Fortunately, a sudden round of applause from the front broke the silence.

"Strange, the ones sitting down there are all Inspectors, and they're clapping for us?"

Yun Wei stood on tiptoe to look toward the stage, showing an unusual expression.

This group of country bumpkins came to share experience, but did they really dare to lecture the Inspectors?

As the highest-ranking people in the Buffer Zone, it was already a miracle that they listened to them finish.

Applause, welcome, is a luxury not to be expected.

"That's not applause for you, the one lecturing... used to be an instructor at the Public Security Bureau, and his spouse is also an Inspector, and moreover, a Fourth-stage Inspector with real power."

A familiar voice came from nearby, and the two turned their heads reflexively to find it was someone from the Thunder Moon Squad.

They were former colleagues, but only one person from the Thunder Moon Squad remained.

"Miao Yang, the way you say it, do you really want the Inspectors to applaud for you?" the people around joked.

"Hey, I'm just saying. Aren't we all here for those 8 Contribution Points?"

Miao Yang rubbed his hands and laughed, "But I've prepared something solid. This stuff the Blood Dragon Corps invited me to lecture about over the years, I've never disclosed it. Maybe it'll make the 'grandpas' in the audience happy enough to applaud and cheer."

"Solid stuff, are you going to talk about when the Thunder Moon Squad almost got wiped out?"

"Get lost!" Miao Yang teased, pushing the other guy a bit, "Didn't your Red Blood Squad also end up with just you?"

"How is that the same? We had five left when we retired..."

"..."

Listening to Miao Yang and the others banter, Uncle Dong and Yun Wei exchanged helpless smiles and walked to a quiet place nearby in mutual understanding.

"How about I lend you some money to get the surgery done?"

"No need to borrow from you. If I really planned to fix this problem, the favors I patched together over the years would be more than enough. No need for that..."

Uncle Dong shook his head, "It's been so many years, why haven't you thought about finding a partner?"

"I've been waiting for you all along."

Yun Wei's eyelashes fluttered when she looked up, then she suddenly laughed, "Did you want to hear me say that? I heard that in old romance dramas, they all play out like this!"

"Xia Dong, you're only allowed to fear death, but I'm not?"

"It's not that I'm afraid of death..."

Uncle Dong's throat moved as he wanted to retort, but it only turned into a sigh in the end.

Back then, they were dating and had even settled on a wedding date.

Unfortunately, an accident occurred during a mission, and the squad was besieged by Infected Bodies. Though they narrowly escaped with their lives without casualties, everyone ended up with various injuries.

As the captain, Uncle Dong noticed the unusual movements of the Infected Bodies. Even though the squad was about to advance to the "Winged Dragon" level, making it to the mid-tier of the Blood Dragon Corps, he decisively chose to retire, leaving behind the rest of the Cold Winter Squad.

Without him as the backbone, the others grew discouraged and chose to retire one by one.

Everyone resented Xia Dong, feeling that his cowardice and fear of death had ruined their future.

Naturally, their relationship also reached a dead end.

But fate played tricks, and it was precisely in the winter when everyone retired that Happiness City was struck by a terrifying "Plague" level infection outbreak.

The squads that started at the same time as the Cold Winter Squad were almost entirely wiped out, with very few survivors.

This brutal change suddenly made the Cold Winter Squad realize Xia Dong's foresight back then, as well as the madness of ignoring all dangers in the quest for promotion.

Unfortunately, while others later could forgive and understand him, Xia Dong never got over it himself.

In plain terms, his Tao Heart was shattered.

A once valiant and advancing warrior chose to retire and run away at the height of his power.

This decision tormented him for over twenty years.

"You used to argue with me, have you finally accepted it now?"

"Accepted it, what else can I do if I don't? I'm just a useless coward; you didn't know how scared I was last night when I heard the duty station chief died, and the Infected Bodies got in. Luckily, I didn't embarrass myself in front of the younger generation, and I even put on a big-shot act."

Uncle Dong grinned, patting the badge hanging on his chest.

"I deserve today!"

"Well said!" Yun Wei gave a thumbs-up, "Can I curse you too?"

"No way. You all said you've forgiven me."

That little proud air from Uncle Dong made Yun Wei laugh.

The other five from the Cold Winter Squad, who were eavesdropping nearby, immediately relaxed their brows.

They had been trying to set these two up for years, but Uncle Dong always kept dodging.

Could it be that this time, it might really work out?

"Damn it, I've been talking up there for ages, and those Inspectors look down on me. Fine. But those observers and staff in the back, what are they even doing acting like that?"

"Was my lecture that bad? Have I killed fewer Infected Bodies than they have?"

At this moment, Miao Yang returned backstage, cursing and swearing.

As for how many listened to what he prepared, he didn't notice, but he clearly saw how many were zoning out.

Not just the Inspectors, even the ordinary people in the back rows couldn't be bothered to raise an eyelid. This was just plain looking down on someone!

"Alright, alright, didn't you say you were here to earn Contribution Points? Stop shouting, or you'll get into trouble if someone hears you." Someone hurriedly advised.

A staff member responsible for announcements walked over with a blank face, giving Miao Yang a deep look, and said towards Uncle Dong's direction, "Cold Winter Squad, prepare, you're up next. Decide among yourselves who goes first."

Who goes first?

"I'll go." Uncle Dong dusted off some imaginary dirt, "Last time I was the first to run away, this time I can't be the last to go on."

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