Chapter 205 - 154: Nothing Barbecue Can’t Solve

Silence, deafening silence.

A new recruit, an excellent soldier, and two third-class merits?!

Everyone started to reckon up their own possessions in their minds.

Not enough, truly not enough.

Opportunities for commendation in the firefighting forces are indeed more than in other conventional troops, but the personnel base is also huge.

Nowadays, the firefighting forces, which consist of a hundred and sixty or seventy thousand people, are said to be a corps-level unit, but who has ever seen a corps with thirty-one whole corps units under its jurisdiction?

The number of people in a corps is almost equivalent to half of one of the current seven military regions.

"Whole corps... You, a new recruit, are awarded a third-class merit for propaganda?" Long Xinfeng found it somewhat unbelievable.

Simply asking this wasn’t because the third-class merit had more value, but because he had never heard of such a thing.

Aren’t merits for propaganda the exclusive privilege of cadres?

Fang Huai chuckled, waving with an air of it’s better left unsaid, "You’ll all see in a few days anyway."

He was a bit embarrassed to boast about the benefits of his rebirth.

Continuing, he knocked on the table:

"Squad Leader Zhang, that’s twice now, if there’s a next time, I won’t even give you the chance to copy out the orders!"

Fang Huai finished speaking, straightened up his body, and saluted smartly.

"Thank you for your cooperation!"

With that, he left the room and closed the door.

A few felt somewhat aggrieved.

As their minds gradually cleared up, a sense of regret for "not having performed well just now" began to spread through their hearts.

Every day, scrutinize yourself thrice.

Why was I being lectured by this new recruit?

Why didn’t I, just now, exert the presence of a veteran from concentration training and admonish him that he should train properly?

At this point in time, in the squadron, isn’t it precisely the moment when new recruits should be preparing equipment for evening exercises?

They had completely forgotten Fang Huai’s presence on the same training ground earlier because in their view, new recruits were perpetual motion machines; training should be like young people’s drinking parties outside, one half following the other.

"Hmph! A new recruit, instead of training properly, strutting around here with a white helmet like he’s somebody important, not focusing on what matters!"

Suddenly, someone said.

Zhang Guangxu also said, "That’s right. Is this how the Special Duty Team trains new recruits? Good luck getting them trained right! Even with a solid foundation, they’ll just ruin it eventually! Didn’t he just break 20 minutes for the five kilometers?

In half a year, what will that count for?

In our squadron... there are plenty from the whole detachment’s new recruits who can surpass his time!"

Toward the end, Zhang Guangxu didn’t dare to boast recklessly.

After all, Guizhou here is a plateau, and especially for long-distance running, a time under 20 minutes is not easy to achieve.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been selected to participate in the Corps Martial Arts Competition with their five-kilometer times of 18 minutes, and some even just over 19 minutes.

Everyone was ready to chime in again.

"Squeak~"

The door reopened, and Fang Huai stood at the entrance, with a smile that was not quite a smile on his face.

"Squad leaders, do you really think your training scores are that good?"

Not a sound was heard.

They all felt somewhat guilty for discussing others behind their backs.

Seeing no one answer, Fang Huai went on to say:

"Gentlemen, we have one more hour until lights-out. If you want to eat, eat quickly, and clean up here before the lights go out.

Lights out soon, and then it’s room inspection."

With that, the door closed again.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and under the shock, even the array of meat skewers in front of them no longer seemed appetizing.

The tone of Fang Huai’s voice just now made everyone feel a bit dazed, as if they were watching their own captain instructors.

It turns out that if it didn’t work the first time, trying again was no use.

After a while, Long Xinfeng looked at the pile of meat skewers in front of him, and then said:

"...Eat, eat, eat, don’t waste food."

"...Well, let’s eat and clear up quickly, I still need to take a shower."

"Damn... what a mood killer."

...

The evening breeze brought a chill to the night of March, but there were no cicadas singing.

A stray cat that had caught the scent drifted into the training tower, aiming to snatch some food from the bowl on the first floor.

A Bombardier motorcycle, however, charged down from the third floor, emitting a low growl like an engine.

"Wooo...worf!"

"Yiao~"

The figure of the stray cat reluctantly ran out of the training tower.

The three-wheeled little Pekingese gazed at the intact barbecue in the bowl, still sending out a little heat, and knew that the human had brought it a feast of delights that evening.

Moreover, tonight’s food didn’t have the usual leftover scent, nor was it overly salty.

It had been made especially for it.

Facing such a delicious meal, Little White picked up a rib and left the training tower, lay down in the open space in front of the parallel bars, and from time to time, looked up at the moon while eating, quietly savoring the food.

It wasn’t that it never left the training tower; previously, there was just no food worth its time to stroll around, enjoying the scenery while eating.

Ever since that human began to bring food, its menu had gained many items it had never had before.

Bones it had never gnawed, whole pieces of pork belly, and some small chicken cartilage pieces.

Compared to that silly-faced human who only bought two utterly meatless ham sausages and used them to tease it, this was much more considerate!

Little White’s affection +1+1+1...

...

Meanwhile.

Evening check, garage.

Fang Huai grinned and pulled Zhang Yang and Qi Xiaohui next to the emergency rescue vehicle, pointing at the folding boom of Car No.2:

"Squad Leader, can you tell me how the big arm of this emergency rescue vehicle comes down and how it operates?"

Zhang Yang gritted his teeth, "Fang Huai, can you stop torturing me? If you know it, you know it, there’s no need to make sure we do, too! We’re not vehicle drivers!"

Fang Huai pondered for a moment.

But he persisted, "Just give it a try! It’s really simple!"

Zhang Yang was on the verge of collapse, suddenly raising his hand and startling Fang Huai into stepping back, thinking he was about to pick a fight.

But Zhang Yang just made a "Stop" gesture, then helplessly pulled out a notebook and pen from his big jacket packet.

The notebook already had a good twenty-plus pages of notes, they were sloppy but packed full.

"Alright, alright, enough questions! You lecture us and we’ll take notes! Is that okay??"

Qi Xiaohui sighed and fished an identical notebook from his bag...

This sincerity made Fang Huai feel too embarrassed to act cool anymore, and he immediately beamed, calling over a few same year soldiers:

"General Han, Song Lin, Xiao Haishan, could you come here a sec!"

The three new recruits turned their heads and saw Zhang Yang and Qi Xiaohui ready to take serious notes, their hearts almost worshiping Fang Huai.

Motherfucker, is this really the First-class Soldier who had intimidated them into hiding just to nap when he had first arrived at the squad...

Fang Huai waited for the few to approach, looking serious and feeling a bit nervous as well.

Motherfucker, you guys are so humble it’s making me unsure of myself!

He quickly reviewed his thoughts in his mind and then cleared his throat before pointing at Car No.2:

"The specs of this boom are on the label, which I won’t speak about.

There are articulated booms, there are folding booms! The boom in front of us is a folding boom!

A folding boom crane has the advantage of being extendable and workable through several hydraulic cylinders, similar to having jointed arms or a mechanical arm, allowing 360-degree rotation and a retractable feature!

It’s extremely flexible! In theory, as long as the operation is precise enough, the end of the boom can be attached to a pot shovel, and it could even be used to stir-fry dishes!

Also, when transporting goods, the entire boom can be retracted, occupying less space and making it applicable in a wider range of scenarios!

What I want to talk about is more important, though, it’s about expanding your thinking!

I believe, in the minds of most people, it’s just a towing tool!

But that’s incorrect.

It can extend to lengths unachievable by human strength, can hang down from high places, be used for rescuing people, transporting supplies, moving dangerous and heavy objects, and more!

When you look at it, you should see it as a large, extendable and retractable arm—it’s an arm! In rescue work, you must unleash your imagination!

For instance, you can attach various tools to the end hook, like rescue baskets, different grabs, and all sorts of equipment that can conduct rescues, and in dangerous moments, it can even bear loads, lifting heavy objects! You know robots, right?

This is like the hand of a robot!

All firefighting equipment is worthless in the face of human life. Limiting them to fixed uses and fearing equipment damage in critical moments will only let lives slip away.

Also, be careful when using it!

Its support all comes from the main body of the emergency vehicle; if it carries too much weight, it will tip over.

You even have to consider the bearing capacity of the ground.

Some road conditions aren’t as solid as they look.

On the fourth floor, learn about the deeds of Martyr Hao Yi, whose truck rescue on a mountain cement road bore over its load capacity, causing a collapse, and the vehicle tipped over, rolling down the slope...

It’s a tragic lesson."

After Fang Huai finished, everyone was silent.

Before, the First-class Soldiers thought Fang Huai was great at reciting specs, but they hadn’t expected him to speak with the experience of an old firefighter, sharing all sorts of insights.

Upon deeper reflection on his words, indeed, the purpose of the boom wasn’t important; what mattered were the expanded thinking and safety awareness he talked about.

If everyone could use this thinking in utilizing the myriad of rescue equipment available, many difficulties could be easily resolved.

What Fang Huai was imparting was the Commander’s mindset.

If the soldiers of a squadron could also have this mindset, actively thinking and even reminding the Commander during task execution, they would effectively have the ability of a platoon leader.

While not everyone is cut out to be a leader, firefighters in the new era should possess more professional thinking capabilities.

The conscripts were still pondering amid the roaring of the fire trucks around them, but a light flashed before Fang Huai’s eyes.

[Task Completion.]

Huh?

The Task Completion Degree was full ten points already?

Fang Huai quickly checked the system and found that in this brief time, the Task Completion Degree had reached 56 points, indeed gaining two points.

But what had just been completed was that task of making friends with Little White.

Fang Huai almost cried with emotion.

Motherfucker, that task took nearly a month! Finally, it’s completed! Sure enough, there’s nothing that a barbecue can’t solve!

Now another task was resolved!

With just four more points, the first enhancement for leg muscle strength would be coming!

Fang Huai looked at the few deep in thought, barely able to resist the urge to teach them more.

But.

"Assemble!" Cao Yi shouted loudly.

The vehicles around them shut off their engines.

"New recruits, First-class Soldiers, what are you all bunched up here for? Oh, Teacher Fang, giving another lesson? Come on, gather up, report on the equipment inspection!"

The old soldiers laughed.

But the conscripts felt uplifted, believing that their thinking had evolved. They had learned a more comprehensive way of reasoning, differing now from those illiterate old soldiers who only knew how to laugh foolishly.

They, were to be the backbone of the squadron!