Chapter Twenty-Three: The Welcome Ceremony (Part Two)

Of course, what brought him the most relief was his initial wisdom in securing his pack in that corner. If he hadn’t, and if the pilot had carelessly thrown it around, the pack would now be bouncing wildly inside the cockpit. If that were the case, the chaos inside would be even more spectacular.

He had no idea how long they’d been flying; all Zhao Li knew was that he was gritting his teeth, enduring the ordeal. Were it not for the basic physical conditioning technique he practiced, he would have long since been knocked out by the relentless turbulence. He could easily imagine that the lunch he’d just eaten before boarding would have been splattered everywhere by now.

Now, Zhao Li finally understood why Instructor Xiao Qiang had so kindly insisted he eat alone, and why he’d timed it so perfectly—the moment he finished his meal, the battleship arrived. Add to that the instructor’s strange look and half-smile when he left, it was obvious he knew what was coming. In fact, it was quite likely he’d orchestrated the whole affair.

Just as Zhao Li was starting to feel dizzy, the shaking abruptly ceased. After barely three minutes of smooth flight, Zhao Li completed a cycle of his basic physical technique and cleared his mind completely.

It seemed the gravity had changed; they were no longer on the training planet. This wasn’t zero gravity either, so it must be another planet. Evidently, during that period of violent turbulence, the ship had completed an interstellar jump.

The ship was decelerating; they must be about to dock. Zhao Li sat quietly, waiting for the landing. The change in gravity was subtle, hardly causing any discomfort.

With a loud crash, the ship finally came to a halt, motionless and silent. Everything in the cockpit was normal, except for a persistent little red light blinking stubbornly.

Suddenly the lights blazed, confirming for Zhao Li that they’d reached their final destination. He released his safety harness, stood, unfastened his pack, and walked to the hatch, waiting for it to open.

The hatch slowly slid open, and voices drifted in from outside. The tone sounded excited, though he couldn’t make out the words. It was lively, full of laughter and chatter.

Once the hatch fully opened, before Zhao Li could step out, someone appeared at the entrance. The newcomer, seeing Zhao Li standing with his pack, paused in surprise, then asked, “Who are you?”

Noticing the lieutenant’s insignia on the newcomer’s shoulder, Zhao Li snapped a crisp salute. “Reporting, sir! Sergeant Zhao Li reporting for duty!” His voice rang out loudly, just as at the training base. The moment he spoke, the noise outside abruptly ceased, leaving a hush.

The lieutenant looked Zhao Li up and down, glanced at the tidy cockpit, and displayed an expression of disbelief. “Where’s the pilot?”

“Reporting, sir. He’s in the flight deck; he never came out.” Zhao Li replied loudly, sticking to the formal address that had always served him well with officers.

“No need to be so formal!” The lieutenant waved it off casually and strode to the flight deck door. He listened closely, but heard nothing. He pushed twice; the door was locked from inside, unmoving. With no alternative, he started knocking.

He knocked several times, but there was still no sound from within. Growing impatient, the lieutenant resorted to banging on the door. “Simpson! Open up! Open the door, Simpson!”

After a while, faint noises came from inside, and finally the door opened. The pilot appeared at the threshold, face pale, looking extremely weak, hands braced against the sides.

Zhao Li was puzzled when a sour stench wafted out from the flight deck. The lieutenant cried out in surprise, then raised his voice even louder: “No way, Simpson—you actually threw up?”

Hearing this, several people rushed in—officers and soldiers alike—eager to witness the spectacle. “Simpson threw up? Really?”

A glance sufficed to reveal the scene in the flight deck. As Zhao Li struggled to process what was happening, a chorus erupted outside.

“Hey, did you hear? The rookie’s fine—pay up, pay up!”

“No way, Simpson actually lost, tough luck!”

“Ha! I hit three-to-one odds, lucky streak! Pay up!”

The uproar was overwhelming, leaving Zhao Li at a loss. So this was the military camp the lieutenant spoke of. If not for the uniforms, Zhao Li could easily believe he’d arrived at a casino.

“Hey, this is Simpson’s first time messing up in front of a rookie—rare chance! He’ll have to treat us tonight!” The voices rose again, and Zhao Li stood there with his pack, unsure what to do.

“Hey, kid—what’s your name?” someone shouted from outside.

Hearing the question, Zhao Li stepped through the hatch, answering loudly, “Reporting, sir! Sergeant Zhao Li reporting for duty!”

“Zhao Li, ha, that’s a fine name! Sounds like a winner!” The speaker, probably flush with winnings, was in high spirits, showering praise on Zhao Li. Even Zhao Li felt his cheeks redden—how, he wondered, did they get that impression from his name?

Suddenly, a hefty arm landed on Zhao Li’s shoulder. He turned to see a burly soldier he’d never met before.

“Kid, welcome to service on Montbatten Planet,” the soldier said, giving Zhao Li’s shoulder a vigorous shake. “Discipline here isn’t so strict. We’re just a hundred or so folks—no need for formalities.” The group echoed with cheers.

“This is a traditional welcome for all new recruits. Don’t take it to heart,” the soldier explained with a smile.

“Take it to heart?” Zhao Li laughed. “Of course not! But since you all won thanks to me, don’t I get a share?”

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Three chapters done—aiming for the rankings! Please recommend and support, thank you all!