When Tian Xingjian woke up with a splitting headache from his hangover, he found himself lying in a small room of about five square ters. "Damn it, who put in the confinent room?" Fatty shouted at the top of his lungs. Apart from a sliver of light coming from under the door crack, the confinent room had no lamps or windows.
He sat on the ground, trying hard to recall what happened yesterday. Drinking, and before the drinking? He paused for a mont and shook his head. The eting between Ann Lei and Milan inevitably surfaced in his mind again. Fatty now genuinely wished that this was just a dream or that ti could rewind.
After being lost in thought for a while, Tian Xingjian suddenly felt a sense of clarity post-hangover. Living a lifeti, everyone has the right to pursue their happiness; Ann Lei has it, Milan has it, and he also has it. People can live without each other; the situation couldn’t be reversed. His indecision ruined him. Even if ti could go back, he still wouldn’t be able to refuse Ann Lei after eting Milan. He would still go through the sa ordeal. He slowly lay down on the ground, trying hard to cheer himself up—no need to worry anymore, he got his release. A sowhat bittersweet release, but ultimately, it felt like a burden lifted.
He didn’t know how much ti had passed when the confinent room door suddenly opened, and a Constitutional Soldier Major walked in, saying to Tian Xingjian, "Get up, follow !" Fatty scrambled up and asked, "Why did you lock up? I just drank a bit, I’m not even a soldier in a combat-ready unit."
The Constitutional Soldier Major couldn’t help but laugh; apparently, this foolish Fatty couldn’t rember anything. He shoved Fatty out of the confinent room, shouting, "You think it’s just about drinking a bit? You severely violated military regulations by fighting, causing varying degrees of injuries to thirty-two people, including twelve policen and nine special forces officers. More egregiously, you even spat publicly at Admiral Mihailovich. You tell why you’re locked up!"
Fatty incredulously pointed at his nose and said, "Are you sure? Are you talking about ? I must tell you, I’m naturally timid, I can’t handle scares!" The Constitutional Soldier Major was amused yet annoyed by this statent. Such a daring rogue calmly claiming to be timid! He didn’t bother arguing with such a person and ordered, "Go quickly! The Enforcent Officer is waiting for you!"
Fatty, startled by the words "Enforcent Officer," stubbornly pursued, "Are you sure I did all that? It can’t be. I’ve always been honest and kind, nicknad ’Honest Cute Little Gentleman,’ never engaging in fights. You must be mistaken... I spat at the General?"
The Constitutional Soldier Major really wanted to throw this Fatty back into the confinent room—Honest Cute Little Gentleman, my ass, is there such a fat little gentleman?
Fatty grumbled all the way with the Constitutional Soldier Major to another room, where several Enforcent Officers from the military court and a Colonel from the Political Departnt were already waiting. As soon as Fatty entered, his identity was confird through a set procedure. Without paying the terrified and pitiful-looking Fatty any attention, the officers pulled out a docunt and read it out flatly for a while, then took Fatty’s hand to press his fingerprint on the electronic docunt.
Fatty spent a long ti processing before realizing, in essence, eight words: rits and derits offset, dishonorable discharge. Once he snapped back to reality, he almost wanted to kiss these Enforcent Officers! How did such a good thing happen to him? As for the behind-enemy-lines task, it was all over!
Walking out of the Constitutional Soldier Departnt’s gate, Fatty stared at the bright sun, feeling dazed and unsure of where to go. The research lab, he had been expelled already. The experintal station, how to face Milan. Ho, how to face Ann Lei. Suddenly, he thought, if the Military Departnt indeed sent Ann Lei behind enemy lines, what should he do? Fatty felt a sudden panic, unsure and clueless about what to do. He stood blankly under the sun, squinting at it until he saw an aura before him, completely bewildered.
Fatty walked slowly down the steps, but he saw Boswell and Russell waving to him under the tree shade of the front square garden. How did these two unrelated people co together? Fatty curiously walked over. Boswell looked at the ssy and blood-stained disciple and sighed, "Co on, General Russell inford about your situation. You’re part of the lab, so help out at the academy for now. Later, General Russell will make specific arrangents."
Fatty opened his mouth wide in stupor, looking at Russell smiling beside him, thinking, "More arrangents? Don’t they plan to let go?" Russell seed to understand his thoughts, smiling faintly, "You caused a public disturbance, which the Military Departnt cannot cover up. Military discipline is military discipline; you need to be punished. We are rearranging your identity during this ti. You already know what your subsequent tasks are; what needs to be done by you still needs to be done. This is your responsibility!"
"Responsibility!" Fatty shouted in anger, "There are millions of people in this world; does it just lack ? Do I look like a hero, like a savior?" Russell shook his head, "No!" Fatty was startled and asked, "Then why choose ? Am I trustworthy?" Russell said, "You’ve heard the phrase ’The tis make the man,’ haven’t you? Think about it, how many choices do you have in life anew? It’s not I who chooses you; it’s the tis!"
Fatty waved his hand, "Don’t give those grand theories; I only know I’m naturally not cut out to be a hero. I’m just a coward! I’m afraid of death, I don’t want war; I hate it. I know just my responsibility is to survive in troubled tis, protect my loved ones! I can only handle such a big responsibility. Being a hero for the country and people is not !"
Russell shook his head, "The world doesn’t lack heroes like you. I already said, it’s not choosing you; you appeared at this position at this ti, so the responsibility is yours. You aren’t as weak as you imagine yourself to be. In dire circumstances, the power you burst out with far surpasses others. Fear is stronger than bravery! Do you know the code na Gazalin Military Departnt gave you?"
Tian Xingjian oddly asked, "What code na?"
"The Variable," Russell earnestly stared at him, thoughtfully said, "Everyone is a variable at heart. And you, during a period before, played the biggest role. With your deduction ability, you should understand the place of variables, chance events in the war. Without your involvent, I would still be an Imperial Admiral in the Gazalin Empire, and the Federation would have already lost all of the Atlantis Star Domain. Your friends, your family, might have already perished in the war. Haven’t you noticed your role at all?"
Seeing Tian Xingjian’s dazed expression, Russell said, "You helped determine my decision for moving from Gazalin to Leray. Now you’re shrugging off your duties, thinking I’ll agree? In this world, in this war, everyone has their place. If I can co to the Federation, why can’t you go behind enemy lines? I know you, you can’t be a strategic mastermind General, perhaps more cowardly than average soldiers, but you possess a power we lack. You live more authentically, knowing what you want, your capabilities, your weaknesses. At the very least, you will always prioritize safety. That’s why I let you go to the Freedom Front!"
Seeing Fatty silent, Russell sighed, "I’m not forcing you; you have plenty of ti to think. You don’t need to be a general, just a little soldier, becoming a variable in this chaotic world!"
Russell turned to leave, Boswell patted the silent Tian Xingjian on the shoulder with a smile, "The General is correct; everyone has a place. You just need to recognize yours. Let’s return to the academy first; the dormitory has been reassigned to you as an assistant professor."
"Dormitory?" Fatty asked nervously, "You’re not putting in the experintal station, right?" Boswell, expressionless, said, "Of course not, I placed you in the dormitory building, right opposite Milan’s room."
Fatty jumped in surprise, hurriedly said, "But..." Boswell waved his hand, "No buts, it’s set. Considering the matters between you, Milan, and Major Ann Lei—I know. You should be carefree; in this world, as long as you have skills, having an extra wife is no big deal, provided everyone’s willing. If you can et their needs, a satisfied woman and another satisfied woman essentially have no conflict. Although, it depends on the woman’s desires..." Boswell smiled, "I never seek won insatiable in their wants; won with strong possessiveness don’t suit !"
Fatty stared at Boswell in shock, unable to express his imnse amazent. This was the old hardheaded researcher? Boswell, seeing his odd expression, whispered, "You aren’t unable to satisfy two won, are you?" Angrily, Fatty said, "Of course not!" Boswell faintly smiled, "If you indeed feel embarrassed, I have secretly developed dicines in the lab, should you need so?"
Fatty finally surrendered, chuckling bitterly, "Teacher, must you make lose face to be satisfied?"
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Leave note: Flying to Moscow tomorrow morning, updates will be affected, please understand.
(To be continued. For more Chapters, please visit CMFU. Support the author, support legitimate readings!)
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