Chapter 92: The Company Commander Lighted a Cigarette
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Want one?”
On the top floor, a gentle night breeze wafted through the air. Wu Jianfeng reached into his pocket once again, pulling out the remaining half-pack of cigarettes.
Earlier in the day, he had smoked half of the pack, leaving only a few cigarettes behind.
Wang Ye glanced at him, mirroring his disbelief from before, as he observed Wu Jianfeng’s actions.
“Haha, I’m not joking this time. The training ground is crowded during the day, but now we’re all alone here. If you know how to smoke, go ahead.”
Wu Jianfeng knew that smoking could negatively impact physical training, but indulging once a month wouldn’t pose a significant issue.
Wang Ye continued to gaze at him, unsure of how to respond.
Seeing Wu Jianfeng’s sincere expression, Wang Ye contemplated for a moment, smiled, and reached out…
“Pa!”
“I knew you knew how to smoke!”
Wang Ye recoiled his hand after being playfully slapped. He found himself momentarily speechless.
Glancing at Wu Jianfeng, Wang Ye couldn’t help but think, “I suspect you’re up to something.”
Considering Wu Jianfeng’s sincerity, Wang Ye felt compelled to accept the offer. He reached for a cigarette, thinking it was about time he revealed his secret.
Little did he know, Wu Jianfeng had something else in mind.
Furthermore, he had invited Wang Ye to the rooftop in the middle of the night, as if there was more to this encounter than met the eye.
“Haha! Here you go!”
Amused by Wang Ye’s slightly resentful expression, Wu Jianfeng chuckled and tossed a cigarette toward him.
“I hit you because you weren’t honest. Even if you knew how to smoke, you’ve been pretending otherwise…
But now, I’ll give you one. I meant what I said earlier; I won’t go back on my words.”
As he spoke, Wu Jianfeng retrieved a lighter from his pocket.
“Pa!”
After igniting his own cigarette, he shielded the flame with his other hand, extending it towards Wang Ye.
Observing Wu Jianfeng’s actions, Wang Ye contemplated for a moment. Finally, he smiled, placed the cigarette in his mouth, and leaned forward to light it.
“Hu!” Wu Jianfeng exhaled a plume of smoke and turned to face Wang Ye with a smile.
“Thank you for today. I found your solution to be excellent, and it helped me overcome a significant challenge.”
Pausing for a moment, Wu Jianfeng’s excitement grew as he continued, “Honestly, I believe you have the qualities of a natural-born commander. From your mindset to your character.”
Wang Ye looked at him and reached out to take the cigarette. He smiled and replied, “Captain, if you keep praising me like this, I might get too proud!”
“Haha, be proud, but don’t become arrogant. Having confidence in your abilities is not a bad thing. In fact, in the army, if you possess strength and capability, you need to demonstrate it.”
Wu Jianfeng flicked the ashes from his cigarette butt and spoke again, “The army is a vast institution. There are millions of soldiers in the country. Our regiment alone has over a thousand personnel, and our division comprises nearly ten thousand soldiers.”
He continued, “Every year, at least one-fifth of the soldiers retire, and a new batch of recruits join the army. There’s a constant turnover of personnel, and the numbers are significant. If you don’t showcase your excellence, you might find yourself among the retired soldiers in just a couple of years.”
“Were there really that many people retiring?” Wang Ye asked in surprise.
After a moment of contemplation, he added, “Then why are there so few of us here?”
Wu Jianfeng’s expression turned serious as he explained, “This is an elite training camp within the division. Only a select few are chosen to undergo specialized training here. The competition is fierce, and the standards are high. The goal is to cultivate the best soldiers and officers for the future. That’s why you see only a small number of us here.”
He took a final drag from his cigarette and tossed it away, the ember fading in the darkness.
“In this place, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate your true potential and stand out from the rest. It’s up to you to make the most of it, Wang Ye.”
Wu Jianfeng smiled and explained, “That’s because our division has established a training team. Originally, the higher-ups intended to assign all the recruits from our division to the training team for unified training and distribution. However, all the teams unanimously requested to undergo some training themselves.”
Wu Jianfeng grinned at Wang Ye and continued, “You see, if all of us were sent to the training team, the soldiers eventually distributed to various units would be carefully screened, and all the highly skilled soldiers would be gone.” “Alright then!” Wang Ye nodded, understanding the reasoning.
“How about joining my company once you complete your training?” Wu Jianfeng suddenly proposed.
“Huh?” Wang Ye was taken aback by the unexpected offer.
“Do I have the choice to decide that myself?” Wang Ye was genuinely surprised since it seemed that recruits didn’t have this privilege.
“No!”
Wang Ye sighed in frustration.
In that moment, he truly felt the urge to hit someone.
If he weren’t in front of the company commander, Wang Ye was confident he would have struck him.
“Why ask, then?”
“Haha, don’t look at me like that. While you can’t choose, I can choose you. As the company commander of the new recruits, I have the right to select people first. If you agree, I’ll take care of the rest.”
Wu Jianfeng didn’t mention that the Chief of Staff also desired to have Wang Ye in his unit.
Meanwhile, he was ready to handle the situation himself.
Well-
Even though the Chief of Staff held a rank two levels higher than him, he couldn’t compare to Wu Jianfeng when it came to running.
Just observe Wu Jianfeng running alongside Wang Ye.
While he couldn’t directly confront the Chief of Staff, there was someone else who could. In fact, that person could even overpower the Chief of Staff. Wu Jianfeng could launch an indirect attack, follow a curved path, and find that individual.
“Company commander, can you tell me more about your company?” Wang Ye asked, his voice low and serious.
Wang Ye had his own considerations and ambitions. He aspired to become a distinguished soldier and desired a path for career advancement. Therefore, being assigned to a good company was crucial.
Simply put, a good company and a bad company offered different opportunities for growth. Resources were always allocated more generously to the former, and this was true in all spheres, including the army.
“Of course, my company is the best. You can see that just by looking at me,” Wu Jianfeng proudly declared.
Wang Ye looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and skepticism. Did this brother have a knack for boasting?
However, Wang Ye estimated that even if Wu Jianfeng’s claims were exaggerated, they shouldn’t be too far from the truth. After all, as the sixth brother, he might not be the most physically powerful, but he was undoubtedly the most cunning.
Having the ability to utilize cunning and strategy was, in its own way, a form of strength.
“Alright, then I’ll join your company,” Wang Ye stated, expressing his decision.
In reality, Wang Ye had no other choice. The company commander had taken the initiative to invite him, so how could he decline?
Under the circumstances, was he expected to make a fuss and investigate further?
That would be pure foolishness.
Furthermore, Wu Jianfeng seemed to have a favorable impression of him. Look at how he even went out of his way to light a cigarette for Wang Ye. If he joined Wu Jianfeng’s company, he would undoubtedly receive preferential treatment. “Alright, it’s settled then!” Wu Jianfeng said with a smile upon hearing Wang Ye’s agreement.
He reached out and patted Wang Ye on the back while placing the cigarette he had in his hand back into his mouth. He intended to finish smoking before descending.
Observing his actions, Wang Ye also took a cigarette and prepared to join him. “What’s the matter with you? If you have something to say, just say it!” a voice suddenly echoed from the corridor.
It was evident to Wang Ye that the voice belonged to his platoon leader, the leader of the second platoon. He must have been present in the corridor.
Wang Ye exchanged a glance with Wu Jianfeng, both of them holding their cigarettes in their mouths, but choosing not to say a word.
After a brief moment, Wang Ye decided to flick the ash off his cigarette and continued smoking, undeterred. There was no reason to be afraid. The company commander had given him the cigarette personally and even encouraged him to smoke. Even if the platoon leader saw him, he wouldn’t be afraid…
If the platoon leader had any issues, let him handle it.
However, nobody emerged from the corridor.
“Class… Class monitor, I… I really don’t want to be a soldier anymore… Please- Let me call home. I want to leave!” The faint voice resounded from the corridor once again. Though it sounded feeble, Wang Ye and Wu Jianfeng, being on the rooftop in the quiet environment, managed to hear it clearly.