Chapter 352 The Swing Between Family and Country

Over the past ten years, there had always been a popular myth in the military of Zhongzhou State that had been taken for granted.

It was about the most elite super-large comprehensive army corps in Zhongzhou State, which was known as the Border Control Corps and also the private army of the Dongcheng Clan. In the beginning, it was dubbed as “Dongcheng Corps” in secret in Zhongzhou State. But after the people who called it that way received varying degrees of warning, everyone realized it was a taboo.

Therefore, the statement regarding “Dongcheng Corps” gradually disappeared and was replaced by another t.i.tle.

Corps of G.o.d of Ma.s.sacre!

It would be tantamount to saying that the Border Control Corps belonged to Dongcheng Wudi himself too. After the decrease of those meaningful, well-targeted, and cutting remarks, the t.i.tle was eventually acquiesced by all parties.

That was the truth. At least it was so close to the truth.

The Border Control Corps was known as the small Army Headquarters of Zhongzhou State. After the first army chief Li Kuangtu committed treason, the Border Control Corps naturally began to transform from the original small-scale special warfare agency to the military forces, eventually forming a leviathan of a total of nearly 600,000 soldiers today.

There were five ace army groups inside the Border Control Corps, namely Thunderbolt, Pegasus, Blood, Wild Sand, Black Dragon. They were stationed in Nanyun, the three northeast provinces of Zhongzhou State, the Tibetan region, and Beijiang respectively and all had considerable influence. Moreover, the Border Control Corps had four separate airborne divisions, two special operations reconnaissance brigades, nearly twenty flight formations, one intelligence department, and six special operations brigades, with all the inst.i.tutions in order. Such strength was even mighty in the entire Dark World. It was, too, Dongcheng Wudi’s imperious capital in Zhongzhou State.

For the entire Border Control Corps, Dongcheng Wudi, who was not at the Invincible Realm, had the status as sacred and majestic as that of a G.o.d.

He was the spiritual symbol of the entire corps.

And the four military commanders promoted by Dongcheng Wudi, namely w.a.n.g Wantian of the Blood Battalion, s.h.i.+ Hanbing of the Wild Sand Battalion, Xiao Dongzhan of the Pegasus Battalion, and Cheng Huining of the Black Dragon Battalion, symbolized the towering pillar of the Border Control Corps. The middle and senior military officers formed the base of the pillar, while the elite soldiers consisted of the cornerstone of the corps.

It was an unbreakable and great whole, which was famous for two iron laws. These two iron laws were now almost the soul of the Border Control Corps.

First, as long as the Border Control Corps could still fight, the officers must be at the front of the charge and at the rear of the retreat, without destroying the formation and following the sequence of the marshal, general, field officer, and junior officer!

…

Second, under no circ.u.mstances could the Border Control Corps leave any captives alive.

Dongcheng Wudi once had a sentence that shook the whole Zhongzhou State. “My soldiers are fighters, not f*cking babysitters who stay behind.”

That was what he said and did.

During Dongcheng Wudi’s more than two decades in charge of the Border Control Corps, there were numerous border clashes with the various super forces in the Dark World, the Yin State, Snow Country, Annan State, and Gaoshan State.

None of his enemies survived.

Dressed in the marshal’s uniform, he would definitely take the lead in every charge and retreat at the end.

With such a marshal, hundreds of thousands of troops in the entire Border Control Corps fought the enemies that Dongcheng Wudi’s long sword pointed in every combat. In more than twenty years, with the t.i.tle of G.o.d of Ma.s.sacre, he forged the fiercest and powerful military spirit in the whole Zhongzhou State. He fought for Zhongzhou State with armor and weapons and was all-conquering. For decades, Dongcheng Wudi was absolutely the most remarkable commander.

He was a military officer who was able to make nearly 600,000 troops loyal to him.

He deserved the word “great”.

It was because Dongcheng Wudi was great that he bore heavier responsibilities.

Heavier responsibilities meant more weighing and reflection.

Therefore, Dongcheng Wudi was stressed out, for the responsibilities over his shoulders were as heavy as mountains.

It had been a few hours since he called Ning Zhiyuan, but he still hadn’t left the building of the Army Headquarters.

Youzhou was tranquil and gloomy late at night. He pushed open the window of the office. The somewhat sultry wind blew in from the outside and carried away a lot of pungent smell of the cigarette.

Dongcheng Wudi squinted at the night sky, silent.

Bai Qingzhao, the deputy secretary general of the Army Headquarters, still stayed with Dongcheng Wudi in the office silently.

“Have you decided yet, minister?” Bai Qingzhao asked suddenly, after a long silence.

…

The office was quiet.

So his voice was hoa.r.s.e and harsh to himself.

Dongcheng Wudi’s body seemed to move a little bit.

Bai Qingzhao was his wife’s elder brother.

Even during his years of being at loggerheads with Bai Qingqian, they remained sworn friends.

Most of the time, Bai Qingzhao would not address him by his t.i.tle, but by his first name.

Now, however, he called him “minister”.

It could be seen how vital Dongcheng Wudi’s next decision was, especially for the relations.h.i.+p between the Bai family and the Dongcheng Clan.

The doc.u.ment from Kunlun City with the seals belonging to the Office of the President and the Cabinet was still on the desk.

The contents of the first maneuver item on the doc.u.ment were extremely harsh.

Team’s cooperative combat.

Without thinking, Dongcheng Wudi knew what Li Tianlan would face in the final maneuver.

He would face w.a.n.g Shengxiao, Gu Hanshan, Jiang Shangyu, Song Ci, and their teams’ collaboration!

Most of the main forces of the East Emperor Palace were seriously injured.

Even if the East Emperor Palace were in its heyday, it would be challenging to face such a lineup, even with Li Tianlan in.

Li Tianlan seemed to have lost the game.

The Li family, which staged a comeback but was still weak, couldn’t decide whether he could survive the final maneuver.

Sigh City, whose strength decreased dramatically and whose murderous weapon Setting Sun was no longer in hand, couldn’t decide that, either.

The same was true for the Samsara Palace, which was too far away to offer help.

Only the Giant Group—to be precise, Dongcheng Wudi, had the power and strength to intervene in this final maneuver.

As for the Academics and the Office of the President…

They agreed to the doc.u.ment and were waiting for Dongcheng Wudi’s decision.

Bai Qingzhao watched Dongcheng Wudi’s back.

The look in his eyes was pretty complicated.

At the beginning of the month, his father Bai Zhanfang and his sister Bai Qingqian went to Zhongyuan together.

As one of the core members of the Bai family, Bai Qingzhao naturally knew the reason.

Li Tianlan’s life or death now seemed to be decided in the final maneuver. In fact, it was in the hands of Dongcheng Wudi.

No one would doubt that the Dongcheng Clan did not have the power.

As long as Dongcheng Wudi was willing to pay the price, Li Tianlan wouldn’t die even if he faced the joint attacks from the recovered Gu Xingyun and w.a.n.g Tianzong, not to mention to survive the attacks from several young people.

But Dongcheng Wudi’s willingness or unwillingness was a swing between his family and country.

“I am still waiting to hear from Zhiyuan,” Dongcheng Wudi said slowly.

…

“Does it make sense?”

Bai Qingzhao’s voice was low. “Ning Zhiyuan is deeply rooted in the Eastern Theater of Operations. But since he has left that position, it’s tough for him to control the maneuver. He will do his part, but he will never be strong enough to turn things around. You know that.”

Dongcheng Wudi put on a wry smile.

“Between family and country…” he muttered to himself, his smile full of bitterness.

…

Anyone who broke the rules must pay the price.

Kunlun City changed the sequence of the contents of the final maneuver and raised the casualty rate. But all of this was within the scope of the power of Kunlun City—that was, within the scope permitted by the rules.

Dongcheng Wudi’s attempt to meddle in the final maneuver was a breach of the rules, so he would have to pay the price.

Just as Kunlun City and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai could only watch the Li family stage a comeback after they failed to kill Li Honghe jointly, whether they liked it or not, they had to face the music for doing so.

The price Dongcheng Wudi would have to pay could only come from the Border Control Corps.

He was now the executive minister of the Army Headquarters of Zhongzhou State and still served as the commander in chief of the Border Control Corps.

He definitely had to relinquish the latter post, but that did not mean that the Dongcheng Clan was willing to give up the leaders.h.i.+p over the Border Control Corps.

Given Dongcheng Wudi’s foundation and prestige in the Border Control Corps, in the short-term, even if all his four subordinate commanders of the Border Control Corps were transferred out, the new commander in chief could not quickly build up his team.

By the time the new commander in chief had established his authority, Dongcheng Wudi had already established his order in the army.

The w.a.n.g family of Beihai was extremely interested in the positions in the Border Control Corps.

If the Dongcheng Clan were to make a deal with the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, under normal circ.u.mstances, it would not be a once-for-all deal at all. At least in a few years, there would be a lot of delicate balance and compromises.

That was what would happen in a normal situation.

But if Dongcheng Wudi risked universal condemnation and broke the rules, the price he had to pay might be the leaders.h.i.+p over the entire Border Control Corps, at best, the majority of the leaders.h.i.+p.

What he had to give up was more than a majority of leaders.h.i.+p.

He, too, had to abandon nearly 600,000 troops who wors.h.i.+pped him.

If the morale of the troops in the Border Control Corps were unstable, it would be a national affair.

And from his heart, Dongcheng Wudi was unwilling to experience the guilt and struggle of abandoning nearly 600,000 troops.

Abandoning them?

How could he be willing to do that?

But if he didn’t abandon them, could he have the heart to watch Li Tianlan being besieged by others in the final maneuver helplessly?

If Li Tianlan died in the final maneuver, regardless of what would happen to Kunlun City and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, his relations.h.i.+p with Bai Qingqian as a couple must come to an end. By then, the poor woman who had made him feel guilty for so many years would absolutely pay any price to get her revenge against the Dongcheng Clan.

The Bai family and the Dongcheng Clan went their separate ways, the Giant Group split, and his family broke up…

These were family affairs.

There was no absolute fairness and justice between one’s family and country.

Dongcheng Wudi was in a trance.

It was a choice between family and country, as well as one between the responsibility of a husband and the bounden duty of a soldier.

“If you had known it, why did you do it?” said Bai Qingzhao suddenly.

…

His tone was indifferent, without ridicule, anger, or any other emotions. It was like he was saying a fact similar to one plus one equals two.

He really didn’t mean to mock the Dongcheng Clan.

The Dongcheng Clan was not alone in seeking a change in the past.

That year, both Dongcheng Hanguang and Dongcheng Wudi were present when all the planning started.

Both Bai Qingzhao himself and his father Bai Zhanfang were present.

They were all in the game.

This game had lasted for more than 20 years. Nevertheless, it was just the beginning for the Li family, but for them, it was the endgame.

From the middle game to the endgame, the final maneuver was exceptionally crucial.

But what all the players had not expected was that Dongcheng Wudi, who was extremely determined because of his responsibility, would be so hesitant due to responsibility at this point.

“There was nothing wrong with choosing the Li family that year.”

Dongcheng Wudi continued in a calm voice, “We chose the Li family because it’s the best choice and the only choice. It was true more than 20 years ago, and the same goes for today, more than 20 years later.”

“What’s your decision?”

Instead of arguing with Dongcheng Wudi about right and wrong, Bai Qingzhao just raised the question with a deadpan expression.

Dongcheng Wudi fell silent once again.

His face kept changing, and in the light of the office, there was distinct anguish and struggle on his face.

“I’ll understand whatever decision you make,” Bai Qingzhao whispered.

It was something from the bottom of his heart, and he could really understand any decision he made.

“But it’s only limited to understanding.”

To understand didn’t mean to approve.

The understanding was a rational a.n.a.lysis, regardless of one’s stance.

Approval was a somewhat cold choice that stood on one’s stance.

If one’s decision could not meet with another’s approval, then the two were enemies.

The Bai family made a choice that year.

It would make the same choice today.

It did so without any other reason, just because of what had happened.

“What’s your advice?” Dongcheng Wudi asked suddenly.

…

“Abandon it,” Bai Qingzhao said without hesitation.

…

“That’s easy for you to say. How could I have the heart to abandon 600,000 troops?”

Dongcheng Wudi looked unhappy.

“I know it’s indeed not easy.”

Bai Qingzhao added softly, “But are you willing to abandon Li Tianlan?”

Dongcheng Wudi was even more upset.

If he had been willing to do that, he wouldn’t be struggling now.

Li Tianlan had the same weight as the 600,000 troops in his heart, which showed that he cared about Li Tianlan.

“Since you’re unwilling to abandon Li Tianlan, and then forsake the 600,000 troops.”

Bai Qingzhao stood up and threw a cigarette to Dongcheng Wudi. He said in a low voice, “Don’t forget our original intention. At that time, I, you, Uncle Zou—our three families, sought a change, and our ultimate goal was to get rid of the loose alliance of the Giant Group, which was bound to be a process of giving up and gaining. Wudi, you have your 600,000 troops, but the Bai family and Zou family have their concerns and responsibilities as well. But if we can pick it up, we can put it down too. When the change we want comes along, we’ll take what we have abandoned back.”

He patted Dongcheng Wudi on the shoulder. “This is the second year of your term. You still have at least eight years. What can’t you afford to wait? Even if you abandon the Border Control Corps, you will still be the executive minister of the Army Headquarters of Zhongzhou State!”

Dongcheng Wudi’s body shook so violently that he did not speak for a moment.

The moon outside the window was rising.

The building of the Army Headquarters was dark, and the sky was dotted with stars.

It was some time before Dongcheng Wudi took up his phone.

Ning Zhiyuan had not yet sent him a reply.

He had left the Eastern Theater of Operations. Thus, it would take him some time to do a lot of things, at least one night.

“Get the car ready for me.”

Dongcheng Wudi’s voice was low. “Go to the Hidden Dragon Sea. I’m going to meet the President personally!”

Bai Qingzhao felt relaxed physically in secret. A smile crept over his lips.

Dongcheng Wudi walked out of the office, took out his cell phone, called General w.a.n.g Wantian, the inc.u.mbent commander of the Eastern Theater of Operations, as well as the former commander of Blood Battalion of the Border Control Corps.

“Marshal!”

The call was quickly put through. w.a.n.g Wantian’s steady and sonorous voice sounded.

“Wantian, prepare according to plan No. 2 and inform Huining. Time is pressing. Hurry up.”

Dongcheng Wudi rubbed his temples, and his voice sounded tiring.

The man on the other end of the line was silent for a while.

w.a.n.g Wantian’s sonorous voice sounded again. “Marshal, have you really decided?”

Dongcheng Wudi gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“Go and do it,” he ordered in a calm tone.

…

w.a.n.g Wantian took a deep breath, answered yes, and hung up.

Dongcheng Wudi put down his cell phone and walked out of the building of the Army Headquarters, looking up at the starry sky.

Between family and country.

Over the past few decades, he had been told that your family would no longer exist once the country was about to be destroyed.

He had been told that the bounden duty of a soldier was to defend his country.

But he had never been told how to make a choice between his family and country.

So his choice tonight was made out of his own will.

The country had not been ruined.

But his family was about to split.

If he ended up being utterly isolated with a broken family, for whom did he defend the country?