Chapter 26: Departure

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Border Regiment, Military Working Dog Battalion, Office of Battalion Commander Kang Zhen.

“So, has Huo Dong returned yet?”

The speaker was Kang Zhen, the commander of the Military Working Dog Battalion, wearing the insignia of a lieutenant colonel.

Huo Dong was now a squad leader in the First Company of the battalion. Possessing the bloodline of an outstanding northwestern hunter, he seemed able to communicate directly with dogs—a natural-born handler, and the ace of the Military Working Dog Battalion.

Recently, Huo Dong had been assigned an urgent mission, and Kang Zhen was anxious he might not make it back in time for the upcoming military working dog competition.

Without Huo Dong, their battalion would be as good as finished.

“Not yet, but we’ve received definite word—Huo Dong is on his way back!” Deputy Commander Gao Yuan, standing beside him, replied.

Gao Yuan, once a soldier in First Company himself, was now a pillar of the battalion and highly valued by Kang Zhen.

“Of all our dogs, only Huo Dong’s Leopard is truly up to standard. The others, I fear, are barely adequate,” Kang Zhen sighed.

“Leopard excels at tracking and pursuit, but in other areas, it’s somewhat lacking,” Gao Yuan said softly.

“Yes, who would have thought our battalion would ever face such a drought of talent?” Kang Zhen said with a hint of helplessness.

The recent reorganization had been drastic; many excellent dogs were quietly poached by others with ulterior motives. By the time Kang Zhen took command, the battalion was a shadow of its former self.

“Should we borrow one of Bayi’s line from First Company?” Gao Yuan suggested after a moment’s thought.

The battalion was in urgent need of a dog with an exceptionally keen sense of smell.

“Let’s not. Look at the state First Company is in—you really want to ask them?” Kang Zhen hesitated, though he was tempted by Bayi’s legendary nose. After weighing it carefully, he decided against it.

The fact that First Company had survived this long was already a feat; everyone admired Long Fei. Sometimes, they wondered, if they were in Long Fei’s position, what would they do?

Anyone in the military working dog field was familiar with Bayi—not only an accomplished dog itself, but most of its offspring were decorated as well. Competition for Bayi’s pups was always fierce.

With the news that Huo Dong was on his way back, Kang Zhen finally felt some relief.

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…

That morning, the members of First Company rose early. After washing up, straightening their uniforms, and assembling neatly, they gathered at the main gate.

This was the day they had waited six months for.

During those six months, they had endured countless hardships and bitterness. They had witnessed, with their own eyes, Company Commander Long Fei’s awkward return after being rebuked while borrowing dog food from the battalion.

Everyone was waiting to see them stumble—including those who once served in First Company themselves.

“Company Commander, all personnel present and accounted for. Awaiting your orders! First Squad Leader, Su Weiguo!” Su Weiguo jogged up to Long Fei and reported in a loud voice.

“At ease,” Long Fei said.

“Yes, at ease!” Su Weiguo completed the command and returned to the ranks.

“To be honest, half a year ago, I never imagined we’d see a day like this,” Long Fei began. “I didn’t even dare dream First Company would hold out this long. Yet now, all of this stands before me, and it suddenly feels so unreal, as if I’m in a dream that will vanish when I wake.”

“It was you who gave First Company new life, and gave me, Long Fei, a fresh start as well.”

“I want to thank two people here. First, Old Fu—without him, First Company might never have made it this far. The second, which I’m sure you all guessed, is Gu Jianfeng. He is the soldier I’m proudest to have trained. Whenever I meet my old comrades, I can thump my chest and say, ‘Gu Jianfeng was one of mine.’”

Long Fei was more emotional than usual, but everyone understood. The grievances he had carried for so long could finally be released.

As for results? The ten dogs transformed by Gu Jianfeng’s spiritual power—Long Fei believed any one of them had the potential to break records.

In this Northwest Theater Military Working Dog Competition, First Company was sure to be the brightest star.

“The Commander’s words are a bit sentimental,” Gu Jianfeng said. “I’m just a soldier of First Company. I only did what I should. I won’t say more—but I’m truly happy to have known all of you.”

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“Every moment in First Company will always be the most brilliant chapter of my life,” Gu Jianfeng said warmly, stepping forward when he saw Long Fei’s composure falter.

Long Fei looked at Gu Jianfeng with pride and gratitude.

Gu Jianfeng seemed born for the military. Every gesture, every word resonated with the others—even Long Fei, a seasoned soldier of over ten years, often found himself moved by him.

“Haha! Today should be a joyous day—let’s not dwell on the past. Look at you all, dressed up like bridegrooms! It really is festive,” Fu Zhihong joked.

Laughter broke out among the group, dispelling the somber mood.

“Commander, for the competition, why not just pick a few dogs? Why bring them all?” Xue Meng asked, stroking his own dog.

His dog, a male named Batu, was also a son of Bayi.

“Except for Tianjiang and Rifle, the rest of our dogs aren’t even a year old yet. I’m mainly bringing them so they can see the world and prepare for future competitions,” Long Fei replied.

Bayi’s eight pups, though not yet a year old, were fully grown and looked every bit the adult.

“That’s true. For this competition, let’s leave Tianjiang and Rifle out and let my Batu have a go,” Xue Meng said, eager to volunteer before the contest had even begun.

“My Xiaomi is just as good! Its sense of smell has not only matched Bayi’s—it’s even surpassed it!” Xie Yidao chimed in, unwilling to be outdone.

“Don’t worry, everyone will get a chance. Our match with the battalion is just a warm-up—there’ll be more competitions ahead,” Long Fei said with a smile.

“All aboard, let’s go!” At Long Fei’s command, everyone began boarding the vehicles.

As they rode together, cheerful conversation filled the air.

The mountain roads they had traveled so many times before now seemed more beautiful than ever.