Chapter 9: An Unforgettable Meal, an Unforgettable Noodle

The first meal of the New Recruit Company is hard to forget.

Even more, it makes it hard to swallow…

In a cold stainless‑steel tray there is a wrinkled boiled potato, a small heap of powder resembling golden‑brown flour, and a bowl of clear water; this is the entirety of every recruit's first meal upon enlistment.

The recruits wore grim faces, but under the Squad Leader's order they had no choice but to pick up their chopsticks.

When Lu Yang lifted the potato, he found it icy cold, as if it had been frozen in a freezer?

Biting it was hard and a bit like pulling a tooth; the texture was much like a half‑melted potato‑flavored ice pop.

As for that heap resembling flour, Lu Yang originally thought it would be like the hometown tea snack "Jingguo Powder" enjoyed by young and old, and should taste sweet and cloying.

But when he lifted a small amount with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, he discovered it was actually salty?

And the powder, once in the mouth, instantly sucked away saliva and stuck to the upper palate.

Even when taken with water, the swallowing process was uncomfortable, even causing a bit of a throat strain.

Puff!

Suddenly, Ding Tengfei, like a dry‑powder fire extinguisher, sprayed the whole table.

He had been eating too big a mouthful earlier, and accidentally inhaled the powder, which is why it all erupted.

Squad Leader Zhou Kaidong frowned and glanced around, but said nothing; instead, Kong Long and several other recruits showed a schadenfreude expression.

"Damn, is this even food for humans?"

Perhaps embarrassed, Ding Tengfei wiped his mouth and muttered a curse under his breath.

But the next second, Zhou Kaidong set down his chopsticks and stared at him coldly with a sharp gaze.

"Ding Tengfei, what did you just say?"

"Ah, nothing?"

Ding Tengfei pretended innocence, trying to use the chance to bluff his way out.

Lu Yang watched and found it utterly ridiculous.

In a classroom facing a teacher, this trick might work, but here is the military.

Sure enough, Zhou Kaidong grabbed his collar and roughly hauled him up from his seat.

The force was so great that even the bench behind him was knocked over, and the commotion attracted everyone's curiosity in the Cafeteria.

Zhou Kaidong stood almost face‑to‑face with Ding Tengfei, his voice and expression fierce, and said, "Repeat exactly what you just said!"

Ding Tengfei kept trying to argue, but Zhou Kaidong wouldn't buy it.

At this moment, Company Commander Gao Feng came up and asked what was happening.

Zhou Kaidong didn't expose the recruits' shortcomings before the Company Commander; he just said.

"The kid is throwing a tantrum."

"A tantrum, and making such a ruckus?"

Gao Feng gave a symbolic rebuke to Zhou Kaidong, then said to Ding Tengfei, "Sit down, eat."

Seeing someone speak for him, Ding Tengfei suddenly felt empowered and launched an old complaint.

"Company Commander, we rode the train for over twenty hours, traveled this far to the unit, and you give us these things—can we get full?"

At those words, Gao Feng's expression instantly turned icy, yet he did not confront Ding Tengfei.

Instead, he walked over, picked up the frozen potato from Ding Tengfei's tray, took a bite, then another.

After swallowing that potato, he then addressed all the recruits in a very solemn tone.

"The predecessor of our Special Third Regiment was the Longguo People's Volunteer Army's 17th Division, 302nd Regiment!"

"In several battles of the anti‑U. S. Korean War, our regiment repeatedly repelled the enemy, holding the line time after time!"

"The frozen potatoes and fried flour you are eating now were the best food supplies for the soldiers back then; not every soldier could even get them!"

"Earlier, the reason we made you travel such a long distance was to let you better understand the military history of our Special Third Regiment and deeply experience the hardships of the original martyrs!"

At that moment, the recruits realized this was neither a veteran's prank nor a harsh initiation.

It was a vivid reenactment, using personal experience, of the path the original martyrs once took.

Lu Yang had also heard of the rapid‑march story of San Suoli, which is the pinnacle of human light‑infantry history.

In –30 °C icy snow, the soldiers had to carry seventy‑kilogram gear and launch a night‑long 72.5‑kilometer counter‑attack on the mountain to block the enemy.

And the items on the tray were the only source of stamina replenishment for the volunteer soldiers at that time.

They say a sip of snow water and a handful of fried flour can make a feast, but more often, all you could eat was snow.

The recruits stopped complaining, earnestly putting the food into their mouths, even pinching up the spill on the table with their fingers; this was a tribute to the predecessors and at least basic respect.

Company Commander Gao Feng turned, and his glance made Ding Tengfei shiver.

But he didn't criticize; instead, he gave an understanding smile and patted him.

"If you don't want to eat, it means you're not hungry enough; when you're that hungry, even bark could be chewed as meat!"

"Just stand there and watch; if you don't like it, we won't force you. Third Squad Leader, his portion must not be wasted!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Kaidong sat back down and evenly distributed the fried flour from Ding Tengfei's tray to the others.

The fried flour is not the familiar stir‑fried noodles, but a food made by grinding five grains into powder, mixing with wheat flour, and frying.

It is extremely hunger‑resistant, comparable to an uncompressed, nutritionally simple compressed biscuit.

Lu Yang poured a bit of water onto the fried flour, the chopsticks clattered, and he slurped it into his mouth; honestly, the texture was much better than before.

"Squad Leader, any more?"

"......."

Zhou Kaidong didn't expect the kid to still want more rice.

So he pushed his own tray forward, smiled, and said.

"Fine, I won't eat—shall I give it to you?"

Lu Yang showed a polite yet awkward smile and quickly waved his hand to refuse.

He truly wasn't full; the portions were too small to satisfy his stomach.

Although he knows hunger is also part of this experiential lesson, experience tells him that if he wants a full meal, he shouldn't be embarrassed or afraid to open his mouth.

Modern troops have far better conditions than before; as long as you say you're hungry, the Squad Leader can always find a way to squeeze out some milk to fill the stomach.

Kong Long saw Lu Yang's earlier method of mixing water and concrete and thought it was good, so he did the opposite.

He poured all the fried noodles into a bowl of water; after a bewildered pause it became a bowl of nutrition supplement resembling protein powder, then he tipped his head back and gulped it down.

He repeatedly shoved potatoes into his mouth, while subconsciously calculating the calories, carbs, and protein intake of the meal.

"Squad Leader, it's not enough—could we have some more?"

Kong Long became, after Lu Yang, the second person who wanted a bit more.

Zhou Kaidong twitched the corner of his eye and thought, "Why did I get stuck with you two gluttons?"

He turned his head aside and simply chose to ignore it.

Kong Long, unlike Lu Yang, has big muscles and a small brain.

As soon as the tray is pushed away, he will definitely reach out to take it and say, "Thanks, Awo!"

Seeing Ding Tengfei standing awkwardly, still acting carefree, Zhou Kaidong's face flashed with a mocking sneer.

And that odd expression was keenly caught by Lu Yang—could there be a twist?

"Report, Company Commander, the memory‑bitter rice is all finished!"

After the duty officer inspected the fully‑equipped rookie trays, he reported to the Company Commander.

Gao Feng nodded, then ordered, "Alright, you may officially start the meal!"

Ding Tengfei: "?????"

Recruits: "?????"

Soon, dishes that had been kept warm in the thermal box were brought to the table.

Braised chicken with potatoes, tomato beef brisket, shredded pork with green peppers, spicy‑sour kelp, tomato egg soup, and finally a large bowl of fragrant white rice.

"Remember the bitterness, think of the sweetness, remember the bitterness, think of the sweetness!"

"Earlier, it was only to make you remember the sacrifices of our predecessors, not to have everyone endlessly endure hardship!"

The Company Commander announced that it was indeed time to eat, emphasizing that they should sit and gorge themselves; if it's not enough, the Cook Squad can add more dishes.

The recruits were thrilled, saying the troops have many tricks, and that wasn't false at all.

One after another, the delicious dishes starkly contrasted with the earlier "pre‑meal snacks," and the eating soldiers were greasy‑mouthed, unable to stop.

Lu Yang fished out the last three salted duck eggs from his pocket and handed them to a few comrades at the same table.

He then cracked one open and handed it to the Squad Leader sitting opposite.

Seeing Zhou Kaidong look at him with a strange gaze, Lu Yang smiled and said, "A hometown specialty, the last one—this isn't a bribe, right?"

Kong Long interjected, "Squad Leader, these duck eggs are super salty—won't you give them to me?"

Zhou Kaidong glared at him: "You ate three of those on the train for free, and you tell me they're salty?"

He gave Lu Yang a 'you little brat, you get it' look; the oily salted yolk mixed into the rice turned the grains golden, looking very appetizing.

Zhou Kaidong scooped the rice in big mouthfuls, his brows involuntarily lifting as if savoring it.

"How is it, tasty?"

"Mix it with porridge, the flavor will be better."

Lu Yang laughed; he hadn't expected the Squad Leader to be so discerning.

He glanced at Ding Tengfei, who was standing as punishment, and couldn't help feeling a pang of emotion.

The troops are truly humane; if you don't want to eat, they definitely won't force you.

So, Lu Yang soaked the rice in the braised chicken broth and added a lot of dishes.

"Rice is still just a small bowl!"

He stirred it evenly, then scooped huge mouthfuls, eating so deliciously that he almost made Ding Tengfei cry from envy…