Chapter 5 System Startup_2

"I want to write novels, calmly and earnestly. I want to write a three-million-word novel about life."

"Psh, what's there to learn from Li Meng? A good-for-nothing."

"You don't understand, the position in Grassland Fifth Squad isn't something you get reassigned to, it's something you have to fight for."

Fang Huai patted his brother's shoulder, his eyes enshrouded in smoke, looking all wise and experienced.

Just now, the vendor lady who watched Fang Huai meekly eating instant noodles here couldn't help but click her tongue in astonishment when she saw him return less than 10 minutes later, chomping on a cigarette and starting to swagger around Fang Qiu.

Her scalp tingled.

No wonder her ten-year-old son could swindle her round and round with all sorts of tutoring fees and material costs. Kids these days are as crafty as anthracite!

...

When he got off the train, it was 8 o'clock at night, and the brother named Cao Peng was already thoroughly impressed by his profound knowledge. He even revealed his family background: the nephew of the commander of the Liupanshui Cao Detachment.

He also talked about how his aunt, introduced by his own mother, had nearly ended up not marrying Captain Cao because of his unattractiveness and short stature, among other private matters.

A chosen paragon of filial piety.

Captain Cao would want to disown him after hearing all this.

...

Transfer buses.

It was still a modern Yaxing air-conditioned coach. As soon as they got off the train in Guiyang, they felt right at home. Just moments ago, he had looked down on the un-armed People's Liberation Army soldiers and the Internal Guards. Seeing the bus that stood out from the crowd with windows steaming up from the warmth inside, they envied them when comparing it with the airy military trucks that had come to pick them up, exactly the same as when they departed.

The firefighting brothers stood up, proud and tall.

Firefighting is great, isn't it?

Everything before entering the troops was very warm. The cadre Liu Mangong had even taught them to sing "Unity is Strength" on the bus.

Everyone was excited, singing all the way to the Training Base.

Fang Huai knew why it was taught because they would need it tomorrow at noon when it was time to eat.

When they got off the bus, they were buzzing with excitement.

There was a retail store right next to the gate of the Training Base, and it wasn't late, so lights were still on inside.

"This commissary looks so shabby... Seems like it doesn't even have a freezer."

"My duck, there's such a big freezer there, can't you see it?"

"It is a bit small, but it should be enough to buy some daily necessities."

One by one, they expressed varying degrees of disdain for the retail store. Fang Huai couldn't help rolling his eyes.

This place will soon become paradise unreachable for all the newbies of the new recruit group.

Liu Mangong entered the courtyard, handed Hao Chengbin some instructions, and left.

Hao Chengbin made a phone call, grunting affirmatively.

A short while later, a First Lieutenant arrived with only five service stripes on his badge, nodded at Hao Chengbin, and walked to the front of the line.

"Comrades, I'll take you to the canteen to eat first."

...

The New Training Building of the Firefighting Training Base, 4th floor.

The Joint Office.

As soon as Hao Chengbin opened the door, the smell of grilled fish wafted out.

"Old Hao, you're back?"

An emaciated petty officer with small eyes and a face full of creases looked up and smiled.

Opposite him was another petty officer, and next to the computer sat two first-class non-commissioned officers, discussing something as they pointed at the screen.

"Crooked day, Wang Lian, this must be your last hurrah, huh!"

Hao Chengbin placed his regular military cap on the table by the door, sat down on the iron-framed bed by the wall, and rubbed his head.

Wang Jian started to laugh, his face creasing even more.

"Yeah, the second batch from Chongqing have arrived, and the rest should be here the day after tomorrow. If we don't indulge now, it'll be tough later on!"

Hao Chengbin waved his hands in nonchalance.

"What's to fear? Once the new recruits have lights out, if you guys want a late-night snack, eat to your heart's content. Unless there's an emergency assembly, leadership generally isn't around after 11 o'clock."

The two officers exchanged glances, and with a chuckle, Wang Jian said, "This is my first time leading new recruits, and so is Instructor Liang. You know the Staff Officer Yang well. We'll have to rely on you for any issues in the brigade!"

"Old Black is easy to talk to. Just don't get caught by Colonel Huang. The Political Commissar is a woman; she usually won't come up. Maintain a good relationship with those chiefs in the brigade, and there shouldn't be any big problems. The most important thing is that the new recruits mustn't have any accidents," Hao Chengbin said with a familiar air.

Then he remembered something else.

"By the way, I just came up and saw a bent aluminum pipe on the window rail by the stairs, a safety hazard. We need to report that and replace it with a steel pipe, the kind you can't bend. That'll save you a lot of trouble in the coming months."

"Sure, we definitely don't want that kind of trouble." Wang Jian took the matter seriously and started to note it down.

"Eh? Jiang Peng got assigned to our squad? Wang Lian, didn't I tell you not to assign anyone from Yunnan to our squad? I really can't understand Yunnanese!"

The non-commissioned officer in front of the computer raised his voice.

Wang Jian's polite demeanor faded.

"Didn't I tell you? It's allotted by the brigade. If you can't get used to it, just go back to Henan and enlist there!"

The sergeant looked sullen, "It's not that I'm not used to it, I just can't understand! There's a guy from Yunnan in our squadron, and when he speaks 'Yunnan Mandarin,' I can only understand half of what he says every two sentences!"

Hao Chengbin stood up and walked over, and the two sergeants made room for him.

Hao Chengbin leaned over the computer and laughed, "What are you afraid of? He's a college-educated man; his Mandarin might even be better than yours! 21 years old... not bad, he's of an eligible age. Take a look, if his personality is fine and he can be groomed, he could be a deputy squad leader... How about this, if you don't want him, I'll talk to Old Black tomorrow and transfer him to our squad."

As soon as Hao Chengbin spoke, the sergeant began to hesitate again, and after a long pause, he bit the bullet and said, "Fine, Squad Leader Hao, you take him. He's about my age, too old to train easily."

Laughter broke out in the room.

Hao Chengbin tugged at him, "Then move aside, let me see if there's anything that needs to be adjusted. Any recruits who are too old, pull them all to my side, and in a while, we'll go together to report to the Chief of Staff."

"Sure." The sergeant promptly moved away from the computer and sat down to eat the roasted fish.

Hao Chengbin smoothly took over the mouse and scrolled down.

Suddenly, he saw something and was a bit startled.

"Damn, he's actually in our brigade?"

Turning his head, he asked the sergeant, "Sun Qiang, Xiang Zhiyuan is the squad leader of Second Squad, right?"

"Hmm, he went out to buy cigarettes."

"... Tell him that this Fang Huai, our Squad Nine has claimed him."

...

Fang Huai was eating noodles.

It was noodles again.

But the taste was leagues below braised beef noodles.

The canteen workers at the Firefighting Training Base were contracted from outside, and tonight, it was just a few of them from Chongqing. They didn't leave two people to take them to eat, the cadres who brought them to dinner did the cooking themselves, made a large pot of noodles, and handed them some simple salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

There were no luxuries like braised meats or sausages either.

Everyone talked about the good treatment in firefighting on the way there, and when they came in, they were all like this:

(´ｰ∀ｰ`)

Seeing the noodles, they were all like this:

(͠°◞°)?

While eating the noodles, their inner thoughts were like this:

╭∩╮(⨶ᨓ⨶)╭∩╮

Fang Huai was also enduring, pushing the noodles into his stomach, when suddenly a line of text appeared in front of him.

[Task Completion.]

[The system is matching rewards for the task...]

[First-time reward acquisition, you may reselect your race…]

Fang Huai gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

[Beastman direction: You will acquire the junior trait of the Beastmen: Hardened Skin. (Summary: Human skin does not conform to the laws of natural evolution, retrogression may not be a step backward in evolution.)]

[Vampire direction: You will acquire the junior trait of Vampires: Sharp Teeth. (Summary: Say goodbye to brushing your teeth forever.)]

[Goblin direction: You will acquire the junior trait of Goblins: Halved Body Size. (Summary: Inventive dwarfs with smaller bodies but larger brains.)]

...

[Human direction: You have acquired all human traits.]

Fang Huai: ...

The system is either messing with him or playing World of Warcraft.

Maybe both.

Beastmen, Vampires, Goblins, Giants... just granting strength or talents would be one thing, but to start with features? How could those be hidden?

If he can't get out of the new recruit group, they'll surely take me away for dissection, won't they?

Human! Human!

Fang Huai instantly felt a surge of warmth coursing through his body.

[Heart function abnormalities detected.]

[Kidney function abnormalities detected.]

[Lung function abnormalities detected.]

[…]

[It is recommended to abandon human traits.]

Damn you, DJ.

One really shouldn't get a health check.

At 19, he had felt rejuvenated that morning, full of vitality. But now, he felt as if he was on death's doorstep.

(4000 words per chapter, just padding the word count.)）））