Chapter 234: I

Guo Yongwen said with conviction, "They must be trying to win first place in the military theory competition the month after next, and are working hard on this assault!"

Gao Feng nodded and asked the Instructor for his view on the matter.

Instructor Zhao sat down, turned on the electric fan to cool the room, and after careful analysis gave his opinion.

"I think it's not only to prepare for the knowledge competition the month after next, but also to improve soldier quality from another angle."

"I was thinking the same thing!"

Gao Feng slapped his thigh, excitedly said, "Look, here's my analysis. The Sixth Company can't quickly upgrade weapons and equipment, and breakthroughs in training aren't achieved overnight; only by working on thinking and awareness."

"I suspect they drew experience from the last exercise, including from Lu Yang, and perhaps the idea originally came from Lu Yang."

"Enhancing military theory education can help the few gifted soldiers in the unit become enlightened, allowing them to develop autonomous awareness on the battlefield."

"In other words, they can self‑correct and adjust obviously flawed or problematic orders."

"Instead of blindly charging forward in packs just because higher‑up orders say so."

Guo Yongwen asked, "What does that mean, training a bunch of commanders—can that work?"

"If everyone has their own opinions, won't the battalion headquarters become a mess, with hammers and mallets everywhere?"

"Moreover, that's impossible; if the Sixth Company could train commanders, what would the military academy be for?"

Instructor Zhao shook his head, "It's different. You haven't attended a military academy, so many things are unclear. Training a commander requires systematic study; the process is extremely cumbersome and complex."

"So, command talent has always been a scarce resource in the troops; what the Sixth Company is doing now is more about enlightening and awakening the rank‑and‑file soldiers."

"Put it this way: if you, the Platoon Leader, are taken out on the battlefield, the enlightened soldiers will immediately, based on the situation, cooperate and even guide comrades to react quickly and complete the combat deployment."

"As a result, there won't be a firepower vacuum in a short time. No one will stand clueless, unable to get orders and just crouch on the position, firing wildly forward."

"Whoa, that's something!" Guo Yongwen was shocked: "No wonder the Sixth Company Commander is being secretive; if it were me, I wouldn't tell anyone either."

He has never received systematic command training at a military academy; his experience comes mainly from practice.

But just after hearing the Instructor's analysis, he thought the Sixth Company's approach had potential.

At first, when he was an ordinary soldier, he thought as long as machines obey orders, that's enough.

On the battlefield, you don't need to think; you charge when told, retreat when told.

But after becoming a Platoon Leader, he realized leading troops is far from easy.

Even as an Acting Platoon Leader with only about thirty soldiers, careful deliberation is required.

But the specifics of planning, deployment, and layered offensive progression are a huge discipline.

The lower‑level command system, composed of Platoon Leaders and Squad Leaders, if both are wiped out and the enemy severs the battlefield, the soldiers below become headless flies.

Especially when the fight turns into a chaotic mess with gunfire all around, this phenomenon is most evident.

Higher‑up orders can't be transmitted, the field radio is unattended, and the soldiers below can't locate a parallel unit's commander.

During this period, in a command vacuum, the enemy can easily exploit the gap and catch them off guard.

Without command, troops in a chaotic mess, no matter how many or well‑equipped, are just scattered sand.

The Sixth Company's learning theory can help gifted soldiers in the unit become, besides Squad and Platoon Leaders, individuals with independent thinking who can make simple judgments on the battlefield.

Such soldiers will use limited military knowledge to analyze the current situation and thus play a relatively correct leading role.

Don't underestimate this; battle victories often stack up from these seemingly insignificant details and small wins.

Instructor Zhao looked at Gao Feng meaningfully, "The Sixth Company is actively innovating and arming itself with knowledge. If we stay stagnant, we could be overtaken in the blink of an eye."

"We must stay vigilant; at this critical juncture, we cannot afford any mistake!"

Gao Feng nodded, "That's why I called Guo Yongwen over."

"I?"

Guo Yongwen pointed at himself, puzzled, "What does this have to do with me?"

Instructor Zhao instantly understood, laughed, "This really requires you. Not only you, it'd be best to add Ding Tengfei as well."

Gao Feng nodded, "Good, that kid fits perfectly!"

"What?"

"To be a spy?"

"That's not it, Platoon Leader, I—I've never been a spy!"

In the maintenance workshop, Ding Tengfei, under the Squad Leader's guidance, was learning basic tank upkeep.

Guo Yongwen called him outside and immediately told him to go with him to the Sixth Company as a spy.

"Platoon Leader Guo, if you could find someone else, I really can't do this!"

"I'm not going, I really won't, so you should really find someone else, right?"

Ding Tengfei put on work gloves and turned to leave.

"Attention!"

"At ease!"

"Stand properly!"

Ding Tengfei seemed frozen as if struck by a binding spell, instantly immobilized by the command.

Guo Yongwen stepped in front of him, gave him a yank, "This is an order from the Company Commander and the Instructor; refusing is insubordination, and you'll be locked up!"

"But that's the unit's own company; if we're discovered, we'll be beaten to death, right?"

"If we don't get caught, that's fine!"

"I don't have that skill…"

"You do!"

Guo Yongwen stared at him, "Back in the New Recruit Company, didn't you secretly photograph Zhou Kaidong's training plan in front of the whole class and send it out? That's your old trade; you have the experience—what are you afraid of?"

Ding Tengfei let out a strangled "Damn", stuck in his throat, neither coming out nor staying.

"So this black history can't be erased—wasn't it just youthful recklessness and ignorance?"

Besides, can the things from the New Recruit Company be the same as those of the later company?

From his mention of the Sixth Company's Company Commander's meticulous secrecy, one can infer its importance—it's not something that can be so easily gotten.

"Platoon Leader, I really can't do this."

"I heard the Sixth Company sent a discharged Military Police."

"Those people all have hawk eyes, their gazes are sharp and fierce; aren't we just committing a crime against the wind, walking right into a trap ourselves?"

Guo Yongwen waved his hand: "What kind of trivial thing is that, no need to worry about it; we're just taking the opportunity to look at Lu Yang's reputation, do a little probing, see what kind of process they actually have."

"Let me tell you, the Company Commander just changed his impression of you; earlier he even praised you: 'Not bad, showing progress.'"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Ding Tengfei was very delighted.

Since he enlisted, he had never been praised by Gao Feng.

Before, he was despised to the extreme, almost sent back to the training base.

Now, after finally achieving some results, he left a good impression with the Company Commander, and nothing can be ruined now.

Guo Yongwen whispered in his ear: "You should strike while the iron is hot now, make more contributions to the company."

He pulled out his phone and shoved it into Ding Tengfei's hand: "I've given you the phone; whether it works depends on how well we cooperate! If you can get their plan, test papers, lesson plans, etc., and bring them back for study, you'll be the biggest contributor!"

Ding Tengfei looked at the phone in his hand, genuinely feeling both amused and helpless.

When he was a new recruit, his youthful recklessness and ignorance led him to unintentionally err, and he was locked in solitary confinement, becoming despised by everyone.

At that time, it was Gao Feng himself who personally sent him to the confinement room, forcing him to write a self‑criticism and inspection, promising never to offend again.

He never imagined that now he would have to obey Gao Feng's orders to become a spy in the Sixth Company, gathering intelligence.

Only the treatment changed: one is a bear, the other a hero.

"Sigh…," Ding Tengfei sighed helplessly, "For the honor of the Seventh Company, I'll go with you, but I can't guarantee it'll work."

"Last time, I was locked up because Lu Yang cut me off; this time, if he catches me again, you can't just watch me be confined and punished."

"Don't worry!" Guo Yongwen pounded his chest: "With the Company Commander and Instructor present, what are you afraid of?"

"Just treat it as a regular reconnaissance infiltration training, use yourself as the scout."

"With me covering you and drawing Lu Yang's attention, we're sure to win outright and achieve success instantly!"

"Hopefully, I guess!"