Chapter 46: Veteran Oil‑Boy: This Generation of Recruits Is Too Wild!

Damn, don't mess with me, brother?

I'm not messing with you, I'm really gone!

You keep looking?

Damn, my pocket ripped a hole, those two yuan broke out!

Outside the soldiers' service club, the two white‑hats had just taken a step forward when two first‑generation veterans arrived.

They were from a nearby company on a duty trip, and, seizing a work break, slipped out to buy a pack of cigarettes.

After a hard slog to scrape together 22 yuan to buy a pack of Yuxi, the only two steel coins were lost.

Or just drop it and buy a pack of 14‑yuan Lìqún to smoke?

Get out of the way; the half‑pack of Yuxi in my locker was temporarily stored there by the Instructor, and you lot of turtle‑grandsons sneaked it all away—how am I supposed to explain that later?

We didn't know those were the Instructor's cigarettes... How about we see if we can get credit here?

Borrow a hammer on credit— we're not Tuan Bu troops, who would know us, who would deal with us?

Then what do you say we do? Borrow from someone?

Just as they were speaking, the service club's curtain was drawn back.

A head first stuck out, looking left and right.

After confirming there was no suspicious dangerous figure with a white steel helmet overhead, he felt safe enough to step out boldly.

That overly cautious demeanor, combined with his empty shoulders, made it obvious he was a fresh recruit.

Maybe he's on a business trip to the Tuan Bu with his superiors, or on official business?

Just came out of the kiosk, must have some change.

Come on, go ask this recruit for a loan.

When it comes to borrowing money, most people really won't bother with you.

But recruits are different; fresh recruits usually are more afraid of veterans.

Moreover, they're only borrowing two yuan, so they calculate the other party is unlikely to refuse.

Comrade, please stop!

Lu Yang jumped in surprise, turned his head and saw they were just ordinary veterans, not white hats.

Relieved, he politely gave a salute and called out a greeting to the Squad Leader.

In the troops, when you encounter a veteran of higher rank than yourself, you call them Squad Leader whether you know them or not.

Only when you encounter an officer of captain, Company Commander level or above do you call them Chief.

You're a recruit, right? So, the Squad Leader wants to ask you for a small favor.

What favor?

Could you lend me two yuan in coins?

Can't.

Why?

Because I don't have any.

Alright.

Why don't you ask if I have any paper money?

Do you?

I don't have any either.

Lu Yang's words left the two veterans completely speechless.

Unexplainedly, it felt like being forcibly slapped in the face by a fresh recruit.

One of them, the veteran named Liu Ziqiang, immediately sounded a bit displeased: 'You didn't bring any money, why are you browsing the kiosk?'

Lu Yang retorted: 'Didn't you also not bring any money?'

Hey, you fresh recruit, do you have the right to talk to veterans like that?

Forget it, forget it, I'm not buying, let's go back.

His companion pulled him away, but Liu Ziqiang was still a bit upset about Lu Yang's attitude.

He kept shouting 'fresh recruit' at him, saying he had no manners to dare mock a veteran, which was downright outrageous.

Lu Yang thought they were trying to extort him, so he gave them no good look and snapped back.

Veteran oil‑boy!

Ah, damn!

Liu Ziqiang flung his companion's hand away.

Originally, the cigarettes the Instructor had left with him were smoked by a bunch of grandsons, and he was quite angry.

After a hard trip on duty, he scraped together 22 yuan, only to lose two yuan.

Now a fresh recruit is calling him a veteran oil‑boy to his face—how can he stand that?

Did you hear that, did you hear that?

That kid called us veteran oil‑boys, really thinks we're being extorted?

Even if we don't buy these cigarettes today, I still have to clear this up!

Liu Ziqiang, ignoring the warnings, stormed up to Lu Yang, staring straight at him.

Kid, having personality in the troops is a good thing, but only if you have ability; otherwise it's just stabbing!

Looking at you, you seem as weak as the wind, not very impressive; which of you recruits is the Squad Leader? Say it so I can see if I know you.

What does it have to do with you?

Lu Yang is no fool; he answers whatever they ask.

Moreover, these two are neither duty sentries nor Military Police.

They guessed which nearby unit it was and ran to the small shop to buy something.

He came up deliberately using the Military Police's opening line, "Comrade, please stop," to scare him, clearly treating him as a rookie and trying to tease him.

Why would Lu Yang give a friendly look to someone so unrelated?

But his action completely angered Liu Ziqiang, who came up, grabbed his collar, and threatened him.

"Do you want to get beaten?"

"Come, hit here?"

Lu Yang, scared of his nonsense, thrust his face forward: "If you dare touch me even once, I'll dare to 'die' today!"

Liu Ziqiang was startled by Lu Yang's reckless aura.

He was only trying to intimidate and hadn't intended to actually strike.

Who would have thought the new recruits are this bold now?

Lu Yang glared at him viciously, his aura a good deal stronger.

"Let me tell you, I was sent to the Regiment Headquarters medical office for IV drip because I was sick!"

"I've been frail and sick since childhood; I've taken more medicine than you've eaten rice, and the IVs I've had are beyond your imagination!"

"Don't provoke me, or your combined allowances and discharge pay won't even cover my extortion!"

Liu Ziqiang, frightened, quickly released his grip and stepped back a large stride.

The two veterans kept their distance, as if watching a plague spirit.

Lu Yang straightened his collar, hummed, then lifted his head and swaggered away.

Watching Lu Yang's dashing retreat, the two veterans' heads buzzed.

"Are the recruits this weird this time?"

"Back when we first left the company, we didn't even dare speak loudly to veterans."

"It took us ages to grind from rookie to veteran NCO, yet we're still treated like grandchildren—what's the point of our years of meek endurance?"

"So… we're pathetic?"

"To hell with you! If that kid gets lucky and later his company is assigned to ours, three five‑kilometer runs a day won't kill him!"

On the other side, Lu Yang shared the same thought and resolved to boost his training results quickly.

Otherwise, when he, as a rookie, is transferred to a company, he'll truly become an old soldier celebrating the New Year.

"Hmph, if I'm ever assigned to your company, and become Platoon Leader, I'll force you to copy, recite, and take tests every day!"

"What to do, there's no one to borrow from?"

"Forget it, just buy a pack of Lì Qún cigarettes to get by, and we can still afford two bottles of soda."

"Alright, alright."

"Boss, a pack of…"

The two veterans pulled back the heavy curtain, and as soon as they entered the shop, they froze in terror, speechless.

"Regiment… regiment… Regiment Commander!?"

"Come here, you two."

The two walked over, trembling with fear.

The middle‑aged man in a military coat reached out, pinched their ears, and twisted them.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…"

They quickly begged for mercy, tears of pain streaming down.

"You two are pretty bold, still daring to extort a rookie?"

"Which company are you from? I'll call your Company Commander and ask what kind of leader trains you."

The two veterans were so frightened their souls seemed gone; they never imagined meeting the Regiment Commander at the service center.

If the Company Commander or Instructor found out, their skin would be stripped off.

They kept begging, promising never to do it again, but Regiment Commander Wang Zhongxi wouldn't let them off so easily.

He had watched that earlier scene clearly through the window; it was just like senior students extorting pocket money from elementary kids.

The money was little—only two yuan—but its nature and impact were extremely harmful.

Wang Zhongxi pulled out his phone, asked which company they were from, and directly called the Battalion Commander for them.

Indeed, it wasn't the Company Commander nor the Instructor, but the Battalion Commander.

He ordered them to cease all current tasks and roll over to the Regiment Headquarters' military service center immediately.

Realizing they'd alarmed the battalion, the two veterans were terrified to the core, their three souls and seven spirits fled, and both legs went weak.

Sneaking out during official duty to buy cigarettes already violated discipline.

Intimidating a rookie is an even graver offense, especially when caught red‑handed by the Regiment Commander.

Damn, it's practically no different from breaking a heavenly law!

Just as they couldn't understand why they ran into the Regiment Commander at the shop, the shopkeeper Aunt Li finally returned from outside.

"Oh dear, I'm really sorry to make you, the great Regiment Commander, help me run the shop."

"No problem, you're a military family member, your spouse and I are fellow townsfolk, and today the regiment is doing a physical exam, so at your age you can relax a bit during the check."

"Thanks, thanks. By the way, these two…?"

"Committed a minor mistake."

Wang Zhongxi took off his old military coat and placed it on the counter.

He casually pulled out his regular uniform from underneath; on his shoulders were two bars and three stars, the insignia of a Colonel.

He lifted the curtain, stood at the doorway, lit a cigarette, watched the receding silhouette at the end of the tree‑lined road, and couldn't help but laugh.

This new recruit is quite interesting. Oops, I forgot to ask him what his name is?

He returned to the infirmary, and the doctor was searching everywhere for him.

Upon learning he'd gone to the shop, they immediately gave him a scolding.

You can't catch a breeze with a cold and fever; it's freezing outside, and going out might ruin those few bottles of water you had hung up earlier.

After taking his temperature and giving him a fresh bottle of medicine, the doctor gave a few more reminders before leaving.

He lay back on the hospital bed, Lu Yang let out a long sigh, and his heart felt much more at ease.

He's done everything he can; now it's up to fate...