After a moment of silence, Mickey turned around and saw Milan looking over with concern from the brightly lit hall in the distance. He sighed, "Lieutenant, can you walk with me?"
Damn, you're a Vice Admiral and I'm a Lieutenant. Can I refuse? Tian Xingjian nodded, accompanying Vice Admiral Mickey along the gravel path in the garden.
"Lieutenant, your name is Tian Xingjian, right?" Mickey had heard this renowned name from the Command Department through Milan.
"Yes, General."
"A Han?" Mickey and Tian Xingjian turned onto another path.
"Yes, General."
Mickey waved his hand with a smile, "Don't call me General, this is a private conversation. I'm a Han too. Since you and Milan are friends, you can call me uncle as per our traditions."
Tian Xingjian looked relieved; he feared formal talks with a General the most. He quickly adapted to the situation, sweet-talking, "Haha, Uncle."
"How did you meet Milan?" Vice Admiral Mickey asked casually.
"I'm also a student of Professor Boswell, so Milan and I are like siblings," Fatty deflected.
"Oh?" Mickey was surprised, looking at this unassuming Fatty, somewhat incredulous, "Professor Boswell has high standards for accepting students."
Tian Xingjian just smiled without saying a word, with a look on his face that seemed to say, "Of course, I'm exceptional."
"Before I came, I had already heard about you from the Command Department," Vice Admiral Mickey patted Tian Xingjian on the shoulder, praising, "Very impressive, leading over two hundred people out is no ordinary feat. Your tactical deception and ambushes were executed very well. The Capital Military Academy is even considering putting these case studies into their textbooks."
Tian Xingjian was overwhelmed, scratching his head, "I'm honored, really, I was just improvising."
Mickey shook his head, "Don't underestimate yourself. The Command Department reviewed your special reconnaissance soldiers' battlefield recordings. Your tactical and signal deception methods are very skilled, and you chose the ambush locations and timings with precision. Your bold and innovative combat plans, resourceful use of resources, and ability to apply these skills to lead over two hundred people are commendable, especially as a platoon leader for special reconnaissance soldiers. One person's stealth and disguise might be easy, but applying this to a large team is no small feat."
Others might feel happy with praise, but the more Fatty listened, the more uneasy he felt. If they praise me this much, I might be the first choice for similar missions next time. He couldn't figure out how to continue being humble, so he just kept repeating, "It was all luck, just luck."
The two of them stopped at a fountain, the mountain peak looking enchanting at night. Vice Admiral Mickey smiled, "This time, I came to see my daughter and to meet you. I didn't expect our meeting to be in such a manner, nor did I expect you and Milan to be friends."
Tian Xingjian, feeling a bit embarrassed about his earlier behavior, touched his nose as Mickey continued, "Milan is in Gallipalan, and I am very worried. In war, a girl can easily get hurt."
Mickey turned seriously towards Tian Xingjian, "Can I ask you for a favor?"
Damn, causing trouble on our first meeting, is that polite? Fatty thought to himself, but quickly said, "Of course, certainly."
"Lieutenant, take care of Milan. I don't want her to get hurt," Vice Admiral Mickey's words were firm, leaving no room for refusal.
Fatty instinctively stood at attention, loudly saying, "Yes, General." As soon as the words left his mouth, he nearly slapped himself. Mickey had deliberately used a commanding tone at the end, making him follow the order naturally as a Lieutenant to a Vice Admiral.
Several calls were heard, and the two turned around to see three graceful figures walking towards them under a streetlamp not far away. Mickey gave Tian Xingjian a strange look, quietly saying, "In your personal life, you should put more effort. The Federation is a monogamous country; if you don't know how to refuse, it could harm everyone."
Fatty nodded sincerely, inwardly mocking, "Old-fashioned. Threesomes are the way to go."
Milan ran over first, blushing, grabbing Mickey's hand, and they headed towards the hotel while she muttered complaints quietly.
Meiduo and Nia, already clear about their stance with Tian Xingjian, each hooked an arm around his, pinching him and asking what Mickey had said to him.
Half-closing his eyes, Fatty sleazily rubbed his arms to feel the elasticity of the two female soldiers' chests, lecherously saying, "I asked the Vice Admiral to get a room at the Simai Hotel, the Presidential suite. The bed is huge; tonight we're not going back to the base. Let's play a wrestling game on the big bed. I'll take you both on, or you two take me on."
The thought of Fatty daring to make such a request to a Vice Admiral was surreal. Meiduo and Nia's faces flushed, and they pinched Tian Xingjian hard, spitting, "Pah! Dream on, play by yourself if you want!"
They ran off holding hands, leaving Fatty frustrated in the garden. Damn women, playing solo is not as fun as a trio.
Meiduo and Nia didn't end up sleeping with Fatty. Both were virgins, how could they play 3P shamelessly? In this aspect, the jerk was an idiot. The next day, they boarded a special plane back to the capital with their team. Before leaving, the two resentful female soldiers pinched Fatty all over, hoping the wooden-headed guy would get it.
For the next two days, Tian Xingjian assisted Milan in the lab with several projects. Although Milan was quieter, when angry, she still habitually twisted his ear. However, her gentle demeanor made her seem less like a master and more like a wife overseeing her husband.
Looking into her eyes, Fatty felt uneasy, fearing he couldn't control himself, and Vice Admiral Mickey might turn him into an eunuch decisively. The two worked in this subtly ambiguous atmosphere.
On the third day of his vacation, General Bernadotte finally sent someone to bring Fatty to the front line command office.
The office was the same as before, with several generals watching Tian Xingjian like a monkey, their eyes full of curiosity.
After the formal salute, General Bernadotte greeted Tian Xingjian enthusiastically, shaking his hand, "Lieutenant Tian, you've really taught me a lesson. Don't judge a book by its cover, a hero will always be a hero!"