Ouyang Jun felt deeply troubled seeing Xia Zhuo, Lin Anbang, and Yi Zimeng constantly bickering while he remained an outsider. To join the parade, he must enlist as a non-commissioned officer, but this conflicts with Xia Zhuo's dream of pursuing higher education. Xia Zhuo ultimately decides to enlist alongside Lin Anbang and Yi Zimeng to participate in the selection process. Lü Zheng was busy drafting the discharge procedures. Due to unit restructuring, the Blade Company had lost many veterans all at once, leaving Lü Zheng feeling deeply unsettled. The farewell tea party for the departing veterans began. Lü Zheng and the political instructor bustled about attending to everyone, cracking jokes to lighten the somber mood.
