Era Drama: Old Cao’s Dashing Life

Chapter 1: Slacking System
In the spring of the 33rd year of the Republic of China, that is, 1944, there was still more than a year until the victory of the War of Resistance.
The cold wind howled through this Beiping City that was still under occupation, showing no sign of the prosperity of the later imperial capital.
Pedestrians on the road huddled their bodies and hurried along.
A gust of cold wind blew, jostling the police cap of a young man not yet twenty years old, dressed in black leather patrol clothes.
He seemed oblivious, just quietly leaning against the wall, enduring the cold wind while smoking.
Hiss~ Puff~~
His eyes casually scanned the dilapidated surroundings, with a look in his eyes as if from another world.
At that moment, a hand landed on his shoulder, followed by a shout:
“Hey, man, off duty, what’s up, drinking the northwest wind?”
“Master Duo, I’m just slacking off here.” The young man grinned, quickly tossing the cigarette butt to the ground and stamping it out.
His name was Cao Weida, a little patrolman who had been on the job for nearly half a year, an orphan since childhood.
They were called patrolmen, but the people generally referred to them behind their backs as black leather dogs or stinky-footed patrols.
The one called Master Duo was Captain Duomen of the Patrol Corps.
That’s right, the Duomen from Glory Era.
Cao Weida felt helpless inside; he wasn’t originally from this era, but a corporate drone from the 22nd century.
After half a month of overtime, he completed a big project. In excitement, he drank a few extra cups with his teammates, and upon waking up, he arrived in this world, replacing the Cao Weida with the same name.
As for how the original Cao Weida died, who knows.
Transmigration, such a niche thing, had odds even slimmer than winning the lottery on the first draw, yet it happened to him—no one else.
Fine, transmigration is transmigration, going from nearly forty back to eighteen—who wouldn’t be happy? But who would have thought he’d transmigrate to the war era!
Although in his previous life he bragged endlessly that if he transmigrated to the World War II era he’d do this and that, now that he really had, he was terrified inside.
In his previous life, he was just a little commoner; the most formal training he’d had was university military training. Have him enlist, carry a rifle, and fight the little devils?
Forget it, he really didn’t have the courage.
“Man, what are you thinking, dawdling like that, not full on northwest wind yet?” Duomen’s teasing voice rang in his ear.
Coming back to his senses, Cao Weida grinned, “Master Duo, don’t tease me. If northwest wind could fill me up, would I be wearing this black leather?”
“Oh ho, getting picky now?” Duomen chuckled, took off his hat, smoothed his flattened hair, and laughingly scolded:
“You think pretty big, I want that too.”
“How’s it been, wearing the black leather for a few days, getting pointed at behind your back by the folks, feeling bad, huh.”
“You got it.” Cao Weida sighed. It was only after the founding of New China that things changed; in this era, being a patrolman was truly hard to describe.
“Regretting it?”
“Nah,” Cao Weida shook his head firmly, “If Master Duo hadn’t helped me get this patrolman job, I’d probably have starved to death by now.”
“Though our line of work has a bad reputation, it’s at least a livelihood that keeps you fed.”
Originally, when he transmigrated, he was in Cao Family Village near Beiping. Because he replaced the original host, afraid of being noticed, he sold off all the original host’s property and came to Beiping City.
But once in Beiping City, he had to survive somehow.
He was a transmigrator, but that didn’t mean he didn’t need to eat or drink!
The original host was just an ordinary farmer from the countryside—how much wealth could he have?
Short-term was fine, but if it dragged on, he’d starve to death!
In these times, to eat well and sleep well, either you were born lucky, or you had to risk your life!
But having transmigrated once with great difficulty, how could Cao Weida bear to risk his life?
He didn’t want to be a traitor, nor could he endure hardship—what to do?
By chance, he once had contact with Duomen.
Upon realizing the other was Duomen from Glory Era, Cao Weida didn’t hesitate and immediately latched onto his thigh.
Not for anything else, but because he knew Duomen wasn’t bad at heart. Following him meant at least he wouldn’t be sold out without knowing it!
To build a good relationship with Duomen, he even directly rented a house in Duomen’s courtyard.
And clearly, his choice was right—this black leather on him was gotten through connections Duomen pulled.
A flash of gratification passed through Duomen’s eyes. Having been a patrolman for so many years, he was already an old hand.
This Cao Weida kid knew gratitude, had a good disposition, and got along well with everyone on the job—otherwise, why would he bother pulling connections for him when he had nothing better to do?
After all, no one wants to help an ungrateful wretch.
“Good you don’t regret it. People, no matter the times, as long as you’re still breathing, this mouth needs filling every day.”
“The little devils and Imperial Army are powerful, sure, but to maintain city stability—at least on the surface—someone has to patrol and do the work.”
Cao Weida very much agreed with this.
No matter the era, no matter who’s in charge, someone always has to do the work.
Some say, wearing black leather makes you a traitor helping the little devils?
Well… if you put it that way, that’s a bit narrow-minded.
At that moment, his steps suddenly halted, surprise flashing in his eyes.
“Man, what’s up?” Duomen, walking ahead, noticed Cao Weida hadn’t followed and turned back doubtfully.
“Ah, nothing, just a leg cramp, it’s fine now.” The cold wind blew on Cao Weida’s face, but his heart was burning hot.
Just now, today’s reward had finally arrived.
【Today’s Slacking Reward received, please check.】
【System: Slacking System.】
【Host: Cao Weida.】
【Slacking Points: 502.】
【Slacking Points Function: Lottery Draw（50 Slacking Points for one draw, ten-draw gets guaranteed minimum.）】
【Current Abilities: Top-tier Criminal Investigation Ability, Top-tier Physique.】
【Drawn Items: 562 Silver Dollars, Bailangduoxi30, Sulfonamide40, Penicillin20, Stg44 Assault Rifle2, Magazine*4, Bullets 1000 rounds.】
【Space: 1000 cubic meters.（Cannot store living things）】
As a transmigrator, a system is standard issue!
His system activated after he found this patrolman job.
His system’s function was simple; the name said it all: slacking!
Slack off to earn Slacking Points, use points for lottery draws—50 points per draw, but the odds for big prizes were really low.
Ten-draws gave a guaranteed minimum. It had been three months since his last draw; he was waiting for the flowers to wilt.
“System, ten-draw for me!”
With a silent thought in his mind, a turntable only he could see spun wildly.
The next second, the drawn prizes appeared one by one.
【Thank you for drawing, Silver Dollars twenty, Bailangduoxi twenty bottles, Sulfonamide twenty bottles, thank you for drawing, thank you for drawing, Penicillin twenty boxes, thank you for drawing, thank you for drawing.】
“Big prize! Big prize! Big prize!”
For the final guaranteed draw, Cao Weida prayed nonstop for a big prize.
【Dragonfly Touching Water（Top-tier）】
【Draw ended, all prizes stored in system space, extract anytime.】
“Use!”
The next second, a mysterious heat flow surged through his limbs, and his mind inexplicably gained many techniques for scaling walls and leaping roofs, giving him an urge to jump.
This lightness skill wasn’t the flying kind from wuxia novels, but it was far from ordinary.
If maxed out with experience, crossing a river on a reed was bragging, but scaling eaves and walls, agile steps were standard.
The bureau had caught a flying thief before; his movement was no joke, freely navigating alley entrances like flat ground.
After pre-deploying, they sent over fifty men to chase and block, and even shot his leg in advance, to finally capture him.
After capture, he was still indignant, yelling that if not ambushed early, if his lightness skill were mastered, he absolutely wouldn’t be caught by these useless patrolmen—his attitude was arrogant.
Before, Cao Weida had been half-doubting of so-called lightness skills and national arts, but after seeing that guy’s prowess, he was green with envy.
Now he had learned lightness skill, even better than the one caught before—how could he not be thrilled?
He just didn’t want to be too obvious; otherwise, he’d belt out a song and dance.
“Yo, what’s with you now, man? Pick up money on the road? Look how happy you are.” Along the way, Cao Weida kept grinning; Duomen curiously asked.
Cao Weida pulled up his wind-pouring collar, chuckled—pick up money?
Picking up money couldn’t make him this happy!
Not even the same league!
“Master Duo, didn’t I just pick up some money? I spaced out earlier and thought I heard you say you’d treat me to shao mai at Dou Yichu.”
“Get real, dreaming nice. I can’t even bear to treat myself, and you pick the fancy spot.” Duomen couldn’t help laughing and scolding; Dou Yichu was a quite famous restaurant in Beiping, especially its shao mai, renowned.
With his salary, a few visits would mean coarse food and vegetables until next payday.
“Hey, wait, what do you mean me treating you? When did I say I’d treat you? Dreaming before dark—you’re something!”
Cao Weida chuckled, “Must’ve misheard. When I get paid, I’ll treat you, Master Duo.”
No matter the era, someone who lends a hand is a benefactor!
They weren’t relatives; Duomen got him the job, and then he unlocked the system.
He always kept this favor in mind.
“Yo, who’s treating to a meal? Bring Eighth Master along, how about it?”
A sleazy-looking man in his thirties, hands behind back and neck hooked, even sleazier in image, grinned sleazily and sauntered over.
Eighth Master—Cao Weida didn’t know his real name; everyone privately called him Wang Ba Ye.
This guy was lazy and gluttonous, idle all day, scrounging everywhere.
Today mooching here, tomorrow extorting there—totally shameless.
Was he that bad? Not really; never done anything truly heinous.
But as the saying goes, a toad on your foot doesn’t bite but sure annoys!
That’s why they called him Wang Ba Ye.