Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

The day I left, it was just dawn.

The air in Qingyun County still carried the unique moisture and coolness of the morning mist.

Liu Ming got up very early on purpose.

He didn't want to disturb too many people, and he disliked those tearful farewell scenes. As a soldier, he was used to packing his bags and heading to the next battlefield.

The dilapidated jeep was parked downstairs at the county committee guesthouse, its engine emitting a low rumble and belching out a plume of white smoke.

"Let's go, Lao Lei."

Liu Ming tossed the last piece of luggage into the back seat, patted Lei Tie on the shoulder in the driver's seat, and said, "Let's sneak out of the city before everyone wakes up."

Lei Tie gripped the steering wheel, his eyes slightly dark, clearly having not slept all night. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back, simply nodding silently, shifting gears, and pressing the accelerator.

The car slowly drove out of the guesthouse gate and turned onto the main road of the county town—Qingyun Avenue.

however.

The moment the car had just turned the corner.

"Squeak—!"

Lei Tie slammed on the brakes, and the jeep came to a sudden stop.

Liu Ming leaned forward, almost hitting the windshield. He was about to ask what happened when he looked up and froze instantly.

The road ahead is blocked.

It's not a traffic jam.

are people.

A dense crowd, stretching as far as the eye can see.

From the entrance of the county government guesthouse all the way to the highway exit several kilometers away, the once wide Qingyun Avenue was now completely blocked!

The dense crowd, like two silent dragons, stood quietly on both sides of the street.

There were elderly people with white hair, women holding children, miners in work clothes, and farmers with their trousers rolled up...

There was no noise, no crowding.

When the familiar beat-up jeep appeared, there was a commotion in the crowd, but it quickly quieted down.

Thousands of eyes and gazes converged on the car.

That look in his eyes was burning hot and intense, containing a thousand unspoken words.

"this……"

Liu Ming felt as if something was blocking his throat, making it dry and painful. He turned to look at Lei Tie, his voice hoarse: "You leaked the information?"

"I didn't..." Lei Tie, a tough man, had tears in his eyes and his voice choked with emotion. "Brother Liu, people have hearts of flesh and blood. You've done so much for Qingyun County, the people... they all know the truth."

The car could only crawl forward at a snail's pace.

It's less about opening and more about being "pushed" along by the crowds on both sides.

"County Chief Liu! Roll down the car window!"

"Director Liu! Open the window! Let us take a look!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and soon shouts rose and fell, merging into a huge wave of sound.

Liu Ming took a deep breath and rolled down the car window.

In that instant, the "gifts" that had been prepared were poured in through the car window like a downpour.

"County Chief Liu! These are eggs that my old hen just laid! They're still warm! Take them with you on your way!" An old woman with a wrinkled face insisted on stuffing a basket of eggs into Liu Ming's arms, with a blue printed cloth covering the basket.

"Director Liu! These are pomegranates grown on our own farm in the south of the city! They're sweet and thirst-quenching!"

"Judge Liu! My daughter made these insoles overnight; they'll be comfortable for you!"

Eggs, red dates, peanuts, apples, pancakes...

There were even a few bottles of homemade rice wine in mineral water bottles.

These things are not worth much.

But at this moment, they are heavier than mountains of gold and silver.

Liu Ming wanted to refuse, but how could she possibly back down?

Those rough, calloused hands eagerly reached through the car window, as if afraid he wouldn't accept them, afraid he would go hungry, afraid he would forget the people of this land.

"Folks! Don't send any more! Keep it for yourselves!"

Liu Ming shouted loudly, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the clamor of the crowd.

"Take it! You have to take it! Not taking it means you're disrespecting us!"

"County Magistrate Liu, you're a good official! We'll miss you so much!"

"Waaaaah... Now that you're gone, who will support us...?"

The crying seemed contagious.

From one person, to a group of people, and then to the whole street.

The men Liu Ming rescued from the illegal mines, and the elderly people who received compensation in the shantytowns of the south of the city, were all like children, wiping away tears as they chased after the car.

The back seat of the jeep was quickly filled.

The passenger seat was also crammed full.

Even Liu Ming's thighs were piled high with heavy bags of local specialties.

The car was filled with a smell that was a mixture of dirt, sweat and food.

That's the taste of everyday life.

It also has the flavor of "Buddha is born in every household".

Liu Ming no longer declined.

He knew that this was the people's heartfelt sentiment and the highest reward for his work.

This is ten thousand times more precious than a provincial commendation order or the title of "deputy county head".

The convoy finally reached the exit from the city.

Standing there were Wen Boyan, Xi Wanqing, and all the members of the county committee.

They didn't hold any farewell ceremony; they simply stood quietly by the roadside, watching this young hero depart.

Xi Wanqing looked at the man in the car who was "buried" with eggs and sweet potatoes, tears streaming down her face, but a proud smile remained on her lips.

This is the man she fell in love with.

He deserves all of this.

Liu Ming told Lei Tie to stop the car.

He pushed open the car door, and even though he had a basket of eggs on his lap and it was a little difficult for him to move, he still insisted on getting out.

He stood by the roadside, looking at the long procession of people seeing him off, and at those familiar and kind faces.

The morning sunlight shone on him, casting his shadow straight.

He didn't speak.

At this moment, any language seems pale and powerless.

He slowly raised his right hand, fingertips close together, the movement precise and powerful, facing the long street and the people of the city.

He gave a solemn military salute!

"salute--!"

Lei Tie jumped out of the car and roared.

In that instant, all the police officers, veterans, and even Wen Boyan and Xi Wanqing present instinctively straightened their backs and returned the gaze to that young man's back.

The wind rises.

The wind rustled the willows by the roadside and also stirred the hems of people's clothes.

Liu Ming maintained the salute for a full minute.

In that minute, a single, glistening tear slid silently from the corner of his eye and fell into the soil beneath his feet.

The boy does not cry easily.

It's just that the moment of being moved hasn't arrived yet.

"I'm gone."

He lowered his hand, turned around, got into the car, and didn't look back.

"drive."

Lei Tie floored the accelerator, and the jeep roared as it sped onto the national highway.

The small county town and the long line of people in the rearview mirror gradually became smaller and farther away, eventually blurring into an indistinct black dot.

Liu Ming leaned back in her chair, clutching the still-warm egg, which was still warm from the old woman's body.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

This breath carries the vibrant atmosphere of Qingyun County.

What came out was a heart full of passion and fighting spirit.

He knew that he was taking away more than just a truckload of local specialties.

It is also a weighty trust, and a strength that can support him to face any storm.

Ningzhou.

That larger battlefield, that deeper vortex.

I, Liu Ming, have arrived.