Chapter Six

  I've always thought I'm a bit of a unique and temperamental person.

  Since I was a child, my father has been educating me with traditional methods, which means beating and scolding. In short, one word: violence.

  Made trouble, made mischief, failed the exam...

  But I was indeed eccentric, when I was a kid and got beaten by my dad, I didn't give in, instead, all the rebelliousness was suppressed to the top of my head.

  One of my aunts said I was foolish since childhood, and when I saw my father's fist as big as a sand pot coming down, I still twisted my neck with a stern face, majestic and unyielding, then went out to continue making trouble with a red swollen forehead.

  In the army, my rebellious personality won't be of much use...

  So when Kang Ming first gave me a disguised corporal punishment with a sly smile, I was really resentful.

  Isn't it just humming in the queue? In Xinjiang, with such a large amount of dust, can't I even cough?

  For this one cough, Ming yelled at me to squat for half an hour.

  It seems like those who have been in the army all know the standard squatting posture in the troops?

  I'm too lazy to copy the infantry training drill regulations anyway, it's just keeping your waist straight, one leg at a right angle and the other at an acute angle, with both palms on your knees and eyes looking forward horizontally.

  At that time, I squatted for about ten minutes, and I felt like there were electric wires in my legs, and they were even plugged in. The 220-volt current was humming a tune that wandered around in my legs, and it also had a tendency to spread towards the spine.

  It's so uncomfortable!

  At that time, looking at those brothers who walked in a majestic and steady pace, I couldn't help but feel envious!

  After 15 minutes, I was completely done for. The whole person felt like the eyes were going black and the center of gravity was unstable, feeling like the ground under my feet was dancing samba with four legs together.

  At that time, I didn't know where the usual rebellious behavior went on vacation, just thinking about getting up and exercising my legs, or it would really be a doomsday with the sky falling and the earth cracking.

  Just swaying and wanting to get up.

  I knew that guy was a seasoned veteran, his reaction was too fast. He was facing away from me and giving orders, but before I knew it, he had swung his right leg around and kicked me on the shoulder.

  Can Guangdong friends help explain what is meant by "a big stone crushing a crab"?

  I was just a big crab under that giant rock, and it was steamed too!

  At that time, it wasn't just standing up, even breathing seemed difficult. I felt like cursing at people in my throat and eyes, but not a single sound could be made.

  Then he heard Kuang Ming say: "Be honest and stay still, you new recruit, don't think about rebelling, do you?"

  Then she squatted for another 15 minutes.

  Then the leg finally moved away from me and I took advantage of the situation and dove down.

  Not to mention that I have lost two legs of intuition, I feel like the whole person is almost not his own, only the head is still relying on autonomous thinking and living.

  Then I saw a pair of 43 yards military boots appear before my eyes.

  Then, it was the instructor's standard Henan dialect: "You damn soldier, get up for me!"

  Years later, that big grandson Jiang Kuan and I watched a TV show starring a famous domestic actor. The actor was shot more than ten times and still struggled to get up, with a painful expression and drooling all over his face. I pointed at the actor and ridiculed him, saying "This guy's acting is really stupid, can't he struggle in a more manly way?"

  That big grandson of Jiang Kuan suddenly said, "Don't brag, you little brat! When the instructor shouted at you and scared you into getting up back then, that was exactly what happened, and it's been a long time since then!"

  I thought about it and Jiang Kuan, this big grandson, should be telling the truth!

  At that time, I was really covered in tears and snot, and my legs didn't listen to orders at all. I gritted my teeth and managed to stand up with great difficulty. The instructor looked at me with a dark face and said, "Who told you to talk nonsense and move around in the team?"

  I was completely at a loss for words, I just kept stuttering and staring as the instructor turned around and left, then I limped into the formation and continued to practice.

  I've been squatting for so long and now I'm walking with a straight step, I really can't walk properly.

  Not to mention that both legs are already paralyzed and can't be lifted at all, even the tendons on my legs are not stretched out, and when walking in a straight line, it is impossible to meet the requirements of the drill manual.

  He walked two steps away and said, "Baldy, you stand on one side. Then put your legs against the wall and press down."

  Everyone should have seen those ballet-practicing girls who all make leg presses look easy, right?

  But others have been practicing since they were young, and they've also had a hard time. I'm already 21 years old, and in the past, I never thought that I could do a beautiful smash this lifetime. How could I possibly pull my gastrocnemius muscle?

  Just pretending to be something you're not is already a kind of attitude.

  So it seems that Brother Jiangming can be really ruthless and merciless at times!

  Suddenly, it was as if a giant elephant's foot had pressed down on me with just one leg.

  At that time, my scream was estimated to be a new recruit on the entire playground, and everyone was trembling all over.

  According to Jiang Kuan, that big grandson who massaged my legs that night, at the time they heard my scream and thought Huang Ming had inserted a red-hot automatic rifle into me...

  I didn't want to scream so miserably but I was really in pain at that time!

  It's like a tearing sensation all over my body, wherever there are nerves, it starts to spread.

  I think I was dizzy with pain at that time, I yelled and wanted to struggle but I had no strength, even if I had the strength, I couldn't struggle out of Brother Kuangming's five-fingered grasp.

  I started scolding him, saying "You damn son of a bitch, you're targeting me on purpose! Just because I coughed once, you're intentionally messing with me! If you've got the guts, let me go and I'll take you on one-on-one!"

  I'm really fed up. I don't even want to think about it, but at that time, I and Gangming brother had a one-on-one fight, which was not as pleasant as crashing into a heavy truck on the street!

  Kuang Ming Gege just coldly laughed and didn't respond or move, just one after another giving orders to go down. On this side, they were dealing with me, while on the other side, they were still training those brothers. For about twenty minutes, I was already numb from pain before they finally let me down.

  I want to fight to the death with Gangming brother!

  If you've got what it takes, let's have a face-to-face showdown and see who comes out on top! I'd rather die than admit defeat to your despicable tactics!

  I was still harboring this grievance when, after a 20-minute break, Guangming Ge came over and stared at my eyes, saying "Baldy, you little brat, are you not convinced? Do you think I'm targeting you? Alright, I'll give you an opportunity to take revenge on me too! You little brat, watch closely!"

  Kuang Ming brother then straddled his legs on two cement blocks, a standard suspended split with all his weight concentrated on the tips of his toes. Then Kuang Ming brother said this is the standard you will have to achieve in the future! Each and every one of you must practice this, and Baldy, I'm just making you take a step ahead, it's good for you to practice your regular kick that doesn't quite reach! Baldy, if you think I've bullied you, now sit on my shoulders and let me show you the standard for future training!

  I won't say anything anymore.

  This is the level of this brother. Talking more is useless, you see that he can do it himself and even told you that this is the goal for now on, I'm not stupid, I know that he is practicing my skills in a different way.

  Is it really necessary to get angry with Gangming brother again?

  Then let's practice!

  By the way, I also heard that the military has been strongly emphasizing recently that soldiers are not allowed to fight, especially not allowed to fight new recruits, and even more so, not allowed to use corporal punishment in disguise. I specially found a serving armed police lieutenant colonel to ask for advice, and that lieutenant colonel told me that this rule is true and implemented very thoroughly.

  Honestly speaking, I really think this rule is nonsense!

  A new recruit entered the army wanting to become a qualified soldier, it's not just about wearing that green uniform, it takes rigorous training and risking one's life!

  How to temper?

  Let those training new recruits officers one by one use virtue to win people over with their mouths full of Tang Seng's tone singing only you?

  Let's go!

  You just wait for the shells to come down and one by one, new recruits will be blown up all over the sky while still maintaining their own favorite postures.

  New recruits are gathered from all over the country, and there will be as many obedient ones as there will be mischievous troublemakers.

  When necessary, don't fight?

  Nonsense!

  It's just a matter of approach and method.

  Isn't this going a bit too far?

  Never mind, let's get back to the topic at hand.

  It's just that day after day, in the team, no one dares to make a single mistake, standing like pines and moving like the wind, with every action being a standard, truly an iron discipline, not allowing any slight error.

  Who's afraid of being served with a kick in the crotch? With me, such a big monkey, killing for the little chickens to see, who else would dare try?

  Those lovely old soldier brothers of mine have countless ways to fix people, and none of them even touch the edge of the corporal punishment ban, at most it's just a simple and rough training method.

  Still not honest training on purpose making trouble?

  That's so awkward!

  After all, we are all in our teens or twenties, so shouldn't we have some face?

  Everyone can do a good job, you come up with nonsense, are you shameless?

  It's about time for the annual meeting.

  In the troops, playing with willful operation means a small competition.

  To put it mildly, the scale of the gang is getting bigger and bigger. When a formation comes out, you feel like the earth is shaking, that's an understatement. I've seen 500 brothers suddenly form a fighting stance with a loud shout, and six large glass windows on the building next door shattered in unison!

  In the morning, a group of brothers pulled out to play together, just three classes compared and promoted combat friendship.

  So on that day, the training camp was just a company-sized unit gathered together, and after a few words from the instructor, they started practicing!

  New recruits have just gone through regular training, not so many fancy things to play with, just regular rest, attention, alignment, reporting numbers, stopping, turning, advancing, retreating, and individual soldier's moves.

  At that time, we were in Class 1 of Grade 2. The classes ahead of us had finished their turn and it was our turn now.

  I don't know what other troops' brothers call being confused?

  We call this kind of brother "Big Immortal" in our troop.

  This time, our classmate Yang Ke became Yang Dashen.

  At that time, a clear and loud command was given to take a step forward. At the same time, I saw a row of left legs kicking out in unison. The arms were swung perfectly into place, with toes pointed and heels lifted 30 centimeters off the ground.

  I haven't even taken two steps yet, how come I feel something is off?

  Why did I catch a glimpse of the brothers standing next to me with their eyes not quite right and their mouths twitching like they were suppressing laughter while trying to look serious?

  I adjusted the remaining light to an angle and took a look, I almost fell to the ground at that time!

  My gosh, Yang Kaisen the Great doesn't even know if he's having a brain short circuit or not, but his whole body is doing the left leg swing, left arm wave, waist bend, back hunch, knee bend, head forward lean, eyes wide open, and walking in unison with both hands and feet in a majestic crane spreading its wings step!

  It's just as rumored!

  Why is it said that discipline in the army is strict?

  Yang Dashen's posture on CCTV is comparable to Zhao Benshan's humorous standards, and a group of brothers are dumbfounded!

  As soon as that side clearly gave a loud and clear order, my treasure Yang Dasheng was already recovering from the state of being possessed by the great god.

  Then, after the exercise is over, review and bring it back.

  After returning to the room, I saw Yang Ke's small face was snow-white, her legs were trembling, and she was staring at Huang Ming with a look of shock, as if she was about to faint at any moment.

  Then he saw Kang Ming slowly get up and walk step by step to Yang Ke's face.

  What is below?

  A slap in the face?

  Still showing off your legs?

  I've already got it all planned out in my head, as soon as I see a clear opportunity, I'll make my move!

  Not going to La Khaming, but rushing to send Yang Ke to the health team.

  The speed and power of Brother Kuangming's move is something I definitely can't block or keep up with!

  He didn't even lift a finger, but just said one sentence.

  "Don't worry about the performance later, just treat it as usual training! As long as you grasp the coordination between commands and actions well during usual training, you should be fine! Go down and reflect on it yourself!"

  After finishing speaking, Kuang Ming left.

  So, how can Guangming make all of us brothers with completely different temperaments obey him unconditionally?

  Reward and punishment are clear, and he is a man of great integrity and righteousness, truly treating us as his brothers!

  Forget it, as a brother, I say fight and fight, no courtesy.

  Accidentally causing trouble, as an elder brother, he would patiently persuade and find a way to make amends, rather than taking it out on his own younger brother.

  It's like this between brothers of one's own family.

  So later Yang Ke became a model for training, especially with the national flag class's one-footed small positive step walking, that wasn't an unreasonable thing.