Zhou Tong spun sharply and marched out. In the courtyard’s dust, she found Dong Yaoting speaking urgently to Dong Sanshao. Relief flashed across her face. “Sanshao. With me. General Guo demands to see you.”

　　Dong Yaoting’s eyes widened instantly. He gripped Sanshao’s arm, his voice a low, urgent hiss. “Listen! Mind your bearing before the General. Stand straight. Speak with respect. No casual talk!”

　　Dong Sanshao merely gave a low, dismissive grunt. He fell into step behind Zhou Tong, following her back into the command post of Division Commander Liu Yuqing’s headquarters.

　　Inside, tension hung thick. Lieutenant General Guo Rudong stood before a large battle map, his bald scalp gleaming coldly under the electric lights. Division Commander Liu Yuqing stood beside him, detailing the imminent Japanese assault on Hukou. Zhou Tong snapped to rigid attention, her voice cutting cleanly through the briefing. “Reporting, General Guo! Dong Sanshao, expert military sniper, reporting as ordered!”

　　Guo Rudong turned. His bare head shone like polished jade. To Dong Sanshao, raised in a poor village, it recalled unsettling images of men with diseased, patchy scalps. But the resemblance ended there. This man wore the twin gold stars of a Lieutenant General. His eyes were dark pits – sharp, calculating, radiating a cold scrutiny that made Sanshao’s skin crawl. You felt exposed. Vulnerable. Afraid.

　　General Guo’s gaze locked onto Sanshao. Slowly, deliberately, he circled him once. A full, slow orbit. It felt precisely like a farmer appraising a workhorse at market – weighing muscle, bone, utility. Heat flushed Dong Sanshao’s neck, anger simmering beneath the surface. Zhou Tong watched, her face an impassive mask. Division Commander Liu Yuqing cleared his throat, forcing a strained smile. “Dong Sanshao! Salute the General!”

　　The command snapped Sanshao into motion. His heels slammed together, his hand cracking sharply against his temple in a rigid salute. “General, sir! Private Dong Sanshao reporting!”

　　Only then did Guo Rudong offer a curt nod. A thin, predatory smile touched his lips. “Well, I’ll be damned! So you’re the sharpshooter? You’re the sniper ace causing such a stir?!”

　　“Reporting, General!” Sanshao barked, his salute unwavering. “Whether I’m an ‘ace’ is for others to judge, sir. What I can confirm is that I eliminated one enemy sniper on Longtan Hill!”

　　Beside them, Division Commander Liu Yuqing interjected swiftly, his voice thick with raw grief. “That sniper, General, sir—he was a devil! He slaughtered twelve of our officers! Captains and above! Three deputy regimental commanders, three battalion commanders, six company commanders… all cut down by that single Jap marksman!”

　　After Liu Yuqing finished speaking, Guo Rudong’s gaze locked onto Dong Sanshao. "Deputy Station Chief Zhou," he barked, the command slicing through the tense air, "Hukou is on the brink. He stays. Any objections?"

　　Zhou Tong met his stare without flinching. "General, Dong Sanshao isn’t formally attached to the Bureau yet. His decision to stay must be his own."

　　Guo Rudong’s eyes narrowed, shifting their sharp, predatory focus onto Dong Sanshao. "You," he demanded. "Will you stay?"

　　Dong Sanshao stared rigidly ahead, his voice loud but carrying an undercurrent of defiance. "Reporting, General! I serve Young Master Dong Yaoting, Comrade Zhang Facai, and my junior martial sister, Zhang Hanzhi. If I stay while my Young Master leaves—that is absolutely unthinkable!"

　　Guo Rudong grunted, a low rumble in his throat. "Explain yourself."

　　"My father sent me with the Young Master," Dong Sanshao declared, his voice firming. "My duty is his protection. Where he goes, I go. But—" A flicker of realization crossed his face. "If I stay, then he must stay too! That means... he follows my lead here!"

　　A spark of genuine, almost amused interest lit Guo Rudong’s eyes as he studied the young soldier. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, before he finally spoke, his tone brooking no argument. "Deputy Station Chief Zhou. Your entire unit remains. Defend Hukou. As for Dong Sanshao—" He jabbed a thick finger towards him. "—he’s now the 26th Division’s designated sniper. Primary mission: eliminate Japanese commanders. Cripple their command structure. Settled. Prepare immediately." He paused, then added sharply, "Effective immediately: Dong Sanshao is promoted to Second Lieutenant, Platoon Leader. Combat merit recognized."

　　Zhou Tong snapped to attention, her salute razor-sharp. "Understood, General Guo!"

　　Guo Rudong waved them away dismissively. "Go. Division Commander Liu and I have defenses to plan."

　　Liu Yuqing turned to a nearby guard. "Escort Second Lieutenant Dong to the quartermaster. Full officer’s kit—uniform, gear. Pay adjusted to rank. Assign him to Division Headquarters Guard Company!" The guard snapped a salute—"Sir!"—and led Dong Sanshao and Zhou Tong towards the supply depot.

　　When Dong Sanshao returned to the courtyard clad in his new officer’s uniform—crisp wool, gleaming insignia—Dong Yaoting’s jaw dropped. Zhang Facai whistled low, muttering, "Holy hell! Look at you!"

　　Zhang Hanzhi simply stared, bewildered by the sudden fuss. She didn’t understand the bars on his collar or the significance of the promotion. She only saw Dong Sanshao transformed—the sharp lines of the uniform, the squared shoulders, the quiet intensity in his eyes. He looked… formidable. Radiating a fierce, undeniable soldier’s aura.

　　Dong Yaoting’s eyes locked onto the lieutenant’s insignia pinned to Sanshao’s collar. "Sanshao," he said, suspicion sharpening his voice, "you got the wrong jacket? That’s a lieutenant’s rank—like Platoon Leader Zhong Fang wore back in basic. You know that, right?"

　　Zhang Facai shouldered forward, pressing the back of his hand to Sanshao’s forehead. "Dong Sanshao, you son of a bitch! Burning up or what? Since when do you rate lieutenant’s stripes?"

　　A deep flush crept up Sanshao’s neck. He yanked the officer’s tunic off. "It’s just a damn uniform! Chief Zhou!" He jabbed a finger toward her. "My Young Master gets the same rank and kit as me. Otherwise, I ain’t playing Headquarters Guard Platoon Leader!"

　　Zhou Tong let out a dry chuckle. "Think this is handing out rations, Sanshao? Equal shares for everyone? Rank is earned. You earned yours. Refusing it is disobeying a direct order. Clear?"

　　The pieces clicked for Dong Yaoting and Zhang Facai. Sanshao had been promoted. Dong Yaoting’s stomach knotted. Taking orders from his own family servant? The humiliation scorched him.

　　Ever perceptive, Sanshao draped the discarded tunic over Dong Yaoting’s shoulders. "Fits you better, Young Master," he offered with a strained smile. "Looks right on an officer."

　　Dong Yaoting snapped. His foot lashed out, catching Sanshao square on the backside. "Damn you! Quit rubbing it in! Take this damn thing and get lost!"

　　Rubbing his stinging rear, Sanshao abandoned the tunic. Bare-chested, he charged straight for Liu Yuqing’s command post. Zhou Tong, bewildered, hurried after him.

　　She entered to find a scene teetering on absurdity: Dong Sanshao stood shirtless before General Guo Rudong, no salute, defiance radiating from him. "General!" he shouted. "I won’t take the lieutenant rank!"

　　Guo Rudong, witnessing such raw insubordination for the first time, leaned forward. "Why the hell not?"

　　"Me a lieutenant, my Young Master stuck a private? No damn way!" Sanshao shot back. "Unless my Young Master gets lieutenant rank too, I’m done serving!"

　　Understanding dawned on Guo Rudong. His gaze flicked past Sanshao to Zhou Tong. "Deputy Station Chief Zhou!" he barked, his voice rising. "Fetch the other three! Now!" A faint, knowing smile touched Zhou Tong’s lips as she turned back toward the courtyard.

　　Guo Rudong stepped close to Sanshao, looming over the bare-chested soldier. "You little shit!" he roared, his thick Sichuan accent heavy in the air. "Ain't ya scared I'll blow ya damn head off?!"

　　Dong Sanshao held Guo Rudong’s fierce gaze without flinching. "General," he said, his voice low but resonant with conviction, "a man can't forsake his roots.

　　My family owes everything to the Young Master's household. And why am I even a soldier? Because he chose the path first. Every bit of who I am now—it's built on his foundation." He paused, a fierce loyalty tightening his jaw. "I forgot to say—I became this sniper because my Young Master trained me. Without him standing beside me, I wouldn't exist!"

　　Guo Rudong threw his head back and bellowed with laughter. Just then, the courtyard door swung open. Dong Yaoting, Zhang Facai, and Zhang Hanzhi followed Zhou Tong inside. Guo Rudong strode towards the newcomers, his presence filling the room. "Which one of you," he demanded, his eyes scanning them, "is Dong Sanshao's Young Master?"

　　Dong Yaoting stood rigid, his lips pressed into a thin, silent line.

　　Guo Rudong’s voice cracked like a rifle shot. "God damn it! Who?!"

　　Dong Yaoting snapped forward, heels clicking sharply. His salute was textbook perfect. "Reporting, General! I am, sir!"

　　"Your story," Guo Rudong commanded. "Now."

　　Dong Yaoting drew a breath, his voice projecting clearly despite the tension. "Reporting, General! I was a student at National Wuhan University. When the Japs attacked Wuhan, the university evacuated to Chongqing. I chose to enlist—to fight—instead of fleeing with my books. The 51st Division, 74th Army, recruited me in Wuhan.

　　My family servant, Dong Sanshao, arrived to bring me home. Instead, we both took the oath with the 51st. On the march to Dean, near Madang Fortress on the riverbank... we walked into a Jap ambush." His voice hardened. "Two companies—new recruits and veterans, over 250 men—fought until the end. Only Zhang Facai, Dong Sanshao, and I made it out. The rest... gave everything." He swallowed. "We regrouped in Pengze County, met Deputy Station Chief Zhou... were flushed out by a Jap patrol... and ran for Hukou."

　　Guo Rudong listened intently. Dong Yaoting's account was precise, his bearing composed despite the grim tale. The General noted the young man's refined features, the unmistakable bookish pallor beneath the grime of war. A flicker of genuine respect softened his stern expression. "So," he said, a rare warmth touching his voice, "you're the scholar who traded his pen for a rifle? Damned impressive spirit!" He turned abruptly to Zhou Tong. "Deputy Station Chief Zhou. The men stay. The girl—you take her to Nanchang. Agreed?"

　　Before Zhou Tong could form a reply, Dong Sanshao burst forward. "General! Zhang Hanzhi is my martial sister! Her grandfather—my master, Zhang Jinzhi—he cut down Japs with his own blade in Pengze! They shot him dead! She stays with us!"

　　Guo Rudong’s eyes darted between Sanshao, the silent girl, and Zhou Tong. He turned to Liu Yuqing, seeking a solution. "Division Commander Liu. Your thoughts?"

　　Major General Liu Yuqing, understanding his commander's unspoken wish for order, stepped in smoothly. "Platoon Leader Dong," he offered, "your Young Master could serve as General Guo's personal secretary at Army HQ. A fitting role for his education. Veteran Zhang Facai," he nodded towards the older soldier, "joins your Headquarters Guard Platoon. As for the young lady..." He gestured towards Zhang Hanzhi. "...Deputy Station Chief Zhou could take her to Nanchang. Train her in telegraphy. A valuable skill. What do you think?"

　　Dong Sanshao’s gaze locked onto Zhou Tong. Silence stretched, thick and heavy. In that quiet, a complex storm raged within him. Zhou Tong had become his anchor, his most trusted ally. A feeling—vague, unsettling, impossible to name—stirred deep in his chest. Liu Yuqing's plan meant separation. Leaving her felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown.

　　The raw intensity in Sanshao's eyes as he looked at Zhou Tong wasn't lost on Liu Yuqing. Keeping this sharpshooter wouldn't be simple. Zhou Tong held the key.

　　Sure enough, Sanshao spoke, his voice rough but unwavering, his eyes never leaving Zhou Tong. "I go where Chief Zhou goes. My Young Master too. So we—"

　　Guo Rudong exploded. He chopped the air violently with his hand, his face flushing crimson. "You ungrateful little bastard!" he roared, his thick Sichuan accent thickening with fury. "I saw the fighter in you! No more damned dithering! Don't want to serve? Then get the hell out of my sight! I won't waste my breath keeping you!"

　　A flicker of profound relief lit Dong Yaoting's eyes. His mind was made up: he would follow Zhou Tong into the Military Statistics Bureau. The relentless string of defeats he'd witnessed—the faltering frontline troops—had left him deeply disillusioned with conventional combat units. He drew himself up to his full height, chest out, his voice ringing with newfound conviction. "Reporting, General! We intend to accompany Chief Zhou to Nanchang and join the Military Statistics Bureau!"

　　Guo Rudong visibly trembled, fury radiating from him. He slashed his hand violently through the air. "Get the hell out! All of you! Out! Now!"

　　Zhou Tong stepped forward decisively. Her arm snapped up in a razor-sharp salute. "General Guo! While we will not formally enlist under your command, we volunteer to remain and defend Hukou alongside your forces. We respectfully request permission to stand with you!"

　　Lieutenant General Guo Rudong's stern expression softened, just barely. He gave a curt, almost imperceptible nod. "Fine. But understand this: when the fighting starts, don't expect special protection. You'll be in the thick of it." He turned sharply to Liu Yuqing. "Division Commander Liu! Issue them weapons and ammunition immediately." His gaze fixed on Dong Sanshao. "Especially this Platoon Leader Dong—" He pointed emphatically. "—load him up with bullets. That single rifle of his?" Guo Rudong's voice dropped, thick with grudging respect. "It's worth a whole damn regiment... maybe even a division!"