"You, you want to treat us?" The five disabled individuals clearly didn't expect such a turn of events. They turned back, their faces filled with disbelief as they looked at Wang Chao.
Even the beggar without eyes stared at him with an empty gaze.
They had gone to many places, hoping to get a bite to eat, but because they had no money, many owners treated them as beggars and fraudsters, driving them away.
Even when they asked passersby for help, no one was willing to acknowledge them.
Many passersby treated them as human traffickers, quickly avoiding them as if they were snakes or scorpions.
There were even some people who spoke ill of them.
To put it frankly, throughout their journey, only Wang Chao had shown them kindness.
"It's true, please come and eat." Wang Chao waved his hand.
"Young man, these five people are obviously tricksters. Why would you spend money on them? Be careful, they might take advantage of you in the future," the shop owner quickly warned.
"Yes, young man, we should be ruthless towards bad people. Otherwise, if we let our guard down and they target us, the consequences would be unimaginable," the waiter also advised.
"Young man, kindness is good, but most of these disabled people probably work with some dark organizations. You can't let your guard down."
"Society is very complex nowadays, you have to be cautious."
"Young man, don't fall for their scams."
Many customers in the shop also chimed in, all thinking that these five beggars were tricksters, cautioning Wang Chao out of good intentions.
"Everyone, I understand your concerns, but you don't have to worry. These five gentlemen are absolutely good people," Wang Chao glanced at everyone present and then looked at the shop owner, saying, "Boss, I've paid, please prepare the rice rolls."
As a mercenary, Wang Chao had spent years in foreign battlefields and had witnessed many retired soldiers.
Those soldiers were mostly disabled individuals, left with no one to take care of them, surviving on meager allowances.
Some of the mercenaries, after retiring, even faced retaliation from old enemies, resulting in death or further injuries.
These five ragged beggars were obviously soldiers too, evident from their actions and expressions.
But compared to some rough mercenaries, these five warriors were much more polite, indicating that they had been in disciplined units and hadn't mistreated civilians.
Whether it was due to orders from their superiors or their own inherently good nature, they refrained from bullying the people.
Wang Chao leaned more toward the latter!
He walked up to the five beggars, shook their hands warmly, and said, "Gentlemen, no need to rush off. It's my treat. Sit down and enjoy your meal."
Ignoring the shop owner and other guests' disapproving remarks, he forcefully pulled the five individuals to his table and made them sit down.
The shop owner and others could only shake their heads helplessly and no longer pay attention.
"I warned him, sigh!" The waiter sighed and went back to work.
In their eyes, Wang Chao's actions were clearly inviting trouble. They believed that he would be targeted in the future and would inevitably pay the price.
Others also shook their heads and remained silent.
In their opinion, Wang Chao's association with these five people was destined to end poorly.
Ignoring their idle talk, Wang Chao kept observing the five beggars, showing concern. He said, "Gentlemen, I assume you've just come back from the battlefield? Which unit do you belong to?"
Upon hearing Wang Chao's question, the five individuals' expressions changed, and they stared intensely at Wang Chao.
Their fierce gazes seemed as if they were ready to kill!
Even the person without eyes exuded a hint of murderous intent on their face.
Wang Chao was taken aback but quickly understood his own tactlessness. He immediately smiled and explained, "Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore. You have sacrificed so much for this country, and I sincerely respect you."
It was indeed a matter of great caution to inquire about military affairs from strangers!
"These people are just a group of unfortunate souls. You don't need to inquire about our background," the blind soldier said.
At the mention of it, the other four individuals became gloomy and fell silent.
Wang Chao looked at the five of them and immediately understood.
These people must have been abandoned!
Many times, in order to save unnecessary expenses and preserve elite forces, some mercenary groups would abandon a batch of soldiers.
What was even more infuriating was that these mercenaries, after being abandoned, didn't receive the corresponding wages. They lived in poverty, with disabilities, leading lives worse than ordinary people.
However, Wang Chao didn't know if these five individuals belonged to Sikong Yun's forces or other patriotic mercenaries who voluntarily participated in the campaign when Sikong Yun swept through numerous countries along the Dragon Kingdom's borders.
Although he wasn't personally involved, he sent a portion of the Nightfall Corps' elite soldiers to participate in the battle, doing their best to protect Dragon Kingdom's soldiers.
As far as he knew, during Sikong Yun's sweeping conquests, although he achieved great military exploits, countless lives were lost, and many mercenaries died tragically on the battlefield.
Some of the severely injured and disabled veterans were transported back to the country in batches for recuperation.
These five individuals were likely among those retired veterans.
At that moment, the waiter arrived with two portions of rice rolls and placed them in the middle of the table.
"Gentlemen, I won't ask anything more. Please enjoy your meal," Wang Chao said.
The four men looked at the two portions of rice rolls, their eyes shining brightly as they struggled to swallow their saliva.
The blind soldier's nose twitched, and he sniffed the aroma, exclaiming, "It smells so good!"
One of the soldiers, who had lost a hand, struggled to swallow his saliva and said, "Old Five, you go ahead and eat."
"Third brother, you go first," Old Five quickly insisted.
"No, no, you go ahead."
"I'm not hungry, and you're the youngest, so you should eat first."
"Big brother, you're the eldest, you eat."
"Old Five, you go first. That's an order!"
The five of them surrounded the two portions of rice rolls, insisting on letting the other person eat first.
Seeing this scene, Wang Chao felt a pang in his heart.
These veterans had risked their lives on the border and foreign battlefields, defending the nation and upholding its dignity!
Even as mere mercenaries, not formally enlisted, they had shed blood for this country.
Now, they had returned to the country with severe injuries, received no compensation, and were even being shuffled around for a portion of rice rolls, hesitant to eat.
This group of lovely people had fallen to such a state.
For a moment, his heart filled with sorrow, his eyes turned red, and he didn't know what to say.
At that moment, the waiter brought the remaining rice rolls one by one and placed them in front of these individuals.
"Gentlemen, each of you has two portions of rice rolls here. There's no need to insist on sharing. Everyone can have their own," Wang Chao said.
"Young man, thank you."
The five of them nodded in unison, then immediately picked up their chopsticks, lifted the rice rolls in front of them, and began eating.
They were obviously very hungry, but they didn't rush or gobble up the food. Instead, they savored each bite, slowly tasting the long-lost deliciousness, savoring the various flavors of the rice rolls on their taste buds.
"So delicious, so delicious!"
"It's truly a taste I haven't had in ten years. It's amazing."
"It's really delicious."
As the five veterans ate, they expressed their amazement.
Especially the veteran with only one hand and one foot, eating was particularly difficult for him, but his face was filled with a blissful smile.
As they ate, tears welled up in their eyes, and they began silently sobbing.
Wang Chao didn't say a word, quietly taking out tissues and handing them to the five individuals. He even gently placed the tissues into the hand of the blind soldier, allowing him to wipe his tears.
Wang Chao had observed earlier that although the soldier had lost his eyes, his tear ducts were intact, and he could still shed tears.
Seeing them cry, Wang Chao also felt uneasy. He quickly took out his phone and sent a few messages.
To be honest, he had also pondered about his own future.
If one day he encountered an unbeatable enemy, suffered severe injuries, or lost a hand or foot, becoming disabled, how would he spend the rest of his life?
He had no answer!
He didn't dare to think about it!
Therefore, every time he went into battle, he gave it his all, using all his strength to fight. He never underestimated any enemy and always developed two to three contingency plans for dealing with anyone.
Especially when facing formidable opponents, Wang Chao would not only devise two or three methods to defeat them but also come up with no fewer than ten escape plans to ensure his own safety.
Now, seeing these veterans, he felt not only sympathy but also a sense of gratitude.
If he hadn't been so cautious back then, he might have ended up in a similar situation.
Although he wasn't disabled, he had suffered numerous injuries as a result.
His body was covered in scars, which he considered his badges of honor!
He intentionally left these scars unhealed to serve as a reminder, to never underestimate any enemy he might face in the future.
The veterans savored the rice rolls, thoroughly enjoying their meal.
However, it was apparent that they had been hungry for too long. Even after eating two portions of rice rolls, they still didn't feel fully satisfied. They were clearly famished.
Without hesitation, Wang Chao immediately said to the owner, "Boss, bring over all the specialty dishes from your restaurant."
As he spoke, he took out his phone, scanned the QR code, and paid the owner two hundred yuan.
For breakfast, this money would be more than enough.
Although the owner wasn't entirely pleased with Wang Chao's actions, he couldn't say much when there was money involved. He promptly prepared a variety of delicious dishes, filling the table.
The table was filled with a colorful array of dishes, pleasing to the eyes and appetizing.
"Wow!"
The four veterans looked at the full table of food, then turned their gaze to Wang Chao, their eyes filled with astonishment.
They had only just met Wang Chao, yet he treated them so well, leaving them surprised and touched.
"To be honest, I used to be a mercenary myself. I understand how painful it can be for all of you. Perhaps we share a common bond," Wang Chao said sincerely.
One must experience getting caught in the rain to understand what it feels like to be soaked.
Seeing the miserable state of others after being caught in the rain, he empathized, wanting to do something for them.
"Are you a soldier too?" the five individuals asked, their expressions changing.
"Yes," Wang Chao replied calmly.
As he spoke, he pulled open his clothes slightly, revealing the bullet holes and scars on his body to the five individuals.
"This!"
The four veterans, upon seeing this, had their pupils contract intensely, their faces filled with disbelief.
They thought they were miserable enough, with some missing an arm and others a leg, but they hadn't suffered any fatal injuries.
Many of the wounds on Wang Chao's body were fatal, and even a slight mistake could have cost him his life.
It was easy to imagine the brutal experiences Wang Chao had endured, perhaps much more dangerous than what they had experienced.
"In the mercenary group I was in, many veterans like yourselves retire each year. I understand your pain," Wang Chao said with a serious expression, respectfully adding, "You fought for the country, experienced bitter battles, and shed blood for the nation. You're true heroes!"
"Today, let's raise a cup of tea instead of wine to toast you! You are all upright men!"
After speaking, he poured himself a cup of tea, raised it, and toasted the five individuals. He drank it all in one gulp.
The five individuals, who were injured and disabled, had no complaints. Even when facing rejection from the public, they didn't utter a word of reproach. They were truly heroic!
Without saying a word, the five of them each poured themselves a cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp.
At the same time, they all instinctively saluted Wang Chao, their expressions solemn and serious.
Wang Chao quickly stood up, saluted back, and then sat down with a smile, saying, "Alright, please eat. There's nothing more I can do for you."
"Thank you."
The five veterans wiped away their tears and sat down to slowly eat.
They savored each bite, eating slowly.
"This brother, may I ask for your name? We will bear in mind your great kindness, and we'll definitely repay it in the future."
After finishing their meal, they thanked Wang Chao repeatedly, bowing deeply.
Wang Chao quickly helped them up and said, "It's just a small matter, no need to be polite."
"May I ask your name, brother, and where you live?"
The five veterans insisted on asking for Wang Chao's name.
"My name is Wang Chao, and I live nearby," Wang Chao replied.
"Thank you, Mr. Wang, for your kindness. We'll bear in mind it, and we'll repay it in the future."
After learning Wang Chao's name, the five veterans exchanged glances and once again bowed deeply to Wang Chao. Then, they turned and left.
Wang Chao stood up and called out to them, "Wait a moment, gentlemen."
The five turned back, looking at Wang Chao with puzzled expressions, wondering why he had called them back.
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