**Chapter 2: Upgrade**
Zhou Lin's body gradually recovered after sitting for a while.
Observing the Japanese soldier corpses strewn across the ground, Zhou Lin recalled an act he had read about in a military novel on Earth—corpse looting.
"No night grass grows under a horse without night soil, and no windfall for a person without taking risks!" Looting corpses could yield unexpected gains.
Despite his high position, Zhou Lin's income was meager; his monthly allowance was a mere fifty francs. Secretly supplemented by his mother, it totaled one hundred francs.
But what could one do with a hundred francs?
His university dorm mate, Er Gouzi, was wealthy; treating him to a meal cost fifty francs.
Relying on oneself was preferable to relying on others. Achieving financial freedom required unconventional means.
Approaching a Japanese soldier's corpse, Zhou Lin embarked on his noble endeavor.
After searching the jacket pockets, he moved on to the pants pockets, where he found a surprising array of items.
This soldier must have looted many bodies on the battlefield, but now it was Zhou Lin's turn.
Among the finds were 1,132 francs, 371 yen, five gold rings, one gold chain, five gold teeth, and two jade Buddha pendants.
The francs were likely confiscated from Chinese soldiers, while the gold rings, gold chain, and jade Buddha pendants were probably worn by them. Disgustingly, there were also five gold teeth.
Disgusting as it was, they were valuable.
The 371 yen was likely taken from deceased Japanese soldiers.
However, all these belongings now belonged to Zhou Lin.
After searching the Japanese soldiers, Zhou Lin proceeded to loot the possessions of his fallen comrades.
Unlike before, after finding money and items, he wrapped them in a piece of cloth along with a farewell letter.
These belongings were intended to be sent to the families of his fallen comrades.
After finishing this task, Zhou Lin continued his efforts.
He wanted to gather his comrades together so that the team collecting bodies could take them away. They would have company on their journey.
The squad leader was the last one to be moved, as he was the farthest away.
Carrying the squad leader on his back, Zhou Lin moved forward.
Suddenly, he heard a gunshot.
Next, Zhou Lin felt a shock behind him. Turning around, he saw a severely injured Japanese soldier aiming a gun at him.
Zhou Lin felt fortunate that the squad leader on his back saved him. The bullet got stuck in the squad leader, preventing it from penetrating Zhou Lin's body.
Perhaps the earlier shot had exhausted all the Japanese soldier's strength. With no remaining power, the gun slipped from the soldier's hand in Zhou Lin's gaze.
Without putting down the squad leader, Zhou Lin turned around, picked up the gun, and aimed it at the still-living Japanese soldier.
"Bang!"
A gunshot and the Japanese soldier's head burst open!
At that moment, the system's voice rang out.
"Host, you killed a Japanese soldier and earned a system reward."
"The reward is one of the deceased's technical skills."
"Marksmanship reward: Fifty points for every ten shots."
"Fist technique reward: One hundred kilograms of impact force per punch."
"Bayonet fighting reward: 'Bloody Bayonet' skill."
"Please choose one of the three for your reward."
"Choose!"
These three options were likely the skills possessed by the Japanese soldier.
Without considering the basic marksmanship skill, which Zhou Lin had already acquired, he couldn't use a bayonet in the current situation. Thus, his only choice was the second option: Fist technique reward.
This time, the fist technique was much stronger than before, with a hundred kilograms of impact force, possibly due to Zhou Lin's improved physical condition.
"System, I choose option two! Fist technique power."
As soon as he spoke, Zhou Lin felt his muscles contracting, and his bones refining. His body was transforming.
No need to say more; his body was remodeling.
Zhou Lin clenched his fist tightly and delivered a powerful punch.
Feeling the strength behind the punch, Zhou Lin believed that his current power could knock out a wild boar.
"I wonder how strong I am now?"
Zhou Lin thought silently.
As if responding to Zhou Lin, a panel appeared in his mind.
Host: Zhou Lin.
Age: 22.
Occupation: Special agent, soldier.
Rank: Level one.
Skills: Basic marksmanship, basic fist technique.
Strength: 100 (Normal human standard is 100).
Speed: 50 (Normal human standard is 100).
Agility: 60 (Normal human standard is 100).
Endurance: 50 (Normal human standard is 100).
Mental: 130 (Normal human standard is 100).
Special agent skills: None.
Points: 0.
Except for strength being at the normal human level, the other three aspects were weaker than the average person.
Zhou Lin couldn't figure out why his son, with such a physique, was sent to the battlefield by his father.
If Zhou Lin hadn't crossed over, his father would have received his son's corpse for sure.
When Zhou Lin crossed over, he was already dead.
Carrying the squad leader to a collapsed house, where twenty-four bodies were already laid out, Zhou Lin placed the squad leader among them.
This scene mirrored the past. When they arrived at the frontline, everyone gathered for a meeting. The squad leader sat in the middle, and others surrounded him.
Zhou Lin's eyes turned red, and he quickly left.
Leaning against the collapsed wall, Zhou Lin took out a cigarette and lit it.
At this moment, he felt someone approaching.
This place belonged to the frontline, now fallen. The battlefield had shifted, and there were no living people here, only corpses. Chinese soldiers couldn't come here because it was too close to the Japanese positions, making it easy to be shot.
Seeing that the person approaching was not panicked at all, indicating he was not Chinese.
If not Chinese, then he was Japanese.
On the Shanghai battlefield, there were many Japanese agents responsible for gathering intelligence and providing support to the Japanese army.
Some disguised as civilians, some as medical personnel, and many as Chinese soldiers.
This person appeared as a Chinese officer.
Seeing Zhou Lin smoking against the wall, he mistook him for a Japanese agent.
He cautiously asked in Chinese, "Where are you from?"
His Chinese sounded strange.
Zhou Lin immediately knew he wasn't Chinese.
Intentionally using Japanese, Zhou Lin replied, "I am from Hokkaido."
The man, seemingly delighted, walked over. "I am from Hokkaido too, from the southern village."
"You are from the south? I am from the north."
After Zhou Lin's reply, he took out a Japanese cigarette and threw it to the man.
This cigarette was a trophy confiscated during corpse looting.
Zhou Lin threw it well, making it difficult for the man to catch.
Failing to catch it, the man stooped to pick up the cigarette box.
At that moment, Zhou Lin took action.
Rushing forward, he swung his right fist with maximum force.
The Japanese agent had just picked up the cigarette when he heard hurried footsteps, sensing something was wrong.
As he prepared to step back, Zhou Lin's fist arrived, landing with precision.
The blow struck the Japanese agent squarely, sending him staggering backward with a grunt of pain.
Zhou Lin seized the opportunity, following up with a swift series of punches, each one delivered with the newfound strength coursing through his veins.
The Japanese agent tried to defend himself, but he was no match for Zhou Lin's enhanced prowess. With each strike, Zhou Lin felt the satisfaction of exerting his newfound power.
Finally, the Japanese agent collapsed to the ground, defeated.
Breathing heavily, Zhou Lin stood over his fallen adversary, a mix of adrenaline and triumph coursing through his veins.
He had prevailed, not just against a physical foe, but against the constraints of his own limitations.
As he looked down at the defeated agent, Zhou Lin knew that he was no longer the same man who had started this journey.
With each challenge overcome, he was evolving, becoming something greater than he had ever imagined.
And as he gazed out at the battlefield, littered with the remnants of war, Zhou Lin knew that his journey was far from over.
But armed with his newfound strength and resolve, he was ready to face whatever trials lay ahead.