Chapter 638

Admiral Miles stood by the ship’s rail, feeling the wind, looking at the bustling Golden Port City. This was the liveliest port he had been stationed at since he joined the navy.

The children will surely be very happy!

From the loudspeakers on the pier not far away, upbeat music was playing, and someone was saying something.

He was a little too far away, and the sea breeze scattered the sounds, so he couldn’t hear them completely, but they were definitely good words.

The surging crowd also made him very happy. This would be a good start.

He was looking forward to the activities Lance had arranged for him.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, even though he was an admiral, an admiral.

He also had his own joys and sorrows.

Unlike those political families, the life of a military family was not so easy, a bit tight.

Many people thought that this was an important opportunity, an opportunity for the military to rise. They could use this war to gain more power, a higher status, and their future days would also be better.

His liaison officer walked over from a distance, first gave a salute, and then talked about the next itinerary.

In fact, according to the Department of Defense, they would dock the warship at the New Port Terminal, and then the naval soldiers would go to the military camp. That would be the end of it.

At that time, Admiral Miles would have two officers attend some public social activities to appease the emotions of the people and capitalists of Golden Port City, and then they could move freely.

But Lance had proposed a small suggestion. He suggested that he should hold a welcome ceremony.

The purpose of the welcome ceremony was, on the one hand, to let the soldiers know that the people of Golden Port City were full of love for them and would not be disgusted by their arrival.

On the other hand, it was also for the people of Golden Port City to see, to let them understand that the army was not as bad as some people imagined.

Regarding this proposal, Admiral Miles agreed after thinking about it.

The other warships and soldiers would follow the previous plan, but the warship he was on would be at berth number one.

That place was relatively close to the shore. Even if some people could not appear on the pier, they could still see what was happening from the periphery.

Listening to the arrangements of the liaison officer, he kept nodding, then stood up and straightened his attire.

It was almost time to dock.

The moment the huge warship docked, it was like a small mountain had collided with it.

Many of the guests from all walks of life who had been invited felt a sense of oppression when they faced the huge ship. They held their breath, watching the shadow gradually cover them, not daring to make a sound.

As the warship slowly came to a stop, people finally let out a breath.

“I almost thought it was going to drive onto the pier!” someone exaggeratedly expressed his feelings just now.

The others also echoed one after another.

For people living in peacetime, who could see a warship at such a close distance?

And such a big warship?

At this time, the host in the loudspeaker on the pier began to introduce this warship, as well as the soldiers on it and the most crucial person, Admiral Miles.

The host seemed to be very familiar with these things. His boasting made the soldiers on the deck a little hot-faced. They were all a little at a loss for words, blushing and at a loss.

The boasting was too outrageous, like “being able to hit a target the size of a washbasin from twenty kilometers away.” The naval soldiers were all very curious about how this person could have the face to say such a thing.

But it was undeniable that these boasts made them all feel light, as if they were stepping on clouds.

And the onlookers below really didn’t understand at all. They kept exclaiming with the exaggerated introduction from the broadcast loudspeaker, which also satisfied the vanity of many soldiers.

After all, they were all young people. Who could not have a little bit of vanity?

When the introduction was almost over, and the broadcast loudspeaker came out with “Let’s welcome our warriors…”, the officers had them start moving towards the gangway.

As the gangway was lowered, some naval personnel in neat uniforms came down from the ship. They actually didn’t know what was going to happen, but were just asked to come this way.

There were many reporters at the scene, as well as many people from all walks of life. The moment the first pair of soldiers’ feet touched the ground, the flashbulbs instantly lit up.

With the majestic and inspiring music, this scene, at this moment, had important historical value.

At the same time, two young girls in long dresses, holding bouquets of flowers in their hands, each took the arm of the first two soldiers who came down and guided them forward.

The soldiers’ faces were full of pleasant surprise. To be able to get so close to these girls who were not necessarily very beautiful but definitely smelled very fragrant was definitely something they were 100,000% willing to do!

Then came the second team of soldiers and their girls. The people proactively made way for a vacant space. The soldiers stood in the vacant space with smiles on their faces and the girls beside them, lining up, waiting for the next step.

After the soldiers and officers had all arrived on the ground, Admiral Miles then appeared on the gangway.

With a slight nod from Lance, the host began to boast about Admiral Miles’s past achievements, such as some extremely difficult struggles, the determination to reform the navy, the conspiracy to severely damage the pirates…

Even though Admiral Miles felt that his old face was thick enough, at this moment, it still felt a little hot.

“This bastard!” he cursed with a smile, and then tilted his head back, letting the liaison officer straighten his collar.

When the broadcast loudspeaker came out with “Let’s welcome our hero, Admiral Miles, with a warm round of applause…”, he walked from the deck to the side of the gangway, stood for a moment, and amidst the fierce applause, he walked down the gangway.

This was a clearly different arrangement, because those soldiers were just warriors, but he was a hero.

He liked this wording, and his face also wore a reserved smile. This arrangement, he was very satisfied with.

The music, the broadcast, the surrounding crowd, people’s respectful gazes, everything made him feel that he had been respected.

When he reached the bottom of the gangway and was already mentally prepared for a girl to walk over, a cute little girl suddenly ran over from a distance, holding a beautiful wreath.

“Grandpa Miles, welcome to Golden Port!”

The little girl held the wreath high, but could only touch his waist. After a brief moment of astonishment, Admiral Miles bent down, picked up the little girl, and let her put the wreath on him.

The little girl also kissed him on the cheek. He couldn’t help but show a very obvious smile. He had originally planned to put the little girl down, but because of this kiss, he held her for a little longer.

This heartwarming scene was faithfully recorded by numerous cameras and would appear on the front page headline tomorrow.

They would probably use a title like “Tender Affection of an Iron Man” to make the arrival of the navy seem not so terrible.

It wasn’t until a woman stood not far away that the little girl hugged Admiral Miles again. “Mom is over there…”

Admiral Miles immediately put the little girl down, and only then did the reporters surround them.

They did not offend Admiral Miles, did not ask some questions that might embarrass him in a chaotic manner. Everyone knew very well.

Once a war really breaks out, it’s still hard to say who will be in charge of this city.

They didn’t want to offend a possible future true ruler just because they wanted to get some unique news material.

Those local celebrities who were invited to attend also gathered over.

Next was a “political show.” He stood in the crowd with a microphone, talking about his and the soldiers’ willingness to pay any price to protect the security of the Federation’s homeland, the safety of the people, and the safety of their property!

A grand, lively, and successful welcome party!

It took less than twenty minutes to get from the New Port Terminal to the naval base by vehicle. The road was clear all the way, and Mayor Williams had temporarily adjusted it so that ordinary vehicles were not allowed to enter this road. It was specially prepared for the army.

Sitting in the car, Admiral Miles took off the wreath. He didn’t casually throw it away, but handed it to his adjutant, signaling the other party to keep it safe.

He planned to hang this wreath in his office, and by the way, he also asked Lance for a photo of the little girl presenting him with the wreath.

“Your way of doing things is very special, but it’s undeniable that people like it, Lance,” Admiral Miles praised Lance sincerely. This was the most interesting welcome event he had ever seen.

But it had to be said that he thought the effect was very good, especially when that beautiful little girl presented him with the wreath. He felt that he had been sublimated!

The soldiers were also very happy. Although they had stood in the open for a while, the charming fragrance from the girls beside them made them willing to stand for a little longer.

The warship and the neat soldiers proclaimed the strength of the navy, while his interaction with the little girl told people that the navy’s fist was only for outsiders.

This was not just a simple welcome ceremony, but also a kind of propaganda.

Lance smiled and said a few modest words. “We hope Golden Port City is good, we hope the Federation is good. This is our common wish and goal, so we can also get along very well.”

Miles affirmed this statement. “Yes, our ultimate goal is the same.”

Soon the military vehicles drove into the base. The soldiers were given a brief opportunity for free movement. They were full of curiosity about this new base.

Previously, they were stationed at a small port in the north. The supporting city had only a small population. Whether it was summer or winter, it was very difficult for them to find entertainment in the city.

Some people say that being a soldier is like being in prison. Not only do you lose your freedom, but you also have to participate in various military training.

This time they could come to Golden Port City, and every soldier was very excited.

On the way here, they had already seen the difference of this big city. As for the specific differences, they would need to explore them themselves.

In any case, they were very satisfied with the current changes, at least not disgusted.

The welcome ceremony was in the morning, around noon. At this time, it was just lunchtime. When Admiral Miles arrived, lunch officially began.

The soldiers’ food was very good, and the officers had their own separate dining space.

Of course, they could also go to the soldiers’ dining hall to eat. There was no difference at all.

Admiral Miles asked for a portion of an ordinary soldier’s lunch and tasted it. The ingredients were very fresh. It wasn’t that they had used some vegetables that couldn’t be sold in the market in order to leave enough profit margin.

Including the beef sausage, it was very delicious to eat, and being made into a sausage also added some special flavor, which was not annoying.

After he had inspected the base, he returned to his own headquarters office. Everything also quieted down.

Neither of them spoke. They were both thinking about what had happened in the morning and processing it in their minds.

After a while, Lance opened his mouth and said, “We haven’t known each other for a long time, so you may not really know me yet.”

“I am a person who likes to make friends and is not so stingy. I believe that as we spend more time together, you will discover this.”

Lance took a check out of his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it over. “As a new friend, I know you may have many places where you need to use money recently, so I’m settling the first month’s fee for you.”

He made a gesture for Admiral Miles to take a look. The latter hesitated for a few seconds, then picked up the check.

His pupils dilated slightly, and then he nodded. The smile on his face became natural and sincere. “I can see that!”

One million, a transfer check. He could directly exchange the check for a cashier’s check at a designated bank, and then cash it in a bank in another city. Of course, he could also leave it in one of his own accounts.

When the rank of an official or military officer rises to a certain level, whether this person has committed a crime, how serious the crime is, does not depend on what he has actually done.

What determines all this is actually whether he has won in the internal struggle, or has failed.

A failed official may even lose his job for taking a pair of high-end scissors worth one dollar from the office, but a victorious official, even if his account is full of huge amounts of cash that he himself cannot explain the origin of, is still an outstanding official with no problems!

So this one million, Lance just gave it to Admiral Miles in the form of a transfer check.

Admiral Miles was also very satisfied with this number. He was indeed in a period where he needed to spend money.

“I can already feel from these few things that you are a reliable person.”

“In the future, if you have any problems, you can directly contact my adjutant. If he can’t solve it, then come to me.”

“Similarly, if I have any needs, I will also come to you.”

This was a confirmation of Lance. Lance nodded slightly and raised his coffee cup. “To a long-lasting friendship, long live.”

This sentence was a bit strange to read, but Admiral Miles did not do anything. He just smiled and raised his coffee cup, clinking it with Lance’s.

The rest of the matter was much simpler. The area around the naval base was cleared and designated as a military base. In the farther places, it began to become lively.

Many people actually knew very well that a hundred thousand high-income people in such a city of pleasure and debauchery could not possibly not spend money. So some small vendors had already begun to sell their goods on the side of the road.

Of course, there were also some girls, also dressed in fancy clothes, standing on the side of the road waiting for customers.

The arrival of the navy in the port was a big event. The next day’s Golden Port Today reported this news, and naturally also published the photo of Admiral Miles holding the little girl and being kissed on the cheek by the little girl.

Perhaps it was because some of the publicity work was done very well, or perhaps it was because of people’s unease and fear of war. The arrival of the army did not, as some people had imagined, trigger some protests and demonstrations.

Everything transitioned very smoothly, whether it was the power in City Hall or the soldiers in the military base.

As Golden Port City began to cool down, the wedding of Lance and Patricia was also put on the agenda. At the same time, the Holy Farmer Festival was also approaching.

The people of the Federation still had a lot of affection for the Holy Farmer Festival. Although there were still a few days left, many festive items with the theme of the Holy Farmer Festival had already appeared on the streets.

After the Holy Farmer Festival, it would be Lance and Patricia’s wedding. If the time was moved back further, the weather would become completely cold, and getting married would not be so convenient.

So the third day after the Holy Farmer Festival, which was December 28th, was the wedding of the two.

They would first hold a wedding with their families at the Lawrence Farm, and then hold a wedding in the city to which others were invited.

One wedding held twice.

On the one hand, the old people of the Lawrence family were already old, and long-distance travel was not an easy thing for them.

On the other hand, if you were to count these relatives of Patricia, there would be too many people, and some of them might not be able to come to Golden Port City.

It would be better to just get it done while they were gathered for the Holy Farmer Festival.

This was Lance’s second time at the Lawrence Farm. The three old men were also quite fond of him.

It wasn’t because they thought Lance was so handsome, or because of Patricia.

Although Patricia had grown up on the farm, for this large landowner class, there were too many children, so many that they would sometimes often move things that happened to one person to another.

The reason they liked Lance was that he had made the farm a lot of money.

Money was the core reason why Lance was so popular.

Of course, even without money, he would still be popular, but certainly not this popular.

“We’ve already greeted the surrounding farms. They will transport those materials directly to our side.”

“Then we will turn it into liquid gold and then transport it to you.”

“Lance, your appearance has changed a lot!”

The three old men took him to visit the huge distillery inside the farm. It was several huge connected workshops.

Not underground or in a valley, but right in the center of the farm.

But it was very safe.

From the outside to here was at least a dozen kilometers. On this road, you could see cowboys carrying shotguns everywhere. They were all members of the family, or cowboys who had lived in the vicinity and worked for the Lawrence family for generations.

As long as there was a need, they could pull the trigger without hesitation.

No matter if their muzzles were pointing at robbers or Prohibition agents from the Bureau of Hazardous Materials.

This was also one of the reasons why the federal government’s control over the local areas was weak. There were such influential family forces everywhere. It wasn’t that the gentlemen of Congress were really that enlightened to allow various states to be autonomous.

It was just that they really couldn’t control the situation below!

(End of a Chapter)