Chen Jiehua studied and trained diligently at the Army Academy. Because of his excellent performance, although he was rather reclusive, with the deliberate help of some instructors, he occasionally interacted with them and also earned the goodwill of most of his classmates. Most people wouldn't reject a classmate who didn't talk much and didn't cause trouble.
On December 11, the Chief of Academic Affairs at the Army Academy relayed a message through the military police, summoning Aoki Seigen to report to the Academic Affairs Office.
The walk from the training ground to the Academic Affairs Office wasn't long, but Chen Jiehua felt uneasy the entire way. Why the Academic Affairs Office? What did the Chief of Academic Affairs want with Aoki Seigen out of the blue?
Chen Jiehua, who lived every day carefully and cautiously as if treading on thin ice, had finally enjoyed a stable month. This sudden, inexplicable summons from the Academic Affairs Office left him utterly unable to guess the reason. He could only adapt to the situation as it unfolded and improvise!
"Sir! Aoki Seigen of the 17th Class, Infantry Course, reporting as ordered!" (Japanese)
"Enter! Yosh! Let me see the strapping young man of the Aoki family! Oh, the lad has grown up!"
In the top-left corner of his vision: Masaki Jinzaburo, leader of Japan's Imperial Way Faction, Chief of Academic Affairs at the Imperial Japanese Army Academy (to be promoted to Superintendent in two years). Chen Jiehua got excited again! "Wow! The Superintendent!"
However, the System had reminded him that he needed to maintain his persona. Don't speak first; understand the situation first, and let the other party speak first!
The key was, who was this Masaki Jinzaburo? Why didn't he recognize him? And there was nothing about him in Aoki Seigen's memories either!
But the other party's words made it obvious: "Let me see the strapping young man of the Aoki family! Oh, the lad has grown up!"
Therefore, after quick reasoning, Chen Jiehua decided it was best to remain unchanging to respond to all changes—wait for the other to speak!
This was so fucking hard! Author, the starting scenario you gave is way too hard! One difficult problem after another!
"You brat probably forgot me! I was your grandfather's student and your father Aoki Saburo's good friend! I visited your home when you were little and met you!"
Chen Jiehua's eyes widened. With a 0.23-second reaction time, he said, "Hello, Uncle!"
"Yosh!" Chen Jiehua's "Uncle" made the Chief of Academic Affairs feel comfortable!
"Brother Aoki wrote, asking you to return home, and only then did I realize my nephew was actually at our school! I just checked the entrance examination scores for your 17th Class, Infantry Course—you were third place! Very good! Very good! Keep working hard, and strive to enter the Sword Group upon graduation!"
"Thank you for your encouragement, Uncle! Father wrote asking me to return? What is the reason?"
"Oh, let me show you the letter. The teacher is returning home recently to visit relatives and sweep graves; he probably wants to meet with you juniors while he's at it."
Chen Jiehua accepted the letter with both hands while searching Aoki Seigen's memories for details about his father and grandfather. There were no special memories—just that his father had been strict with Aoki Seigen since childhood.
Fortunately, this section chief had no intention of continuing the small talk, so Chen Jiehua quickly seized the opportunity to bow out. "Uncle, if you have no other instructions, your nephew will go handle the paperwork first and head back first thing tomorrow morning!"
"Mhm, you're still the same as when you were a child—not fond of talking. Brother Aoki was too strict with you! No matter, if you need anything at school in the future, come find your uncle!"
"Hai!"
For Chen Jiehua right now, there was one joy and one worry. The joy: he had gained another backer at school. The Chief of Academic Affairs would be promoted to Superintendent within two years. Added to the Chief of the Military Law Office from before, as long as he didn't blow his cover and wasn't too reckless, he could basically do as he pleased during his years at school!
The worry: this trip home would not be easy to handle, especially that "teacher" mentioned in Masaki Jinzaburo's words just now! Aoki Seigen's grandfather was definitely a formidable figure, because in Aoki Seigen's memories, there was actually no memory found of his grandfather! This was far too bizarre!
On his way to the Security Office to handle his leave procedures, Chen Jiehua called out to the System.
"Oh great System, do you have any prompt information regarding Aoki Seigen's grandfather?"
"Apologies, there is none."
"Then what about Aoki Seigen's family information?"
"Apologies, there is none either."
"Then can we negotiate? If there are people around me or surveillance cameras monitoring me, can you give me a prompt? Or if there are bugs eavesdropping."
"Bugs are not yet in widespread use during this era, Host need not worry! Other prompts are given based on environmental assessment."
"What do you mean by based on environmental assessment?"
"The System is cultivating the Host's own ability to distinguish and judge! It wants the Host to rely less on external force and mature as quickly as possible!"
After finishing the procedures, because it was winter, the train station closed early. Even if he went now, he couldn't catch the evening train, so he could only wait to leave school early the next morning to catch the mid-morning train heading to Kyushu.
December 12, 1924 AD (the 13th year of the Republic, the 13th year of Taisho on the Japanese calendar). Before dawn, Chen Jiehua got up, ate some dry provisions, and set out. A school vehicle gave him a ride. He first had to cover fifty kilometers to Kyoto Station, then take a sixteen-hour train to Miyazaki City in Kyushu (Miyazaki City was established in 1924 and is the capital of Miyazaki Prefecture), and then take a carriage or ride a horse to Aoki Seigen's seaside hometown.
Sitting in the school vehicle, Chen Jiehua felt a bit regretful. He regretted that during his study-abroad and advanced training period in Japan, he had had plenty of free time but hadn't studied and learned more about Japanese history and figures of the World War II period!
Now that he had transmigrated here, a terrible starting scenario was one thing, but the key was that apart from Aoki Seigen's memories, he was clueless about everything else!
From elementary school through university graduation in his later life, none of this was taught! He could only learn it himself!
What they drilled the most in schools were math, physics, and chemistry!
Before entering the Academy, Aoki Seigen had been reclusive by nature. He didn't even have memories of his grandfather—what other memories involving people could there be?
Damn it, flipping through the memories, sixty percent of them were practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard and on the beach!
If he wasn't getting beaten, he was on his way to getting beaten!
Arriving at the train station, Chen Jiehua boarded the train and found his seat while lost in thought, only snapping back to reality when the train started moving.
A sixteen-hour train ride was a bit boring. Chen Jiehua once again called out to the System.
"Oh great System, since you're not providing Aoki Seigen's family information, what information can you provide? It's sixteen hours on the train; let's have a proper chat, shall we?"
"The System only provides the Host with necessary survival protection during the novice protection period after transmigration. Other resources and information that violate balance are outside the scope of provision."
"What? Novice protection period? There's a novice protection period? Why didn't you say so at the start? How long is the novice protection period? Do you mean that once I leave the novice village, you'll disappear? Go dormant?"
"The System cannot give clear answers to these Host questions."
This kind of response was essentially an implication.
"I understand what you mean. It's basically a matter of letting me struggle through the novice village on my own, right? If I meet the conditions to leave the novice village tomorrow, or if I accidentally leave it, I'm no longer a novice!"
"Put plainly, rely on yourself for everything as much as possible."
"The Host's comprehension ability has improved greatly!"
"If there's a novice village, why is there no novice gift pack?"
"..."