Los Angeles defector

Trade

With a creak, the door opened. The pain in his eyes eased a bit, but they were still as red as rabbit eyes. Jason leaned against the head of the bed, knowing without looking who had come. In the entire group, there was only one person who entered without knocking.

Emily set down the basket and walked to Jason's bed, plopping down unceremoniously.

"Fox, are your eyes feeling better? I just dug up some wild vegetables that are good for eyes. I'll have Uncle from the kitchen cook you some soup for lunch."

Fox? Jason got a nickname for the first time in his life, and he didn't know whether to feel honored or resigned. Ever since he pulled this little girl back from the edge of the cliff, she has been sticking around here all day, taking care of Jason by bringing water and food. This little girl has a clear-cut temper, a rare child. Jason is very grateful that he grabbed her little hand at the last moment and didn't let those ridiculous braids fall into the abyss.

Emily's attitude towards Jason underwent a 180-degree transformation, not just because Jason saved her life. She thought Jason was a tough guy, and Emily liked anyone who was tough. Even though she was facing a slingshot and not a g*n, Emily was familiar with that unwavering momentum. Despite her young age, she was born in the smoke and grew up in the flames of war, following the resistance army and experiencing countless breakout battles and encounters. Although she was not a soldier charging at the front lines, being immersed in and experiencing the battles was a miracle in itself. This upbringing shaped her unique personality.

Being able to open one's eyes and break out of the pervasive lime mist is something very few people can do, at least Emily feels she couldn't do it herself. Additionally, Emily knows that Jason has a pocket watch, which became another reason. There are only two pocket watches in the entire group: one belongs to the commander and the other to the chief of staff, the only two people she fears. Emily is still a child, and her childlike nature makes her believe that someone with a pocket watch must be a big shot, a great hero, a symbol of both literary and military prowess. Now that Jason also has one, it further solidifies Emily's belief.

Jason sat up in bed and casually asked, "Hey, girl, I heard you can shoot a g*n. Is that true?"

This question struck a chord with Emily, and she couldn't wait to show off. Swinging her braided hair, she replied, "That's right. Ask around the whole group. Besides the commander, the chief of staff, and the uncle from the kitchen, who among those new recruits can shoot better than me?"

"Oh, you little girl, you don't even have a g*n. How is that possible?" Jason became interested.

"Hehehe..." Emily smiled shyly, a rare sight. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "I'll tell you, but you can't make fun of me, and you can't report me to the chief of staff!"

Seeing Jason nodding earnestly, Emily continued, "Don't be fooled by my lack of a g*n. Whenever I want to practice shooting, those new recruits line up to lend me their guns. Bullets are precious in our unit. Whoever lends me their empty g*n for a morning, I'll give them a bullet in return. As long as we don't get caught by the leaders, shooting with an empty g*n for a morning means one extra bullet, who wouldn't be tempted, hehe."

Jason couldn't help but feel a bit confused, "You borrow empty guns and give people back a bullet when returning them. Where do your bullets come from then?"

Emily blushed, her eyes darting around, and she mumbled, "I saved them up myself."

"Saved up? Are bullets like roadside mushrooms to you, pick as you please?" Jason stared dumbfounded at Emily's mischievous eyes, puzzled for a while before finally catching on. If she could have grenades, why not bullets? The thoughts of this little girl couldn't be fathomed by common sense. Who knows how many rookies she's tricked over the years.

"Is good marksmanship innate? That's nonsense! Is good marksmanship carried on a piece of rock? That's just fooling the rookies." Jason firmly believed in one truth: good marksmanship is fed by countless bullets. The more bullets you shoot, the better you become. Considering Emily's unique personality and environment, Jason believed that this little girl shouldn't be bragging.

At this point, Emily suddenly remembered the four bullets she had just obtained and Sandy Sniffles' heart-wrenching wails. She quickly rubbed her hands together and asked Jason, "Fox, you haven't been assigned a unit yet, right? How about I introduce you to a place?"

Seeing those mischievous big eyes shimmering again, Jason's heart skipped a beat. This little girl might be up to something mischievous again. Pretending to be indifferent, he replied, "I'm not interested. I'll just focus on recovering from my injuries and wait for the commander and staff to make arrangements." After speaking, he lay back down.

Jason didn't respond to this, what should I do? I've already taken the bullets, and Sandy Sniffles has cried so pitifully. I can't just cheat her again, can I? Emily scratched her head for a moment. This fox, he hasn't been here for long, and I really can't find any weaknesses or leverage on him. In her desperation, she thought of Isabella. So, she tugged at Jason's pants leg and said, "Hey, fox, what do you think of Aunt Isabella?"

Jason's heart stirred, but he remained calm on the surface: "Hasn't she already told you? In her eyes, I'm not a good person; I'm a scoundrel."

"Isabella is so beautiful, I like her. Do you like her too?"

Jason didn't react.

"You must be a great person. My judgment is definitely not wrong. In the past, my mother also cursed my father as a scoundrel, but in the end, she still married him. Hey, don't you think so?"

Jason still didn't react.

"Among our entire squad, my eyes, Emily's eyes, are the brightest, and my connections are the widest. Just a flip of my hand and I can find out about her news and situation. What do you think?"

Jason finally sat up and replied with just two words: "Deal!"

After the work training meeting held in the Independent Regiment, representatives from various departments left one after another, leaving only the squad leader and the chief of staff sitting at the table drinking water. The squad leader, who also rose through the ranks from the grassroots level, is straightforward. He put down his cup and said to the chief of staff, "David, a few days ago you saw that government soldier who deserted after saving the little girl. What do you think?"

David Ding took a sip of water and said, "I think this kid is extraordinary, he seems to have some background. He has a watch, can tell time, maybe literate, perhaps a talented individual."

The squad leader grinned and said, "Oh, that's great. Assign him to the first platoon then."

David Ding smiled and said, "Squad leader, let's not rush things. After all, he just joined the team, and we're not clear about his temperament and character yet. Our regiment has just been reorganized, and the ideological transformation is still a blank area. My suggestion is to observe him for a while first."

The squad leader took off his hat and scratched his head, saying, "David, I really admire your work in political affairs. You're not in a hurry even when things are urgent. The reorganization training is already giving me a headache, and this afternoon that troublesome Sandy Sniffles came to the training ground looking for me again, claiming she found a soldier from the Ninth Platoon, the deserter. She started making a fuss about the Ninth Platoon again, and that worrisome little girl joined in causing a scene. I thought your idea could buy us some time, but I didn't expect it to resurface so quickly. It's frustrating. You better come up with a solution for me quickly."

David Ding pondered for a moment and then slapped the table, saying, "That's perfect! Let's bundle all these matters together and solve them at once!"