"The first six slots, no need to argue, I’m taking them!"
The moment Bao Gucheng’s powerful words were uttered, the bickering cabinet elders fell silent in unison: "Commander Bao!"
Vice President Feng Shiren, seated at the head, forced a smile to greet him: "Commander Bao, please sit, please sit. Previously, we couldn’t reach you, and instead, you handed me a resignation letter. Now that you’re here in person, a slot for the award is definitely reserved for you."
Each of the cabinet elders harbored their own thoughts, but faced with Bao Gucheng, they had to temporarily put aside their calculations, following with smiling faces in agreement: "Naturally. If there’s no Medal for Commander Bao, it’s a disgrace to the Empire. We must add one! How about making it the one hundred and first hero?"
A group of high-ranking and powerful old fellows were now smiling like a patch of sunflowers, showering compliments like stars congregating around the moon.
Who would have thought.
The compliments had no effect whatsoever.
Bao Gucheng cast a cold glance: "Are you deaf? What I want are six slots."
It wasn’t that they were deaf; they thought they misheard. How could Mr. Bo use six slots alone?
He indeed had six capable officers, but they had already received medals three years ago. This time, in the thousand-candidate nomination list for decorations, none of Mr. Bo’s confidants were included.
Everyone looked at each other, no one daring to be the first to ask the reasoning behind this.
No choice, Vice President Feng Shiren, as the convener of the meeting, and the sole candidate to temporarily exercise presidential powers after the Old President fell ill and was hospitalized, cautiously asked: "Commander Bao, wh-where do these six come from?"
Bao Gucheng sneered: "Si Snake, Wu Horse, Zishu... their codenames are famous, their real names need not be mentioned by me."
Upon hearing this, a chill ran down everyone’s spine.
These six people were indeed struck from the initial nomination list for various reasons.
Feng Shiren finally remembered, awkwardly coughing: "Oh, it’s Si Snake and the others! They were sent abroad for missions with a confidentiality period, unable to return within ten years, so they missed this decoration. But don’t worry, when they return, none of the honors owed to them will be overlooked. It’s a debt the nation owes them. We’ll remember, okay..."
Feng Shiren offered platitudes in a righteous tone of reassurance.
Who would have thought.
Such words might fool others, but not Bao Gucheng.
Bao Gucheng’s lips curled into a cold smile: "Since it’s a debt the nation owes them, I’m here to collect it on their behalf today! Who says they haven’t returned? Wei Yang, bring them in!"
Inside the meeting room, everyone had different thoughts!
Some were puzzled, some were curious, while others broke into a cold sweat upon hearing: those six had long since perished, how could the dead... be brought in?
Wei Yang turned and left.
The meeting room’s three grand doors were simultaneously slammed open with a "bang——".
Twenty-four soldiers with stern expressions marched in, carrying six enormous stone coffins, aligning them directly in front of the Vice President and the cabinet elders!
The older fellows, those with weak hearts, were almost faint with fright in an instant.
Vice President Feng Shiren trembled: "B-Bao, Commander Bao, w-what are you doing? Are you going to put us in our graves if we don’t accede to your demands? Please, don’t get excited, let’s sit down and talk it through, talk it through!"
Bao Gucheng gave a cold look: "I’m not here to talk to you, but to notify you."
His large hand brushed over the cold stone coffin, still stained with mottled blood, airlifted overnight to the imperial capital, chilling to the core:
"Si Snake and the others sacrificed their lives for the nation and deserve the Medal!"