Chapter 53: I Protest, Lu Yang Copied Me!

"What the heck, on what grounds?"

"Why does the Third Squad's table have two small stoves, while we have none?"

"In the morning, their squad had an extra egg soup compared to us; why do they have two extra dishes at noon? This is unfair."

"Mushroom stewed chicken, dry‑pot cauliflower? It's not even the weekend, there's no banquet—on what grounds...?"

Noon, New Recruit Company Cafeteria.

Compared with other squads, the Third Squad's table had two extra dishes.

Such differential treatment immediately made all the recruits feel extremely unfair.

"What's the fuss?"

"Those are sickbed meals!"

In the unit, there is no mandatory requirement regarding sickbed meals.

Adding two extra dishes is decided by the Cook Squad themselves, mainly to reflect the unit's humanitarian care.

After all, when a person is ill they are most vulnerable and miss home the most; this can fully demonstrate the unit's concern and emphasis on the recruits.

"Hey, wouldn't it be great if our squad had a sick soldier?"

"So good, we could get extra meals every time, and they're all my favorites."

"Squad Leader, look at which of us would be suitable to play the sick soldier; we're willing to voluntarily sacrifice for the group!"

Squad Leader glared at the recruit, turned back and looked at the Third Squad's table: "Being a sick soldier is glorious? I'll have yours!"

The recruits quickly lowered their heads and silently scooped the rice.

Whether it's glorious or not they don't know, but the food is indeed good!

"What are you fighting over? You haven't even eaten, you all!"

"It's all gone, what does Lu Yang eat?"

"These are dishes the Cafeteria specifically adds for sickbed meals!"

Kong Long scooped the chicken soup rice from his bowl in huge mouthfuls, looking so delighted that a snot bubble was about to appear.

"Squad Leader, you always say we're a collective; we're now putting that principle into practice!"

"One gets sick, the whole group gets an injection; we're now frantically giving injections!"

"Assistant Squad Leader, have some chicken skin, it's good for beauty!"

Looking at the chicken skin in the bowl, Lu Yang could only laugh and cry.

He really didn't get a few bites of the sickbed meal; it was all divided among these guys.

Seeing the small stove still burning while the pot was almost empty, Zhou Kaidong couldn't bear to watch these gluttons any longer.

He scooped a piece of meat from his own bowl and gave it to Lu Yang.

"Eat a bit more, make up for what you missed the past two days."

"Thanks, Squad Leader."

"Ding Tengfei."

Zhou Kaidong scooped a mushroom into Ding Tengfei's bowl.

Ding Tengfei showed no outward change, but was slightly moved inside.

Because since enlisting, this was the first time the Squad Leader had given him a dish.

"Go fetch some soup."

"Oh......"

Waiting for Ding Tengfei, his face slumped, to bring back the soup.

Zhou Kaidong poured this bowl of seaweed egg‑flower soup into the small stove.

He forcibly conjured another pot of seafood‑flavored chicken soup for everyone.

Although the chicken flavor was hard to taste, the hot broth still made everyone feel delighted.

Because these two dishes aren't available to other squads, it's considered a special extra serving.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed quickly.

During this half month, Lu Yang dramatically improved his physical condition, a stark change from before.

In some physical trainings, he already ranked among the top of the squads, even hinting at catching up to Kong Long.

This made Zhou Kaidong very surprised: how could a fever return and yet his physical condition not only didn't weaken but actually strengthened?

Lu Yang was also amazed by the system's "break before build" effect, and gradually began to enjoy the confidence that came with the physical boost.

If one had to compare Lu Yang's current state, it would be the newbie swelling phase in the fitness world.

It's like those beginners who just started fitness, with a faint training trace, daring to tell the big shots in the circle how to bench press correctly.

Especially after doing bicep curls and barbell bench presses, the arms and chest swell and ache; even a delusion comparable to an invincible Hulk.

Fortunately, Lu Yang, as someone who's been through it, can quickly readjust after brief joy, and set his position correctly.

Then continue to move forward steadily, step by step.

"Beep, beep—"

"First Platoon, come together!"

On the training ground, First Squad and Second Squad, upon hearing the assembly whistle, immediately moved toward the Third Squad.

In daily training, each squad trains on its own, but sometimes they operate by platoon.

Zhou Kaidong, holding a booklet, shouted to everyone: "Next, you will undergo your first Equipment Test since enlisting!"

"Everyone, half turn to the right, head for the equipment training field. Run... march!"

"1,1,121,1,1......"

Lu Yang followed in the line, shouting the cadence with everyone, arriving at the equipment training field.

Equipment Test has only two items, pull‑ups and parallel‑bar dips.

Both are major headaches, especially pull‑ups.

It's not just the other squads; Third Squad still has several who failed.

Zhou Kaidong gave everyone thirty seconds to stretch their arms and wrists.

"Help! I can only do three pull‑ups, what do I do?"

"Cool! Who let you slack off?"

"Can you blame me? Our Squad Leader never enforced it strictly!"

"If our Squad Leader were as responsible as the Third Squad Leader, we probably wouldn't be this weak!"

He heard recruits from the other two squads complain that their Squad Leaders' training was lax, causing their scores to stay low.

It wasn't just Lu Yang; other Third Squad recruits also had a hint of smugness in their eyes.

A strict leader produces top soldiers; the stricter the Squad Leader in training, the better the troops' scores.

Now the assessment starts, and panic sets in—what were they doing earlier?

The most panicked were the Second Platoon recruits, because among the three squads in First Platoon, theirs had the most approachable, personable Squad Leader...

"Warm‑up, do we need to shout, huh?"

Zhou Kaidong's stern voice rang out, instantly silencing the chatter.

He opened the Score Book, stared coldly at everyone: "Starting with First Platoon, go two by two!"

Zhou Kaidong called two names, and the two recruits immediately ran to separate pull‑up bars to get ready.

The ballpoint pen's tip traced each little square in the Score Book, recording the scores in order.

They called it a regular score, but those numbers had already determined most recruits' future assignments.

The troop‑allocation work didn't start after the assessment; it began the moment a recruit enlisted.

Each new recruit is like a blind box waiting to be opened.

Regular scores and performance become the criteria for assignment.

The two‑by‑two assessment progressed quickly, and soon reached Third Squad.

"Lu Yang, Kong Long!"

"Get ready!"

After the previous examinees finished, Lu Yang and Kong Long each went to their own pull‑up bars and braced themselves.

With a starting cue, the two moved like air pumps, arms rising and falling.

The first six or seven were easy for both; later it would get a bit strenuous.

Parallel‑bar dips, like pull‑ups, disadvantage heavier bodies.

Although Kong Long had managed to lose ten jin during this period.

But because his daily intake was still high, further loss was hard, so his own load remained heavy.

In contrast, Lu Yang was lighter, giving him an edge in this test.

10, 11......

Kong Long's arms were already tingling; he planned to stop after a few more.

At the recruit stage, standards aren't that strict: six pass, nine good, twelve excellent.

Kong Long could do more, but saw no need—most recruits barely manage ten.

He considered this already strong enough; doing more would just cause unnecessary injury.

At that moment, he turned his head and saw Lu Yang had also done eleven, still looking at him as if waiting.

Kong Long paused, lowered his body, and did another one.

Lu Yang followed suit, adding another.

Kong Long frowned and added another.

Lu Yang, copying the pattern, did the same.

Then Kong Long quickly raised a hand and scratched his nose.

Lu Yang also raised his hand to scratch his nose; the motions weren't just similar—they were identical.

This made Kong Long a bit displeased, and he protested to the Squad Leader.

"I protest! Assistant Squad Leader copied me!"

"Protest denied!"

Zhou Kaidong rolled his eyes: "The parallel‑bar dip motion is the same for everyone; whatever you do, he does too."

Kong Long was getting frantic, pumping down two more like an air pump.

He turned, huffing, at Lu Yang and saw the guy had also added two.

"Assistant Squad Leader, what are you up to?"

"What's the matter?"

"Are you trying to argue with me to the end?"

"Nothing—?"

Lu Yang shook his head innocently, even glancing up at the sky.

Kong Long's competitive spirit flared; it seemed this time they had to settle the score on the parallel bars.