Chapter 1144


    Zion''s face turned sullen gradually.


    Who else would contact him with this method other than the members of his team?


    "Benjamin?"


    Zion quickly sent a message over to Benjamin.


    Meanwhile, the other party responded swiftly.


    "Sir, it''s me."


    Benjamin''s message popped up in the notification panel. When Zion saw this, he suddenly started


    missing his members again.


    "Can''t you send me a proper message if you want to talk to me? Why do you have to hack my


    computer, huh? Heh. Are you keen on finding out which one of us is better at designing the Trojan


    horse virus?"


    Zion''s fingers danced across the keyboard as he typed rapidly.


    However, Benjamin paused for a moment before he replied, "Sir, I have bad news for you."


    "Urgh! The new year ising up soon. Can''t you at least bring me some good news?"


    Zion thought that Benjamin was quite an


    Têxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    interesting guy.


    However, thetter changed his font colour into ck and white directly as he said in a heartfelt


    tone, "Sir, one of our team members, Sasa, was sacrificed on a mission."


    Zion paused for a movement when he read the message.


    "Huh? What did you say?"


    Sasa was a member of their team, and she was also the only female who was over eighteen years


    old in the team. Before Zion joined them, Sasa had always been the leader. However, she gave up


    her position because Zion had greatputer skills. Despite this, she still took good care of her


    team members.


    Zion had always seen Sasa as an older sister. In his memories, she was as gentle as his mother


    and as bright as Rita was.


    So, why did someone like her have to die?


    "What happened?"


    Zion noticed that his hand was trembling slightly as he typed this.


    Suddenly, Benjamin let out a sob out of the blue before he sent a video call request to Zion.


    When Zion saw that Benjamin was bawling his eyes out, he felt extremely upset.


    "Hey, stop crying. Tell me, what''s going on?"


    Zion growled in a low voice, and Benjamin stopped crying immediately. He said with a shaky voice,


    "Base''s father was a member of the special task force. Not long ago, he went abroad on a


    peacekeeping mission, but our enemies shot him while he was there. The terrorist h...held him


    hostage and threatened us to retreat from the battlefield. Then, Sasa caught wind of it somehow.


    She secretly went there behind everyone''s back and confused the enemies with her hacking skills.


    However, she didn''tst long, and our enemies killed her on the spot while she was trying to save


    her father. Sir, they told me that she bl...bled a lot, and they also said that a ne will bring her


    home soon. So, boss asked us to gather at the airport and wee her home. Argh!"


    Benjamin sobbed as he spoke.


    When Zion heard this, he felt himself tearing up as well.


    Fresh blood!


    He had been gued by the notorious bright red hue of blood in his dreams recently.


    However, he would never have imagined that the blood one of hisrades would be spilled in the


    battlefield.


    At this thought, tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrobly.


    "I''ll be right there. Keep your mouth shut and stop crying! We will always be proud of Sasa. She is a


    hero and a fallen martyr! She ising home, so we can''t wee her with teary eyes."


    Zion''s voice was hoarse and filled with suppressed emotions as he spoke.


    Meanwhile, Benjamin tried his best to hold back his tears, but he really couldn''t help it.


    After that, Zion hung up the video call directly and rest his head on theputer. His shoulders


    were trembling.


    Sasa was arade that he had worked together for a long time, but he would never see her again


    after this. After she was buried in the martyrs cemetery, she would never be seen in this world


    again.


    Zion was overwhelmed by intense sadness when he thought of this.


    After all, he had never known the cruelty of war. However, he realised that there were still many


    people who were sacrificed everyday even though they lived in a peaceful era.


    He remembered the fear he felt when he first shot a person, but at this moment, he felt that it wasn''t


    terrifying anymore.


    After all, his enemies deserved death!


    That criminal had vited thew and endangered Zion''s parents, so he was a heinous man


    instead!


    Meanwhile, Zion was a soldier who served the public.


    Thus, he had to protect the countless civilians that were relying on him.


    They didn''t know how to fire a gun, nor did they have the right to do so. Therefore, if their country


    got into a war, they would be the most venerable people. On the other hand, he was a soldier.


    Therefore, his duty was to protect the civilians.


    So what if he shot that person?


    He was only performing his duty!


    Suddenly, Zion seemed to have understood many things. Thus, he decided to use those negative


    emotions and the pressure that he was facing to move forward.


    At this thought, he raised his head and wiped his tears away. Then he quickly changed into his


    usual clothes and went downstairs.


    Nathaniel and Mango had just packed up their stuff. They were about to get Zion when they saw


    him downstairs in a military uniform, so they couldn''t help but freeze momentarily.


    "Wait! Zion, what are you nning to do?"


    "I''m going to the airport. Mom, can you send me there? I''m fine with Mr. Ye sending me there as


    well. My team member... someone is seeing myrade back home by ne now. I''m the team


    leader, so I''m going to wee her home."


    Tears still clung to his eyes as she said this, but there was a determined and solemn look in those


    orbs as well.


    Mango felt that her son seemed different, but she couldn''t pinpoint the difference. However,


    Nathaniel could tell the subtle change that had happened in Zion.


    After all, his son was more mature now.


    Zion seemed to have understood a lot of things in just one day, and he became more emotionally


    reserved now.


    "Yourrade has fallen, right?"


    Nathaniel had experienced this before, so he naturally understood the hidden sorrow in Zion''s eyes.


    Zion almost couldn''t choke back his tears, so he nodded his head in reply hastily.


    "I''ll bring you to the airport then."


    When Nathaniel saw this, he stopped what he was doing straightaway.


    However, Mango was a little worried.


    "I''ll go with you guys then!"


    "I''ll tag along too."


    Wisdom chimed in as well.


    Nathaniel noticed that everyone had requested the same thing. Besides, he would be worried too if


    he left them at home. So, he simply nodded and brought them with him as they left the Ye''s


    Mansion.


    Meanwhile, Zion was quiet on the way to the airport.


    When Mango saw this, she nudged Nathaniel with her elbow worriedly. She asked in a voice that


    was only audible to the two of them, "Is Zion''s secondary personality in charge now?"


    "Nah, I think he''s acting pretty normal now."


    When Nathaniel said this, he threw a nce at Zion and noticed that thetter was looking outside


    with eyes full of sorrow.


    He sighed softly as he said, "s! I think Zion looks depressed. I don''t know how long it''ll take for


    him to climb out of the pit of sadness this time."


    Mango had never served in the army before, so she naturally couldn''t understand the depth of


    comradeship betweenrades. However, she was a little worried when she saw her son in this


    state.


    "He hasn''t cured his personality disorder yet, but now hisrade is dead. I''m worried that he won''t


    be able to take all these at once."


    "Nah, that won''t happen."


    Nathaniel said calmly, "Perhaps his personality disorder will be cured after this too."


    "Huh? Why do you think so?"


    Mango asked as she was baffled.


    However, Nathaniel didn''t answer her question.


    Soon, the car that they were riding in arrived at the airport.


    Since Sasa was a martyr, the airport had specially allocated a passage for the soldiers that served


    in the military.


    The bustling soldiers had arrived in their usual uniforms and stood in their respective teams.


    On the other hand, Zion came alone because he was on leave.


    This was the first time Mango had encountered such a solemn asion, so she was stunned for a


    moment.


    After that, Zion tidied up his clothes and hat before he opened the car door and walked out.


    Nathaniel hadn''tpleted the procedures for retirement yet, so naturally, he still had his rank in


    the military. He also put on his military uniform today as he said to Mango, "Wait for us in the car


    with Wisdom."


    "Alright."


    Mango nodded in reply.


    Then, Nathaniel held Zion''s hand as they walked in together.


    Wisdom suddenly said enviously, "Mom, I think that being a military doctor is a good idea. Uncle


    Noah used to be a military doctor, right?"


    "No! You''re not allowed to do so."


    Mango refused right away and felt even more worried inwardly.


    "I was so worried for Zion when he joined the army that I couldn''t sleep, so don''t you dare to get


    involved. If you want to study medicine, your dad and I won''t stop you, but you can''t work for the


    army. We have already decided to let Zion venture into business after this incident, so don''t you


    even think about it."


    Mango took this opportunity to discourage any weird thoughts that Wisdom would possibly have.


    Why did he want to join the army?


    After all, Mango regretted letting Zion join the army till now!


    Wisdom was Nick''s only son. If anything terrible happened to him, who would bear this


    responsibility?


    Therefore, Mango would rather Wisdom remain mediocre for the rest of his life than letting him


    charge headfirst into the battlefield.


    When Wisdom heard Mango''s words, he couldn''t help but stick out his tongue and say, "Mom, you


    don''t have to worry. I was just joking!"


    "I hope so then."


    Mango was still a little concerned when she said this.


    After a while, they could hear the national anthem ying inside the airport, and eight soldiers


    walked outside carrying a stretcher.


    A young girl around eighteen years oldid on the stretcher. She had a pale face, and her body was


    wrapped in the national g. When the stretcher was brought out, every soldier around her took off


    their hats with sorrowful faces.


    "This..."


    For the first time, Mango learned of the dignity and solemnity of death.


    Then, she caught sight of her husband and son.


    Nathaniel and Zion were walking on the left and right side of the stretcher respectively.


    Zion''s eyes and nose were both red, and the children behind him were already crying their


    hearts out.


    Of course, Mango could never understand the sorrow that they felt, but she suddenly felt a little


    envious.


    After all, all humans only lived once. If they died such a meaningful death, it meant that they had


    lead worthwhile lives indeed.


    What a pity! The deceased was such a beautiful young girl.


    At this thought, Mango was suddenly choked with emotions.


    After that, a military vehicle waited outside while the soldiers carried Sasha to the martyrs''


    cemetery.


    Suddenly, a middle- aged woman ran towards them. She broke into tears the moment she saw


    Sasha.


    "No! Sasa! My dear daughter!"


    The woman wailed bitterly when she saw her daughter''s body, and this was such a heartbreaking


    sight.


    Suddenly, Mango was a little frightened.


    After all, she was afraid that Zion would be carried by others back to his house like this one day as


    well.


    Mango was agonized by the thought of such a


    scene.


    No! This was something that she never wanted to see!


    She didn''t want this to happen to her son!


    She would never allow it!


    Thus, Mango made up her mind. She had to get Zion to retire from the army.


    After all, she wasn''t so selfless, and she didn''t have dreams of protecting her country. Thus, she


    only wanted her son would be safe and healthy by her side.


    People could call her selfish or say that she wasn''t supportive enough even though her child served


    in the military. However, she just couldn''t let her son risk his life out there in the dangerous front


    lines and battlefields.


    When Wisdom saw Mango''s ashen face, he couldn''t help but reach out and hold her hand.


    Her hands were icy cold, and so was her body.


    Thus, Wisdom asked concernedly, "Mom, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine."


    Mango faked a tough smile, but then she saw Sasha''s mother pass out after all the crying.


    The eyes of many soldiers reddened at this scene as well.


    After that, Mango was not allowed to walk with them to the martyrs'' cemetery as only soldiers were


    allowed to do so.


    Thus, Nathaniel motioned for her to bring Wisdom back first.


    However, Mango did not want to leave just yet.


    She asked Wisdom to get on the car and drove behind the military vehicle as they headed to the


    martyr cemetery.


    When they were about to reach the martyrs'' cemetery, her car jolted a little abruptly. She almost hit


    the windshield as she was not careful enough.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    Wisdom was a little on edge when she saw this.


    Mango waved her hands in reply and said, "Maybe the car broke down. I''ll go and have a look."


    After saying that, she got out of the car directly. However, Wisdom had an uneasy feeling about this.