Chapter 87: No Respect for Rank, It's an Outrage!

Lu Yang's smile lit up his face, and Gao Feng rightly thought that Lu Yang was excited and thrilled because he had received his invitation.

The Armored Seventh Company is the elite unit of the entire Regiment; who wouldn't want to join, who would be willing to refuse?

Gao Feng's mouth curved into the same crooked‑smile as the Dragon King, and he drove the car all the way to the Regiment's Training Section.

This place is dedicated to planning training and exercise programs, more than twice the size of the New Recruit Company.

It has a dedicated training ground, a firing range, obstacle courses, and even a climbing tower.

After Lu Yang got out of the car, his gaze was drawn to a building on the right side of the Training Section, because the three bright characters on its façade were strikingly eye‑catching.

"Training Team?"

"This is the cradle of Squad Leaders."

Gao Feng cheerfully introduced it to Lu Yang.

The Training Team is right beside the Training Section, sharing the same training field.

Besides being the cradle of Squad Leaders, many veterans also mockingly call this place Yama Hall.

In the unit, a few sayings are even passed around:

"Is it bitter? Think of 25,000. Is it tiring? Look at the Training Team."

"Once you join the Training Team, your eyes water, three meals never fill you, and you run all year round…"

However, Lu Yang, as a soldier with a mature mindset, merely gave a faint smile.

At that moment, a group of veterans were conducting training at the distant firing range, likely snipers selected from various units of the Regiment for the joint training.

Gao Feng led Lu Yang over there, where the joint‑training squad leader was a narrow‑faced, irritable Fourth‑phase Non‑commissioned Officer.

During the training, curses rained nonstop like a machine gun.

Even the First Squad Leader of the New Recruit Company, who loves to blurt dirty words, looked as green as a raw recruit in front of him.

"Company Commander, why are you here?"

The narrow‑faced NCO jogged over and gave a salute.

Gao Feng returned the salute, his smile stiff, and asked, "How's it going, is the joint‑training squad proceeding smoothly?"

The narrow‑faced NCO glanced back, sneered, "A bunch of blockheads, teaching those little squashes, even they are better than teaching them."

Then he turned his gaze to Lu Yang, asking curiously, "Company Commander, what is this…?"

Gao Feng: "We're sending you a little squash."

The narrow‑faced NCO immediately frowned, sized Lu Yang up from head to toe, giving the Company Commander no respect: "Who's this young master, with hair not even fully grown, daring to run here?"

Gao Feng glared at him, warning him not to speak so indiscreetly.

But Guo Yongwen, with a mischievous grin, pulled a cigarette from the Company Commander's pocket, lit it, and mockingly said to Lu Yang,

"Company Commander, you know I hate taking the back door and pulling privileges the most."

"Raw recruit, you haven't even mastered disassembling a gun, yet you join the sniper joint‑training squad—how many tricks can you possibly learn?"

"Just take the people back, I don't want to be a nanny, coaxing kids all day."

"Guo Yongwen!"

Gao Feng was furious!

When no one else is around, ignoring rank is one thing!

Having a rookie here, you still spew filthy language with me, giving no respect at all—do you even have any sense of hierarchy?

It's downright outrageous!

Guo Yongwen, however, didn't hold back; he squinted and asked, "Company Commander, I happen to have something to confirm with you?"

Gao Feng paused, feeling a bit guilty, but pretended to be tough: "Speak!"

Guo Yongwen asked, "Before joining the joint‑training squad, you told me that if I performed well I could get the acting title and become a Formal Platoon Leader; you still remember, right?"

"Hmm."

"But now it's being said there are no slots left in the Regiment; I want to know whether that's true?"

"......"

Gao Feng was at a loss for words; originally he intended to wait until the joint training ended to discuss it properly.

Unexpectedly, the rumor spread so fast that the other side already knew.

Since that's the case, let's just lay it all out plainly.

"Yes."

"So this time, there's still no chance?"

"Guo, listen to my explanation; originally the Regiment indeed planned to give you…"

"Company Commander, I joined the unit at seventeen, under you. I've been in the service for a full fifteen years; I'm thirty‑three this year."

"Six years ago, when I earned a second‑class merit, you told me I'd be guaranteed to become a Lieutenant Platoon Leader before turning thirty."

"I wait day and night, constantly earning honors for the company; I ran the five‑kilometer race five thousand kilometers before I secured the division's third place."

"Now you tell me there's no chance, and ask me to wait longer?"

Gao Feng, feeling guilty, pulled Guo Yongwen aside and tried to soothe his emotions: "I've communicated this matter with the higher‑ups many times, but the Regiment thinks you still need polishing; at most another assessment period, and next year you'll definitely…"

"Heh, next year, again next year—how many next years have I waited?"

Guo Yongwen was completely disillusioned: "Is it because my education is insufficient, so I'm always passed over?"

Gao Feng: "It's not entirely that reason; after all, your ability is outstanding and can compensate for other shortcomings."

Guo Yongwen, indignant, "Then why can that useless Platoon Leader of the Sixth Company, who knows nothing, become regular? Just because he attended a military academy, has connections, while I'm a high‑school dropout from a poor family?"

"That's sheer nonsense!" Gao Feng also angry: "The Sixth Company's Platoon Leader indeed lacked competence; originally they planned to transfer him after his internship, but his staying followed proper procedure!"

"An Intern Platoon Leader who graduated from the University of Science and Technology, after finishing his internship at the assigned unit, can choose to stay or leave!"

"If he had left, that regularization slot would definitely be yours; but now he stayed, what can I do? Should I hold a knife to his throat?"

"I tell you, stop always saying this one has a background, that one has connections; the other side's military academy is earned through real exams, can you do it?"

"That kid's military ability is lacking, but his article‑writing, material‑preparing, event‑organizing skills are top‑notch, and he constantly publishes in various journals; can you do that?"

Gao Feng's words immediately hit Guo Yongwen's soft spot.

He wants to take the military academy entrance, but he can't learn; he can't pass!

He also wants to write articles, to stand out by publishing material, but when he picks up the pen his mind is a blank!

"Company Commander, I'm not taking out my anger on you, I'm resentful that my fate is bad, I'm angry that I didn't study properly back then!"

"Now I'm getting older, my brain can't keep up, even if I want to study I can't absorb it!"

Gao Feng raised his hand to halt, not wanting to discuss these with him here for now.

When the collective training is over, we'll find time to talk properly, break it down and discuss it.

He instructed Guo Yongwen, saying: "This New Recruit Company soldier is now yours; train him well, he'll become the backbone of our Seventh Company. As long as you train him well, I'll go petition Grandfather to inform Grandmother, and also take the two characters 'Acting' off your title!"

Having received the assurance, Guo Yongwen's heart was not pleased; he turned his head to glance at Lu Yang standing there, feeling a sigh and a bitter smile.

I haven't even left yet, and now I have to start training a newcomer?

When the newcomer is trained, what sense of existence will I have?

Lu Yang, like an observer, stood a short distance away watching their dispute, roughly piecing together the events from their conversation.

Every family has a hard‑to‑read sutra; even the most outstanding soldiers have their own shortcomings.

Zhou Kaidong, stubborn in character, not good with words, is pushing hard to stay through the third term into the fourth.

This veteran of the fourth term named Guo Yongwen is the backbone of the Seventh Company, but because his education is too low and his cognition limited, he is only an Acting Platoon Leader so far.

To turn from Non‑commissioned Officer to officer, he must have risked his life, given a lot, yet still could not achieve his wish, so he feels unwilling.

And the difficulty of regularizing a Non‑commissioned Officer Acting Platoon Leader is no less than auxiliary police becoming full police, or third‑party labor dispatch becoming a regular civil servant.

These two are actually microcosms of many veterans in the troops.

Because every year many soldiers like them are forced to shed their uniforms and leave the units they love.

But for Lu Yang, this rookie, his military journey has just begun; the road ahead is long, and there is far too much to learn and master.

The Instructor wants him to grasp the pen, the Company Commander wants him to grasp the rifle.

But Lu Yang wants to grab with both hands at once!

With the system in place, he need not worry about learning bottlenecks; he just has to push forward with all his might.

"Lu Yang!"

"Yes!"

Gao Feng seemed to have reached an agreement over there.

Pointing at Guo Yongwen, he said: "For the coming days, you report to him; he is your team leader!"

Lu Yang saluted: "Yes, team leader!"

Guo Yongwen coldly stared at him, giving no reply nor stance.

Obviously, regarding Lu Yang's arrival, he was deeply dissatisfied.

Gao Feng felt helpless, but still straightened his hat, got on the vehicle and left.

Just as he took a step away, Guo Yongwen circled Lu Yang and deliberately mocked: "You're as weak as a wind‑blown reed, like a thin hemp pole, I wonder what the Company Commander saw in you?"

"Did you give the Company Commander a gift, or is it a child of his seven great‑aunts and eight great‑uncles?"

Lu Yang stared ahead, carrying his pack, giving no reply.

Guo Yongwen coldly said: "When you're with me, you must follow my rules! I won't make an exception just because you're a rookie; everything follows the veteran training standards!"

"Yes!"

"Now, take the pack, head to the track and run!"

"Report, how many laps?"

"How many laps?"

Guo Yongwen chuckled: "Keep running! Run until you can't move, until you can't straighten your back, until you're crying and shouting, begging me to send you back to the New Recruit Company!"

Lu Yang stared into his eyes, replying unflinchingly: "Report, then you may be disappointed!"

Having said that, he slung the pack on his back and sprinted toward the track......