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墨書 Inktalez
Indeed, it was in Japanese, a rapid-fire stream of words that instinctively made me feel averse to this person.
The companion of the Japanese individual quickly bowed and handed two identification documents to the Armed Police Soldier. The soldier carefully examined the documents and compared them with the two individuals before returning the IDs and allowing them to enter.
After this brief interruption, I suddenly realized, What the hell! I don’t have any identification! How am I supposed to get in? I started to panic, but then remembered that the director's phone number was still in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out and dialed.
“Who is it?” The call connected, and I could hear some music in the background; the voice on the other end sounded hurried and impatient.
“Meng Dao! Hello! We are from the military, here to assist you with the arts festival. We’re at the entrance checkpoint; there are three of us, and you need to give them a heads-up!”
“Oh, oh, alright, I’ll send someone down to meet you.” The call ended!
I grimaced; this director seemed incredibly busy!
We stood in line, and several times it was almost our turn. However, without identification, we proactively stepped back, prompting the Armed Police Soldier to come over and ask, “Leader, are you here on official business?” His tone was quite polite.
“Ah, yes, haha, we’re just waiting for someone to let us in.” I felt a bit awkward; even though I was a Lieutenant and he was just a private, it felt strange being under someone else's authority.
The Armed Police Soldier didn’t say much more and returned to his post. At that moment, I suddenly heard a voice from inside calling out, “Hey, hey, Brothers of the People's Liberation Army!”
I turned towards the sound and saw a young man with silver-white hair waving at us. Was he looking for us? I wasn’t sure.
“Brothers, come in! Hey, over here! Meng Dao sent me to pick you up!” The white-haired guy called out.
I glanced at the Armed Police Soldier; he seemed unfazed by this interaction. It must be something he encountered often. I waved my hand and led the three of us toward the entrance.
“Hey! Brother Li! What about me? I'm right here!” A girl in a short skirt squeezed past us, leaving a trail of fragrance.
“Hey there, aren’t I here to pick you up?” The white-haired guy smiled at her, his eyes crinkling with delight. He exchanged a few words with the Armed Police Soldier before turning back to signal for us to follow him.
Out of courtesy, I paused to let the girl go ahead. She took no hesitation in linking her arm with Brother Li’s while chatting away softly and laughing occasionally.
Following Brother Li, we took an elevator up to the 17th floor. When the doors opened, we were greeted by a spacious indoor stage that resembled a large hall transformed into a performance area. Surrounding it were tiered seating arrangements. In the center was an expansive space as large as two or three basketball courts. The stage opposite us rose in steps towards a backdrop made of white panels that hadn’t yet been adorned with any designs. The stage area was bustling with activity; many workers were busy setting up electrical wiring, constructing stands, and moving equipment around—truly lively.
"Wow, is this the place where the art festival opens in a week?!" The Short Skirt Girl exclaimed excitedly, pulling Brother Li's hand. Brother Li quickly looked at her, unsure of what to say, and she sulked away to the side.
At that moment, Brother Li waved for us to follow him as we approached a middle-aged man with a full beard in the center of the stage. "Meng Dao! The People's Liberation Army is here to help!" Brother Li greeted Meng Dao, who was busy directing the stage setup. "Oh, okay." Meng Dao glanced at us, "You all wait a moment." He then continued directing the stage construction, leaving us awkwardly standing there, unsure of what to do.
"Hey, this one, move it a bit to the left."
"Stage Design, where's the Stage Design? When will that backdrop be ready?"
"Lights! Raise the lights higher! It's too bright on stage!"
...
Seeing that the director hardly had time for us, I called over Xuanhua and Sheng Xiong to find a spot by the edge of the stage to sit down. The noise was overwhelming as Sheng Xiong sat there, eyes darting around, occasionally asking me, "Company Commander, what's that?" "Company Commander, what's hanging in the air?" To be honest, many things I hadn't seen before either, so I could only guess a few answers.
Not long after we sat down, I noticed a man in a trench coat and his companions appearing at the venue. It was strange; even indoors he wore a hat and was bundled up tightly. They seemed quite displeased with the chaos of the venue and headed straight for Director Meng. However, upon seeing him, the director's attitude changed immediately; he chatted warmly with him for a while before waving for Brother Li to come over, likely asking him to escort the Japanese out. At that moment, I noticed this Japanese man staring intently at the girl next to Brother Li. She clearly felt it too and appeared somewhat uncomfortable. "Tch!" I spat out in frustration and loudly told Xuanhua and the others, "Do you know who I hate most in my life? You guys!"
The two Brothers exchanged glances, clearly confused about why I asked such a question. I pointed at the Japanese man and declared loudly, "What I hate most are Japanese people! Especially those who are lecherous!"
To my surprise, the Japanese man seemed not to hear me at all; he stared at the girl for a while before pulling out what looked like a business card and handing it to his companion while saying something. Then he walked toward the elevator with Brother Li accompanying him.
The companion took the card and approached the girl next to her, handing it over while saying something. The girl's expression turned excited; she was clearly very pleased.
"Hey, damn it! These guys are probably just trying to con girls!" I muttered to myself.
"Comrade! Comrade!" Xuanhua nudged me. I turned to see the director shouting vigorously at us.
I quickly stood up and walked over. "Ah! It's great that you all came to help! The venue is almost ready; we just need you here to start rehearsals!" The director seemed thrilled about something as he rubbed his hands together.
"Director, we're here just to follow your instructions; please tell us what we need to do in detail."
"Ah, you're the team leader from the army? Well, it's actually quite simple. You'll be responsible for the Backdrop—three-sided triangular panels in three colors. You need to coordinate with the stage program for flipping them around; that means changing backgrounds consistently and synchronously—make sure it’s not chaotic! Your positions will be at the top of the stage. Also, you need to arrive early; oh right! You can't wear your uniforms; we'll provide outfits for you later." Meng Dao seemed quite excited as he spoke rapidly without much structure. Fortunately, my comprehension was strong enough to grasp his meaning; however, it was clear that I couldn't let him continue like this.
I interrupted him, "How many people do you need? When will they be in place, and how many will help in total?"
Meng Dao was taken aback. "We need a total of zero boards; just having zero is enough. However, I still need some people to help, so let's get another zero. Well, the first positioning starts at 7:30 PM tomorrow night, so you all should come by 7. The opening is a week later, and you’ll have to work hard during this time."
Just like the director, I said, "Alright, Meng Dao, we'll select the people first and bring them over directly. It would be best if you could help us with the credentials for easier access."
"Sure, I'll have someone prepare the staff credentials and distribute them according to the number of people you bring. By the way, you all need to pay special attention; there will be many celebrities at this art festival. Don't wander around or ask for photos and autographs casually, or it will create chaos, especially during the makeup rehearsals!"
I thought to myself, is that really necessary? But then I reconsidered; nowadays, many Urban Soldiers might be star-chasers. His concern wasn't entirely unfounded.
At that moment, a few staff members approached him for inquiries. Seeing he was busy, I greeted him and took Xuanhua and Sheng Xiong with me as we left. On our way to the elevator, I noticed an elderly man who had been blocked at the entrance struggling to move a prop that looked quite heavy. I quickly called Xuanhua and Sheng Xiong over to help. The old man was initially surprised and seemed flustered, but once he realized we were genuinely trying to help, he began directing us on how to move it.
"Old man, if it's too much, don't force yourself," I said casually after we placed his items down.
"Ah, I'm just doing odd jobs here and there; I have to work to earn a meal," he replied quietly.
Sighing, I didn't know what else to say. I had no money on me, so I silently helped him arrange his things while he watched me without saying anything further. As I reached the elevator door with Xuanhua and Sheng Xiong, I felt as if the old man was still watching me for some reason. When I turned back to look, I found that he had already disappeared.
I shook my head and pressed the elevator button as we left the television station. Now my only concern was selecting the right people; who should I bring?
(To be continued; stay tuned for more exciting developments tomorrow!)
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