Scenes filled with emotion unfolded in the square.

Parents were sending their children off to join the army.

Fathers and sons were enlisting together.

Even groups of strong men from villages arrived on tractors, or simple migrant workers in their work clothes came eagerly to sign up.

You might say they were doing it for money, for subsidies.

But they also knew that such a large-scale conscription by the country meant something was about to happen!

And it might be something very dangerous!

It could even be something that threatens the entire safety of Great Xia!

Yet, there was no trace of fear on their faces.

A young man in line to register suddenly heard hurried footsteps. He turned his head and was stunned: "Dad, why are you here?"

The middle-aged man looked serious: "I just couldn't stop worrying about you. Your mom and I raised you to this age, and if anything were to happen..."

The young man's expression was complex, but he remained resolute: "Dad, Mom, don't try to persuade me. I've already told you..."

"I'm not here to persuade you." The middle-aged man frowned, "I thought, if a bullet were to come your way, maybe I could take it for you... Alright, you were right before, the rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every man."

The young man stood frozen.

As a child, this man was a towering figure in his heart, like a superhero.

But as he grew up, he somewhat looked down on this timid middle-aged man, looked down on his meager monthly salary, looked down on his mundane life.

But.

At this moment, the man's figure suddenly became grand again, just like that superhero from his childhood!

The light in the man's eyes was something the young man had never seen before.

The young man stared blankly at the middle-aged man, his eyes slightly red.

It was at this moment he realized that this steady-as-a-mountain middle-aged man once had a passionate spirit, and the timid middle-aged man he looked down upon was once a young man just like him!

Sharp and commanding!

With a heart full of passion, burning hot!

But why had he never noticed... Oh, right, it was because he had hidden his sharpness for the sake of the family, for him, but now...

The middle-aged man scratched his head: "Why are you looking at me like that, kid?"

"Nothing..." The young man awkwardly changed the subject, "What about Mom..."

"Don't worry, she agreed." The middle-aged man smiled, his strong hand patting the young man's still somewhat immature shoulder, "From now on, the two of us will protect her, protect this family."

Looking at the middle-aged man in front of him, the young man clenched his fist and nodded: "Mm!"

The two of them, one big and one small, walked towards the registration point.

Behind them, a woman with red eyes took a deep breath, as if making a decision, and slowly walked towards the registration point as well.

"Toot toot toot toot..."

A tractor belching black smoke stopped around the square, and a group of men with rolled-up pants jumped off.

The leader held a hoe in his hand and pointed to the registration point: "Folks, this is the place!"

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"Whoosh!"

A group of strong men ran directly to the registration point, one of them still unsure, asked those in line: "Brother, is this the registration point?"

"It is... Are you all coming as a group?" The middle-aged man looked at these strong men in front of him in astonishment.

He had never seen such a scene.

"What's wrong, aren't we allowed to sign up?" The strong man scratched his head, "I'm strong, and I know masonry work, why can't I contribute to the country?"

Ordinary people in society, although they may not have high education or wealth.

But.

When disaster strikes, they are always the first to stand up!

They may not know much, but they know they are citizens of Great Xia, with five thousand years of history behind them!

They may not have read foreign classics, but there's a saying in Great Xia that even a three-year-old can recite!

The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every man!

What is a man?

In the face of five thousand years of Great Xia, in front of sixteen billion people, everyone is a man!

But it is these men who make up Great Xia!

Those sixteen billion patriotic hearts have written the rise of Great Xia!

National Leader Zhang Maoyuan is hailed as the soul of Great Xia, but these sixteen billion men who vow to protect Great Xia, are they not also the soul of Great Xia?

These unremarkable stories were happening all over the square.

The three streets surrounding the square were completely jammed, some people couldn't even wait to drive over, they jumped out of their cars and ran over, panting.

Under the red flag.

All thirty-two registration points were packed!

Some lines even stretched out for two streets.

"Attention, attention, minors are not allowed to participate..."

The woman in military uniform responsible for announcements shouted through a loudspeaker: "Minors are not allowed to participate! Go back to school! Only those aged eighteen to forty-five can participate!"

The enthusiasm of the crowd was too high, even though the age limit had been slightly relaxed, there were still some younger ones insisting on signing up.

Some say the post-2000 generation is a lost generation.

But.

When danger truly appears, the passionate and fervent youth are the greatest hope!

"Why can't we join the army!" A group of sixteen or seventeen-year-olds angrily looked at the stage: "We also want to contribute to Great Xia, why should our patriotism be denied just because we're a few years younger!"

"Yeah, we want to fight for the country too!"

"Sister, can't you make an exception..."

"No way!" The young woman in military uniform was a bit helpless but couldn't get angry, she could only smile and scold: "You kids, your bones haven't even fully grown, your task now is to study hard and hone your skills."

"When you grow up, you'll be able to contribute to Great Xia even better!"

"Great Xia doesn't want you kids to face danger, unless all of us have fallen, we will never let children go to the battlefield!"

"Alright, hurry back to your studies, quickly become stronger, Great Xia is waiting for you to grow up, and your sister is waiting for you in the barracks!"

"Sister, you won't lie to us, right?" A young voice called out.

The young lady in military uniform saw the slight wavering in the eyes of these passionate youths, immediately saluted, and said seriously: "I promise as a soldier, once you come of age, if you still want to sign up, you can come find your sister!"

"But, you can't just think about playing all day." The young lady warned, "Great Xia's soldiers can't be weak-willed cowards! And studying is your battlefield, you can't be deserters!"

"Huh? We still have to study hard..." A young man immediately complained.

After all, disliking boring studies is the nature of playful youths.

"Being a soldier is much more dangerous than studying. Your battlefield is not as terrifying as the real battlefield." The young lady said word by word: "If you can't even face English words and math problems, how will you face even more terrifying enemies?"

"Sister, I understand! It's a deal!" The leading young man shouted.

After speaking, the young men turned and left, for the first time feeling the backpack on their shoulders was heavy, like a soldier's gun.

"Hey, can I come over to your house to do homework later? I have some math problems I can't solve, just want to ask you."

"See you at the library later!"

"Okay, see you at the library!"

The shouts of the young men were clear and audible.

The young lady watched the energetic youths and whispered: "It's a deal!"

Her eyes were full of determination.

No matter what dangers lie ahead.

She would protect these yet-to-bloom flowers as a soldier!

Because, there was still a promise yet to be fulfilled.