Chapter 176. You All Got a Second Class Merit? Heh, Sorry, I Got a Special Class Merit
Long after Xu Lin's voice fell silent, Shen Qingyue still had not recovered from the shock.
She even began to wonder whether Xu Lin was really talking about her son.
A Special Class Merit!
That was the highest honor in the Huaxia military. A century ago, during the Great Cataclysm, the Jiang family's ancestors had only earned the honor of a Special Class Merit after establishing extraordinary military achievements while resisting the Beast Tide.
Xiao Chen had only gone to the military district for a month. He had not even officially become a regular serviceman yet, so how had he ended up receiving a Special Class Merit!?
With an honor like that, even a military district commander would have to treat him with considerable respect.
Shen Qingyue lowered the phone from her ear, and the shock in her eyes gradually turned into something strange.
She remembered that Xiao Chen was only at the Grandmaster level, so how could he possibly have stopped an SS-Rank Beast Tide?
This made no sense at all!
“Madam Shen, are you still there?”
At that moment, Xu Lin's voice came through the phone again.
Shen Qingyue stopped thinking and said, “I am. Commander Xu, may I ask how Xiao Chen managed to stop an SS-Rank Beast Tide?”
“Hahaha.” Xu Lin laughed. “Do I really need to spell it out? The foundation of your Jiang family is truly beyond imagination.”
???
Shen Qingyue was utterly baffled. The Jiang family's foundation? What was he talking about?
“Commander Xu, could you please be a little clearer?”
“The Jiang family has produced a Talisman Maker capable of crafting Ninth-Rank Talismans. Do I really need to say more? The Commander-in-Chief will personally pay your family a visit later.”
Xu Lin sounded deeply moved as he added, “Madam Shen, the award ceremony is at three o'clock this afternoon. I hope you can attend.”
“As for everything else, we can talk when we meet.”
Beep, beep, beep!
The call ended, and Shen Qingyue lowered her phone with a dazed expression.
Since when had the Jiang family produced a Talisman Maker capable of crafting Ninth-Rank Talismans? Why did she know nothing about it?
Her face was filled with confusion. Her mind truly could not process it.
“Never mind that for now. Since Xiao Chen has received such an honor, then as his mother, I naturally have to witness it.”
The confusion in Shen Qingyue's eyes gradually turned into delight. Xiao Chen receiving a ‘Special Class Merit’ was not only a personal glory, but also glory for the entire family.
The highest honor in the military would make Huaxia's upper echelon regard the Jiang family even more highly. It was a rare and precious piece of good news.
Of course, more than anything, she felt proud from the bottom of her heart.
Thinking back a few months, Xiao Chen had still been a hopeless spendthrift whom no one believed could amount to anything. Now, however, he had become the prodigy everyone admired.
In the past, merely mentioning him had felt embarrassing. Now, mentioning him only made others envious.
The corners of Shen Qingyue's lips lifted involuntarily, and her eyes were full of joy.
“Xiao Chen, you have truly made your mother proud,” she said with a smile.
Only after being excited for quite some time did Shen Qingyue call in her secretary and instruct, “Arrange a flight to the East China First Military District. Book the soonest one available. I must arrive before three this afternoon.”
The secretary, who was holding a stack of documents, froze for a moment. After a brief hesitation, she said, “Chairwoman, but yesterday the Tang family, the Su family, and the Chu family all suddenly approached us seeking cooperation. Your schedule for today is already completely full.”
Hm?
Shen Qingyue frowned slightly. Aside from the Su family, the Tang family and the Chu family had always been lukewarm about cooperating with the Jiang family, so why were they suddenly being so proactive now?
A hesitant look appeared on her face. Her husband was not here, and as the chairwoman of the Jiang Group, she needed to show up personally for this kind of cooperation between great families.
Otherwise, it would make the Jiang family seem extremely disrespectful.
But if she stayed to handle work, then she would not be able to attend Xiao Chen's award ceremony.
Thinking back, every time she met with Xiao Chen, they were always interrupted by one matter or another from the company. He probably did not feel good about that either.
Shen Qingyue took a deep breath and looked up at the secretary. “Cancel them, or make them wait. They can talk to me after I go see my son.”
“Ah? Chairwoman, if we reach cooperation agreements with the Tang family and the Chu family, it would be very beneficial to the group—”
“No more. Go book the ticket.”
The secretary stopped short, then nodded and left the office respectfully.
Shen Qingyue opened her desk drawer and took out a photo of their family of three. “Zhentian, our child has made something of himself.”
...
At the Rift Valley Town Border Watchtower, dawn had only just begun to break when three military vehicles appeared at the main gate, blaring their horns.
Feng Xiazi and the border soldiers immediately formed up and assembled at the entrance. Members of the Divine Battle Division, along with Jiang Yichen and the others, also gathered at the gate one after another.
A colonel stepped out of one of the vehicles. His uniform was impeccably neat, and behind him followed two soldiers with red flowers pinned to their chests.
“What is this for?” Tang Long muttered quietly.
Lingling's eyes lit up with delight. “It should be for presenting honors. The medals on those trays represent the military honors of ‘Third Class Merit’ and ‘Second Class Merit.’”
Liang Shan nodded slightly. “We helped stop the Beast Tide, so there should definitely be something for us.”
“Yay, the Divine Battle Division is about to receive honors for the first time.” Lingling looked thrilled.
Mei Xue’er cast the two of them a cold glance, and they immediately fell silent, quietly watching the colonel walk over.
Jiang Yichen and the others also revealed looks of anticipation. This was their first time receiving military merit as well.
The colonel stopped in front of the group, straightened his body, and gave an extremely standard military salute.
Everyone immediately returned the salute.
“First of all, it is my honor to present these commendations to you, and I also thank you for your outstanding contribution in stopping the Beast Tide.”
“We had originally intended to invite you to the military district to attend the award ceremony, but your posts require you to remain at your stations at all times.”
“However, East China will not forget heroes like you. You have all done splendidly!”
His words were formal and official. He slowly picked up a ‘Third Class Merit’ medal from the tray held by the soldier beside him and walked over to Feng Xiazi.
“Feng Ji, Border Sentry Captain of Rift Valley Town!”
“Present!” Feng Xiazi responded with solemn dignity as he marched out of the formation.
“For charging bravely to the front during the SS-Rank Beast Tide at the Great Rift Valley, fearing neither death nor danger, and for helping stop the Beast Tide, you are hereby awarded the honor of ‘Third Class Merit’!”
The colonel announced it solemnly, hung the medal on Feng Xiazi's chest, then broke into a smile and applauded with both hands.
Everyone else followed suit, clapping for Sentry Captain Feng.
After that, the colonel continued presenting medals to the border soldiers. Once that was done, he moved on to the Divine Battle Division, and rounds of applause rose one after another.
Looking at the honors pinned to their chests, Feng Xiazi and the others could not help but beam with joy.
This was not merely an honor. It was recognition for the many years they had spent standing firm at their posts.
“Military merit! Minister, we have military merit too!” Lingling laughed excitedly as she touched the ‘Second Class Merit’ medal on her chest.
Looking at the medal, Mei Xue’er revealed a grin like that of a bearded middle-aged man.
Ever since the Divine Battle Division had been established, they had failed in both of their missions. They needed this honor more than words could say.
But Jiang Yichen's group of five was left staring blankly.
Wait, what about us?
Tang Long looked at the empty tray and was instantly dumbfounded.
Brother Yichen had used two Ninth-Rank Talismans. Did that not count as merit?
“What about us? Why don't we have anything?” he asked quietly.
Chu Xingchen stroked his chin and analyzed, “Maybe... we're still trainee recruits. We haven't officially become regular soldiers yet, so maybe we can't receive military merit.”
“Ah?” Tang Long pulled a miserable face, as though the sky had fallen.
“Haha, little fatty, do you want big sister to let you take a look at mine?” Lingling held up her medal from the side.
Tang Long raised his fist. “You want a beating!”
Lingling was not afraid in the slightest and stuck out her tongue at him.
Jiang Yichen smiled with faint disappointment. In his previous life, he had been nothing more than an unremarkable Corpse-Carrying Soldier. He had often heard his squad leader talk about how glorious it was to earn military merit.
He had originally wanted to experience that glory for himself, but unfortunately, it seemed he would not get the chance.
“Brother Yichen, it's all right. Once our recruit assessment is over, we'll definitely have a chance to earn it.”
Su Linyu tugged lightly at his uniform and smiled sweetly as she tried to comfort him.
Jiang Yichen nodded slightly. Every time his mood shifted, this girl always noticed. She was unbelievably reassuring.
“Report!”
Suddenly, Jiang Feng spoke up, clearly unconvinced.
The colonel looked over when he heard him. “Speak.”
“We obviously participated in stopping the Beast Tide too. If not for... that man's Ninth-Rank Talismans, there would have been no way to stop it. So why don't we get anything?”
Jiang Feng acknowledged Jiang Yichen's contribution, though very unwillingly.
Everyone could not help but look over, their eyes filled with agreement.
It was true. Without Jiang Yichen, they would never have had the ability to hold back the Beast Tide.
Jiang Yichen was the one who most deserved to be commended.
“That man? Say his name!” the colonel said sternly.
Jiang Feng clenched his fists, then said unwillingly, “...J-Jiang Yichen!”
Admitting someone else's excellence, especially Jiang Yichen's, was truly not easy for him.
The colonel looked at Jiang Yichen and smiled faintly. “I now announce that Jiang Yichen, by his own strength, stopped the SS-Rank Beast Tide and made a major contribution to protecting the lives and property of the people of East China. He is hereby awarded the honor of ‘Special Class Merit.’
“Su Linyu, Tang Long, Chu Xingchen, and Jiang Feng, for fearlessly resisting the Beast Tide despite the danger to your lives, are awarded Second Class Merit.
“Now, come with me back to the military district. Commander Xu will personally present your awards.”
Huh?
Everyone was stunned in unison, and all eyes turned toward Jiang Yichen.
Huh? The highest honor in the military, a ‘Special Class Merit’!?
The android girl Lingling looked at the ‘Second Class Merit’ medal on her chest, and it instantly no longer seemed all that impressive.