Chapter 437 - 355: Pulling Up the Radish Brings Out the Dirt

A big gang of people were cursing inwardly.

"You have us lying here just for the sake of waiting for those who might not even arrive tonight to have a meal?"

"Do you know that Yunnan is over a thousand kilometers away from here, and with trains, coaches, delays, missed connections, and traffic jams, any holdup can mean hours lost?"

"Damn it, if you had said so earlier, wouldn’t I have reported it already?"

The resentment over a meal was quite deep.

But Fang Huai had never anticipated that the training team’s schedule would lose its mystery within the time it took to eat a meal.

The afternoon meal was still bento, just like at noon.

But unlike Fang Huai, everyone took their bentos and chatted as they ate in the courtyard, not so debilitated by the less than an hour’s worth of push-ups that they couldn’t eat.

In the courtyard, there was cheerful conversation all around.

The meals were distributed at 6 o’clock, and by 6:10, the news had spread.

Having just received his meal, Lian Xu pulled Fang Huai to a corner and whispered mysteriously, "I have to tell you, be on alert these next few days, Yin Wen said... there might be training exercises."

"Training exercises? What kind of training?"

Fang Huai was surprised not so much by the words "training exercises" but by "Yin Wen said."

Yin Wen, Yu Zengbiao, was one of the people who came with the Guizhou Corps, the two he didn’t recognize.

He had asked He Zhijun about the training content before, but He Zhijun kept tight-lipped, mentioning he had signed a confidentiality agreement.

Lian Xu hesitated for a moment.

But here, Fang Huai was always one of their own, and besides, he had recently become a non-commissioned officer and his military service was short. Many of the others here were veteran non-commissioned officers, mostly from the second batch, and a few officers in training. He and Fang Huai had the most in common.

Although there were no official tiers among people, ranks in the military did matter, and everyone still preferred to hang out with those who were close to their own rank.

After thinking it over, Lian Xu finally said:

"It’s... the whole training period will be focused on exercises, and there will also be emergency assemblies."

Fang Huai frowned upon hearing this, sensing that there was more to it.

So detailed?

Thinking, he asked, "Who told him?"

Lian Xu shook his head, "I don’t know, but... he’s from Southeastern Guizhou, and it’s his sixth year."

Fang Huai’s gaze shifted slightly.

Southeastern Guizhou... Sixth-year, from the first period of training.

Then it could only be Tao Dongdong.

And he was his fellow soldier from the same year.

Plus, Tao Dongdong was indeed quite extroverted and liked to chat. In the days following the Corps Martial Arts Competition, he had chatted with him quite a bit.

Perhaps because Tao Dongdong did not know he would come here, he hadn’t told Fang Huai.

Or it could be that their relationship wasn’t close enough.

Fang Huai looked around the courtyard and saw that Yin Wen was standing in another corner with a bento, chatting and laughing with Wang Maofa from Bijie Detachment who was also in his sixth year.

And there was actually someone standing beside them, whom Fang Huai recognized at a glance: it was the same person who had stood behind him earlier, from the Hunan General Team.

Tsk tsk, Old Tao was really entrusting his affairs to an incapable person.

He might end up following the gossip party.

"Go get Yin Wen for me, quick," Fang Huai said to Lian Xu urgently, patting him.

Lian Xu glanced at Yin Wen, then mumbled softly, "You want to ask him? He didn’t tell me to inform you, don’t let on that..."

Fang Huai saw that person from the Hunan General Team with his bento moving one step closer to them and said somewhat speechless:

"This isn’t the time to discuss that, just tell him I need to borrow something from him, quick."

Lian Xu walked towards Yin Wen with a reluctance.

After a few words, Yin Wen followed him over.

"What’s up?"

Fang Huai became serious, "About the training exercises, if anyone asks you, you mustn’t say who told you, got it? Don’t spread it anymore, Tao Dongdong signed a confidentiality agreement, strictly speaking, the content of training is a military secret!"

When Lian Xu heard Fang Huai directly point it out, he felt a bit embarrassed:

"Man, Fang Huai, what are you saying? Squad Leader Yin is just being kind."

Yin Wen was lectured by Fang Huai and felt his squad leader’s face had been lost. His intention to get friendly with Fang Huai dissipated, and he said with an increasingly sour face:

"Lian Xu, why do you blab everything you hear? Fang Huai is a man of First Class Merit, does he need these petty rumors?

Fang Huai, don’t meddle so much. Your squad leader Zhao Jinchen and I are from the same year, and he used to come to the whole corps for the Martial Arts Competition, I even taught him many things."

Fang Huai sighed internally.

Still showing off your seniority at this point, what an unteachable child.

Damn it, the Hunan General Team wasn’t originally part of the Southwest, but they entered the training through Captain Hu’s back door; they were his confidants. If they overheard, it would be strange if they didn’t report back.

But seeing Yin Wen’s carefree attitude, Fang Huai didn’t feel like explaining any further, lest he expose himself.

"Squad Leader Yin, take care of yourself. When it’s important, keep your mouth shut," he said.

Yin Wen looked even more displeased, his hands crossed behind his back.

"So you do know I am the squad leader, I thought you didn’t."

With that, he turned around and left.

Lian Xu stood there awkwardly, suddenly feeling that Fang Huai was someone not to be befriended.

Fang Huai looked at Lian Xu’s expression, wanting to say something, but held back and picked up his bento.

Given the situation, he might as well eat his meal first.

...

The leak happened faster than imagined.

Twenty minutes later, while everyone was still casually bragging in the courtyard and waiting for the next set of instructions, someone from the upstairs office stepped out. Taking advantage of everyone’s inattention, they sidled down the stairs.

But Fang Huai had been watching the upstairs closely and saw it all clearly.

Soon afterward, there came a loud "bang" from the second floor as a table was struck.

Then came a furious yell from Captain Hu:

"Return it! It must be returned!"

What followed was silence.

But it wasn’t really quiet; Fang Huai saw Captain Hu searching for something in front of the computer.

He was checking the surveillance footage.

Fang Huai looked around and saw the several surveillance cameras in the camp, and immediately had this idea.

He had noticed these devices early on; there was one right at the entrance of the camp, and the others, which were hiding behind the trees, were not invisible if one looked carefully.

The rest looked up at the building, somewhat puzzled.

Who retreated?

Some people clamped the spare cellphones hidden in their crotches and glued to their rear ends a bit tighter, which had not been confiscated.

Yin Wen started to panic a bit, glanced at Fang Huai, and saw him walking back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, as if pondering something.

In fact, Fang Huai wasn’t thinking of anything; he was just walking off his meal.

After a disaster, there comes an epidemic, and it’s no different in a strictly managed military camp; the moment an important rule is violated, the managers turn into psychopaths, torturing everyone under their management to death.

Given Captain Hu’s recent roar that pierced through the entire camp, it seemed the onset of rabies wouldn’t be too far away.

This guy was twisted enough to make the second period training class carry heavy equipment and climb mountains into Beichuan during an earthquake; definitely not a character who only smiles.

After a while, the figure of Captain Hu appeared in the second-floor corridor.

"Everyone, assemble!"

Six people came down from the second floor, making a commotion.

There was something going on.

There was something big going on.

Some, after thinking it over, sighed and took out the spare phones from their crotches, ready to turn them in themselves.

These bloody leaders of the training class were prone to panic, and if it was found out, it would be terrifying.

Although this unit’s location was shabby, since its name was "Southwest Fire Training Center," they could easily notify the relevant units and send them back with a discipline infraction.

Everyone was a favored standout in their respective detachments; who would want to accept that?

When Captain Hu came down with a dark face, people had already gathered into a group.

He didn’t say a word, just watched everyone stand in their positions voluntarily, and the other five people stood behind him in a straddled posture.

It had the essence of special forces training.

His words were heavy, direct, no nonsense.

"Who knows the training content of this concentration training?"

Below, there was silence, no one spoke.

Captain Hu pointed indifferently to either side of the formation and said, "Those who admit it, stand here; those I point out, stand there."

The two positions represented two different treatments.

Finally, someone could no longer hold back.

"Report!"

Yin Wen shouted out and stepped forward.

But Captain Hu’s gaze swept over him and said, "It doesn’t matter where you stand; prepare to leave. Tao Dongdong, who leaked information during the first period, we will report him as well."

Yin Wen suddenly widened his eyes and shouted loudly, "It wasn’t Tao Dongdong!"

Captain Hu sneered and said, "There are only ten people in your corps who have received training; do you think it’s hard to investigate? Tao Dongdong is more honest than you; I called him, and he has already admitted!"

Yin Wen immediately fell silent.

Fang Huai in the formation narrowed his eyes.

Captain Hu was a man who spoke without blinking, and as Fang Huai watched him, he also couldn’t tell if he was bluffing.

Yin Wen’s silence had already betrayed Tao Dongdong, but Captain Hu’s expression did not change at all.

Even if he hadn’t made the call, he was convinced in his heart that it was Tao Dongdong.

Fang Huai raised his eyebrows slightly and scanned Lian Xu from the corner of his eye.

If Lian Xu didn’t step out, he could hardly move; if this matter was seriously investigated and they were questioned separately, even if he said Yin Wen had told him, their testimonies wouldn’t match up.

In fact, looking at the surveillance, one could also tell how many people were spreading the news, who might have heard it, and who then went on to pass it along.

Everyone still had so many days to spend here, and since Captain Hu was the manager, it would be unwise to confront him.

Fortunately, Lian Xu made a report and stepped out.

Fang Huai followed and stood out as well.

All five people from the Guizhou Brigade came out.

Behind them, Li Kui laughed, "Your corps sure is united... Good unity, good unity. I hope you keep this unity during the training later."

However, Captain Hu looked down once more.

"Anyone else?"

His gaze was obviously pointed.

"Report."

One from the Sichuan General Team glanced at Yin Wen and actually also stepped out.

Then, seven or eight others reported in succession.

Once they had reported their sources of information and the spread of the news, it couldn’t be stopped; they were all afraid of being ratted out by someone else.

Yin Wen looked at the one who had reported first, with a sense of betrayal in his eyes.

Though the person was from the Sichuan General Team, he was a local from his own hometown and someone he had known before. Before he told him, he had clearly said not to tell anyone else!

Fang Huai was internally shocked.

To understand what it meant to "pull out the radish and bring out the mud," today he had a profound understanding.

During the time it took to eat a meal, so many people knew? The speed of this information spreading surpassed even the village gossips!

At last, Captain Hu smiled, "So many people know, and not a single person stopped the spread, even acting as broadcasters. Only Fang Huai took Yin Wen aside and said a few words to him.

Good, good."

Now, everyone from the Guizhou General Team looked at Fang Huai.

Fang Huai’s throat moved slightly, and he wanted to curse.

You’re damn unethical, Old Hu.

Can’t you be clear? "Said a few words," such a specific action; you saw it from the surveillance, don’t make it sound like I snitched!

"Report!" Fang Huai shouted out loud.

"Speak."

Fang Huai raised his hand and pointed at the man from the Hunan General Team, and said, "Captain Hu, that guy who just went into your office, didn’t he hear? Why isn’t he coming out?"