Tian Bang's timing in laughing was somewhat inappropriate, drawing everyone's sidelong glances.
Perhaps it was hard to tell through the video conference interface, but this time he reflected on himself promptly and raised a hand. "Sorry, my thoughts suddenly went off on a tangent."
Black Lion gave him a sidelong look. This was quite obvious. "What tangent?"
"The tangent from crossroads."
Tian Bang looked as though he wanted to explain seriously, but the expression of someone still holding back laughter somewhat undermined his sincerity. He first glanced at Liu Jia beside him and gave a warning in advance. "Brother Liu, don't get mad after I say this."
"Oh." Liu Jia seemed a little distracted, perhaps still puzzled by the sudden Recruitment Order, and merely responded casually.
Only then did Tian Bang say, "When I saw Lieutenant General Joseph just now, I thought of a legend from our circle—I mean, the ones passed around in the military."
"A legend about Joseph?"
"A doggerel verse involving Lieutenant General Joseph."
Tian Bang laughed again as he spoke. Whether the others were interested or not, he swayed his head and began reciting:
"Smiling Joseph has a heart of ice, victorious in a hundred battles yet unable to eat or sleep in peace.
"Flying Bear off the island never touches ground; by the fire, all that matters is who has money."
After reciting it, Tian Bang spread his hands. "So, does this recruitment business pay? Is there money in it?"
It was hard to say how the Extraordinary Species reacted, but Yuan Wuwei, who was listening in, nearly laughed aloud as well.
He could testify that such a crooked little poem did indeed circulate among military circles. A few individual words might differ, but the general meaning remained the same.
The poem involved the military's