Chapter 137: Lone Wolf, Basic Tactical Training
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The army was a melting pot, and being a soldier was considered a sacred profession. However, soldiers were also humans, each with their own personalities and temperaments. After joining the army, they were prepared to make sacrifices for their country when needed. Yet, they were not expected to be perfect in their personal lives.
Deng Hai, from his perspective, believed he was not wrong in wanting to compete and challenge Wang Ye when he became the deputy class monitor. However, Ye Sanshi intervened and reminded him of the importance of unity and teamwork in the army.
Ye Sanshi looked at Deng Hai lying on the ground and the people around him. He recalled the song “Unity is Strength,” a lesson that might have been learned during primary school or possibly during their time in the army. Ye Sanshi emphasized that being alone might be acceptable outside the army, but once they joined, unity was paramount.
He acknowledged that healthy competition could improve soldiers like Deng Hai, but he stressed that competition should not lead to division. Unity required action, not just words. Even though Ye Sanshi appreciated Deng Hal’s ambition to compete with Wang Ye, he emphasized that unity was built on teamwork.
“No matter how strong a lone wolf is,” Ye Sanshi continued, “it remains a lone wolf and cannot defeat a pack of wolves.” The analogy highlighted the significance of collective strength and cohesion over individual prowess.
In fact, a lone wolf in a united and focused team can become a weakness and burden to the entire group.
“I admire your determination to not give up on yourself and your ambition to become an outstanding warrior, even when faced with the temptation of desertion. However, you have already isolated yourself as a lone wolf.
“Moreover, it’s not that everyone is intentionally excluding you. It’s that you’re actively distancing yourself from the team and becoming disconnected.”
Deng Hai remained silent, not even turning his head, though it was clear that he heard every word.
“Take some time to reflect on this. 1 will help you apply for leave this afternoon. Write your self-reflection and hand it to me tonight.”
Ye Sanshi’s change of mind was not surprising to Wang Ye and the others. They had recognized the seriousness of the issue after hearing Ye Sanshi’s words.
In reality, the students of Class Five didn’t think Deng Hai deserved such harsh punishment. While he had been distant and reserved, he hadn’t caused any trouble after the Smoke and Tea incident. He simply preferred to be a lone wolf, not participating in conversations, training, or even during rest.
Previously, no one considered this a major problem. They believed that even without him, the nine of them could still function as a team.
However, Ye Sanshi’s intervention shed light on the real issue, making everyone realize why he chose to address this matter now.
It wasn’t solely about Deng Hai’s lack of attention while disassembling and assembling the gun; it was merely the surface issue.
The root cause was his disconnection from the team, which needed to be addressed.
“Alright, Gu Yingnan, you do it next!”
Ye Sanshi spoke to Gu Yingnan before Deng Hai could say anything.
Gu Yingnan, still a little confused, was taken aback and quickly replied, “Yes, sir!”
Taking a cue from Deng Hai’s example, the other students proceeded with caution as they disassembled and maintained their guns, not rushing through the process.
Of course, there were some who made mistakes during the disassembly, and Ye Sanshi scolded them accordingly. But these were minor issues in comparison.
Deng Hai continued to stand there silently.
He didn’t move, and it seemed like Ye Sanshi had forgotten about him. Only the other students from Class Five occasionally cast glances his way.
Eventually, after everyone was done, the ground under Deng Hai was visibly wet.
Ye Sanshi then said, “If you can’t figure it out, then go for a run and think about it. Head to the track by yourself.”
“Yes, sir!” Deng Hai got up, clearly in discomfort, and looked at everyone before walking out.
“Class monitor, 1 think we should assign someone to follow him,” Wang Ye suddenly suggested.
It seems that Wang Ye was concerned about Deng Hai and wanted to ensure his well-being.
In Wang Ye’s perspective, Deng Hai was an extremely determined individual. He had the capacity to transform himself for the better, but Wang Ye also recognized the potential danger in pushing him too hard. If Deng Hai suffered another blow at this point, he might be pushed to make a regrettable decision.
Wang Ye decided to take action and talk to the instructor about the situation. He knew that despite Ye Sanshi’s casual remark earlier, the matter was serious, and they couldn’t afford to ignore it. Having a deserter in their class would have consequences for everyone, and it was time for the instructor, who was usually not very involved, to step in and address the issue.
He followed Deng Hai down, leaving the dormitory quiet and reflective.
After a few moments of silence, Qin Li broke the silence, saying, “To be honest, there’s something off about Deng Hai. 1 didn’t want to say it earlier, but if he wasn’t in the army, I’d have confronted him about his behavior multiple times a day!”
Wan Baojiang chimed in with a muffled voice, “You’re not alone in feeling that way.”
Wang Ye interrupted their conversation, “Let’s not dwell on this now. Go wash your hands, take soap, and go in batches. Leave your guns in the dormitory when you go out.”
His directive helped the group focus on practical matters, and everyone agreed with his suggestion.
Even after wiping their hands, the smell of gun oil lingered. Despite their efforts to clean up, it was challenging to get rid of entirely. The situation with Deng Hai had undoubtedly impacted the whole class, and it was evident that they needed to address it collectively.
In the first batch, as Gu Yingnan and the others left, Ye Sanshi quickly returned and asked them to wash up too, leaving only Wang Ye behind.
Wang Ye had an idea of what Ye Sanshi wanted to discuss, and he was proven right when the others left.
Ye Sanshi addressed the issue of Deng Hai, acknowledging that they couldn’t continue as they were. He expressed his intention to push Deng Hai to change, and he hoped that when Deng Hai approached Wang Ye for acceptance, Wang Ye would be willing to give him a chance.
Ye Sanshi explained that if Deng Hai stayed, he would likely not be in the same class and might even leave their Fourth Company if he performed well. He emphasized how the attitude of the others in Class Five, especially Wang Ye, could influence and motivate the rest of the recruits.
Wang Ye nodded, understanding the implicit message in Ye Sanshi’s words. He didn’t need to wholeheartedly accept Deng Hai, but he could put on a good show on the surface to maintain cohesion within the team.
With the matter seemingly settled, they went to wash their hands, and at eleven o’clock, the whole company assembled downstairs. Wu Jianfeng, the instructor, was informed of the situation with Deng Hai, but he didn’t show much concern.
They were then taken to a Basic Tactics Training Ground, a place they had seen but never trained on before.