Chapter 1188: Returning to the Fifth Squad Again

Xu Sanduo settled down in the Seventh Company and managed to get his footing.

Because of his spirit.

In the Seventh Company, besides sleeping, eating, and other activities, Xu Sanduo did only two things: training and reading.

He trained most actively, and his attitude was visible. Since arriving at the Seventh Company, no one had ever heard complaints or grumbling from his mouth. Furthermore, he trained extra with Wang Yan every day, sleeping very late. The next day, he would be lively and energetic again for training.

As for the various professional knowledge required for scouts, Xu Sanduo's progress was also rapid. Because his memory was good, and much of it was memorized, even if he didn't understand or comprehend something, once Wang Yan explained it to him, he would master it.

In addition, Wang Yan gave him a reading list, telling him to read according to it to improve his cultural level. With culture, a person's mind becomes more flexible.

Xu Sanduo's progress was rapid, much faster than when he was in the recruit company. Because relatively speaking, the time now was actually more abundant; otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying that life becomes easier once assigned to a company.

Also because of the more abundant time, Xu Sanduo had more time to improve.

In just one month, Xu Sanduo enriched his knowledge, underwent specialized scout training, and made leapfrog progress. In the assessment, he surpassed Bai Tiejun and was already a qualified soldier of the Third Squad of the Seventh Company.

This was mainly because Xu Sanduo's physical fitness was originally not bad; he had essentially pursued advanced studies in the Fifth Squad, carrying stones heavily every day, a round trip of several kilometers, several trips a day; it was impossible not to improve.

Plus, he practiced push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and so on himself, so his abilities in all aspects were quite good.

It was still that saying: physical fitness is the foundation of tactics. His physical fitness was sufficient; learning tactics was merely a matter of proficiency. As for shooting, besides genius sharpshooters, the army generally agreed it was achieved by blasting out shot after shot with a large amount of ammunition.

And Xu Sanduo's shooting talent was actually not bad; although not top-tier, it was still at an upper level. In the Seventh Company's live-fire exercises, ammunition was plentiful, so Xu Sanduo's level naturally rose.

Adding his outstanding memory, rapid progress became a matter of course.

Xu Sanduo loved to say three sentences most. One was "Is there any meaning?" Old Ma had said this to him; he remembered it, often asked others, and frequently asked himself. One was "As long as I do my best, I am a good soldier"; Wang Yan had said this to him, and he often used this sentence to respond to others' lack of understanding of him. The last one was "I can do it"; Wang Yan had also told him this. He secretly told Wang Yan and always silently recited these three words.

Perhaps Xu Sanduo still didn't know what a good soldier was, or whether he was a good soldier, but he believed everything Wang Yan said and acted on it, so he became a good soldier.

Xu Sanduo's performance was very good, and Gao Cheng was naturally very satisfied. He was no longer like before, feeling upset whenever he saw Xu Sanduo, nor did he show a bad expression on his face. Instead, he could joke a couple of times with a smile and show some concern.

By now, whether in personal military quality, combat skills, or his own situation, Xu Sanduo was incomparable to before, far exceeding the original drama.

And all of this was simply because Wang Yan had recognized him in advance, saying he could do it...

Armored vehicles sped, tanks roamed, machine guns roared, and the main guns of the tanks howled out shells. With many armored vehicles and tanks together, the dust they kicked up obscured this patch of sky as night approached.

In this cold late autumn, taking a deep breath, apart from the cold, there was only smoke and dust; what lingered at the tip of the nose was entirely gunpowder smoke.

The rear door of the armored vehicle opened, and Xu Sanduo jumped out first, puffing his cheeks and breathing heavily to one side.

Bai Tiejun followed down, patting his back and forehead, and laughed, "Not bad, Sanduo, you've made something of yourself today."

Gan Xiaoning looked down on him, saying, "You're talking about him? How much better are you than him? When you first arrived, it took you over a month of vomiting just to adapt."

"Am I better now?"

Wu Liuyi walked over and kicked Bai Tiejun, saying, "You're the one with no backbone; how dare you say Sanduo has made something of himself? He's only been here a month. Apart from shooting scores being slightly worse than yours, he has surpassed you in everything else. With his shooting getting better and better, you've become the bottom of the squad in all subjects. How can you be so shameless?"

Bai Tiejun chuckled slyly, "What's there to be ashamed of? No matter where you go, there has to be a last place. To avoid making my dear comrades uncomfortable, I'll take all the bitterness on my own. Ah, what a great sentiment."

"Get lost!" Shi Jin walked over and kicked Bai Tiejun aside.

Bai Tiejun exaggeratedly fell to the side, then was knocked down by Gan Xiaoning. So Bai Tiejun simply leaned against the armored vehicle and sat there, unwilling to move again, being very lazy.

"How is it? Does it feel okay?" Wang Yan asked Xu Sanduo.

"Pretty good. In another two trips, I'll be just like you guys." Xu Sanduo smiled foolishly.

With many people, densely packed, poor air circulation, and bumpy roads, it was easy to feel nauseous and vomit.

When he was young, Wang Yan traveled between his hometown village and the city on contracted passenger buses that took on various jobs. This was a policy launched by the state to facilitate travel for the people in towns and villages. Individuals contracted them, the government supervised, and subsidies were also provided. Ten years ago, it was still a very profitable business.

Every time he took the bus, he would definitely vomit. In summer, it was better; once the speed picked up, the wind would circulate the air inside the bus, making people feel relieved. In winter, it was especially unbearable; the windows were closed, and the smells inside the bus were more complex. At that time, cracking the window open a sliver and breathing the biting air was the best remedy. After growing up, he never vomited again.

Armored vehicles were, of course, even more difficult than crowded passenger buses. The internal space was not spacious, the speed was fast, and there weren't many flat roads; it was all potholes. Occasionally, a bump would send someone flying at least three meters; it was wild. So the adaptation time needed was longer, which was understandable.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile and patted Xu Sanduo's shoulder, "Not bad, you've improved."

Shi Jin looked gratified, "More than just improved; it's a huge improvement. In just one month, you've basically reached our squad's requirements. In another month, won't you be even more formidable than Wang Yan? Sanduo, I told you you could do it. Train hard and surpass Wang Yan to show us. Save us from this kid being so arrogant."

"Squad Leader, I have to criticize you. You wanted to encourage, so just encourage; why drag me out to step on me? How wronged I am. You say I'm such an honest person, yet in your mouth I'm arrogant. I'm even more wronged than Dou E. Be careful, or I might cry the armored vehicle into pieces."

Wu Liuyi laughed, "Is it the armored vehicle you'll cry into pieces? If you really can cry it into pieces, then the ones falling apart will be the people in the Equipment Department."

Xu Sanduo smiled foolishly, "I can't compare to Wang Yan; he's too formidable. I'll never catch up to him in my life."

"You need to have ambition." Gao Cheng walked over and patted Xu Sanduo, "What's so awesome about him, Wang Yan? You should aim to be even more awesome than him. If I can't beat you, I won't accept it. That's what makes a good soldier."

"Yes, Company Commander! I won't accept it."

Gao Cheng was amused, "Are you not accepting Wang Yan, or are you not accepting me, your Company Commander?"

"I'm not, I..."

"Enough, enough." Gao Cheng waved his hand. He knew Xu Sanduo was a bit dull and didn't mind these things. Instead, he shouted, "Everyone! Today's field training ends here. Set up camp right where we are..."

Although this was a procedure that happened every time and the soldiers knew what they should do, Gao Cheng still spoke.

Being a soldier is not a creative act because it requires no creation, and certainly not creation by the most grassroots soldiers. It is a procedural, formulaic matter.

It is about practicing various combat skills into instinct through day-after-day repetitive training and engraving all combat matters deeply into memory. Thus, when it truly comes time to go out and fight, the impact of panic and nervousness will be minimized to the greatest extent, and the original combat effectiveness will be maximized.

So just repeat, repeat, and repeat again...

After Gao Cheng finished speaking, Wang Yan leaned in, "Company Commander, can we discuss something?"

Gao Cheng glanced over and let Wang Yan light a cigarette for him, "Speak."

"Xu Sanduo has been out for a month now, and we happen to be here. Let's take Xu Sanduo back to the Fifth Squad to see the old squad leader."

"Could I stop you? The vehicle is right there. Drive it yourself. Go after eating and come back early."

"We'll go right now. Eat the military rations here; we can still have some hot noodles at the Fifth Squad." Wang Yan waved his hand, then called Xu Sanduo, Shi Jin, and Wu Liuyi to take the military rations and get on the vehicle.

Everyone was familiar with each other; Shi Jin and Wu Liuyi had nothing else to do, so they simply went together.

As for bringing the military rations, it was because the supplies at the Fifth Squad were limited. They had enough for themselves and certainly had quite a surplus, but whether it was enough for four extra eaters was uncertain. Besides, today's military rations included canned braised beef and braised pork, which could add a dish.

When the four arrived at the Fifth Squad, half an hour had already passed.

They stopped the vehicle and went straight into the barracks.

As soon as they entered, they saw steam rising from the kitchen. Old Ma was rolling up his sleeves and rushing to make noodles, preparing hand-pulled noodles. Beside him was a basin covered with sauce.

"Cook more noodles; four mouths have arrived."

Hearing voices, Old Ma jerked his head around, saw the four of them, and scolded in annoyance, "You lot really scared me to death. Don't you know that frightening people can scare them to death?"

"Our old squad leader frightens away ghosts and gods; what is there to fear?" Wang Yan said with a smile, waving his hand. "I say, Old Squad Leader, aren't you too good to them? Since when does a squad leader cook while they enjoy the benefits?"

"Ah, I lost at poker; one must admit defeat and pay up, right?"

Seeing the others' suspicious glances, Old Ma quickly said, "It's not that we've slid back. You say the road is finished; the days are so long, we must have something to do, just to pass the time. But our standards are still quite good. Come, come, come inside and see for yourselves. The interior arrangement explains everything."

Old Ma led the group into the barracks; the first thing everyone saw was cleanliness and order. It was just that the light bulb's brightness was insufficient, making things look somewhat dirty.

Old Wei, Li Meng, and Yang Xue Lin were boringly playing Dou Dizhu at the table, waiting for dinner. Having heard the commotion long ago, they all pinched out their cigarettes and stood up in a row.

"Aiya, San Duo is back!" Old Wei greeted enthusiastically. "How was it? Everything good in the Seventh Company?"

Xu Sanduo nodded, revealing a neat row of white teeth: "They were all very good to me."

Li Meng said, "Look who's talking. Wang Yan is right there; even your company commander has to give him face. Who would dare treat you badly?"

Wang Yan waved his hand: "I am just a soldier; I don't have that much face."

Old Ma patted Xu Sanduo on the shoulder: "Li Meng is a dog's mouth that cannot spit out ivory; he still wants to be a writer. How about it, did you all see the interior arrangement? Let me tell you, the change in Fifth Platoon is thorough. It's not that because Xu Sanduo transferred away, we've gone back to our old ways. I'm criticizing you; you can't always look at people with old eyes."

Wu Liuyi laughed: "Old Squad Leader is right; we criticize ourselves and reflect on our faults. It is good this way. I still remember when we first arrived; back then, your interior arrangement was so bad I was embarrassed to even mention it."

Old Ma laughed heartily: "Alright, you all chat; I need to go mix more dough and cook extra noodles."

"We still have military rations here; there are canned goods inside, you can heat some up." Wang Yan handed over what he was carrying. "No need for help, right?"

"If you want to help, then come; if you don't want to help, don't speak," Old Ma said without courtesy.

"I'll go," Shi Jin volunteered immediately, taking off his jacket and following Old Ma to the kitchen to get busy.

Wang Yan and the others chatted idly in the barracks, mainly consisting of conversations between the other three members of Fifth Platoon and Xu Sanduo, while Wang Yan and Wu Liuyi sat aside smoking and listening to the fun.

It was obvious that Xu Sanduo's return to Fifth Platoon made Old Wei and the others very happy; their laughter and chatter never stopped.

After a while, Old Ma and Shi Jin brought out noodles, meat sauce, and canned meat. Xu Sanduo trotted off to fetch bowls and chopsticks for everyone, and even prepared raw garlic. Just like that, eight people gathered around the table to slurp down the noodles, which smelled delicious.

The topic of conversation naturally revolved around Xu Sanduo; Old Ma asked again about Xu Sanduo's life in the Seventh Company. Xu Sanduo, not annoyed in the least, recounted everything in minute detail once more.

"Good, good. From the day you arrived, I knew you were a good soldier, better than all of us..." Old Ma nodded with gratification, yet his tone held a hint of sorrow.

Wang Yan asked, "Old Squad Leader, you truly have high principles and noble character. But if you had claimed this achievement, you surely could have signed up for a fourth term."

Old Ma had joined a year earlier than Shi Jin; this year was his final one.

"Ah, why talk about that? This is simply what I should have done. The road was built by Xu Sanduo; we were all inspired by him. If I concealed his merit, would I still be human?"

Old Ma shook his head and smiled, "This is quite good. If I really stayed in the unit, I would be embarrassed myself. These few years have rotted me away; trying to pick it back up, I'm too old now, and my body isn't what it used to be. Take my waist, for instance; carrying anything heavy makes it ache terribly. Lying in bed, that sour stiffness in my lower back..."

He described his physical condition, fell silent for a moment, and said, "To be honest with you, the discharge report has already been submitted..."

Everyone else fell silent as well. Xu Sanduo said, "Squad Leader, you are so good in the army; you are a good soldier."

"I used to be a good soldier; I am not anymore. Didn't you hear me? My body no longer qualifies."

Wang Yan asked, "What do you plan to do after discharge? How is the resettlement arrangement going?"

"The instructor chatted with me; he said maybe become a police officer, though nothing is certain yet. If that doesn't work out, I can open a restaurant to make a living; no problem there. Alright, let's not talk about this; everyone faces this day eventually, nothing much to say. Even if you get promoted to become an officer, there comes a time for retirement; it's sooner or later. Eat, everyone, eat. When I go back, I'll open a noodle shop..."

Old Ma livened up the atmosphere himself; Wang Yan considerately played along, and everyone tacitly avoided sadness, turning cheerful again in the blink of an eye...