574 Its Good To Be Alive (2/2)

”Ok, listen up everybody. I am now going to announce the message that we have received this morning. By order of General Samantha, she wishes to congratulate everyone for your brilliant performance during the last battle. She hereby awards General Ma Xiaoru a tier two, Grand Bauhinia Medal.” Hu Yangxuan announced solemnly. The military uniform he was wearing and the stubble on his chin and cheek had made him look much manlier than that clean-shaven man-diva he used to be.

”Just get to the point! We knew that already!” Zheng Zhong piped up impatiently.

”The second new was from Mars…” Hu Yangxuan paused for a second and let the suspense hang in the air.

”Hurry the f*ck up! I am going to beat you up if you don't!” Wang Ben's patience was being stretched to its limits as he shouted.

”Alright, alright! The news from Mars says that our friend Wang Tong is very much well and alive. He has already organized a sizable army and is going to deliver a killing blow to the Zergs. ” Hu Yangxuan said with animated voice and gesture.

However, no one spoke a word even after he was done announcing the news. Hu Yangxuan was not surprised by this moment of silence; they were simply too excited. Everyone's bond with Wang Tong could not be so easily broken over time. If Wang Tong didn't risk his life to save the soldiers on the Arc, all of them would have been dead in the dark, cold space.

”Congratulations, general.” Hu Yangxuan saluted to Ma Xiaoru. In the five years, Ma Xiaoru carried the heaviest burden one could imagine. Wang Tong's disappearance had toughened her up because she knew that the latter would want her to be strong. A crybaby princess from a Great House was not what Wang Tong wanted. Therefore, she carried his banner on her shoulder and continued her fiancé's crusade, a fiancé whom she only met in dreams.

Ma Xiaoru rose from her seat slowly and said with as much calm as she could gather, ”Everyone, out! I need to be alone for a moment.”

People filed out of the room without asking a question. They had witnessed their love bloom, and also her suffering and transformation. She had been a beautiful princess raised in comfort and wealth; but now, she was a battle-hardened commander.

When the last person left the room and shut the door solidly, tears finally slid down Ma Xiaoru's face.

”You are still alive... Wang Tong…”

The tears of joy and sorrow mixed together, pouring out of her eyes and into her mouth. They tasted bitter, but were still sweeter than the cold night she had spent by herself, wishing for Wang Tong's warmth.

Outside Ma Xiaoru's office, people had already started celebrating.

”I knew it! Boss is a God! How could he be dead? Haha!” That was Karl.

”He will make Patroclus pay for what he had done!”

”Patroclus is nothing! He was defeated by Boss once, and the boss will do it again!”

”Yea!”

”Balls! Why didn't he come back to us?”

”You think? Mars is the only place that allows the boss to carry out his operations. Thank god he is there now. Otherwise, we would have been waiting forever for Michaux and Lie Jian to save us.” Hu Yangxuan remarked.

”Is that what it said on the report from Principle Samantha?” Ma Xiaoru opened her office door and asked, her eyes red.

”Um.... yes? I skimmed through the report.”

”Yea, I knew it. You are too stupid to talk that smart! ” Karl said.

”Wang Tong's reemergence means that we should start preparing for the final counterattack. However, I feel that our priority should not be joining Wang Tong's call for the war, but to preserve our strength.” Apache said from a corner.

Everyone was disheveled by Apache's out of character comment. He always had been the firm believer that offense was the best defense. His conservative comment went against the grains of what he had adamantly insisted on.

”Apache is right. Let's say Wang Tong was able to push the Zergs out of Mars. What would Patroclus do then?” Ma Xiaoru's face was lit up with hope. If Patroclus divided his forces to fight at two fronts, the human resistance on the Earth would finally have a chance to eliminate the weakened enemies.

”I agree! That's what the principal wanted too.”

”Have you sent out the news?” Ma Xiaoru asked.

”Yes. Both House Li and House Zhang should have learned about it by now.” Hu Yangxuan nodded.

In the past five years, they had never been so happy.

”I think we need to go for a drink tonight! ”

”I agree! General, let's celebrate tonight!”

Ma Xiaoru smiled and then nodded. ”Tonight only.”