Chapter 11: First Day Enlisted, Front‑Line Drill

After the inspection ends, the new recruits of each squad return to the dormitory.

Under the Squad Leader's guidance, everyone gave a brief self‑introduction to get to know each other, then began assigning beds and lockers.

Ding Tengfei happened to be assigned to Lu Yang's upper bunk, which made him feel increasingly in sync with this "pretending to work hard" fellow hometowner.

Zhou Kaidong, with a cold face, said sternly, "I'll be blunt: no matter what conduct you display outside, once you join the unit you must follow the unit's rules!"

"All those bad habits and flaws, put them away. Anyone who dares to act up in front of me, I'll cut them down. Understand?"

"Yes."

Everyone's mind was as clear as a mirror, naturally realizing the remark was aimed at Ding Tengfei.

What normal person would carry a baton, a brass knuckle, or a butterfly knife on them?

But Ding Tengfei didn't take Zhou Kaidong's warning to heart at all, and even looked down on this petty third‑phase NCO.

In the New Recruit Company, he could still tell who was the big or small king, and the Company Commander‑Instructor's star‑studded speeches were the good stuff.

As for the veteran NCO with two guns and a hook, there's no need to mind him at all.

After three months in the New Recruit Company, they'll be reassigned, and who will still know whom?

Then Zhou Kaidong began assigning tasks: a full‑scale cleaning.

The barracks had been vacant for a long time, covered in dust, so they naturally needed cleaning.

Third Squad was responsible for the dorm interior and the hallway in front of the doors, and was also temporarily assigned the first‑ and second‑floor restroom cleaning in the Shushe lou.

Hygiene work in the unit is far stricter than at home; even unseen spots must be spotless, and the tiles and railings must be scrubbed with cleaning pads until they shine.

Even some tile grout lines have to be brushed clean with a hairbrush.

Lu Yang and Ding Tengfei received tools and were assigned to clean the restroom.

But compared with Lu Yang's swift, diligent work, Ding Tengfei appeared lazy and sloppy.

Holding a mop, he doodled on the floor, pretended to mop a couple of strokes when someone passed by, but when no one saw him he just gave up and went on strike, still whining about being exhausted.

Especially when he saw Lu Yang actually squatting on the ground, carefully scrubbing the trench with a cleaning pad, he showed a strong look of disgust.

"Hey, that's enough, nobody's watching, no need to pretend to be that serious."

Lu Yang didn't bother to respond; this is the standard for cleaning in the unit.

If you want to be a good soldier, you have to start with every little thing.

If you slack off on the unit, the unit will slack off on you, and when your service term ends they'll kick you out in one swift motion.

He takes it seriously, completing the Squad Leader's orders earnestly, thereby taking responsibility for his own difficult military life.

Ding Tengfei shuffled next to Lu Yang: "Hey, I didn't finish asking earlier, which high school did you attend?"

"South City."

"Whoa, you went to South City High School?"

Ding Tengfei suddenly got excited: "Do you know Wang Qiang from Class 9, Grade 12?"

"No."

"You don't even know Wang Qiang, wasn't he the top guy at your school, riding a motorcycle to school every day?"

Actually Lu Yang had heard the name Wang Qiang back in high school.

In that era when most students obediently rode bicycles and only a few rode electric bikes.

Riding a motorcycle to school was considered relatively flashy.

Moreover, that guy was a bit of a hoodlum, often hanging out with off‑camp yellow‑hair troublemakers after school, so he was quite famous in school.

But later, supposedly he got into trouble and was arrested… maybe for stealing batteries?

Ding Tengfei bragged: "That dumb Wang Qiang was once pinned to the ground and beaten by me; he tried to hang with me, I ignored him. His family was poor, fixing bikes on the roadside, yet he still showed off every day on a second‑hand busted motorcycle."

"By the way, in your school's broadcasting and hosting class there's a girl named Li Shenme Qian, you know she had an abortion? She even chased after me before…"

Ding Tengfei, with eyebrows dancing, recounted his glorious exploits outside, hoping to earn Lu Yang's admiration.

This trick, in the naive high‑school campus, was indeed quite intimidating to the obedient kids.

But unfortunately, the reincarnated Lu Yang, whose mind is already sound, found this childish and laughable.

Not to mention how much of what he says is fabricated.

To speak so pompously, treating vulgar violence as a bragging asset, only shows poor quality.

It's like those tattooed youths who ride ghost‑fire and modified motorcycles to tear up the streets late at night.

They might think it's cool, handsome, a way to flaunt personality, even believing they can charm a bunch of girls.

But from a passerby's view, it only provokes disgust and contempt, and they might wish that these uncivil street‑ragers meet their end at heaven's gate…

Suddenly, Ding Tengfei sneaked outside for a look, and after confirming no one was there, rushed back.

He hid in the back row of the squat toilet, fished a crumpled cigarette from his sock, and lit it with a lighter.

Then half‑crouching, he inhaled and exhaled clouds with a look of enjoyment.

Lu Yang frowned, "Don't fling the ash onto the tiles; I just scrubbed them!"

Ding Tengfei, looking irritated, "Why are you so stiff? A big cleaning just needs to be decent enough; who are you trying to impress by being that meticulous?"

"Damn, I'm really fed up with this damned place; if my dad hadn't frozen my credit card and forced me into the army, I'd rather die than be stuck here."

"We're both hometown guys; don't say I don't look out for you. When we get out, stick with me. Give me your discharge pay, and we'll start a business together; I have all the connections, guarantee we'll make big money!"

Lu Yang even laughed; he just enlisted and already eyeing his discharge pay?

"No, I don't plan to quit after two years."

"What, you really plan to stay long?"

Ding Tengfei, in a seasoned tone, gestured and said.

"Putting aside whether you can pass the exams, even if you do, what good does it do?"

"Being a junior officer, what's the future? When you get older you still have to retire, right?"

"It would be better to get out early and start a business; my dad didn't even finish middle school, and now he's still driving a Land Rover."

"I've already decided; after I go out, I'll first open a milk‑tea shop. This thing is a hot trend now, a purely high‑profit business; bubble milk tea that costs a few mao can be sold for six or seven yuan!"

"Or opening a barber shop would also work; several of my brothers studied beauty and hairdressing, that business not only brings money, the girls are a constant source of flirtation, especially when located near a technical school!"

Upon saying that, Ding Tengfei, with a cigarette in his mouth, showed a lecherous grin.

At that time, smartphones hadn't appeared yet; it was an era when non‑mainstream styles ruled with brute force.

The phrase "You break my wings, I destroy your heaven" was the most popular viral status at the time.

An exaggerated, explosive mullet was the standard look for young men; as for women, they pursued straight bangs, foil‑press, precision perm, and linen‑colored dye‑perm.

Because of that, Teacher Tony became a trendsetter at the fashion forefront, naturally having many opportunities to interact with rebellious teenage girls.

But Lu Yang, looking at these things from a veteran's perspective, felt his shame about to erupt, his goosebumps falling all over the floor.

Especially when he opened his QQ space and read the series of cringey, Martian‑like status updates, he felt an urge to slap himself twice......

"I'm not interested in any of that; I just want to be a good soldier."

"Do as you wish; I mean well anyway. If you miss the chance, don't blame me."

Ding Tengfei shrugged, thinking Lu Yang still lacked vision, so he didn't dare to take that step: "By the way, you should have less contact with Kong Long in the future; that idiot is unpleasant!"

Lu Yang burst out laughing: "Is there a chance that I find you, this idiot, also pretty unpleasant?"

Adult thinking has made him develop a habit of showing no emotion in joy or anger.

Since he knows the other's character, there's no need to bother.

The best way to deal with such people is to ignore them, because the more you engage, the more they intensify.

At that moment, a sudden rapid footstep sounded from outside, startling Ding Tengfei, who quickly tossed his cigarette butt into the trench and, pretending, picked up a cleaning sponge to wipe the floor tiles.

But when he realized the newcomer was a rookie from the neighboring class, he immediately assumed a fierce, demonic demeanor, shouting curses at the person.

"Damn it, can't you see we're cleaning here? Go take a dump in the big Da cesuo outside!"

"I… I just need to pee."

"Even peeing's not allowed; I just mopped it clean. If the later inspection fails, it'll be on you?"

The rookie was clearly an honest kid, scared and hurried off to find a restroom elsewhere.

In terms of protecting the labor results, at least this guy did a decent job.

But Lu Yang knew the guy wasn't acting out of camaraderie; he just wanted to share his labor results.

When the cleaning was finished, Lu Yang was drenched in sweat, and Ding Tengfei, to showcase his hard work, forcibly splashed some water onto his head and collar.

It must be said, the guy does have a bit of cleverness, knowing when to slack off and when to perform.

On the way back, Squad Leader Zhou Kaidong had already put on white gloves and began inspecting the dormitory's sanitation.

He simply brushed his finger over the doorframe and behind the bed board; the white fingertip instantly turned gray.

Zhou Kaidong snorted coldly: "Is this the result of your cleaning? You give me this outcome after just one hour?"

"Report!"

Just as Kong Long and the others trembled, waiting to be scolded, Lu Yang and Ding Tengfei happened to return from outside.

Zhou Kaidong didn't even turn his head: "Come in!"

But as the two passed in front of him, Zhou Kaidong's keen nose detected something, and he immediately ordered them to stop.

He leaned between them, sniffed, and coldly asked: "Smoking?"

Ding Tengfei instantly denied: "Report, it wasn't me who smoked!"

Zhou Kaidong squinted, directing his gaze at Lu Yang.

Lu Yang: "Report, I don't have a smoking habit."

He did smoke in his previous life, but later incurred a massive debt, so he gave it up.

If forced, he could smoke, but basically it's the kind without addiction.

Zhou Kaidong didn't waste words, directly targeting Ding Tengfei, ordering him to open his mouth and take a breath.

But the kid was very sly; after smoking, he rinsed his mouth with water several times, and now there was hardly any smoke smell.

However, Zhou Kaidong's next move directly exposed Ding Tengfei's true nature; with his fingertip he grabbed the other's finger and smelled it, detecting a fresh, rich nicotine scent.

"Ding Tengfei, stay; everyone else, roll to the hallway and stand."

"Yes!"

Kong Long, relieved to have escaped a disaster, quickly pushed Lu Yang outward.

He was also very considerate, also closing the dormitory door.

Through the narrowing gap of the closing door, watching Ding Tengfei's retreating steps and his pale, terrified face, Lu Yang already guessed what was about to happen.

【Detected new knowledge point: Ti*gan!】

【Knowledge point analysis: Broadly refers to the promotion from soldier to officer cadre; another meaning is on a physical level, akin to a suspension bar!】

A few minutes later, the dormitory door was opened again.

Zhou Kaidong, while fastening the Armed Belt, walked out.

Lu Yang and the others peeked into the doorway, seeing the glorious big red flower of enlistment on the ground had been trampled and distorted, causing them to gasp sharply.

When nothing can be a troublemaker, nothing can provoke the Squad Leader, nothing can be smoked, otherwise the outcome is terribly grim......

Zhou Kaidong snorted: "Take your blankets, roll to the hallway, and I'll teach you to organize your quarters, move quickly!"