Chapter 446

"It was thirty just now, how did it become thirty‑five? You're taking advantage of the fire!"

"I'm the one robbing you, so what? Who let you Jiao Long be so rich and cocky, always swaggering like 258,000? Today I'm going to take the big client, and I'll take it all!"

The two's argument grew loud enough to reach the small auditorium, causing everyone to turn their heads toward the doorway.

Zhao Haishen hurried out to tell them to keep their voices down, and at the same time approached Zheng Chengfeng to smooth things over, apologizing.

As long as Lu Yang doesn't speak out of turn, everything can be settled, everything can be discussed.

But Hou Yi simply could not swallow his pride; even if it meant a charge of dereliction, he would not compromise!

"Zheng Chengfeng, I'm telling you, I don't need the person any more; you take them away quickly!"

"I don't believe it—among so many in the Navy, you can't find another good soldier like Lu Yang?"

"I won't give you a single set of weapons or gear; not even a shell or a hair do you think you can take!"

"Coming here to loot while the fire's burning, extorting, day‑dreaming! Let him speak, let him talk—at worst Zhao Haishen takes the blame, after all it's the staff's negligence; at most I'll be charged with dereliction and get a verbal warning!"

Zhao Haishen was completely stunned!

If a serious mistake occurs on the job, promotion will become difficult thereafter!

He still wants to keep advancing; he can't stand still!

Besides, this is a personal matter, but it concerns collective honor—aren't you supposed to lend a hand?

Zheng Chengfeng asked, "These pieces of equipment—are you giving them or not?"

Hou Yi: "Give them to you, sir!"

"I'll ask once more, are you giving them or not?"

"No, not a single one!"

"If your wife finds out you used to go out to wash feet…"

"You actually dare threaten me?! I was just accompanying the leader, it was a work engagement!"

"Did you still swipe the card?"

"They swiped the card and got a fruit platter!"

"So when you just got married, you secretly borrowed money from your wife to give to your first love Xiao Fang—she probably didn't know, right…"

Hou Yi's expression changed in an instant, his tone unusually gentle: "Thirty‑five sets are just thirty‑five sets, no big deal, hahaha, we're all brothers, good brothers! I don't need the person, take the gear, and don't be polite to me!"

"Zhao Haishen, hurry and arrange the loading, deliver it to the people shortly—be fast, be efficient; time waits for no one, troop construction cannot be delayed!"

"Let me think…"

Lu Yang was straining to recall, seriously pondering how to answer the question.

The colonel didn't press him, letting him finish his summary before speaking, trying not to miss any detail.

Just then, Zheng Chengfeng entered from outside and gave him a wink—a literal blink.

Lu Yang immediately received the cue and began his report: "Comrade commander, the situation was as follows; when we first landed on the island everything went smoothly, but later we had to retrieve a kayak tied to the reef, and the fog set in, causing a delay, which by coincidence led us to encounter those two modified patrol vessels."

"Hmm, go on."

The colonel, holding a recorder, nodded at him.

Under a series of tense gazes, Lu Yang continued: "The situation was critical, but comrade Mao Xiaotiao remained calm, soothing everyone's nerves, trying every possible method to maneuver against the enemy vessels and ensure everyone's safety…"

"Mao Xiaotiao?"

Hearing those three words, Xu Ce and the others were first startled.

They didn't recall anyone on the mission with that name.

But when they saw Lao Mao's expression, as if he'd eaten something terrible, they instantly understood—that was Lao Mao's real name.

Tu Hongwei couldn't restrain himself and let out a "pfft" laugh; Lao Mao glared at him, his lips forming a warning: "Laugh at you, you fool!"

He immediately turned his eyes to Lu Yang, not knowing where this guy learned his real name, which mouth‑less‑door‑opening fool kept blabbing it, ruining his brilliance!

Lu Yang: "During the maneuvering with the enemy, comrade Mao Xiaotiao was fearless, never giving up on any of us; it was he who steered the fishing boat steadily, giving me the chance to jump into the water to rescue people, which set off the subsequent events and indirectly ensured the mission's successful completion."

The colonel nodded thoughtfully: "So you're saying that your tacit coordination with him turned the tide, preventing the situation from worsening further?"

Lu Yang nodded: "Yes."

Lao Mao exhaled, and every transaction in the kiosk was now accounted for.

With Lu Yang's testimony, he could land smoothly, no longer fearing accountability.

The colonel asked again: "What do you think of squadron commander Bai Yuan, who launched this operation?"

Bai Yuan's expression shifted, his gaze landing on Lu Yang, a slight nervousness still in his heart.

In the past, the selection training didn't include this item; indeed he "took the initiative" to report it upward.

Normally, a newcomer must undergo three to five months of staged training after joining Special Operations before being assigned to real missions.

His purpose was to accelerate training, help the troops overcome inner fear quickly, and speed the transition from ordinary soldiers to Special Operations members.

And the results proved the effect far exceeded expectations.

The soldiers selected this cohort are tougher, more stress‑resistant, and better able to meet challenges than before.

But reform and innovation mean trial and error, and trial and error mean someone must bear responsibility.

The sudden mishap during the mission was unforeseen by Bai Yuan, so someone had to take the blame.

Before Lu Yang could speak, Bai Yuan breezily said, "Comrade commander, I launched the operation; any problem that arose is my inescapable responsibility."

"You stop first."

The colonel cut him off, indicating he wanted to hear Lu Yang speak, not their internal justifications.

Lu Yang glanced at Bai Yuan: "The operation was indeed initiated by Instructor Bai, but we began simulation training early; from swimming ashore, infiltrating, to unarmed control of the enemy, we trained repeatedly for a month."

"Surviving on a deserted island, Instructor Bai constantly emphasized the six words 'don't abandon, don't give up'; he wants us to twist into one rope in adversity, united with sincere spirit."

"It is precisely because we grasped that spirit that when someone was knocked off the boat and faced mortal danger, I could resolutely rush to rescue."

"I think Instructor Bai is a good instructor; in just these two months he taught me many truths that take others two years to comprehend."

I believe that not only I, but all the team members who participated in the selection training, feel the same way?

The colonel turned his gaze to Xu Ce and the others standing in a line, and from them he received a unanimous answer.

Although they endured endless torment on the deserted island, only by looking back could they appreciate Bai Yuan's painstaking efforts.

Tu Hongwei's arrogance was somewhat curbed after he truly witnessed the instructor's abilities; although he should have been kicked out after losing the match, Bai Yuan kept him.

Xu Ce constantly doubted the authenticity of the assessment content, but in the end reality harshly slapped him; he also learned from Bai Yuan that one should never be overly clever—does it really matter whether something is true or false?

Jiang Dahai chose selfishness in the face of survival predicament, but ultimately, because a teammate fell ill with fever, he resolutely set aside his pride to seek help, truly grasping the meaning of "no abandonment, no giving up".

Almost every person, in this short span of two or three months, underwent a transformation.

Having undergone an early baptism of blood and faced life‑or‑death predicaments, they became even more resilient, unafraid of any challenge.

Bai Yuan felt gratified and also thanked everyone for their understanding; the team members' evaluations were the best affirmation of his hard work.

This also means that his improvement of the selection assessment was successful, and it could also help enhance the overall strength of the Flood Dragon unit; that is enough.

Lu Yang followed up, saying: "The Flood Dragon is the spearhead of amphibious special operations, a unit bearing an honorable mission, rushing to the front line of danger; Battalion Hou took me to tour this honor room, one heroic deed after another, leaving me deeply admiring."

"But I always feel that such a heroic unit should not make such a basic mistake; lapses in intelligence and reconnaissance work can really get people killed."

The colonel frowned: "Who is responsible for intelligence and reconnaissance work?"

With a swish, everyone's gaze locked onto Zhao Haishen.

Zhao Haishen's heart gave a jolt, his face turning as white as paper.

After all, am I the only one who has to bear everything?