The First Military Academy Chapter 61: The Blood-Written Letter of Challenge

  "... classmates, that's the basic situation. Given that this flood relief operation has a certain degree of danger, and our students are not under orders from above to go, it's entirely voluntary, I allow those who have different opinions to withdraw." Yan Weidong stood in front of the lined-up students, his face stern.

  The students obviously did not expect this situation, and a "buzz" of discussion arose in the queue.

  The discussion stopped quickly, all of them were seven-foot-tall men, wearing military uniforms with military badges on their heads. As the sons and daughters of the people's army, how could they retreat? All the students looked at Yan Weidong in silence, not saying a word.

  "Is there anyone who wants to quit? Please raise your hand!" Yan Weidong asked.

  For a long time, no one raised their hand. Several class leaders involuntarily turned their eyes to Qu Mingjun, after all, he was the first to suggest returning to the college.

  Qu Mingjun suddenly noticed the several lines of sight stagnating on himself, and looking at Yan Weidong also gazing at himself with some playfulness, his face suddenly turned bright red.

  What does it mean? Am I the one who has to take the initiative to withdraw? Although my ideological awareness was a bit low at first, that doesn't mean I want to be a deserter. Damn it, since joining the army, this is another time I've been looked down upon. Qu Mingjun's teeth were clenched and his eyes turned red as he stood in the formation.

  After a while, Yan Weidong smiled with great satisfaction, "Very good, it seems that comrades can understand the lofty mission of being a soldier. When people are in trouble, how can we soldiers stand by and do nothing? Otherwise, what's the use of ordinary people raising us? How can we live up to the title of 'people's children's army'? So, in order to get the consent of the team, I propose that we collectively sign a letter of request for war."

  Yan Weidong looked over and called out: "Guo Xiangyang."

  "Arrived!"

  "You take up the pen."

  "Yes!" Guo Xiangyang hastily brought over a large white paper and brush as requested by Captain Yan Weidong, laid them out on the conference table, and opened the ink box.

  "Wait a minute!" Qu Mingjun looked at Guo Xiangyang dipping his pen in ink and was about to start writing when he suddenly spoke up.

  Everyone looked at Qu Mingjun in confusion, and several comrades from Class 6 in the queue couldn't help but look over, craning their necks to get a glimpse.

  With a flushed face, Qu Mingjun took several big strides to the front of the table and said loudly: "I'll take the pen!"

  Kuang Xiangyang was still afraid that Qu Mingjun wanted to quit, but after hearing this, he finally put down the heart that had been stuck in his throat. He glanced at Yan Weidong, who raised an eyebrow noncommittally, but a hint of a smile played on his lips.

  Kuo Hsiang-yang also smiled and turned around, handing the brush to Ch'u Ming-chun.

  Qū Míng Jùn held the brush in his hand, standing in front of the white paper, took a deep breath, and the sense of humiliation that had just arisen was burning more and more fiercely, penetrating into his five viscera and six bowels, it was unbearable! His whole body began to tremble slightly.

  Qu Mingjun suddenly put down his brush with a "pa" sound, and bit his right index finger into his mouth, biting through the tip of his finger.

  The students were in an uproar, what was he going to do?

  Only looking at a few good songs, slightly thinking, fingers flying, blood characters jumping on paper.

  "A Letter Requesting Battle"

  Respected A Corps Party Committee: We are students from the 14th Middle School of Shimen, who have come to your unit for internship. Coincidentally, A Corps is about to embark on a mission to fight against floods and disasters, fulfilling our sacred duty as soldiers for the country and people. Here, we solemnly request to join the battle, allowing us to participate in this sacred flood-fighting task as ordinary soldiers. The interests of the people are more important than Mount Tai, the mission of soldiers is higher than everything!

  Applicant:

  As he wrote to this point, Qu Mingjun slowly raised his head and looked at everyone. Feng Shaojun walked over without hesitation, bit his finger, and was about to sign the paper when Yan Weidong suddenly stopped him, signing a big name behind the applicant himself, who knows when the captain had bitten his finger.

  Seventy-two students, one after another, signed their names with bleeding fingers behind the captain's name, and a sense of sacred mission and responsibility ignited in the hearts of the students.

  "Qu Mingjun!" Yan Weidong called out after everyone had signed their names.

  "Arrived!" Qu Mingjun stood at attention.

  "Take this letter of request for battle, lead the way, and we'll collectively go to the Party Committee of Brigade A to ask for battle!"

  "... is!" Unexpectedly, the captain let him take the letter of challenge, Qu Mingjun was extremely excited.

  The students quickly and quietly lined up downstairs, with Feng Shaojun leading the team, Qu Mingjun and Captain Yan Weidong walking side by side at the front of the column. The two soldiers who were left to guard the gate looked curiously at the white paper in Qu Mingjun's hand and were shocked instantly. As the students shouted slogans and marched towards the regimental headquarters, the two soldiers stood at attention at the door and saluted the column!

  "Hey, hey, Captain Yan, what are you doing?" The middle school principal heard the report from the gate and rushed out.

  "We have come to offer our services for battle!" Yan Weidong said with great enthusiasm and energy.

  "Want to fight?" The middle school principal didn't react for a moment.

  "Yes!" Yan Weidong signaled Qu Mingjun to take the letter of challenge written in blood and hand it over.

  The middle school principal saw the faintly darkened red characters on the white paper at a glance, and he immediately knew what it was, staring at Yan Weidong in surprise.

  "Comrade Director, I, a trainee, request to participate in the flood relief and rescue mission. I have come to ask for your approval!" Qu Mingjun held up the blood-written letter of request and reported loudly.

  "...... Ah, you, this is ......" The middle school principal was extremely moved and couldn't speak.

  "Please, Commander, approve our participation in the flood relief and rescue mission!" All the cadets reported loudly in unison under Feng Shaoyun's signal. The sound echoed through the sky, and many windows of the regimental headquarters building had people sticking their heads out to look around, and passing officers and soldiers couldn't help but stop and gaze at this touching scene.

  The middle school principal took over the letter of challenge with both hands, his lips moving slightly, and a bright glint appeared in his eyes.

  Time passed minute by minute and second by second, Qu Mingjun was so tense that he even stopped breathing. He was afraid that the director would refuse the students' request to go to war. He really wanted to close his eyes, but couldn't do it.

  "Clap, clap, clap……” Soon, applause came from the team department building, and gradually, the applause grew louder. Whether it was people inside the team department building or cadres and soldiers passing by, they all applauded for the students, with loud cheers of approval.

  "I understand." The deputy director of the middle school calmed down a bit, waited for the applause to subside slightly, and loudly said to the students, "Thank you, comrades. I will submit your letter of request to the party committee. Whether or not you can ultimately go to participate in the flood relief efforts, I am here to express my highest respect for your heroic actions on behalf of all the cadres and soldiers of our regiment!"

  The headmaster of the school stood at attention and saluted the 72 students and Captain Yan Weidong, winning thunderous applause from the students.

  Soon, Yan Weidong followed the middle school principal to the party committee meeting to express the strong request of the students. The members of the party committee were deeply moved by the letter written in blood by the students.

  The political commissar of the regiment slapped the table, "Our trainees who came to intern can all volunteer like this. What difficulties can't we overcome? I propose that this blood letter be displayed throughout the regiment and call on all cadres and soldiers in our regiment to learn from this precious spirit of taking the initiative to ask for battle and actively seeking war."

  The head of the squadron discussed with the political department and the training department of the headquarters, and decided to disperse the trainees to various companies according to the original plan, supporting the trainees to participate in flood relief and disaster relief tasks.

  Before Yan Weidong had a chance to discuss the specific allocation plan with the Training Department, all regiments and battalions of the A Corps learned about the heroic deeds of the trainees who came for internship. They were moved and inspired by this, and took action one after another. Letters of challenge, letters of guarantee, and other documents flew towards the Party Committee of the Corps like snowflakes.

  Especially the three battalions and one company that were determined to stay behind, the company commander and instructor excitedly led all the soldiers in the company to run to the entrance of the regiment headquarters, and handed over more than 100 letters of request for battle written in blood by more than 100 soldiers to the party committee of the regiment headquarters, resolutely requesting to participate in flood relief and rescue efforts, and resolutely refusing to stay behind.

  This has made the leaders in the team both moved and embarrassed. It seems that whoever stays behind is not suitable, what should be done?

  The Operations Department of the Headquarters urgently assembled all staff members, together with several cadres from the Political Department's Cadre Section, to revise the plan overnight. Finally, indicators were issued to each battalion and company, requiring all battalions and companies to screen out cadres and soldiers who were physically unfit or unsuitable for participating in flood relief efforts. They would be led by a deputy regimental chief of staff who had just escaped from the hospital to form a new guard team, guarding the barracks.

  These were the circumstances that Qu Mingjun learned after arriving at the First Battalion of the Third Regiment. The battalion commander of the First Battalion tightly grasped the hands of Qu Mingjun and his men, repeatedly saying thank you, making Qu Mingjun, Cui Ze and Guo Xiangyang who had arrived at the First Battalion together feel embarrassed.

  Finally, the list of students who would be staying behind was finalized. Among them were a few team captains nominated by Yan Weidong, including several students who had been physically unwell recently. One of them was Wang Jin, who had been holding his stomach in pain for days and was now squatting on the ground with his head in his hands, almost bursting into tears.

  Qu Mingjun was assigned to the second row of the first company of the third battalion, temporarily serving as the deputy platoon leader. As soon as he entered the platoon, he received a warm welcome from the soldiers with enthusiastic applause.

  The three battalions also began to send out small teams to receive various flood relief materials. Qu Mingjun and the other recruits each received a field backpack issued by the logistics warehouse, which could hold all their daily necessities, so they no longer had to carry packs on their backs.

  Qu Mingjun and others spent their second day in a busy and hurried manner, and soon after all the materials were in place, the order from the teacher also came.

  According to the requirements of first-level combat readiness, all daily necessities such as bedding were packed in their backpacks. They slept fully dressed at night and could quickly respond once an order was given.

  "Wooo---Wooo---" Just after dinner, the warriors gathered in the conference room to listen to the deputy company commander explain some knowledge of flood prevention and emergency response when the entire camp sounded a shrill alarm.

  Finally arrived, Qu Mingjun followed the warriors rushing downstairs and putting on their equipment, thinking in his mind...