Chapter 18

At that moment, Guo Jing, looking over the files of the veteran squad leaders in his platoon, curiously asked Chen Pai: “This Lao Pao is a solid, capable soldier—why is he serving as the company clerk?”

Hearing Guo Jing’s question, Chen Pai let out a bitter laugh.

“Lao Pao is indeed a capable soldier, but precisely because he’s too strong-willed—people with real talent are usually hard to control. None of the platoon leaders in the company can manage him.”

Guo Jing understood at once: no platoon leader wanted him, so Company Commander Miao, valuing his ability, didn’t want to let him go, leaving him no choice but to become a clerk.

Since no one else can control him, I’ll take him on—I refuse to believe that someone who’s faced off against a Wolf Fang special forces company commander can’t handle him.

At that moment, Lao Pao stood outside the dormitory, looking gloomy. Though his conflict with Xiao Zhuang had been resolved, he disapproved of Xiao Zhuang’s lax attitude. Clearly, Xiao Zhuang, like Lao Pao himself, refused to be controlled—and Lao Pao couldn’t suppress his rebellious spirit.

Lao Pao recalled his own rebellious days when he first joined the army, and couldn’t help sighing: truly, karma turns full circle—now he was enduring the same torment his own former squad leaders once suffered.

Seeing Lao Pao so troubled, Guo Jing walked up and greeted him with a smile:

“What’s wrong, Lao Pao? Worried about managing the new recruits?”

Lao Pao’s face flushed red as he muttered in protest: “Where did you get that idea?”

“Come on, don’t deny it. Capable people are always stubborn—just like you. I heard from Chen Pai that you were only made company clerk because you were too strong, refused to obey anyone, and none of the platoon leaders wanted you.”

Guo Jing smiled as he brought up Lao Pao’s past, making Lao Pao’s face burn red.

“Sergeant, I was young and reckless back then—please don’t bring that up anymore.”

“Alright, I won’t. Let me talk plainly: based on Xiao Zhuang’s current behavior, when it’s time to assign him to a unit, no one will want him. What then?”

Guo Jing teased Lao Pao: “You don’t think Company Commander Miao can carry two clerks, do you?”

“Then what should I do?”

Lao Pao asked Guo Jing.

“I’ll take the burden—I’ll take both of you when I move to my new unit. But I heard from Chen Pai that you only respect those stronger than you.”

Guo Jing asked Lao Pao.

“No, no—that was in the past. I’m not like that anymore.”

Lao Pao quickly explained—he truly didn’t want to be a clerk, but no one wanted him, so he had no choice.

“We’re soldiers—we should speak plainly. How about a contest? If you admit I’m better, you become my soldier.”

Hearing Guo Jing wanted to spar, Lao Pao didn’t immediately refuse or agree.

“Sergeant, if I beat you, can I become your soldier too?”

“Fine. Pick the contest.”

Guo Jing agreed readily.

Lao Pao looked at Guo Jing inwardly: judging from the sergeant’s performance over the past two days, I can’t outrun him in the five-kilometer run—but in hand-to-hand combat, I won’t lose. That’s clear: Xiao Zhuang can outrun him but can’t beat him.

Thinking this, Lao Pao said at once:

“Sergeant, let’s have a hand-to-hand combat match.”

“No problem.”

Guo Jing hadn’t fought anyone in a month—his hands were itching.

Half an hour later, Lao Pao lay on the ground, utterly defeated. Guo Jing was a kind man who never mocked others—but his gaze seemed to say: Is this all you’ve got?

Lao Pao had no reply. Though only half an hour had passed, he’d been knocked down over two hundred times—averaging one fall every five to ten seconds.

This was even without Guo Jing striking him—if he had, Lao Pao wouldn’t have gotten up after the first fall.

Though Guo Jing had defeated Lao Pao over two hundred times while holding back, he still encouraged him: “Your perseverance is admirable.”

Lao Pao stubbornly retorted: “Sergeant, I can’t beat you in running or hand-to-hand combat—how about a shooting match?”

Hearing Lao Pao challenge him to shooting, Guo Jing shook his head. His current marksmanship made even Doghead Gao admit defeat—no, not just now; two years ago, his shooting had already left Doghead Gao in awe.

Seeing Lao Pao’s confidence, Guo Jing drew his pistol and said: “I’ll show you a simple demonstration. If you can do it, we’ll compete.”

Before Lao Pao could respond, Guo Jing aimed at the tree a hundred and fifty meters away: “This is easy.”

Guo Jing shook his head: “Go look at the tree first—then decide if you can do it.”

Lao Pao ran over, confused. After seeing it, he sucked in a sharp breath. Everyone knew: a pistol’s effective range is fifty meters. Beyond one hundred and fifty meters, both lethality and accuracy drop drastically.

So hitting a tree at that distance should leave only a small hole—but what stunned him was that the repeated impacts had deepened the hole so much that the tree trunk showed visible cracks—multiple bullets had struck the exact same spot.

Lao Pao stammered to Guo Jing: “Sergeant… this is your ‘simple’ demonstration?”

Guo Jing, puzzled, asked: “Is this hard? Can’t you do it?”

That’s odd—I remember showing Doghead Gao this once, and he did it right away, saying it was nothing special.”

Lao Pao wanted to say he could do it too, that it wasn’t hard—but the truth was—he couldn’t.

Lao Pao could only hang his head and say: “Sergeant, I can’t do this. In shooting—I’m defeated. Completely defeated.”

“Then what else do you refuse to accept? We can test it.”

Guo Jing pressed.

“No more tests, no more—I’m completely defeated.”

Lao Pao hurriedly refused. He’d only tested three things: running, hand-to-hand, and shooting. Of the three, he’d lost two in humiliating fashion.

Fine, I was just trying to save face—I lost all three. Seeing Lao Pao truly humbled, Guo Jing smiled: “Since you’re fully convinced, here’s your first order: make Xiao Zhuang submit to you.”

Hearing this, Lao Pao looked troubled: “Sergeant, can you give me another order? I really can’t control this soldier.”

“No.”

Guo Jing refused outright: “I, as your platoon leader, made a stubborn squad leader like you submit. My job is done. Now, as a squad leader, you must make your soldiers submit—and these soldiers were your own picks.”

Hearing those last words, Lao Pao wanted to slap himself. Why had he, in a moment of foolishness, picked out this stubborn soldier? Was this his just punishment?

Guo Jing added: “If you can’t stick to the path you chose, I won’t take you. Not because you’re a bad soldier—but because you’re a coward who gives up when things get hard.”

Hearing Guo Jing’s words, Lao Pao shouted loudly: “Rest assured, Sergeant—the soldier you chose may be a defiant rogue, but he’s not a coward who runs from difficulty.”