Chapter 258: You

The New Recruit Company at night was quiet and peaceful.

The recruits who had just finished watching the news broadcast, holding their folding stools, lined up and returned to their squad.

Some squads were holding class meetings; some Squad Leaders were kindly greeting the recruits who hadn't been able to comment on the news earlier; others were supervising the recruits in reciting regulations.

Cheng Jun, at this moment, was randomly checking the recruits' memorization: "Come, come, come, all sit in front of me and start the train of reciting the regulations. Assistant Squad Leader, set the example......"

Lang Lang's recitation voice echoed in the dormitory.

Instructor He Zhen Tao came into the corridor, lightly tapping the dormitory door with his finger, interrupting the recitation.

"Good day, Instructor!"

Everyone stood up with the Squad Leader and saluted He Zhen Tao.

He Zhen Tao smiled and nodded at everyone, then said.

"Recite yours, Xiao Li, come out with me for a moment."

Assistant Squad Leader Xiao Li glanced at Cheng Jun, and after receiving permission, went out with him.

It is perfectly normal for the New Recruit Company instructor to talk with the recruits.

On one hand, it is to understand how the recruits adapt to the new environment after arriving, to spot psychological issues and intervene promptly.

On the other hand, it also serves to pre‑screen and categorize the recruits; from their speech and demeanor, one can basically judge a soldier's caliber and which unit the next company should assign them to.

He Zhen Tao called the person to the back of the billboard downstairs, pulled a cigarette from his pocket and handed it over: "Want one?"

Recruit Xiao Li looked around, shook his head awkwardly: "Instructor, I don't smoke."

"Nonsense, I smelled cigarette smoke on you the day you enlisted, and no one saw it. Have one, okay?"

"Umm......"

"Didn't I tell you? Since you're in the unit, treat this place as home. During training there are ranks, but off‑duty the instructor is your good friend. Take it, one won't hurt you."

"Alright then."

Xiao Li deftly extended two fingers, and just as his hand was about to touch the cigarette, his back of the hand was struck hard.

"You stinky kid, I knew you'd smoke!"

"What the—!"

"Why are you still fishing for violations? Isn't that being a scoundrel?"

He Zhen Tao smiled and still shoved the cigarette into his hand.

First a big stick, then a sweet date—it's his usual routine.

Then he praised the recruit for diligent training, proper attitude, and excellent conduct.

"Since joining the unit, have you gotten used to it?"

"Yes, the Squad Leader takes good care of us."

"Have you thought about what kind of soldier you'll be in the next company?"

"I want to be a scout, an armored scout!"

He Zhen Tao's face changed, eyes narrowed: "Did the Company Commander also talk to you?"

Xiao Li scratched his head, feeling uneasy, gave a goofy grin, and basically acquiesced.

He Zhen Tao hadn't expected that Gao Feng, that old kid, while talking about going with the flow, acted faster than anyone.

Clearly, he had led the previous batch of recruits, got outmaneuvered and suffered from being slow, but this time he struck early, scouting good material for the Seventh Company.

He Zhen Tao didn't hide it and asked directly: "Actually, I think there's a unit more suitable for you; have you heard of Motorized Infantry?"

"One breath turns three pure, Motorized Infantry?"

"Yes, yes, you seem to know quite a bit, huh?"

He Zhen Tao smiled and said, "Come with me to the next company, and later I'll issue you a motorcycle."

Xiao Li scratched his nose: "Instructor, before I came I looked it up online; Motorized Infantry doesn't actually have motorcycles, they just train people toward the direction of motorcycles."

"I also know, after the next company, when I ask you for a motorcycle, you and the Company Commander will say I look like a motorcycle; and you'll even give me nicknames like Kawasaki, Suzuki, Ducati."

He Zhen Tao was momentarily at a loss for words: "......"

"Damn, why are the new recruits so sharp these days, not easy to fool?"

He was about to explain that the Motorized Infantry does have motorcycles, not that everyone just looks like one; in the previous batch there was an outstanding recruit who, after joining the next company, happily received a motorcycle and even became Acting Platoon Leader.

From afar, a roar of a motorcycle echoed through the entire New Recruit Company, and immediately a guy riding a red heavyweight bike appeared before them.

Ma Qing'an lifted his protective goggles, revealing a pair of cold, sharp eyes, and tossed a helmet to He Zhen Tao.

"Get on, Lu Yang is in trouble!"

"What?"

Hearing that Lu Yang was in trouble, He Zhen Tao said nothing, put on his helmet and jumped on.

Ma Qing'an twisted the throttle, performed a stylish U‑turn on the spot, leaving an arced tire mark on the ground.

The taillight resembled a red arrow, cutting a blood‑red slash through the night, and vanished in the blink of an eye within the camp.

The cigarette in Xiao Li's mouth fell with a pop onto the ground, and his whole face was stunned by Ma Qing'an's dashing entrance.

"Whoa! So Motorized Infantry really has motorcycles, that's freaking awesome!"

"I won't be an armored scout anymore; I want to be a Motorized Infantry soldier, I want to be Ducati No. 2!"

"What's going on, what happened to Lu Yang?"

The motorcycle zipped like lightning; He Zhen Tao, seated behind, could only cling tightly to Ma Qing'an's waist.

Because he came from the New Recruit Company, he wasn't aware of the recent matters of the Sixth Company.

Naturally, he also didn't know about the three of Lu Yang's leave‑outgoing affair.

Ma Qing'an, while focusing on riding, shouted over the wind noise to explain.

"Remember that female netizen on Kang Changyi's phone who seemed like a spy?"

Two days ago they came to me, saying they wanted to try their luck, see if they could reel in the female spy, to let Zhou Kaidong earn merit and stay in the unit.

Then in the morning I approved leave, letting Lu Yang, Zhou Kaidong, and Kang Changyi go out...

He Zhen Tao jumped in surprise: "It can't be that we actually ran into a spy and got injured in the fight, right?"

Ma Qing'an shook his head: "It was full of twists and the process was very complicated. That female netizen was a freeloader, already arrested by the police station, and on the way back, Lu Yang ran into two foreigners who were driving and secretly filming military buildings."

Then he… and then… finally, during the fight he got injured, almost drowning both himself and the vehicle in the Hu Cheng He.

Thanks to Zhou Kaidong and Kang Changyi risking their lives by diving in to pull the person out, the police have already confirmed the identities of those two foreign spies.

It is said that the camera's memory card contains a lot of material, all related to the Group Army's next phase of reinforcing the Navy.

"Whoa!" He Zhen Tao slapped his back excitedly, unable to hold back several expletives: "Whoa, whoa! We caught two big fish! A while ago the 441st Regiment had someone leak secrets and get stripped of their uniform, and now we've caught two!"

They acted with the wind at their backs, we made merit against the wind; Zhou Kaidong will definitely stay in the unit this time, and we're about to become famous throughout the whole Division!

Hahaha, hahaha, just thinking about it makes me excited, just thinking about it makes me excited!

Ma Qing'an winced from the slap, shouting hoarsely: "You damn it, take it easy, it hurts me to death!"

He Zhen Tao quickly stopped: "Sorry, sorry, got too excited, got too excited. How badly is Lu Yang injured, how is he now?"

He's in the hospital; they say his head and arm, several places, need stitching.

That bad?

The other side drew knives; two attacked one, and they were all tall and big, how could we not be at a disadvantage?

Then you ride faster!

This road has a speed limit; run into Military Police and you'll be done!

At a time like this, who cares about the Military Police, Lu Yang's safety is the priority! Drive, accelerate, accelerate fast, give me the wheel!

Ma Qing'an muttered under his breath, yanking the throttle hard, the car speeding like lightning.

At the intersection, two white‑hatted officers on duty hadn't reacted yet, only seeing a red flash pass in front of them.

What was that, whoosh, it just zipped by?

Looks like a motorcycle!

That vehicle was speeding; did you get a clear view of the license plate?

You think I'm a high‑speed camera? No one can see that!

The two rushed to the local top‑tier hospital.

Even though it was already night, the hospital was still packed with people.

It seems that no matter the time, the hospital never lacks people.

Nurse, which way is the surgery department? Got it, thanks!

Doctor, doctor, may I ask which ward Lu Yang is in, the one that was brought in this evening?

In the surgery ward, the glasses‑wearing on‑duty doctor, seeing the two shouting impatiently, asked unhurriedly.

"What is your relationship with him?"

"We are his unit's commander; which ward is he in?"

The on‑duty doctor shook his head: "You're late, you're a step behind."

He Zhen Tao's emotions flared up instantly: "What do you mean we're late, what does a step behind mean? Where is he, how is he?"

"Don't get excited, don't get excited!" the doctor immediately held up both hands: "What I mean is you're a bit too late; he had his stitches done fifteen minutes ago, the wound treated, and he left."

"Damn, it's already messed up?!"

Ma Qing'an and He Zhen Tao stared at each other, having run a pointless errand?