This Person Sounds Familiar to Me

Over the next week, assistant squad leaders seemed to sprout up like mushrooms after a rain.

There were even instances where one squad had two or three rotating assistant squad leaders.

All the squads entered a period akin to the Taiping Rebellion, with kings everywhere – brief and glorious.

The New Recruit Regiment entered an era of "reciting regulations." Starting Monday, daily rest periods were spent not only tidying up beds but also memorizing regulations. The squad leaders' slogan was: "Grasp regulations with one hand, grasp beds with the other; both hands must be used, and both must be firm."

However, Ninth Squad's days were a bit rough.

To be precise, it was rather stifling.

Squad Leader Hao went out after taking a phone call on Tuesday and didn't return until quite late. Fang Huai, with his heightened senses, woke up and distinctly smelled alcohol.

After that, the squad leader's demeanor became somewhat somber, and he stopped joking during formation drills.

Although his attitude towards the new recruits didn't change, everyone wasn't foolish; they could tell the squad leader was in a bad mood and didn't dare to joke around.

Fang Huai felt something was off and casually asked Hao Chengbin if there was any reply from the Provincial Capital Special Services. Hao Chengbin's expression was a bit off, but he still said it should be fine.

It wasn't until yesterday afternoon that the System inexplicably triggered a task: teach the clerk Huang Yi how to use Excel software.

So, after dinner, Fang Huai walked back and forth by the entrance of the Ninth Squad's barracks, holding a regulations book, passing by the company office door multiple times.

Finally, Huang Yi, who was struggling with the computer, saw him and called him into the company office.

While Fang Huai was teaching him the skills, he intermittently overheard some conversations. However, the non-commissioned officers seemed to avoid him when they noticed Fang Huai was there. They were chatting when he entered the company office, but as soon as they saw him, they stopped talking.

Fang Huai decided to wait until there was no one else in the company office and then asked Huang Yi.

Huang Yi hesitated for a long time, then sighed and said.

"A couple of days ago, an officer from the Provincial City Detachment from First Company came to the company office to chat with Company Commander Wang. He said Squad Leader Hao seemed to have offended someone. It's already spread throughout the Provincial City Detachment; his transfer probably won't happen."

Fang Huai's suspicions were confirmed.

Hao Chengbin was in the New Recruit Regiment, and the person he could have offended could only be Jiang Peng's uncle.

He also wanted to ask if Squad Leader Pan was going to be transferred to the provincial capital.

But there was an information gap between everyone on this matter, and asking that question would only lead to baseless speculation and certainly offend someone.

Hao Chengbin hadn't mentioned it to him after returning that day, and he was sensible enough not to ask. The people who probably knew the entire situation best were the few who went to the Chief of Staff's office that day.

No, the person who knew the most in the entire company was probably this new recruit, Jiang Peng.

When leaving the company office that evening, Fang Huai left Huang Yi a shortcut key usage chart. His task of teaching Huang Yi was complete.

But Fang Huai immediately received another task.

[Use your abilities to resolve Hao Chengbin's predicament.]

Fang Huai accepted without hesitation.

Squad Leader Hao had been so good to him, and this whole thing was ultimately because of him. If he's in trouble, shouldn't I really step up?

So, after lunch today, Fang Huai hesitated for a long time before wandering over to the Eighth Squad's entrance.

When he saw Jiang Peng, he was laughing and chatting with another new recruit from Eighth Squad as they walked towards their barracks, holding a regulations book.

"Jiang Peng, I need to ask you something," Fang Huai said, blocking his path.

Jiang Peng gave a dry laugh. "What else do you want to say? I'm not even mentioning the transfer anymore, and you still want to cause trouble for me?"

Fang Huai blinked.

Then his mind raced, and he smiled, probing, "You know Han Yong's background, right? You can't deal with him, so what new scheme are you cooking up?"

Jiang Peng clenched his teeth, then remembered his uncle's instructions and let out a laugh of suppressed rage.

"Yes, yes, yes. Director Luo's connections, amazing. I'm just a nobody, what could I possibly do?"

Fang Huai's pupils dilated in shock.

Damn, Director Han is quite low-key!

He knew very well who Director Luo was – the next Corps Commander!

With such connections, how could Deputy Director Liu dare to stir up trouble?

No.

He was only targeting Hao Chengbin. As a NCO leading soldiers, once he left the New Recruit Regiment, he would have nothing to do with Han Yong.

Thinking of this, Fang Huai issued another threat.

"Your uncle has quite a lot of nerve, daring to mess with him like this. Just you wait, I'll teach Han Yong how to properly express his grievances to Director Luo."

He turned to leave.

"Damn it, what do you mean by that!" Jiang Peng panicked and rushed to grab Fang Huai.

His uncle's words that day were very clear, especially regarding Han Yong; they couldn't afford to provoke him further.

Fang Huai walked unhurriedly towards the end of the corridor. When he reached a deserted spot, Fang Huai turned back and said sternly.

"When you went to the Chief of Staff's office that day, what did Squad Leader Hao say about you?"

Jiang Peng didn't understand the connection to Han Yong at first, but his concern made him anxious, so he answered truthfully.

"What can they say? That they won't let me switch shifts! They say Han Yong performed well! My uncle didn't say anything either! Are we wrong?"

"Where's Squad Leader Pan?"

Jiang Peng immediately became wary. "He's not messing with me anymore! Normal training! Even this isn't allowed? Do they have to make him torment me so you guys can vent your anger?"

The once arrogant "connection" kid saying such wronged words suggested he had received quite a bit of education that day.

Fang Huai gradually pieced together the situation.

If Old Pan was going to the provincial capital, then this was a quid pro quo deal: you take care of my nephew, and I'll take care of you. If he wasn't going, then it was purely revenge.

It would be too easy for them to retaliate.

They wouldn't even need to go to the command post to interfere with troop movements. Just a word out there about how Hao Chengbin was so clueless, and the Special Services would naturally think twice about whether it was worth transferring Hao Chengbin, and if it would offend a leader.

The command post managed troops and training, while the political department handled cadre review and ideology. For grassroots officers to get promoted, the paperwork had to go through them.

The squadron cadres definitely wouldn't want to curry favor with leaders by helping to torment Hao Chengbin; doing so would make the squadron's non-commissioned officers dissatisfied. But with so many considerations, they might look for a suitable reason to prevent the troop transfer from above.

However, to obstruct Hao Chengbin while simultaneously transferring Pan Zhaohui would require him to personally step forward and request the command post's involvement, which was much more difficult. Moreover, doing so would be openly opposing the leader who initiated Hao Chengbin's transfer.

This was the principle behind "it's easy to ruin things, but hard to make them happen."

These things seemed convoluted and complex, but compared to the true calculations of those in local units, they were just a drop in the bucket.

If this was a problem with the squadron, he could handle it. If it was with the command post, it would already be a procedural issue. With his "own abilities" completed, this task was more or less set up by his uncle.

So it definitely had to be just a squadron issue.

The Second Special Services Squadron, which was supposed to receive him, didn't want to offend Deputy Director Liu, so they found a reason to block Hao Chengbin's transfer.

Fang Huai understood these key points and, with a smile, left Jiang Peng with a question that would make him ponder until the next shift.

"Alright, I won't say any more. You have serious ideological problems, which might implicate your uncle. Be careful yourself."

Fang Huai walked away with his hands behind his back, looking unhurried, leaving Jiang Peng in a state of existential explosion.

After relieving himself, he returned to the squad and ran into Hao Chengbin, who was also coming back.

"Where did you go?" Hao Chengbin asked casually.

"Reporting, Eighth Squad," Fang Huai replied without thinking.

Hao Chengbin's brows immediately furrowed.

"Why did you go to the Eighth Squad..."

Then he felt something was off and got up to walk towards the door.

"Come out with me."

Fang Huai followed him outside.

Hao Chengbin looked around, saw no one, and whispered, "Did you overhear something?"

Fang Huai nodded and spoke directly, "Squad Leader, this is all my fault. I caused your transfer to have problems, so I wanted to help you figure something out."

"Why is it your fault? That's someone with a crooked mind!"

Hao Chengbin said unhappily, "Don't put your energy into the wrong places! It's just that the Special Services transfer is temporarily delayed! The squadron wants to participate in a national competition and needs to use this vacant NCO spot to temporarily borrow a young NCO to participate in the 8-person drill competition!

The squad leader is old and can't win any awards! It's time for him to make way!

It's only a few months, right?

When they come back, I'll go over there. Don't worry about your situation; I've already talked to them. They'll ask for you!

The Second Special Services Squadron is fully staffed with 30 people, and there should be 5 new recruit slots. You need to give me your best! When I get there, you must be the most outstanding new recruit, understand?"

Fang Huai's face was scrunched up.

"Squad Leader... The national competition isn't until next September, right? By the time it's over and you transfer over, I'll almost be a senior private. What kind of new recruit would I be then?

And the reason the Special Services cadre came up with is pretty flimsy. You actually believe that?"

Seeing Fang Huai looking at him like he was an idiot, Hao Chengbin was stunned.

I'm trying to appease you! What's with that look? Do you think I'm naive?

Hao Chengbin gritted his teeth and sighed. "Don't worry! The leader personally said this during the detachment competition last year! They can't stop it! I just don't want to fall out with them now. If they still don't transfer me next year, I'll go find the leader!"

Fang Huai felt a pang of sympathy listening to him.

It was precisely because of simpletons like Hao Chengbin that society's ecosystem remained so stable.

"No... Squad Leader, do you know where this damn lead— this leader's house is? How can you be sure that after a year of not thinking of you, he'll recognize who you are next year?"

"He will." Hao Chengbin waved his hand impatiently.

"This is a high-ranking leader! To tell you the truth, he's a veteran regimental commander, and he used to be the director of the base! His next step might be a top leader in the detachment! His word definitely counts!"

Fang Huai was taken aback. This person... sounded familiar.

"Squad Leader, his last name isn't Zhang, is it?"

Hao Chengbin was shocked. "You know him?"

"Ahem." Fang Huai choked on his saliva.

"No, I don't know him."

This Squad Leader Hao is really quite unlucky!

My uncle, in September... didn't he just die? Where would he even go to reason with anyone about this?

No, no.

If it weren't for me, Squad Leader Hao wouldn't have hit Jiang Peng, and this wouldn't have happened.

That's not right either.

Given Jiang Peng's temper, he might have gotten beaten up over something else even without me...

Does that mean Hao Chengbin... was this unlucky in his previous life too?

No wonder the System arranged for me to be in this squad. This is like meeting a kindred spirit!

No, a kindred spirit in misfortune!

Is this payback for my uncle?

"Ahem, ahem, Squad Leader, weren't there four new recruit slots? How about you... report Han Yong to the Second Special Services Squadron too?"