Chapter Thirty: The Ceremony

  Alright, I'm going to explode now. Two updates on the first day of Qingming Festival.

  PS2: I feel so much pressure... Recently I have to write a life story...

  Returning to the Murmansk naval base on board the Akula submarine was already August 10, after a long underwater journey of 4 days and nights. The thousands of marines inside the 5 submarines were all pale-faced due to the sweltering heat and stench inside the submarine. When the submarine finally surfaced and opened its hatch, you would see a large group of creatures like hungry ghosts from hell rushing out of it, then running to the seaside and vomiting uncontrollably.

  (The staff inside the submarine are in tears: You guys don't vomit here, okay? Look, what you've vomited up is already one finger deep...)

  At this lively welcoming ceremony, you could hear the synchronized vomiting sounds of thousands of soldiers wearing red Soviet military uniforms facing the sea. Originally, Xiao Bing wanted to maintain his dignity, but a gust of wind blew over and poured the smell of what those people had vomited into his nose. So he also lost face and ran to the seaside with the soldiers, vomiting loudly towards the sea.

  After vomiting everything in his stomach, Xiao Bingjia felt like he was going to throw up his stomach as well. But fortunately, it was a bit more bearable afterwards. Speaking of which, the submarine really wasn't a place for humans, it was stuffy, hot and smelly (not to mention the smell of many people being cooped up inside). Xiao Bingjia even wondered how he had managed to hold on for 4 days in such an environment.

  Take a deep breath of fresh air and clear your mind. When he turned around and took a glance, he suddenly felt embarrassed.

  The originally empty dock square was now packed with people. If I wasn't mistaken, they were local residents and family members of soldiers who had traveled from afar to arrive here. At this moment, they all stood on both sides of the passageway, constantly waving Soviet flags in their hands. The streets were filled with people, cheering and shouting, and the crowd was extremely enthusiastic, shouting year after year: "Long live the Motherland! Long live the Soviet Union!" Then, two large speakers set up on the open ground started playing the majestic "Holy War".

  Rise up, great nation, engage in mortal combat

  Eliminate fascist evil forces, eliminate all evil bandits!

  The enemy and I are two extremes, everything is going in opposite directions.

  We want brightness and freedom, they want dark rule...

  It's clear that they are the main characters of this welcoming ceremony, but at this moment, most of them are vomiting.

  It's Xiao Bingjia's turn now. He shouted at the soldier next to him, who was still making vomiting motions: "Everyone is present, assemble!"

  Upon hearing the order, those soldiers didn't care if they threw up everything in their stomachs and immediately followed, quickly forming a line.

  "Attention! All present, from left to right, count off!"

  "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven..." The soldiers began to count off.

  At ease!

  Xiao Bing's every command, the warriors accurately completed. Then all eyes stared at him, waiting for his next command. Although they were previously tortured by the arduous journey and looked like they had lost their human form, now that they had returned to their hometown, they all seemed to have regained their strength as if they had taken stimulants, even those with more serious injuries lay on the stretchers carried by the medical staff who rushed over and saluted the crowd with a weak military salute.

  "Turn left." Xiao Bing Jia continued to give orders. Seeing that the warriors had completed my previous order, Xiao Bing Jia gave the next order: "Target, military camp. Quick march!"

  Then, the grand welcoming ceremony officially began.

  Leading the way were a row of soldiers in red ceremonial uniforms, holding high several bright red flags, their eyes fixed straight ahead as they marched in unison towards the street.

  Behind them, the 5 battalions of the Guards' 800 men (200 had been wounded and had to withdraw from the ranks in advance) marched in neat formation, stepping out in perfect syncopation as they passed before the presidential platform. The Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet, Maxim, was deeply shaken, especially when each battalion approached the front edge of the platform, the senior officer bellowed "Eyes right!" and the soldiers instantly switched from quickstep to slow march, accompanied by a rhythmic "crack-crack" sound, as 800 excellent bayonets on AK-45 assault rifles were raised in unison, momentarily forming row upon row of cold, gleaming steel.

  Seeing this scene, even Maxim, the old commander of this place, couldn't help but feel his blood boiling. He unconsciously rubbed his chin and muttered to himself: "Good guy... I remember when I was young..."

  Invited journalists who came to watch the ceremony pressed the shutter of their cameras one after another, recording the majestic Red Army phalanx and the neat bayonet forest with film forever. A few days later, these photos appeared on the front page of major Soviet newspapers, accompanied by passionate and enthusiastic special reports.

  On the march route, flowers rained down on them like raindrops, and they were hit so many times that a soldier was suddenly poked in the eye by a large bouquet of flowers, so much so that the soldier exclaimed later: "I have never encountered such dense 'bullet rain' even on the battlefield fighting against the Allied forces."

  The troops passed through the commercial district, and from the high-rise buildings on both sides, people poured whole basins of fresh flowers and colored paper into the street with great force! Before long, a thick layer accumulated on the ground, and the troops passing through this area were all covered in flowers on their heads and colorful streamers on their shoulders.

  A grand and elaborate welcoming ceremony lasted for half an hour before the troops finally entered Maxim's base.

  After a period of preparation and rest, Xiao Bingjia was informed that he would be attending an awards ceremony. Dressed in a magnificent black suit reminiscent of the Russian Empire era, Xiao Bingjia couldn't help but stare at the tall and majestic figure in the mirror, wondering if this was really himself.

  But anyway, when it's time for someone to take over, they should take over. Xiaobing accepted the elegant and dignified military uniform with a clear conscience.

  Under the escort of several guards, Xiao Bingjia was taken to a lush green lawn behind the military camp, where he unexpectedly met Nikolai Mikhalkov, Oleg Fanduin, Commander-in-Chief Shana Akhensya and many other high-ranking Red Army commanders, as well as many national leaders he did not recognize.

  Marshal Maxim wore a white military uniform today, with a red tie and a bright red sash, adorned with glittering gold medals, making him look spirited. He kept smiling at Xiao Bingxia, looking like a kind-hearted old man, but Xiao Bingxia didn't think so. Politicians are all sinister, maybe he would fall into the trap set by this old man and that scoundrel Kukov.

  But despite this, Xiao Bingjia, who was experiencing such a grand scene for the first time, couldn't help but feel some excitement. He tried his best to remain calm and not let these barbarians look down on the Chinese people!

  His pretentious calm demeanor caught the attention of heads of state from various countries, who all thought to themselves: "What an interesting little devil..."

  After Marshal Maxim finished his passionate speech, he immediately began to award the heroes. Xiaobing Jia's hands trembled slightly as he took over the Red Flag Guards' certificate of honor. Maxim, who seemed oblivious to this, shook his hand and personally pinned the medal on him with a smile.

  The gilded red flag badge, the badge consists of two layers: white enamel as the base color, with a gold-plated iron hammer and sickle, surrounded by two golden wheat ears and a red star. The outer layer has a pattern of "black hammer" and "black sickle" crossed, torches and red flags, with the inscription: "Workers of the world, unite!" Also surrounded by two larger golden wheat ears, at the bottom of the badge is written: 'CCCP' (USSR) Soviet abbreviation. The earliest award was worn on the left chest, with a ribbon attached to the "white" and "red" on both sides.

  Marshal Mikhail Kosygin, who was presiding over the ceremony, loudly proclaimed: "Comrade Xiao Bingjian is awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of the Red Banner!"

  The words had hardly fallen when thunderous applause erupted.

  From then on he was "Soviet Hero" Xiao Bing Jia!

  "Xiao, good son of Soviet Union (Xiao Bing suddenly went silly), our hero, congratulations to you!"

  "Comrade Commander, resisting the enemy and saving comrades is something that any young person with blood would naturally do. I just contributed a little bit of my own humble strength to Mother Country." It's still necessary to say some polite words, especially after taking advantage of someone else's kindness. Xiao Bing knew this principle well.

  Maxim smiled and said in a softer tone, "Good little guy, you can sit next to me at dinner tonight."

  Next, several other Soviet soldiers received medals. What surprised Xiao Bing was that Balalaika was also among the awardees, although she only received a certificate of merit.

  After some thought, Xiao Bing Jia also let it go. It's only right that someone who has taken so many risks and endured so much hardship should get a prize.

  After the award ceremony, everyone moved to the hall to attend the celebratory banquet.

  This is a traditional Russian feast. In the oval hall, two long tables were placed on both sides, lined with luxurious and sumptuous food and drinks: Caspian caviar, Ukrainian borscht, Ukrainian canned beef stew, creamy roast mix, Siberian salad, Kiev chicken rolls, Russian-style creamy roasted fish, potato roasted beef, Caucasian mutton soup... Various vodkas, champagnes, red wines, beers, kvass, fruit juices...

  And corresponding to the exquisite food gathered here, were the elite from all over the Soviet Union: the badges on the generals' uniforms shone brightly, occasionally colliding and making a sound; scholars and celebrities wore high-end suits and tailcoats, with a gentlemanly demeanor. Oganev Lieutenant General was boasting to Hector Lukayev about his feat of leading the fleet to break through the enemy's defenses, Bella Garniev was exchanging management experience with Yushchenko in a meticulous manner, Vera Belova, wearing a bright red long dress, glanced at Shana, who was still wearing her dark green military uniform, with a mocking gaze, then turned back to chat nonsense with those so-called "gentlemen" who were drunk but not drunk.

  Under the dim light, men repeatedly kissed hands, and women frequently curtsied. History seemed to have returned to the imperial era.

  At this moment, the Far East region of our motherland is still suffering from the flames of aggression!

  Xiao Bing couldn't help but feel a little dazed, as if he had entered the royal gathering in Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace". For this young man from an ordinary Chinese family, the grandeur of the scene, the extravagance of the setting, and the gathering of beauties was so overwhelming that it was hard for him to distinguish reality from fantasy.

  "Darling, Hero Xiao Bing Jia, I've finally found you."

  Suddenly, a familiar soft voice came from beside her ear.

  There is still one in the evening.