Chapter 92: Let's See Tonight

Gao Yuan didn't rejoin his squad but went straight to Luo Xingyu.

"Brother Yuan, I see everyone is mobilizing. Has something big happened?"

It wasn't about being particularly perceptive; anyone with eyes could tell something major was afoot, especially since Luo Xingyu's residence was in the barracks. In the survivors' living area, the atmosphere was not so tense, but in the barracks, soldiers started running about, making full battle preparations. And with the Da Hong Third Company setting up various lookout posts around the conference room, Luo Xingyu knew something was up.

After all, Luo Xingyu lived in the most central area of the entire barracks.

Gao Yuan closed the door behind him, pushed Luo Xingyu a few steps inward, and then whispered, "Something big has happened, the aliens have come."

"What?"

"The aliens here to help us!"

Gao Yuan lifted Luo Xingyu into the air, twirled her around twice, then set her down, and joyfully whispered, "We might not be saved yet, but... I found out a lot of things today."

"Really!"

"Of course it's true. I was the first to discover them, and I was the first to talk to the aliens."

Overwhelmed with elation, Luo Xingyu's beautiful face twisted with emotion as she grabbed Gao Yuan, saying, "Hurry up and tell me, no, I want to see for myself."

Gao Yuan grabbed Luo Xingyu and said, "See what? Everything is under martial law, and it's still dangerous!"

"What danger?"

"Obviously, from the aliens, the bad ones, uhm, they even have a name now, called Ophiuchus Aliens, or Serpent People for short. The good ones are simply called Celestials. These Serpent People are definitely going to wipe out the Celestials. Oh, and by the way, the Celestials helping us are called Xinghe, which sounds like a sibling to your name, haha."

Luo Xingyu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's great. I don't even know what to say, but it's truly great."

"The more critical the situation, the higher the alert we need to be. If the Serpent People are really going to attack, our shelter would definitely be hit first. Huh, Uncle Xiang has already issued a call to arms, asking all volunteers to rally and enter a state of readiness for battle. I have to go report in."

"Ah, you're leaving?"

"Of course, I have to go. If I don't, I'd be violating military orders. Damn it, orders are like mountains, and to disobey is to court death. I don't want to be executed for violating military law."

"But you're not a soldier."

"Non-soldiers have to obey military law too, Xiaoyu. Go find Yu Shunzhou, and then you two stay here. If you find anything amiss, be ready to run."

"And what about you?"

"Of course, if I can run, I'll come back to find you. I don't have time to notify Yu Shunzhou; please go call him. Alright, now I need to go back to my unit."

Gao Yuan couldn't stay with Luo Xingyu for too long. Not rejoining his squad immediately had already been a breach of discipline. He dared not completely ignore Wang Hu's orders, or else Wang Hu might not say much, but Xiang Weiguo would surely deal with him.

After straightening his gear, Gao Yuan started running toward their machine gun position. He didn't know whether Xiang Weiguo had congregated everyone or had let the volunteers hold their original posts, so he decided first to check his own post.

As Gao Yuan ran, he saw Xiang Weiguo, who now didn't have the escort platoon around him, leaving just the commander by himself.

Gao Yuan ran up to Xiang Weiguo, who glanced at him and whispered, "Did you finish your questioning?"

"Not yet. It's too early. Commander Wang said I knew too much and sent me back to my unit."

"Hmm, never speak about what you shouldn't. Some things, if leaked, will trace back to you—I'll be the first to shoot you!"

Gao Yuan felt wronged and whispered, "Why would it necessarily be me."

"Because everyone else who might leak information has been contained. You, I let you return to your post, but remember, not a word about what you shouldn't say!"

"I understand, operational security and all that, but Uncle Xiang, what's there to keep secret, who's going to inform the aliens anyway?"

Gao Yuan was puzzled, while Xiang Weiguo whispered, "Yeah, logically, no one should be informing them. Even if they wanted to, they'd need a way. But Gao Yuan, we lack understanding of the Serpent People. What if they can understand our language, or intercept our radio communications? The more people know, the higher the risk of a leak. Do you think the principle of confidentiality is for nothing? Let me tell you, it's a lesson learned in blood. When we can't determine if it's necessary to keep a secret, it's definitely better to err on the side of caution."

"Yes, you're right."

Xiang Weiguo took a breath and said, "If something is really going down, tonight is the most likely time. If nothing happens tonight, well... we'll see. But since we're here, we must fulfil our duty, hold our positions. What I disrespect most is deserters, so go back to your post."

"Alright, Uncle Xiang. I'm heading back to my position."

"I'll go with you. I'll stay at the volunteers' posts to command, and we'll set up headquarters at your machine gun position."

"Ah? Uh, okay."

Gao Yuan's team knew the most, and it seemed Xiang Weiguo intended to personally keep an eye on them.

Night had fallen, and when Gao Yuan arrived at the machine gun position with Xiang Weiguo, he found Zhang Zhe and others chatting merrily. However, upon seeing Xiang Weiguo, they immediately fell silent.

Xiang Weiguo approached and whispered, "Speak what you should, not a word of what you shouldn't. Have you forgotten?"

Zhang Zhe hurriedly said, "Report, Captain, we weren't talking about anything we shouldn't have, really."

Xiang Weiguo let out a sigh and said, "Mm, I believe you still have that awareness. You know what's happened, so I won't say more. Buck up."

Xiang Weiguo sat down on a sandbag, while Gao Yuan sat on an ammo box. Since Xiang Weiguo was there, no one dared to speak; they just sat there quietly.

All Gao Yuan could think about was whether the Serpent People would attack, and if they did, how they would do it.

And he also wondered when Wang Hu would be able to contact Supreme Command. Xinghe truly was humanity's hope, and from every angle, Gao Yuan hoped for its safekeeping.

Time ticked by slowly. After sitting idly for two hours, the day had turned completely dark, and due to the blackout policy, there wasn't a single light in sight.

The darkness, oppressive and suffocating, was especially painful.

Just then, someone whispered, "Is Commander Xiang here? Commander, are you here?"

Xiang Weiguo immediately responded, "I'm here, who is it?"

"Commander, the brigade commander asks that you come over right away, there's an urgent matter."

Xiang Weiguo stood up at once and said, "Let's go."

After taking a few steps in the darkness, Xiang Weiguo added, "You guys, be alert."

Alert for what? Not to talk about things they shouldn't, of course.

Listening as the footsteps faded away, Li Changfeng whispered beside him, "Gao Yuan, you followed him there, and then you guys..."

Zhang Zhe scolded in a sharp tone, "Shut up! Don't say what you shouldn't!"

Li Changfeng instantly fell silent, and Gao Yuan let out a sigh, saying, "Mm, it'll be less dark when the moon rises later."

Gao Yuan said as much as he could, and whether others could read between the lines—that was out of his control. As far as the unspeakable goes, that's as far as he could say.

But Gao Yuan's words still significantly lifted everyone's spirits.

Zhang Zhe wistfully said, "If only we could go back to the days before, that would be great."

Not chatting was impossible; it was cold, dark, boring, and very tense. What else could they do if not talk?

So after Zhang Zhe opened the floodgates of conversation, Gao Yuan and the others quickly became engaged in a lively chatter, though they indeed kept their voices very low, not daring to speak loudly.

Another half-hour passed, and just as Zhang Zhe had told a rather risqué joke that made everyone snicker quietly, Li Changfeng suddenly said, "Quiet down, what's that sound?"

The noise ceased instantly, and then, Gao Yuan thought he heard something, but he couldn't be sure.

Zhang Zhe, very tense, said, "Li Changfeng! Don't just blurt things out. There's no noise. Don't scare yourself!"

Li Changfeng whispered, "But there is a noise, listen, isn't there?"

"No, there isn't."

"It seems like there is some noise, can't quite make out what it is."

And just then, Li Changfeng suddenly said with a cry in his voice, "Holy shit, they're coming again! Look at the sky!"

Throughout the night, everyone had been glancing at the sky occasionally, but now prompted by Li Changfeng, everyone's heads shot up in unison.

But there was nothing, nothing at all.

Li Changfeng, very anxious, said, "Don't look straight up, look to the east..."

Gao Yuan turned his head and looked out to see a light moving slowly across the sky.

Coming from the direction of the city area.

Gao Yuan stared for a moment and said, "Li Changfeng, oh Li Changfeng, why is it always you who notices these things..."

Zhang Zhe took a deep breath and then said in a low voice, "Prepare for battle, guys. I'm guessing we can't avoid it tonight. Gao Yuan, I know you still have cigarettes, can you give me one?"

"You can't smoke now!"

"I know, if a fight starts, I'll smoke; if not, I won't."

Gao Yuan indeed had cigarettes on him, only three left. After thinking it over, he took out his crumpled cigarette pack and handed it over to Zhang Zhe in the dark, whispering, "They're all yours."

Zhang Zhe chuckled softly, then said in a rather resigned tone, "Alright, it's either a blessing or a disaster, and if it's a disaster, we can't avoid it. Brothers, tonight's the night!"