to move away.

If Cheng Ye were here, merely observing the change in Uncle Dong's gaze at this moment, he would guess there must be a melodramatic story worth dozens of TV episodes between them.

And indeed, that is the case, for Uncle Dong has a long history with the woman.

However, the melodramatic tale need not be mentioned.

The past is the past; one cannot live perpetually in contrived happy memories.

"Over these years, I have actually come to terms with it, just unwilling to face it."

"Now the goods have been flooded, and who knows how many Infected Bodies have entered the Buffer Zone; what is there left to fear?"

The anxiety felt outside transformed into a sense of openness upon arriving here.

Chaotic memories flitted through Uncle Dong's mind before he pushed them all into the recesses of his consciousness.

After a pause, he donned a familiar kind smile that Cheng Ye knew well and walked along the base of the wall.

"Everyone, looking quite spirited!"

In the bustling backroom, Uncle Dong's voice was not loud, yet it made the six surrounding individuals jolt in surprise.

Upon turning to see the newcomer clearly, expressions of delight erupted on each face.

"Old Xia is here!"

"Haha, the Captain has finally arrived!"

"The Captain still looks so young; surely he is living comfortably!"

"Old Xia, I thought this study meeting couldn't persuade such an exalted figure like you!"

The six instantly gathered around, encircling Uncle Dong as if he were a treasured star.

As a first-generation warrior of the Blood Dragon Corps, surviving members are not few, yet team members who can maintain full capacity after retirement are scarce, even in Happiness City.

Uncle Dong nodded in response to each one, and when his gaze fell on the scarred woman's face, he chuckled softly, "Yun Wei, long time no see."

The woman paused momentarily, then shook her head with a wry smile, "Long time no see."

Short as those four words were, they seemed to encapsulate countless stories, embedding the past within them.

Observing this, the other five exchanged knowing glances and subtly gave them space.

"How have you been lately?"

"Just the same, I can't stay idle. I've been running freight with others, delivering goods to neighboring provinces and cities, not earning much, but at least it's not tiring."

"With the Infected Bodies moving around this year, it's very dangerous outside now; don't you rest?"

"Can't rest so easily; I've still got a ten-year contract, with three more years to go." She glanced at Uncle Dong's arm as she spoke, "Aren't you busy too? How long has that old wound been aching? Why not get it treated?"

"It can't be healed, been through several surgeries, but it's a fundamental issue, very difficult."

Uncle Dong sighed, and as his sleeve slipped, several hideous old scars glimmered faintly under the light.

The topic seemed to end at that moment, leaving both struggling to find words to continue the conversation.

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