Chapter 76: No Peril, Triumphant Return

"Got it?"

"No! How about you?"

"Damn, I also got lost!"

"Damn!"

Outside the Sixth Company camp's wall, two Military Police were panting heavily.

One leaned against the wall, the other propped his legs with both hands; both were exhausted.

I thought I could notch another accomplishment, but the two ducks I had in my mouth all flew away.

"Those two must be soldiers from the Sixth Company!"

"Right!"

The two Military Police fixed their gaze on the Sixth Company camp.

Who else could order takeout to be delivered outside the wall?

"You can run from a monk, but you can't run from the temple!"

"Alright, I want to see if those two can actually not come back."

"Company Commander, Company Commander!"

At noon, Sixth Company Commander Ma Qing'an was taking a nap on his dormitory bed.

Outside, a rapid series of knocks came, which irritated him.

He took off his SpongeBob eye mask, sat up from the bed, and, irritated, said, "Come in."

After the duty officer came in, he quickly reported, "Company Commander, two Military Police have come in and are asking for you by name."

Ma Qing'an frowned, "Why are they looking for me? Last month I was caught speeding, and we already made the Instructor take the blame. Why again?"

The duty officer awkwardly explained, "It's not about that incident; they said they're looking for those two…"

"Who messed up again?"

"Not that."

"If it's not one of our people who made a mistake, why summon the Military Police?"

The duty officer briefly explained the situation: he had heard those two Military Police lost the person they were chasing, so they set their sights here, and he sneered.

"They lost someone near our camp and thought to come to me to look for them?"

"If they lost someone near the Regiment Headquarters, they'd have to sit in the Regiment Commander's office?"

Ma Qing'an raised his hand and hooked a finger at the duty officer; the officer, understanding, pulled a cigarette from his pocket and handed it over.

He lit it, took a drag, rubbed his eyes, wiped the gunk, and said, "Are you sure those two aren't from our company?"

"One is, the other isn't."

"Who?"

"Zhou Kaidong."

"That little brat went to the New Recruit Company, why did he run back?"

"I heard the guard at the gate say Zhou Kaidong apparently ordered takeout to the wrong place, ran over to pick it up, and ran into the Military Police halfway."

"Heh, no brain, and bad luck."

Ma Qing'an, with the cigarette between his lips, laughed and teased, "Everyone's already run away, right?"

The duty officer nodded, "Definitely. If they could catch him, he'd have wasted all those years for nothing."

"Who's the other, a fresh recruit?"

"No, he looks like a veteran, holding a Phase‑2 rank. But that guy is also quite funny…"

"What do you mean?"

"First he led the Military Police around in circles several times, then scaled the wall to get in, tricked the outside Military Police inside, feigned a shot, and then scaled the wall out again."

"Hahaha, like playing with a monkey, so funny!"

Ma Qing'an went outside, took a deep drag, and then stubbed the cigarette in the ashtray.

"Alright, I'll go ask those two Military Police why they're riding on the unit's wall—what's that about?"

"If they can't find the person and have no explanation, don't blame us for slamming the door and beating a dog!"

The duty officer chuckled mischievously; they often took a lot of flak.

Every now and then they'd get hassled by that group over trivial things like loose shoelaces, long hair, or how they walked and talked.

Now that they showed up at the door, letting them go so easily would be giving them a real bargain!

"Where's your Squad Leader?"

In the New Recruit Company, Third Squad dormitory.

Gao Feng frowned and asked the new recruits in the squad.

The recruits hadn't expected the Squad Leader to be out getting takeout for so long; faced with the Company Commander's questions, each stammered nervously.

Gao Feng pointed at Ding Tengfei and Kong Long, asking, "Where did the Squad Leader go, according to you?"

"Taking a dump!"

"The laundry drying area!"

Their answers didn't match; Gao Feng snorted, "Where exactly did he go?"

"The laundry drying area!"

"Taking a dump!"

Once again the two looked at each other, and finally Ding Tengfei responded.

"The Squad Leader first went to take a dump, then washed clothes, and went to the laundry drying area."

"What about Lu Yang? Why isn't he here either?"

Ding Tengfei said nervously, "Lu Yang went with them to dry clothes."

Gao Feng, looking skeptical, said gravely, "I'll give you another chance: where exactly did the two of them go?"

The Third Squad recruits stammered, none daring to tell the truth.

Ordering takeout is already a violation, and they were out fetching it for this long.

Even Ding Tengfei knows that such treacherous behavior can't be done; otherwise it would be pushing the Squad Leader and Assistant Squad Leader into a fire pit.

Kong Long's brain instantly seized the high ground: "Company Commander, actually, there's something we've never told you; it has a huge impact, but I hope you can understand."

Gao Feng frowned, "If you have something to say, let it out."

"I suspect the relationship between the Squad Leader and the Assistant Squad Leader isn't purely battlefield camaraderie!"

"Hm?"

Gao Feng was stunned; if it's not battlefield camaraderie, what else could it be?

One is from Hui Province, the other from Su Province—aren't they strangers?

"Their ancestral homes are in Sichuan and Chongqing, actually…"

"…they're long‑lost biological brothers!"

Kong Long originally intended to say something unsuitable for children, something highly disrespectful.

But Ding Tengfei, quick‑eyed and swift, cut him off and claimed the two were biological brothers.

"......"

The Third Squad recruits couldn't help but cover their faces.

This fabricated nonsense was a bit too far‑fetched.

One is surnamed Lu, the other Zhou, and they don't even look alike!

Gao Feng laughed as he walked over, pinching Kong Long's and Ding Tengfei's ears: "If the two are biological brothers, then I'm their dad!"

Kong Long thought, "What the hell, why are you pulling this moral gag?"

Ding Tengfei, wincing in pain, kept begging for mercy, yet still didn't disclose the two's whereabouts.

Gao Feng knew exactly what mischief the two had gone to do; otherwise the Third Squad wouldn't be covering it up.

He was too lazy for small talk; turning and just stepping down the stairs, he saw two silhouettes in the distance, laden with big and small bundles, running in dusty haste.

Gao Feng stood in front of the stairs, hands behind his back, his right shoe's sole clacking against the ground, assuming a stance ready to launch an inquiry.

Lu Yang tried to tuck the thing in his hand behind his back, but Gao Feng pointed his finger at him: "What are you hiding? I saw it—such a big bundle!"

After speaking, he turned to Zhou Kaidong and reprimanded, "You, as Squad Leader, actually abandoned your post?"

"Uhh… went to fetch something."

"It took that long to get a lousy takeout?"

"Got the address wrong and delivered it to the old unit."

"......"

Gao Feng wore an expression of utter amazement.

What talent!

Ordering a takeout and still delivering it to the wrong place—you're a pig‑brained idiot!

He wasn't forbidding Zhou Kaidong from ordering takeout; the 200‑yuan sponsorship was meant to buy them food.

But if you bought it and delivered it near the New Recruit Company, you could've just taken it and eaten it—why make it so complicated?

"Didn't you encounter any dirty stuff?"

"I did…"

Lu Yang honestly admitted.

At this point, don't cling to any hope of luck.

Confession is lenient, resistance is severe; that actually leaves a sliver of hope.

Gao Feng's expression changed instantly: "Did you even call in the Military Police?"

Lu Yang waved his hand: "No, no. After we got the takeout we did run into the Military Police, but the Squad Leader and I split up; they didn't catch us, we managed to shake them off before returning."

Gao Feng exhaled, a hint of relief in his brows: "Shake them off, that's good. Alright, Lu Yang, you go up first; I have something to discuss with your Squad Leader."

"Yes!"

Lu Yang took the milk tea Zhou Kaidong handed him and hurried back upstairs.

As soon as he entered the class, the kids' envious, expectant, excited gazes all turned toward him.

At that moment, Lu Yang resembled a victorious hero returning triumphantly, radiating brilliance.

"Come, come, one cup each, one cup each!"

"The fried skewers are on the table; they might be a bit cold, so everyone share them!"

"We also have fried chicken leg, fried chicken strips; Kong Long, the Squad Leader specifically bought you a serving of cold noodles, fearing you wouldn't have enough!"

Lu Yang handed out the food like a little boss, watching everyone sip milk tea and eat fried skewers, his smile as bright as during New Year.

He felt a sense of accomplishment, because the food was hard‑won and he had snuck it back under the Military Police's watchful eyes without incident.

"Assistant Squad Leader, give it a try; this starch sausage is really tasty!"

Ding Tengfei snatched a piece of starch sausage and handed it to Lu Yang.

Lu Yang took a bite; aside from being a bit cold, it tasted fairly good.

But food from outside never matches his mother's cooking; in his eyes, the fried skewers and chicken strips made by Ms. Yuan AiQin are the best in the world.

Because they not only spanned most of his childhood, but also were the family's main source of income.

Unfortunately, years ago his parents took out many external loans to build a house, and most of their earnings went to repay the debt.

Moreover, Lu Yang has been frail and sick since childhood, and the costs of IV drips, medication and therapy are not insignificant.

Therefore, their household finances are truly not affluent, barely enough for a modest living.

Precisely because of this, Lu Yang did not choose to have his family borrow money for him to repeat his studies.

Instead, he resolutely joined the troops, at least saving his family a large expense and greatly easing his parents' financial pressure.

Soon, Zhou Kaidong returned from downstairs, ate a simple fried chicken strip, and handed the rest of them all to th Class Squad Leader Li Jiang.

Incidentally, he also returned Lu Yang's shoulder insignia to the other party.

Watching everyone with wind‑swept hair, mouths greasy, faces full of satisfied exhilaration.

Zhou Kaidong also took the opportunity to announce something even more uplifting for everyone.

"This afternoon, formal gun issuance!"