Chapter 39

  Everyone's gone mad! I'm going to relieve myself! Zuo Ming pushed open the door and threw out a sentence without looking back. No one saw the despair filled with gray ash on Zhao Zhenghao's face.

  At night, the sky was clear and the entire base was quiet as a tomb, except for a few sentries on the city wall who coughed and lit their lamps. A black shadow quietly came to the window of the team members, listened carefully, and then took out a key to unlock the door. After entering, he suddenly turned on the big light, and the strong light instantly illuminated the entire room. The team members reflexively grabbed their pistols from under their pillows and rolled off the bed. Only after adapting to the light did they see that the intruder was Captain Su Yue-song. Everyone put away their guns and stood in a line, waiting for the captain's lecture. Su Yue-song looked at each person with a gloomy face, while the team members stared straight ahead, standing upright. After a long time, Su Yue-song said: "Today, I have two things to announce. First, there was a theft not far from us, and a large quantity of cabbage was lost. The owner came over to ask questions; second, I came here specifically to commend our Shao Hui-zuo-ming and Liu Jun-hao for their bravery in the face of adversity, as they defeated their opponents after a night of... 'adventure'. They have won us honor and prestige." Su Yue-song emphasized the words "honor" and "prestige". After finishing speaking, he looked at each person's expression again, finally fixing his gaze on Zhao Zheng-hao, who was closest to him: "Tell me, what really happened?"

  Captain, I think Shao Hui, Zuo Ming and Liu Junhao are brave enough to fight hard battles and bite the bullet. They have indeed won us honor. I think they should be awarded third-class merit once! Zhao Zhenghao replied loudly.

  I didn't ask you about this! I asked about the Chinese cabbage thing! Su Yue Song scolded.

  Captain, I think there's no solid evidence, we can't suspect anyone! Zhao Zhenghao replied.

  "Hmm, evidence? Evidence is it? Su Yue Song walked up to Zhao Zheng Hao with his hands behind his back: Tell me, who among these people can climb over the high wall under the noses of the sentry dogs and steal things without being discovered? Who has this ability but goes to steal cabbage? The people here don't even eat cabbage or grow cabbage. The one who lost the cabbage isn't from Basela, he grew some himself for winter salads. Good fellow, the master hasn't even had a chance to eat it yet, and it's been eyed by a group of high-quality thieves! Where is the cabbage?" Su Yue Song asked loudly.

  Captain, we really didn't go steal cabbage. If you don't believe me, ask our sentry, that night we didn't even go out. Wang Jianbin said.

  I just asked the sentry and confirmed that it was you guys! Su Yue Song walked a few steps to Wang Jianbin's front and said.

  Actually, Su Yue Song was not idle today. At noon, the director went out for a while, and two strangers came to the base asking to see the person in charge. Su Yue Song met with them, and the stranger said that his master had been living here for some time due to some reasons and was not used to the local food, so he planted some Chinese cabbage. He knew that Chinese people were accustomed to eating Chinese cabbage, and if needed, he could send some over. Su Yue Song was puzzled at the time, wondering why they wanted to send Chinese cabbage out of the blue, so he asked this question. The stranger saw that Su Yue Song really didn't know what was going on, so he said that if needed, just say a word, and hoped that in the future, don't take things without the master's knowledge. Su Yue Song immediately understood, it must be his subordinates who did something behind his back. He felt extremely embarrassed and promised to investigate thoroughly. After sending off the guests, he immediately went to ask the sentry from last night about the situation. One of the sentries said that last night, there seemed to be several shadows jumping over the wall, but they were too fast, and it was unclear whether they were people or cats. He then went to review the surveillance video and counted the figures on one side of the wall - exactly eleven. He understood that this case was solved, so he called an emergency assembly at night and summoned these criminal suspects. He very confidently put the crime on their heads, and also pointed out that the people from Basela were not thieves due to their faith.

  Your speed can't escape the camera, right? Even if you say that not seeing your face can't be used as evidence, how do you explain the ten people's shadows? Su Yue Song knows the temper of these soldiers and won't admit defeat unless all avenues of retreat are blocked.

  What about the cabbage? Bring it out! Su Yue Song let out another loud roar. The people in the room didn't move, and Su Yue Song's anger rose to the surface. He pointed at everyone and scolded: "The army has spent so much effort and resources training you all, is it to make you special forces to carry out special missions? Not to sneak around like thieves in the middle of the night! Even if no one finds out, don't you feel ashamed yourselves?"

  Captain, we didn't sneak around! We took out the cabbage with our sleeves rolled up and shouting slogans! Zhao Zhenghao saw that things had already been exposed, and rather than being scolded passively, he might as well admit it and salvage some face.

  The team members admitted so readily that Su Yue Song stopped scolding people. He nodded heavily: Who led the way?

  Report to the captain, each military service cooperates in combat, there is no commander-in-chief. Shao Hui stood in the center of the team and replied, the matter has been committed, we are willing to accept all punishments!

  What punishment? Su Yue Song glared and scolded, fine! You tell me how to punish! Shao Hui did not speak.

  Answer me! Su Yue Song pressed again.

  Otherwise, Liu Junhao said beside him, we are willing to offset our merits and don't want that third-class merit.

  What? Su Yue Song was furious and laughed instead, do you still want credit? I will announce your punishment right now!

  As soon as this was said, everyone's ears perked up tensely. These people had military achievements and punishments in their files, but they didn't care about having one more. What they were afraid of was that after struggling to survive in a foreign land, they would end up with nothing, and finally return home with a punishment tucked under their arm. When their parents asked, "Son, what did you bring back?" They couldn't say, "Mom, I brought back a punishment for the two elders!" Wouldn't that be embarrassing? This was what the team members were worried about.

  The theft of the cabbage last night was a very serious matter, with extremely severe consequences. Not only did it damage our relationship with the locals, but also directly affected the image of our soldiers. So I have decided... Su Yesong swept his gaze over each person, and the team members remained expressionless and stood at attention. I have decided that tonight, no matter what, we must get rid of the cabbage, whether by stewing or stir-frying!

  All team members were stunned, and Su Yue Song muttered to himself: Can't let that old guy laugh at us. After all the team members reacted, they cheered, and Su Yue Song said seriously: What's all the fuss about! There's meat in the kitchen, take some cabbage with you and go eat a midnight snack, you're treating me! I haven't had braised pork with cabbage for a long time either!

  The team members sneaked into the kitchen on such a quiet night, like hungry rabbits, and eliminated an entire bag of half-white cabbage. The remaining ones were buried in the vegetable cellar, waiting for the day when they would be dug up to satisfy their cravings. The next day, the head chef at the factory said he felt sick, and as soon as he entered the kitchen, everything smelled like stewed white cabbage. Everyone said he wasn't thinking of white cabbage, but was homesick instead. Su Yue-song told him not to enter the kitchen today, lest he fall too deep into nostalgia and contract a bad case of homesickness.

  Shao Hui said that the bottom line of human happiness is resilient. Fellow countrymen at home can eat whatever they want, live very comfortably but have no sense of satisfaction. But here, being able to sneak in a midnight snack of plain vegetables can bring happiness for a long time.