Chapter 500 - 401

It was late in the evening.

"Hello, this one is called Beibei... If you are buying for your daughter, you might consider this Nini, oh, she likes giant pandas, right? Then there’s Jingjing..."

The era of beverages, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and mineral water had passed.

On the train from Chongqing to Guiyang, the stewardess-cum-salesperson had become several young ladies, and now the main money-maker on the train was the plush dolls and keychains of the five Fuwa mascots.

Guiyang, we’re almost there.

"Twist."

"Leader Hao said, is everything okay with the folks back home?"

"Me? I’ve already arrived... at Guiyang train station, could you please send someone from the Guiyang Squadron to pick me up!"

Fang Huai sat on the train, clad in a security uniform and did not mind being an obvious target.

The light-hearted tone also reflected the comfort of heading home.

The cozy nest of the Squadron was getting closer and closer.

But the voice that reached his ears made him pause for a moment.

"Hmm... wait, let me ask for a moment! I’ll call you back in two minutes!"

The call ended.

Fang Huai was a bit puzzled.

Damn it, needing to report just to use the car? Report your ass!

Two minutes passed, and the call did not come back.

The stewardess came over.

"Those going to Guiyang, prepare to get off at the front!... Sir, the Olympic Fuwas, officially licensed, wanna buy one?"

The female attendant saw Fang Huai holding a Nokia phone and asked him.

Fang Huai chuckled, stood up, and pulled out a medal from his pocket that he had been playing with on the road, handed it over to her, and shook it.

"Where did you get your authorization from? Mine is authorized by the Olympic Organizing Committee, do you want it? Two thousand, there’s room for negotiation."

The female attendant smiled awkwardly and walked away.

Fang Huai got off the train feeling cheerful.

He had reached the entrance of the train station before the text message finally arrived.

Squad Leader: Come back on your own, the car is not allowed tonight.

Fang Huai saw the message, his tongue made a round in his mouth, he thought for a moment, laughed, and said to himself:

"Huang Zhongjiu... almost forgot about him."

He hailed a taxi.

...

"Yeah, yeah, the entire trip went like this, and there were some pretty fun things, I’ll tell you all about it when I have time."

"What girl? Only the Olympic Games have women, we were receiving families of foreign leaders, those princes and princesses and the like, so ugly, you’re the real princess."

"What’s with the secrecy? Just some small concentration training, and he says it’s confidential? Keep it from others, not from you."

"No big deal, fit as a fiddle. Plus, I’ve got some good news."

"Hey, aren’t you on vacation? Whenever you, the fairy, descend to Guiyang, I’ll tell you in person."

"Mmm, can’t chat now, I’ve arrived."

Fang Huai gave a bunch of instructions to little Qingqing, watching the taxi meter jump to 55.

He hung up the phone.

Fang Huai spoke with a Guiyang accent: "Hey, mister, this price seems a bit off, no? 55 yuan from the train station?"

The taxi driver, hearing his sudden change in accent, sat up straight, turned to look at him, and then stubbornly replied:

"Bro, the starting price is ten yuan."

"I know the starting price is ten yuan, but at the red light just now, didn’t your meter jump three times? What’s up with that?"

The taxi driver looked helpless:

"Fifty, fifty! That okay? I’ll round down!"

Fang Huai smiled and handed him thirty yuan.

"I’m in a good mood today, you should get twenty-five for the distance, here’s an extra five. If you argue, I’m going to file a complaint with traffic management."

The driver accepted the money somewhat speechlessly.

"Bro, you from around here? Should’ve said something earlier then. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have bothered picking you up!"

Fang Huai’s smile was forced as he opened the car door.

I’m a local wherever I go.

He walked on.

He saw Squad Leader Liu Jianfeng in the guard room next to the Squadron gate, with one hand exaggeratedly placed on the table, shielding his head with a sharp gaze focused on the cell phone under the table.

It was unclear if they ever considered the outside view, always damn thinking no one could see them.

From the outside, the reflection of the phone in that side window was crystal clear, and Fang Huai could even make out the QQ interface. Even without seeing the specifics, combined with that goofy smile, anyone would figure out that there was something going on under Liu’s table.

To fool the Squadron Leader but not outsiders, seems to be the motto.

Today, he had to let him know the fierceness of society.

Fang Huai quietly slipped in from the sliding door by the wall, making a slight noise that didn’t disturb the deeply focused and smiling Squad Leader Liu at all.

He gently opened a window, and as Liu Jianfeng looked up at that moment, Fang Huai picked up the police baton from the table inside and, meeting his startled gaze, casually held it to his head.

Then, with a ferocious look, he said:

"Where are your cadres? Speak, or I’ll kill you!"

"Damn... what are you doing? When did you come back? Why are you wearing that uniform? Did you switch to security?"

Upon recognizing Fang Huai, Liu Jianfeng patted his chest, seemingly relieved.

But Fang Huai did not respond; he continued, "Speak up! I’m a thug! Don’t tell me, and I’ll report your phone use during guard duty to your Instructor!"

Liu Jianfeng actually laughed.

"So, a thug, is that it?"

"Yeah!" Fang Huai shouted. "Haven’t you heard about what happened in Kashgar? And you still dare to play?"

"Alright, alright," Liu Jianfeng said, nodding his head and was about to speak.

"Whirrr..." A harsh alarm bell rang out.

"Damn," this time it was Fang Huai who was shocked. "Where did you hit the alarm?!"

Liu Jianfeng grinned and pointed to the floor: "Our Squadron has installed a switch under the floor, up to bank standards."

Fang Huai felt his mouth twitch and admitted defeat.

But he was reassured.

At least during this critical phase, the brothers weren’t completely unprepared.

At that moment, the quiet building also became noisy.

"What’s the alarm?"

"What alarm?"

"There wasn’t any dispatch!"

Squad Leader Liu finally tucked his cell phone into his pocket and slid down the side window to shout:

"Demon King Fang is back!"

Upstairs, Old Cao’s voice immediately echoed, "Damn, you scared the shit out of me! Fang Huai, get up here quick!"

"Coming!" Fang Huai bellowed in reply.

Only then did Liu Jianfeng turn around and remind Fang Huai:

"A deputy instructor came last month, don’t you joke with him—acts like a fucking idiot."

Fang Huai was a bit puzzled and was about to ask.

"Fang Huai! Fang Huai!"

Fat Han... no, Skinny Han, holding a big broom, charged out from the side courtyard, teary-eyed as he ran over.

Fang Huai’s eyes went wide as he stepped forward and patted his thin face.

"Damn, bro, haven’t you eaten while I was gone? Where’s your pork belly and pork belly rind? How come now there’s only tenderloin and spare ribs left?"

General Han immediately started bawling, "If you didn’t come back, you’d never see me again! I’m about to be transferred!"

Fang Huai guessed what was going on and asked, "What happened? Did the deputy instructor mess with you?"

Han Yong looked shocked, "How did you know?"

His face then turned distraught again as he wailed, "I thought all the beatings in my life were over in the new recruit group, but I didn’t expect there to be more, more—wah!"

Fang Huai’s expression grew heavier as he said:

"How were you beaten? Did you tell General Luo?"

Han Yong immediately gritted his teeth, "Tell him? Of course! He doesn’t allow us to use our phones now! I don’t remember Uncle Luo’s phone number! By the time I got to my phone, I called right away!"

Fang Huai’s face relaxed a little, "When do you get your phone?"

"Next year!" Han Yong said indignantly.

"Pfft."

Fang Huai couldn’t hold back and laughed.

He quickly raised his hand, covering the laughter on his face with his palm.

"So... haha... you’re planning to transfer out next year, huh?"

"I’m telling you! I definitely can’t wait until next year! The day can’t take it anymore, I’ll go to the kitchen, grab a knife, and in the middle of the night, I’ll—"

While saying this indignantly, Han Yong even mimed the action of slaughtering a chicken with his hand.

"Hey," Fang Huai interrupted, tilting his chin upwards towards the building.

"Is it him? He’s watching you from up there."

Han Yong suddenly turned around and saw a person standing by the second floor’s Squadron Department window, staring at them.

The window was half open, not far from them. Speak louder and upstairs could hear everything.

General Han instantly cowered.

Bending down, wielding the broom, he swept towards the other side, and the further he swept, the further away he got.

Fang Huai laughed, watching him and asked, "Not gonna do it anymore?"

Han Yong stood up straight, looking desolate, but he didn’t turn back. Only his distant voice came through,

"During the Olympics... it’s not a good look, I’ll wait."

Fang Huai, holding back his laughter, let Liu Jianfeng open the door, picking up the two shabby camouflage bags outside and heading upstairs.

Passing by the guard post, Liu Jianfeng stopped him again, saying:

"The little fatty took the most beatings; a few new recruits all got it. Not just them, even Platoon Leader Hao came back late from leave, and during the late check assembly, he was forced to recite a pledge."

Fang Huai’s expression paused for a moment, after a while, he clenched his teeth on the side of his face but didn’t say anything, and replied:

"I got it."

Having said that, he walked upstairs.

It was then that Liu Jianfeng sat down, sighing deeply:

"f*ck... finally back."

...

You’re going to be an officer.

It’s time for public announcement.

Don’t be impulsive.

Fang Huai kept restraining himself as he went straight through the Special Duty Squad, Squad Three, Two, Squad One, until he reached the front of the Squadron Department.

The entire corridor was eerily quiet, with only the "News Broadcast" audible.

Reaching the door of the Squadron Department, Hao Chengbin appeared halfway down the corridor, waving him over.

Fang Huai, however, put down the camouflage bag beside the corridor, waved his hand, indicating they’d talk later.

Then, he knocked on the door.

"Knock knock."

"Reporting!"

Fang Huai called out and then stood up straight.

"Come in!" came Old Cao’s voice.

As the door opened, two cadres were sitting on the sofa inside.

Old Ye came out from the inner room, wearing a spring and autumn uniform shirt, with a surprised face, he said:

"Wow, damn, our Demon King Fang is back! How did you turn into a puppet soldier?"

Fang Huai saluted, "Instructor, Captain, Leadership, good evening!"

This new instructor was clearly the type to make a big deal out of small issues.

This rule of watching the "News Broadcast" punctually at 7 o’clock, although written in the daily life routine, was laughable, as no squadron in the entire province had ever observed it.

What a joke, for a first-tier squadron, from 7 to 9 pm was the legitimate time for evening training. Waiting to assemble after the "News Broadcast," it would be nearly 7:40 pm, and by 9 pm it was time for a check on vehicles and equipment. An hour or so of training was just a stretch.

As for second-tier and third-tier, they wouldn’t be so strict. They had their own things to do and could be called to dispatch at any time.

Since they wanted to be strict, there was no need to provide them with mistakes to criticize.

As far as role models go, I outdo your three with plenty to spare.

Cao Yi saw that Fang Huai quickly grasped the situation and smiled, patting the sofa, he said:

"Come, sit."

Ye Jiahong, who seemed like he wanted to carry freedom to the end, not only didn’t wear a uniform, he came over and tugged on Fang Huai’s clothes, with a somewhat unserious tone, he said:

"Yo! Damn, you’ve even got firefighting badges on your chest and sleeve! Is this from the training class?"

Fang Huai grinned and replied, "Olympics, firefighting security uniform!"

After that, he took out a commemorative badge from his bag and handed it to Ye Jiahong.

"Lend you to play with!"

This caught even Cao Yi by surprise, and he stood up to look.

"Damn, you guys in the training class... went to the Olympic Games?"

Fang Huai curled the corner of his mouth and pointed upwards with his finger, "Last night, the big leader was right in my spot."

"Damn!"

"Damn! Has your Fang family’s ancestors shown their glory?!"