Chapter 4

Twenty-six years have passed, and it has been sixteen years since Zhang Qifan returned to the civilized world. Now, Zhang Qifan has grown into an eighteen-year-old young man. For humans, eighteen is still quite young, but from a physiological standpoint, eighteen is already fully mature, and the mind has also passed the most critical formative period, making one a qualified mature individual.

On this day, Zhang Qifan received his identity card.

"Hey, Qifan, let me see your ID card. What's the number? Let's exchange contact numbers," a slightly overweight boy quickly caught up from behind and patted Zhang Qifan's shoulder.

Zhang Qifan didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Luo Cang, his classmate, could be considered the person with the best relationship with him at school.

Before adulthood and receiving the ID card, the contact number was a subsidiary number separated from the guardian, and the guardian could check all records made to the subsidiary number. Although, for personal privacy reasons, the content of the calls could not be checked, even so, rebellious teenagers found this intolerable.

After receiving the ID card, one would have their own dedicated contact number, and even if they called their beloved girl, they wouldn't have to worry about their parents finding out. Therefore, after receiving the ID card, many people's first action was to transfer all contacts to the new number.

Luo Cang had already finished his birthday a few days ago and received his ID card. He had long agreed to exchange numbers with Zhang Qifan as soon as he received his card.

Zhang Qifan gave him a blank look and silently raised his left wrist, where the personal communication terminal with the ID card inserted was worn.

In human society, the communication terminal and the ID card are two indispensable important items. Without them, it's almost impossible to move around. Whether it's public transportation, access control, shopping, or communication, these two items are essential. They are not only linked to bank accounts but also to contact numbers, identity IDs, and everything you can think of.

Luo Cang was already used to Zhang Qifan's cold demeanor and raised his hand on his own, bringing his communication terminal close to Zhang Qifan's.

A beep sounded, and the display on the terminal showed: Establishing connection... Below were the options to confirm or cancel. Luo Cang naturally chose to confirm.

After Zhang Qifan confirmed on his terminal, the two officially exchanged contact numbers, and they could find each other's numbers in their contact lists. Besides this convenient and quick method, they could also directly input the numbers and wait for the other party to verify, similar to the network communication tools of the Earth era.

After finishing these, Luo Cang and Zhang Qifan walked side by side to the classroom. As they walked, Luo Cang asked, "By the way, Qifan, we're about to undergo career orientation. Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

Career orientation is one of the most important choices in a person's growth, even more important than the college entrance exam in the Earth era. With the development of technology, social division of labor has become increasingly detailed, and the vast knowledge system requires humans to choose a specific branch and then receive targeted education to effectively deepen their expertise.

Before turning eighteen, students only receive basic education. After eighteen, they must determine their future direction and enter specialized colleges for further education. This choice is called career orientation.

Do you want to become a teacher? Or a chef?

If you choose to be a teacher, there are categories like adult education, basic education, and early childhood education. In early childhood education, there are subjects like prenatal education, infant psychology, and启蒙 (enlightenment). In prenatal education, there are elective subjects like nutrition, maternal mental health management, and obstetrics. In obstetrics, there are further subjects like the use of instruments and medications.

If you choose early childhood education, it might not be a good choice, as the society is currently experiencing a low birth rate, and many early childhood education institutions are laying off staff. Graduates might not find jobs, which would be disastrous.

Therefore, career orientation not only requires considering personal interests but also future development. It's not uncommon for families to spend a year or more researching, or for parents to start considering it from the moment their child is born.

Zhang Qifan responded indifferently, "Join the military." His voice was not particularly loud, nor did it sound particularly determined, but it had a matter-of-fact tone that left Luo Cang stunned.

"Join the military?" Luo Cang thought he might have heard wrong and instinctively confirmed it. He had known Zhang Qifan for ten years and felt that Zhang Qifan was rather cold and low-key, never actively seeking trouble, and not the type to join a violent institution like the military.

Zhang Qifan nodded.

"Why?" Luo Cang's eyes widened with curiosity, and he asked eagerly. His build was not suitable for the military, and if Zhang Qifan joined, it would mean they would part ways.

"Combat is the meaning of my existence," Zhang Qifan replied indifferently, his tone not particularly solemn but matter-of-fact.

Luo Cang looked at Zhang Qifan as if he were seeing him for the first time, his mouth agape in disbelief. He couldn't believe that such words came from Zhang Qifan, who was rather indifferent and didn't like to fight. He had known him for so long and had never seen him in a fight. How could he say such a thing so matter-of-factly?

"You... You've never even been in a fight. How can you say 'combat is the meaning of your existence'? But that sounds so cool," Luo Cang's eyes sparkled. Indeed, regardless of what Zhang Qifan was thinking, the way he said it was really cool.

Zhang Qifan curled his lip in a slight sneer, not answering Luo Cang's question but instead looking up at the sky, where the stars beyond the horizon shimmered brilliantly.

...

Dragging his luggage to the ground assault team recruitment office, Zhang Qifan couldn't help but blink, wondering if he had come to the wrong place.

A dilapidated, old building, quite spacious, but if not for the large recruitment sign at the entrance, no one would associate it with the assault team.

The military building had no guards at the entrance, only an elderly doorman who looked rather relaxed, more like he was enjoying his retirement than guarding the door.

No guards were one thing, but in an era with advanced access control systems, using a person to guard the door? Was it a luxury or a lack of funds to install an access control system?

Fortunately, there was someone to ask for directions.

The old doorman sized up Zhang Qifan, looking at him as if he were a rare animal. "You want to join the military? The ground assault team? Are you here to sign up? Is it April Fool's Day? Are you sure you're not joking? Don't mess with people just because I'm old. With your build, I could take you down with one hand."

A series of questions burst from the doorman's mouth. Zhang Qifan listened silently until the doorman started to roll up his sleeve, then he nodded indifferently.

The doorman was taken aback by his calm demeanor. What did this nod mean? Was he really here to sign up for the military, or was he really here to play a prank?

Only after confirming that Zhang Qifan was indeed here to join the military and specifically the ground assault team did the doorman's expression change from one of looking at a rare animal to one of looking at a fool. He pointed the way and watched Zhang Qifan's retreating figure, shaking his head with a mix of pity and ridicule.

In the recruitment hall, a spacious hall with a row of large tables, but only one table had someone sitting behind it. The others looked like they hadn't been used in a long time, with a thin layer of dust on the surfaces. It seemed that the recruitment office, which couldn't even afford an access control system, couldn't afford a dust-free control system either.

The only occupied table had a fashionable woman sitting behind it, her hair tied up in a neat bun, her hands manipulating the 3D projection on her personal terminal as if playing an intense game.

Only when Zhang Qifan approached the table did she react, looking up at him with a questioning expression.

"Sign up, ground assault team," Zhang Qifan glanced at the sign on the table, confirming it was indeed the recruitment office, then put his backpack down and sat in front of the table.

The woman blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly. "You want to sign up for the ground assault team?"