The last leader of the world starts with an elite infantry squad!

However, just as Zhao Jie was about to speak and arrange the next steps of the "evacuation",

Gu Chengyun suddenly closed his eyes, clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails almost tore through the thick chemical protective gloves in his palms.

His body was trembling violently, as if he were fighting against an invisible force.

Countless images flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern:

First, there was his elder brother Gu Chengyuan's steady hand patting his shoulder and the words "Do a good job" when he saw him off at the airport;

My parents, especially my mother, were gentle, their faces filled with tears of reluctance yet forcing a smile;

The three girls, Wanying and the others, looked at him with eyes that were a mixture of worry, longing, and boundless anticipation before he left...

Then there were those soldiers on the city wall, just as young and fearful, yet still gritting their teeth and with red eyes, firing bullets at the monster;

Gao Cheng's back, like a furious lion, always stood at the forefront;

And then there was the earth-shattering artillery support, which exploded almost right up to the base of the city walls, regardless of the danger...

If... if he leaves...

If he were to simply disappear "secretly" and blend into the fleeing crowd...

What will my brother think?

If the elder brother who shouldered the great cause of national rejuvenation and valued military discipline above all else were to learn that his only younger brother had deserted at a critical moment, even if no one knew, how disappointed and heartbroken he would feel?

If the parents and Wanying find out the truth one day, how will they face it?

And then there are the soldiers in the camp who are bleeding and sacrificing themselves on the city wall right now. As their instructor, I had been talking to them about the spirit of sacrifice and dedication in the ideological education class a few days ago, with the theme of "Everyone is responsible for the revival of civilization".

After this escape, will he ever be able to hold his head high in front of his brother and the soldiers in the army for the rest of his life?!

The thought that he might spend the rest of his life in remorse, forever feeling inferior to others, sent shivers down Gu Chengyun's spine...

That kind of life is definitely not what I want!

Even ants manage to survive, but if a person truly lives like an ant, it would be better to die.

"No....."

Thinking of all this, with an extremely soft, almost sobbing murmur that seemed to be squeezed out from deep in his throat, Gu Chengyun slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were red and bloodshot, filled with the exhaustion of a violent struggle, but deep in his eyes, the fiercely flashing light of his survival instinct was being forcibly suppressed and covered by something more chaotic, yet heavier.

That's not bravery, that's not fearlessness.

It was shame, resentment, lingering fear, immense grievance and struggle, but in the end, it transformed into a kind of reckless abandon, a twisted resolute determination mixed with pride and a reluctance to disappoint family and brother.

He looked at Zhao Jie, his voice hoarse yet unusually clear, and said, word by word:

“Jay…Brigade Commander.”

He reverted to using his job title.

"I stayed!"

After saying those two words, it was as if all his strength had been drained away. He slumped against the cold armored vehicle wall, closed his eyes, his chest still heaving violently, but his clenched fists slowly, little by little, loosened.

He lacked the awareness to become a hero.

But he also seemed to have lost the last bit of courage to be a deserter.

Especially in front of Zhao Jie, the brother's most trusted old classmate and subordinate.

Inside the carriage, there was a deathly silence.

Only the faint sounds of gunfire outside the vehicle and the monotonous hum of the air circulation system could be heard.

Zhao Jie stared at the young man before him, who seemed to have been drained of all his vitality in an instant, yet had made a completely different choice, and remained silent for a long time.

He understood that the resolute determination in Gu Chengyun's eyes was not heroic, and he also saw the heavy struggle and compromise in him.

In the end, Zhao Jie said nothing, but simply nodded silently.

He put his gas mask back on.

"laugh--"

A hissing sound was heard.

"I understand." Zhao Jie's voice came through the mask, regaining its usual composure, revealing little emotion.

"Then, Instructor Gu, please return to your post immediately. The reconnaissance battalion needs you."

He opened the car door and jumped out.

The cold night wind, carrying the smell of gunpowder, rushed into the car.

Gu Chengyun sat there for a few seconds, then slowly and somewhat stiffly put his gas mask back on.

It isolated me from the outside air, and it was as if I had also isolated myself from the brief but thrilling inner turmoil that had just occurred.

He pushed open the car door and stepped into the night, which was reddened by the flames of war.

There was no looking back.

.....

Meanwhile, "Eagle's Nest" was the temporary command post of the Jinling Military Sub-district.

This place is completely different from the infernal scene of flames soaring into the sky and the earth shaking on the west side of the city wall.

This is a super-large underground nuclear shelter built by Zhou Bang during a special period to cope with the invasion from the north. It extends dozens of meters underground. The thick reinforced concrete and special protective layer isolate most of the ground vibrations and noises. Only the continuous low hum of the ventilation system and the steady and dense flashing of indicator lights and slight electrical sounds emitted by various electronic devices are heard.

The air, filtered through multiple layers, carried a murky smell unique to underground spaces, cold and lifeless.

The hall of the temporary command post of the military sub-district was not particularly spacious, but its layout was compact and efficient.

The huge electronic screen that occupied the entire wall directly in front of them was now divided into dozens of sections, displaying battle footage, dynamic situation maps, data streams, and communication statuses that were being painstakingly transmitted back from various locations.

Large swaths of glaring red and purple on the screen contrasted sharply with the few struggling green and yellow dots of light, casting an ominous glow over the entire hall.

Du Yuming stood with his back to the screen in front of a simple alloy table covered with maps and documents.

"Oh, I see!"

As he spoke, he put down the military-green wired phone with a bright yellow label.

At this moment, he was wearing a dark green casual jacket that looked like it had been hastily put on, with the shirt collar casually open. Compared to the slight panic he had shown at the military district's ground command center, he now stood as still as a steel stake driven into the ground.

However, the straight back, illuminated by the red light of the screen, exuded an indescribable heaviness.

Zhao Jie's voice, though slightly distorted yet exceptionally clear, seemed to still echo in his ears through the microphone, despite the layers of protection and interference. His report was simple and direct, yet it stirred up waves in his heart far exceeding the roar of artillery fire.

'The commander's younger brother, Gu Chengyun... chose to stay.'

After hanging up the phone, Du Yuming stood silently for a long time, facing the electronic wall filled with red light.

His expression darkened as he considered this outcome.

To be honest, his feelings about this news were so complicated that he couldn't quite put his finger on them.

From the most realistic and pragmatic perspective, Du Yuming undoubtedly hoped that the leader's only younger brother, the one who would seize the first major "opportunity" on his path to promotion, would survive.

Therefore, subconsciously, he did not entirely lack the hope that Gu Chengyun could be "safe".

On the other hand, as a professional soldier who had risen from the ashes, a commander who had witnessed the collapse of the old order and knew how precious discipline and faith were in the end times, he had a deep-seated contempt and disdain for "deserters".

Most importantly, this will bring shame upon the leader!

Therefore, when Zhao Jie's report confirmed Gu Chengyun's final choice, a huge weight that had been hanging over Du Yuming's heart suddenly fell with a thud.

The moment it fell, it didn't stir up dust, but rather a complex emotion mixed with relief, or even a hint of... a sense of relief.

Perhaps subconsciously, this was the choice he truly hoped Gu Chengyun would make.

After all, no matter how much Du Yuming craved power and status, deep down, he was first and foremost a soldier!

Soldiers admire courage, responsibility, and sacrifice, and despise cowardice and betrayal.

He could not feel any sympathy for deserters, no matter what.

Therefore, in his reply to Zhao Jie, he did not even emphasize the need to "ensure the safety of Instructor Gu".

Under the premise of ordering everyone to hold the line, any special consideration for an individual is a desecration of the order itself and an insult to the decision of the young man who chose to stay.

Therefore, he chose to respect that decision and regarded himself as an ordinary but essential "nail" on this steel defense line.