Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

Just as dawn broke, the division headquarters' order reached the company headquarters.

Company Commander Zhao gripped the thin sheet of mimeograph paper, his fingers trembling slightly, his face taut, only a sliver of emotion betraying him at the corner of his mouth. He cleared his throat and stood before the entire company, reading aloud. His voice echoed through the valley, reverberating in layers.

"Division Headquarters Order... In view of Comrade He Weiguo, a soldier in our reconnaissance platoon, who led his team deep behind enemy lines on the night of November 7th, successfully destroyed enemy artillery positions and supply depots, killing and wounding over a hundred enemy soldiers, and paralyzing the enemy's forward camp, achieving outstanding results... He is hereby awarded a first-class merit and the title of 'Combat Model'..."

There was a deathly silence below, followed by a commotion.

"My God..." someone gasped.

He Yuzhu—now everyone in the company calls him He Weiguo—stood at the front of the line, his spine ramrod straight. He could feel the gazes upon him, burning with admiration, and mixed with something else entirely. Shuanzi was beside him, secretly nudging his side with his elbow and winking at him.

After the order was read aloud, Company Commander Zhao added, "Upon report from the company headquarters and approval from the battalion, Comrade He Weiguo is hereby appointed as the reconnaissance squad leader, effective immediately."

A thunderous applause erupted. Dark-faced Li clapped the most enthusiastically, his large, fan-like hands clapping loudly, his fleshy face twisted into a wide smile.

He Yuzhu saluted, his arm raised, resting on the brim of his hat, then lowered. His movements were precise and accurate. His face was expressionless, but something gently struck his heart.

The system notification sounded at that moment, cold and clear, only he could hear it.

[Major combat achievement confirmed. Commendation awarded by division headquarters.]

[Award Recipient: 'Model of Combat']

[Battlefield Points +100000.]

[Official Position Appointment: Reconnaissance Squad Leader]

Current battlefield score: 106698 + 100000 = 206698 points.

[Main Quest 'Iron-Blooded Foundation' Progress: 0.207%]

One hundred thousand points. That's more than blowing up four cannons or burning down the entire fuel depot combined.

He Yuzhu lowered his eyes. The logic of this world could sometimes be glaringly blunt. Honor, position, points—all clearly priced. His mind raced, calculating what these numbers could buy—ammunition? Medicine? Or those special supplies from the gray areas?

After the meeting, Company Commander Zhao called him to the half-collapsed mud-brick company headquarters and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder: "Kid, well done. You've made our company commander proud." He paused, then lowered his voice, "But you've attracted too much attention. People from above... might come to question you. Don't panic, just tell the truth."

He Yuzhu's heart tightened, and he nodded: "Understood."

"Good that you understand." Company Commander Zhao took out half a pack of crumpled cigarettes from his pocket, put one in his mouth, but didn't light it. "Remember, those skills of yours were taught by the veterans in the company, and you learned them on the battlefield. As for anything else, if you don't know, you don't know."

There was a hidden meaning in his words. He Yuzhu looked up; Company Commander Zhao's face was expressionless, but his eyes were unfathomable.

"Yes," he replied.

The questioner arrived faster than expected.

In the afternoon, as the sun began to set, the shadows of the mountains stretched long. A cadre in a faded military uniform and wearing glasses arrived with the battalion's communications officer, introducing himself as a special envoy from the division's political department named Wang Fuli.

The name is sophisticated, and the person looks refined, but when their eyes sweep over you from behind their glasses, it's like a fine brush gently scraping across your face.

Special Envoy Wang didn't approach He Yuzhu directly; instead, he spoke with Company Commander Zhao and Political Instructor Fang for half an hour. When He Yuzhu was summoned, he saw Political Instructor Fang with a stiff expression, and Company Commander Zhao silently smoking.

Inside the mud-brick house was a broken table and two stools. Wang Fuli sat in the main seat and gestured for He Yuzhu to sit opposite him.

"Comrade He Weiguo, don't be nervous," Wang Fuli said in a gentle tone, even smiling. "We're checking the situation according to procedure. The division leaders are very concerned about your great contribution this time."

He Yuzhu sat down, his back still straight, his hands resting on his knees. "Thank you for your concern, sir."

"Hmm." Wang Fuli opened his notebook, picked up a pen, and said, "The mission was executed beautifully. Especially the choice of the demolition point and the timing of the withdrawal—very skillful. Who taught you that?"

coming.

He Yuzhu's expression remained unchanged: "Reporting to the special envoy, it's mainly Li, the deputy instructor. He's fought many battles and has plenty of experience. Also... figure it out yourself. After watching a lot of American artillery bombardments on the front lines, I figured out where they're most vulnerable—fuel and ammunition. If those places are bombed, chaos is sure to ensue."

"Platoon Leader Li? Comrade Li Dashan." Wang Fuli made a note of it. "What exactly did he teach?"

"Key points for infiltration and ambush, placement of improvised explosive devices, and determining the intervals between sentry shifts," He Yuzhu answered fluently. Li, the stern-faced platoon leader, had indeed mentioned these details in bits and pieces, which He Yuzhu filled in with his systematic knowledge. "Platoon Leader Li often said that if our equipment is inferior, we have to be even more ruthless and cunning than them."

"More ruthless, more cunning..." Wang Fuli repeated, his pen pausing for a moment before he looked up. "Comrade He Weiguo, I've seen your file. You joined the army at sixteen, and previously served in the rear... showing positive performance, but without any special training record. However, in your recent battles, especially the raids behind enemy lines, the qualities you displayed are unlike those of a new recruit."

His tone remained calm, but the sharp edge in his words was already showing.

He Yuzhu's hands, resting on his knees, curled slightly. He recalled that night of fire—the blazing waves, the screams, the stench of burning flesh. The images surged up, and his stomach clenched. It wasn't fear, but something deeper, something heavier.

He looked up at Special Envoy Wang. This time, he didn't hide it, letting the emotions surging from the depths of his heart wash over his face and seep into his eyes.

"Special Envoy," he said in a low, hoarse voice, as if burned by smoke, "my parents... their hometown was in Northeast China. How they died, the records might not have detailed it." He paused, squeezing out each word from between his teeth, "American planes strafed, the whole village... only a few people were left. I was lying in the ditch, watching."

The mud-brick house was deathly silent, with only the whistling of the wind through the cracks in the stones.

He Yuzhu stared at Wang Fuli: "You ask me how I learned. I never went to military school. I only know that when you see these bastards, you have to kill them. With guns, knives, explosives, strangulation, you can kill them however you want. Li, the platoon leader, taught me how to kill them more cleanly and without taking the lives of the brothers. What I figured out myself was how to make them die in more pain and fear."

He spoke slowly, each word sharp and impactful. The hatred he felt was real, but its source was more complex—a cold rage mixed with resentment towards the era, the war, and the mission imposed upon him by the system.

Wang Fuli looked into his eyes and remained silent for a moment. A little ink had smudged on the notebook.

The door was pushed open with a bang.

Li, with his towering, dark-faced figure, blocked the doorway; his face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He had clearly been eavesdropping outside for a while.

"Special Envoy Wang!" Li Dashan's voice boomed and blazed, "What, are you interrogating a prisoner? He Weiguo is a soldier I personally trained! I'll vouch for his background with my life!"

He strode in, slamming his hand on the broken table, making the kerosene lamp flicker wildly. "The American soldiers he killed, from the sniping to this burning of the camp, must have been at least eighty or a hundred! Ask anyone in the office, have they ever seen so many living American devils? And enemy agents? Enemy agents working for their own people like this? So paranoid, doesn't that chill the hearts of our soldiers!"

Caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, Wang Fuli adjusted his glasses, his face flushing and paling alternately: "Deputy Platoon Leader Li, calm down, this is organizational procedure..."

"Procedure my ass!" Li, his eyes blazing, glared. "People on the front lines are risking their lives in battle, and you're checking up on your own people? Why not use that time to fire more bullets and grenades?"

Company Commander Zhao also came in and grabbed Li's arm: "Old Li! How dare you talk like that!" His words were a reprimand, but his tone was not reproachful.

Wang Fuli awkwardly closed his notebook and stood up: "...Alright, Platoon Leader Li, I've received your feedback. I have a general understanding of Comrade He Weiguo's situation. That's all for today."

He glanced at He Yuzhu again, his expression complex, and finally nodded: "Do a good job, and don't let the organization down."

The people left, leaving only three mud-brick houses.

Li, his face dark, was still panting heavily. Company Commander Zhao glared at him: "Li, you black-faced guy, are you a firecracker? You'll explode at the slightest touch! Those are people from the division headquarters!"

"What's wrong with the division headquarters?" Li, his face dark, retorted. "They can't bully my soldiers!"

He Yuzhu stood there, watching the two men slam their fists on the table and glare at him. The chill he felt from the system and Special Envoy Wang gradually faded with warmth. This was his company, his comrades-in-arms.

He took a deep breath: "Platoon leader, company commander, I'm sorry to trouble you."

"What a hassle!" Dark-faced Li waved his hand, walked over, and patted him on the shoulder with a much lighter touch. "Kid, remember this: in our company, as long as you fire your bullets forward and stab outwards, even if the sky falls, I... and the company commander will be there to hold it up for you!"

Company Commander Zhao didn't say anything, but lit another cigarette and took a deep drag.

[Resolve potential trust crises. A proper response demonstrates loyalty and fighting spirit.]

[Wisdom +5]

[Interpersonal Relationships: Li Dashan (the "Black-faced Li") shows significantly increased trust and protection, and is regarded as a trusted subordinate. Company Commander Zhao's trust is solidified, and their tacit understanding deepens.]

That evening, He Yuzhu returned to the reconnaissance platoon's foxhole. Shuanzi, Lao Geng, and Xiao Shandong surrounded him, their eyes shining. They were even happier than He Yuzhu that the platoon leader had been officially appointed.

"Squad leader, now our reconnaissance squad finally has a name!" Shuanzi chuckled.

He Yuzhu smiled and took out the captured map of the US lieutenant from his pocket. In the dim light of the oil lamp, he spread out a corner and slowly moved his finger along it. He hadn't looked closely before, but now he noticed that besides the markings of artillery positions and fuel depots, there were also some extremely fine pencil marks pointing further in, along with several strange abbreviations.

He frowned. This map was probably more than just an ordinary battle map.

"Shuanzi," he looked up, "come with me to the company headquarters tomorrow morning and show this map to the company commander and political instructor. I think... there's something in it."

"Okay!" Shuanzi replied readily.

He Yuzhu carefully put away the map, leaned against the cold cave wall, and closed his eyes. In his mind, the system panel silently unfolded, the score number was enormous, and the main quest progress bar was still hopelessly long. Special Envoy Wang's probing, Black-faced Li's rough protection, the suspicious points on the map... all were intertwined.

The road ahead is long, and the wind has already risen. He must walk more steadily and more carefully.