Chapter 10: Who Provoked Li Yunlong

Chapter 10: Who Provoked Li Yunlong

(I)

When a mission is planned with meticulous detail, its execution often appears remarkably uneventful.

The transfer team arrived at the second scheduled rest point right at midnight, with negligible deviation from Guan Shan’s timeline. Li Jingsheng’s group, having arrived earlier, had everything prepared; they organized the wounded and the female comrades in an orderly fashion.

Regarding the night watch, Guan Shan’s hastily assembled guard squad could not outmaneuver the half-squad led by Zhang Ping. After the Party Secretary and the County Magistrate heaped heavy praise upon them, the arrangement of the sentries—both visible and concealed—was left to Zhang Ping.

Guan Shan ordered Li Tianzuo to lead his squad two kilometers behind the main group to guard against any trailing enemies. Although the possibility was slim, it was a necessary precaution.

Once everything was arranged, Guan Shan patrolled the perimeter. Observing the terrain, he used his amateur experience from live-action CS games to simulate how he would deploy his six or seven rifles if Li Tianzuo were to signal an enemy approach.

"I suppose drawing from the experiences of my past life’s gaming—CS and even battle royales—is exactly what a 'newbie starter pack' skill is for. Heh!"

"Hi, Little Guan."

"Magistrate Wang? Why aren't you resting yet?"

"Here, take this!"

"What? Oh... a Broomhandle Mauser?"

Guan Shan was stunned as Magistrate Wang handed him her sidearm, holster and strap included.

"What? Don't know how to use it?" Magistrate Wang asked with a smile.

"Oh... no, I don't," Guan Shan admitted honestly.

He had seen the weapon countless times in movies and read about it in countless novels and online stories—it was an iconic piece of equipment that simply couldn't be absent. But in reality, Guan Shan had never touched one.

"This is the bolt, this is how you unload it, it’s quite simple... come, try it!" Magistrate Wang demonstrated once and passed the gun to him.

Guan Shan took the heavy weapon, familiarized himself with the mechanics, and practiced gripping it with one hand and then two, testing the feel from various angles. "A fine weapon! Truly fine!"

"It’s a ten-round magazine, and there’s a spare one. I’ve already fully loaded them for you," Magistrate Wang said, pulling Guan Shan’s hand toward her and pressing a cold magazine into his palm.

The magazine was icy, but Magistrate Wang’s hand was warm and soft, though he could faintly feel some hard calluses in the center of her palm.

(II)

"Just in case!" Magistrate Wang said. "It’s of more use in your hands than in mine. Oh, by the way, give me one of those."

She pointed to the hand grenade at Guan Shan’s waist.

Guan Shan froze, suddenly realizing she wanted a "glory grenade" for herself. As he pulled one from his pouch and handed it over, he felt a stinging sensation from the tip of his heart to the bridge of his nose.

"Alright! Go back to your duties. Take care of my gun; don't bump or scratch it!" With that instruction, she turned and headed back into the cave.

The mountain wind was harsh, biting at his face and ears like a knife. The fiery impulse Guan Shan had felt upon transmigrating—the urge to jump into battle, kill invaders, and win glory—was extinguished by half under that icy wind.

Now, whether his eyes were open or closed, Guan Shan could only see the image of Magistrate Wang taking the grenade from him, even though he hadn't been able to see her expression clearly in the dark.

(III)

At the first light of dawn, Guan Shan and Zhang Ping woke everyone up. After a quick cleanup, they continued their journey. By the time they were ready, the rear guard had returned to rejoin the group; the night had passed safely.

The young men armed with spears and makeshift muskets expressed their disappointment, but Zhang Ping and his veteran guards breathed a sigh of relief.

Perhaps that was the difference between those who had seen the battlefield and the new recruits.

Guan Shan found Magistrate Wang to return her pistol.

"You keep it for now! Just return it once we rendezvous with the main force," she said, tucking the grenade into her belt.

"Understood!" Guan Shan didn't decline further.

After cautiously navigating two treacherous, steep mountain paths, the transfer team soon encountered a few soldiers sent by Li Yunlong to meet them.

Before noon, the team arrived at Linjiaji as scheduled.

Guan Shan’s first mission since transmigrating had been completed without alarm or incident—a plain, unremarkable affair.

(IV)

"Report!"

"Come in!" Zhao Gang saw Guan Shan enter, smiling as he poured a cup of hot water and handed it over. He patted Guan Shan on the shoulder and praised him: "Not bad, not bad at all! The mission was well-executed! A verbal commendation for you!"

"Is the Commander not here?" Guan Shan noticed Li Yunlong was not in the room.

Zhao Gang smiled but did not answer.

"Where is Little Shan? Guan Shan!" Li Yunlong’s booming voice echoed from outside.

Guan Shan’s heart skipped a beat. Why did Li Yunlong sound so displeased? Moreover, it seemed this was the first time Li Yunlong had addressed him by his full name.

"Commander!" Guan Shan hurriedly set his enamel mug on the table, turned, stood at attention, and saluted.

"Go, go, go! Don't give me that fancy, useless nonsense!" Li Yunlong barked angrily. "You haven't even learned how to walk and you're already trying to run! You’ve got a wild heart, don't you? If you don't want to work under me, just say so! Get out, get out, get out right now!"

Guan Shan was completely bewildered by the sudden verbal barrage, standing there flustered and having no idea what had happened.

Zhao Gang gave Guan Shan a subtle wink, which only left him more confused.

What was going on? He hadn't made any mistakes!

Li Yunlong sat on a stool with his hands behind his back, looking up at Guan Shan with a huff, his eyes wide as he shouted: "What are you still standing there for? Go! Get out!"

"Old Li, look at that foul temper of yours!" Zhao Gang scolded with a laugh. "You're shouting without even knowing the situation!"

"What else is there to know!" Li Yunlong glared, pointing at Guan Shan. "Look, just look! He’s already carrying a Broomhandle Mauser on his hip—what else is there to clarify?"

A Broomhandle Mauser? Guan Shan looked down. Oh, Magistrate Wang’s pistol was still on his person. They had only just reunited, and the Magistrate had been busy inquiring about the other transfer group, so he hadn't had a chance to return it yet.

But how did this provoke the great Commander Li?

Zhao Gang shook his head helplessly, pointed at Guan Shan, and said, "Comrade Guan Shan, why don't you report the completion of your mission first!"

"Oh, right..." Guan Shan still had a head full of questions, but he decided to report first.

"Report? Fine, fine, fine! Guan Shan, you tell me clearly: did you or did you not voluntarily apply to become someone’s personal bodyguard? Are you after the gun, or are you after the person? If you can't explain this clearly, I’ll execute you right here!" As he spoke, Li Yunlong pulled the Browning pistol gifted to him by Chu Yunfei from his waist and slammed it onto the table with a loud *thwack*.

"What bodyguard? What 'after the gun or the person'?" Guan Shan wondered if he had somehow transmigrated again.