I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield - Chapter 446 - 376: Boarding the Ship and Returning
Chapter 446: Chapter 376: Boarding the Ship and Returning
Inside the starship, gentle white light spread across the metal corridor, and outside the portholes lay the vast starry sky.
The warriors of the Chijin Battlegroup had just stepped through the hatch, their nerves, tense for months, suddenly relaxed.
Someone leaned their heavy armor against the corner of the wall, causing a loud clatter, and sat down on the ground, greedily breathing the air delivered by the circulation system— it was freshness unimaginable in the Demon Suppression Abyss.
“Finally escaped that damned place!” a young warrior glanced out at the porthole, murmuring, “I never realized the stars could look so beautiful.”
“Indeed~” the veteran next to him patted his shoulder, with a sense of gratitude for surviving a disaster in his voice, “Only with comparison can you feel happiness, it truly feels good to be alive.”
A sudden and full-throated shout came from the end of the corridor: “Where’s the wine! Is there wine in the storeroom!”
Lu Sheng strode forward, carrying his nicked battle sword, his voice so loud that it made the metal walls vibrate slightly:
“I’ve been holding it in for months, tonight I’m definitely going to drink my fill!”
“Count me in!”
“And me too!”
Responses echoed from the crowd.
The Poisonous Widow carried a tactical bag stuffed with clothes, her steps as light as a breeze. She dashed straight toward the living quarters, almost crashing into a sign along the way, muttering to herself: “Bath… I need a bath…”
Her urgency was as if she were a desert traveler seeing a spring.
“I dare say, Scarlett Commander is going to stay in the bathroom for a whole day.” Someone joked with a laugh.
“I’d do the same,” the warrior next to him agreed wholeheartedly, “Just thinking about the sand from the Demon Suppression Abyss and the demon’s pus, even washing ten times doesn’t feel enough.”
Qin Tian walked at the end of the team, listening to the sound of laughter rising and falling around him, his mouth curled into a smile involuntarily.
The light overhead fell on his face, softening its lines and dispersing the last hint of gloom brought by the Demon Realm.
He watched the warriors with their arms over each other’s shoulders as they flooded into the dining hall, watched as someone began to hum an out-of-tune military song, watched the silhouettes of the female soldiers quickly disappear around the corner of the corridor— this noisy bustle was what coming home felt like.
…
In the dining hall, holographic lights simulated warm yellow natural light, making the entire space bright and cozy.
A giant alloy dining table stretched along the wall, spanning tens of meters, within a space of over a thousand square meters that could accommodate thousands of warriors without the slightest crowding.
The dishes on the dining table were so lavish they dazzled the eyes— steaming roasted beast ribs piled into mounds, thickly sauced stews exuded enticing aromas, bright green vegetables paired with crystal fruit platters, along with various exquisite pastries and rich soups, amidst the swirling steam, just the sight was mouthwatering.
The drinks area at the end of the table was especially lively, with all kinds of bottles neatly lined up, from the strongest interstellar spirits to mellow fruit rice wine, a dazzling array.
Warriors, with wine glasses in hand, wove through the crowd, laughing and merrymaking, the clink of glasses and laughter intertwined.
Li Wufeng had long removed his armor, wearing only a black tunic, he was directing several warriors to move barrels of wine onto the main table. Seeing nearly everyone had arrived, he suddenly slapped the table and said aloud: “Everyone quiet down!”
The clamor instantly subsided, and all eyes turned simultaneously toward him.
Li Wufeng grinned, looking at Qin Tian at the head seat, then scanning the crowd: “For us to make it out alive from the Demon Suppression Abyss is all thanks to our leader guiding us well, as I see it, the opening three toasts should be proposed by our leader. What do you all say?”
“Yes!”
The crowd responded in unison, followed by thunderous applause, causing the overhead lights to sway slightly.
In an instant, all eyes were focused on Qin Tian.
In response, Qin Tian nodded slightly, standing up, tonight he wore a simple white shirt, yet his composed demeanor was still prominent.
He raised his hand to signal for everyone to be quiet, his gaze slowly sweeping over each face present, his voice clear and powerful:
“It’s not easy to be standing here today.”
He picked up the wine glass from the table, personally filled it, and held it high: “I’ll propose three toasts first. The first toast, to our fallen comrades.”
As his voice subsided, the bustling dining hall fell silent enough that breathing could be heard.
Qin Tian’s gaze turned distant, as if penetrating the starship’s hull, looking toward the Demon Realm where loyal bones were buried:
“They once walked through the scorched earth of the Demon Realm with us, fought demons deep into the night alongside us, and shouted and charged in absolute despair. Unfortunately, they couldn’t join us on our return journey and forever remain in that dark land. Yet they watered the path to victory with their blood, their cries became our horn to advance, they built the barrier to protect the Empire with their lives; this sacrifice, we will never forget.”
He paused, his voice carrying a slight rasp: “They are not cold numbers, not records on the casualty list, they are brothers who fought side by side with us, they are the eternal battle souls of the Chijin Battlegroup. This drink is to honor the victory they couldn’t witness, to the light they protected with their lives.”
“Cheers!” Qin Tian concluded solemnly, downing the drink in his glass in one gulp.
Thousands of people raised their glasses simultaneously, the sound of the drinks going down their throats uniform, filled with indescribable solemnity and respect. Some quietly wiped away tears, even the sound of the clinking glasses was gentler.
Setting his glass down, Qin Tian filled it again and raised the second toast: “The second toast, to everyone present here.”
His gaze became firm and fervent once more: “It was everyone’s courage that allowed us to not retreat a single step when facing demons; it was everyone’s fearlessness that let us dare to battle the Death God even in despair; it was everyone’s resilience that enabled us to carve a bloody path straight through hell— thus allowing us to complete the mission smoothly and preserve the Empire’s territory.”
“This toast, to ourselves!”
“To ourselves!” The warriors shouted in unison, their voices filled with pride and excitement, drinking deeply, many heavily set their glasses down on the table, creating crisp sounds.
Qin Tian filled the third glass, a gentle smile on his face: “The last toast, to our camaraderie, to our Chijin Battlegroup.”
“Since stepping into the Demon Suppression Abyss, we have forged bonds of life and death in blood and fire.” His voice carried a touch of warmth, “No matter where everyone may be in the future, whether continuing to battle in the field or returning home in glory, regardless of whether the name Chijin Battlegroup will remain, this bond formed in war as we supported each other, this trust built in despair, will be etched in the depths of our souls, never to fade.”
“I hope if we meet in the future, everyone can still call me one word—Leader.”
“Chijin Battlegroup, aiming for glory, with my flesh and blood, forging my blade! Cheers!”
“Chijin Battlegroup, aiming for glory, with my flesh and blood, forging my blade!!!”
The slogan resounded deafeningly, warriors clinked their glasses together, some with their arms around each other’s shoulders, some embraced each other, their eyes glistening with excited tears.
Qin Tian watched the lively scene before him, slowly drinking the third glass of wine, the rich liquid spreading warmth throughout his body.
Outside, the starry sky remained vast, yet the lights and laughter within the dining hall shone brighter than any star.
