Chapter 25
They dispersed and reassembled repeatedly, with the whistle blowing each time to gather everyone to line up and report their numbers.
“Don’t you know your own number? The comrade in front of you said five, so why did you also shout five?” a squad leader scolded.
“Fuck! What’s wrong with you? Is your brain made of paste? Don’t you know what comes after eight?” another leader berated.
“Where’s your voice? Is your mouth only for eating?” a third leader barked.
“Go over there and shout your number a hundred times!” a fourth leader ordered.
“Speak up! I didn’t hear you,” a fifth leader said.
“You don’t even have the strength to report your number. How do you expect to defend our country? Nonsense! Shout it out!” a sixth leader yelled.
…
For half an hour, from 6:10 to 6:40 pm, the recruits did nothing else but repeatedly disband, assemble, line up, and count off. Accidents occurred frequently, resulting in more scolding from the squad leaders.
Some soldiers, perhaps due to nervousness or other factors, made mistakes in their numbers, not just once but several times. Sergeant Liu gritted his teeth in frustration.
After half an hour, Wang Ye’s throat felt sore from shouting “eight” repeatedly.
At 6:40 pm, the last gathering was dismissed. The whistle stopped blowing downstairs, and Ye Sanshi, the class monitor, followed them back to the dormitory.
…
“We will now begin the internal inspection,” Ye Sanshi announced, standing at the door with his hands behind his back. He walked over to the metal frame bed across from his own, and Zhang Ping’an and Gu Yingnan immediately became nervous.
“Do you think you folded your blanket properly?” Ye Sanshi asked, eyeing Zhang Ping’an’s blanket.
Zhang Ping’an, who was a bit simple and honest, felt at a loss and mumbled, “No, class monitor, it’s not good.”
“Look at me and speak up like a man. Don’t talk like a mosquito,” Ye Sanshi ordered, urging Zhang Ping’an to raise his head.
“Yes,” Zhang Ping’an said, his face turning even redder. Wang Ye couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him.
“I think you must have learned how to make cooked wheaten food. You made your blanket look like a roll,” Ye Sanshi commented but didn’t dwell on it. He then turned his attention to the upper bunk.
“You too, take a look at what you folded. Where are the sides? Is this tofu?” Ye Sanshi asked Gu Yingnan.
“Yes,” Gu Yingnan replied, feeling bitter in her heart.
Ye Sanshi then walked over to Wang Ye’s bed. When he saw the folded blanket, he was slightly taken aback.
“Oh?”
Although the blanket was still not up to his standards, the way it was folded was clearly at a different level than the other recruits’.
Despite being a bit swollen, the shape of the quilt had come out, and the corners were also defined. Ye Sanshi was certain that if it wasn’t for the problem with Wang Ye’s materials, or if he had changed his blanket, Wang Ye would have been able to fold a qualified tofu block.
Ye Sanshi smiled slightly. “Wang Ye, although your blanket is still far from meeting my requirements, it’s much better than theirs!”
Wang Ye smiled but didn’t say anything in response.
Ye Sanshi looked at Wang Ye and said, “You were also the fastest during today’s emergency gathering. Although I can see that your physical fitness isn’t very good, it doesn’t matter.”
He then patted Wang Ye’s shoulder before looking at the rest of the class. “Wang Ye’s performance is currently the best in the class.
There’s something I want to tell you now so you won’t think I’m not giving you a chance.”
After a brief pause, Ye Sanshi continued. “In the army, a squad usually has a squad leader and a deputy squad leader. However, the recruit company only has me as the squad leader and no deputy squad leader. I think you should be able to understand what this means, right?”
“Class monitor, are you saying that the deputy class monitor will be chosen from our recruits?” Deng Hai asked directly.
Ye Sanshi gave him a stern look. “Do a hundred squats to help you remember. Remember, next time you speak, report properly!”
“…”
Deng Hai’s mouth twitched, and he felt the urge to slap himself. Why did he jump out to answer? Great, now he was punished again.
“Report! Yes!” Deng Hai quickly corrected himself, determined to avoid further punishment.
Ye Sanshi didn’t wait for him to finish and continued, “Deng Hai was correct. The deputy squad leader will indeed be a recruit, and it won’t take long to decide.”
Usually, they would spend about a week in training before the appointment of the deputy squad leader. Unless the deputy squad leader performed poorly, he would not be replaced in the future. Ye Sanshi explained while observing the reactions of the recruits.
The recruits’ responses were different, with some immediately raising their heads and puffing out their chests while others looked directly at Wang Ye.
It was clear that Wang Ye’s performance and the meaning behind Ye Sanshi’s words were already apparent. If everyone didn’t work hard, Wang Ye would be chosen as the deputy squad leader of Class Five.
“I know that some of you may not have volunteered to join the army. Some of you may have lied about your purpose last night. But that’s not important. What I want to tell you is that if you want to advance in the army and have a better future, the first step is to become the deputy squad leader of the recruit company. Starting from the recruit company, you can strive to be top-notch and outstanding. Now that he has become the vice-class monitor, he is one step ahead. If you perform well, you will have a chance to be rated as an outstanding recruit, and this will increase your chances of being assigned to a good company. When you become a first-class soldier next year, you will also have a chance to officially become a deputy squad leader. You may even have the opportunity to join the party and become a backbone to be nurtured…”
Ye Sanshi’s words were calm, but Wang Ye could that some of his squad mates eyes lit up strangely.
“Mission reminder: [Main Mission – Become the vice-class monitor within ten days. Mission reward – Two skill points.]”
Wang Ye was slightly stunned. He clenched his fists but didn’t say anything.
Ye Sanshi continued his speech, “Deputy class monitor, internal affairs are important, but other training performances are equally crucial. If you have any ideas, work hard to achieve them.”
He then looked at Wang Ye again, “You understand what I mean. I believe that you are also committed to developing yourself in the army, so do your best!”
“Yes, sir!” Wang Ye answered firmly, standing straight and shouting loudly. He wasn’t going to be modest. He was determined to achieve his goal, so why should he hold back.
Although his behavior might cause others in the class to form negative opinions about him or even isolate him temporarily, Wang Ye didn’t care.
He believed that if someone had the ability, they should compete with him, and if they didn’t, then they should simply watch him become the vice-class monitor. As for those who were unconvinced, Wang Ye would use his strength to prove himself and win them over.