Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen slowly sipped his tea, his gaze sweeping over the various equipment in the warehouse, while his mind was calculating the various possibilities for the new year.

The resources in the game world are his trump card, but his real-world work, interpersonal relationships, and the unique atmosphere and rules of this era also require him to deal with and manage them carefully.

The security department, though seemingly peripheral, actually provides access to a great deal of information, both overt and covert, within the factory, making it a good observation point. Li Zhijun, this seasoned veteran, certainly has many stories and intricacies to his name; he's worth pondering carefully.

Around 8:30, a sharp and urgent whistle suddenly broke the tranquility of the factory area, coming from outside the building, and was extremely penetrating.

"Beep—beep beep beep—beep!" Immediately afterwards, a loud but slightly hoarse voice amplified through the metal loudspeaker, echoing through the corridor: "Attention all security personnel! Assemble immediately at the training ground! Meeting at 9:00 AM sharp! Repeat, all personnel, except those on guard duty, assemble at the training ground!"

Li Zhijun slowly tapped his pipe against the stove, emptied the ash, and tucked it back into his belt. "Here it comes, the annual start-of-work drums." He stood up, stretched his stiff neck, making a soft "crack" sound. "Come on, kid. Let's hear what new tricks they have this year."

Wei Chen also stood up, placed the unfinished teacup on the table, and followed Li Zhijun out of the equipment depot. Li Zhijun took out a bunch of keys from his waist, picked out one, and carefully locked the heavy iron door.

The corridor was bustling with activity as the doors to various offices opened one after another. Security personnel, dressed in uniform or similar-style cotton overcoats and wearing cotton hats, filed out, nodding to each other or exchanging brief conversations, and headed toward the back of the building.

Wei Chen saw many familiar faces: Zhao Tiezhu, the patrol team's deputy captain who always liked to nitpick; Wang Meng, the honest and tall firefighter; Sun Xiaoyan, the lean and capable escort team member; and some young faces from the internal affairs and militia companies.

Everyone had different expressions. Some were still sleepy and hadn't fully woken up from the holiday laziness. Some were energetic and eager to try. Some frowned and were obviously quite impatient with the open-air meeting. Others were expressionless and just followed the crowd.

The training ground, located at the back of the factory, was a flat area compacted from a mixture of slag and loess, slightly smaller than a football field. It was surrounded by simple wooden obstacles and faded targets.

At this moment, the ground was muddy and hard due to the melting and freezing of the snow from the previous days. A hundred or so people gradually gathered and formed several not-so-neat square formations according to their approximate teams and groups.

Wei Chen followed Li Zhijun and naturally stood at the back of the line, near the edge. This area was mostly occupied by veterans like Li Zhijun, logistics support staff, or "special personnel" like Wei Chen who were not yet officially assigned to a group. The discipline in the ranks was relatively loose, and everyone stood casually, chatting in hushed tones.

The cold wind, like tiny knives, swept across the empty training ground, stirring up dust and fine ice shards. Many people hunched their shoulders, tucked their hands into their sleeves, or stamped their feet incessantly. Wei Chen also felt the chill seeping into his cotton-padded coat. He subtly adjusted his breathing, allowing the faint, enhanced warmth from the game world within him to slowly circulate and dispel the cold.

Standing in the queue, his gaze calmly swept across the crowd ahead. He had roughly figured out the composition of the security department's personnel during this time.

There are veterans like Li Zhijun who have retired from the army. Even though they are wearing bulky cotton-padded clothes, their posture still shows their former uprightness, and their eyes are calm and alert. There are also factory children and young workers who have come in through recruitment or replacement. Their faces show curiosity about this special position and the edges that have not yet been completely smoothed out.

There were also middle-aged people who had been transferred from other production positions for various reasons, their expressions showing a mixture of caution in adapting to the new environment and a touch of nostalgia for the past. The overall atmosphere was peculiar, possessing both the relaxed, human touch typical of factories and the seriousness of quasi-military management, creating a unique blend of qualities.

At exactly nine o'clock, the sound of leather shoes clicking on the frozen ground grew louder as they approached. Three figures walked from the direction of the office building and climbed onto the half-person-high platform made of bricks and cement at the front of the training field.

The man in the middle was tall and robust. Even though he was wearing a military overcoat, you could tell that he had broad shoulders and a thick back. He had a square face, dark skin, and a pair of bright eyes under his thick eyebrows. When he looked down at the audience, he had an undeniable air of authority.

It was Zhou Jianjun, the head of the security section. He was said to be a former reconnaissance soldier who had participated in many battles, suffered serious injuries, and remained tough even after being transferred to civilian life.

The man on the left is slightly shorter, wearing a well-fitting navy blue Zhongshan suit. He has a lean face and looks more like a clerk or accountant. He is Jin Aiguo, the deputy section chief, in charge of internal affairs, supplies, and finance. He is meticulous and detail-oriented. He is Wei Chen's direct superior! He's also the one who recruited Wei Chen.

The man on the right is about the same height as Zhou Jianjun, but more muscular and robust. His skin is a bronze color from years of exposure to the sun and wind, and his face has strong, axe-like features. Standing there, he looks like a taut javelin. He is Wei Changzheng, the deputy section chief. He comes from a military background and is in charge of daily training, patrols, escorts, and other field operations. He is known for his strictness and excellent skills.

The somewhat noisy chatter from below the stage quickly subsided, eventually settling into a subdued silence, broken only by the howling of the cold wind.

Zhou Jianjun stepped forward. He didn't use a loudspeaker, but his booming, metallic voice clearly drowned out the wind and reached everyone's ears: "Comrades! Is the New Year celebration over?"

A chorus of uneven, amused responses erupted from the audience: "It's over!"

"Are you all sober now?" Zhou Jianjun asked again, his gaze sharp as he swept over the few people whose faces were still flushed.

"They're awake!" This time the responses were more coordinated.

"Good that you're awake!" Zhou Jianjun's face turned serious, and his voice suddenly rose. "The New Year is over, and you've sobered up. Shouldn't we in the security department be on high alert too?!"

No one responded; everyone straightened their backs slightly. "What does our steel rolling mill do? We produce steel urgently needed for national construction! We're of paramount importance!"

Zhou Jianjun waved his arms, his tone resolute, "What is our security department for? It's to guard this steel plant, to protect state property, and to safeguard the safety of thousands of workers! This gate, at any time, under any circumstances, cannot be loosened or broken!"

He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across the room, pressing down on everyone's hearts as if it were a tangible weight. "Especially now! The New Year has just ended, and people are most prone to laziness and carelessness! Do you think petty thieves get a holiday too? Do you think vandals get a break too? Let me tell you, that kind of thinking is the worst! The enemy never takes a holiday!"

He pointed towards the factory area: "Look at those blast furnaces, look at those rolling mills, look at the steel billets piled up in the warehouse! That's the nation's wealth, forged from the sweat of our workers! If it's lost, damaged, or there's an accident, who will be responsible? Can you afford to take that responsibility? I, Zhou Jianjun, will be the first to not be able to!"

"So," he said sharply, his voice firm and decisive, "from today onward, from this moment on, everyone get your heads back on track! Open your eyes wide! Prick up your ears! Those on patrol, don't just go through the motions! Those on duty, don't doze off or slack off! Those training, don't try to slack off! Anyone who, because they had a few too many drinks during the New Year, throws their responsibilities to the back of their minds, treats factory rules like a whisper, and makes a mistake, don't blame me, Zhou Jianjun, for turning my back on you! Those who deserve punishment will be punished, and those who deserve to be fired will be fired! Do you understand?!"

"Understood!" A resounding response echoed from below the stage. No one dared to underestimate Zhou Jianjun's authority and the weight of his words.

Zhou Jianjun took a half step back, and Jin Aiguo stepped forward. He adjusted his glasses, and although his voice wasn't as loud as Zhou Jianjun's, it was clear, steady, and articulate: "Comrades, you must deeply understand and put into practice what Section Chief Zhou said. In the new year, our internal affairs and logistics support departments must continue to adhere to the principle of thrift in all our work. Every piece of equipment, from a cotton overcoat to a baton, is state property. Registration, receipt, return, maintenance, and disposal must be strictly carried out in accordance with regulations and procedures. All formalities must be complete, and accounts must be clear."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience, lingering particularly long on those involved in equipment management. "Recently, the Ministry and the Municipal Bureau may issue new documents regarding a major safety inspection and specific plans for fire prevention, theft prevention, and sabotage prevention."

Everyone must not take chances. In your respective areas, maintain cleanliness, ensure items are neatly arranged, and thoroughly check for safety hazards. Don't underestimate these matters; details often determine success or failure, and they reflect the spirit and work style of our security department. Don't let individual negligence tarnish the reputation of the entire department and our steel rolling mill.

His words were more like a reminder and a warning, but the pressure they carried was self-evident.

Finally, it was Wei Changzheng's turn. He didn't speak immediately, but simply took a step forward, standing ramrod straight, like a pine tree. His gaze slowly swept across the audience, and those he looked at unconsciously straightened their chests. His voice wasn't loud, even somewhat low, but every word was like a hammer striking an anvil, heavy with weight: "I'll only talk about training."

The audience was completely silent. "Starting tomorrow—no, starting this afternoon—all training will resume as normal." Wei Changzheng spoke slowly but decisively. "The patrol team's physical fitness, formations, and emergency response; the fire brigade's equipment operation and emergency drills; the escort team's vehicle inspections and route rehearsals; and the militia's shooting, grenade throwing, and tactical basics… nothing can be omitted, and nothing can be lowered to the required standard!"

His gaze was sharp as he swept over several young faces that clearly looked bitter: "Don't think that just because the New Year is over, your arms and legs aren't your own anymore! Don't think that what you practiced all the time will really come in handy when it matters!"

Let me tell you, the more sweat you shed in peacetime, the less blood you'll bleed in wartime! This applies to the battlefield, and it applies equally to our defense work! The enemy won't wait for you to be ready before they attack! Accidents won't happen when you're in the best of spirit!

Especially militia training; there might be assessments and evaluations from higher authorities this year, so everyone needs to be on their best behavior! Anyone who drops the ball or drags the team down won't be held back on the training field by me, Wei Changzheng!