Chapter 033: Not Even Exchanging for Military Merit Badges

  Today, after we finished breakfast, our class monitor began urging us to hurry up with tidying up.

  Because in 10 minutes we will board a military vehicle and head to the live grenade throwing range.

  In recent days, I had to repeatedly practice the operation and throwing of hand grenades every day.

  Today is the day we throw real bullets.

  Some comrades were worried and afraid of throwing live ammunition.

  As we were folding the quilt, new recruit Zhang Wei whispered to Sergeant Xia who was standing behind the door reading the military newspaper: "Sergeant, can I not go to throw live ammunition?"

  "Huh?"

  The class monitor was somewhat surprised, turned around and asked Zhang Yue: "What did you just say? I didn't hear clearly, tell me again."

  "Can I not go and cast a real vote?" Zhang Lei asked nervously again.

  The class monitor said: "Why?"

  "Because I'm afraid." Zhang Lei said with a red face, looking embarrassed.

  The class monitor shouted at him: "What are you afraid of? Even if it explodes, it's just a small pit. What do you have to be afraid of?"

  We were left speechless after listening to the conversation between the class monitor and Zhang Lei.

  "Zhang Wei, don't be afraid, just follow the method taught by the class leader, you'll definitely make it."

  "Yes, Zhang Lei, we are soldiers, and sooner or later we will have to face these things."

  "Zhang Wei, we have high hopes for you."

  The other comrades in our sixth class hastened to encourage Zhang Lei who was somewhat timid.

  Zhang Wei was moved by me and nodded his head in gratitude towards us.

  Not long after finishing tidying up inside, the assembly whistle sounded.

  We got on the military vehicle and our team headed towards the destination.

  On the bus, the class leader taught us some precautions for throwing hand grenades.

  After arriving at our destination, we had some unexpected surprises.

  There are already other troops here.

  The monitor told us that these were all other new recruit battalions.

  After we were brought to the throwing point of our new recruit regiment, it wasn't long before a captain came over here.

  "Comrades, don't be nervous, follow the order arranged by your company and throw one grenade each."

  Then the captain pointed to the low wall made of sandbags in front and said to us: "Later you will stand at that position, throw hand grenades outside the wall. Outside is a deep ditch, it will be very safe."

  We indirectly looked at the past.

  Not long after the leader left, a military off-road vehicle stopped in front of our team.

  Four non-commissioned officers got out of the car.

  The four class leaders carefully carried the hand grenade box to a vacant lot in front.

  After Commander Lin had finished introducing the sequence and direction of the march, our military career's first live ammunition drill began.

  The first thrower was the monitor of Class One.

  We stared unblinkingly at the class monitor.

  He was seen walking towards the target location after receiving the hand grenade.

  There were already two security personnel waiting at the destination.

  At this time, we see that when the squad leader pulls out the insurance plug and throws it outside the wall, the two security personnel immediately press down on the squad leader and squat on the ground.

  "Bang..."

  As the sound of the hand grenade explosion ended, the squad leader completed the hand grenade throwing exercise.

  Then came a new batch of recruits.

  As I watched the new recruits who had just finished throwing grenades tell their fellow soldiers who hadn't thrown yet about the feeling after throwing, my heart began to feel a little impatient.

  Wait, we just wait outside the scene until it's our turn to throw.

  We finally arrived at our second row.

  As the last new recruit of Class Five finished his toss.

  The class monitor led us to the waiting area.

  "Don't be nervous, just throw it well, did you hear?" The class leader shouted at us after receiving the hand grenade.

  "Yes, Monitor."

  The monitor finished speaking and walked towards the throwing point.

  "Bang..."

  The monitor also completed his throw.

  Then Hu Xingwei took the stage, and next it was my turn.

  Hu Xingwei led the hand grenade towards the throwing point.

  With a loud "bang"

  He also completed the throw.

  It's finally my turn.

  My heart began to feel abnormally tense, and my palms started to sweat.

  I wiped my hand on my clothes and took the grenade handed over by the launcher with a slightly trembling hand.

  "Don't be nervous," said the platoon leader of the firing squad.

  "Yes, class monitor."

  I walked towards the throwing point with a hand grenade in my hand.

  When I arrived at the throwing point, two security chiefs began to work on me.

  After pulling out the insurance pin, I threw the grenade according to the action essentials.

  Before I could even react, those two security guards had already pinned me firmly to the ground.

  "Bang..."

  I completed the first bombing mission of my military career.

  After returning to the team, I saw Zhang Lei also completed his bombing.

  Now we can all rest assured.

  It turned out that the bombing was not as everyone had thought.

  As long as you grasp the key points of the action, there's nothing to worry about.

  Return to the team.

  Lian Chang asked each of us to write about our experience with this live ammunition exercise.

  I wrote it very seriously and wrote a full 2,000 words.

  When I showed it to the class monitor, the class monitor even asked me how I wrote so much.

  I smiled and replied to the class monitor: "Because I feel deeply."

  The class monitor gave me a scolding.

  In the following days, we started training in other subjects.

  The monitor said, in 10 days it will be the day we receive our rank and go down to the company.

  When we heard this news, none of us was not excited.

  Receiving a commission means we will become qualified military personnel.

  We new recruits sang with great enthusiasm:

  We are soldiers, what's different about us is just that we all wear simple military uniforms.

  We who are soldiers have something different; since leaving our hometowns, it's hard to see our parents.

  Although saying differently is actually the same, they are all in their youth, and they are all passionate young men.

  Saying it's different but actually it's the same, the same footprints left for the high mountains and long waters.

  We who are soldiers are different, with our heads pillowed on the bright moon at the frontier and our bodies wrapped in rain, snow, wind and frost.

  We who are soldiers are different, for the peace of our country, we firmly grasp the guns in our hands.

  Although saying differently is actually the same, they are all yearning for brilliance and winning glory.

  Although saying differently is actually the same, the same style is flying on the flag of the Republic.

  We who serve as soldiers are just like this.

  After singing this song, I remembered a phrase: "Having a history of being a soldier in life is equivalent to forging an unyielding and fearless steel framework on those once weak shoulders, daring to take on challenges."

  That day, Zhang Yu found me and said: "Xiao Bin, guess what I just heard."

  "What did you hear?" I replied, scrubbing the camouflage uniform in the washing tub.

  Zhang Yu smiled and said: "Just now, your class leader was playing Go with our class leader in our classroom. Not long after that, the class leader of Class One also came."

  "What's next?" I asked.

  Later, our class monitor drove us out. But I didn't go far, and I eavesdropped outside the door.

  "You're asking for trouble, if you get caught, you'll be done for." I said irritably.

  "This isn't the point, the point is what you think I heard?" Zhang Yu said with a mysterious tone.

  I shook my head: "I don't know."

  "A squad leader wants to recruit you under his command as one of his soldiers."

  When Zhang Yu said this sentence, I stopped the action in my hand and asked eagerly: "How did the class leader answer?"

  "Haha, I knew you'd react like this. Let me tell you, at that time, your class leader directly refused and said he wouldn't even trade it for a medal of honor."

  Hearing this result, I am very satisfied and honored, deeply moved...