Chapter 343: Even a Step Late, It's Heavy‑Metal Overload

Morning, 10:30.

Inside the Seventh Company's tank garage.

A young soldier who just got out of the vehicle is carrying a bucket and a rag, cleaning the tank.

While cleaning, some chatter starts, and idle talk kicks off.

"The sun's really blazing in the west today; before dawn, the Sixth Company Commander rushed over with his men to look for our Company Commander?"

"The two usually don't get along; why are they out together in a vehicle this time—did something happen?"

"I heard, just heard; something about the Platoon Leader named Lu from the Sixth Company—he's missing."

The hatch of the nearby tank's cockpit is suddenly pried open, and Ding Tengfei darts out in a flash.

"What did you say? What's up with the Platoon Leader named Lu?"

"Seems like they said the person disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yeah, I was on guard duty then, heard them say the person vanished, didn't know where he went, that sort of thing."

Ding Tengfei lets out a long sigh, nearly scared to death.

But the topic sparks discussion among the others.

"We've heard before that the Lu Platoon Leader of the Sixth Company is the Company Commander's favorite; looks like the rumor was true."

"No kidding, the New Recruit Company is that outstanding; after the next company they were unstoppable, racked up a full set of merits—any Company Commander would love such troops."

"Not just the Company Commander, even the Regiment Commander covets them; didn't you see that article in the military newspaper where the Regiment Commander called him the pride of the Special Third Regiment, the light of the Special Third Regiment?"

"I get it, after all he's a first‑class hero; but I'm frustrated—he hasn't fully recovered yet, where could he run off to?"

"Need I ask?"

A fresh‑recruit with a face full of acne, whose smile is rather lewd, says: "Spring's here, everything revives, heroes are human too, they must be bursting to let off steam, looking for a place to vent."

The others retort: "If venting takes that long, it's already daylight—why aren't you back?"

The acne‑covered recruit snidely replies: "What if he overindulges, or gets hauled away by a vice‑crackdown midway?"

Bang!

The guy gets a slap right on the head.

Turning to the angry‑looking Ding Tengfei, the recruit covers his head and says, "Assistant Squad Leader, why did you hit me?"

Ding Tengfei retorts, "Why do you think I hit you? Baseless—just opening your mouth spreads rumors; the unit's atmosphere is ruined by people like you!"

"You've already moved on from the New Recruit Company, yet you act all relaxed, no sense of urgency, still have time to gossip and cause trouble—I'd say you're the one with too much energy!"

"Put the rag down, stop this task, run twenty laps on the field; and you, go supervise him—miss a lap and you won't eat at noon!"

"Assistant Squad Leader, I—I was just joking..."

"I'm not joking with you!"

Ding Tengfei is too lazy to argue with the kid.

For a fresh recruit, the pressure from veterans is still intense.

Even though Ding Tengfei is only a Senior Private, as Assistant Squad Leader he is highly valued by the Company and Platoon Leaders.

Moreover, rumors say he may inherit Guo Yongwen's squad in the future, becoming the backbone of the Seventh Company.

As the others leave, Ding Tengfei warns his squad: "I tell you, a hero is a hero because they rise above petty tastes. Don't throw your filthy thoughts onto Platoon Leader Lu!"

"Got it?"

"Yes, Assistant Squad Leader."

"Get to work!"

Everyone resumes work, but the atmosphere is considerably more serious than before.

Ding Tengfei keeps busy inside the tank, yet his mind constantly worries about Lu Yang.

He truly can't figure it out—how could a perfectly healthy adult vanish from the hospital, where could he have gone?

Finishing his current task, it's nearly mealtime; the assembly whistle sounds, and Ding Tengfei immediately leads the men to rally, preparing to head to the Cafeteria.

Spotting Guo Yongwen driving back, Ding Tengfei greets the duty officer and darts over at once.

"How's it going, found Lu Yang yet?"

"No, not yet."

Guo Yongwen gets out of the vehicle, shakes his head helplessly.

But then he quickly asks how Ding Tengfei learned about the matter.

Ding Tengfei, worried, says: "Don't ask how I know; you guys have been searching outside all morning and found no clues?"

Guo Yongwen shakes his head: "Can't say there are no leads, but the leads, uh, how to put it..."

"What are the leads, where did Lu Yang actually go?"

According to reports, he was present during last night's ward rounds, but vanished around midnight.

Guo Yongwen continues: "Later, surveillance of the road near the hospital showed Lu Yang, in a patient gown, barefoot, climbing over the wall late at night and sprinting onto the main road."

Ding Tengfei, bewildered, asks: "Running on the main road—what's he doing?"

"No idea."

"And then?"

"Then, after canvassing, we learned from an elderly man that he later went to a nearby public park. Following that, the park's external cameras captured him late at night playing 'Eagle catches chicks' with a group of armed police."

"Eagle, catch, catch chicks?"

Ding Tengfei's face reads pure confusion.

An inexplicable, utterly absurd, theatrical feeling arises.

Running barefoot on the street in the dead of night, then heading to a park to play 'Eagle catches chicks' with armed police.

Could it really be that spring has arrived, all things are reviving, and energy is overly vigorous?

"Wait, what did you say, armed police?"

"Yeah, you can tell that's a group of armed police."

Guo Yongwen said: "There's a physical test this afternoon; the company commander let me come back first. He went with the Sixth Company Commander and Instructor He to inquire at the nearby platoon; it should be fine, right?"

Ding Tengfei's eyes twitched, and he suddenly felt that something big was wrong, a sense of impending disaster.

It makes sense now; suddenly everything makes sense.

This isn't just some insomnia in the middle of the night, running barefoot over the wall and sprinting out; there's definitely someone chasing behind.

Lu Yang would definitely not go crazy in the middle of the night to go to the park and play catch with a bunch of armed police; that clearly means he was surrounded.

As a victim's family member of the Yuanbao explosion, Ding Tengfei clearly knows what Lu Yang did and why his body had just recovered, yet he was being watched by that bunch of old armed police.

Surely the plot has been exposed; that bunch of guys came specifically to seek revenge!

"What's wrong with you?"

Seeing Ding Tengfei's deathly pale face, Guo Yongwen was quite puzzled.

"You, you don't understand."

"What does that mean?"

"I need to hurry and find the instructor; if I'm even a step late, Lu Yang will have excessive heavy metals!"

"What, what exceeds the limit?"