Chapter 3426: Combustion (15)

While they were being idle, the other squads were constantly being deployed. Their squad was truly starting to look like freeloaders.

Song Yi spent every single day flirting with Wu Xianrou in the hospital, while the rest of them endured cold stares within the military compound.

Morale hit a real low.

They had endured all the sun, wind, and brutal training it took to become special forces soldiers, not just to serve the nation, but also for the generous salary and benefits.

This kind of daily idleness felt like a fast track to getting booted.

And it wasn’t as if they could just call Song Yi up either. Ning Shu and her fellow squad members could only light a symbolic candle and mourn in silence.

Now and then they were sent out on the odd side jobs, but they were such small jobs that a single person could handle them.

In effect, they were now in a free-range state, left to their own devices.

Ning Shu figured that if she showed up in front of those two, it’d probably stir up some misunderstanding.

Better not go over and add any more color to their little love story.

Reproduction was a biological instinct. Romance, she thought, was just a beautified packaging built on top of that urge.

Ning Shu felt numb. She seriously had the urge to slap Song Yi square across the face.

The rest of them were just sitting there watching the two of them being lovey-dovey.

She was probably supposed to play along, but she’d just pretend like she didn’t see a thing.

Ning Shu was lying underneath a car doing maintenance when her phone rang. She wriggled out, peeled off her oil-streaked gloves, and picked up the call.

It was Song Yi. His voice was solemn. “There’s an important mission. Report to the office.”

Hearing that serious, steady tone again, Ning Shu felt a flicker of clarity—that version of Song Yi seemed to be back.

She changed clothes at top speed and headed to the office.

The whole squad was there.

Song Yi stood tall in his camouflage uniform. He was well-built and imposing. His expression was stern.

“In the Middle East, employees of an oil company have been taken hostage by terrorists. Other squads will be handling the rescue. Our task is to work with the local government to capture the terrorists’ family members and use them in a hostage exchange,” Song Yi said.

“This mission is extremely dangerous. If anyone doesn’t want to take part, speak up now.” His gaze swept across the squad.

That region was notoriously unstable, but rich. It was a hub for oil, but also a hotspot for chaos, conflict, and terrorist activity.

“Mission guaranteed. We will get it done!”

Everyone stood at attention and responded in a firm, united voice.

Just as the atmosphere reached peak solemnity—the kind of moment that made your blood surge and raised goosebumps all over—Song Yi’s phone rang.

…Which completely killed the mood.

He left the office to take the call. What was meant to be a mission briefing now looked like a damp squib. It ended up fizzling out, just like that.

Wasn’t speed supposed to be the essence of war?

They should be rushing to get moving!

Everyone looked like they were constipated. Their expressions were filled with exasperation.

Ning Shu glanced at the watch on her wrist. “Shouldn’t we be heading out by now? The longer we wait, the more danger the hostages are in.”

Old Two looked towards the door. “Yeah, we should. But we have to wait for the squad commander.”

When Song Yi came back in, there was a look of internal struggle on his face. And seeing the way his squad members stared at him, he couldn’t get a single word out.

Ning Shu frowned deeply as she locked eyes with Song Yi. Don’t tell her… was he thinking of backing out now?

Did he not realize how precious every second was right now?

“Sir, we have to go,” Zhu Yi prompted.

Song Yi finally opened his mouth, with visible difficulty. “Today is Wu Xianrou’s birthday.”

Zhu Yi’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “And? We’re busy hunting down terrorists’ families and rescuing hostages. Birthdays happen every year.”

#Ran’s comment: The genuine, silent frustrated scream I let out when I read Song Yi saying that it’s Wu Xianrou’s birthday. This arc, as strangely as it is, feels too realistic for me.

“H-how about… you lot go without me? I won’t go,” said Song Yi.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt something collapse inside him, although he couldn’t say what, exactly.

Now it wasn’t just Zhu Yi whose jaw had dropped. The entire squad stared at Song Yi in shock and horror.

All this… just to celebrate a birthday? He was going to ditch such an urgent mission for that?

This wasn’t just about the lives of the oil company’s employees. It was about the nation’s reputation as well.

When citizens fell into danger and the country failed to come to their aid, what sense of belonging would be left for them to feel?

The atmosphere was like a sudden cold snap, freezing everything in its path.

“Song Yi, do you even realise what you’re doing?” Old Two looked at him. “You’re our squad commander. You’re supposed to lead us into this mission. Time is tight. It’s just a birthday. When we’re back, you can make it up to Miss Wu.”

Of course Song Yi knew how serious this was. However, over the phone, Wu Xianrou had said it was their first birthday together since becoming a couple.

He’d explained the mission to her, but she wouldn’t budge. She was not having it.

She insisted on making him choose, as if that would somehow make their love more noble.

Ning Shu checked her watch again, then glanced out the window. One after another, military helicopters were lifting off from the compound.

All the other squads were already on their way. How much longer were they going to sit around?

“There’s a clear order of priority. Let’s finish the mission first. Lives are at stake. Once we’re back, you can explain it to Miss Wu,” Ning Shu said with a sigh. “Either way, we don’t have time to get hung up on a birthday.”

Song Yi was caught between a rock and a hard place. He didn’t know how to choose.

It felt like two major things had suddenly appeared in his life.

In the past, his only priority was his job. But now, he had someone else to think about. And it looked like he had to pick one or the other.

What kind of dilemma was this?

He looked at the squad members looking back at him and finally nodded. “Let’s do the mission first.”

He switched off his phone.

There was no point bringing that with him on a mission—it’d only be a liability.

After regrouping and gearing up, the squad boarded a military helicopter.

Song Yi seemed distracted. He gazed blankly out the window at the blue sky and drifting clouds. He was probably already regretting rejecting Wu Xianrou.

Ning Shu methodically wiped down her firearm and double-checked all her equipment.

One lapse in attention and it could cost them their lives.

That place was crawling with terrorist factions.

And their job was to apprehend the criminals’ family members.

The atmosphere inside the helicopter was heavy.

Before, someone would’ve cracked a joke or said something to lighten the mood, ease the nerves.

However, at this moment, everyone felt weighed down. The squad didn’t have the same rhythm or feeling of camaraderie it used to.

Song Yi had no idea how to fix the situation, but he could feel that something had changed. Something had become less pure.

It had all become more complicated. No matter what he did, it felt like someone would get hurt.

He tried to speak up: “Once this mission’s over, dinner’s on me. Whatever you want to eat.”

“Thanks, Sir.”

“Cheers.”

The responses were sparse, half-hearted. The mood in Song Yi’s chest sank even lower.

“Wu Jing,” he said, reaching out to pat the shoulder of the person in front of him—Ning Shu.

She turned her head. “What is it?”

“Is it… is this happening because I’m getting married?” Song Yi asked her.

“No,” Ning Shu said bluntly. “It’s because you’ve found a girl who just happens to be a certain type. The moment you chose her, you were destined to drift further and further away from us.

“You need to choose one side—only then will you stop being caught in the middle and feeling torn.”

If he refused to give up either, then he might end up with neither, in the end.

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