Chapter 246: Between Soldiers, There

"Serving in the army, when you reach the end, you're still not a soldier; it's time to be discharged, and you still have to be discharged."

"It's better to decide early what road to take next, start a business and become a boss; my old classmate didn't even finish high school, yet he already drives a big Benz, and his girlfriend is a dance student at an art school."

"I've already thought it through: after going back, I'll partner with that old classmate to open a hot‑pot restaurant. This thing is a hot trend now—do you know the phrase 'wind tunnel'? Even a pig standing in a wind tunnel can take off."

"If the hot‑pot shop succeeds, I'll start a bubble‑tea shop; that's also a pure high‑profit business—pearl milk tea that costs a few dimes can be sold for six or seven yuan!"

"Later, if I get married, I'll have my wife work in beauty and hairdressing; that brings in money fast. Those young kids at the vocational school love to get the latest hairstyles whenever they have free time."

"Things like foil perms, ion perms—solutions that cost ten yuan wholesale can be sold for several hundred just by opening your mouth; then selling elastic spray, conditioner, and the like is pure profit!"

"Assistant Squad Leader grew more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, and Ding Tengfei finally caught on."

"It felt like being slapped twice by a boomerang, awkwardly wanting to slip into a crack in the ground."

"He had said that back when he first enlisted, to flaunt his 'worldly' experience, he once told Lu Yang."

"No wonder Lu Yang stayed silent then; he probably cursed him countless times in his mind, calling him an idiot."

"Just using common sense, you know that people would never tell you what truly makes money."

"If anyone tries to rope you into a partnership, it's only because they have their eyes on the money in your pocket—nothing else."

"When his father was doing business, any profitable schemes were kept tightly under wraps."

"Even if he mortgaged a house or got a bank loan, he would never pull others into the venture."

Ding Tengfei urged: "I think you should reconsider. Starting a business isn't a game; if you lose, you could lose everything."

Assistant Squad Leader clicked his tongue in disdain: "Of course entrepreneurship has risks; if there were none, everyone would be a boss. But we're different—we've been soldiers, we can endure hardship; as long as we apply that fighting spirit from the unit, what can't we accomplish?"

"Fine, you don't have that mindset; no matter how much I tell you, it won't help. Just tell me whether you'll borrow or not."

"Assistant Squad Leader, to be frank, my family is in business; your venture is likely to fail. So lending you would just be throwing money away."

Seeing Assistant Squad Leader stare with eyes like he was about to explode, Ding Tengfei quickly stopped.

"But, but we're comrades; I can't spare ten or twenty thousand, but I can sponsor you two hundred."

"You don't have to repay it; consider it my support on your opening day, and I'll treat you to a hot‑pot."

Assistant Squad Leader looked at the two hundred he pulled out, and the sincere expression, and smiled.

"Kid, you're on the right track; this money counts as a loan from me—when you earn, I'll repay you tenfold."

"All right, it's up to you."

"Thanks."

Assistant Squad Leader reached out gratefully to take it, but a hand snatched it away first.

Guo Yongwen clutched the two hundred in one hand and grabbed his collar with the other.

"You damn fool, you want to die? You're about to discharge and you're still borrowing everywhere?"

"Platoon Leader Guo, I… I was just short of startup capital, right?"

"Get out of here! What kind of hot‑pot shop are you opening? Your parents sell fruit out of town, braving wind and rain; you have a younger sister in school. If you lose, you'll drag the whole family into the flames!"

"What if, by chance, you make a profit?"

"You can't even do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, let alone profit? If you could make big money, I could become a Division commander!"

"......"

"I'll give you one final warning: return all the borrowed money, or you won't be allowed to step out of this barracks gate! Go back, keep your discharge pay safe, buy food and drink for the family, get your sister some nice clothes, and stop dreaming of getting rich!"

"Guo Yongwen, you're being way too lenient, right? Not everyone…"

"I've said everything; whether you listen is up to you, now get lost!"

Assistant Squad Leader muttered curses and left; Guo Yongwen, too lazy to bother, returned the money to Ding Tengfei.

"In the unit, it's not that you can't borrow money; if anyone's family has a little trouble, everyone chips in."

"But with this kind of money, lending it to him is pushing him into the fire pit."

Ding Tengfei nodded: "Yeah, that crystal hot‑pot thing sounds unreliable; if it could make money, it'd be a miracle."

Guo Yongwen hummed: "His project is already outdated, just a fleeting novelty; if you want to make money, you should raise wild boars—that's the kind of three‑rural entrepreneurship the local government supports."

Ding Tengfei opened his mouth wide, staring dumbfounded: "No way, Platoon Leader, why are you…"

"Hahaha, just kidding." Guo Yongwen chuckled: "I used to have that dream too, until Lu Yang splashed a bucket of water on me and woke me up."

"He even prepared a research report proving that thing is unreliable—a pure gimmick; just the vaccine, licensing, and building a plant would cost a fortune."

"Being a soldier, saving up those few bits isn't easy; you have to hide them well, otherwise a slip could leave you empty‑handed."

The Military Police company, its commander, was holding a mobilization meeting for the troops below.

Every discharge season, each unit's discipline is at its loosest.

At this time, the Military Police are busiest and cannot relax.

"Everyone listen up: starting today, we're temporarily suspending the attendance system."

"The purpose isn't to lighten your load, but to let you correct violations in the unit without restraint or reservation."

"During this transition period, discipline is at its loosest. Those seasoned soldiers about to discharge will directly affect the unit's military appearance and discipline, seriously harming combat effectiveness."

"Therefore, during this time, work overtime, don't fear offending anyone, don't think this is useless."

"Only by constantly offending people, constantly being disliked, can we ensure a unit's discipline and combat power."

"The Military Police are the defenders of regulations, the enforcers of discipline; cleansing the unit's discipline and setting the right military conduct is our mission, understood?"

"Yes!"

Sixth Company, in the electronic classroom.

Lu Yang was also conducting pre‑discharge ideological education for the soon‑to‑be‑discharged soldiers.

That was originally He Zhen Tao's duty, but since he was assigned to the New Recruit Company, it fell onto Lu Yang.

The soldiers of Sixth Company were quite willing to listen to his lectures—engaging, interesting, fun, and thought‑provoking.

Especially Lu Yang's remarks seemed to contain decades of life experience and philosophy, leaving listeners enlightened.

"When you discharge and go home, you must always keep confidentiality in mind; anyone who asks about the unit cannot be given even a iota of information—leaking secrets would cause serious harm!"

"Regarding the discharge allowance, I already said that if you can avoid starting a business, try not to; you've been out of touch with society for too long, opening a shop will surely lose money—don't have a lucky‑star mentality!"

"Finally, I want to say that discharge doesn't mean losing your color. Even though the day of shedding the uniform and leaving the unit draws nearer, I hope each of you can hold the last post firmly, standing until the very end!"

"Don't leave any disgraceful stains on your military career, and don't give the comrades who keep serving—Platoon Leader, Company Commander—any bad impression!"

"After leaving the unit, you'll have plenty of leisure time, not just a few days or a short while—can you manage that?"

"Can!"

"Let's adjourn."

After announcing the adjournment, the few veterans of the Sixth Company who were discharging left one after another.

In the iron‑strong camp, soldiers are like flowing water; anyone who enlists will certainly be discharged.

Everyone's reason for discharge differs: some have parents who disapprove, some have girlfriends who disapprove, and some simply can't keep going.

But ultimately, they still see no end, no hope.

Lu Yang walked to the window, watching the figure still sprinting on the track, sweating profusely, his gaze filled with complexity.

Some people, knowing they will discharge, start slacking off early.

Playing cards, drinking, using phones, feigning illness to avoid training.

Even though the uniform hasn't been removed, they've completely forgotten the regulations and unit rules.

But Zhou Kaidong, after learning he is unlikely to stay on for a fourth term, works even harder than before, refusing to slack a single minute.

All wear uniforms, yet there are huge gaps between soldiers.

That's why some soldiers are just soldiers.

Whereas some soldiers can be called good soldiers, even Soldier Kings, for the main reason.

Lu Yang thinks Zhou Kaidong is a good soldier and a good Squad Leader; he should stay on and deserves to remain in the unit.

Most importantly, once he removes the uniform and leaves the unit, he truly has no home, completely lacking spiritual support.

Just thinking of Zhou Kaidong discharging, lugging a pack, wearing the bright red flower of glorious discharge, standing dazed before a silent ruin, makes Lu Yang feel an inexplicable pang of sorrow.

Lu Yang took two deep breaths, slightly calming his mood, and silently pulled out his phone.

He, almost supernaturally, opened his contacts and found Division Chief of Staff Xiong Yao's number.

After hesitating for a while, he finally pressed call...