Chapter Seven: The Gathering Place of the Profligate Sons

The rugged boy hesitated for a moment when he saw the metal box handed over by Zhou Hongye. But faced with Zhou Hongye’s sincerely smiling face, he eventually accepted the box with both hands.

Once the boy had the box, he opened it without a shred of reservation, not even sparing Zhou Hongye a glance. Chen Cao, observing this, was certain that this boy—who looked two years younger than himself and hailed from a military family—would have scoffed and tossed the box aside with a disdainful “Vulgar!” if it had contained gold or jade. He would have then shot Zhou Hongye a withering look.

But to Chen Cao’s surprise, the boy’s eyes suddenly lit up as he opened the box. Intrigued, Chen Cao craned his neck to see what kind of treasure could provoke such a reaction.

The boy reached into the box, and the severity of his expression softened. He spoke in a deep voice, “My name is Yang Jiacheng, but you can call me Grizzly. Thank you!” With that, he began to toy with the item like a child with a beloved new toy.

What he held was a jet-black, three-inch folding paratrooper’s knife.

Judging by the craftsmanship and sharpness of the knife, Chen Cao doubted that there was a second like it in all of Great Chen. What could be more treasured by Yang Jiacheng—a boy raised in the military and determined to surpass his forebears—than such a knife? It seemed Zhou Hongye had certainly won over this “Grizzly” scion of a military household.

Zhou Hongye seemed quite satisfied with the result, a broad smile on his round face. Scanning his surroundings, he noticed that his actions had begun to attract the attention of his fellow “comrades-in-adversity.” Quickly, he started rummaging through his pack again—this was a golden opportunity to make friends. A good first impression with these people could pave the way for a brighter future after leaving Unit 0611.

“Ah, KY7 steel! Now that’s something!” At the sound of this exclamation, the paratrooper’s knife vanished from Grizzly’s hands in a flash. He looked up to see a youth in a smartly tailored marine uniform—distinctly different from the other recruits—wearing an impish, yet charming, smirk.

Looking at this youth’s camo uniform, Chen Cao couldn’t help but feel that his own green recruit’s outfit made him look like a recently released convict. He grumbled to himself, “Damn it, uncle really is stingy—couldn’t he have gotten me something a little nicer?”

Grizzly’s face, usually dark, went pale when he saw the newcomer. Eyes wide, he stood and demanded, “Give it back!”

Grizzly’s build was clearly at odds with his age, but his nickname was well-deserved. Standing, he towered over the youth who had snatched his knife, looming over him like a mountain.

“What, Grizzly? Looking for a fight?” The youth’s lips curled into a contemptuous smile, his hand spinning the paratrooper’s knife deftly between his fingers.

“Grizzly’s no match for this guy,” Chen Cao thought, content to sit on his backpack and watch. He was just a passerby here, planning to stay a few years before moving on—preferably to an easy role, maybe in the piggery. He simply half-closed his eyes, observing the tension.

“Come on, guys, we’re all comrades now. Let’s talk this out—no need for violence!” Zhou Hongye, ever the little fox, stepped in, sensing a chance to broker peace.

“You must be Old Zhou’s grandson. I used to visit Jingzhou often with my grandfather when I was younger. How’s your grandfather these days?” The youth’s tone remained slightly mocking, though he smiled as he spoke.

“Ah, yes, yes… Oh! I remember now—you’re Young Master Chen! My apologies!” Zhou Hongye’s attitude changed completely when he recognized the youth facing off with Grizzly. He greeted him warmly, even more so than he had Grizzly, clearly aware that this young man came from an even more prominent family.

“Disgusting. Is this some kind of trust-fund baby club? Are they all just here to use the army as a stepping stone?” Chen Cao shifted uncomfortably, silently cursing the hypocrisy.

“Well, since our families are old friends, I’ll let you off this time. But—” Young Master Chen turned to Grizzly, whose face was now almost black with anger. “You’ve got a good build, but during the run you almost knocked me over. If you apologize, I’ll let it go. Otherwise, come and take it by force. I’ve heard General Yang Zhide, commander of the Fifth Airborne Division, is quite the martial artist. Let’s see if the tiger’s cub is as fierce!”

With a sudden flick, the sharp blade gleamed in the air and embedded itself deep into a nearby rock crevice.

“Damn, another tough one,” Chen Cao thought, closing his eyes in boredom at the antics of these privileged brats.

Crack, crack—the knuckles of Grizzly’s large hands popped ominously.

Seeing the situation escalate, little fox Zhou Hongye retreated a few steps. There was nothing more he could do. He’d already done his part, and earning a favor from Young Master Chen was enough.

On the electronic display, Cao Yehu watched the mounting tension with a trace of amusement at the corners of his mouth.

“Headmaster, looks like this year’s batch might be interesting,” Qiu Yu remarked, arms crossed, observing the standoff.

“Not bad. They’ve got speed, guts, and a bit of edge,” Cao Yehu replied, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting up.

At that moment, the female major at the control console turned to Cao Yehu. “Headmaster, the data report is in. After the first round of selection, ten recruits have been eliminated—some with fractures, others fell into traps, some got lost, and some were bitten by snakes or bugs and had to call for help.”

“Hmm,” Cao Yehu mused, his gaze on Chen Cao, who was still resting with his eyes closed. “What do you think of this one?”

The major, named Qian Shuang, blinked her large eyes and studied the screen. After a moment, she said, “Shameless.”

Grizzly had clearly reached his limit. With a guttural growl, he swung a wild, all-out punch—an attack that was all offense and no defense.

“Good, good—very good!” Young Master Chen smiled, sidestepped with a graceful turn, and reappeared behind Grizzly, driving his elbow into Grizzly’s broad back.

Despite the apparent mismatch in physique, the blow sent Grizzly stumbling forward a few steps, revealing the surprising strength hidden within Chen’s slender frame.

Chen Cao opened his eyes, further confirming his earlier judgment. But the conversation beside him soon drew his attention again.

“Hello, I’m Zhou Hongye from Nanzhou Zhou’s Technology Group. Just a little gift to show my respect… Oh, you must be General Li’s second son from the Fifth Army. My father dined with him last year—how is he these days…?”

Little fox Zhou Hongye had clearly forgotten about the fight, resuming his socializing and distributing gifts from his pack.

Meanwhile, the skirmish between Young Master Chen and Grizzly raged on, their attacks fierce and relentless. To Chen Cao, it was obvious that Grizzly was fighting with reckless abandon, while Young Master Chen displayed control, dodging and countering with precision.

No telling how long their fight would last. Chen Cao, uninterested, yawned and instead watched Zhou Hongye, who was busily networking. This army unit was certainly turning out to be entertaining.

Just as he was thinking this, a beautifully wrapped gift appeared before him, along with Zhou Hongye’s warm smile. “You’re the eldest son of Chen Fusheng, the richest man in Zhongzhou, right? You don’t show up in the news much, but I’ve heard of your exploits. Here’s a gift for you—I’m sure you’ll like it!”

“You even managed to find out about that?” Chen Cao looked at the little fox in admiration, not for the intelligence gathering, but because when he opened the box, he was utterly stunned.

“Condoms.”

“Well, things are getting interesting now!” Watching the scene on the monitor, Cao Yehu stubbed out his cigarette, a smile playing on his lips. He turned to Qiu Yu and said, “Old Qiu, time to move forward with the plan. Let’s cut a few more from these thirty-odd sons and daughters of privilege.”

“But of course,” Qiu Yu replied, signaling to the female major. Qian Shuang stood, picked up the folder, saluted crisply, and left the room.

“Seems like Major Guo doesn’t think much of your nephew,” Qiu Yu remarked after she’d left.

“True enough. Let’s hope he’s not eliminated next. Otherwise, after all these years, the Cao family will lose our bet!” Cao Yehu’s expression grew calm as he watched Zhou Hongye’s latest gift to Chen Cao, his face breaking into a smile. “That boy… there’s something about him. He truly is a Cao.”

Flame King 7 – “The Playground of the Privileged” – End of Chapter Seven.