The soldiers in the mess hall had already stacked the firewood.
However, with several consecutive days of rain, while rescuing people in the downpour, all their fire starters had gotten damp.
Even the flints were wet.
A group of men stood around the woodpile, at a loss, staring at a pile of raw food with no way to cook it.
“I told you, you damn fool, couldn’t you have thrown the fire starter out before jumping into the water? Now the last one’s soaked!”
“You have the nerve to say that! Why didn’t you bring a fire starter?”
“Ridiculous! In such heavy rain, even if I brought one, it would’ve gotten wet!”
“Then what right do you have to blame me?!”
“Enough, enough! Stop arguing! Can arguing spark a flame?! No fire means we all drink the northwest wind!”
Just then, the guard led Cheng Fang over. “Make way! Make way! The Commandant has brought a fire starter!”
Zhang Cheng, the cook who had been arguing earlier, immediately stepped forward. “Commandant, you could have just sent a soldier with the fire starter. Why trouble yourself to come all this way?”
Obviously! Didn’t he know that?!
But how could this fire starter be compared to an ordinary one?!
Ignoring him, Cheng Fang walked straight to the pile of damp firewood. He pulled out the lighter from his robe.
A soldier eagerly approached. “Commandant, let me light the fire.”
Cheng Fang pulled his hand back. “Back off. Do you know how to use it?”
This fire starter was now his cherished possession; how could he let someone else touch it!
In the darkness, the others couldn’t clearly see what Cheng Fang held, assuming it was just a regular fire starter.
But the soldier closest to him and the guard beside him saw clearly: in Cheng Fang’s hand was a small black metal case.
Light a fire with metal? How?
Before they could voice their confusion, a crisp friction sound pierced the darkness!
Immediately after, a steady, bright, dancing flame of pale blue light ignited without warning from the top of the small case!
Instantly, it drew the gazes of all the soldiers.
“Wow! Fire! It’s fire!”
“Good heavens! It lit just like that?! No need to blow on it?”
“That flame… so bright!”
“That little black box can spit fire? A magical treasure?!”
Cheng Fang suppressed his pride, striving to maintain composure. He held the lighter near the straw laid beneath the firewood for kindling.
However, after days of rain, even the straw inside the tent was damp.
It would take considerable time to get it fully burning.
But when the flame from the Commandant’s hand approached the straw, the damp straw caught fire instantly!
A stubborn orange-red spark emerged, quickly spreading, licking at the wet grass!
If they hadn’t seen clearly in the dark before, now, illuminated by the flames, they finally got a good look at this little black box.
The soldiers were utterly astonished!
“Don’t we use fire starters or flints to make fire?”
“What is this little black box? How can it produce fire?”
“And the flame is so big?”
To ensure the fire wouldn’t die out, Cheng Fang lit three separate piles.
The previously dark area was instantly illuminated. The firelight reflected off every face, clear and vivid.
“Commandant, how can this box hold a flame? What kind of treasure is this?”
An old soldier stepped closer, his eyes glued to the small black case in Cheng Fang’s now-extinguished hand.
The surroundings instantly fell silent; everyone pricked up their ears.
These soldiers had followed him all the way here and were already familiar with him. The bolder ones could even chat with him a bit.
“It’s a fire starter made of metal! It’s moisture-proof and damp-proof, and the flame is windproof too!”
A flicker of pride crossed Cheng Fang’s mind. He raised the lighter, allowing the soldiers to finally see the little black box clearly.
To prove its windproof effect, Cheng Fang deliberately blew hard at the flame. It burned steadily, completely unaffected.
“So amazing! There’s actually a windproof flame!”
“Good heavens! This little black box can hold fire? What kind of treasure is this?!”
“With it, we won’t fear wind and rain anymore!”
…
Though he was a Commandant, he was still just a sixteen-year-old boy. Having gotten a new treasure, the first thing he thought of was showing it off.
Once sure the fire was burning, Cheng Fang tucked the lighter back into his robe.
With the fire issue solved, Cheng Fang practically flew back to his tent on winged feet, thinking of the pastries he’d been longing for!
Just as he reached outside the Commandant’s tent, an unwelcome sound greeted him.
“Wow! This one’s delicious too!”
“Whoa! This bottle… not ceramic, not porcelain, not glass, yet so pliable? And it has pictures printed on it?”
“Heavens, how is this milk so sweet and fragrant? Not a hint of gaminess!”
Cheng Fang’s head buzzed, and hot blood rushed to his forehead! He felt as if his home had been robbed!
He strode forward and yanked the tent flap open.
Inside, his simple field desk was in complete disarray!
Red, yellow, transparent wrappers were torn and scattered, revealing various enticingly fragrant pastries!
And there was even someone shamelessly occupying his seat, brazenly eating the pastries he had craved all the way back!
“Jiang Yi! You bastard! Who allowed you to steal and eat my things?!”
The guard stepped forward to explain. “Commandant, I tried to stop him, but I really couldn’t hold him back!”
Cheng Fang rushed forward in a flash, snatching a newly opened box of golden, glistening cookies from Jiang Yi’s arms!
Jiang Yi’s mouth was stuffed full. Having his snack snatched didn’t anger him; he mumbled indistinctly:
“How can you call it stealing? I haven’t even scolded you yet! Having such delicious stuff and not bringing it out sooner, making me chew on dry buns for days!”
Cheng Fang looked at the several already-opened packages on the table, some already missing quite a few pieces. His heart ached unbearably!
“Ah! I resisted eating them all the way back, and now you’ve eaten them all!”
“Don’t blame me for not warning you. You’re the Commandant. Hoarding food destabilizes army morale! Since I helped you eat it, I’ll naturally share some of the responsibility.”
Jiang Yi patted his chest chivalrously, the cookies in his mouth not yet swallowed.
“Responsibility my foot! These were brought back by me and Zhao Jingxing together! If you dare spread rumors and shake army morale, you’ll be the first sacrificed to the battle flag!”
Furious, the veins on Cheng Fang’s forehead throbbed. He frantically stuffed the scattered pastries back into the large red plastic bag and clutched it tightly to his chest.
He also snatched the opened milk from the table. With a vengeful impulse, he tilted his head back and took a large gulp!
As the liquid slid down his throat, he froze instantly!
This silky texture! Like the finest satin slipping down his throat.
This rich milky aroma! Not a hint of gaminess, wrapped in pure sweetness.
Of course it’s sweet. This bottle was sweetened milk.
In this era, de-gaming techniques were inadequate. Whether cow’s or goat’s milk, they carried a strong gamy taste. Usually, they were only used to make dairy products; few could drink fresh milk straight.
He, the young Marquis raised in luxury, what rare delicacies hadn’t he tasted? But the contents of this bottle completely overturned his understanding of “milk”!