CHAPTER 321: REVISED: CHAPTER 321 THE MILITARY UNIFORMS NEED CHANGING

The 105th Infantry Regiment strolled around the streets as if on a leisurely walk, and only after more than an hour of cheers and exclamations from the people of Paris did they return to the police training base.

Upon reaching the base, the soldiers ran madly towards the bathhouse while stripping off their clothes, leaving their uniforms strewn all over the place. Most of them were already stark naked by the time they got there, yet they still clutched their rifles and had their belts slung over their shoulders, looking quite like savages.

The uniforms, they wouldn’t think of washing and reusing them again. No matter what, they had to change into a new set.

It was only at this moment that Tijani relaxed. He took off his military cap and tidied his knotted hair, his beard growing like a broom across his face.

He turned his head to ask Shire beside him, "You’re going back to the City Defense Headquarters to report, right?"

"Yes!" Shire answered, and then asked in return, "What about you, General, are you going home?"

Tijani’s home was in Paris, in the 15th arrondissement.

"No." Tijani shook his head and cast his gaze upon the soldiers who were celebrating after the disbandment, saying, "I’m the regimental commander. I must stay with them at all times unless given leave by the superiors."

Shire felt somewhat ashamed. He had just planned to go home after reporting to the City Defense Headquarters.

Tijani was right. If commanders rushed home as soon as they returned, wouldn’t the soldiers follow suit?

This made Shire feel a bit unprofessional, for he had not attended military school.

...

At the City Defense Headquarters office, Gallieni was restless. He would sometimes get up to look at the street outside the window and sometimes sit back in his chair.

Gallieni himself found it strange.

Why be anxious?

The man was already back in Paris, knowing he was safe should be enough!

But everyone understands this logic, yet he couldn’t suppress that bit of anxiety in his heart.

It wasn’t until he saw Lauren’s car pull up with Shire at the headquarters’ entrance that Gallieni breathed a sigh of relief. He straightened his uniform and sat back in his chair, trying to appear indifferent.

However, when Shire appeared at the hallway entrance to the cheers and congratulations of the staff, Gallieni couldn’t help but stand up.

After a moment of surprise, Gallieni thought of sitting down again, but Shire was already standing in front of him, saluting: "General!"

Gallieni, with a slight look of embarrassment on his face, "Hmm," sized up Shire, and suddenly realized that he had grown up.

It wasn’t because Shire’s skin had darkened a bit or because of the bloodstains on his uniform, nor was it the bit of stubble on his chin, it was a feeling. The former him always felt like a child, but now... he was a soldier.

Gallieni tried to remain calm, but his voice still carried a bit of a tremor: "How does the battlefield feel, Colonel?"

"Not bad," Shire looked down at his filthy red pants and said, "But I think our uniforms need to be changed!"

Gallieni misunderstood Shire’s meaning and nodded: "Of course, let Adrian fetch two new sets of uniforms..."

"No, General," Shire said. "I mean our uniforms."

"What do you mean?" Gallieni asked.

Shire explained: "Red trousers are too conspicuous on the battlefield, General. They make us perfect targets for the enemy. Soldiers try everything to dirty them up on the battlefield, some even prefer to switch to corduroy pants obtained from muddy laborers."

Shire had known of this before, but because he didn’t need to fight on the front lines, it hadn’t been his personal pain. Now that it threatened his own life, it could not be delayed.

Gallieni responded helplessly: "We all know this, but it’s not up to us to decide."

"Then let them change the decision," Shire said, referring to the parliament.

Gallieni considered for a moment and then looked at Shire with an inquiring gaze: "Perhaps you can make them change, but it might require facing the parliament’s inquiry."

Shire nodded: "No problem."

Compared to life, what does an inquiry from the parliament count for?

This was also Shire’s thought; his influence in parliament may still be weak against his opponents, but he had the support of the French people. The key was that he had personally been to the front lines, giving him a voice in this matter.

What would happen if the parliament disagreed?

They could incite the anger of the French military and civilians, leading to wave after wave of protests and demonstrations, which the parliament did not want to see.

Nevertheless, Shire took a bath in the City Defense Commander’s quarters and changed into a brand new uniform; he didn’t want to return to his family in such a state.

...

In Davaz Town, people were discussing fervently:

"Have you heard? Shire is back."

"Yes, someone saw him in Paris this morning!"

"Amazing, he fought in the decisive battle and personally fought the enemy in the trenches. Those who said Shire didn’t dare to go to the battlefield can shut up now!"

...

Camille hurried back with an empty basket in hand, holding a newspaper, her face pale. As soon as she got home, she grabbed the phone to call Dejoka, but Dejoka had already appeared at the door.

"Camille!" Dejoka jumped out of the car and almost ran inside, his voice arriving before he did: "Good news, Camille, Shire has safely returned!"

Camille slammed the phone receiver down onto its base and turned around, asking coldly: "What do you mean ’safely returned,’ Dejoka? Hasn’t Shire always been safe? Hasn’t he been on the warship all along, strategizing without going to the battlefield?"

Dejoka realized he had slipped up and quickly tried to cover: "I meant, he safely returned from the Dardanelles Strait..."

"But what I heard is different," Camille interrupted Dejoka: "They said Shire landed, not at some strait, he landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, not on a warship but in the trenches, facing the enemy, and he defeated them with his rifle!"

"That’s... what others say..." Dejoka answered with difficulty.

Before he could finish, Camille waved a newspaper in front of him: "This is not like the one you showed me. Although the date is the same, can you explain?"

Dejoka was stunned, then shrugged his shoulders in admission.

"The important thing is he returned safely, right?" Dejoka said.

Camille retorted: "What about the future? I don’t understand why they insist on sending Shire to the battlefield. Hasn’t he done enough for France?"

Dejoka was speechless.

He had the same question. Why did Shire have to go to the battlefield while the senators and their children, as well as the capitalists’ children, didn’t have to contribute anything?

Just as the atmosphere became awkward, a shout came from outside: "My God, it’s Shire! Shire is back!"

And the neighbors were calling loudly towards the house: "Madam Bernard, Shire is back, it really is him!"