Chapter 201: This Soldier Fits My Taste, I Like Him

"Report."

"Enter."

In the division headquarters, Staff Officer Zhang pushed the door and entered the office.

First, he saluted Division Chief of Staff Xiong Yao, then saluted the division's Reconnaissance Battalion commander seated in the chair.

"Chief of Staff, greetings; Battalion Commander Yang, greetings!"

"What is it?"

Xiong Yao was discussing official matters with Battalion Commander Yang, and casually asked.

Staff Officer Zhang said, "Chief of Staff, you instructed me last night to go to the training department and fetch the Special Third Regiment's exercise summary report; I have already brought it."

Xiong Yao took the folder Zhang handed him but did not open it immediately; instead, he placed it on a stack of documents beside him.

Instead, Reconnaissance Battalion commander Yang Yong seemed to recall something and asked.

"Chief of Staff, I recall your nephew serving in the Special Third Regiment as a Platoon Leader?"

"Hehe, your memory isn't bad."

Xiong Yao answered somewhat perfunctorily, clearly unwilling to bring up his underachieving nephew.

Just then, Staff Officer Zhang, seeking credit, proactively mentioned.

"Chief of Staff, when I previously went to the training department to borrow the report, the department head said that among the many regiments in the division, the Special Third Regiment performed the most spectacularly in the quarterly combat exercise."

"He also said it had been a long time since we saw such intense combat, a textbook‑level battle."

Xiong Yao showed some interest and casually flipped open the report.

"Anything else mentioned?"

"He also said that in this exercise, three soldiers stood out, one of whom was a Platoon Leader with the surname Kang."

There are few with the surname Kang, and being a Platoon Leader makes it undoubtedly Kang Changyi.

Xiong Yao was quite surprised, evidently not expecting that this mixed‑up youngster had become accomplished.

Shining brightly in a regiment‑level exercise is truly hard to achieve.

It's unclear whether he suddenly had an insight, or Lu Yang's urging was effective.

"Alright, I'll read it myself; you may leave now."

"Yes."

After the subordinate left, Xiong Yao and Yang Yong exchanged greetings, saying they would first skim the exercise summary report and then discuss official matters.

The exercise had ended exactly three days ago, and the summary reports from each regiment were being submitted one after another.

As one of the division's stronger units, the Special Third Regiment naturally attracted extra attention.

Xiong Yao's reason for reviewing the report was not to target his underperforming nephew.

Primarily, he wanted to see the Special Third Regiment's overall performance and whether Lu Yang had any outstanding actions in the battle.

Having some free time, Yang Yong simply joined in to watch as well; it was also a learning process.

The report's handwriting was neat; it was handwritten by Special Third Regiment commander Wang Zhongxi and was very beautiful.

"Old Wang really has a fine penmanship with a fountain pen."

"Within the division, no hard‑pen calligraphy surpasses Wang Zhongxi's."

"First round, First Battalion versus Second Battalion:......"

"Crushed the enemy position, eliminated a key enemy fire point, and sniped the First Battalion commander from five hundred meters away?"

Yang Yong let out a gasp: "That soldier named Lu Yang truly has remarkable marksmanship. Yet, why does that name sound familiar to me?"

Xiong Yao reminded, "In the recent division competition, he placed second in precision shooting and almost killed your Platoon Leader."

Yang Yong suddenly understood: "No wonder!"

As they continued reading, their expressions grew increasingly animated.

In this exercise report, Lu Yang's name kept appearing, occupying a very large portion.

Charge, entrench, slay the enemy—everything was there.

Especially, his various performances during the subsequent combat against the Third Battalion were breathtaking.

"This soldier not only has excellent marksmanship, understands tactics, and can also command other troops in battle!"

"He harassed to delay time, eliminated the Eighth Company Commander, and finally called for artillery to cover all defensive positions!"

"In a clearly losing situation, he somehow turned it into a mutual destruction..."

Yang Yong's face was full of astonishment, unable to believe that a private could accomplish all this.

Even a resourceful person cannot make a meal without rice; lacking heavy weapons to counter tanks.

Even if this Reconnaissance Battalion commander were to lead the battle, it might still not turn out well.

Yet this soldier employed every means, swearing to defend the position to the death, preventing the enemy's flag from being planted on their side.

For the Second Battalion, they held out until the very end without losing the position; that is the greatest victory!

If this were a large‑scale campaign, perhaps this stand would become the turning point of the battle!

No wonder the training department said the Special Third Regiment was the most spectacular and intense among all units conducting exercises in the division.

Just by reading the text, one can feel the battlefield situation and imagine the defenders fighting the enemy to the death, a life‑or‑death scene.

As Chief of Staff, Xiong Yao had seen many exercises, but few were this intense.

"This summary report is relatively objective and fair. It mentions that because the Third Battalion Commander eased the pressure, Lu Yang got the chance to call for artillery."

"Otherwise, trying to hold out alone would be as hard as scaling heaven. Yet, this also shows a certain warmth, a tribute to the lone hero."

"That explains," Yang Yong nodded, "the Third Battalion Commander indeed has a big picture; if he had fired that shot, even if they won, it would give a sense of disgrace."

"It would be better to go with the flow, create a stalemate; the Second Battalion doesn't lose, the Third Battalion can win, everyone is happy while preserving a bit of dignity."

Yang Yong shifted his tone and solemnly said, "Chief of Staff, this soldier named Lu Yang is to my taste; I like him. Transfer him to me, and I will lead him personally!"

Zhencha Daitui is a directly subordinate unit of the Division, under the command and dispatch of Chief of Staff Xiong Yao.

Originally, Yang Yong had come today to discuss work, but he hadn't expected to also get an unexpected joy.

Someone like Lu Yang, who can both attack and defend, possesses both virtue and talent, flexibly employs tactics, and can even command soldiers of higher rank than himself, is simply a once-in-a-century rarity.

Especially Lu Yang's feat of ultimately defending the position with his life, directing artillery fire to perish together with the enemy, moves people deeply.

Such a soldier, let alone being in the Division, even in a group army is rarely seen!

Xiong Yao, however, shook his head and refused him: 'It's not time yet.'

"What does that mean?"

"I already talked to him before, he's not too willing."

"Who else could refuse the Zhencha Daitui? In the whole Division, there's no unit stronger than us, with better development and higher benefits!"

"That may be so, but we also have to respect their wishes, right?"

Yang Yong had never met Lu Yang, and didn't know much about him either.

Hearing that the other party was unwilling, he subconsciously thought that Lu Yang, like those who, after achieving some results, become smug and arrogant, a heavenly pride, had started to get full of himself.

Young and reckless, with a high opinion of himself, is that why he doesn't even put the Zhencha Daitui in his eyes?

If that's the case, Yang Yong feels it necessary to let him see the world and broaden his horizons.

The Zhencha Daitui gathers the Division's finest Soldier King heavenly pride; those with outstanding abilities are everywhere.

Lu Yang certainly has decent talent, but if he really joined, at best he'd be only mid-to-low level, and he might even end up at the bottom.

Because the Zhencha Daitui's training is extremely harsh, almost every year there are those who get injured and disabled during training and are discharged.

The training leans toward actual combat, focusing mostly on fighting techniques, and they often come into contact with real combat missions.

The best way to temper a soldier is to go onto the battlefield, and in the Zhencha Daitui there are not a few who have killed enemies in combat.

From this point, they far surpass regular troops; soldiers who have seen blood and those who haven't are completely different concepts.

Yang Yong said with a slight regret: 'Since he doesn't want to be specially recruited in, then forget it. But if he wants to join later, it won't be that easy.'

"The unit that can promote exceptionally through meritorious service is only ours in the entire Division; many people try hard but still can't get in."

Xiong Yao laughed: 'In others' eyes, this is a huge temptation, but for Lu Yang it's just ordinary. I forgot to mention, this kid's learning ability is extremely terrifying, worthy of being called unforgettable after a glance.'

"As long as he wants to pursue studies, he can easily get into a military academy next year."

Yang Yong laughed and cried: 'This kid, does he really have no shortcomings at all?'

Xiong Yao: 'He's a bit too good-looking, too eye-catching.'

"What kind of shortcoming is that?"

"Oh yeah, then there's none, hahaha......"