Chapter 1189: Old Ma Retires from the Military

Old Ma has been discharged from the military.

After serving more than a decade in a frontline field unit, once winning first place in the division's five-kilometer cross-country race, a good soldier with excellent military qualities, he has been discharged.

When returning to the regimental headquarters to handle the procedures, just as in the original drama, the soldiers of the Third Company and those once led by Old Ma all came to see him off.

Wang Yan and Wu Liu-yi also came along; although over the past half-year they had interacted fewer than ten times in total, they had already become good friends, good comrades-in-arms, and good partners, getting along very happily.

Xu Sanduo was shedding tears, and he was not the only one; many people had red eyes, such as Shi Jin, and such as He Hongtao, the political instructor of the Third Company.

Old Ma's popularity was still very good; it might not have been obvious on the grassland, but once back at regimental headquarters, Old Ma knew people everywhere he went, and everywhere he went someone offered him a cigarette.

Of course, he still could not compare to Wang Mou; after all, when Wang Mou went to see the regiment commander and the political commissar, he sat with his legs crossed smoking, and when leaving, he even took two packs with him...

Wang Yan stood together with Wu Liu-yi, saluting Old Ma from a distance.

Old Ma stood solemnly in the distance and returned the salute with dignity; perhaps this was the most standard military salute he had given in recent years.

Then he smiled, waved his hand, turned around, and left.

Xu Sanduo was still choking up there, so Wang Yan walked over, dragged him out of the ranks, kicked him in the buttocks, and sent him stumbling.

"Go, see off Squad Leader Old."

Xu Sanduo pursed his lips, burst into cries, turned around, buried his head, and sprinted wildly, catching up to Old Ma.

Everyone watched as the two slowly disappeared into the distance, their backs radiating an indescribable sorrow...

Only after their figures vanished did the soldiers gathered for the farewell disperse.

Although Shi Jin's eyes were red, upon seeing Wang Yan and Wu Liu-yi, he still smiled and said, "It's fine; everyone has the day they leave. It's not like we'll never see each other again; we can still make phone calls and write letters in the future, nothing too major."

Wu Liu-yi glanced at him: "You're just trying to comfort yourself, right?"

"Isn't that obvious enough?" Wang Yan chimed in, "But indeed, that's the truth; everyone faces this day sooner or later. Sadness is temporary; we can't say that just because someone left, we can't work hard anymore. Technology is becoming more advanced every day; computers can do video calls, and maybe soon mobile phones will too. Train speeds are getting faster and faster; if we really want to meet up for a drink, it will definitely become easier and easier."

"Stop it," Wu Liu-yi waved his hand, saying, "If it's just passing by coincidentally and stopping for a moment, that's one thing. But to specifically meet up and gather? I'm afraid that might only happen a few times in a lifetime. Who isn't supporting a whole family? Getting up early and working late every day, who has that kind of time?"

Shi Jin kicked out, and Wu Liu-yi nimbly dodged aside.

Shi Jin laughed and scolded, "Since you know everyone has a family to support, why don't you care about your own? You haven't gone home in two years, have you? Take leave this year and go back; you can even spend Chinese New Year at home and do some matchmaking. You're not getting any younger; it's time to get married and have children."

"I'm not going back; there's no point in returning. There are four children in my family; they don't lack my presence. My eldest and third siblings already have children; it's lively there all the time."

Wu Liu-yi's thinking was still ahead of the curve.

Wang Yan smiled and said, "But don't you still need to go back and see your parents? Someone like me who has no family, that's one thing, but you, with both parents alive and a whole family, should still go back and visit. I'm not cursing you, but life is full of accidents; no one knows what might happen in the future, so we must cherish it."

"Getting preachy, are we?" Shi Jin patted Wang Yan's shoulder, "The army is your home; don't let your mind wander."

"No need to comfort me; I'm used to it long ago, nothing's wrong. I'm just using myself as an example to help Comrade Wu Liu-yi correct his thinking."

"Hear that? You should go back and visit."

"Why don't you go back?"

"I have a wife and children; my wife is taking good care of my parents at home." Shi Jin smiled with great happiness.

"Oh, look at you..." Wu Liu-yi could not stand that happy smile; perhaps he felt a bit disturbed, so he turned and ran off first.

Only Wang Yan and Shi Jin remained, strolling and chatting laughingly as they headed back...

It was a good while before Xu Sanduo ran back, his eyes red.

"Look, even the iron-made fool has cried until his eyes are red," Bai Tiejun asked with a smile, "Sanduo, what are your feelings now?"

"I don't want Squad Leader to leave."

"That's it?"

"Ah." Xu Sanduo nodded blankly, "Squad Leader said that everyone has to leave someday; it's just a matter of time. The army has such regulations; none of us can do anything about it. Even if we could, we shouldn't keep him; otherwise, how can we guarantee our unit's combat effectiveness? If we were all a bunch of good-for-nothings, what kind of war could we fight? If a real war broke out, we might as well surrender immediately. Squad Leader also said that after he returns, I should write him more letters, and later when I'm on leave or pass by his home, I can go visit; he even said he'd have his son raise a toast to me."

As he spoke, Xu Sanduo began to smile foolishly again, yet tears flowed down his face.

"Hopeless." Bai Tiejun waved his hand irritably, then declared loudly, "Let me tell you all, on the day I leave, I definitely won't cry. What's there to cry about? Making it seem like a life-and-death separation."

"We're all remembering this," Wu Liu-yi said with a smile.

"I'll be watching to see if you cry on that day," Gan Xiaoning likewise teased with a laugh.

Bai Tiejun paid no heed: "Absolutely no crying!"

"What if you do cry?" Wang Yan asked with a smile.

"If I cry, I'll call you all 'Dad'."

"Good son, Dad is waiting for you to cry."

"Damn it!" Bai Tiejun shouted loudly, then lunged at Gan Xiaoning.

If the eleven people currently in the squad were ranked by individual combat capability, Wang Yan would be first, Wu Liu-yi second, and Gan Xiaoning third; he was even slightly stronger than Shi Jin.

Bai Tiejun was naturally no match for Gan Xiaoning; as expected, he was pinned onto the bed by Gan Xiaoning in a few moves, surrounded by the group who held him down, shouting "Son" while tickling him, instantly turning into a chaotic scene of momentary joy...

Old Ma had left; He Hongtao, the political instructor of the Third Company, drove the car to take Old Ma to the train station. The other few members of Class Five also went along to see Old Ma off at the station.

More than half a month later, Wang Yan, Shi Jin, Wu Liu-yi, and Xu Sanduo all received letters from Old Ma. In the letter, Old Ma said he had become a police officer, specifically a public security policeman at a police station with official establishment, and mentioned that after working for a few days, he felt extremely unaccustomed to it.

It was not just the work he was unaccustomed to, but life itself; everything was. In the letter, he used terms like 'drifting,' 'at a loss,' and 'out of place' to describe his state.

After serving as a soldier, returning to normal life upon discharge naturally requires adaptation. Even though Old Ma had been in Class Five and somewhat lax, it was still different; he would very much need some time to integrate.

Enclosed with the letter was a photograph showing Old Ma in his police uniform together with his wife and child. From their facial features, one could see that his wife was gentle and virtuous, the child was mischievous, and the family was happy.

Enclosed with the letter was a photograph of Old Ma in his police uniform, posing with his wife and child; from their facial features, one could tell his wife was gentle and virtuous, his child mischievous, and the family happy.

Judging from the fact that he sent a letter with a photo attached to each of Wang Yan and the others, Old Ma had really spent a lot this time; he must have written to many comrades-in-arms, saying some individual words to each and attaching the same photo, which would have cost no less than several hundred yuan.

Judging from the fact that he mailed a letter and a photograph to each of Wang Yan and the others, Old Ma had really spent a fortune this time; he must have written to many comrades, adding personal messages and enclosing the same photograph, which would have cost no less than several hundred yuan.

Considering the genuine scarcity of photographs, Wang Yan went to the propaganda officer to get a camera; this was the very same Officer Zhang who, in the original drama, went to interview Grassland Class Five and was later cornered in his office by Gao Cheng leading soldiers from the Seventh Company for writing reckless articles.

One of his more famous lines was, "Why did I bring a piece of Japanese digital junk?"...

The camera Wang Yan brought was precisely that "Japanese digital junk"; as for whether Officer Zhang was willing, that was not under consideration. In short, whether he gave it or not, he had to give it; there was no alternative.

Having obtained the camera and acquired many rolls of film, Wang Yan took photos of Shi Jin and the others, and during an outdoor march, he also photographed Grassland Class Five. He even sought out the Third Company Commander, the Political Instructor, and others, taking photos of those who had good relationships with Old Ma. He even took photos of the Regiment Commander, the Political Commissar, and other regimental leaders.

Having obtained the camera and acquired many rolls of film, Wang Yan took photographs of Shi Jin and the others; furthermore, during the field march, he also photographed the Fifth Squad of the Grassland. He even sought out the Third Company Commander, the Political Instructor, and others, taking pictures of everyone who had a good relationship with Old Ma. He even photographed the Regimental Commander, the Political Commissar, and other regimental leaders.

There were also the barracks of Grassland Squad Five, photographed inside and out. It was somewhat classified, yet not entirely; there was a slight issue, but nothing major. All of it was left as memories for Old Ma.

Afterwards, he tossed the film roll to Clerk Zhang, telling him to develop it and make several copies.

This was taking advantage of the regiment at Clerk Zhang's expense, after all, the regiment was footing the bill. The Regiment Commander, Political Commissar, and others wouldn't mind; these were trivial matters not worth mentioning.

Once the photos were developed, Wang Yan finally wrote back to Old Ma, enclosing a thick stack of photographs with the letter. He believed Old Ma would happily hold those photos, telling his wife and child who each person was, what stories they had, where each place was, and what had happened there.

It should be warm and happy...

Time had reached winter; heavy snow had fallen in recent days, covering the grasslands without yet melting. With every breath, there was only biting cold.

Armored vehicles and tanks raced wildly through the snow, cannon fire booming. In the distant hills, the force of the shells churned up the earth beneath, covering the snow with it. From afar, it looked like a sheet of rice paper dotted with ink.

This was the poetry of an iron torrent force, a unique charm few had the mood to appreciate.

Because it was cold.

Even though the soldiers wore thick clothing, temperatures dropping below minus ten or even minus twenty degrees, combined with bone-chilling winds blowing fiercely, were still unbearable.

But endure they must.

The unit even had extreme cold resistance training, rolling naked from the waist up in the snow. This was truly "training through the coldest days of winter and the hottest of summer"...

This time, it was a full-regiment winter march, truly a massive undertaking.

However, one slightly better point was that, unlike spring, summer, or autumn, there wasn't so much dust, but that was the only advantage...

The armored vehicles formed a circle and stopped, shielding against the wild wind. The soldiers jumped down one by one and began setting up camp.

"Aiya, tell me, when is there ever a good time for being a soldier? Not to mention the exhaustion, it's cold in winter, hot in summer, and windy in spring and autumn. My hands and feet are frozen, numb and itchy, it's miserably uncomfortable. Just thinking about having to sleep out here in such cold weather makes me feel like I'm dying..."

Bai Tiejun complained again.

Shi Jin laughed and scolded, "Are you the only one freezing? We're all together, not just you. You came here to be a soldier, not to enjoy life, so cut the complaints. Otherwise, wait until we get back and we'll have a nice long chat, just you and me?"

"No, no, I was just saying that."

"Then don't say it; you're the most nagging of all." Wu Liuyi glared at him. "Hurry up and work, get the fire going to warm up. Look at Sanduo over there; he never talks too much."

"He's even better than you now; we can't compare, we can't compare."

Bai Tiejun understood that nothing in this world is difficult if one is willing to give up.

Xu Sanduo, nearby, lifted his head upon hearing this: "I can't compare to the Squad Leader; I'm far inferior."

"Stop being so humble," Gan Xiaoning said. "You're basically there."

"Far inferior," Xu Sanduo repeated.

He believed this to be true, so he repeated it to express his attitude.

Immediately, he moved closer to Wang Yan and asked in a low voice, "Wang Yan, today is the full-regiment march; did Cheng Cai come too?"

"If he doesn't have other tasks, he definitely came. Do you want to go see him?"

"I've been here for three months and haven't run into Cheng Cai once."

"You want me to take you over there?"

Xu Sanduo nodded vigorously.

He didn't dare speak to Gao Cheng; once outside, he knew no one and feared something might go wrong. Wang Yan knew everyone extremely well and could resolve such issues perfectly.

Wang Yan smiled, then informed Shi Jin and Gao Cheng, before taking Xu Sanduo over to the First Battalion.

Actually, Wang Yan had visited the Third Company before; back then, he had gone there to take photos for Old Ma. At that time, Xu Sanduo couldn't leave his unit, after all, no one else had his special privileges.

In the 702nd Regiment, not even those with connections were as effective as Wang Mou; after all, he was the representative figure who had used an iron fist to open a path to heaven.

With two thousand people stationed in camp, the area was quite large, spanning a great distance. The two of them ran all the way against the wind.

"Cheng Cai!"

Upon reaching the Third Company's location, they saw Cheng Cai from afar, working while smiling and chatting with others.

Xu Sanduo shouted loudly. Cheng Cai looked over at the sound, then stopped smiling. Because he had also seen that damn Wang Yan.

"How did you come over here?"

But Cheng Cai still informed his squad leader, came out to greet them, and politely nodded to Wang Yan.

"I've been here so long, I wanted to see you," Xu Sanduo said, baring a mouthful of small white teeth.

"Hey, don't be so mushy. Is everything good in the Seventh Company?"

"Good."

At this moment, Cheng Cai pulled a cigarette from his pocket and gestured to Wang Yan: "Have a smoke."

Wang Yan took a look; it was Tashan.

He smiled, and under Xu Sanduo's winking and eyebrow-wiggling, he accepted the cigarette: "Thanks."

"What's there to thank for having a smoke? I heard our Regiment Commander and Political Commissar light cigarettes for you."

"Someone is trying to frame me," Wang Yan said, taking out his lighter to light the cigarette and waving his hand. "Don't listen to their nonsense; it's always me lighting cigarettes for them. For them to light cigarettes for me, I'd need that kind of nerve. Alright, I won't stay here while you two chat; you guys talk. I'll go hang out with your Company Commander and Instructor for a while."

Following Wang Yan's gaze, Cheng Cai saw their Company Commander and Instructor He Hongtao already waving at Wang Yan over there.

"Old Liu, Old He," Wang Yan called out from afar.

"What are you doing running onto our turf, kid?" He Hongtao's voice drifted over.

"Hey, I'm criticizing you. What do you mean 'our turf'? This warlord mentality won't do..."

Being able to light a cigarette for the Regiment Commander isn't something just anyone can do... Cheng Cai pondered this until Xu Sanduo patted him, snapping him back to reality, allowing him to relax and speak with Xu Sanduo.

Xu Sanduo may or may not have sensed the change in Cheng Cai's tone; he simply continued baring his small white teeth, answering Cheng Cai's various questions and listening to all the principles Cheng Cai expounded...