Chapter 265: Knowledge‑Strong Army, Learning‑Strong Nation

What does it mean to go straight to lieutenant in one step!

This is what they call going straight to lieutenant!

Lu Yang never even dreamed that he would be exceptionally promoted to Lieutenant, instead of the Second Lieutenant he previously held.

Is this an unexpected surprise?

Division Commander Luo patted his shoulder and said, "Alright, from now on this Lieutenant rank is yours."

Lu Yang saluted firmly, "Thank you, Commander, thank you to all the leaders for the recognition!"

Division Commander Luo smiled, "You are the first soldier in our Division in nearly ten years to be exceptionally promoted from Non‑commissioned Officer to officer, but you certainly won't be the last."

He looked at the audience and, with full vigor, said, "As long as you actively earn merits and perform enthusiastically, when your deeds and honors accumulate to a certain amount and a quantitative change triggers a qualitative change, you'll have a chance, like Lu Yang, to qualify for an exceptional promotion."

"Listen up, I'm talking about a quantitative change leading to a qualitative change; it's about using personal advancement to inspire more people and lift the whole group together."

Many veteran Non‑commissioned Officers in the crowd suddenly looked fervent.

In the past, the unit could only achieve promotion to officer through earning merits or taking entrance exams.

But now, the commander has given everyone a third path, the so‑called quantitative‑to‑qualitative change.

Two Third‑Class Merits or one Second‑Class Merit are merely the hard baseline for promotion; they only reflect your personal excellence, nothing more.

To truly earn the organization's attention and appreciation, you must, like Lu Yang, use personal influence to drive the collective, helping the entire Whole Company—and even the Whole Regiment—advance steadily and firmly.

Watching the spirited Lu Yang on stage, many people showed strong envy.

But his grasp of human relations, his eloquence, and his absurdly exceptional memory and learning ability are simply beyond what they can acquire.

Especially after they heard that Lu Yang once placed first in the five‑kilometer run and second in precision shooting during the Division competition, they felt an unattainable gap.

Lost in thunderous applause, Lu Yang and the two others stepped down from the podium and returned to their spots.

Ma Qing'an and He Zhen Tao silently gave them thumbs‑up, offering their strongest encouragement.

The entire Sixth Company looked on with great admiration, especially at Lu Yang.

In just one short year, from recruit to private, then Non‑commissioned Officer, and finally Lieutenant.

A textbook‑level progression, worthy of serious study by everyone.

Someone on the spot has already begun drafting a learning plan in their mind: how many practice papers to do, how many extra military books to read.

Even some ordinarily lazy soldiers with a certain mental inertia, under Lu Yang's influence, have begun to consider taking the entrance exam for the military academy.

Being a soldier, the biggest fear is letting the days slip away.

Whether it's making the Sixth Company a learning benchmark for the whole Division or granting Lu Yang an exceptional promotion.

Its fundamental purpose is to provide frontline soldiers with a driving force and a direction worth pursuing.

Given the current situation, the effect is still quite good, especially at this critical juncture.

All units must strive harder and forge ahead.

Otherwise it's a retreat or stagnation; sooner or later they'll be swept away by the tide.

Division Commander Luo added a few brief, inspiring remarks and told Lu Yang that the exceptional promotion is merely an early rank advancement, and academic improvement is equally crucial.

When the military academy opens later, Lu Yang will be sent for systematic professional training; the promotion‑to‑officer direct admission usually takes about ten months.

Of course, if he wishes, he can choose to continue his studies after graduation, i. e., pursue a master's degree.

Currently the unit's talent pool is extremely scarce; the unit isn't severely devalued, and graduate students are still highly sought after.

Especially graduates in optoelectronics, communications, and information fields; many are assigned as academy officers right after graduation.

Thus, Lu Yang's exceptional promotion is truly just the first step of a long march, and everything marks a brand‑new start to his military career.

【Congratulations, host, on successfully advancing to Lieutenant; system upgraded to "Knowledge‑Strong Army, Learning‑Strong Nation"!】

【New sections unlocked; young soldiers crave merit, merit‑exchange function activated!】

A prompt sound rang in Lu Yang's ears, and a holographic screen popped up before him.

The screen displayed a page resembling a marketplace.

Attributes such as speed, stamina, burst, vision, and recovery can all be exchanged.

In addition, there are various military skills, including ultra‑long‑range precision shooting, battlefield emergency surgery, mixed martial arts, combat engineer bomb‑disposal and mine‑laying techniques, airborne parachuting, special vehicle operation, and so on.

The dazzling array of exchange options left Lu Yang overwhelmed, his mouth practically watering.

But when he saw the merit required for exchange, he was struck like a sudden blow to the head and stared dumbfounded.

Even the most basic attribute upgrades require one Second‑Class Merit or three Third‑Class Merits.

If it's a collective Third‑Class Merit, six are needed; commendations consume even more.

As for the myriad complex military skills below, they all uniformly require a First‑Class Merit Medal for exchange.

Why? Does a field cooking training skill really merit a First‑Class Merit?

That's completely off the mark!

Nevertheless, it could indeed solve an urgent need during a special time window.

For example, if someone is hit on the battlefield, a quick‑acting battlefield surgeon like Lu Yang could save a comrade's life in a crisis.

Regrettably, so far Lu Yang only has two commendations, one collective Third‑Class Merit, one personal Third‑Class Merit and one Second‑Class Merit, plus a Four‑Excellence Outstanding Soldier Medal.

It's worth noting that the description mentions honor titles can serve as "universal currency" to exchange for anything in the marketplace.

But Lu Yang knows well that honor titles are far rarer than merit recognitions.

They must stem from huge contributions that generate massive positive impact.

Lu Yang closed the system panel and temporarily stopped looking at it.

His military career has only just begun; he won't lack opportunities to earn merit later.

The more deeds he accumulates, the greater his physical improvement, the more military skills he masters, and his strength naturally grows.

After the commendation ceremony ended, the entire Sixth Company, led by the Division Political Department Director, went to tour the Division's honor room.

When the tour finished, a lavish banquet awaited them.

Since this is a commendation, it can't be merely hauling people over from afar just to heap praise on them.

Proper procedures and arrangements still need to be in place, and they also highlight the superiors' regard, thereby better motivating other units to improve.

And just as Lu Yang and the others followed the chief to visit, under a tree at the entrance of the Grand Hall.

Division Zhencha Daitui Commander Yang Yong watched the Sixth Company troops marching away, and, turning to the young Non‑commissioned Officer with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes beside him, said with feeling.

"I always thought that if anyone got the chance to stand on the stage and be promoted out of turn, it would be you. I didn't expect someone to beat you to it?"

"He's lucky, but luck is also part of strength."

"Your assessment is quite fair, huh?"

"Speaking plainly."

"You and he enlisted the same year; your merits aren't fewer, and you've taken part in combat missions. You both were promoted to Non‑commissioned Officer early and hold the same Acting Platoon Leader position. I didn't expect the gap at this step to be so wide?"

"I'll catch up."

Yang Yong hummed, "As long as you have that confidence! Actually I'm curious: you, a ten‑event all‑round Tsinghua‑Peking prodigy, versus Lu Yang, a self‑taught genius—who's stronger and who's weaker?"

The sharp‑eyebrowed, star‑eyed Non‑commissioned Officer fell silent for a moment, then said, "Skin, he's thicker than me; eloquence, he's better; but on the battlefield, he's not my opponent."

"Is that so?" Yang Yong's corner of his mouth lifted in a smile: "Then from now on, I'll watch with anticipation!"