Chapter 104: Cousin, I’m Coming Out
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
It was a drizzling morning, marking the beginning of a new week. Wang Ye and his fellow classmates from Class Five stood on the training ground, their bodies held straight and motionless.
In truth, it wasn’t just the fifth squad; all the recruits in the company were in the same position.
Nine classes stood in rows, separated by a small distance on the track of the training ground, forming a unique assembly line for the formation assessment.
Last week had been mostly filled with queueing, with the exception of the first day’s rain training. This week, the recruits had come to understand the truth behind the saying that the most comfortable time was always in the past.
The military posture sessions seemed to stretch endlessly, with the duration increasing incrementally until their bodies would cramp up.
The repetitive steps of the stride, the start, and the jog left their soles numb.
Turning and turning again until dizziness set in.
Furthermore, the class leaders subjected them to various strenuous exercises, making it a week they’d rather not reminisce about.
Fortunately, they had endured until this day – the day of the formation assessment. After today’s evaluation, the formation training time would likely be significantly reduced, making way for other subjects.
After all, despite being soldiers, many of them had never even seen a gun before.
In Class 5, Wang Ye maintained the most precise and standard military posture, gazing straight ahead with unwavering focus and not even blinking.
The first event of the formation assessment was a grueling three-hour session of military posture.
Wang Ye was determined not to make any mistakes, striving for the honor of being a pacesetter. While it wasn’t an official mission from the system, he believed that excelling in this aspect would contribute to becoming a model soldier, a prerequisite for the system’s missions.
The rain persisted during the three-hour session. Sweat mixed with rainwater on Wang Ye’s forehead, occasionally dripping from his eyelids and lashes. Despite the discomfort, no one budged from their positions.
Ye Sanshi had prepared for the rainy days by fetching water for the recruits while they held their military stance. The unusual training method of taking off their hats to drink water and pouring some over their heads ensured that Class 5 maintained their military posture remarkably well, even in the rain.
As time passed, the squad leaders and company commanders vigilantly observed everyone, with particular attention to the performance of other squads. The competition was fierce, as each class vied for the coveted first place, knowing that only one could achieve it and others would face elimination.
Finally, the moment arrived when the three hours were up, and the company commander blew his whistle. A surge of inexplicable joy filled the hearts of all the new recruits, feeling as if they had been reborn after enduring such a rigorous challenge.
For those who had never experienced standing in military posture or being on sentry duty, it was challenging to comprehend the feelings associated with it. Time seemed to blur when standing still for three hours, making it difficult to gauge how long they had actually been in position. But the moment the announcement of completion came, the recruits understood the relief and accomplishment that washed over them.
“At ease! Attention! Dismissed!” The command signaled the end of the military posture assessment, but the overall formation assessment was not yet complete. The rest of the formation exercises would take place in the afternoon.
The recruits were allowed to return to their dormitories for a break. Ye Sanshi asked Wang Ye to supervise the group and reminded them not to run around or cause any disturbances on their way back.
Meanwhile, Ye Sanshi, along with the other squad leaders, had to attend a meeting at the company commander’s office.
During the meeting, the results of the morning’s military posture assessment were revealed. Each class received their scores based on their performance. Additionally, the two recruits with the best military posture in the morning would be selected as candidates for the formation model.
“The scores for the morning assessment for each class are as follows: Class One received 28.5 points, Class Two got 27 points, Class Three received 28.5 points, Class Four scored 28 points, and Class Five received 28.5 points…”
As the company commander announced the results, some squad leaders displayed displeased expressions, while others maintained a neutral demeanor. The competition was fierce, and the scores reflected the subtle differences in performance between the classes.
One thing was certain: when the recruits returned to their dormitories after the assessment, there would be a lot of cursing and frustration. Not achieving a perfect score of 30 points meant that mistakes were made, and those who were responsible for the mistakes would face criticism.
In Class Five, Ye Shi immediately began venting his frustration upon returning. He singled out Qin Li, berating him for his performance.
“Qin Li, are you a fucking pig? What are you looking at? If you lose points again in the afternoon assessment, you’ll be cleaning the toilets for the entire week. And not just that, you’ll voluntarily get into the manure pit to pick up feces!” Embarrassed, Qin Li kept his head down and had nothing to say. He had alone had been responsible for the deducted one point out of the 1.5 points total deduction for Class Five. There was no explanation, and the reason was recorded by the class monitor during the assessment. Everyone knew who had lost points.
Ye Sanshi then turned his attention to Zhang Ping ‘an. He scolded him too, expressing frustration with his behavior.
“You too, Zhang Ping ‘an. Why are you so careless? Can a mosquito bite you to death if it lands on your face?”
Class Five only had two members who lost points, Qin Li and Zhang Ping’an. Qin Li had been caught twice for looking around during the assessment, a recurring problem he had. Ye Sanshi had previously punished him for it, but it seemed ineffective.
As for Zhang Ping ‘an, he had some bad luck this time. A mosquito flew toward his face during the assessment, and he tried to shoo it away, but he was seen doing so. As a result, his points were deducted.
Though the mosquito sucked his blood, leaving a small red mark on his face, Zhang Ping’an still had to bear the deduction of points as a consequence.
“Alright, let’s focus on performing well in the afternoon assessment,” Ye Sanshi addressed the class, moving on from the previous scolding. He then announced the candidates for the role models in their class during the morning assessment, naming Wang Ye and Deng Hai.
Upon hearing their names, all eyes turned to Wang Ye and Deng Hai, with special attention on Deng Hai, who had shown remarkable improvement since drinking the tobacco tea. His diligence and disciplined behavior were evident, making him seem like a different person compared to before.
Although Deng Hai used to be quite lively and active in class, he now appeared more reserved and distant from Class 5, which raised some curiosity among his peers.
“I will work hard!” Wang Ye responded with determination but didn’t elaborate further. He knew that Deng Hai might still harbor some resentment toward him, but that wouldn’t deter him from doing his best.
Wang Ye had put considerable effort into training the class, honing his military posture skills to the maximum level of level 4. As long as he remained focused, his military posture would be impeccable, and no one could find any fault with it.
Regardless of any personal grudges, Wang Ye remained committed to his duties and strived to excel as a role model for the class.
In such a situation, what was Wang Ye afraid of?
After dinner, Ye Sanshi instructed everyone to take a nap. The afternoon assessment focused not only on their physical performance but also on their mental state, making it an essential part of the evaluation. Those who skipped the nap would have points deducted, which seemed unfair.
“Shh, shh! Class One, gather!”
The afternoon assessment differed from the morning session. This time, all the class monitors had to participate, being evaluated on various aspects, including posture, movements, mental appearance, and the clarity of their passwords.
This information had been kept a secret from everyone in Class Five until Wu Jianfeng announced the assessment rules, and it was evident that Ye Sanshi had been aware of it all along.
Wang Ye felt a sense of frustration building up within him. Ye Sanshi had never insisted on getting first place in the class this week, only encouraging them to strive for it. Furthermore, unlike other classes, there were no explicit consequences for not securing the top position, leading to a false sense of relief among the students.
As the truth unfolded, the mood in Class Five became tense, and all eyes turned towards Ye Sanshi, wondering how he would handle the situation.
Fuck, so the problem rested with him.
Being a native of Xi Guang, Ye Sanshi managed to communicate effectively even when speaking Mandarin and giving commands. However, his Mandarin accent carried a distinct Xi Guang flavor that couldn’t be altered. As a result, the commands he shouted during assessments didn’t sound appropriate. For instance, one might mishear a comment to sound like “Cousin, I’m coming out!” due to the accent.
Although everyone in the group had grown accustomed to this, and it didn’t hinder communication and training, the new recruits in the fifth squad were unaware of the line-up assessment. The squad leader’s unclear commands would lead to a deduction of points for the entire team..