Chapter 1: Target Arena Conflict
Western Military Region 56th Division Wolf Regiment Training Battalion
The rear door of the truck opened with a loud creak, and the new recruits got off one after another, carrying their backpacks and looking around curiously at the mysterious military camp. Although they had seen or heard about the military camp before, either on TV or from others, they still felt out of place now that they were going to experience it firsthand. Looking at the nine soldiers standing stiffly beside them, with stern expressions on their faces, the atmosphere seemed very serious and they all stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do.
"A bunch of fools, what's so great about it? You'll be the ones who are annoying later on!" Xie Xiaoshuai said with his hands in his pockets, strolling along.
The words were overheard by Sergeant Lu Zhongming beside him. "Hey, what did you just say?"
"Senior comrade, what I mean is that for at least two years from now on, every day looking at the military camp will also be looked at with boredom." Xie Xiaoshuai replied somewhat sarcastically.
"Oh, you still know I'm a superior officer, huh? Alright. But first, when answering me, shout 'report', and secondly, address me as Comrade Class Leader." Lu Zhongming glared at Xie Xiaoshuai loudly.
"Report, understood, Comrade Upper Fourth Class Leader." Xie Xiaoshuai responded to Lu Zhongming in a weak and listless tone.
Lu Zhongming's temper flared up at once. Having been a soldier for so many years, he had never seen such an arrogant new recruit.
"What's your name, soldier?"
"Report... reporting to the class leader, I... my name is Xie Xiaoshuai." Xie Xiaoshuai stuttered slightly in response.
"Alright, kid, you're quite arrogant. I'll remember you, we've got plenty of time." Facing this new recruit's attitude, Lu Zhongming suppressed the anger in his heart and turned to leave, after all, it was this new soldier's first day in the troops, and he didn't think it was worth arguing with him, anyway, there would be plenty of time to deal with him later.
"Fall in." After getting his squad in order, Lu Zhongming turned around and ran towards the commander's platform to report to Lieutenant Colonel Lei Wei, the new recruit battalion commander.
"Comrade Company Commander, new recruits have assembled and all personnel are present. Please give instructions! Duty Sergeant Lu Zhongming reporting."
"Halt!"
"Yes!" Lu Zhongming returned to his command position and gave orders before quickly rejoining his troops.
"Comrades, welcome to this big family of our troops..."
"Ugh... it's always the same old stuff, so boring. Don't they know to come up with some new lines?" Xie Xiao-shuai yawned and muttered to himself as he listened to the superior leader's enlistment speech while standing in formation.
At this time, Lei Wei also saw Xie Xiaoshuai's movement, but he continued his speech, only glancing at Xie Xiaoshuai with his eyes.
"Alright, let's start dividing the classes. This afternoon, tidy up your dorms and tomorrow we'll begin formal training. Lu Zhongming, you're in charge." Lei Wei finished speaking and walked away on his own.
Lu Zhongming held the attendance sheet in his hand and began to take roll call. Unfortunately, Xie Xiaoshuai happened to be assigned to Lu Zhongming's class.
"Ah! Looks like there might be a bit of trouble... Better not provoke me, it's best to leave me alone." Xie Xiaoshuai thought after hearing the class list.
The new recruits were taken back to their dormitories by their squad leaders to tidy up and store their belongings. Lu Zhongming didn't make any other moves, completely treating Xiao Shuai as if he was invisible. Xiao Shuai was happy to have some free time, although he had just arrived and clashed with the old soldiers. Although Xiao Shuai wasn't afraid, unnecessary trouble was still something he could avoid.
And so ended the first day of new recruits reporting for duty, followed by three months of recruit training life.
It's been a month since the new recruits joined the army. Due to Xiao Shuai's slightly provocative attitude towards Lu Zhongming on the first day, Lu Zhongming has been particularly strict with him.
No matter what Lu Zhongming required, Xie Xiaoshuai could complete it as required, but the action was too sloppy. In the team, it should be better, if out of the team, that is absolutely sloppy, where is the style of being a soldier?
Lu Zhongming had been harboring a grudge in his heart and wanted to find an opportunity to teach Xie Xiaoshuai a lesson, but he never got the chance.
This day can be said to be the happiest day for all new recruits, because they finally got to hold guns. Although it was only the most basic aiming training, the new recruits were still very excited. After all, guns have an irresistible temptation for men.
A group of new recruits were all prone on the ground, seriously aiming at the chest ring target 100 meters away. Lu Zhongming was beside them, explaining the movements and checking the recruits' posture and aiming accuracy.
But at this time, Lu Zhongming heard a very discordant sound: snoring. Yes, it was snoring, and Xie Xiaoshuai had actually fallen asleep.
Lu Zhongming finally couldn't hold back his anger, from the first day he enlisted as a new recruit, he had never looked at Xie Xiaoshuai with good eyes. He wanted to find an opportunity to teach Xie Xiaoshuai a lesson, but Xie Xiaoshuai's performance indicators were all good and he hadn't done anything else out of line. Lu Zhongming was angry in his heart, but also felt helpless against him. It was just that today Xie Xiaoshuai had gone too far, the shooting range was such a serious place, yet he practiced aiming at targets while sleeping, Lu Zhongming thought this was an outright provocation.
Lu Zhongming quickly walked towards the number one target where Xie Xiaoshuai was, while the other new recruits were preparing to watch a good show with schadenfreude. Xie Xiaoshuai usually seemed careless, but in fact he was quite arrogant and didn't put his classmates in his eyes, so his relationship with others wasn't very harmonious either.
"Xie Xiaoshuai, what are you doing?" Lu Zhongming shouted as he walked up to Xie Xiaoshuai.
I don't know if Xie Xiaoshuai had a dream or something, but he was drooling. He was woken up by Lu Zhongming and looked a bit unhappy.
"What's with the loud voice, Old Lu? Trying to scare me to death?" said Xie Xiaoshuai, who was woken up by the shout.
Lu Zhongming is now in a state of absolute fury, and he kicks Xie Xiaoshuai with one foot. Xie Xiaoshuai dodges to the side with a somersault, and jumps up with a "squeak".
"What are you doing, Old Lu? Want to bully the new comrade? Don't try this in front of me." Xie Xiaoshuai said with a gloomy face to Lu Zhongming, clearly very dissatisfied with Lu's actions.
"What are you doing? Everyone else is practicing seriously, what are you doing? Sleeping in the shooting range. You really don't know how high the sky is or how thick the earth is. Do you know what it means to not train properly? Not understanding operating procedures can put yourself and others' personal safety at risk, even on the battlefield, the enemy will stand still and let you shoot, but you won't be able to hit them."
"Lu Zhongming, don't put a big hat on me, I'm not buying it. Who told you I didn't train well? This 100-meter fixed target shooting, I really didn't take it seriously. And by the way, let me tell you something, on the battlefield, the enemy won't stand still and let you shoot them, they'll hide behind cover or follow the infantry fighting vehicle." Xie Xiaoshuai also got angry.
"You didn't take me seriously? Alright, next week's shooting assessment, if you don't hit 90 rings or more, let's see what you have to say." Lu Zhongming was refuted by Xie Xiaoshuai and was left speechless on the spot, not knowing what to say, and could only make a stern statement to give himself an excuse.
"No need for next week, show me what you've got now." Lei Wei appeared at the shooting range without anyone noticing.
