Chapter 68 Collective Life

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Building a team is not that simple, even a seemingly casual group of volunteers is not easy to form.

Once the initial team formation was complete, the newly assembled crowd was dismissed to collect their personal belongings, such as a change of clothes, personal possessions, or some treasured food they had saved up until now.

Gao Yuan also went to collect his things, and when he left with his belongings, Luo Xingyu surely found it hard to let go, and she certainly had some complaints.

Luo Xingyu was not as prone to tears anymore, but at that moment, she still ended up crying.

"Uncle Xiang is really something; he knows I have to hug you to sleep, yet he still wants you to stay in the communal dormitory. What if you're not used to the food, you... I don't want you to go."

Gao Yuan did not receive any preferential treatment, but Luo Xingyu had the highest level of privilege; she had a private dormitory with a bed, a desk, and even a heater!

Why was this considered the highest level of treatment? Because in the entire shelter, only four people had private dormitories: the regimental commander, the political commissar, Xiang Weiguo, and then Luo Xingyu.

Gao Yuan patted Luo Xingyu's back and whispered, "Why cry? It's not like we won't see each other again. I'll take some basic things with me, and leave the rest with you. I have to go now; I was only given half an hour, and I can't be late."

Luo Xingyu, sobbing, let go of Gao Yuan, and then whispered, "Can we go home when Yu Shunzhou gets better? Please take all your clothes and food, put everything in the bag so you can eat if you're hungry."

No matter when or where, Gao Yuan would never leave his BOB backpack behind, nor would he swap out its contents.

"Alright, alright, you don't have to worry about it. I'll still carry my own pack, and you should do the same. Don't just discard this PSK and BOB; if it's inconvenient to carry the knife on you, put it in the bag, and never let the bag out of your sight, understand?"

"I know, you've said it so many times. But you should take more food with you."

Gao Yuan hugged Luo Xingyu and kissed her on the forehead, saying, "That's enough, don't worry. I have to go now; I'll come see you when I have the time."

Gao Yuan hurriedly left because he truly didn't have much time left.

He ran back to the barracks that had just been assigned to them and entered his communal dormitory.

It was still a room for ten people, with ten beds arranged along two sides of the temporary building, one group on each side. Thankfully, there was a gap between the beds; even though the gap wasn't big, at least it wasn't a large bunk room.

When Gao Yuan entered the room, the nine men already inside all turned to look at him.

Zhang Zhe was sitting on the bed furthest out, with the others scattered around next to him. They appeared to be listening to Zhang Zhe speak.

"You're back, your name's Gao Yuan, right?"

Zhang Zhe remained seated on the bed as Gao Yuan nodded and said, "That's me."

"A yes is enough, there's only one bunk left, put your things on it."

Gao Yuan looked around, and indeed the only bunk left in the entire room was the one closest to Zhang Zhe, the second bed upon entering.

Three people were sitting on the bare plank bed. Gao Yuan kept quiet and placed his bag at the side of the bed.

"Got a cigarette?"

Gao Yuan was taken aback because Zhang Zhe's first question was quite unexpected.

"You got instant noodles?"

Gao Yuan was still stunned, not knowing how to respond.

Zhang Zhe sighed and asked, "Any alcohol?"

After thinking for a moment, Gao Yuan said, "Are you asking me for stuff?"

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Zhang Zhe sighed and turned his face towards the others while pointing at Gao Yuan, "This guy just doesn't get it. From now on, we're going to be living under the same roof. Shouldn't we share the good stuff?"

Gao Yuan thought about it. He was a bit angry, firstly because he would never let anyone extort him, and secondly, he didn't like being morally kidnapped.

Zhang Zhe had a point, they were going to live under one roof, and it was indeed right to share good things.

But not to be shared under these circumstances.

Gao Yuan had a big reputation, a very big one, but for now, it was limited to among the soldiers. As for the survivors, not many knew his name.

Otherwise, how would Zhang Zhe dare to pull this move on him as soon as they met?

But Gao Yuan didn't lie; he didn't say he didn't have those things. After thinking it over, he said at last, "There's no alcohol, and no instant noodles, but I do have cigarettes."

At the mention of cigarettes, Zhang Zhe's eyes lit up. He immediately shouted, "If you have cigarettes, take them out!"

Gao Yuan indeed had two packs of cigarettes with him, not for smoking himself but stored in his bob backpack, ready to be used as currency when necessary.

You should know that in the eyes of many smokers, cigarettes are more important than anything else. Used in the right place, a pack of cigarettes can accomplish a lot of things.

Gao Yuan opened his bag, took out a pack of cigarettes, and under everyone's watchful eyes, he unwrapped them, pulling out the cigarettes one by one.

The first cigarette he handed to Zhang Zhe, but Gao Yuan didn't hand over the entire pack to him. Instead, he distributed the cigarettes individually.

A total of four people took cigarettes; they were smokers. Then Zhang Zhe couldn't wait any longer, "Fire! Fire, who's got a light?"

Gao Yuan passed over a lighter. Zhang Zhe took it, and he didn't light his own first, but lit the cigarettes for the other three smokers before finally lighting his own.

Taking a long drag, Zhang Zhe closed his eyes, his face a picture of bliss as he said, "This is so damn good, so damn satisfying!"

Zhang Zhe casually slipped the lighter into his pocket. Then, when he opened his eyes, he looked again at the pack of cigarettes in Gao Yuan's hand.

Gao Yuan didn't give away the cigarettes. He reached out his hand and said to Zhang Zhe, "Give me back my lighter."

Zhang Zhe immediately took out the lighter and sheepishly handed it back to Gao Yuan, then asked, "You don't smoke?"

"Not now."

Having said that, Gao Yuan put the cigarettes and the lighter into his pocket.

"What were you all talking about just now? Continue, please."

Zhang Zhe took another deep drag and said, "I was talking about my background. You see, I used to be a heavy machine gunner. I've been discharged for four years now and am in the reserves, so I don't need to train in military skills. Later, I'll have to teach you well. If our squad competes, we have to be number one. Don't you think, Sun Wang?"

Sun Wang was the leader of the second group and also the deputy team leader. He looked a bit older than Zhang Zhe, around thirty, whereas Zhang Zhe looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

Zhang Zhe was the lively and talkative type, with a tall figure, over one meter eighty in height, broad shoulders, and a certain roguishness in his speech and posture, which Gao Yuan didn't like, not one bit.

But Sun Wang was different. He seemed very steady. Although he was a bit shorter and didn't appear as sturdy, he gave off a very reliable vibe.

Plus, the way Zhang Zhe had just demanded cigarettes and alcohol made Gao Yuan dislike him even more. So he felt regretful, wondering why Sun Wang wasn't the leader instead.

Sun Wang had no intention of contradicting Zhang Zhe; he nodded and said, "Right, if we are to compete, we definitely have to be first."

Gao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. This first day of living collectively gave him a bad feeling; it wasn't the kind of collective life he wanted.