Chapter 187: I Want to Go to the Battlefield, Only Then Is It Meaningful

"Yes!"

Guo Yongwen nodded in response.

Nevertheless, Lu Yang's performance this time was brilliant.

But with over a decade of combat experience, he is confident he can take the person down.

Gao Feng: "Don't use the 85 sniper; I've had someone from the Division's Zhencha Daitui bring a more precise 88 sniper, equipped with an eight‑times optical scope and an additional low‑light night vision device."

"Find a spot later to get familiar with the feel, aiming to eliminate Lu Yang early on. Without the sharpshooter, our threat during the attack will be much smaller."

Since ancient times, an inch of length is an inch of strength.

Excellent weapons and gear can also make up for gaps in strength.

Although Lu Yang's shooting technique was taught by Guo Yongwen, the master only opens the door; cultivation is up to the individual.

Securing second place in precision shooting at the division's contest, leaving Guo Yongwen behind, is enough to show how terrifying Lu Yang's shooting talent is.

Therefore, Gao Feng had to preemptively guard, even specifically having Guo Yongwen target Lu Yang's performance.

The battlefield decides superiority and separates life from death.

Even though he likes Lu Yang as a soldier, he must still ruthlessly crush him on the battlefield.

Otherwise, this kid might hide somewhere and shoot you from behind.

In an open area outside the tent, several Type‑63 armored transport vehicles were parked, with a few soldiers refueling and maintaining them.

Not far away, several support personnel were preparing spare gasoline for the armored vehicles, one of whom was Ding Tengfei.

While working, Ding Tengfei was a bit absent‑minded, glancing several times toward the illuminated Seventh Company headquarters tent, as if he had made up his mind about something.

Finally, he drew a breath, mustered his courage, and walked toward that tent.

But he didn't expect to be stopped by a duty sentinel before even getting close.

"What are you doing?"

"I… I want to find the Company Commander."

"The Company Commander is not someone you can just see whenever you want; there's a meeting inside, stay back!"

The sentinel seemed to know Ding Tengfei was from Squad Ten, and drove him away in a very impatient tone.

With the great battle imminent, any unauthorized approach toward the company command is expressly prohibited.

It's not targeting anyone deliberately; it's purely to ensure the battle plan isn't leaked.

Watching Ding Tengfei being shooed back in a huff before he could even reach the company headquarters tent.

Ten Squad Leader put down the oil drum, wiped his hands with a rag, and walked over to comfort him.

"I know, ever since your hometown came back last time, you've been single‑minded about leaving Squad Ten, leaving the training camp."

"Actually, you don't need to keep competing with yourself; even if you get into the combat squad, what will that change?"

"Squad Leader, I just want to do something meaningful…"

Ding Tengfei lowered his head, his face unable to hide his disappointment.

Ten Squad Leader retorted, "What's meaningful, what's meaningless? Most of a person's life is spent doing meaningless things."

"During this period you kept getting up early for morning runs, trained on your own, endured a lot of hardship, and even had some friction with other comrades."

"But does that make it meaningful? Who can see it, who can perceive it, except us?"

Ding Tengfei shook his head: "Squad Leader, I don't need others to see it; I just need to know I'm putting in effort myself."

Ten Squad Leader sighed, "I've also worked hard; I understand how you feel. I, as your Squad Leader, once earned the Excellent Model Soldier award and earned a merit; and the result?"

"You think hard work always yields results? Wrong. In fact, those more gifted than you work even harder and put in more effort."

"When I first joined the troops, I wanted to be a good soldier, wanted to become a Soldier King, but reality kept slapping me hard."

"People differ; not every soldier who joins the army can eventually become like your hometown man."

"The overwhelming majority are like us—quiet, unheralded, giving silently, unknown to others."

He patted Ding Tengfei's back, his tone weary and detached: "Stay grounded, stop dreaming about unrealistic things. Counting the days one by one and living steadily is actually quite meaningful."

Ding Tengfei lifted his head, his gaze shifting from scattered to gradually focused.

Although he never actually saw Lu Yang during the contest championship, he could picture in his mind Lu Yang holding the trophy.

Even without stepping onto the front line and experiencing the harshness of the training battlefield, he could imagine Lu Yang's spirited demeanor after a single shot took down the enemy commander.

The Whole Company gave him extra rations, the entire Division took pride in him, the Company Commander favored him, the Battalion Commander protected him—that's what being a soldier is.

Such a military career is what gives meaning, what offers hope.

Ding Tengfei grabbed the Squad Leader's arm, pleading desperately: "Squad Leader, help me!"

"What?"

The Ten Squad Leader didn't react immediately.

Ding Tengfei's voice was urgent: "I want to go to the battlefield, I want to earn merit for Seventh Company, earn merit for Third Battalion, and let everyone know that the tough Seventh Company also has a Squad Ten!"

The Ten Squad Leader stared blankly at his eyes, as if catching a glimpse of his own younger self, the one who was full of vigor when he first enlisted.

【Squad Leader, I want to become a Soldier King, please push me to the death!】

【Squad Leader, I earned the Excellent Model Soldier, and the Moving Red Flag was also brought back to our squad!】

【Hahaha, I thought getting a commendation would be so hard, but it turned out to be quite easy. Squad Leader, look, next time I'll bring back a third‑class merit!】

【......】

【Platoon Leader, they're too strong, I can't match them at all, I feel like a worthless person…】

【Company Commander, I really have given my all, I've devoted all my time to training, yet I still can't break through, still can't achieve good results…】

【Instructor, my family calls every few days urging me to retire and go on blind dates; I don't want to leave, but I have no face to stay, I'm so conflicted, it's hard to find a job after leaving, I've completely lost the will to train, could you transfer me to Logistics, I want to try studying…】

【......】

【Isn't Seventh Company supposed to have only nine squads? Where does a Squad Ten come from, I've never heard of it?】

Damn, what a lousy unit, they don't even fold their blankets—this is called being a soldier? It's basically a pigsty!

I can't be like them, lax and undisciplined, with no organization or discipline; I want to study, I want to enter military academy, I want to become an officer!

Ha~ waking up naturally is so comfortable, it's practically the life of an immortal. Forget it, I won't read today; I'll look later—let's play cards, play cards!

Damn, I didn't pass—how could I not pass? I clearly studied hard!

Forget it, keep a calm mind—being a soldier is being a soldier wherever you are; where would you find such a comfortable unit? If only I could smoothly get through the third phase.

Actually, in a lifetime, most of one's time is spent doing meaningless things. People are different, different, different......

Squad Leader's mind instantly flashed with many images, letting him review his military career.

No one knows when it started, but he gradually had his edges worn down, becoming an 'old salt'.

He has neither the outward appearance nor the inner substance of a soldier, and his words are nothing but self-deception, absurd and laughable.

Squad Leader looked at Ding Tengfei's determined gaze, saw in his eyes the self that had lost its soldierly bearing to comfort and ease, and after a long time he finally felt shame and embarrassment.

Perhaps, people really aren't all that alike.

Some crumble when faced with setbacks and confusion; others grow braver with each setback.

Perhaps Ding Tengfei will ultimately be left far behind by his fellow townsman Lu Yang, whose abilities are heaven-defying.

But at least, at this moment he has firmly chosen a path of upward progress.

If you don't take a step, the success rate is zero; if you take a step, you've already achieved fifty percent success.

You don't necessarily have to surpass Lu Yang; as long as today's self is a bit better than yesterday's, that's enough.

After his thoughts cleared, Squad Leader felt as if he had shed the heavy, musty, sour cotton blanket that had always wrapped him, and his body felt much lighter.

He lightly patted Ding Tengfei's hand and said earnestly, 'Okay, I'll help you; Squad Leader will surely fight for an opportunity for you!'

Ding Tengfei's eyes shone with hope: 'Thank you, Squad Leader!'