Chapter 185: Smoking and Drinking Go Hand in Hand

Gao Yuan carried a big bag back to the rallying point, then he put the bag down on the ground, swaggering, and said, "Turn off the walkie-talkies!"

Shi Lei and a few others exchanged glances, then in a well-coordinated silence, they turned away and each quietly switched off a device on them.

Li Jingang tugged at Gao Yuan, whispering, "You dumb kid, what's the use of turning off the walkie-talkies, what you need to turn off is the battlefield monitoring system. Got anything good, show it quickly."

"Don't you turn them off first?"

"Turn what off, didn't you see everyone with battlefield monitoring systems moved over there? Hurry up and keep it down."

Gao Yuan opened the big bag and whispered, "Anyone want to smoke?"

"Yeah!"

Panxin leaned in, saying, "Knew you had cigarettes, let's have a few, haven't smoked in months, almost forgot what they taste like."

From a group of thirty-five, Gao Yuan slap-slap pulled out four cartons of cigarettes and whispered, "One pack each, extras go to the captain, figure out how to share them among yourselves."

His eyes lit up with a smile, Panxin took a carton of 'Heaven and Earth' and said, "Real good cigarettes here, come on, ever smoked something this fine before?"

Shi Lei faced toward Ji City, coughed heavily twice.

Panxin tore open a carton and tossed packs to the people around, then he opened a pack of cigarettes, scampered behind Shi Lei, placed two in his mouth, lighting them up, then pulled one out and placed it by Shi Lei's mouth who took it with his lips.

After a deep drag, Shi Lei looked up to the sky and exhaled the smoke, then he said loudly, "Quickly reorganize your gear, prepare to fall back."

At least half the commandos were smoking, each one seeming as desperate as a starving ghost reborn when meeting gourmet food.

Li Jingang was about to light a cigarette, but Panxin slapped his hand away, saying, "Don't waste it if you don't smoke, no wasting."

"Once done, we might not be allowed to smoke again. Are you even planning on taking it back with you?"

"Dumbass, we'll hide it outside, it's not like we're never coming back. Each mission we can carry some, enjoy a few puffs, how nice is that?"

It had been half a year since the supply dried up, and Gao Yuan managed to satisfy the cravings of these smokers by continuing to take out two bottles of alcohol, saying, "Anyone for a drink? Those who want, come here and have your fill."

Several men exchanged glances, all with a look of eagerness, but then Shi Lei coughed heavily again.

Panxin shook his head with a helpless expression, whispering low, "No drinking on missions, not even a little, forget it, the captain forbids it."

Two coughs were a signal to rush the cigarettes, but another two meant no drinking, Shi Lei's coughing code was quite hard to gauge.

Gao Yuan put the alcohol back, laughing, "Well, we'll just drink when we get back. I'll save a few bottles for you guys."

After putting the two bottles back in the bag, Panxin, looking disappointed, said, "Next time bring a bigger bag, this one's still too small, you can handle it anyway."

After that, Panxin approached Shi Lei from behind with the carton that had been opened and four or five packs taken out, pushing Shi Lei gently. Shi Lei reached behind to take the half-carton, squeezing it with his hand and showed a satisfied smile.

"All right, let's pull back."

Every time they returned, they needed to decontaminate. The cigarettes and alcohol were brought from outside, so of course, they needed decontamination. Thus, Gao Yuan was unsure how Panxin and the others planned to sneak the cigarettes into the base, maybe just as they said, hiding them outside, might be the way.

When entering the base, Gao Yuan took out his bag, and the person responsible for disinfection was a bit troubled.

"Disinfect it. Take out the external packaging of the alcohol, and the cigarettes... they can be brought in after disinfection, just be mindful of the disinfection method."

Without waiting for the soldier in full protective gear to ask for instructions, the officer on duty at the base entrance directly spoke up.

Disinfection was still necessary, yet the goods could be brought in. But as Gao Yuan, carrying the disinfected bag, was about to enter, he saw the officer who'd just spoken looking eagerly at him.

"Smoking or drinking?"

"This... isn't that inappropriate?"

"What's inappropriate about it? This is my personal property, right? Can I count it?"

After mulling it over for a while, the officer hesitantly said, "If this stuff isn't from the mission you've brought back, then I guess I can count it as personal property, right?"

"Counted as personal property, I'm thinking of giving you a little something, that's not against the rules, is it?"

"Hmm, ever since I came in here, I've almost forgotten what alcohol tastes like..."

Gao Yuan thrust the deodorized but still reeking of disinfectant alcohol bottle into the officer's hand, saying, "This time there's more wolves than meat, wait for the next time."

"Got it! Alright, thank you, thank you."

Gao Yuan hefted the big bag, got on the electric car that was already waiting for him, and headed straight for the Supreme Command.

Gao Yuan mainly stayed at Base No. 10. Xiang Weiguo lived there, as did Xinghe and Yu Shunzhou, while Luo Xingyu lived at Base No. 12.

Gao Yuan could head straight to Base No. 10 since he wasn't extracting any important personnel this time, so there was no need to report to Base One first.

Knowing where to go wasn't simple, it involved riding the high-speed train, which used electricity every time it ran. So, Gao Yuan's travel consumed a fair amount of resources.

Even if he wasn't reporting, he still had to stop by Base One first. When Gao Yuan got off the electric car, and before he got on the train, he saw General Luo already waiting for him.

"I heard..."

"Drinking or smoking?"

"Mm, I could use a pack of cigarettes... been out of smokes for half a year."

"Even at your rank, you can run out of supplies?"

"They just didn't stockpile any at the base, and for liquor, well..."

Seeing General Luo's somewhat embarrassed look, Gao Yuan took out a bottle of liquor and a pack of cigarettes, saying, "I really don't have more, but next time, I'll bring extra. Just let me know what you want, and I'll bring it especially for you."

General Luo, with a face lit up with joy, accepted the items and then whispered, "Hurry up and catch the train, or else, you won't have anything left to give to your father-in-law. Hurry up."

"How did you know?"

"Nonsense, I watched you enter the tobacco and liquor store from the drone. How could I not know? Hurry up, I've blocked the news for you, but once everyone starts looking into where you've been, you won't be left with anything."

So that was it. Gao Yuan hurried onto the train, and only after it had started moving did he let out a sigh of relief.

He had a dozen or so packs of cigarettes, and he had already given away five. As for liquor, there were only ten bottles because the packaging took up too much space and he couldn't carry a lot.

He had already given away three bottles of liquor, and now he had to think carefully about how to divide up the rest.

The train stopped at Base 10, and Gao Yuan quickly got off, carrying his bag, but no sooner had he gotten off the train than he came face to face with a general who was headed his way.

This was the commander of Base 10, and Gao Yuan had met him several times.

"Xiao Gao, I heard..."

Gao Yuan immediately smiled first, then whispered, "I was thinking of you, sir. Just a token this time, I'll bring more next time. Do you smoke or drink?"

"Cigarettes and liquor go hand in hand, don't they..."

A bottle of liquor and a pack of cigarettes presented, but upon peeking inside the bag, the general whispered, "Let's swap. I'm not fond of Zhonghua cigarettes; give me that Yuxi."

After exchanging a pack, the general beamed with delight and said, "Next time you get a chance to go out, see if you can find anything from General White for me, Xiao Gao. I feel bad this time, but if you ever need anything, just let me know, remember that, feel free to ask!"

"Sure, I'll thank you in advance. Should I head back now?"

"Yes, hurry, your guard is waiting for you. I won't walk you out, ha ha, I need to go and hide this stuff quickly."

Gao Yuan hurriedly rode the electric cart with Song Qian at the helm.

The moment he sat down in the electric cart, Gao Yuan took a breath and said, "Squad leader Song, tell me, do you smoke or drink?"

"I don't smoke or drink."

"Oh, that's good, isn't it?"

"It's the old chief who smokes."

"Which old chief?"

"General Xu."

"Say no more, he won't be forgotten. Let's go quickly, or nothing will be left when we get back."

Song Qian started the electric cart, and Gao Yuan headed straight to Xiang Weiguo's place. In a rush, he said, "Two packs of cigarettes, two bottles of liquor, that's all I have. I'll hook you up next time."

Xiang Weiguo happily accepted Gao Yuan's tribute and then chuckled, "Why the rush to leave? Is Xinghe looking for you?"

Gao Yuan carried his almost empty bag and left, saying, "I need to rush to Base No. 12. If I wait until after seeing Xinghe, everything will be gone. Right now, it's a pack of wolves fighting over the meat, and each wolf is bigger than the last. I really have to hurry or I'll have nothing left to give to my father-in-law."

"Alright, hurry along then."

Gao Yuan, carrying his stuff, hurriedly boarded the train without another word, heading directly for Base No. 12.

Now, Gao Yuan was probably the only one in the entire Supreme Command who could use the train freely.

It was at Base No. 12's platform that he got off the train, where the electric cart waiting to pick him up was already there. The soldier driving said, "Squad leader Gao, General Xu asked for you to come by, he's got something to tell you."

"I know, I know. I'll visit my... girlfriend first. It won't hold anything up."

Time was of the essence, it had to be seized.

The electric cart took Gao Yuan directly to Luo Guodong's door, where Luo Xingyu opened it. Before she and Gao Yuan could indulge in a moment of affection, Gao Yuan said urgently, "Here, take two bottles of liquor. Uncle, do you smoke?"

Luo Guodong shook his head, "I don't smoke, but..."

"Enough said, take these three packs to give away as gifts. Xiaoyu, here's some Coke. Lots of people asked, but I didn't give them any. However, I need to keep the last two bottles for later. I have to hurry."

Without entering, Gao Yuan took the bag and left immediately, and this time, the electric cart stopped right in front of Xu Manzhi's office.

Xu Manzhi was usually very busy, so it was rare for him to stay in his office, but this time, as soon as Gao Yuan called out to report, the door immediately opened from the inside.

It wasn't the guard who opened the door, but Xu Manzhi himself.

He looked at Gao Yuan, and then at Gao Yuan's bag, swallowing hard before whispering, "Xiao Gao, I called you because of this... come in and let's talk."

Gao Yuan entered the room, shut the door behind him, and handed over the bag, whispering, "Old chief, don't say I didn't think of you. I only gave one pack to the chief of Base 10, and look, I still have five packs here! And there's one last bottle of liquor left, enjoy it. I'll get you more when I can, and bring it to you."

Xu Manzhi's eyes reddened. He patted Gao Yuan heavily on the shoulder and said, "Good lad! I knew you had a heart. Wait, first I need to hide the cigarettes before they're stolen. Where should I hide them? I can't leave them in the office..."