Los Angeles defector

Leader of the Ninth Squad

Click—accompanied by a crisp metallic sound, the silver case leaped lightly, and the crystal-clear dial appeared in front of his eyes, reflecting Jason's bronze face. However, Jason felt that this crystal-clear surface in front of him was like her face, cold and unyielding, a sight that he could never tire of.

The solitary confinement room in Great North Manor seems to be no different from the one in Nameless Village, except for the different buildings. Surprisingly, they have the exact same layout, with a window left open. This led Jason to believe that the confinement rooms of the resistance forces were all of the same standard, but in reality, it was just a coincidence.

On the first day of his confinement, Emily came to the window and told Jason to coordinate their testimonies. The annihilation battle against forty-six enemies turned into the killing of two sentries. She then incessantly talked about how difficult and tough her current life was, unable to sleep at night to protect her home. She hoped Jason would be released soon to share her burdens. Just before leaving, she left behind the only piece of news worth Jason's concern: Isabella is now the political commissar of the regiment and might be transferred to the independent battalion.

On the second day of his confinement, Martin came to the window and told Jason that he was also a member of the Ninth Company. He then bitterly complained about Emily's shameless actions, which implicated him as well. The firearms and equipment that couldn't be retrieved were still buried near the valley road, making it impossible to report back to the regiment. This weighed heavily on Martin's heart, and he hoped Jason would be released soon to provide him with some support.

On the third day of his confinement, Robert Wealthy came to the window and complained that the Ninth Company was worthless, without even a proper dormitory. He was temporarily placed in the new recruits' quarters and was looked down upon and bullied by the new recruits. He hoped Jason would be released soon to rescue him from this misery and support him.

On the fourth day of confinement, Sandy Sniffles unexpectedly appeared at the window. Without saying a word, he coldly glared at Jason with a grimace for a long time, cursing him to be locked away forever without seeing the sun. Then he went off to bask in the sunlight herself.

On the fifth day, Jason lay on the tattered bed, leaning against the blanket, staring blankly at the pocket watch in his hand. Suddenly, Jason felt that this simple confinement room made him comfortable, calm, and provided him with a sense of security. It was like a paradise, allowing him to forget about the blood, death, g*n smoke, and even the black and white roar in his mind that often made him unbearable.

As it was time for shift change, the sound of the sentries' conversation could be heard outside the broken door of the confinement room. "Hey, Pete should be the one coming to relieve me, why are you here?"

"He's got a stomachache, so he asked me to fill in for him. Hey, who's this narrow-eyed guy locked up inside?"

"Shh! Lower your voice, kid. He's the 'Second Platoon Killer,' you better be careful."

"What? He's the one that Second Platoon curses every day?"

"Shh! You rookie, didn't I tell you to keep it down? The guy locked up in there is no pushover. Don't you want to live?"

"Huh? Bro, can you explain it clearly before you go?"

"Well, let me tell you, back in the day at the Nameless Village's grand arena, this jinx wielded a pair of iron maces and battled the Second Platoon's fierce warrior, Slashmaster, for three hundred rounds. In the end, he cut down Slashmaster and then single-handedly entered and exited seven times, turning Second Platoon into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. That was brutal!"

"Oh my goodness, no wonder Second Platoon hates him so much!"

"Hehe, kid, learned something new, huh? When you're on guard duty, you better be sharp, or else you might... Oh, the Chief of Staff is here! Good day, sir!"

"What are you two whispering about at the door?"

"Nothing, we are just changing shifts."

"Alright, no need to switch, just remove the post."

"Yes."

David Ding pushed open the door of the confinement room, and Jason got off the bed and stood at attention, saluting.

David Ding walked straight up to Jason, locking eyes with his narrow, deep-set gaze. "Do you have any objections to how this was handled?"

Jason looked into those weathered eyes and said, "Thank you, sir, for being lenient."

Facing Jason's calm demeanor, David Ding smiled slightly. "If I were to say that the Resistance Army is the people's army, the army of the common folk, you might not understand. However, after these days, you should have seen that our environment is poor, our equipment is lacking, and we truly rely on these poor people to sustain us. Our soldiers all come from their children; without them, the Independent Regiment would starve. In my eyes, the people are more precious than my soldiers because they are the lifeblood of the Independent Regiment. So, if anyone should be thanked, it should be me. Thank you for saving the people of Nameless Village."

David Ding's words were sincere, unlike the hollow slogans on the wall. Therefore, every word he said resonated deeply with Jason, leaving a profound impact on him.

"You say you were just a regular soldier in the 67th Army in the past, but I don't believe it. I'm not trying to force you to say anything, but I believe I haven't misjudged you. You are not just an ordinary deserter." After saying this, David Ding paused, quietly looking into Jason's eyes.

Jason knew that the chief of staff wanted a genuine answer, but Jason was unwilling to revisit the past. Just the thought of those moments in the smoke of battle gave him a headache, even causing involuntary hallucinations where his mind was filled with the shockwaves of explosions. The insignia of the 67th Army on his chest had already drifted away with the waters of the California battlefield. Jason hoped that the b****y memories of the 67th Army would also flow away, forever forgotten by this deserter. That's why Jason chose to remain silent.

David Ding noticed that Jason's once profound gaze had begun to grow complex, tinged with sadness and loneliness due to his words. It seemed as though he could read something from those narrow eyes, so he took the initiative to break the silence: "I didn't just come here to inform you that your confinement is lifted. I also have an announcement to make—an appointment. Sandy Sniffles is relieved of his duties as squad leader, and from now on, you will temporarily assume the role of squad leader for the Ninth Squad."

This decision was jointly made by David Ding and the regimental commander after considering the situation. It was evident from the battle in the Nameless Village that Sandy Sniffles, this new recruit, completely lacked a strategic perspective and any basic leadership skills. In the past, with only him and Jason leading a small squad, giving him the title of squad leader was inconsequential. However, the current situation was quite different. With the addition of new recruits Martin and Robert Wealthy, along with an extra light machine g*n, the framework of a combat squad had been established. There was no room for child's play anymore. Therefore, the regimental commander and the political commissar decided to make the best of a bad situation, legitimizing the previously makeshift Ninth Squad, turning it into a formal unit.

In the eyes of the regimental commander, although Jason appeared to be a guy with extensive battlefield experience, he was still relatively new compared to the Independent Regiment. Moreover, he had many flaws that needed to be addressed and struggled to get along with his comrades. Therefore, the regimental commander wanted to transfer someone from another company to serve as the squad leader for the Ninth Squad.

The chief of staff convinced the regimental commander to appoint Jason directly as the squad leader. On one hand, this decision was made because the chief of staff observed that Jason, despite his issues, could effectively manage those problematic individuals. On the other hand, it was also a way to cultivate Jason, this outsider veteran, within the unit.

This statement brought Jason back from his daze, and he responded without hesitation, "This is not appropriate."

Jason was very aware of his own situation. Not only was he uninterested in power, but his identity was also not suitable. He was a deserter from the 67th Army who had just joined the resistance army a few days ago. He had also clashed with the Second Company and violated discipline in Nameless Village. Being appointed as the squad leader of the Ninth Squad, would he not find himself causing more trouble?

"Oh? Hehe." The chief of staff chuckled, immediately guessing Jason's thoughts. "You dared to fight fiercely in my Second Company, but now you're hesitant to take on the role of a squad leader? Unfortunately, this is an order. Whether you like it or not, you have to do it!"