"Daughter, you're already 29 and still not looking for a partner, do you plan to grow old alone?"
"Mom, what 29 years old? I'm still 18 years old, just with 132 extra months."
"Nonsense. I'm telling you--if you don't bring home a boyfriend this New Year, I'll set you up for a blind date."
"A blind date it is. Find me an old man, preferably, one with a house, savings, and retirement benefits."
"Alright, I thought something was up when you were never in a relationship. Turns out you've got your sight set on old Ji. Tell me, have you already promised yourself to him? This old Ji, still daring to mess with my daughter even though he's in his sixties or seventies, I'm going to confront him right now."
The daughter said helplessly, "Go ahead, but let me tell you, old Ji's son is a Space Fleet Mech Warrior. If you throw a tantrum in front of him and get arrested, I'm not showing up to bail you out."
Common federal citizens have always held great respect for the military, since the federation is currently at war. The Azure Star can maintain peace and stability, the federal citizens can go to the zoo to see apes and monkeys instead of being watched by them in a cage, all thanks to the defense fortifications built by the courageous soldiers at the front lines.
They defend us from enemies outside of our planet.
Among these federal soldiers, Mech Warriors were the most respected division. Not only because they looked cool when piloting mechs, but also because, out of tens of millions of federal soldiers, only three hundred thousand could become Mech Warriors. On top of this, these tens of millions of federal soldiers were selected from a pool of eight billion federal humans.
In a certain sense, these three hundred thousand Mech Warriors are chosen from a population of eighty billion federal humans. Each one of them is literally one in ten thousand.
"Hmph, big deal. It's all because you're incompetent. If you married earlier and gave birth to my grandchild, he could've possibly enrolled in the military draft."
"Even if I did marry earlier, my child would be eight at most."
"So what? Can't an eight-year-old operate a mech? Can't they make smaller mechs?"
The daughter was speechless but suddenly remembered that today was New Phoenix City's day for official military recruitment. She promptly turned on her television to watch the live broadcast.
The chatterbox of a mother also finally ended her talk and tuned in on the TV. Everyone in the federation was intently focused on this national draft, as this was the first time the military held an open recruitment to the entire federation. Previous recruitment was voluntarily, after obligatory serving periods, and soldiers volunteering had to apply and pass a selection process.
Many people have been spreading fear on the internet, suggesting that the federation could no longer maintain the front line defense on the alien planet, saying that the apes of the empire have found a way to directly open the transition gate on the Azure Star. Rumors have been that these imperial apes would pilot mechs and jump right out of the transition gate, moving the war from the alien planets to the front line of Azure Star.
The federal officials rejected these rumors and claimed this was a routine recruitment activity, an attempt to change the military recruitment model, and so on. Some people believed the official statement from the federation, while others trusted the fear-spreading rumors online. But, despite what they believed in, hordes of people were watching when the draft began across the federation.
"To our viewers, this is the New Phoenix City Television station, I'm your field reporter Pei Jing, live from the New Phoenix City Stadium. Because today is the weekend, there are an extraordinary number of people here. In addition to those signing up for the draft, there are many who are here to see them off. Now, let's interview them... Sir, you don't need to squeeze in. The area inside is for registration and identity checks, it's pointless for you to squeeze in. Why don't you accept my interview instead?"
The scene on the television shocked both mother and daughter in the living room.
"Ji?"
The same exclamation could be heard from many homes in this neighborhood, at the car repair shop where Ji Xinghe had worked for forty years, and even from the New Phoenix City Police Station and the detention center where Ji Xinghe had stayed just a few days ago.
Because on this live broadcast, the man who was trying to squeeze his way into the crowd but was stopped by the reporter was Ji Xinghe.
Ji Xinghe, feeling confident for his recently improved skills, had come a bit late because he stopped to forge his weapons on the way. Now, looking at the sea of people in front of him, he felt like he couldn't make his way through the crowd.
"Sir, sir?"
Pei Jing held the microphone to Ji Xinghe's face and called out amidst the clamor: "May I ask if you're here to send your grandson to the draft examination?"
With an expressionless face, Ji Xinghe took a moment of thought, giving up the idea of squeezing into the crowd. He must find another way in. For his goal, he would do anything necessary. He had even dared to steal a Single Soldier Starship from a police station, what else wouldn't he dare to do?
"No, I'm not here to send my grandson for the draft examination."
"Oh? So are you here to send your son?"
"No, it's not my son's either because... my son has already joined the military. His name is Ji Chenxing, he graduated from the Mecha Department of Dragon Continent Military Academy with the third highest score in his class. He's a Mecha warrior in a certain Mecha Marine Corps of the Space Fleet."
The noise around them suddenly diminished a lot, and people who heard the sound looked at Ji Xinghe with surprise, admiration, and respect.
Pei Jing didn't expect to stumble upon such a major story, she excitedly asked, "Are you here to see your son, Ji Chenxing? Is he here for recruitment? Will your son perform in a Mech suit? Can this time's recruitment result directly in joining the Mech Force as a Mecha Warrior?"
Ji Xinghe was silent for a while, although he had decided to stop at nothing, some words were still difficult to speak out loud.
After taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Ji Xinghe faced the camera's lens and began to speak.
"No, my son didn't come for recruitment, because... he has already sacrificed his life."
The surroundings instantly fell into silence, this silence spread like an epidemic, and eventually, hundreds of thousands of people gathered outside the New Phoenix City Stadium also quieted down.
Actually, this was because many people were watching the live broadcast on their mobile phones, so they saw Ji Xinghe and heard his words.
The number of people who could see Ji Xinghe was absolutely more than hundreds of thousands, and not only residents of New Phoenix City. Each recruitment event of the Federation was composed of ten cities, and among these ten cities in this period, New Phoenix City had the most population, so the audiences who were paying attention to the recruitment scene in New Phoenix City were the most.
"Please accept my condolences."
After coming back to her senses, Pei Jing spoke up while making a deep bow towards Ji Xinghe. This scene was faithfully captured by the camera and broadcasted, many people were moved, and many others criticized the reporter for acting overly dramatic.
"Sir, your son's sacrifice was for all mankind. We will not let his sacrifice be in vain, we will surely take revenge for your son and many more heroes who sacrificed on the Alien Planet front line. Our Federation…."
"Miss, can you answer a question for me?" Ji Xinghe directly interrupted the emotional words Pei Jing was about to say, but no one blamed him because he is a hero's father.
"Sir, please ask."
"Why do you need to avenge my son's death?"
Huh?
The people around were stunned, so were the viewers who were watching the program.
Reporter Pei Jing reacted quickly, "Sir, because your son sacrificed for our sake, for the sake of the entire Federation. That's why we all have the responsibility and obligation to avenge him. From the perspective of our Federation and the Empire, this is not just about revenge but…"
"Wait." Ji Xinghe interrupted the reporter again, then asked, "Do you mean that my son sacrificed for the entire Federation, so everyone in the Federation has the responsibility and obligation to take revenge for him?"
Did she say something wrong? Would she get caught up in a controversy? Did she say anything inappropriate?
Pei Jing quickly thought, then clenched her teeth.
"Yes, that's what I mean."
"So am I a citizen of the Federation?"
"Yes, of course you are."
"Do I have the responsibility and obligation to avenge my son?"
"Huh?" Pei Jing didn't understand Ji Xinghe's train of thought and subconsciously nodded, saying, "Of course, you're not just a citizen of the Federation, but also the father of your son. Of course you have the responsibility and obligation to avenge him."
Finally arriving at this point, Ji Xinghe expressionlessly continued to face the lens saying, "So I want to enlist, I want to go to the Alien Planet frontline, I want to avenge my son, is there a problem?"
All those who saw Ji Xinghe's old face and heard his hoarse voice subconsciously gave the same answer in their minds: no problem.