Chapter 5 System Startup

Hao Chengbin became solemn and respectful.

The Anti-Japanese War, the Construction Corps.

Heroes beget heroes!

Now sending their child to be a soldier, this is the true inheritance of a military soul!

In Hao Chengbin's eyes, Fang Huai suddenly turned into a soldier that must be carefully molded!

He couldn't let down the hopes of such a family!

"Hmm, from what you're telling me, you were sent here by your family. Do you actually want to be a soldier?"

"Yes!" A light immediately appeared in Fang Huai's eyes.

"Squad Leader, when I was little, I always heard my dad talk about his and my great-grandfather's stories! He also said that now there's no more war, firefighting might not involve guns, but there are battles, and he wanted me to earn two Military Merit Medals to take back and see at my great-grandfather's grave."

It's just not known whether bringing back Military Merit Medals would be recognized by that second great-grandfather, who wasn't exactly systematic.

Fang Huai's sincere performance blew away the industry veterans, striking with the force of filial piety.

What a good kid!

Hao Chengbin, on his tenth year of enlistment at the age of 28, which is almost 29 and practically 30, faced the unsophisticated gaze of a truly thirty-five-year-old, fresh-faced young man and was somewhat moved internally.

Who would have thought that coming to fetch these old soldiers, he'd hear such a touching story.

That's right, Chongqing, which back then was part of Sichuan, also the Sichuan Army, brave men from Sichuan!

Sichuan Army... Hao Chengbin, who only had a junior high education, didn't realize that the Sichuan Army back then were warlord troops.

And Fang Huai's second great-grandfather was conscripted, perishing at the age of 16, and it was said before he left, he cried and made a fuss wanting to get a wife, nowhere near having any sentimental feelings.

All "benefits of the era."

"Hmm, once you're in the troops, I'll have a word with your squad leader, get you well trained, and make sure you bring a Military Merit Medal home!" said Hao Chengbin, patting Fang Huai's shoulder.

"Eat noodles, eat – if it's not enough, I'll buy another bowl."

After five years of military life and over a decade in society, Fang Huai felt his emotions were well primed.

"Squad Leader, do you lead soldiers?" Fang Huai opened his instant noodles, swirling it like tea to cool it down, and studied Hao Chengbin through the rising steam.

"Yes, I'll be leading. You'll often see me on the training grounds, you can talk to me if you need anything... What's your name, by the way?"

"Fang Huai, 'Fang' square and upright, 'Huai' from the Huaihai Campaign, that's how my dad explained my name."

"Oh..." Hao Chengbin nodded.

"Your great-grandfather perished in the Huaihai Campaign, right?"

"Yeah, that's what my dad says." Fang Huai promptly nodded.

In fact, his original name was Fang Shuhuai, the fifteenth generation of the Fang family from Ziyang, Sichuan, the generation of the 'Shu' character. 'Huai' meaning a clear stream, also signifies firmness and decisiveness. Later, Zhang Mei thought the name sounded effeminate, always feeling that 'Shu' sounded like 'Shu' often used for girls' names then and resolutely removed the character from his birth certificate.

Later, when Fang Huai failed his college entrance examination, Fang Kaiyang always nagged at Zhang Mei: He's missing the 'Shu' character, how could he study well?

Ah, exactly right.

Fang Huai also conveniently blamed the college examination mishap on fengshui, annoying Zhang Mei so much she once wanted to rename him Fang Qinghua and have him retake the year.

"Hmm... work hard in the troops, don't let down the expectations of your family," said Hao Chengbin, having quickly started sipping the soup.

Fang Huai became a bit anxious.

"Cough, Squad Leader, my dad said I should learn from experienced squad leaders like you to truly gain skills... Can I join your squad in the new recruit group?"

Hao Chengbin was taken aback.

"The way I lead soldiers is different from other squad leaders; I'm quite strict."

Fang Huai almost laughed out loud.

Other squad leaders are not only strict, but they're damn stingy and beastly.

"I'm not afraid of hardships. I just want a strict squad leader!" At this moment, Fang Huai wished a train would pass through a tunnel, to broadcast the wolfish gleam in his eyes to Hao Chengbin.

"Ah... your squads are already assigned. You're probably not in the same company as I am. There are many companies within the new recruit group..."

"Heh, it's okay, Squad Leader, I get it. It's my bad for troubling you," Fang Huai replied quickly, then showed a simple and innocent smile typical of a rural kid.

Mixed with a few hints of disappointment.

Not hard to learn, skilled with hands-on sales - there are plenty of idiots smiling like that.

Hao Chengbin sighed.

"Well, if you end up in my company, I'll try."

"Great, Squad Leader, it's a deal!"

...

Back at his seat, the others had stopped playing cards and were discussing "Soldiers' Attack".

Some wanted to be Xu Sanduo, others thought Old A was really cool, High Cheng Gao Lian Chang, Squad Leader Shi, Wu Liuyi...

It seemed like everyone on this trip was here for a large-scale Cosplay.

In the following years, there were always new military-themed shows coming out yearly; "Colonel", "Special Forces" series, stirring blood and passion in many, the allowances given by parents losing their appeal, wanting to be heroes instead.

But once they joined, it was all "Story of the Cook Squad".

"Hey, 'Soldiers' Attack', who do you like?" The brother ready to treat him nudged his chin toward him.

Fang Huai, having completed his task, finally had some downtime and burped satisfyingly, feeling like something was missing. He waved two fingers in the air.

"Got a cigarette?"

That brother's eyebrows fluttered, giving off a sly vibe.

"Come on, up front."

Fang Huai straightened up and glanced at Hao Chengbin, who seemed to be resting, and whispered, "We'll smoke in the back."

The two made their way to the side of the rear carriage storefront, puffing on their smoke.

"Hey, you still haven't said, man, who do you like?"

"Me? 'Soldiers' Attack'... I like Li Meng."

"Li Meng?"

"Yeah, the guy from Grassland Fifth Squad." Having been systemically reformed, Fang Huai vividly remembered his previous life and, imitating Li Meng's style of one hand in the pocket and the other holding a cigarette, spoke with quite the air of a general.