Mecha and Knife

The noise from the cafeteria disappeared, and everyone looked at the old man and the cripple quietly. The old man and the cripple were just names and facts, and they did not mean any discrimination.

"Really, can it?" The second lieutenant officer still didn't believe it. He chose a hope, and this hope gave him hope, but deep down he was not confident, because everyone in the base told He: You can't do it anymore, you should retire, you can go back to Azure Star to live a good life, this war can be handed over to us with confidence.

"Yes, it's really possible." Ji Xinghe was very serious in both his tone and expression: "If you just take off your armor and fight, it's really possible."

The second lieutenant officer's eyes were red, he wanted to say something but couldn't say anything, he wanted to cry but his identity didn't allow him to cry. Taking a deep breath and then another deep breath, he calmed down in the quiet cafeteria and opened his mouth slowly.

"Thank you, but... thank you, really thank you."

The second lieutenant officer bowed to Private Ji Xinghe, which has nothing to do with rank, but with age and hope, and then he turned and left.

This scene made Ji Xinghe a little astonished, he didn't understand why he had already agreed to the other party, but the other party chose to leave. He didn't announce his name, didn't agree on the time to transform the mechanical leg, and didn't say when he would start learning special fighting methods, so he just left, so he chose to give up.

But Ji Xinghe didn’t stop him. He respected everyone’s dreams and persistence, and was willing to help others’ dreams and persistence as much as he could, but he would not force anything, because he really didn’t have much time.

Others in the cafeteria also watched the second lieutenant officer leaving in silence. Some of them understood, some didn't understand, but they also respected the second lieutenant officer's choice, because this second lieutenant officer was a hero, it was Heroes cherish heroes. Because everyone in this base, everyone on the alien planet can be called a hero.

When the back of the second lieutenant officer disappeared at the entrance of the cafeteria, a somewhat familiar voice from Ji Xinghe suddenly sounded behind him.

"No matter how good you can fight without your armor, you can't beat mechas, and you can't go to battle to kill the enemy, so he chose to give up, because he didn't want to waste your time, everyone's time, or our limited resources."

It was the lieutenant colonel officer who stopped Ji Xinghe and others in the mecha area before. He did not know when he came to the cafeteria. His expression was exactly the same indifferent as before, and his voice was equally cold.

"He just wants to know if he has become a useless person and whether he has the opportunity to fight again wearing armor. You tell him that he has not become a useless person, and at the same time tell him that he has no chance to fight wearing armor again, so he Say thank you to you, so he chose to give up after you promised."

Ji Xinghe understands, and everyone else understands that this kind of emphasis on and cherishing resources is the consensus and persistence of all people who have lived in the alien planet for more than half a year.

"Private Soldiers Ji Xinghe."

"Here." Ji Xinghe felt uncomfortable when he responded.

"The No. 109 operation area has officially approved your employment. Your personnel relations and corresponding authority will be transferred to the mecha area. Tomorrow morning at 8:00, report to the No. 109 operation area of ​​the mecha area on time."

"yes."

Ji Xinghe got what he wanted, but he was a little unhappy, because he suddenly understood that the lieutenant colonel's answer just now was not only an answer and explanation, but also a reminder, but the lieutenant colonel didn't know that Ji Xinghe had understood, so he just Bai Bai said it mercilessly.

"You are already a mechanic in the mecha area, your time is no longer your own, and your limited working time resources should be used in more important places. You are right, your time is indeed limited, His legs are also very important, but this war is more important, and the mech that can play the most important role in this war is more important."

Others in the cafeteria didn't question it, because they all thought so. It's just that they were shocked. A private mechanic, obviously an ordinary mechanic specializing in auto repair, how could he go to the mech area? The mechanic in the mecha area has the lowest rank as a non-commissioned officer.

The military rank system of the Federation is very simple. From low to high, the ranks of soldiers are privates and privates, and the ranks of non-commissioned officers are corporals, sergeants, sergeants, fourth-level sergeant majors, third-level sergeant majors, second-level sergeant majors, and first-level sergeant majors. Then there are lieutenants, colonels, and generals. Among them, only colonels are divided into four levels: major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, and senior colonel. Lieutenants and generals have only three levels: lower, middle, and upper.

Professional and technical officers will be crowned with "professional technology" in front of their military ranks, so strictly speaking, Ji Xinghe should be a professional and technical private, and Shen Mu should be a professional and technical second lieutenant. From the point of view of military rank, Ji Xinghe's professional technical level is very low, so he shouldn't be in the mecha area.

And the age of Ji Xinghe, who seems to be in his fifties or sixties, can he really withstand the high-intensity working environment and time in the Mech Zone?

The lieutenant colonel only said that Ji Xinghe's working time is 8:00 in the morning, but he didn't say what time Ji Xinghe's off-duty time is. For the people in the base, this is actually not a problem, because basically there is no off-duty in the mecha area Time, they only go to bed when they are too sleepy, and they only come to eat when the cafeteria is about to close.

If it weren't for the fact that the cafeteria at the base couldn't open a small stove for anyone, they would even think of eating when they were starving.

However, Ji Xinghe raised doubts, because he is not a professional soldier, and he is not used to the duty of obeying orders as a soldier.

"Is repairing the mecha really more important than repairing his leg?"

Everyone in the cafeteria was shocked, how dare this old man talk back to this lieutenant colonel officer? The huge gap in military rank is only one aspect, and the gap in real power is even greater than the gap in military rank between the two.

The lieutenant colonel didn't get angry. He still had no expression on his face, and his tone was very calm. He said without any hesitation: "Yes, it's more important."

Ji Xinghe asked: "Then why did you wait for him to leave before saying these words? Is it because you dare not face him?"

"Old Ji."

"Old Ji, you..."

Both Shen Mu and Su He spoke at the same time, their expressions were more nervous than those of everyone in the cafeteria.

But to their surprise, the lieutenant colonel officer still didn't lose his temper.

"No. I'm not waiting for him to go, but I'm waiting for him to make his own choice."

"Why not force him to make a choice?"

"Because he has the right to choose, and so do you. Private Xinghe, do you want to refuse the formal offer of the Mecha Zone 109 operation area? I have the responsibility and obligation to remind you that when you formally refuse, your mission log will update the progress." , content, as well as the accumulation of salary and meritorious service, will all change accordingly.”

I also have the right to choose? Is it because the military law is sentimental, or is it because I did not enlist normally?

Ji Xinghe, who has always been decisive, hesitated and tangled up. He looked at Xinxin, not seeking Xinxin's advice, but thinking of the high cost and precious resources needed to treat Xinxin. If you don't repair the armor...

But what he didn't expect was that Xinxin gave him a suggestion.

"Grandpa, that uncle is a Mech Warrior just like Dad, and the same as those people Mom saved."

This is actually not a suggestion, but a fact that seems to have nothing to do with the choice, but it made Ji Xinghe make a choice.

"Excuse me, if I refuse, can I still repair the mecha? For example... freely accept maintenance tasks."

"Can."

"Okay, I refuse."

Ji Xinghe, who tried his best to go to the mecha area to repair the mecha, chose to refuse when he received the formal offer, not because he was too sympathetic, but because he thought of his son Ji Chenxing.

If Ji Chenxing hadn't died in battle, but had lost a leg like that second lieutenant, would Ji Chenxing have chosen to leave the front line of the alien star? Knowing son is like father, Ji Xinghe knows that Ji Chenxing is not good, no matter what method is used, Ji Chenxing will choose to stay and continue fighting. For some people, sacrifice is not terrible, what is terrible is that they do not even have the ability to choose to die in battle.

Just like Ji Xinghe himself, he doesn't have the ability to choose to sacrifice now.