After Being Reborn, I became a firefighter again?

On the way out of the city, the soldiers of the Special Duty Team were stopped by reporters who had rushed over and gave interviews.

Naturally, Fang Huai was the one interviewed.

Fang Huai described to the reporters the scene where the baby was protected by his mother, and as for how the child survived, Fang Huai said, "I’m not very clear about the specifics. There was a water source, but more importantly, there was motherly love. That mother did not let her body collapse and crush the child even in her dying moments."

When asked about the time the baby was rescued, Fang Huai replied without hesitation:

"2:29 p.m."

In fact, the moment he had held the child, he had checked the time, it was 2:26 p.m.

But the whole nation needed those three minutes.

It signified that on the ninth day of the earthquake, there were still survivors.

A full 192 hours under the rubble, and still, there were miracles.

Because of this child, the effective rescue window for natural disasters might be extended by a day, or two.

Hope, too, would linger longer.

Once the reporters got this time, they immediately contacted their respective stations at top speed to release the news.

They could imagine this time to bolster the image of the disaster-stricken people, inspiring joy and encouragement among the entire nation.

...

Afternoon, 3:20 p.m.

Outside the city.

A bus designated to transport the firefighting soldiers had been parked by the side of the road for a long while.

Fang Huai stood outside the bus, while two captains from the Explosion Assault Team saw him off.

Upon hearing that the earthquake resistance heroes he was picking up had just rescued a baby, the bus driver was overjoyed and insisted, "Chat for a while longer, chat for a while longer, we’re not in a hurry," as he distributed cigarettes to the firefighters.

"Are you leaving?" Major General Jin shook Fang Huai’s hand.

"Yes, Major General Jin, thank you for your support during this time." Fang Huai sincerely said.

"I should be thanking you," Major General Jin looked at Fang Huai with much admiration in his eyes:

"You’re leaving, yet you brought such a great miracle to this rescue mission. You really are a miracle guy. Next time you come to Chengdu, you must visit me!"

Fang Huai replied with a smile:

"This child was already a miracle. I simply discovered one.

Major General Jin, you tell me to visit you next time, but you didn’t offer me a position in your corps. How would I find you?"

Major General Jin laughed heartily: "Call me! Call me! I’ll send someone to pick you up!"

Brigade Captain Chen couldn’t help but laugh, saying:

"That’s not because their unit’s address is confidential. It’s just that Major General Jin might be becoming Division Commander Jin, and he probably has no idea where he’ll be next!

Kid, stick close to this big tree! Who knows, in a few years, you might be wearing a Wheat ear!"

Major General Jin’s expression fell: "Nonsense!"

Fang Huai couldn’t help but tease with a chuckle, "If you become a commander, remember to transfer me to the People’s Liberation Army. I could drive for you or something."

Major General Jin got excited at the idea:

"I have a spot right now. Just let me write a report to the military district, and you could transfer over. Do you want it?

As a People’s Armed Police soldier who performed excellently in joint operations, we do have slots for absorbing soldiers, transferring from the police to the military!

Your Firefighting unit is also part of the People’s Armed Police forces, so it’s not a big issue! Once you’re here, I’ll have someone train you to shoot. With your physical ability, you’d be just as sharp a soldier!"

Fang Huai waved his hands repeatedly.

Not going, not going, I’m afraid, I’m afraid.

"I’ve heard from your soldiers, your station is even more remote than Beichuan. Asking for a four-hour leave to go to the city, the round trip alone takes three hours!

A man does not avoid a long journey, just as a tiger does not leave its mountain. Firefighting suits me better; I’m more used to living in the city."

"In firefighting..." Major General Jin pondered for a moment, considering the critical role of the firefighters in this rescue, his expression softened, and he nodded, patting Fang Huai’s arm:

"...that’s good too. Work hard. The nation needs you, and the people need you even more."

Fang Huai stood at attention, took a step back, and saluted:

"I will not fail the mission!"

Major General Jin returned the salute, then laughed heartily:

"You just mentioned ’A man does not avoid a long journey, and a tiger does not leave its mountain.’ I’ll also give you a line from ’Inspirational Poems,’ ’Mountains do not yield to dust, rivers do not refuse to fill.’

Every greatness is built from one small deed after the other!

Step by step, keep walking steadfastly! I look forward to the day when you achieve new outstanding results in firefighting. I have high hopes for you!"

Brigade Captain Chen also patted Fang Huai’s shoulder, saying, "Keep it up, Little Fang!"

Fang Huai chuckled: "This really shows cultural depth. Big leaders give you two lines, and the brigade captain can only cheer on!"

"Hahaha..."

"Wait until I get back; I have to learn a few lines from him!"

...

On the road.

Fang Huai once again became the hot topic of conversation among everyone.

"Fang Huai, I heard you might be awarded First Class Merit!"

"Does that mean you’ll become a cadre when you get back? Really becoming Commander Fang, huh!"

"As if he’d care about being a small-time Firefighting cadre now! Haven’t you heard what Major General Jin said? They want to take him to the People’s Liberation Army! Captain? Without a secretary position, could they even keep him?"

Members of the two squadrons were laughing, while Wen Jingsong, the "promotion candidate," was staring out the window, lost in thought.

Maybe he too recognized that the gap between him and Fang Huai was growing ever larger.

Bitterness was a given, but even more so, a sense of powerlessness.

Fang Huai was back in the squadron’s ambiance, feeling quite at home, but upon hearing the envious jests from those around him, he couldn’t help but smile helplessly and shake his head:

"You military and political illiterates are impossible to talk to. There are strict requirements for promotion, and besides, you have to study at the Military Academy for several months before coming out. What do you think this is, war, where they just embed stars directly on your shoulders?

Even in war, it would take Instructor Cao, Captain Ye, Captain Zhang, Platoon Leader Wu all being gone before it’d get to a squad leader! Oh, and in between there’s Squad Leader Hao, the Logistics Officer, Squad Leader He, they all have positions! Once they’re all gone, then maybe it’d be about time for me, the Special Duty Squad leader, to become a secretary!"

At this remark, everyone went silent.

Damn, are you aiming for the stars?

Fang Huai’s rear row seat suddenly became the focal point of several fierce glares.

Fortunately, Zhao Jinchen’s remark diverted the onslaught:

"If they all died, why would you become the secretary? I’m the Squad One leader! You’re number four! What makes it your turn?"

The vehicle burst into laughter, but just as it passed several locals carrying poles and bags heading back to the city, everyone quickly subdued their smiles.

Fang Huai hurried to the window, opened it halfway, and called out loudly:

"Locals, you can’t go to the county town anymore! It’s under martial law! Follow our vehicle to Mianyang instead! There’s a Displacement Office there!"

A few locals looked back at him, their smiles warm:

"We’re not going! We’re from around here. We’re not going to the county town; we’re heading home to rebuild our houses. We don’t want to trouble the government! Thank you, comrades from the Firefighting team!"

After saying this, they waved once more, turned around, and continued on their way.

Hearing the term "comrades from the Firefighting team," everyone was overcome with emotion.

At their arrival, everyone had called them the People’s Liberation Army, and some didn’t even know what Firefighting was – whether it was military or civilian.

But during this disaster relief, the outstanding performance of the firefighters had shown countless citizens the importance of this force.

Seated at the front, Cao Yi watched as Fang Huai continued to watch the locals from the rear window. Having played a crucial role in the disaster relief, Fang Huai suddenly arose, moved to the empty seat beside him, and sat down.

After pondering for a moment, he said softly:

"Have you really thought it through, wanting to take the path of promotion? ... Getting tagged as a grown-from-ranks cadre, it’s quite difficult to get promoted later on."

Grown-from-ranks cadres, meaning soldiers who are promoted for their merits, mostly have low education levels, and with the "junior cadre" label, they typically work at the grass-roots level until they retire. Many who perform well are only promoted to deputy battalion leader before they exceed the service age limit at thirty-five.

This situation is also known as "emergency promotion cadres" – if they aren’t promoted by the time they hit the age limit, they’re compelled to emergency promote to deputy battalion leader.

In the original novel "I Am a Special Forces Soldier," "The Last Bullet is for Me," Company Leader Miao enlisted on the frontline at the age of fourteen, likely hadn’t even finished middle school, and couldn’t even be emergency promoted – turning thirty-five meant packing up and retiring.

If Company Leader Miao had at least finished middle school, maybe he could have stayed in the military for a few more years and retired at the battalion level.

But in today’s educational environment, forget middle school graduates, even high school graduates struggle. The lowest acceptable education level for battalion-level cadre promotions is now basically a college degree.

Hearing Cao Yi’s concerns, Fang Huai couldn’t help but laugh: "Instructor Cao, even if I get promoted next year, I’ll only turn twenty. You can’t be worried about me becoming an emergency promotion grade company leader, right?"

Cao Yi looked at him and said: "With such a big event this time, the department leaders will definitely commend you. Try to ask the whole corps to apply for you, maybe you can get into this year’s promotion sequence."

"No need," Fang Huai immediately shook his head:

"Whether it’s studying for a degree or getting promoted, you have to serve for at least a year.

After next spring, once I have the strength and qualifications, I will strive for it myself, so why make it difficult for the leaders. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Every time there’s an exception, it’s backed by a whole lot of blood and tears. To use this event as a chance to set conditions, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with it, and it would make things difficult for the corps."

After listening, Cao Yi sighed deeply and said earnestly:

"One year is a long time. Getting promoted now will immediately make you a deputy company leader, and policies can change at any time.

When we enlisted, getting promoted was much easier. Now, it’s getting tougher each year. When there’s an opportunity, you must hold on to it tightly."

Fang Huai looked at Cao Yi in astonishment.

This Old Cao has a keen nose, even considering policy changes.

However, the progression from emergency deputy company leader to platoon leader due to military reform was something set to happen 15 years later – he still had seven or eight years. Plenty of time.

There was no significance in striving for this one year. Between deputy company and deputy battalion leader, there were just two hurdles, and merit could expedite promotions.

At the point of promoting to deputy battalion leader, education was definitely needed, and the military wouldn’t acknowledge degrees from adult education colleges. With his graduate education, it would be at least 6 years later.

Within the deputy battalion level, most likely operating at the grassroots, if he remained in the Second Squadron, whether he was a deputy squadron leader or squadron leader, he’d be doing essentially the same job, and it wasn’t necessary to vie for it.

Once his education was completed and thresholds crossed, his merits and experiences would naturally provide the conditions for rapid promotion.

"Instructor Cao, you don’t have to worry about this. I have a clear plan," said Fang Huai,

twiddling his thumbs, calm and serene, seemingly an old monk in meditation.

Seeing him as immovable as Mount Tai, Cao Yi felt like time had changed everything.

A few months ago, when this kid mentioned "getting promoted for merit" in front of him, he thought it was pie in the sky. Yet in a short span of time, Fang Huai’s promotion seemed a foregone conclusion, merely a matter of time.

In reality, Fang Huai felt entirely powerless inside.

years just to become a deputy battalion leader, damn it, could he not at least mix it up as a deputy regimental commander before the Firefighting detachment reassignment? He still dreamt of doing things, big things. What significant deeds could a little insignificant cadre achieve?