Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
Wait, that’s not right!
Xiao Jing felt her body was a little cold, as if she was not wearing any clothes and felt completely cold.
She subconsciously lowered her head. The night wind blew, the treetops trembled, and the birds flapped their little wings.
Oh, where are her clothes? Where are her white stripes? Where is her perfect disguise?
The stream was still boiling, and the bubbles were popping up happily.
Xiao Jing swallowed, buried her head and her face deeply into the soil secretly, which made her look like a little cat. She wanted to just return to dust and die.
She could guess at a glance who the person floating in the stream was. She couldn’t imagine anyone else who could create such an effect except her own awesome and cool captain.
But what can I do? Does he know that my body is special? Does he know the secret I am hiding?
“Huff, huff, huff.” Shen Chengfeng climbed out of the stream panting. He had his back to Xiao Jing who was lying on the ground as he looked up at the bright red frost in the sky as the sun set.
After hearing the sound, Xiao Jing didn’t dare to move and just lay there stiffly pretending to be dead.
Shen Chengfeng walked out of the stream, and the water on his body rapidly evaporated at a speed visible to the naked eye. Except for the water dripping from the ends of his hair, his whole body looked refreshed, as if he was not stained by any water at all.
“I know you’re awake.” The cold voice did not carry any warmth, and it was so cold that it made people afraid.
Xiao Jing’s fingers bent involuntarily. She then raised her head cautiously and grinned, looking harmless.
Shen Chengfeng sat three meters away from her, staring at the calm stream. His voice was calm and as usual when he asked, “Why did you do this?”
“Cough cough.” Xiao Jing’s throat felt itchy and as if there was something stuck in her throat and she didn’t know how to respond.
“Was it a trap set up by your Xiao family, or was it a trick you faked? Hmm?”
“No.” Xiao Jing anxiously wanted to sit up, but just a little movement pulled the wound on her back, causing her to stop in pain. She shook her head, her voice a little guilty, “I did it myself.”
“Why did you do this?” Shen Chengfeng asked again.
Xiao Jing turned her head awkwardly and looked to the other side. She was a very eloquent person, but faced with this situation, she was speechless and had nothing to say.
“Pack your luggage when we get back.” Shen Chengfeng stood up.
“Captain.” Hearing this, Xiao Jing no longer cared about the injuries on her body and got up with a somersault. However, before she could utter a word, the clothes on her body slid down her arms and fell to the ground.
Shen Chengfeng stared at her expressionlessly.
Xiao Jing blinked and subconsciously reached out to grab the clothes with her hands, but she didn’t get any clothes. Instead, all the wounds were broken open, and blood flowed down, soaking the ground.
Shen Chengfeng said nothing, walked quickly forward, picked up the clothes on the ground and covered her body.
Xiao Jing pulled his arm. She was obviously in so much pain that her whole body was cramping unnaturally, but she stood up straight stubbornly and said in a hoarse voice, “Captain.”
“You’ve lost your qualifications.” Shen Chengfeng wanted to break away from her touch.
“I know that what I did violated military regulations, but I had no choice. If I didn’t have to, who would be willing to live as a boy for more than 20 years?”
“That’s no excuse for you to lie to everyone.”
“Yes, I deceived everyone. I know I committed a crime, so I worked very hard to atone for it. I used my own efforts to serve the country and the nation. I shed my blood on the battlefield. I am guilty, but my crime does not deserve death. You can’t deny everything about me because of a small mistake I made. So what if I am a woman? I can still fight in battle and serve the country and the people. Although I was wrong, I was not wrong either.”
“You are a woman!”
“So what if I’m a woman? Can’t women be soldiers, and can’t women join the special forces?!” Xiao Jing asked back.
Shen Chengfeng was silent. The rules of the special forces did not seem to have any special provisions prohibiting female soldiers from joining, but there was no precedent for allowing female soldiers to join. But she joined anyway, and she actually deceived her superiors and subordinates and joined under the identity of a male. This was her unforgivable crime.
“Captain.” Xiao Jing gently tugged at his trouser leg. “I know you are very angry now because I didn’t report it, but I really have my own difficulties.”
“I don’t care what your difficulties are. There are no exceptions in my special forces team.”
“Captain.” Xiao Jing gritted her teeth, her face alternately pale and blue, and she trembled as she spoke, “In the Xiao family, my mother is a dispensable existence. The most common thing she said to me was “I’m sorry.” She’s sorry for giving me such an embarrassing identity, but I know her pain, her struggle, and her helplessness.”
“This is no excuse for you to deceive your superiors and subordinates.”
“Yes, but you don’t understand our despair.”
“Despair? I can see that the Xiao family treats you well. Xiao Yu would never rashly go to other camps to visit relatives, but he sneaked in again and again for you regardless of his identity, not to mention Xiao Hong and Xiao Zheng.”
“….” Hallucination, those are all your hallucinations, they just want to show their presence, yes, to show their presence.
Xiao Jing herself had lost her confidence. During this period, the appearance of her eldest brother, second brother, and third brother was indeed a bit strange. It seemed as if they cared about her, but also as if they were bullying her. She felt as if she had gotten into a dead end and couldn’t get out.
Shen Chengfeng looked at her with a sharp gaze, “You are not suitable to stay in the special forces anymore.”
“Why is it not suitable?” Xiao Jing said this a little excitedly and without catching her breath, causing her to fall straight down.
Shen Chengfeng quickly caught her falling body, staring at the cuts on her back without blinking, and softened his tone, “The special forces are all rough men, not suitable for you.”
Xiao Jing felt dizzy, but she held onto his arm tenaciously, saying weakly, “Captain, can you give me another chance?”
“Why are you so persistent? Just because the special forces can make you enjoy glory?”
“Yes, it can make me proud and allows me to face the Xiao family with my head held high.” Xiao Jing’s eyes were red and a tear fell in the blink of an eye. She lowered her head. Her body was in pain, but she couldn’t just faint.
“The Special Forces has never been a stepping stone for anyone.” Shen Chengfeng put her back on the ground and let her lie steadily.
Xiao Jing reached out her hand to him but could only watch his back gradually walk away until he disappeared. She then called out softly, with despair and helplessness, “Captain.”
Shen Chengfeng suddenly stopped, clenched his hands into fists, and the veins on his face became prominent due to the tension.
The night wind was somewhat still, and smoke was curling around in the peaceful surroundings.
There was charcoal burning in the fire, and a fish was placed on the charcoal, with a strong fish aroma floating in the air.
Xiao Jing woke up slowly. She gritted her teeth in pain when she moved her body slightly. She then supported herself on the ground with both hands and slowly sat up.
Shen Chengfeng sat in front of the fire without saying a word, adding a few twigs into it from time to time. His cold facial features looked even more indifferent under the reflection of the firelight, as if his whole face was tense, making people afraid to approach him.
Xiao Jing stumbled to her feet and tried to take two steps forward, but after only two steps, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. She was gasping for breath and in pain.
“Don’t move.” A deep male voice sounded from not far away.
Xiao Jing gritted her teeth, held her breath and walked over, refusing to give in.
Shen Chengfeng didn’t look at her again but cast his gaze back into the fire. The jumping flames entered his eye sockets and seemed to be swallowed up instantly, never to see the light again.
“Captain.” Xiao Jing sat on his opposite side. Because they were Shen Chengfeng’s clothes, they were obviously a little loose on her thin body.
Shen Chengfeng used a knife to poke open some of the fish skin, handed the almost roasted crucian carp to her, and said slowly: “Eat it, and then we’ll be on our way.”
Xiao Jing held the greasy grilled fish in her hand, but she found it hard to swallow.
“It’s not that I’m ruthless, but rules are rules, and no one is an exception.” Shen Chengfeng said again.
Xiao Jing tightly grasped the wooden stick and said nothing.
“I will announce to my superiors that you are retiring due to injury, not–” He stopped talking.
“Captain, can you really not keep me here?” Xiao Jing raised her head and looked at him expectantly.
Shen Chengfeng looked away. Silence was the best answer for her.
The whole space fell silent again.
Xiao Jing put the grilled fish back into the fire and lay down on her side. The moonlight fell through the gaps in the trees and happened to fall between her eyebrows. A crystal clear tear seemed to carry all her hopes, and at that moment, it fell.
Shen Chengfeng ate the fish in big mouthfuls. A fish bone got stuck in his throat, but he swallowed it without paying any attention. It tasted like chewing wax.
At night there were the sparse sounds of animals moving and the barely perceptible sound of footsteps.
The moonlight fell quietly, and two figures walked slowly, one in front and one behind.
Shen Chengfeng looked back more than once to observe the situation of the little soldier behind him. She tried very hard to keep up with him, but it was difficult.
Xiao Jing felt a sore throat, as if there was a slight smell of rust. She swallowed, trying to ease the pain, but unexpectedly she stumbled and fell to the ground.
Shen Chengfeng walked back and half-knelt in front of her, still with that sluggish face, and said, “Come up.”
Xiao Jing was stunned for a moment, but without resisting, she climbed onto his back.
Once they got out of the forest, they could see the desolate and tragic scene left by the war everywhere.
“Captain.” Xiao Jing called softly.
“Yeah.” Shen Chengfeng observed the terrain, and after making sure that there were no lone enemy troops, he moved cautiously.
“Captain.” Xiao Jing called again.
“Yeah.” Shen Chengfeng answered again.
“Captain, I know you didn’t like me at first because I was useless, and you don’t like me now because I lied to you, but what can I do? I think I like you very much. From admiration at the beginning to worship now, I just want to be like you one day, to be an upright person and do things with a clear conscience.”
“Do you think you can have a clear conscience now that you are in my position?” Shen Chengfeng asked.
Xiao Jing’s mouth corners slightly raised, she smiled, “Why can’t I have a clear conscience? Did I not complete my mission well enough, or did I hurt the interests of the people? I just hid my gender and didn’t hurt anyone, right?”
The moonlight lengthened the two people’s shadows, and the night wind suddenly rose.
Maybe it was a little cold, so Xiao Jing hugged his shoulders even harder, as she murmured to him: “Captain, I know my little selfishness made you angry.”
“I’m not angry.”
“Then why are you sending me away?”
“I’m not chasing you away. I’m just doing my job.”
“When did the special forces stipulate that only men can join the team?”
Shen Chengfeng stopped and looked up at the night sky as he said, “You are not suitable for the special forces.”
“Am I really not suitable? I think I am quite suitable. I am working very hard, hoping that one day I can go on a mission on my own. I am working very hard to be strong, hoping that one day I can go home with my head held high. Just because my identity is not suitable, are you going to deny everything about me?”
Shen Chengfeng was speechless. He had to admit that he had believed in Xiao Jing before. Based on her performance during this period, she was fully qualified to stay in the special operations team, but –
“Captain, can you give me another chance?”
Feeling the breathing sound coming from behind him, Shen Chengfeng’s hands tightened involuntarily. He did not answer and continued walking forward.
The streets at midnight were filled with the sickening smell of blood.
Shen Chengfeng hid in the corner, looking at the church that had been occupied by the enemy. His eyes suddenly tightened. It seemed that the whole city had fallen.
He wanted to stay here and wait for help, but he was afraid that was impossible.
“Captain, can’t we go back?” Xiao Jing noticed that he stopped and asked in a low voice.
Shen Chengfeng carried her on his back and ran in the opposite direction, they had to find the rendezvous point on their own.
Xiao Jing couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile, “Will we die in this foreign country?”
“You feel that you will leave anyway, so you don’t plan to go back, right?” Shen Chengfeng asked instead of answering.
“I thought that no matter how much I tried to persuade you, you would not listen. I could only pray that I could die with you.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll just leave you here?”
Xiao Jing smiled, “I am still your soldier now. As a leader, you will not abandon me even if you only have one breath left.”
“There’s no one else here. Even if I abandon you, no one will know that you were abandoned by me.”
Xiao Jing couldn’t help but hug his neck, wrapping her arms tighter around him as she said, “You can’t get rid of me.”
Shen Chengfeng ignored her petty behavior and continued to search for the best shortcut based on his memory.
Xiao Jing leaned into his ear and whispered, “Captain, if you kick me out, won’t it suddenly be less fun?”
“The special forces is a serious place, not a place for you to play house.” Shen Chengfeng climbed over the high wall and jumped down directly.
Xiao Jing shook her head. “I think you will definitely not be used to it without me. I am the only one in the entire special forces team who is immune to you. What if you feel like touching someone one day? My face is so tender and smooth, you can pinch it at will. Although my hands have become a little rough after years of training, the feel is still there, so you can hold my hand at will.”
“….”
Xiao Jing rubbed against his back and muttered softly, “Captain, although I am not very pretty, I am much more elegant than those rough guys like Mu Xichi. You will be much happier when you look at my face. How about I smile for you?”
“Have you said enough?” Shen Chengfeng interrupted her.
Xiao Jing pouted, looking innocent. This military thug was really stubborn and would not listen to any persuasion.
“I told you, no exceptions.”
Xiao Jing buried her head in his back, raised her fist and gently tapped his back, and said with a smile: “Captain, can’t you just pretend that you don’t know about this?”
“I am a soldier. I will not lie, nor am I allowed to lie.”
“I didn’t ask you to lie. I just wanted you to be blind for once.”
“If you say one more word, don’t blame me for leaving you here. I’m tired of the noise.”
Xiao Jing closed her mouth and couldn’t help but blow on the back of his neck.
Shen Chengfeng took a deep breath, put her down from his back, and they faced each other.
Xiao Jing puffed her lips, stretched out a finger and poked his chest, smiling innocently, “Captain, how about I atone for my sins? Can you remove all my credits for this mission and just pretend that this incident never happened?”
“I’ve seen people with thick skin, but I’ve never seen anyone as thick-skinned as you. Do you think you have any credit for this mission?”
Xiao Jing blinked. Didn’t she have any credit?
Shen Chengfeng continued, “Do you think that if the mission is successful, it will be a credit? During the mission, I will evaluate everyone’s performance, and this time you took the initiative to disobey orders, causing me to give up protecting the target person and return to the country to search for your whereabouts. This is a fault, not a credit. After returning home, you need to write a written report.”
“I’ll write it.” Xiao Jing answered first.
“…” Shen Chengfeng opened her hand, turned around, and said as always: “I said, there are no exceptions.”
“Captain.” Xiao Jing shouted.
“I told you, no exceptions.”
Xiao Jing couldn’t help but grab his arm.
Shen Chengfeng frowned, “I said, no——”
Xiao Jing raised her hands awkwardly, looking at the Green Camp soldiers surrounding them. Guns were pointed at them mercilessly. With just one order, they would probably become a hive of eyes.
Haha, it’s not surprising or exciting!
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or access extra chapters on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next