Chapter 249: Exchange of Fire (1/2)

Chapter 249: Exchange of Fire

Translator: OneshotwonderEditor: Hitesh_

That was the real reason why Jansining would promote Wang Tong even though he was still a new member. If it were anyone else he had promoted, his comrades would have protested and recommended friends such as Third or Big Face. But they trusted Wang Tong and knew he was much stronger than any one of them. Therefore, they had agreed with Jansining's decision.

War was cruel, and it had no place for overwrought politeness.

Wang Tong felt a strange feeling that was a mixture of fear and motivation. He had gotten used to fighting alone, but right then, the had to protect a whole team, even though he knew that it was impossible for him to look after everyone.

”Kiddo, don't stress about it. We are not entirely useless.” Jansining was a good leader; he could always read his team member's mind accurately.

Jansining had never studied psychology or mind reading classes. But ever since the first time he saw Wang Tong, he knew that this lad was very committed and trustworthy. He might talk like a lazy little prick, but through his actions, he was pulling more weight than anyone else.

”Lieutenant, I didn't mean to think that way.” Wang Tong explained. He knew that it would be an insult to consider a soldier useless.

Jansining puffed a cloud of smoke and pulled out a picture from his inner pocket.

”Here, look, this is my baby girl. Isn't she cute? She is five now, learned to call me Papa just before I left… Haha. ” There was a rare tenderness in his voice.

”The other one is my wife. A school teacher… fell in love with me because I am a tough soldier, haha!” Jansining laughed proudly.

Wang Tong saw a cute little girl and a beautiful woman in the picture. Jansining had a happy and comfortable family.

Wang Tong wondered why Jansining would choose to forsake his comfortable home and join the war. ”Lieutenant, why did you decide to come to Norton? It's too dangerous...What if...” Wang Tong didn't finish what he was supposed to say. He was supposed to ask if Jansining had thought about what would happen to his wife and child should anything happen to him on Norton.

Jansining threw away his cigarette and squeezed it under his heel. Then, he turned to Wang Tong and said calmly, ”I am a soldier.”

The profoundness of this simple answer shocked Wang Tong.

Wang Tong felt ashamed when comparing himself to Jansining. On the battlefield, no one was fighting for the promotion, nor were they fighting for the future of the Confederation. They were fighting for their loved ones, protecting their family with their own sacrifices.

Although soldier was a profession that had started ever since the beginning of human civilization, not a lot of people had understood the real purpose of being a soldier.

Thanks to Jansining, Wang Tong finally understood it.

The next day, the ninth platoon kept on pushing forward. Since they had entered a jungle, they had to give up using their vehicle and walk their way out of the jungle. Overbite was in charge of carrying everyone's space crystals as he trailed after the team.

If they followed the planned route, the ninth platoon and other platoons would be able to form a stranglehold on the hive and maximize their chance of encountering Zergs on their way.

Although humans could not sieve through the entire planet, when hives popped out around the human settlement, the military would spare no expense to get rid of them. The mines had strategical importance to humans, since its production had become the primary source of funding for this war.

Just like the humans, Zergs were also an inhabitant of the planets. Therefore, the rhetoric of good verse evil seemed old and tired in describing this war. Instead, this war was all about establishing dominance on a resource-rich planet over another race.

Wang Tong looked around him and found his comrades much more relatable and likable than the flamboyant TV personalities who would only talk but never acted.

For a while, killing Zergs meant only survival to Wang Tong. But right then, he found his actions seemed to have gained a certain measure of profoundness.

”I got a reading here! About thirty of them, twelve o'clock. Overbite, let them taste some steel and attract them here.”

”It's all on me, Lieutenant.”

Overbite shot at the Zerg's ambush location and revealed the wave of deadly claws and fans rushing towards the ninth platoon.

”Everyone, get ready!”

It was not the first day that the ninth platoon was in the business of killing Zergs, so the soldiers were ready in a second and were eager to kill.