Volume Two: To Battle! Chapter Eighty-One: Departure

The sun, nearing noon, was already high in the sky. Though it hung directly above the safe zone, its rays were shrouded by a misty layer of cloud—a most agreeable overcast day.

Under the eager gaze of the assembled crowd, sixteen transport planes formed a straight line, slowly approaching from the distant horizon before gradually descending. This time, Liu Cong did not vanish as he had before; instead, he landed together with the sixteen planes. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was immediately surrounded by the people from Huaxia.

“Chief, the Korean planes have arrived. Should we let the Japanese residents board now?” Zhao Tian greeted Liu Cong warmly, eager to display their close relationship.

Wang Na glanced at Liu Cong, a little envious of his ever-fairer skin, then sneered at Zhao Tian. “Zhao Tian, are you really in such a hurry to leave? Maybe you are, but they just got here. Shouldn’t we let them rest a bit?”

“We really should let them rest a few hours,” Zhang Yuqiang suggested. “After all, these transport missions have to keep going for days. Even if the two pilots take turns, it’s exhausting. Letting them recover is necessary.”

“Don’t crowd around me—let’s go welcome our Korean friends,” Liu Cong said, pushing through the throng and making his way toward Kim Soo-ji, who had just disembarked. With a single glance, he knew this slender, elegant woman was the interpreter—she was the only woman among the assembled Korean team.

The others quickly followed. No matter the circumstances, the reputation of Huaxia as a land of courtesy could not be forsaken.

Meanwhile, Masao Nakamura had already found Lee Jun-ho as soon as the Koreans stepped off their plane. With the interpreter’s help, their conversation grew lively. Kim Soo-ji accompanied Lee Jun-ho, her smile warm as she joined in.

“Seems you already know each other; I don’t need to introduce you, do I?” Masao Nakamura said with a smile as Liu Cong approached. He turned to Lee Jun-ho. “General Lee, this is the Sword Immortal from Huaxia. We owe him a great debt—without him, we would not have lasted much longer.”

“Greetings, sir. I’ve long admired your reputation. That moment you brought down the T4 with a single stroke has won you a legion of fans in our country—our people are envious that Huaxia has such a hero,” Lee Jun-ho said, offering his compliments with a smile. Observing Liu Cong up close, he found his ethereal bearing and striking appearance matched perfectly the image of an immortal.

“You flatter me, General Lee. I only did what I could—slaying a few monsters is nothing, hardly heroic. The true heroes are those ordinary soldiers, who, knowing they stood no chance, still fought on without retreat. They are the real heroes,” Liu Cong replied.

Most of those present were active military personnel, and Liu Cong’s words won their respect. Indeed, for regular soldiers, the battlefield against mutated creatures was even more brutal. In this worldwide disaster, it was always the frontline soldiers who suffered the greatest casualties.

As Kim Soo-ji translated for Lee Jun-ho, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Liu Cong. Though she had seen him countless times in videos, meeting him in person was a revelation. Remembering the task her minister had given her, her heart began to race.

“Mr. Nakamura, let’s arrange a place for the pilots to rest. After lunch, we’ll set off. In the meantime, let the residents form lines to board—let’s say eight hundred per plane for now,” Liu Cong said, turning to Nakamura.

Masao Nakamura nodded. “Please, everyone, follow me. I’ll take you to your accommodations and we’ll provide lunch shortly.”

The group, a sizable procession, followed Nakamura to a military residential area. Four to a room, all was quickly allocated. The pilots, in no mood for formalities, lay down at once to rest. As pilots, they understood the importance of a sharp mind.

Wang Na and Kim Soo-ji were assigned to a single room. Though Wang Na was cheerful by nature, she couldn’t muster much warmth for this strikingly attractive Korean woman. She offered a brief greeting and lay down to rest.

At noon, Liu Cong and Zhao Tian entered the dining hall. Though Liu Cong no longer needed to eat, he didn’t wish to distance himself too much from society. Satisfying his palate was one of his few remaining pleasures.

The dining hall was vast but bustling, filled with people in Huaxia and Korean uniforms. Apart from those on duty, there wasn’t a single Japanese soldier in sight.

“These Japanese really know how to do things—setting up a separate dining hall just for us. Reminds me of when I was in school: whenever the leaders came to inspect, the second-floor canteen would be closed to the students and reserved for the officials,” Zhao Tian said with an arched eyebrow and a chuckle.

“They’re showing gratitude. After all, we came a long way, risking our lives to save them. They should treat us to a decent meal,” Liu Cong replied.

“Heh, you’re right, Chief!”

Liu Cong glanced at the food counters. The offerings were almost entirely Chinese and Korean dishes—he wondered where Nakamura had found all these chefs.

After picking several side dishes and taking the rice Zhao Tian had prepared for him, the two sat down to eat. The food was passable, just barely acceptable. As Liu Cong was eating, a tray was set down on the table beside him. He turned to see Kim Soo-ji smiling at him. “Master Liu, do you mind if I sit beside you?”

“Not at all—please, sit.”

With permission, Kim Soo-ji took her seat. A fresh, delicate fragrance wafted from her side. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing slender wrists, removed the band from her wrist, and gathered her long, silky hair into a ponytail. Her gentle, composed manner left both men momentarily dazed.

Zhao Tian recognized her as the interpreter who had come with the Koreans. “Miss, aren’t you Chinese? Why are you translating for the Koreans?”

Kim Soo-ji smiled softly. “Captain Zhao, my name is Kim Soo-ji. I’m Korean. I majored in Chinese at university, so I speak it quite well.”

Seeing Zhao Tian’s incredulous expression, Liu Cong was amused. Not only Zhao Tian—he himself had been startled the first time he heard Kim Soo-ji speak Chinese.

Kim Soo-ji—a pleasant name, Liu Cong thought to himself.

Seeing Liu Cong’s tacit agreement, Zhao Tian realized Kim Soo-ji wasn’t joking. He gave a wry smile. “Miss Kim, your Chinese is extraordinary—better than mine, and I was born and raised in Huaxia.”

Kim Soo-ji’s eyes crinkled with her smile. Nothing pleased her more than compliments on her Chinese. “Thank you!”

With a lady present, both men ate with far more restraint, stretching the meal to twenty minutes. By the time they finished, the dining hall was empty—they were the last to eat.

When the three of them reached the airfield, they found two long lines already formed. The residents of the safe zone stretched as far as the eye could see, queuing in an orderly fashion under the watchful eyes of fully armed soldiers. With such a presence, no one dared attempt to cut in line.

At the sight of Liu Cong, a Japanese officer quickly approached, leading the way for the trio. At the checkpoint guarded by soldiers, a path was cleared for them.

“Chief, you’ve arrived,” Lee Jun-ho greeted him with a smile.

“How many have boarded so far?” Liu Cong asked.

“Fifteen planes are full. After clearing the cargo holds, we found that even with eight hundred aboard, there was still space, so we added another hundred per plane.”

Nine hundred per plane? Liu Cong did the math. Nine hundred per plane times thirty planes meant twenty-seven thousand people. For six hundred thousand, a little over twenty trips would suffice.

Kim Soo-ji stood beside Liu Cong. Seeing Lee Jun-ho waving from afar, she smiled. “Master Liu, I’m going to find General Lee.”

Liu Cong noticed Lee Jun-ho’s wave and nodded, smiling. He found himself quite taken with this gentle, feminine interpreter.

Though the Japanese residents permitted onto the airfield were urged to hurry, it still took over an hour before all thirty transport planes were fully loaded. When the vast square finally emptied, save for a few Japanese soldiers maintaining order, only Liu Cong remained.