Chapter 55: With you being so versatile, the squad leader looks useless

"Sss, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Assistant Squad Leader, Assistant Squad Leader, take it easy!"

In the Third Squad dormitory, the rookie, wincing in pain, pulled his hand back, but Lu Yang yanked it over again.

He held two cotton swabs, one brown and one white, and dabbed them successively onto the wound on the other's hand.

The brown swab, soaked with povidone‑iodine, didn't hurt much when applied, but the alcohol on the white swab made the soldier spasm as soon as it touched the wound.

"All right!"

Lu Yang applied an anti‑infection ointment to the wound and swiftly wrapped the hand with a bandage.

It doesn't hinder movement while maximally protecting the wound from dirt and infection.

After finishing, Lu Yang casually tossed the used cotton swabs into the trash can by his feet, reminding him that the gauze must stay dry, to wash his face while avoiding the scratched area, and that it will heal in a few days.

Then he looked up and called for the next person to come for treatment.

This fluid, graceful scene left Zhou Kaidong and the others staring dumbfounded.

"Lu Yang, when did you learn all this? Haven't we even been taught battlefield first aid yet?"

"Hehe, I was idling while the water was hanging in the Tuan Bu infirmary, so I flipped through the battlefield first‑aid manual."

"Just flipping through it, and you already know how?"

"Yeah."

Lu Yang read the book very carefully.

The battlefield first‑aid manual details, in great depth, how to treat wounds and how to bandage quickly.

Moreover, having seen warriors from other units come to the medic with bruises and sprains, watching a couple of times made it second nature.

Of course, a big part of this is the system at work; the boost in focus and comprehension lets him learn things faster.

"Assistant Squad Leader, take it easy."

Kong Long's ear was scraped, leaving a cut.

Earlier, on the tactical field, while climbing the barbed wire.

He, being broader than the others, inadvertently lifted himself too high.

The wire snagged his ear and neck, causing it to bleed.

It scared Zhou Kaidong so much that he almost thought a major artery was cut and that he was about to die!

Fortunately it was a false alarm, but Zhou Kaidong promptly halted the training because of it.

Even after such long tactical training, they still haven't let the rookies do field drills, and there's a reason.

It's because they're afraid the slow‑witted might get distracted while climbing and make mistakes.

Leaving a few scratches on the face or hands is considered minor.

It is said that years ago, a certain unit had a dim‑witted kid who, during a crawl, suddenly lifted his head, and the wire pierced his eye.

Fortunately, prompt medical rescue saved him; otherwise the soldier would have become a one‑eyed dragon.

The incident had a big impact, and since it involved a rookie, many suggested abolishing the reverse hooks on the barbed wire during basic training to eliminate safety hazards.

But in the end, the senior commander vetoed it outright at the meeting.

"Put on the uniform, you become a warrior; if you're afraid of death or injury, don't enlist!"

"If war erupts tomorrow and the sky above us is no longer a barbed‑wire fence but a hail of bullets, then we just won't fight?"

Those were the senior commander's exact words, and they explain why this clearly risky training is still retained.

Some units even deliberately scatter small stones and gravel on the tactical field to raise the difficulty.

With a flesh body, they hit stones and the thorn‑covered barbed wire.

Such training makes it almost impossible to stay uninjured.

But the more it is like this, the more one must train.

Because only this can greatly increase the warriors' survival odds on the battlefield.

Lu Yang briskly treated Kong Long's wound, then gave him two band‑Aids for him to apply himself.

"Next."

"Where's the injury?"

Ding Tengfei stretched out his two calloused hands.

Especially his left hand, which still had sand and stone fragments embedded in the subcutaneous tissue.

Lu Yang used tweezers to first remove the visible debris, then dabbed povidone‑iodine to wipe, followed by alcohol to remove the iodine.

Like the previous soldier, the alcohol's sting made Ding Tengfei's teeth chatter.

But for pride, he clenched his teeth and held back a groan.

"Anything else?"

"Umm..."

Usually carefree Ding Tengfei suddenly stammered, feeling embarrassed.

Lu Yang frowned, "Anything else injured? If we leave it, later inflammation and infection would be bad."

Ding Tengfei twisted and turned, exposing a large hole in his pants.

Through the opening, one could clearly see a four‑ to five‑centimeter gash at the base of his thigh.

"Take it off."

"Huh?"

"What the heck, how can we treat the wound without taking it off?"

Ding Tengfei felt embarrassed and awkward.

No wonder this guy, after training, walked back with such an odd gait, constantly covering his rear with his hand, fearing others would see the big hole in his pants.

Under everyone's gaze, Ding Tengfei quickly took off his pants, exposing his two hairy legs bare to the air.

Actually the unit issued fleece pants, but because sweating would affect training, many recruits chose not to wear them.

Lu Yang also didn't wear them; over there they have an old saying: "Three fires on the butt of a tooth."

It means that young kids aren't afraid of the cold; they are like little furnaces themselves.

Moreover, tactical training involves crawling around and heavy sweating, so there's no need to worry about getting cold.

Facing the wound on Ding Tengfei's butt, Lu Yang decisively gave the opportunity to the Squad Leader.

"Squad Leader, you take it."

"You have more experience than I do."

Zhou Kaidong clearly hadn't expected Lu Yang to suddenly command him.

Seeing the kid squint and make faces, he immediately understood it was creating an opportunity for himself.

Although the incident of stealing fried noodles happened quite a while ago, Third Squad has returned to its former harmony.

But in truth, the two still harbor a slight rift in their hearts.

But actually, the main reason is that Lu Yang is a bit disdainful.

Because he knows Ding Tengfei doesn't like washing his butt and neglects hygiene.

"How can you do it while standing? Lie down..."

Honestly, the scene is rather risqué.

Especially the dialogue between the two, it makes one drift into fantasies.

Phrases like "tui" clamped, "jue" up, the ferocious slang, are somewhat unpalatable.

It made Ding Tengfei, lying on the bed, wish he could cover his head with a blanket.

Zhou Kaidong also felt very uncomfortable, cursing why the damn wound had to be on the butt.

Even though the work is proper, why does it still look off?

Especially since the bunch in the squad kept heckling from behind, making this steel‑spined straight man feel extremely uncomfortable!

Fortunately, the wound‑tending process didn't last long; just disinfect and apply ointment.

But just as Zhou Kaidong stood up and turned his head toward Lu Yang, he was stunned.

"Whoa, you, you can actually sew clothes?"

"Ha, impressive, right?"

Lu Yang, like a little tailor, pinched needle and thread in his hand, was stitching the big hole in Ding Tengfei's pants, and looked up to give him a smile.

Lu Yang indeed can mend clothes; his skill isn't great, but it's passable.

This skill stems from his previous life when he worked abroad and couldn't throw away torn clothes.

A pair of jeans, patched and mended, lasted seven or eight years; socks with holes, once patched, were still wearable.

In the end, it was poverty that forced it!

Changing a light bulb, mending clothes, fixing an e‑bike tire, cooking a dish or stir‑frying rice— all trivial matters.

Even when he was a delivery person, if a restaurant was too busy during delivery, he would hop up and stir‑fry a couple of dishes without hesitation; of course, for extra pay.

Zhou Kaidong stared at Lu Yang as if looking at a monster, thrusting his thumb up forcefully!

Kong Long and the others also looked astonished, all saying the Squad Leader is the Military Mother.

Now it seems the Assistant Squad Leader, this second mother, is equally very considerate.

"Assistant Squad Leader, thread in hand, Tengfei's shirt."

"Sew tightly before departure, lest the return be delayed."

"Who says a blade of grass's heart can't run three kilometers."

Kong Long, inspired by poetry, suddenly recited a verse.

Everyone clapped together, praising him as a literary master.

Zhou Kaidong felt a bit embarrassed; no wonder Lu Yang had asked him for a needle‑and‑thread kit earlier, as he actually has this remarkable skill!

The stitching, the needlework, the focused demeanor—all exude professionalism!

Zhou Kaidong even felt that, in some sense, this kid resembles a Squad Leader more than he does himself!

"Then, I'm going upstairs to the reading room to write something; Lu Yang will handle class discipline."

Zhou Kaidong, clutching the Score Book and the logbook, once again "slunk away".

Painting, eloquence, battlefield first aid, and mending clothes—all again.

He actually wants to ask Lu Yang, what else can't you do?

You're so versatile, makes me, the Squad Leader, feel useless, you know?