jdhmnovel Chapter 435 Closing the Door to Beat the Dog (Page 12)
Chapter 435 Closing the Door to Beat the Dog (Page 12)
Shangjing City, the base of Squad 006.
On New Year's Eve, the courtyard was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, red lanterns hung under the eaves, and the aroma of stewed meat wafted through the courtyard.
Li Zhenzhen carefully placed the freshly cooked braised fish on the table.
Baili Pangpang and Cao Yuan were busy putting slices of meat into the hot pot. Shen Qingzhu sat in the corner, peeling garlic with a cold face. An Qingyu pushed up her glasses and stared at the thermometer in the pot: "According to the data, it will taste best after cooking for another three minutes."
"Old Chen! You're here!" Baili Pangpang looked up and saw Chen Han walking into the yard wearing a military overcoat and carrying two bottles of baijiu. "Hurry up! We've been waiting for you!"
Zhang Zhengting asked:
"Who is this?"
"Oh! This is Captain Chen Han!" Baili Pangpang introduced with a smile, "Captain Shao specially invited him to have New Year's Eve dinner!"
Zhang Zhengting looked up and nodded slightly: "Captain Chen."
Chen Han asked shyly, "Did Captain Shao send me?"
"Yes." Zhang Zhengting nodded. "Hello."
“Speaking of which…” Li Zhenzhen put down her chopsticks and looked towards the courtyard gate, “Why hasn’t Uncle Shao come back yet?”
"Yeah!" Baili Pangpang mumbled, chewing on a slice of meat. "He said he'd be back today, but the food's almost cold!"
Chen Han scratched his head: "He should be here soon. He just sent a message saying he was on his way."
An Qingyu pushed up her glasses: "Based on Captain Shao's movements, he should have arrived three minutes ago."
As soon as the words fell——
"Squeak-"
The sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open could be heard.
"Uncle Shao!" Li Zhenzhen stood up in surprise.
Outside the courtyard gate, a figure wearing a dark red cloak stood out. In the moonlight, Shao Pingge's profile was sharply defined, with a faint smile on his lips.
He was about to step into the yard when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.
"Om-"
He frowned, took out his phone, and the screen displayed—Commander-in-Chief Ye Fan.
"Hey?"
"Pingge, Happy New Year." Ye Fan's voice was steady on the other end of the phone.
"Yes, Happy New Year." Shao Pingge chuckled. "You're not going to be working overtime again during the New Year holiday, are you?"
"There are fluctuations in the 'Gray Realm' on the northwestern border, suspected to be a probe by an outer god." Ye Fan paused, "You need to go and guard it immediately."
"..."
Shao Pingge remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard—
Li Zhenzhen waved to him while holding a bowl of steaming dumplings;
Baili Pangpang grinned foolishly, holding up a beer bottle;
Although Shen Qingzhu had a cold face, she had already peeled a small bowl of garlic cloves in her hand;
Chen Han and Zhang Zhengting both looked up at him at the same time.
The hot pot steamed gently, and the lanterns cast a warm glow.
"Okay," he finally said. "I'm leaving now."
After hanging up the phone, Shao Pingge took a deep breath and slowly withdrew the foot that had stepped across the threshold.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, two figures appeared out of thin air outside the courtyard gate.
"You're leaving already?" Zhang Yun asked lazily, chewing on a lollipop as he leaned against the wall.
"You won't even eat a bite of the New Year's Eve dinner?" Lin Qiye's black box sword hung at his waist, his tone calm.
Shao Pingge raised an eyebrow: "What brings you two here?"
"Just passing by." Zhang Yun shrugged. "Just checking if some lonely old man has any plans for New Year's Eve dinner."
Lin Qiye: "It turned out he was going to run away."
Shao Pingge chuckled: "Get lost."
He paused, then looked at the two of them: "The Northwest..."
“I know,” Zhang Yun interrupted him. “The Outer Gods come every year, it’s so annoying.”
Lin Qiye took out a red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Shao Pingge's cloak pocket: "Happy New Year."
Shao Pingge was taken aback: "...You can prepare this?"
“It was from Jialan,” Lin Qiye said casually. “She said you probably didn’t prepare any New Year’s money again this year.”
Zhang Yun also pulled out a small box: "Here, this is mine."
"What is this?"
"A lollipop." Zhang Yun grinned. "You can suck on it when you're bored on the way."
Shao Pingge looked at the things in his hand and suddenly smiled: "Okay, thanks."
He turned and walked into the night, waving goodbye as he walked away.
"Come back safely," Lin Qiye said.
"Remember to bring local specialties!" Zhang Yun shouted.
...
006 Squad Base, New Year's Eve.
The courtyard was filled with red lanterns, their warm yellow glow reflecting on the blue bricks and gray tiles, while the wind chimes under the eaves tinkled in the night breeze.
Baili Pangpang carried a large plate of freshly cooked dumplings, steaming hot and fragrant. He grinned and said, "Come on! Pork and cabbage filling! Eat it while it's hot!"
"Fatty, did you wash your hands?" Li Zhenzhen asked, holding a dish of vinegar, looking at him suspiciously.
"I washed them!" Baili Pangpang said confidently, then secretly wiped his hands on his pants.
An Qingyu pushed up her glasses: "According to data analysis, the dumpling skin thickness uniformity reaches 98%, and the filling ratio is perfect."
Everyone: "..."
Chen Han smiled and shook his head, raising his glass: "Come on, let's have a drink!"
"cheers!"
The clinking of glasses, the crisp sound mingling with laughter, echoed in the courtyard.
The night sky over Shangjing City was lit up by fireworks.
"Boom-bang!"
Brilliant fireworks exploded in the night sky, showering down golden, red, and purple lights that reflected on everyone's smiling faces.
Baili Pangpang ran into the yard, looked up at the sky, and exclaimed excitedly like a child: "Look! That's 'a sky full of stars'! That's 'a peacock spreading its tail'!"
Li Zhenzhen, wrapped in a blanket and holding a cup of hot cocoa, exclaimed with sparkling eyes, "It's so beautiful..."
Shen Qingzhu leaned against the door frame, her gaze softening slightly behind her sunglasses: "Troublesome."
Cao Yuan scratched his head: "Did I... fail to help again?"
An Qingyu pushed up her glasses: "Based on the fireworks trajectory, the next one should be a 'golden waterfall'."
As soon as the words fell——
“Wow——!!!”
A golden stream of light descended from the sky, cascading down like a waterfall and illuminating the entire courtyard.
Everyone: "..."
Baili Pangpang gave a thumbs up: "Brother An, awesome!"
The heater in the living room was burning brightly.
"What do you want to play?" Baili Pangpang sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding a handful of sunflower seeds in his hand.
"How about playing Dou Dizhu?" Li Zhenzhen suggested.
"Too cliché!" Baili Pangpang shook his head. "Let's do something more exciting!"
"for example?"
"Truth or Dare!"
Shen Qingzhu sneered: "Childish."
ten minutes later--
Shen Qingzhu stood expressionless in the center of the courtyard, a pink bow tied in her hair, and said coldly, "Satisfied?"
"Hahahaha!" Baili Pangpang laughed so hard he rolled on the floor. "Old Shen! Your look is absolutely amazing!"
Li Zhenzhen covered her mouth and chuckled, "It suits you quite well."
Shen Qingzhu: "...Useless."
At midnight, the clock tower rang out with melodious chimes.
"Dang——dang——dang——"
The twelve chimes heralded the arrival of the New Year.
"Happy New Year!!!" Baili Pangpang jumped up and hugged Cao Yuan next to him.
Cao Yuan scratched his head: "Did I... fail to help again?"
Li Zhenzhen smiled and handed over a red envelope: "Here, this is your New Year's money!"
"I have one too?" Cao Yuan was stunned.
"Everyone gets one!" Chen Han also took out a red envelope and handed them out one by one, saying, "May you get another year older and have a peaceful and prosperous year."
Shen Qingzhu accepted the red envelope and said coldly, "Trouble."
But the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
On a stone bench in the corner of the courtyard, Li Zhenzhen held her phone, the screen displaying a photo of her and Shao Pingge.
"Has Uncle Shao arrived in the Northwest yet..." she murmured softly.
"Don't worry." Chen Han walked over and handed her a cup of hot tea. "That guy is tough as nails."
"Yes." Li Zhenzhen nodded, then suddenly smiled and said, "When he comes back, we have to make him pay for this New Year's Eve dinner!"
"Let him treat us!" Baili Pangpang chimed in, "Let's eat the most expensive thing!"
"I second that!" An Qingyu pushed up her glasses.
Shen Qingzhu: "...Useless."
In the courtyard, everyone gathered in a circle.
"Make a wish," Chen Han said with a smile, "New Year, new beginnings."
Baili Pangpang clasped his hands together, looking devout: "I hope I can get a raise next year!"
Everyone: "..."
Li Zhenzhen closed her eyes and whispered, "I hope Team 006... will always be together."
Shen Qingzhu was silent for a moment: "...Troublesome."
But his hand secretly tightened its grip on the red envelope.
Cao Yuan scratched his head: "Did I... fail to help again?"
An Qingyu adjusted her glasses: "According to statistics, the probability of a New Year's wish coming true is approximately—"
"Shut up!" everyone shouted in unison.
A night breeze blew by, and the lanterns swayed gently, casting their shadows long, very long.
...
A biting wind was blowing, and fine snowflakes were falling from the sky.
All the new recruits stood in neat rows, their breath condensing into frost in the air.
They wore thin training uniforms and carried heavy packs, their eyes filled with both anticipation and unease.
Zhang Yun stood at the front of the line, a lollipop dangling from his mouth, lazily scanning everyone: "Is everyone here?"
"Reporting, Instructor! Everyone is present!" Li Xiaoyu responded loudly.
Lin Qiye stood to the side, his black-boxed straight sword hanging at his waist, his voice calm: "This training has no forbidden zones, no forbidden items, you will rely solely on your bodies and willpower."
He raised his hand and pointed into the distance: "Target—Pamir Plateau, the summit of Kongur Tagh."
"Time - 6 days."
The new recruits looked at each other, some swallowing hard, others clenching their fists.
Wang Tiezhu scratched his head: "Instructor, isn't this... a bit too harsh?"
Zhang Yun grinned: "Ruthless? This is nothing."
He snapped his fingers, and the projection screen behind him lit up, displaying a topographical map of the Pamir Plateau—
"At an altitude of 7500 meters, the temperature is -30 degrees Celsius, the wind speed is 20 meters per second, and the oxygen content is less than 40% of that at sea level."
"In 6 days, we trekked through the no-man's land and reached the summit."
Those who give up halfway will be eliminated.
"The dead—"
He paused, his smile fading: "Consider yourself unlucky."
...
The Pamir Plateau, the border of the Great Xia Dynasty.
The cold wind howled, and the snowflakes were like knives, stinging people's faces.
A burly man, nearly two meters tall, stepped across the border. His heavy military boots crunched on the snow. His muscles were bulging, and his skin was as rough as rock. With each step, the ground trembled slightly.
—Atlas, the agent of the god of the earth.
"Finally... I've smuggled myself in!" He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, his eyes gleaming with greed. "The divine power of the Great Xia... is indeed abundant!"
He took a deep breath, as if he could smell the spiritual energy flowing in the air, an aura different from other divine kingdoms, ancient and profound.
However, just as he was preparing to move on—
"Shh-!"
A dark figure appeared silently in front of him.