Chapter 6: Paradise of Dreams

  The young special soldiers, several tens of thousands of students from all over the country, rushed to Guangdong day and night. Xiao Kunling's Hunan students arrived in Guangzhou a day earlier. They conducted short military training on an open space near Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou. After three days of training, all students from all over the country had arrived, and the superior ordered the students to take a warship from the Pearl River mouth to Hong Kong. At around 10 pm, the fleet arrived at Kowloon, where the students stood on the boat and gazed at the night view of Hong Kong.

  Hong Kong is a small island, like a low hill, with countless lights shining brightly, just like the blooming rhododendrons and azaleas on the mountain. The colorful neon lights of the billboards are flashing, just like the twinkling stars in the sky, especially enchanting.

  "Wow - Hong Kong is so beautiful! It's just like a paradise on earth." someone exclaimed loudly.

  "It's even more beautiful than heaven. I've lived this long and have never seen such a beautiful city." Someone else praised. "If I can live in such a place in the future, then my life won't be in vain. My wish will come true." A big man with a northern accent said.

  Xiao Kunling had never taken a boat before, and he was getting seasick. Although the students were chattering about Hong Kong's night view and their future ideals, Xiao Kunling remained silent. He felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart, wanting to vomit but unable to do so.

  The fleet entered the South China Sea, the sea breeze blew, the waves surged, and the ships rolled endlessly. Many students began to feel seasick, and the vomiting sounds rose and fell instantly on the ship. Xiao Kunling was also seasick, but not as severe as the northerners, his vomiting time gradually decreased, perhaps due to gradual adaptation. After a night of sailing at sea, many students were dizzy and dispirited.

  The next day at noon, the fleet finally arrived at Taiwan's famous port - Kaohsiung Port.

  Xiao Kunling followed the students ashore, looked back at the endless South China Sea, and watched the students landing, feeling very excited.

  "Welcome, welcome, warm welcome——welcome, welcome, warm welcome——” Hundreds of thousands of citizens in Kaohsiung Port put down their work and lined up in long queues to welcome them. They held small flags with blue sky and white sun in their hands, waving and shouting.

  Xiao Kunling appreciated the beautiful scenery of Kaohsiung Harbor while experiencing the unique customs and traditions of Taiwanese citizens. He saw the enthusiastic citizens with smiling faces, feeling warm in his heart.

  Young commando students walked in an orderly manner on the busiest commercial street in Kaohsiung, with shops lined up on both sides of the street and various advertisements dazzling to the eye. The streets were crowded with people. There were scholars wearing suits and glasses, businessmen wearing long shirts and doctoral hats, Han citizens dressed simply, high mountain tribesmen wearing shorts and dark skin, Alishan girls wearing wide-sleeved long skirts and head ornaments, and mischievous student dolls...

  The team moved forward slowly, with the sound of gongs and drums filling the air, and joyful cheers shaking the ground. A group of beautiful and elegant Alishan girls wearing uniform long dresses sang and danced gracefully.

  "Taiwan is truly beautiful! It's like a dream paradise, a Shangri-La on earth." Xiao Kunling exclaimed sincerely.

  The team went through Kaohsiung City and headed straight for Pingtung. Pingtung is only a few dozen miles away from Kaohsiung Port, and it will take just a few hours to reach the destination.

  In the late afternoon, the troops arrived in Pingtung. Pingtung is a small mountain town surrounded by low hills and ridges, with only one large flat grassland to the northeast of the county seat, which is suitable for military training. The troops marched through the streets of Pingtung County in an orderly manner, also receiving a warm welcome from the local people, although it was not as grand as the one in Kaohsiung Port, after all, this was just a small county town that had been trampled by the Japanese for over a decade.

  "Orders from the higher-ups, we can't stay in the city and disturb the locals. Let's work together to get there quickly, we'll arrive at the campsite soon. Please pass this on to each other." The team leader gave the order, and the trainees passed it down one by one until it reached the last person.

  After walking for about an hour, the team arrived at the campsite. This is the famous Pingtung Military Training Camp.

  Pingtung Military Training Base is about 20 miles away from the county seat, a modern and ready-made military training base. This military training base was once a Japanese military stronghold in Taiwan, used as a major military base for Japan's conquest of Southeast Asia, with a total area of over 30 square kilometers. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, this military training base naturally belongs to the National Government.

  "Comrades, after days of hard work, everyone is tired. Tonight, get a good rest and recharge your energy. Tomorrow, the leader will come to comfort us, so we must make a good impression and not lose face for the Special Forces Youth Brigade. Does everyone understand?" It was unclear who was giving orders.

  "Understood!" everyone chimed in unison.

  After days of traveling, Xiao Kunling felt exhausted. He followed a few fellow villagers from Hunan to a barracks, picked up a simple bed and blanket, and fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

  After a while, Xiao Kunling vaguely heard someone calling his name. He opened his eyes to take a look and found it was Qiao Lianchang.

  "Qiao Lianchang, you——?" Xiao Kunling was about to ask when Qiao Jie made a "shh——" sound to stop him.

  "Come with me." Qiao Jie said softly.

  Xiao Kunling suddenly got up and followed Qiao Jie out of the barracks quietly.

  "Qiao Lianchang, who was the one giving orders tonight?" Xiao Kunling asked in a low voice.

  "He's Zhang the Big Cannon, who fights with his life on the line. He's a top student from the Whampoa Military Academy and is one of Commander-in-Chief's most favored students. I heard that this time, Commander-in-Chief personally appointed him as the instructor for the new recruits." Qiao Jie said enthusiastically.

  "Oh, I see - no wonder he spoke in a special tone and had a severe gaze." Xiao Kun Ling suddenly realized.

  "Little brother, you are a brother who has been through life and death with me. Tomorrow, be in high spirits and don't bring shame to our old Third Battalion Eighth Company." Qiao Jie instructed.

  "Don't worry! Boss, I'll behave well and absolutely won't make you lose face." Xiao Kunling said with a crisp tone.

  "It's getting late and I'm tired too, let's go back to the room and rest early." Qiao Jie said after yawning.

  Xiao Kunling's heart was heavy with worry, he bid farewell to Qiao Lianchang and returned to his own bed, lying down to sleep. He thought of the hardships he had endured on the road, thought of his parents and wife at home, but couldn't fall asleep no matter what. It wasn't until the second half of the night that his brain was exhausted and he entered a state of drowsy confusion, finally falling into a dreamland.