Chapter 474 - 380: Encounter with the Olympics

"Embrace the Olympics, promote civility, advocate a new spirit!"

"Faster, Higher, Stronger!"

Upon hearing the powerful slogans of volunteers on the roadside, Fang Huai felt a bit dazed.

Wasn’t that the first sentence many protagonists in transmigration novels heard when they woke up?

Why the heck did it take me more than half a year to hear it? Did I get off the transmigration bus too early?

The soldiers on the bus, however, were filled with emotion.

After finishing their aquatic training, they immediately rushed toward Tai’an, where Mount Tai is located, entering Shandong on July 20th.

They arrived in Tai’an at noon on July 22nd.

When they got here, they had set out from Chongqing, detoured through Sichuan, crossed Hubei and Henan, and finally arrived in Shandong.

They had spanned half of China.

And the Olympic torch, just like them, after walking and driving, had passed almost through the entire country, reaching Tai’an at 11:30 today, to meet them at the Tian Di Square at the foot of Mount Tai.

Learning all this, everyone felt that the hardships they had faced along the way were all worthwhile.

How fortunate they were to progress in the same manner as the sacred Olympic flame of China, and even to encounter it here.

Today’s Tai’an was fervent and impassioned.

Nearly everyone was by the 6-kilometer-long track nearby.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t drive near the track and didn’t want to disturb the residents by getting out of their vehicles, so they could only watch the grand scene from afar.

"Seven years, the Olympics we’ve been preparing for seven years, are finally about to start."

Wuya’s voice was a bit prolonged.

This Olympics represented 59 years of international status achieved by New China. China wanted to draw the attention of the entire world here, to show everyone that this great oriental nation was not what some countries deliberately portrayed it to be.

Beautiful, thriving, and flourishing.

Fang Huai also pondered for a while before suddenly laughing, "Not seven years, but fifteen years, it has been since ’93 when we bid for the millennial Olympics and lost by just two votes to Sydney. I had just started remembering things back then. On that day, Uncle Liu from upstairs smashed all his plates. Our building had poor soundproofing, and it scared me so much that I went looking for my mom at the grain storage. That memory is fresh in my mind; this is a breath China has been holding for a long time."

This Olympics had truly transformed China. In seven years, the infrastructure for the people’s livelihood had improved beyond compare, and the overall quality of the citizens had greatly increased.

Firefighting had to keep up with the pace of the times as well.

At this moment, Fang Huai’s thoughts were on the same wavelength as Mr. Hu’s, several kilometers away.

...

At the foot of Mount Tai, the red door.

Bustling with activity.

Yet everyone stood in line in a rather secluded corner.

When Captain Hu returned to the front of the line, it was as natural as if he had just stepped away to use the toilet.

It had been a long time since they saw Captain Hu clad in green camouflage, holding a briefcase, smiling, with a slightly flushed face.

Everyone could feel his excitement.

An event must be significant to excite such a soldier.

Hu Peizhou pointed toward Tian Di Square not too far away and said,

"You all saw it on your way here, didn’t you? The Olympic torch has met us!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

"We saw it!"

Hu Peizhou, hands behind his back, nodded and then pointed up the mountain.

"This is our last training location! This time, you’re in luck! No need for tents, you can stay up on the mountain!"

If there were any outsiders listening, they might laugh.

Stay on the mountain? It’s probably even worse than staying in tents!

But they all understood what it meant.

It meant they were going to seek lodging with their comrades’ families.

On their way there, they’d been discussing it: since 1996, there has been a fire brigade stationed on Mount Tai—the Mount Tai Squadron, rooted right here.

A fire brigade without a fire truck, responding to calls with nothing but their strong legs.

They had long wanted to visit it.

But what did he mean by the "last training location"?

Someone in the crowd couldn’t help but shout,

"Captain Hu, there are still over twenty days left! Why is this the last location already? Are we out of things to learn?"

Hu Peizhou laughed and pulled out a document bag from his briefcase and waved it:

"Because, at the end of this training in BJ, a daunting task awaits you! You need to train for over 10 days before you can take on this task!"

At these words, everybody’s pupils dilated, and the crowd below immediately erupted.

Some people, after hearing this and counting the days, had a rough idea of what it might be.

Fang Huai’s heart was pounding with excitement.

I knew it! What need was there to hide such a training plan?

The Olympics, man, the Olympics!

I always thought I’d miss out on being there in person since I was in the Southwest, but it seems that in this life, I’ve still managed to catch up!

What counts as a special project for a training camp on Mount Tai? The special project is in Captain Hu’s hands!

Trying to contain his excitement, Fang Huai asked, "Captain Hu! Is that in your hand part of the Olympic security plan?"

"Oh?" Hu Peizhou smiled, "You figured it out?... But, you overestimate us. It’s not the security plan for the Olympics, just part of our security plan."

At these words, everyone went wild.

"We’re going to the Olympic opening ceremony?"

"We can actually go?!"

"Captain Hu, I want to make a call home! My uncle and aunt love watching ping pong! If I meet Kong Linghui and Deng Yaping, can I ask them for autographs?"

Captain Hu’s face, however, stiffened, and he ordered:

"Keep it down! From now on, unless it’s an emergency, you can’t make phone calls! Even when you do, you can’t reveal where you are or what you’re doing!

We’re not sending you to watch the Opening of the Olympics. Inside the venues, aside from firefighting safety, nothing else concerns you!