Chapter Thirty: The Hero at Dusk

Inside the command post of the school committee, aside from the flickering screens, silence prevailed. These elite soldiers of the Republic had anticipated the beginning, but not the ending. Chen Cao brought the endless tide of human-wave tactics to a shocking halt with his own casualties, leaving the enemy in terror.

After a long while, the usually cheerful Zhou Anshi clapped his hands and laughed, “This kid is something else. We were right about him!”

“Joking around, childish tricks—he still needs some serious training.” Qiu Yu touched the scar on his face, snorted coldly, and walked out of the command post, expressionless.

Assistant instructor Guo Qianshuang said nothing, simply stared at the screen, eyes flickering at the sight of Chen Cao’s silhouette.

“Alright, that’s enough for today. Everyone passes the assessment. Go out and debrief.” Cao Wild Fox, who sat quietly in the corner with a teacup, waved his hand to the instructors.

“Yes, sir!” All the instructors present saluted Cao Wild Fox with a standard military gesture before filing out, except for Duan Tianya, who stayed behind, gazing thoughtfully at the now empty screen.

Watching everyone leave, Cao Wild Fox stood up and tugged at Duan Tianya’s sleeve, saying, “He seems so lonely.”

Duan Tianya smiled faintly, “Isn’t that exactly what we want? We need a super-elite to accomplish impossible missions.” He took a drag from his cigarette and stared at Cao Wild Fox, “Are you reluctant?”

“How could I be? He’s one of our Cao family.” Cao Wild Fox straightened his chest, suddenly relaxed. “I just wonder if we’re being too cruel to him.”

Duan Tianya flicked away his cigarette butt, turned his head, and continued to stare at the monitor, as if speaking to himself, “He doesn’t belong to anyone. He belongs to the country. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.”

In the deep mountains, the ancient woods, the oppressive density of the jungle had faded. A bright moon slowly rose into the sky, turning night into day.

Chen Cao walked on, not feeling the slightest fatigue after a day of fierce battle. When he reached the small wooden house in the mountains, his heart was restless. Today, he had learned much, but lost much as well; never before had his heart felt so empty. Was this loneliness?

The door creaked open. This time, Duan Tianya broke his habit, not clad in black, but dressed in a crisp military uniform. Beside him, Cao Wild Fox emerged, the stars on his shoulders shining.

Chen Cao had never liked Duan Tianya, though the man was hailed as a hero by Zhou Hongye and Bao Li. As for Cao Wild Fox, their only prior encounter was at the opening ceremony, but he had always been the principal, the supreme commander of Unit 0611. Upon seeing Cao Wild Fox, Chen Cao straightened his chest and delivered a flawless salute. “Good evening, Principal!”

Cao Wild Fox returned the salute with indifference, unwilling to say much, casting a glance at Duan Tianya, “Old Duan, this kid’s yours now.”

He walked to Chen Cao, patted his shoulder. “Chen Cao, you are our hope. Work hard.” With that, he turned and left without another word.

The moment Cao Wild Fox patted his shoulder, a strong sense of kinship surged within Chen Cao. Looking at Cao Wild Fox’s silver hair, he noticed a faint resemblance in his demeanor to someone else.

“Private Chen Cao, now I will read you the school committee’s announcement!” Duan Tianya spoke loudly, his voice echoing through the valley.

Having spent a year in the military, Chen Cao had no need for explanation; upon hearing Duan Tianya’s command, he straightened his chest.

Then, Duan Tianya lowered his voice, “You are about to undergo a training assessment that no one in Unit 0611 has passed in the past twenty years. You have the right to accept or refuse.”

Chen Cao rolled his eyes and answered without hesitation, “I accept.”

“Good. Starting now, you will undergo secret training alone. Your name will not appear in Unit 0611, nor will your presence be seen there. None of your friends will appear. Can you accept this?” Duan Tianya looked at Chen Cao’s expressionless face, speaking solemnly.

“Do I have a choice?” Chen Cao spread his hands, facing this top-level combat hero, helpless.

“Sometimes, when there’s no room to resist, you might as well lie down and accept it.” Duan Tianya smiled.

“Shocking!” Chen Cao landed a punch on Duan Tianya’s face, knocking him to the ground with force—Duan Tianya had been careless.

A smile tugged at Chen Cao’s lips, “Who says so? I just want to see if I can find what I need.” He reached out a hand to help Duan Tianya up.

“Good kid!” Duan Tianya slapped his hand away, his prosthetic arm moving as fast as lightning as he rose.

“I was worried you’d be lonely. With this attitude, I’m reassured.” With that, Duan Tianya suddenly swept his leg in a whirlwind kick toward Chen Cao.

Duan Tianya’s kicking leg was a prosthetic, but Chen Cao knew its power could easily incapacitate him. He tried to dodge, but Duan Tianya’s technique was so cunning, it left no gaps.

He miscalculated! Unable to evade, Chen Cao raised his hands defensively, crouched slightly, preparing to absorb the blow.

But Duan Tianya merely tapped his sleeve lightly and withdrew, saying, “Do you know what happens if you take this kick with your hands?”

Chen Cao exhaled deeply, “Of course. At best, both arms broken; at worst, skull shattered.”

“Haha, your temperament is much like mine—grudges must be avenged. But never use it against your own comrades!” Duan Tianya continued laughing, but then began to cough, quickly pulling out a handkerchief to cover his mouth. He wiped gently and tucked it away.

In that fleeting moment, Chen Cao caught a glimpse of blood on the handkerchief.

He suddenly realized he had acted rashly.

As Chen Cao was about to speak, Duan Tianya’s face grew serious. “Chen Cao, I observed you throughout today’s assessment. You were moved by Chen Diwen and the others—their passion, their dreams. But you must understand: you cannot have dreams, not even basic beliefs. The training you will endure is beyond normal human capacity, and the missions you will undertake are unconventional. This is your responsibility. Your path is long; you will gradually understand what your responsibility means.”

Duan Tianya began coughing again, covering his mouth with the handkerchief.

This time, he did not put it away, nor did Chen Cao offer any gesture of concern. He stood upright, chest out.

After a while, Duan Tianya lowered the bloodstained handkerchief and sat cross-legged, not inviting Chen Cao to sit, leaving him to stand tall and straight.

“You know, I was once like you, full of dreams, passion, eager and excited to go to war. But when I faced formidable enemies, when comrades fell one after another beside me, the sense of helplessness—the pain etched on their faces at death, my own inability to help—this loss of support hollowed my emotions day and night.”

Duan Tianya took out a cigarette, lit it slowly, and gazed at the moon. “Today’s assessment—you were moved by Chen Diwen and the others, their zeal, their teamwork. You felt a loneliness you’ve never known before. That’s because, from the start, your heart held only yourself; you cared little for anything else. But from this moment onward, you understand what you feel, recognize friendship, recognize dreams.”

Chen Cao said nothing, his eyes flickering.

Duan Tianya took another drag, “Chen Cao, you may appear indifferent, but I know you care—a lot. So you must make yourself stronger. You must be lonely now, focused on mastering your skills, so you can protect yourself and your comrades. Isn’t that what a soldier must do? In the end, you will go to war, stand shoulder to shoulder with your comrades!”

Finishing, Duan Tianya began coughing again, this time without pause, until he felt a gentle hand patting his back.

Chen Cao crouched down. In the darkness, the contours of his face seemed clearer than ever—this was a hero. For the honor of the Republic, the blood on his hands from slain enemies could wash an entire basketball court. Yet here he was, gently instructing, almost maternal.

A hero in such a state could only mean one thing—his life was nearing its end. And when faced with his successor...

At last, Duan Tianya stopped coughing. He pulled out a pill, swallowed it, pushed away Chen Cao’s hand, stood up, and declared calmly, “My days are numbered, Chen Cao. I chose you to follow in my footsteps, and I am resolute in that choice. Remember, even without faith, you must always remember your responsibility—for yourself and for others. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. Though my time is short, I will hold on until you succeed. I hope, on that day, you will become a true warrior.”

“I understand!” Chen Cao replied simply and firmly. As he stood, he felt the hero before him grow immeasurably taller. He understood that this man had endured inhuman training, all so fewer comrades would die, without regret—driven by responsibility. What then should he do?

“Excellent!” Duan Tianya smiled, “I think those monstrous instructors with their devilish hearts can’t wait to torment you now!”

Flame King 30_Flame King Full Free Reading_Chapter Thirty: The Hero at Dusk updated!

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