Luo Shen stood atop the mountain, gazing out over an endless stretch of forest. Behind him, he heard an old green-painted train clattering along the winding tracks, drawing closer before gradually disappearing on the other side of him.
The wind stirred the trees, but the forest remained utterly still.
No wind blew. No birds sang. There was no sign of life.
Apart from that old passenger train, which had come and gone behind him countless times, time meant nothing here.
·
As soon as he entered the office, Old Cai hurled a stack of papers at him from across the room. They landed squarely in Luo Shen's arms. “Look at this job preference of yours. You scored 673 on the entrance exam, and you've been top of your major every year, all so you could graduate and head for the border defense?”
Old Cai picked up his enamel mug and took a sip of tea, then scalded his mouth and tossed the mug aside. “Have you even thought about who you are? You submit a job preference like this, and even if I dare send it in, do you think the border defense department would dare take you? Huh?”
“The country raised you, and this is how you repay it?”
Luo Shen kicked his feet together and stood at attention. The papers in his hands fell neatly into place as well, held straight and proper in his palm. “Reporting to Instructor, I have never forgotten the country's support or the school's instruction.”
“Besides, serving the motherland and joining the border defense are noble ideals. People like us need to put them into action. It is both an honor and a duty!”
Old Cai was even more furious. He jabbed a finger at Luo Shen's nose. “An honor? A duty? Everyone has their own honor, and everyone has their own duty. What makes you think the honor and duty of serving in the border defense should fall to you?”
Luo Shen coughed twice. Sunlight fell from behind him, making his pale, cool-toned skin stand out even more. “Comrade Old Cai, that is where your thinking is mistaken. All people are born equal. Duties and honors are not a matter of rank. Every military academy student should strive to live up to them.”
“Luo Shen!”
Luo Shen stood even straighter and answered with crisp force. “Present!”
“As the old saying goes, the more capable you are, the more you should shoulder. You must bear a responsibility that matches your ability, especially when the country has supported you and raised you to this point!”
Luo Shen looked up and met Old Cai's deeply lined face. He drew a deep breath. “Reporting to Instructor, I would rather... not receive that support.”
“But you don't get to choose!” Old Cai snapped. “You're the child of a servicemember. You're an orphan. You're a Guide! The country has supported you throughout your life, partly because you were left orphaned by a servicemember, and partly because you are exceptionally capable, ”
“The country isn't asking you to spend the rest of your life repaying it. It just... needs you to do your part when you're needed.”
Luo Shen's breath caught, and his formerly rigid posture slowly crumpled. He fell silent for a long while. “...I know. But Old Cai, you know even better than I do that I'm not a Guide in the true sense of the word.”
I'm no good at writing blurbs, so I'm using part of Chapter One as a preview. Please treat it as such.
Theme: None for now.
