After Being Reborn, I became a firefighter again?

After receiving a report from the observer, the teams at the very front had already reached Maijiu Mountain, two kilometers away.

The last three kilometers were not on the highway, but a gravel mountain road.

Two hours for 12 kilometers—if Zhang Zhongting was set on doing it this way, he wasn’t going to go easy on them, making them take the main road the entire way.

As the leaders got out of their cars one by one, the female soldiers inside finally quieted down.

Fang Huai leisurely supported himself with a crutch, moving into the factory area and the adjacent buildings to inspect the situation.

These past two days, Fang Huai had been walking with crutches all the time; actually, the people present were just unaware of his condition.

If that doctor who had seen his X-rays and repeatedly told him to rest well knew that he had walked tens of thousands of steps on crutches in the factory area in the last couple of days, and that the swelling hadn’t turned into a big bun yet and was even subsiding, he would probably begin to doubt his entire medical career.

The smell in the building—if Fang Huai normally smelled it, he would definitely be making a fuss, asking who took a dump here.

But today, he was quite composed. Stinky meat that you don’t eat is not poisonous; it’s just nauseating. Yesterday, to get used to the smell, he sat and rested on the truck that carried the stinking meat for two or three hours.

When the truck driver got out, he said the vehicle was probably trashed, as the smell couldn’t even be washed away with a high-pressure water gun.

Fang Huai was brutally practical—he didn’t even unload the meat, just got right into the truck, closed the doors, and inhaled the even stronger smell.

It was those two or three hours that shut up all the staff officers he had assigned inside the building, who had been wanting to confront him with "Why don’t you smell it?" They all stopped talking and started discussing, "Oh my god, that’s why he’s got a First Class Merit—we’ll never get one in our lifetime!"

Actually, Fang Huai wanted to say: The smell is much too simple; it lacks that sweet ester compound undertone that really makes one want to vomit.

"Eh, take off the mask, everyone’s about to arrive!" Fang Huai reminded the female soldier named Zhang Dan, who was lying next to the stone slate.

The male soldiers did feel some pity for the females and had gotten them some masks to wear.

But, could that be allowed? Makeup run because of sweat?

People rescued from the earthquake had ash-covered hair, face, and body—wearing masks? He hadn’t made the female soldiers as ashy as the males, which was already quite generous!

The woman named Zhang Dan on the ground was a female soldier from the Training Base; in fact, Fang Huai had known her in his previous life.

He was transferred to the base at this time in his previous life, and she had just been admitted to the Military Academy, waiting to report there in September.

He had worked in the same office with her for two or three months, and indeed, she was the best-looking of the female soldiers. But perhaps because she was spoiled, she was always somewhat aloof when speaking with him, and Fang Huai didn’t particularly like her.

Such female soldiers, especially those just admitted to the Military Academy... Just like university freshmen, you know?

Their hearts were full of ambition, thinking their future lives were about to soar, with phrases like "See you at the peak."

They felt that not even a mayor would be good enough for them.

It was the stage of life where they had the least sense of reality.

It wasn’t until they entered society that they realized university was just a pre-marinating step to remove the gamey taste, that being part of society meant being a raw ingredient, the kind that’s at the mercy of others, only now less gamey, something that others were just a bit more willing to eat.

In fact, the future of most military academy students was pretty predictable: second lieutenant, lieutenant, captain—just don’t screw up the job, day in, day out, year after year. No matter how hard they fight, their salary only increases every two or three years. Get married, have a child, make sure to educate your kid well, and don’t let them swindle you out of your savings when you’re old.

Comparatively, the women at the base—like Zhang Ning, Wang Yu— who had been polished by society and had a clearer understanding of themselves, they were the kind of female officers who came across as gentler and made him more willing to communicate.

A man’s real maturity begins when he starts to objectify women, categorizing them, with very little investment in emotions. It’s not that he disrespects women; it’s just that before they objectify others, they’ve objectified themselves, well aware of where they stand in the hierarchy.

Fang Huai was glad he had only learned how to operate this evaluation system but hadn’t accepted it in his heart.

And there, lying on the ground, that female first-class soldier who had been accepted into Kunzhi Military Academy, who, four years later, would be a female second lieutenant, and six or seven years later, a female lieutenant, who could, after entering society, match up with a small businessman with a million in cash and three or four million in assets; if she remained chaste throughout university, she might even catch the eye of a family with tens of millions in assets—was at that moment covering her face, motionless.

Beneath her hands, there were two layers of masks.

Somewhat speechlessly, Fang Huai bent down slightly, leaned over, and reached out to remove her mask.

"Let go!"

Fang Huai let out a loud shout, startling Zhang Dan and, taking advantage of her fright, quickly pulled off her mask.

At that moment, Zhang Dan’s eyes fiercely glared at his face, and then, in a burst of anger, she grabbed his hands and fiercely bit down hard.

The first second Zhang Dan bit down felt like a comforting release of anger, the second second she noticed his hand smelled quite nice.

In this smelly environment, it was unusually refreshing.

Of course it smelled good; Fang Huai, hindered in his movements, had used a staff officer’s soap to thoroughly wash his hands twice after almost getting urine on them while peeing with his crutch that morning.

Fang Huai’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t about the pain, as he had gotten used to this level of pain from forced walking these past days.

But damn it, he was losing his balance!

"Let go! Let go!"

Fang Huai struggled and, losing his balance, was about to fall toward Zhang Dan.

"Ah..." a scream.

It was over, she was about to be crushed under this detestable male soldier!

Zhang Dan closed her eyes.

With a thud.

"Clang, clang." The hospital standard crutch fell to the ground.

"Ssss..."

Fang Huai, in a last-moment effort to twist his body, laid beside Zhang Dan, without touching even a leaf on her.

Oh my god, he had preserved his own innocence in the world.

I, my foot, it’s been injured a second time!

Zhang Dan, hearing the sound, opened her eyes, feeling a mixture of relief, joy, and disappointment wash over her.

He actually smashed into the floor rather than landing on me!

He actually preferred to hit the floor instead of me.

The difference in the inner monologue of these two emotions was minimal, but, one expressed care, the other disdain.

Clearly, Fang Huai embodied the latter.

Because after he got up, he didn’t even glance at her, but instead inspected the parts on his body.

This soldier had no clue what he had missed!

"Are you okay?" Zhang Dan, suppressing her emotions, gave Fang Huai the last thread of humanitarian concern from within her humanity and even helped him up.

"Thanks to your good fortune, I won’t die."

Fang Huai muttered, reluctantly accepting Zhang Dan’s bit of help to get up from very close to her, allowing Zhang Dan a good view of his tall frame and handsome face.

He smelled so nice.

Zhang Dan’s hormones acted up.

Thinking this, she quickly reached out to wipe off the dust that covered her own beauty.

Although Fang Huai’s body was 80% smelling like stinky pork, the remaining 20% scent of the two-dollar-fifty Welles soap had unwittingly brewed a romance.

Of course, factors in the equation included his previously imposing demeanor and the system’s transformation of his physique.

This is love.

If Fang Huai knew, he’d definitely reply with, "Love my ass, selling soap, I have a girlfriend."

What a mess.

Fang Huai stood up, and his tenacious departing figure faintly sketched itself into the hearts of the female soldiers.

It still needs some coloring.

But Fang Huai’s story is so colorful, there’s plenty to draw on, especially from the abundant tales of Sisters Zhang Ning and Wang Yu from the Base, who get along very well with him.

...

Fang Huai was limping even more now.

After completing a round of checks inside the building and coming out, people were already yelling "Keep it up" on the factory’s entrance road.

The road turned at the corner, and it was unclear who was coming, but seeing Old Zhang standing at the intersection with a smile on his face, one could tell.

"Good job, young man! That’s fast!"

Fang Huai was stunned for a moment, then hastened his pace a bit and headed over there.

However, the first face to come in was unknown to him.

A slight feeling of disappointment surfaced in Fang Huai’s heart.

Zhang Zhongting merely patted him and then turned his gaze toward the direction behind Fang Huai.

Without helping himself, Fang Huai asked the first one who came in, "Which Detachment are you from?"

"An, Anshun, Xixiu... First Squadron."

The person’s body hunched forward, quick-stepping ahead out of inertia. As he passed Fang Huai, he murmured:

"Mom... almost, got caught up..."

Then, a rumble of uniform marching steps followed, accompanied by commands.

The shouting voice brought a smile to Fang Huai’s mouth.

"Not enthusiastic about eating, you must have a problem in the head!"

Ye Jiahong, this guy’s physical ability was spot on, having finished the entire 12 kilometers and still being in the mood to be cheeky.

The leaders in the factory area all started to laugh.

But then, the voices turned serious.

"One two one!"

"One two one!"

"What is our team creed?"

A burst of uniform and exhausting shouts: "So willing I am, may everyone be the same! So tonight is, as every night should be!"

Fang Huai, he was about to cry.

A person from a former life, who had never been valued so much by any group, was listening to a bunch of proud men shouting slogans that came from him at this moment of honor; those calls pierced through the soul.

He figured out why the leaders always loved to prompt the troops.

"Reporting to the leader! Guiyang Special Service Second Squadron, here to assemble in the earthquake zone!"

Second Squadron had already appeared at the factory gate, and Fang Huai also quickly stopped his eager steps, trying to appear calm, his face again carrying a hint of a profound smile.

Letting those tough guys know how much he missed them, would be more embarrassing than eating shit in public.

"Safety Officer, come for the inspection!"

Zhang Zhongting was utterly delighted.

Guiyang Special Duty was still his real charge; being the first complete unit to arrive on scene after a later start, he felt proud.

Several Safety Officers rushed over to check if Second Squadron’s equipment had any losses or damage.

As the heavy equipment roared to life one by one, Zhang Zhongting turned, walked past Fang Huai, and gave a cheerful pat on his shoulder.

"Not bad."

Although Fang Huai was limping and not in the formation, Zhang Zhongting was naturally aware that today’s achievement had a part of Fang Huai’s efforts.

"Hey, of course!"

Seeing Cao Yi from Second Squadron being propped up by Huang Yong, gasping heavily, Fang Huai’s smile was a hundred percent bright, almost showing off his pearly whites.

Finally seeing Old Cao fighting for his life!

At the same time, the gaze from Second Squadron also turned towards him, and instantly, the sentiment soared.

"You little brat, your life is on the line!"

Hao Chengbin threw his combat uniform to the ground and charged towards him, with Ye Jiahong, Zhao Jinchen, Kong Xiangzhong, Liu Jianfeng, and others following suit.

"Hey? Hey! I’m an injured man!!" Fang Huai yelled.

"Look at the..." Hao Chengbin saw Old Zhang standing not too far away, smiling as he watched them, and changed his words:

"...the sweat on my body!"

With that, he quickly removed his inner camouflage T-shirt, wrung it out in his hands, and water began to drip down.

This wasn’t even the innermost layer; there was still a white off-shoulder T-shirt completely soaked through beneath it.

"Just you wait till that leg of yours heals, we’ll see how we deal with you!"

As soon as Hao Chengbin finished speaking, the others nearby also leaned in with fierce expressions.

Fang Huai quickly offered a placating smile, shifting the blame and glancing over at Zhang Zhongting: "It wasn’t me, Squad Leader! It’s the leadership who set the question!"

They all looked at Old Zhang not too far away, and their spirits dampened a bit.

Fang Huai was just about to break into a smile.

But Zhang Zhongting was neither blind nor deaf, and would never give Fang Huai a chance to shift the blame, speaking loudly:

"Huh? Kid, wasn’t it you who said ’decisive battle within three places’?"

Oh my god.

Going to be beaten up.

Fang Huai quickly pointed to the factory building behind him and loudly changed the subject:

"Squad Leader! Look over there!"

His voice was loud, and Second Squadron collectively looked up at the factory building.

Instantly, they froze.