Strongest Soldier King

Luo Zheng looked at the pristine bed sheets and the clean, tidy room, feeling as if he were dreaming. His tightly wound nerves finally relaxed, and he fell onto the bed, so comfortable that he had no desire to move. He eventually fell asleep, and by the time he woke up, it was already evening. Luo Zheng remembered he had yet to write his report, so he quickly got up, saw instant noodles in the room, prepared a bowl to satiate his hunger, and then picked up pen and paper to gather his thoughts.

Starting with the checkpoint tragedy, through the night pursuit, encountering Lan Xue, and then hunting down the enemy and sniping the targets all played out in his mind like scenes from a movie. Luo Zheng wrote feverishly, detailing the series of events without a breath. Unsure of how to structure the report or what format to use, he decided to simply relay everything that happened.

After finishing, Luo Zheng reviewed the report, breathed a sigh of relief upon confirming nothing was omitted, and glanced at the time—it was 3 am. He quickly snuggled into bed to sleep.

The next morning, Luo Zheng was awakened by the sound of drills. He got dressed in a flash, saw the report on the table, thought of the confidentiality regulations, and carefully stored it close to his body. Heading to the guest house's dining room for breakfast, he had just finished eating when a guard came over, saying the battalion commander summoned him.

Upon arriving at the battalion commander's office, Luo Zheng saluted and presented the closely kept report to him. Yet the commander waved it off, saying, "Keep it for now. I can't look at that report just yet. Someone will come for it, and you give it to him."

"Yes, sir." A flicker of confusion passed through Luo Zheng's eyes, but he responded earnestly.

The battalion commander gestured for Luo Zheng to rest on the sofa while he busied himself with work. After about five minutes, someone knocked and entered. Luo Zheng recognized him as the sharp-looking soldier who had come to pick up Lan Xue, impeccably dressed in military uniform. When Luo Zheng caught sight of his shoulder epaulettes—a colonel's two bars and three stars—he knew he was in the presence of a high-ranking officer.

The battalion commander warmly greeted the newcomer with a handshake and said, "This is Luo Zheng."

"Colonel, hello." Luo Zheng quickly stood and saluted.

The colonel sized up Luo Zheng, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing as if intending to see right through Luo Zheng's chest and discern his heart. It made Luo Zheng's scalp tingle, and an overwhelming sense of murderous intent seemed to envelop him. The air around them appeared to chill and solidify instantaneously. Luo Zheng's inner pride swelled, and he puffed out his chest and faced the stare defiantly.

Having survived several life-and-death situations and having killed enemies, Luo Zheng himself exuded an extraordinary aura of sharp and steadfast intent. It was not overpowering, but it carried an unyielding resilience.

"Interesting," said the colonel with a smile, his daunting aura dissipating as the room seemingly returned to its calm state.

The battalion commander watched the exchange coolly, aware of the colonel's daunting spirit. A regular soldier would have likely faltered, but Luo Zheng's ability to withstand it was remarkable. Despite his face being unnaturally pale, his tenacity and confidence were not to be underestimated. "How could such a good soldier be stationed at an outpost?" he wondered, resolving to look into it afterward.

"I came to take your report. There are some points I need to verify in person," the colonel said calmly, though his tone left no room for doubt.

Luo Zheng looked to the battalion commander, who nodded. Luo Zheng then handed over his carefully preserved report and stood at attention.

After a brief overview, the colonel pocketed the report and told the battalion commander, "I need a quiet room."

"No problem," the battalion commander readily agreed, calling for the guards to arrange a room quickly. The colonel gestured for Luo Zheng to follow, and after a confirming nod from the battalion commander, Luo Zheng did.

In the room, sitting across from each other, the colonel observed Luo Zheng for a full minute, making Luo Zheng feel somewhat uneasy, and finally asked, "I know the basic situation. The question I have for you is, what were you thinking when you fired and killed the enemy?"

"Reporting, sir, in the heat of life and death, my mind went blank. All that mattered was locating the enemy and how to shoot," Luo Zheng replied promptly.

"Relax, we're just chatting casually, no need to be so formal," said the colonel lightly, his eyes lighting up with surprise as he continued to probe, "Did you feel confident when you took the shot?"

"Reporting, fifty percent, sir," Luo Zheng responded at once.

"I said, don't be so formal. There's no need for reports, just casual talk. Fifty percent is quite a lot—were you that certain of the enemy's position? Where does your confidence come from?" asked the colonel, looking at Luo Zheng with even more surprise, as if he had discovered a rare uncut gem.

Luo Zheng had seen the same look in Lan Xue's eyes and couldn't help but feel bewildered. After a moment's thought, he earnestly inquired, "Sir, if I said I was just winging it, would you believe me?"

"Eh?" The colonel was taken aback but then burst into laughter, gaining a clearer picture of Luo Zheng—a man not arrogant or dejected, neither inferior nor overbearing, with a sharp mind and alertness. "Interesting, you're testing me?" he continued.

"I wouldn't dare," Luo Zheng quickly said. "I'm just a private, nothing more. I defied military discipline by seeking revenge on my own, violating military regulations. Though I did help kill a few enemies and earned some merit, at most, it balances out. I don't deserve such consideration, do I? Between staying at the guesthouse and being personally received by the battalion commander, and your visit, Colonel—it doesn't seem like an interrogation by the military police. To be honest, I'm quite confused. What is the military's intention?"

"It seems you understand quite a lot, quite deeply too. I'm not sure how the military will deal with you. What if I told you I'm here to see you on a personal basis, would you believe that?" the colonel asked with a smile, admiration flickering in his eyes.

"Yes and no," Luo Zheng replied with a wry smile. Noticing the colonel's inquiring look, he explained, "Your individual appearance and the private nature of our talk suggest a personal visit. But as a mere soldier, I highly doubt I could stir the interest of a high-ranking officer such as yourself."

Observant, analytical—the colonel added more layers to his impression of Luo Zheng as his surprise deepened. He said with a smile, "You're correct. So analyze for me, what do you think is my real purpose for being here?"

"I don't know," Luo Zheng answered bluntly.

"Probably not that you don't know, right?" the colonel grinned. "You've guessed some of it, but you don't want to say."

Luo Zheng gave a noncommittal nod, and suddenly the colonel stood up, smiling, "Our talk is over. I need to leave now."

"Eh? Okay," Luo Zheng also stood, looking at the departing colonel with confusion, unable to make heads or tails of the situation. After all, there were no problems and nothing had been said.

At that moment, a guard came over, indicating that Luo Zheng should follow him back to the guesthouse, and relayed that he would stay there for the time being until further orders arrived. Luo Zheng agreed, reflecting on how he was the only one left at the outpost and whether to return there or await further instructions.