Chapter 93: The Platoon Leader Was Dumbfounded
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“What are you thinking? Do you think being a soldier is child’s play? Do you believe you can come and go as you please? Do you still have the desire to be part of the army?”
The voice of the second platoon leader on the rooftop was filled with evident anger, yet he struggled to suppress it, keeping his voice low.
Aware that there were new recruits diligently studying rules and regulations in the classroom on the fourth floor below, Wang Ye stole a glance at Wu Jianfeng by his side.
Exhaling a cloud of thick smoke from his cigarette, Wu Jianfeng met Wang Ye’s gaze but remained silent. He didn’t make a move or utter a word.
“Pl… Please, squad leader, let me go. I truly no longer wish to remain in the military. My father coerced me into coming here against my will. You saw it yourself, my performance in training is abysmal, and I can only drag down my fellow recruits. It would be better to let me go and find a replacement.”
A familiar voice echoed from the corridor, triggering a flicker of recognition in Wang Ye’s mind. He furrowed his brows.
In the next moment, he silently cursed.
Wasn’t this the voice of the recruit who did push-ups in the bathroom last night?
The realization struck Wang Ye, and he wasn’t particularly surprised. It seemed evident that the recruit had spent extra time in the bathroom last night to avoid military duty.
Judging from the circumstances, today must have been the physical examination, where the recruit’s evasion tactics had failed to produce the desired results. Thus, he clenched his teeth and approached the platoon leader. “What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think this is merely a matter of swapping soldiers? As the company commander mentioned earlier during dinner, you are a conscript. If you didn’t willingly sign up to be a soldier, then so be it.
Now that you’re here, you have a duty to fulfill. It’s not about what you want or don’t want—it’s a matter of obligation.
You must understand the meaning of responsibility.”
Although Wang Ye couldn’t see it, he could sense the second platoon leader clenching his fists tightly, restraining himself from resorting to violence.
“Let me make this clear to you. Don’t think that calling your family will help you. It won’t. Talking to me won’t help, and seeking the company commander won’t either. You don’t have any physical ailments or injuries. Since you’re here, just fulfill your duties honestly. And don’t claim to be a burden. Do I look down on you?”
“N-No, I… I didn’t mean that!”
“Exactly, I don’t look down on you. So get lost and continue copying the regulations. Let me warn you, this is your final chance. Don’t bring it up again!”
With those words, the second platoon leader turned around at the stairwell entrance and ascended the stairs, disappearing from sight.
As he made his way up, he contemplated going to the rooftop for a smoke. Dealing with this particular recruit had exasperated him. However, as soon as he stepped out of the stairwell, he was left dumbfounded.
Right at the entrance of the building, there were two individuals smoking.
Well, the sight itself wasn’t what left him astonished. During free periods, it was common for veterans to smoke on the rooftop. But if he wasn’t mistaken, one of them was a recruit.
“Platoon leader!” Wang Ye greeted with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, accompanied by a respectful bow. If there were any sergeants present, Wang Ye would surely face severe consequences—days of grounding, a lengthy self-reflection essay, and a collective reprimand from the entire unit, resulting in a demerit punishment.
Truth be told, if the company commander wasn’t standing beside Wang Ye at that moment, the second platoon leader was confident that he would have sprinted with the speed of a 100-meter dash and delivered a flying kick.
This was beyond ridiculous.
During the recruit training period, not only did this recruit come up to the rooftop to smoke, but he even saluted with a lit cigarette in his mouth.
Yet now, the company commander was right next to Wang Ye.
The second platoon leader found himself at a loss for what to do.
“Here,” the company commander spoke up, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a pack of cigarettes, tossing it over.
The second platoon leader caught the cigarette pack and glanced at Wang Ye once again. He reached out, took a cigarette, and pocketed the remaining few in the box.
In that moment, Wang Ye glanced at the second platoon leader, then shifted his gaze to Wu Jianfeng. He wanted to say that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Having had limited interaction with the second platoon leader, Wang Ye had only seen his serious side. But now, observing his familiar mannerisms and how he skillfully deflected the conversation, Wang Ye was taken aback.
This was undoubtedly not a righteous veteran.
Wu Jianfeng rolled his eyes at the second platoon leader but didn’t bring up the cigarette issue. “This is how it goes. Which batch of recruits didn’t have such situations? The only difference is that some dare to speak up, while others don’t.”
After speaking, Wu Jianfeng turned his attention to Wang Ye. “Alright, if you’re done smoking, get lost. The lights will be turned off soon. Go to bed early!”
“Yes, sir!” Wang Ye responded promptly. He dropped the cigarette butt, crushed it under his foot, and swiftly made his way to the corridor.
• •
“Company Commander, who is he…?” the second platoon leader inquired, his confusion evident on his face.
Wu Jianfeng smiled and replied, “He’s a promising recruit. I’ll have a chat with him and consider bringing him to our company.”
“Who is he…?” the second platoon leader stammered, but the company commander understood the underlying question.
He responded, somewhat displeased, “What’s with your thoughts? He’s nobody, and he’s not connected to anyone. He’s simply a talented recruit.”
“If he were someone with connections, I wouldn’t want him,” Wu Jianfeng added irritably.
“I know, I know,” the second platoon leader hastily agreed, nodding with a smile.
Indeed, he knew.
Just two years ago, a person with connections had been transferred to their company as a communications officer. This individual relied on his connections to slack off, prompting Wu Jianfeng to assign him to the kitchen to raise pigs.
After that incident, rumors circulated that Wu Jianfeng had stormed into the regiment headquarters, banging on the table while proclaiming that he would assign anyone with connections to pig-raising duties in the future.
“Why did the captain call you, Brother Wang?” Gu Yingnan asked as he returned to the dormitory, dragging a small stool with him.
However, his curiosity was interrupted when he caught a whiff of something in the air. He glanced at Ye Sanshi, who was diligently writing a work report by the bed, and then moved closer to Wang Ye, taking a couple of sniffs.
“Brother Wang, you…”
“Get lost and go back to writing your letter,” Wang Ye scolded, smiling.
Although he wasn’t concerned, Wang Ye knew that people who frequently smoked would eventually become immune to the smell. However, individuals who didn’t smoke or hadn’t done so for ten days to half a month would definitely be sensitive to the scent.
Gu Yingnan didn’t say anything, but he gave Wang Ye a thumbs up.
He had some speculations.
Wang Ye must have been called by the company commander to smoke. How impressive!
“Shh, shh! Lights out!” came the voice of the duty officer from downstairs a few minutes later.
In Class Five, Ye Sanshi picked up a pen and paper.
“Be more disciplined. Everyone, do too push-ups and too squats before going to bed. Wang Ye, you supervise.”
Without lingering, Ye Sanshi hurriedly left. The lights in the dormitory were about to be turned off, but his work wasn’t finished yet.
He intended to head to the classroom to complete his tasks and check how much progress the four unlucky individuals had made in copying regulations.