Chapter 115: Sudden Attack, the New Recruit Who Has Nothing to Live For

What a great question—you can tell you're full of confidence!

In principle, there's no concept that good marksmanship alone earns a third-class merit, but......

Lu Yang knew there would definitely be a twist later.

As expected, Gao Feng changed the subject in the next second.

However, there have indeed been such examples in past years, but it depends on luck.

Now the recruits all understood.

It's not that hitting five tens guarantees a third-class merit; there's a certain probability.

Of course, if performance is poor, even that probability won't exist.

Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.

No matter what, Lu Yang has to give it a try.

What if?

He had already received a commendation, but it was just a flimsy certificate.

But a third-class merit is different—it's an actual medal that can be worn on the chest.

After Gao Feng finished speaking, He Zhen Tao also said a few words, likewise encouraging everyone to perform well and not be nervous.

Strive to achieve ideal scores, be assigned to your desired unit, and become the type of soldier you want to be.

After saying that, the company commander dismissed the troops, letting each squad's platoon leader lead the review training.

Training in an outdoor environment was still a first for the recruits.

Although the training subjects hadn't changed—still drill, physical fitness, and tactics, the old three.

But leaving the camp's comfortable environment, the playground, the track, everyone inexplicably felt uneasy.

And this is exactly the purpose of outdoor field training, since marching and fighting usually take place in remote wilderness; only by adapting well to such an environment can one quickly adjust when war breaks out.

Before six o'clock in the evening, the sky had already turned completely dark.

After dinner, everyone was arranged to review cultural lessons in the marching tents.

That is, ideological and political education, plus basic military theory knowledge.

As everyone was nodding off, constantly doodling, Zhou Kaidong came in holding a paper bag, slapping his thigh as he walked.

Seeing the recruits lift their heads to look at him, Zhou Kaidong grinned mischievously and raised the paper bag in his hand.

"Cultural course exam, starting now, time limit sixty minutes!"

"Holy shit!"

The Third Squad's tent instantly erupted like a pot boiling over.

A bunch of people frantically flipped through notes, trying to cram in two more knowledge points.

Earlier, the company commander said tonight would be mainly review, so they thought the cultural exam would be tomorrow, but they didn't expect to be caught off guard.

Damn it, these old soldiers have so many tricks!

"Squad Leader, can we get another ten minutes to prepare?"

"I've copied down some knowledge points; I was just about to review them properly."

"This is way too sudden—there's zero preparation!"

They said that, but most people's eyes were wildly scanning the textbooks.

Hoping these knowledge points would quickly fly into their brains.

That's what cramming at the last minute means.

Watching the panicked crowd, Zhou Kaidong's wicked grin grew thicker.

Tremble, quake—let you lazybones who usually don't study!

"Everyone, close your books and get ready for the exam! Lu Yang, you hand out the test papers!"

"Yes!"

Lu Yang stepped forward and took the paper bag from the squad leader's hand.

Opening it, sure enough, there were sheet after sheet of printed cultural exam papers.

As sheet after sheet of white, ink-scented exam papers fell, the recruits were thrown back to high school, dominated by the fear of monthly, quarterly, midterm, and final exams.

It happened suddenly, with no preparation at all; the exam came as it said, directly blowing these recruits' minds apart.

This feeling was just like an English teacher popping up during evening study and demanding a spontaneous spelling dictation.

If I hadn't joined the army, a surprise inspection and exam would just be whatever.

But having joined the army, they still pull this nonsense.

Then what's the point of being a soldier?

The hardship and fatigue of training didn't scare the recruits; instead, at this very moment, the regret of having enlisted peaked.

Looking at the colorful test papers before them, many people's palms and soles began to sweat coldly.

First to feel the impact was Kong Long, because he'd dozed off the most in ideological and political class.

Others weren't much better off; they were completely unfamiliar with the exam questions.

You know me, but I don't know your clueless expression.

And Lu Yang, holding the test paper, sat back in his seat, his face showing an unusual calm without any panic.

The tent's space was limited, even more cramped than the original dormitory, so everyone could only lie on their beds to answer the papers.

A quick glance revealed the exam was comprehensive: besides ideological and political education, it included firearms maintenance-type basic military knowledge, as well as regulations and soldiers' confidentiality rules.

In other words, it was a big mash‑up of all the cultural material covered during basic training.

Especially, seeing some of the questions on top, Lu Yang couldn't help but recall what the instructor had said while pounding the blackboard.

"These are all key points!"

Last session didn't have an exam; this session will definitely have one!

Sure enough, as the saying goes, the vast majority of these questions are key points.

This made Lu Yang suspect whether He Zhen Tao had participated in drafting this exam.

But for Lu Yang now, these questions pose no difficulty at all; they're pediatrics within pediatrics.

But while he was earnestly answering, the guy opposite him stretched his neck, widened his eyes, and stared at his own test paper.

Lu Yang glanced opposite and saw Kong Long's nostrils flared wide, his eyeballs almost popping out, and he couldn't help but want to laugh.

He didn't really mind covering up; if Kong Long had good eyesight, let him copy.

Cough, cough!

Then Zhou Kaidong's cough sounded loudly: "Some people, don't let your eyes wander, don't look around, just do your own questions!"

Kong Long quickly shrank his neck back, feigning to bite his neutral pen, pretending to be deep in thought.

In fact, the tent only had this little space; you could clearly see the condition and expression of every new recruit at this post.

But he didn't mean to expose Kong Long and the others, because who hasn't come through this stage?

Zhou Kaidong also used to fear the cultural exam, and even now he still feels some resistance.

In the unit, many veteran soldiers would rather run five or ten kilometers with a load than sit on a stool and quietly finish a test paper.

Learning fast and forgetting faster is their specialty; if there were someone like Lu Yang with a good head, Zhou Kaidong wouldn't still be a squad leader here—he'd have long since entered military school to become an officer.

At this moment, a kid suddenly caught Zhou Kaidong's attention: it was Ding Tengfei.

He walked over, took two looks, and found the kid gripping his pen tightly, answering very seriously.

Especially the big questions at the back, he filled them with dense writing, almost running off the edge of the test paper.

Zhou Kaidong recalled Ding Tengfei's recent diligence and hard work, and nodded with satisfaction.

His brain may be a bit slow, but at least he knows the saying "the clumsy bird flies early" and that diligence can make up for clumsiness.

But when he carefully looked at Ding Tengfei's answers, the corners of his eyes and mouth twitched several times.

Because, it's totally mismatched—everything is damn wrong!

Damn it, he's just dumping everything from his brain onto the paper without caring if it's right or not!

This is pure rote memorization, with not a bit of understanding.

But at least it's far better than Kong Long; that guy can only write a solution and remembers nothing else.

During Lu Yang's absence, Zhou Kaidong also jokingly called the two the "no-brains and unhappy combo", which was quite fitting.

The proctoring process was long, and during it Zhou Kaidong, bored, went to the tent entrance and lit a cigarette.

Taking the chance, Kong Long quickly clasped his hands and bowed frantically toward Lu Yang, begging for help.

His eyes pleaded, "Help the kid, please!"

Lu Yang shook his head, sighed, and passed over the small note he had prepared earlier.

Kong Long gratefully took it, and using two fingers to kowtow, he knocked his head several times.

But only after he eagerly opened the note did he discover that it contained just two characters.

Come on!