Chapter 467: Lu Yang, I Look Down on You!

At 5:30 p. m., below the steps of the cafeteria entrance, the soldiers filed in after finishing the military song.

Originally, the hungry crowd had been eagerly waiting for the meal to start.

Seeing Lu Yang enter, the crowd that had been smiling just moments ago immediately sat up straight.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Lu Yang sat down, his tablemates Ma Qing'an and He Zhen Tao immediately got up and moved to the neighboring table.

The duty officer, along with the other few platoon leaders from the same table, hesitated a moment, then followed them.

Kang Changyi also stood up, nodding and bowing toward Lu Yang to apologize, then took his utensils and sat at a nearby table.

At that moment, Lu Yang occupied a table alone, becoming the sole attractive sight in the cafeteria.

One would have thought that, given the situation, Lu Yang would surely be unable to hold back and would speak up voluntarily.

But unexpectedly, he acted as if nothing had happened, silently eating his meal.

During this, Squad Leader Hong approached with a plate of stir-fry, set it before Lu Yang, and plopped down.

"It's fine, eat your meal."

"They don't understand; that's their problem. I think you're fine."

"As a soldier, if your professional skills aren't up to standard and someone points out a flaw, do you still have a right to complain?"

Squad Leader Hong's voice was loud, with no intention of holding back, making the soldiers at nearby tables too embarrassed to look up.

Ma Qing'an spoke: "Squad Leader Hong, this is none of your business; you don't understand anything."

Squad Leader Hong retorted: "How is it that I don't understand? Isn't everyone improved through criticism? When I first started, I couldn't even flip a wok, and I was constantly criticized by the squad leader, yet I never complained like you do."

"I've worked in the cook squad for years; whenever someone says today's food isn't to their taste, after the shift I must immediately call a meeting to discuss what went wrong and why."

"How to improve, how to advance, how to best satisfy every soldier's palate; if one lacks ability, they shouldn't forbid others from speaking—where is the sense in that?"

"Moreover, Lu Yang is the examiner, with so many people watching, so many eyes fixed on him—how could you expect him to go easy?"

Ma Qing'an, flushed red from being rebuked, wanted to speak but He Zhen Tao signaled with his eyes to stop.

Lu Yang has his position, they have theirs; although being stricter procedurally is not wrong.

But this very strictness made them the biggest joke at the Sea Training Base and ruined their first chance to gain a foothold.

The ensuing troop division would also assign the vast majority of soldiers to peripheral units, or even lead to early discharge and leaving the army.

So they fail to understand, cannot comprehend, and cannot make sense of it; once they had twisted everyone into a single rope, constantly radiating warmth like a little sun, why must they become the heaviest stick striking everyone's heads?

This matter could be handled by anyone, and they would accept it willingly—except they cannot accept it being done by Lu Yang.

But Lu Yang, the person involved, clearly knows this is a step he will eventually have to take; it also symbolizes a fresh start, breaking away from ordinary soldier status and moving toward becoming a commander.

These things, he cannot explain, nor can he clarify anything.

When the flood dragon departed, Bai Yuan had once told him: Do what you believe is right.

Now, he is doing just that.

The cafeteria fell utterly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Apart from Lu Yang chewing his food, no one moved their chopsticks.

Squad Leader Hong comforted Lu Yang: "Still the same saying— they don't understand, they don't support, but our cook squad supports you!"

Lu Yang smiled: "Thank you, Squad Leader Hong."

"Of course."

Squad Leader Hong returned to the kitchen.

Immediately afterward, someone stormed in from outside with a fierce presence.

Everyone turned to look, only to see Gao Feng, face flushed with anger, rushing straight toward Lu Yang.

Behind him followed Guo Yongwen and Ding Tengfei, but no amount of persuasion could stop him, and he shoved them aside.

"Old Gao, what are you doing?"

Ma Qing'an quickly stood up, blocking Lu Yang's path, to stop the irascible Gao Feng of the First Company.

Gao Feng, blazing with fury: "I'm here to find Lu Yang, not you!"

Ma Qing'an, with a cold face: "This is a dining hall; if you have something to say, let's take it outside!"

Gao Feng pointed angrily at him: "Ma Qing'an, I warn you—this is none of your business, move aside! Today I must demand an explanation for my men!"

"Gao Feng, what's gotten into you?"

He Zhen Tao also stood up: "Can't you speak properly instead of making a scene and becoming a laughingstock?"

Gao Feng swept his hand away, stepped directly opposite Lu Yang, slammed both hands on the table, and stared him down: "Lu Yang, I ask you—what have I done to offend you?"

"Go after me if you must, but why target my men?"

"Ding Tengfei—he's your fellow villager, and he came from the same recruit company and squad as you!"

He pointed at Ding Tengfei standing nearby and demanded angrily: "In the evaluation, he was only two or three meters shy of reaching the finish line and earning that fifty points—why didn't you let him pass?"

Lu Yang lifted his head, looked at him, and said nothing.

The truth was, he had already given Ding Tengfei a five-second allowance, but he still fell short by a step.

Gao Feng then pointed at Guo Yongwen: "And him, Guo Yongwen!"

Guo Yongwen came over trying to pull them apart, apologizing repeatedly to Lu Yang: "Company Commander, let's go back; this really has nothing to do with him, it's me......"

"What do you mean 'not his concern'? How is it not his concern? If it weren't for him, your disguise would have been seen through and you'd have been eliminated early."

Gao Feng pointed at Lu Yang, heartbroken and indignant, his fingers trembling: "You won't even leave him the slightest chance? You know full well that if Guo Yongwen doesn't pass the fifth round, he's done for!"

"I had always thought you valued loyalty and righteousness, never expecting you to be so cold-hearted!"

"You're remarkable, you excel, you rise quickly, and leaders have taken notice—but don't forget how you got to where you are!"

"Without me, without Old Ma, without He Zhen Tao, without Guo Yongwen, without all those behind the scenes who willingly and silently put in the effort, could you, Lu Yang, have reached where you are today?"

"Lu Yang, I tell you—I, Gao Feng, look down on you, I look down on you!!"

The entire hall fell silent, everyone gazing at Lu Yang with an extremely complex feeling.

Even though Gao Feng's remarks voiced everyone's feelings and were a satisfying scold, no one could truly be happy.

Zhou Kaidong was anxious and distressed; he knew Lu Yang had his reasons, but didn't know why Lu Yang never offered a single defense.

Kang Changyi felt Lu Yang had changed; his aura was completely different from before.

Like the homeroom teacher for language arts back in school, like the dean who checks discipline.

In short, he became very solemn, very strict, and unfeeling; just being near him created great psychological pressure.

As a result, Kang Changyi didn't dare act out in front of the "current version" of Lu Yang, let alone joke around as before.

Lu Yang slowly set down his chopsticks, looked up at the raging Gao Feng, and asked calmly.

"Are you done speaking?"

"Not yet!"

"You finish, then it's my turn to speak."

Lu Yang stood up, looked at everyone in the Cafeteria, and finally fixed his gaze on Kang Changyi.

"Three years at the military academy, two years on the front lines, you don't even know where your water bottle is hung; is it a problem for me to criticize you?"

Kang Changyi's hair stood on end, his head shaking like a rattle: "No problem, the criticism is good, the criticism is clever, the criticism is squeaky!"

Lu Yang looked at QiDelong: "Emergency assembly, you dawdle, can't even pack your backpack properly—can I blame you?"

QiDelong lowered his head awkwardly: "Can …"

"And you, you, you several, and all of you; all of you messed up the most basic military tasks—did I say it wrong?"

"......"

"Since when has humbly admitting mistakes become a shame?"

"......"

"And you!"

"Me?"

When Lu Yang suddenly turned his focus onto himself, Gao Feng was stunned.

"Where did the Hard Bone Company's spirit go?"

"Having left the armored vehicle, the infantry fighting vehicle, how has combat power dropped?"

"The command is a mess, firepower can't keep up, even the running is slow!"

"On that beach ambush, if it weren't for the Sixth Company Commander risking his life to save you, could you have lasted till the end?"

"When you accuse me of not giving your soldiers any leeway, have you ever considered that many warriors of the Seventh Company were sacrificed under enemy fire because of your misjudgment and command errors?"

Gao Feng was choked hard, unable to utter a single word.

Ma Qing'an's gaze at Lu Yang changed dramatically, as if looking at a mature, qualified commander.

Lu Yang said sternly: "Face isn't given by others; it's something you earn yourself! Even if I slack off in the assessment, even if I let you score high, can you honestly live in false honor?"

"I know some are dissatisfied; that's fine, I don't care whether you accept me or not. But I'm putting this here today—if you keep being so reckless, the humiliation in the assessments will keep playing out!"

"Within the Marine Corps, pick any unit with a bit of capability, and you can easily blast you all to pieces!"

Lu Yang pinpointed the team's problems with a single sharp comment, leaving everyone speechless.

Having said what needed to be said, Lu Yang walked up to Guo Yongwen.

Guo Yongwen sighed, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say.

"Extend your hand."

"Ah?"

"This is yours, congratulations, you're staying on the team early."

Lu Yang pulled a set of military ranks from his pocket, slapped it onto his hand, and walked straight away.

Guo Yongwen was stunned, looked down, and his pupils widened like an earthquake.

"Second Lieutenant??"

Gao Feng saw the one‑bar, one‑star Second Lieutenant insignia in his hand, opened his mouth wide, and was equally stunned on the spot......