My Courtyard Shelter

Chapter 50: Training Begins

At exactly 10:00 a. m. , someone from Municipal Bureau Headquarters finally made an appearance. The man was in his fifties, carried himself with great authority, and was clearly a high-ranking big shot. “Clap, clap, clap…” Amid enthusiastic applause, the big boss walked straight up to the podium, picked up the microphone, and said: “Good morning, everyone. I’m Hu Yanjü! On behalf of the Municipal Bureau, I’d like to welcome everyone here. I imagine many of you here know me, and I see quite a few familiar faces…” “Who is this guy?” Xu Dong whispered to Wang Lixin from the audience. Wang Lixin looked completely taken aback: “You don’t even know Hu Yanjü? He’s the deputy mayor of Yanjing City and also the director of the Municipal Bureau!” “Well, I just moved to Yanjing last year, so I’m not very familiar with the area yet,” Xu Dong explained quietly. “Brother Xu, your political awareness leaves something to be desired. I’ll get you some internal materials sometime. For those of us in security, there’s nothing worse than ‘not recognizing a great figure when you see one.’ ” “I’d appreciate that, Brother Wang,” Xu Dong replied politely. Wang Lixin waved his hand. “We’re brothers on the same front—no need to be so formal.” Hu Yanjü continued his speech: “I won’t beat around the bush. We’ve organized this rotational training session with only one agenda item, and that is…” Hu Yanjü paused for a moment before continuing bluntly, “How to respond to large-scale, sudden disasters and the mass incidents that result from them.” “Buzz, buzz, buzz…” The conference room was filled with the murmur of whispered conversation. Xu Dong couldn’t help but feel a jolt of shock. His premonition had indeed been correct—the higher-ups were actively preparing for unspeakable events that might occur in the future. “Why does this feel a little different from the previous training sessions?” Wang Lixin muttered under his breath. Xu Dong replied meaningfully: “Brother Wang, times have changed!” Wang Lixin’s eyes widened in astonishment: “Brother Xu, have you been reading too many novels? Are you still throwing in inside jokes at a time like this?” “Sorry, Brother Wang, I didn’t realize you didn’t know that reference!” Xu Dong looked slightly embarrassed; he admitted that he had indeed picked up the line from an online novel. “Bullshit. Who among us security guards doesn’t kill time with online novels?” Wang Lixin grumbled. The thing was, this reference had another, highly insulting meaning—one Brother Xu likely wasn’t aware of. Wang Lixin didn’t feel comfortable pointing it out, lest he “bring shame upon himself.” Just as Wang Lixin was still mulling this over, Hu Yanjü’s speech finally reached its conclusion: “Even if there’s only a one-in-a-thousand chance, we must be fully prepared. I believe you will live up to the trust placed in you and fulfill your mission with honor.” “Clap, clap, clap…” Hu Yanjü saluted the group and then left. Next, everyone began packing their luggage to board the bus. Wang Lixin’s guess had been spot on—their destination was indeed the Yanjing Police Academy. After a long hour-long drive, they finally arrived at the Police Academy. Xu Dong, carrying his suitcase, followed the crowd to a plaza. Dorm rooms had already been assigned in advance. With his room number and key in hand, Xu Dong quickly found his dorm with the help of the student greeters. It was a four-person dorm with a balcony and a private bathroom—the accommodations were quite decent. Just as Xu Donggang had stuffed his suitcase into the closet, another person entered the room. The newcomer was also in his thirties, wore rimless glasses and a shirt, and looked refined and well-mannered. “Hello, my name is Xu Dong. I work for the Yanjing City Power Company,” Xu Dong said as he stepped forward to greet him. “Zhao Jian, from Xialang Group.” Xu Dong reached out his right hand to shake the other man’s: “Nice to meet you. We’ll be roommates from now on.” “We’re about the same age. From now on, you can call me Old Zhao, and I’ll call you Old Xu. What do you think?” Zhao Jian suggested. “Sure, hello, Old Zhao!” Just as the two were talking, their other two roommates arrived: Old Zhu from the Daxia Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Group and Old Ma from the Daxia Electronics Technology Group. “Do you guys smoke?” Xu Dong pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Zhao Jian also pulled out a pack of cigarettes he’d prepared in advance, indicating he had some too—though his were the kind that cost over thirty yuan a pack and were still completely unopened. As for Old Zhu and Old Ma, they immediately took cigarettes from Xu Dong, who even lit them for them himself. “That’s a real treat, Old Xu. Thanks for the cigarettes!” “These really are good cigarettes—so smooth.” Xu Dong smiled and said, “I’ve got plenty of cigarettes here, so you two don’t have to be so polite.” “You said it yourself—I’m taking you at your word,” Old Ma said, fixing Xu Dong with a steady gaze. As far as he knew, cigarettes were virtually impossible to find on the market right now—most cigarette factories had even been shut down for several months. Xu Dong tossed a pack of cigarettes directly to Old Ma. He wasn’t short on cigarettes; what he lacked were connections. It was those connections that allowed him to enjoy all sorts of conveniences—something a few packs of cigarettes could never compare to. Lao Ma caught the pack, gave Xu Dong a thumbs-up, and then carefully tucked it away. Before Old Zhu could say a word, Xu Dong tossed a pack of cigarettes his way as well. “Old Zhao, would you like a pack too?” Xu Dong finally asked Zhao Jian. That’s just how some things are—it’s not the scarcity that’s the problem, but the inequality. Zhao Jian raised an eyebrow and teased, “Sure, why not? You’d be an idiot not to take a freebie.” With that, he took the cigarettes from Xu Dong with a smug look on his face. It was clear that Xu Dong was someone who didn’t sweat the small stuff. After cleaning the dorm, it was time for lunch. Soon, someone came to tell them to go to the cafeteria and handed out 28 meal tickets to each person. Taking into account today’s breakfast and the dinner on the last day—one meal ticket per meal—28 tickets were exactly the right amount. Xu Dong took a close look at the meal tickets in his hand. They didn’t specify a denomination; they simply bore the large characters “Meal Voucher” and were stamped with the Municipal Bureau’s seal. At the cafeteria, there was a separate serving window for the training class, and quite a few people were already lined up to get their meals. The four roommates hurried over to join the line. When it was Xu Dong’s turn, he ordered a cold tomato salad, stir-fried cabbage in a dry pot, and finally, braised winter melon. All three dishes were vegetarian. Actually, it wasn’t that there were no meat dishes in the cafeteria; it was just that the only meat option was chicken chunks braised with potatoes. Xu Dong’s old aversion flared up again—the sight of potatoes made him feel queasy—so he decided not to order it. Also, the seaweed soup was free. “Old Xu, are you feeling unwell? Why didn’t you order any meat?” Zhao Jian asked with concern. Xu Dong waved his hand and made up a quick excuse: “I’m allergic to potatoes—I can’t touch even a single one.” “That’s such a shame. I heard the Municipal Bureau sent this chicken over especially for us as a special treat—just for today. There won’t be any more after this,” Old Ma said with a look of regret. “If there isn’t any, there isn’t any. I’m not missing out on this meat,” Xu Dong said nonchalantly. The three roommates exchanged glances, wondering where Xu Dong got such a bold attitude from. They all agreed he was just venting his frustration and indulging in a bit of wishful thinking. After lunch, the four of them returned to their dorm to take a nap, and classes officially began at 2:30 p. m.