Chapter 24: Fame Spreads
General Huang, accompanied by Zhou Lin, arrived at a residential area.
A sign at the entrance read "School-Level Military Officer Dormitory."
Zhou Lin asked, "Uncle Huang, this is the dormitory for school-level officers, but I'm only a Second Lieutenant."
General Huang chuckled, "Our division's dorms are crowded—four Second Lieutenants share a room, three for First Lieutenants, two for Captains, and only Majors get a room to themselves. Are you okay with sharing?"
Zhou Lin quickly replied, "I'm afraid of hearing snores! I'd prefer a room to myself."
"The Major's rooms are full, but luckily there's an empty room in the Major's dormitory, so it's yours."
"Thank you, Uncle Huang."
They entered the officer's dormitory, and General Huang pointed to Zhou Lin, telling the guard, "He'll stay here from now on. Take good care of him. Perform well, and you'll be rewarded."
The guard, a seasoned soldier and also a Second Lieutenant, nodded at General Huang's words and said to Zhou Lin, "Young Master, your room is ready."
Afterward, he led the way to the dorm.
Zhou Lin's room was in the Major's section on the second floor, at the far left end.
Upon opening the door, Zhou Lin found a bed, a desk, a chair, and a cabinet. The bed had a new quilt, and the cabinet contained three sets of winter uniforms.
In addition to what was in the cabinet, there were also two pairs of imitation German-style military boots.
Zhou Lin, having been in a makeshift squad in the Suicide Squad, was surprised by the abundance of items.
General Huang inspected the cabinet and said, "Everything is here except for a gun. Do you want a compact pistol or a twenty-round one?"
"I'll take the twenty-round one. My brother gave me a Browning when I came."
"Alright!" General Huang turned to the guard, "Go to the armory and get him a twenty-round pistol."
While the guard went out, General Huang advised Zhou Lin, "You can be disrespectful to anyone except Old Fang. You must respect him; he served for twenty years. Back when I was a platoon leader under your father, he was in our unit. He saved your father and me."
Zhou Lin, standing at attention, responded, "Yes! I will respect him!"
General Huang nodded, adding, "The division commander and I have a good relationship, but the two deputy division commanders don't like me much. Be cautious not to give them an excuse to target you."
"What actions would be considered problematic?" Zhou Lin inquired.
"Minor issues don't count. It's only major violations of military regulations that matter."
"Understood."
"As a Second Lieutenant, you'll eat in the officers' mess."
"No problem! I can slip out and eat at a restaurant."
General Huang chuckled, "Alright! If anyone asks, say you got permission from me. After all, you're currently under my supervision."
The guard returned, handing Zhou Lin a twenty-round pistol.
In China, the twenty-round pistol, also known as a pump-action shotgun, had various nicknames. Zhou Lin preferred it for its versatility, having seen it used as a sniper rifle in the future.
This particular one was an imitation of a German model. It wasn't as good as the full German version, but Zhou Lin intended to acquire one later.
General Huang left, and after a brief moment in the room, Zhou Lin stepped out.
As he approached the sentry post, he noticed a different sentry.
"How far is the market?" Zhou Lin inquired.
Pointing to the right, the sentry replied, "Straight ahead for one hundred meters, then turn and go another one hundred meters. There's a big market there. We all buy things there."
Zhou Lin thanked him and proceeded to the market.
Later, he overheard the sentry's remark about him being calm and not as intimidating as rumored.
Thanks to a system upgrade, Zhou Lin could hear conversations within a hundred meters. His plan to display himself as a princeling seemed to be effective.
This was a strategy he devised during the train journey—an unfamiliar place often led to the bullying of recruits. Only by showcasing his strength could he deter others. Zhou Lin's strength lay in being the nephew of a commissioner.
Who would dare bully the commissioner's nephew? That would be asking for trouble!
However, he realized that the sentry who tried to scare recruits might suffer as a result. At this moment, he was probably on pig-feeding duty.
Thinking as he walked, Zhou Lin reached the market.
This market served the people from the nearby town.
Laughing to himself, Zhou Lin noticed that most of the shop signs promoted specialties from Zhejiang Province, as the Seventh Division was primarily composed of people from Zhejiang.
After buying some cigarettes, wine, and other specialties, Zhou Lin returned to the camp two hours later.
He first visited General Huang's house to deliver the gifts from Nanjing. Then, he returned to his dormitory.
Entering the dormitory, he stopped by the guardroom.
"A little something for you! Please accept it."
The guard hesitated.
Zhou Lin explained, "It's from my father to you. If you refuse, when I go back to Nanjing, he'll scold me."
The old guard accepted the cigarettes and wine—two of each.