Chapter 408 - 324 Are we not in a hurry now?

Zhang Yaohuan left.

This name they were familiar with, yet slightly strange, belonged to the deputy squadron leader who seemed to only appear at the Squadron Department and the cafeteria.

Leadership thought he no longer fit the flourishing Second Squadron, and when they left, they took him along, sending him to the Fire Prevention Place of the Regiment.

Everyone’s farewell was just a perfunctory wave of the hand.

It wasn’t like he had wronged anyone; he was quite well-liked, and people from the squadron were quite willing to talk to him. He just wasn’t really cut out to be a soldier.

In a squadron focused on "elimination," there was no room for such laxity.

Moreover, Cao Yi and Ye Jiahong were somewhat annoyed with him because he saw Boss Wu and Captain Zhang go upstairs and didn’t even send a text message. He got caught and didn’t think to inform his comrades—the lack of group consciousness.

The follow-up discussion about this incident was actually overheard by many when Boss Wu and Captain Zhang were discussing it:

They needed to replace him with a cadre with a stronger sense of responsibility.

Captain Zhang suggested replenishing both the deputy squadron leader and the deputy instructor’s positions, but Boss Wu said that just filling one was enough—they should leave a spot for a capable comrade.

Captain Zhang showed a knowing smile at that moment.

This time, Fang Huai was actually faced with a rather tough matter.

First Class Merit, the good news had arrived, and there was also a plaque.

In his previous life, he had received a third-class merit, and not to speak of a plaque, he didn’t even get the good news, it was all so quiet, and he didn’t feel there was anything amiss.

First Class Merit, though, was something to be recorded in the county annals, certainly requiring a process involving gongs and drums.

As for the family tree having its own page—forget it. Ever since his grandparents passed away, he basically had no contact with the Fang family in Ziyang, Sichuan; he didn’t even know where the family tree was kept.

When you’re poor, you don’t even have relatives.

It was just as well there was no contact. Just the thought of a big gang of unfamiliar relatives talking about family history and bloodlines, and having to address them, probably represented a monumental social suicide scene that he, who had grown up with few relatives, could not have endured.

The old man’s decades of military character and dedication were something most people couldn’t handle; over time, it turned him into someone who didn’t like interacting with others and probably wouldn’t have the inclination to go through the trouble of finding an ancestral grave to worship.

However, he definitely needed that plaque.

A plaque for the family of a First Class Meritorious Serviceman was truly an awesome honor. Once that plaque was up, developers wouldn’t be able to touch it without first signing a contract with my family!

But, when Liu Jianfeng came asking on behalf of the Squadron Department where to deliver the plaque, Fang Huai suddenly felt, rather embarrassed.

His home was just too damn small—a second-floor hallway of a brick building that couldn’t even fit a plaque next to the door.

That restaurant space was rented, and now that the restaurant business was over, the lease might even have expired.

Could it be that the plaque should be hung at home for personal admiration?

That’s like walking in the night dressed in fine silk, feeling as if you’re not wearing anything!

He must buy a house! One by the roadside! An eye-catching one! Where the plaque would be visible just by passing by!

Later, when he’s out of the service and living in a villa in the city, he could go to that house, sit under the plaque, and drink tea!

"Send it to my home for now, to the Wild Water Ditch address," he said.

Liu Jianfeng immediately looked up Fang Huai’s address in the file and laughed:

"Why are the place names in Chongqing all so funny? Wild Water Ditch... Last time I went to Chongqing, I saw Rooster Beak, Cow Dung Beach, Wild Boar Hole, Sheep Dam, Cat Stone, Vegetable Garden Dam, Loquat Mountain... It’s like you guys named your streets after a farmers’ market... Not very cultured, huh!"

Fang Huai’s face fell.

Damn, you just don’t get the humor of the people of Chongqing!

He forced a couple of chuckles and said, "Heh heh, Squad Leader Liu, there are a few place names in Chongqing you’d definitely like."

Liu Jianfeng was taken aback, "Which ones?"

Fang Huai smirked, "Five Kilometers."

Liu Jianfeng’s face turned to horror as he tactically retreated, "Damn, how could there be such inhumane place names?"

"Whether it’s true or not, look it up and you’ll know, and it’s not just Five Kilometers; there are Six Kilometers, Seven Kilometers, Eight Kilometers, Nine Kilometers, Ten Kilometers—whichever you like?"

"... Is there a One Kilometer?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, the people of Chongqing haven’t granted your wish."

...

The next day, June 21st, at the stadium.

On the days Big Demon King Fang was around, Saturdays were routinely inhuman with extra drills.

Fang Huai chased after Liu Jianfeng, cursing and muttering.

"Run faster! You’re a third-class merit holder now, so turn on your turbocharger! Breathe in!"

"Damn...Dammit... why are you chasing me?! Go after the ones behind!" Liu Jianfeng was about to be chased down.

"You have a talent for long-distance running! You’re thin and could be trained as a mountain rescue team member! Endurance is what mountain team members need most! Fast!"

"Damn... I have no talent! Lately... I’ve been gaining weight and muscle! Stop pushing me! The people of Chongqing have the most damn taste. I apologize to the people of Chongqing, okay?"

Only then did Fang Huai slowly overtake him.

Cao Yi shouted from the side, "Fang Huai, what are you chasing him for? Run your own race! Your physical ability has been improving too slowly these past two months! When you go to the training class, you must take first place for our squadron!"

Now it was Fang Huai’s turn to curse.

Just yesterday, Fang Huai had asked He Zhijun, who still hadn’t revealed the training subjects for the class, but he did tell Fang Huai something: his comprehensive training scores in the second period of Southwest Training Class ranked fourth, and his final assessment ranking was sixth.

Fang Huai didn’t know what they meant by assessment ranking, but just looking at the comprehensive training scores, there were three people who were stronger than He Zhijun in the first period.

It wasn’t just four provinces and a city; because Captain Hu was from the Hunan General Team, each period still had two or three people from Hunan added in.