Chapter 96: The One Who Made a Move and the One Who was beaten
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
In the dormitory of Class 9, the squad leader entered with a somber expression, his face already showing signs of frustration from earlier in the classroom.
The tension inside him was building up, waiting to be released.
As soon as he shut the door, his rage exploded. His gaze fell upon a soldier being bullied by two other recruits, and the sight of the tearful soldier further fueled his anger.
“Have you no shame? I specifically told you to study the regulations. What made you wander around?” Squad Leader Kong snapped.
A loud bang echoed in the room as Squad Leader Kong couldn’t contain his frustration any longer and lashed out with a kick.
“Stop crying! You brought this upon yourself by provoking them. Who’s to blame here?”
Though filled with rage, Squad Leader Kong was trying to hold back, knowing that violence was against the rules, as discussed during the recent meeting. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stopped at just a kick and would have taught him a lesson using his fists.
Squad Leader Kong’s frustration continued to rise as he witnessed the cowardice of the soldier who had initiated the trouble. He despised such behavior the most – causing trouble but lacking the courage to fight back or stand up for himself.
With his fists clenched, Squad Leader Kong turned his attention to the two onlookers and berated them, his voice seething with anger. “Are you both blind? You just stood there and watched your comrade get beaten up! Is this how you plan to behave on the battlefield? Indifferent spectators while your comrades fight for their lives?”
The two recruits blushed deeply, too ashamed to utter a word as they stood there with lowered heads.
Squad Leader Kong’s mind was filled with the words of the company commander from the recent meeting, reminding him to control his anger. He knew he had to keep himself in check to avoid breaking the rules.
He addressed the entire dormitory, including the other students present, to emphasize the importance of unity in the military camp. “Remember, once you step out of this dormitory, you are one cohesive unit. If one person makes a mistake, the entire class will be punished. I don’t care about the reasons or excuses; if I catch anyone watching a fellow soldier getting into trouble and doing nothing about it, be prepared to face severe consequences.”
In the dormitory, an eerie silence hung in the air, as no one dared to make a sound. This also included the other students who had been staying there. Unaware of what had transpired, they awaited the return of Squad Leader Kong and the others.
With a cold snort, Squad Leader Kong walked over to the recruit he had kicked down at the door. In that moment, he struggled to contain his own emotions, trying not to show any sign of weakness.
“Tell me where you’re injured. Do you want to go to the infirmary?” he inquired, his tone still harsh.
The recruit remained silent, perhaps out of fear or a mix of emotions.
“Are you deaf? Why won’t you answer? Are you still indignant?” Squad Leader Kong’s frustration was evident as he probed, “Do you want me to take you to fight again? Or do you want to fight me?”
“I… I’m fine,” the recruit finally muttered, looking utterly miserable. His left cheek was visibly bruised and swollen, and there seemed to be a bump on his forehead. His clothes were disheveled, with tears and shoe prints marring his body.
Despite the injuries appearing severe, they were merely superficial. Wan Baojiang and the others had shown some restraint during their attack, not using their full strength.
Squad Leader Kong suppressed his anger and scolded, “If that’s the case, then get up! Who are you lying there, looking as if you’re about to die?”
The recruit struggled to his feet as Squad Leader Kong swung open the door, giving a curt command, “Gather downstairs!”
He said no more, leaving no doubt that tonight’s events could not be left without consequences. He had no intention of letting it slide. Since the injured recruit refused to go to the infirmary, the punishment would start immediately.
Squad Leader Kong was determined to leave a lasting memory in their minds, one they would carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Downstairs, the tension among the recruits of the 9th squad was palpable as they assembled, uncertain of what was about to unfold. The 9th squad leader’s words carried a clear warning – there would be no mercy tonight, and anyone who dared to intervene would face the same fate as the recruit who had been beaten.
Without further ado, the 9th squad leader briskly led the way, and the recruits followed reluctantly, their hearts filled with bitterness. Many of them had eagerly anticipated witnessing a brave soul challenge the status quo, only to find themselves engulfed in an unexpected disaster.
Their previous excitement and speculation had quickly given way to remorse and anger. They felt that the beaten recruit had brought this upon them without any just cause. As they looked at the bruised and swollen fellow classmate, their inner thoughts turned to curses, blaming him for ruining the otherwise intriguing spectacle.
“Is he full of himself? Getting into trouble like that and now dragging us into it too!”
“Who does he think he is, causing such unnecessary trouble for all of us?”
The frustration and resentment among the recruits were evident, and their dissatisfaction grew with every step they took. They couldn’t help but wonder why the recruit had initiated the fight in the first place, leading to this troublesome situation that now implicated them all.
As they approached their destination, their minds were filled with apprehension about what was to come. Little did they know that this night would be etched into their memories forever, a stark reminder of the consequences that could arise from a single reckless act.
“Hey, class monitor, someone’s here!” one of the recruits called out as Ye Sanshi, Wan Baojiang, and the others jogged on the track.
Ye Sanshi had a different approach compared to the 9th Squad Leader. He didn’t scold or reprimand the recruits for their actions. Instead, he praised them for their efforts.
“You did a good job this time. It’s okay to be punished. I’ll run with you. After you finish running, each of you will be rewarded with a bowl of instant noodles and a bottle of drink. Just make sure to ask Vice-Class Monitor Wang for reimbursement. As for the detention tomorrow, I’ll arrange for someone to send you food, and you can write your own self-reflection,” Ye Sanshi said in a supportive manner.
It seemed that Ye Sanshi understood that the situation might not have escalated if the recruit company and the company commander hadn’t been involved. In other circumstances, the incident might have been less severe, and perhaps no punishment would have been meted out.
In the army, conflicts were almost inevitable among young men living together. It was normal to have some friction between them. However, the key factors were the process and the outcome of those conflicts.
In this case, the recruits and Wan Baojiang had acted to protect their class vice-monitor, and they fought together and won. This victory was crucial, as any failure to act or win would have put them in trouble.
When Ye Sanshi learned about the situation from Liang Fan, he immediately chased him away to avoid the wrath of the company commander. While they couldn’t entirely escape the punishment, Ye Sanshi’s support and presence during the punishment showed his solidarity with his classmates.
As they continued to run on the track, the recruits felt grateful for Ye Sanshi’s understanding and encouragement. Despite the punishment, they now knew they weren’t alone, and their class monitor had their backs. The hour of running might be tough, but the reward and the feeling of camaraderie made it more bearable.
Ye Sanshi was highly satisfied with Wan Baojiang and the others’ performance that day, and as a result, their jogging pace was much faster than a casual walk. They chatted and laughed throughout the run, enjoying the camaraderie.
However, upon spotting someone approaching, Ye Sanshi quickly whispered, “Run faster!” They needed to maintain a serious demeanor in front of outsiders.
When the newcomers from class 9 drew near, Liang Fan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Damn, it’s class 9!”
Sensing the tension, Ye Sanshi took charge and told his group to be serious, announcing that he would lead them to apologize to class 9.
“Why should we apologize?” Qin Li murmured, voicing the hesitation that some of the others felt. All eyes turned to Ye Sanshi, awaiting his response.
Ye Sanshi turned around, still wearing a smile. “You’ve already stood up for your classmate, so what’s the harm in apologizing? Besides, apologizing won’t cost us anything.”
With his encouraging words, he convinced them that an apology was the right thing to do. And with that, he led the group toward class 9.
As class 9 noticed the approaching group from class 5, all eyes turned to Squad Leader Kong. The squad leader stopped in his tracks and observed Ye Sanshi and his men with a stoic expression.
“Haha, well, Old Kong, are you guys here to relax too?” Ye Sanshi greeted them with a light-hearted tone, despite having just told his own group to be serious.
At the sight of the varied reactions from the recruits in class 9, some clenching their fists, some speechless, and others indifferent, Squad Leader Kong remained unresponsive, claiming that he was not in a good mood like Ye Sanshi.
Ye Sanshi playfully apologized, suggesting that his group should come over and apologize to the recruits they had beaten up earlier. However, Squad Leader Kong firmly refused the apology, asserting that the recruit deserved the beating.
After this exchange, Squad Leader Kong emphasized that he had to continue running with his recruits. He seemed frustrated, especially when using the word “stroll,” which made him bite his lips in annoyance. Despite his attempt to maintain discipline, some of his recruits couldn’t help but hold back their laughter, which only added to his frustration.
With a humorous tone, Ye Sanshi and his group continued on their way, with everyone suppressing their laughter as they ran.
The 9th squad leader’s face turned ashen, feeling embarrassed and angered by the situation. He turned to address his own recruits, berating them for their behavior and expressing his disappointment.
He sternly warned them that if anyone asked about their new company’s squad leader in the future, they should say he was dead because he couldn’t bear the embarrassment of having them as his recruits.
With that, the 9th squad leader led his recruits to continue their punishment, hoping to restore discipline and order among them.