Connections? I'll Straighten You Out

The train station.

The People's Liberation Army and Armed Police units were clearly separated.

The People's Liberation Army officers and recruitment NCOs had helped the recruits repack their rucksacks at the People's Armed Forces Department—blankets and bedding arranged in three horizontal rolls and two vertical ones, with two pairs of shoes pressed underneath. Their Camouflage Uniforms were also different from those of the Armed Police.

The Armed Police internal security recruits had also repacked their blankets and bedding.

Only two firefighters had come to recruit soldiers. The People's Armed Forces Department had taught them how to pack their rucksacks. Some had stuffed their mattresses into the packs, while others had not. Their Camouflage Bags were bulging, carried awkwardly in their hands, looking completely untidy.

While waiting to board, everyone seemed to notice the awkwardness. On this train from Chongqing to Guizhou, there were only around a dozen firefighters, standing in a separate line that looked noticeably ragged.

Guizhou Fire and Rescue had not recruited in Chongqing this year. Their main recruitment areas were Hunan, Hubei, and Guizhou itself.

So these dozen or so people were probably all connections.

Those who understood the situation put on a laid-back, carefree attitude. They thought they were going to become big shots, that it was cool and made them different. The more streetwise ones began quietly asking around about each other's connections.

Those who did not understand kept looking around. Their faces showed a little envy at the crisp military bearing of the other units, feeling that those were the real regular troops.

Fortunately, the officers and NCOs leading them noticed the problem. After discussing it, they came over and began quietly straightening out the formation.

"Align to the front!"

"My name is Liu Mangong! I'm the officer leading you. Behind me is Squad Leader Hao Chengbin!"

As Liu Mangong spoke, he gestured to the side.

"Number seven, move in a little. Those in the back, adjust yourselves!"

Liu Mangong called out from the front while Hao Chengbin helped straighten everyone's shoulder straps one by one in the rear, chatting quietly as he worked.

"You'd better listen carefully. This is Deputy Chief of Staff Liu from your New Recruit Regiment. We'll be together for the next three months. If anything comes up on the train, call me. Don't run around... My name is Hao Chengbin—Bin as in civil and martial. Just call me Brother Bin."

Fang Huai smiled when he heard that, remembering many things from before.

Hao Chengbin really was a rascal. He was already stirring up trouble again.

This guy really loved messing with connections.

If these recruits actually called him Brother Bin, they probably would not even get to enjoy the warmth of their first night in the New Recruit Regiment.

Most of the men sent to recruit soldiers were first-term NCOs, corporals. The squad leaders all had to call him Squad Leader Hao, and they were calling him Brother Bin?

Had they ever tasted the blazing passion of three-thirty in the morning?

"Brother Bin, do firefighters get issued guns?" A guy behind Fang Huai rolled his eyes and raised a hand.

"Yes. We get cannons—water cannons." Hao Chengbin found it rather amusing.

That guy was quite a rascal too, and immediately let out a mournful cry.

"Oh no, this enlistment was for nothing!"

Laughter erupted behind them.

Hao Chengbin stared at the recruit for a moment, then walked over with a smile and patted him.

"Don't worry. This enlistment definitely won't be for nothing!"

The laughter behind them stopped at once.

Once Hao Chengbin had gone to the front, the people in the back began mocking that guy.

"Brother, you're going to have a great time in the military! That's an old squad leader. He'll definitely straighten you out!"

The guy was still tough. "What am I afraid of? He's just trying to scare you! My younger uncle is also a deputy chief of staff in a detachment! A major! He said that captain was a deputy chief of staff in the regiment. I don't believe him!"

Those behind him who loved a spectacle immediately gave him a thumbs-up.

"Then ask him later. See whether he's in your uncle's detachment. Maybe he really will look after you!"

"No whispering in the back! Follow the last column on the right to board!"

The nearby units began moving.

Hao Chengbin stepped outside the formation. He became much more serious, and his voice rang out loud and clear.

"On my command, quick march, move!"

On the train, some played Fight the Landlord, some chatted, and those with cigarette cravings went to the smoking area for a few puffs and a chat, then started bragging about how good their respective units were.

"My squad leader said our equipment is the best. Your Armed Police gear is a little behind ours."

"We'll be guarding prisoners in the future too!"

The firefighters finally spoke, looking slightly cautious. "My brother told me that there are lots of people in the People's Liberation Army and internal security, so your meal allowances are lower. Our fire station only has a dozen or so people, and our meal allowance is the highest! No matter how good your equipment is, can you even carry it all? Good food is what really matters! And I heard we get an extra hazardous-duty allowance compared to you. My pay will be several hundred yuan higher than yours in the future!"

As soon as he said that, the People's Liberation Army and Armed Police internal security recruits all fell silent.

When joining the military, everyone talked about defending the country, and you wanted to talk to us about food and pay?

Damn it! Jealousy!

After a long while, someone finally forced out, "Your casualty rate is the highest. You earn it with your lives!"

Fang Huai sat by the window, quietly considering how he could get a mission and first see what rewards this system actually offered.

He had already wandered through the entire carriage once, but there had been no response at all. He had silently called for it countless times, yet the system had never appeared.

If this system had no way to make money, he would have to find a way to get assigned to Guiyang, the provincial capital, after joining a unit.

Guizhou was no longer a choice. If he made it to the provincial capital, there would surely be more opportunities.

His household registration had already been cancelled, so he definitely could not run a business himself. But he could bring his father over and guide him into starting one, then become a middle-aged second-generation rich kid... That would work too!

As Fang Huai drifted off, Hao Chengbin stood up in front of him.

"Any of you not bring money? We still have more than seven hours before we arrive, and there isn't much else on the train. I'll treat you to instant noodles!"

Hao Chengbin was only asking casually. After all, these Chongqing recruits were all connections, and their family circumstances should not be bad. There were no rural recruits among them. Both he and Liu Mangong knew that.

Someone immediately laughed.

"We all brought money! Squad Leader, I've got bread too—Qinyuan! Want some? I've also got Wangzai milk! If I can't finish it, it'll go to waste once we get there!"

"Don't worry. You'll have time to finish it when we arrive."

Hao Chengbin said this in as gentle a tone as he could manage, then prepared to go buy instant noodles.

Fang Huai had originally planned to mooch some food and drink off the other recruits. Everyone knew they would not get to eat such things after entering the military.

But a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"Squad Leader, I didn't bring any money! I didn't bring any food either!" Fang Huai raised his hand and called out loudly.

Hao Chengbin turned around, somewhat surprised.

The damn train was practically on its way to a bonfire party, and some people had even brought alcohol. Was there really someone who had brought nothing at all?

The person beside him nudged him with an elbow, pulled a bag out from under the seat, and generously said, "I've got plenty of food. Just eat mine."

Fang Huai looked troubled. "I still want something hot, Squad Leader. Can I go eat instant noodles with you?"

Hao Chengbin did not care. He earned over three thousand yuan a month, plus all kinds of allowances. He could certainly afford five-yuan bowls of instant noodles on the train.

He beckoned. "Come on, I'll treat you."

Fang Huai nodded, got up, and followed him, his mind racing.

The system's question for him this time was not simple.

Mission: Go beg for food—food that cannot be defined. (Find a way to get close to Hao Chengbin and enter his recruit squad.)

It was not impossible.

In his previous life, he had been a soldier in Seventh Company of the New Recruit Regiment, and Hao Chengbin had also been a squad leader in Seventh Company. He should have gone to Second Squad. He could not remember which squad Hao Chengbin had led, but Hao was a model squad leader. When the post-training evaluations were held after assignment to units, the squad he led had also been one of the model formation squads.

It was all about connections and social maneuvering.

Hao Chengbin was the most senior soldier there. He had trained recruits for several years in a row and was familiar with the base leadership. Getting one person reassigned would be no problem.

Besides, his squad really had been the best one back then.

If training went well, everyone got grilled fish and cigarettes.

The squad leader in the Second Squad he had gone to was incredibly stingy. He took out one milk candy and said he would give it to whoever trained the best.

Fang Huai clearly remembered that candy in the squad leader's left breast pocket. From December until the New Year, it had manipulated all ten of them into obedience.

There was meat in the New Recruit Regiment, but they could hardly ever eat candy, much less snacks. Before training ended each day, the recruits on meal-duty most wanted to see pumpkin soup. Whenever they did, they would secretly ladle two scoops beneath their own rice. That meal would feel unbelievably satisfying.

The feeling of going months without sugar—only those who had tried it understood.

"Will one bowl be enough? Take two if it isn't."

Hao Chengbin had reached the door of the rear carriage where things were sold and turned around to ask.

Fang Huai hurriedly replied, "One bowl is enough, Squad Leader."

Fang Huai held two bowls of freshly prepared Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles and carefully handed one to Hao Chengbin.

"Squad Leader, it's hot. Take it slow."

Hao Chengbin nodded, accepted it, stirred it a few times, blew on it, and lifted a forkful into his mouth.

"Slurp... Your family didn't bring you anything?"

Holding his bowl of noodles, Fang Huai felt as if he were in a job interview.

"Mm... The older generations in my family all served in the military. They said not to bring anything, that the military has everything."

Fang Huai casually spun a lie, inadvertently achieving a kind of unspoken understanding with his father.

Hao Chengbin's first thought was that this kid was showing off his connections.

He laughed. "The older generations in your family? Leaders in the military? Firefighters?"

"Oh, no. Just ordinary soldiers. My great-grandfather fought the Japanese, then died in the war. My dad was a soldier too. He spent several years in a reclamation corps before being discharged, then became a chef... He has a comrade in Fire and Rescue who asked someone to get me recruited."

Fang Huai was not entirely lying.

His great-grandfather's biological brother had fought the Japanese, but he had been a puppet soldier in Chiang's army and had been killed by the Japanese.

He did not mention his uncle at all.

He had done plenty of foolish things back then. When he entered the New Recruit Regiment and was asked to fill in his family connections, he wrote down not only his parents but also his uncle—his full name and official position. His thinking at the time had been: I'm not asking for special treatment. At least I won't get bullied, right?

What he got in return was ridicule from his squad leader and extra special attention during training. Every time the squad had an inspection, his bag was searched first, just in case he had hidden a phone to secretly report to his uncle.

Veteran soldiers were all afraid of leading recruits like that. Recruit training was already tough enough, and recruits with connections would seize every chance to exaggerate things when reporting home. If the higher-ups blamed them afterward, there would be no benefits—only trouble.

There were at least a hundred recruits like that out of every thousand each year. Whose family did not have someone in the military? Were they supposed to pamper all of them? What about everyone else?

The only solution was to straighten them out—straighten them out until they obeyed more than anyone else.

(Contract signed. I'll send it over in a couple days. Feel free to invest.)