Chapter 6: Seeking Redress at the Military District

As Ye Yuan approached the location, the soldiers on duty and those stationed outside had already spotted him. Everyone immediately put down what they were doing and stood at attention. One soldier was about to speak when Ye Yuan’s voice rang out.

“Is this an urgent and significant matter? What exactly is the emergency?”

“Turn on the camera, quickly!” Sun Ting spoke swiftly to the cameraman beside her, then stepped in front of the lens.

Once the camera was rolling, Sun Ting displayed a professional smile and began, “Hello to all our viewers. I am here in Hehe County, the hometown of the province’s top science student, Ye Yan’an.”

“The elderly gentleman standing behind me is Ye Yan’an’s grandfather. I’ve just received news that Ye Yan’an has been abducted. I have no information on the truth of this matter yet, but I will do my utmost to uncover what really happened.”

“Please stay tuned to this story. This is reporter Sun Ting, bringing you live coverage.”

After finishing, Sun Ting whispered to a nearby station staff member, “Send this footage back to the station as soon as possible.” Then she turned around and watched Ye Yuan from a short distance, eager to see how the situation would unfold.

“Sir... what... what is this urgent and significant matter you mentioned?” a soldier stammered, struggling to speak.

He had wanted to call Ye Yuan “comrade,” but seeing that Ye Yuan’s age far exceeded even that of his grandfather, he refrained from doing so.

Ye Yuan stepped forward two paces, fists clenched tightly, his chest heaving with intense emotion, causing the medals on his military uniform to shimmer and reflect bright light.

“I have come to seek justice!” His voice was firm and resolute.

The soldier, momentarily dazzled by the gleaming medals, blinked in surprise and asked instinctively, “Justice? What injustice?”

Ye Yuan shook his head slightly. “Where is the commander? I want to see the commander here.”

The young soldier hesitated. The commander had been busy with flood control efforts and had only just found a moment to rest; he was reluctant to disturb him. But seeing the imposing, unyielding presence of Ye Yuan, he finally nodded, “Alright, please wait here. There’s some shade near the guard post where you can rest.”

“No, I’ll stay right here,” Ye Yuan said without hesitation.

Seeing this, the soldier gave up trying to persuade him and turned to run back inside the base.

Inside the garrison, Commander Cong Gui sat on a sofa with his eyes closed, pretending to rest, when he suddenly heard rapid footsteps followed by a series of urgent knocks on the door.

“Come in!” he called out, frowning as the young soldier burst into the room.

“What are you doing? I’ve repeatedly ordered you to maintain discipline. You’re being reckless...” Cong Gui began.

But the soldier interrupted urgently, “Commander, an old gentleman has arrived outside the base claiming he’s here to seek justice!”

“Seek justice?” Cong Gui paused. “What kind of old gentleman?”

Recalling Ye Yuan’s appearance, the soldier quickly described, “He’s dressed in a tattered, dirty military uniform, covered with many medals—though the glare made it hard to see clearly.”

Hearing this, Cong Gui’s heart skipped a beat. “How old does he look?”

“About eighty or ninety years old, I’d say…”

“What!?”

Cong Gui sprang up from the sofa. An octogenarian veteran? If he had enlisted early enough, that would mean he was a soldier from the Anti-Japanese United Army period!

“Quick, take me to him!” Cong Gui rushed out of his office at full speed.

The soldier shook off his surprise and followed close behind.

Outside the base, many stationed soldiers had gathered, standing straight but whispering quietly among themselves.

“That old gentleman... looks quite advanced in years.”

“Yeah, and his uniform seems like one of the earliest versions!”

“Isn’t that practically an artifact?”

Beside Ye Yuan, Sun Ting continued to ask questions about Ye Yan’an, but Ye Yuan remained silent, standing tall and gazing steadily ahead toward the base.

Though the winter wind was fierce, it could not bend the steadfast pine.

Soon, Cong Gui strode out. Seeing the relaxed posture of the assembled soldiers, he frowned deeply and commanded in no uncertain terms, “Return to your posts! Maintain vigilance!”

Immediately, the soldiers formed ranks, solemn and disciplined.

Then he spotted Ye Yuan standing motionless. At that sight, Cong Gui’s heart skipped a beat.

This veteran had to be from the earliest contingent!

He stepped directly in front of Ye Yuan and immediately noticed the dazzling medals on his chest.

Third-class merit...

Second-class merit...

First-class merit!

Special-class merit?!

Cong Gui doubted his own eyes.

He had just seen a special-class merit medal on an old soldier’s chest!

Among them was even a medal he had never before seen.

This was no ordinary veteran; this was a legendary hero...

No—this was a living legend!

Yet he could not understand why such a legend, so rare across the whole country, would be found in such a small county without his knowledge.

Standing tall and firm, Cong Gui saluted Ye Yuan.

Ye Yuan returned the salute.

Though no longer young, his countless past experiences had ingrained the gesture into his muscle memory.

Decades had passed, yet it remained fresh.

“Commander, I have come to seek justice,” Ye Yuan’s hoarse voice broke the silence.

Cong Gui felt his legs weaken.

“Old hero, please don’t call me commander—it’s too flattering,” Cong Gui smiled wryly. “What exactly has happened?”

“My granddaughter, Ye Yan’an, the province’s top science student,” Ye Yuan began, his voice steady and deep. “Today is the day the college entrance exam results were released, and she came to the county, but she disappeared without a trace.”

“Her friends who came back told me the person who took her was the local tyrant, Liu Dehai. I went to Liu’s house to demand her release, but he denied everything.”

“I reported it to the police, but with insufficient evidence, they could only treat it as a missing person case, and they need to wait twenty-four hours before filing it. When I returned home, I found my house had been burned to the ground.”

“I am at my wit’s end, so I have come here.”

Hearing Ye Yuan’s account, Cong Gui’s brow furrowed deeply.

He had heard of Liu Dehai’s notorious reputation when he first took command of this garrison.

He had not expected Liu to be brazen enough to abduct someone in broad daylight.

As Ye Yuan spoke, images of Ye Yan’an’s suffering flashed through his mind.

Thinking of his precious granddaughter’s ordeal, even a battle-hardened veteran like Ye Yuan had tears moistening his eyes.

He lifted his head, but his frail body finally gave way.

Grasping Cong Gui’s arms tightly, his face first paled, then flushed deeply, before suddenly spitting a mouthful of blood.

The stress and exhaustion had finally pushed this old soldier to his limit.

“Please... save my granddaughter...”