Chapter 148: It’s Lucky, but It’s Also Unlucky
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Hey, what do you think those guys from Class 7 will do?”
After Ye Sanshi and the other class presidents reorganized themselves, they proceeded downstairs for a meeting.
The absence of the experienced class monitor inevitably disrupted the dormitory’s tranquility. Despite Wang Ye’s instructions to memorize their assignments and read, it was unlikely that everyone would comply obediently after the incident earlier in the day.
Wang Ye, too, was curious about their actions.
“I believe they’ll indulge in tea and cigarettes!” Qin Li confidently speculated, recalling Deng Hai’s punishment.
Yan Zhiming shook his head. “It’s more than that. This incident has garnered too much attention. 1 suspect some of them might face disciplinary actions.” Punishment? That didn’t seem likely for him.
The event wasn’t something that could be swept under the rug. It had something to do with a big wig’s daughter.
While the event was significant – the commander s daughter stealing the commander’s cigarettes – it was more about recruits succumbing to smoking than any grave offense.
Ln a different company, such an incident might result in penalties that could even affect the squad, platoon, or company leaders.
However, these were mere recruits and hadn’t been formally recognized yet. The incident wouldn’t have a direct impact on their future.
Yet, avoiding a death sentence didn’t erase the fact they were caught being involved.
After the Class Seven monitor led them away, they proceeded to the service center to purchase cigarettes…
That night, rhe latecomers were deprived of the presence of the four heroes from Class Seven.
It was only the next morning, when they were exercising, that they reappeared.
However, there was one person missing.
Later, Ye Sanshi informed Wang Ye and others that another warrior had fallen ill due to nicotine poisoning and was being treated at the regiment headquarters’ medical team.
But even this didn’t pacify Wu Jianfeng s wrath.
From that day forward, Wu Jianfeng s smiles vanished, replaced with an unrelenting demeanor.
He remained stern, intensifying their training routines even further.
Each time he reprimanded them, he added a remark.
“Why do you still desire to smoke? I’ve been too lenient, and you’re wasting your thoughts on such things…”
This remark intensified their daily struggles.
Physical training was relentless.
They underwent a grueling 5-kilometer cross-country run while carrying a 20-kilogram load. Scaling the mountain path, they reached rhe training ground for breakfast.
Post-meal, they practiced combat techniques or military exercises. Before lunch, they were summoned back, only to engage in crawling tactics or firearm practice in the afternoon.
Their sole reprieve was the 30-minute news broadcast each night.
“Are you prepared?”
In the night, in the Class 5 dormitory, Wang Ye stood before a table. An Si-barrel was positioned on the table.
Ye Sanshi and others watched, with Ye Sanshi holding a stopwatch.
“I’m ready!”
Wang Ye inhaled deeply. Despite his bandaged hands being in a recovery phase from pole standing, he placed them on the table.
Without glancing at Ye Sanshi, Wang Ye fixed his gaze on the 81-barrel.
“Start!”
Upon Ye Sanshi1 s command, Wang Ye’s hands moved swiftly.
The once intact Si-barrel rapidly disassembled.
In less than ten seconds, the Si-barrel transformed into scattered components.
Then, the process reversed, with Wang Ye reconstructing the barrel.
“Excellent!”
Once Wang Ye placed a complete gun on the table again and proclaimed “done” Ye Sanshi halted the stopwatch.
“19.51 seconds. Impressive, we’ve breached the 20-second mark,” Ye Sanshi acknowledged with a smile.
“Brother Wang, please, you’re making us seem inadequate!11
“The disparity is too substantial. Your progression is simply astonishing! ”
Qin Li lamented, “I’m struggling to break the 40-second barrier, yet Brother Wang has already broken 20 seconds…’1
Ye Sanshi was jubilant, but the rest of Class 5 couldn’t share in the celebration.
Wang Ye s excellence was a double-edged sword, bringing both Joy and pain.
Wang Ye modestly grinned. “The touch feels right. Moreover, practice makes perfect with this matter. Once familiarity is attained, speed naturally follows!’1
“It’s not that simple. Although we received the guns simultaneously, the discrepancy now…” Gu Yingnan sighed.
He yearned to shout how he’d be crushed if he compared himself to Wang Ye, and that he’d be discarded if he compared himself to an object!
“Recognize the contrast, then practice more until you’re proficient. Wang Ye is correct. Mastery only comes with familiarity. As long as you invest more effort, the struggle is unnecessary,” Ye Sanshi reprimanded with a stern expression.
Wang Ye s presence gave them something to aspire to, and Ye Sanshi cherished this advantage. It enabled them to surpass their counterparts in other classes, despite the margin not being too vast.
Satisfied with his statement, Ye Sanshi turned to Wang Ye. “Next!1‘
“Understood!”
Wang Ye responded before donning a blindfold from the side.
For the second stage, he was to disassemble the gun while blindfolded.
“Ready… Go!”
Following Ye Sanshi s command, Wang Ye’s movements marginally slowed after he reached for the gun. While he disassembled the components efficiently, reassembly took longer.
Components couldn’t be left scattered; they needed to be aligned and memorized during disassembly. Blindfolded, they couldn’t be correctly positioned. The disassembly was swift, but reassembly led to momentary confusion.
With each step complete, Ye Sanshi uttered, “Not bad, 31 seconds.”
Wang Ye removed the blindfold, a smile adorning his face.
His control was exemplary.
Indeed, he was in control of the situation.
Actually, on the night of the incident when the regiment commander’s daughter stole rhe cigarettes, Wang Ye had already reached level two in disassembling and reassembling the 81-barrei.
After leveling up, a substantial amount of experience in disassembling and reassembling the 81-barrel was transmitted to him. Additionally, Wang Ye’s hand strength was slightly enhanced, leading to a noticeable increase in his hand speed.
Although his basic attributes didn’t change.
But Wang Ye estimated that if he went all out, he could have probably disassembled and reassembled the gun in about seventeen to eighteen seconds.
Of course, Wang Ye couldn’t possibly do that.
He had spent ten days, increasing his speed by nearly a second each day, to achieve the current result.
Removing the blindfold, Wang Ye stepped aside, and this time, no one from Class 5 dared to utter a word.
Fear of criticism prevailed.
If they couldn’t match up to Wang Ye, they preferred to keep a low profile, reducing their presence to avoid trouble.
Now, they truly grasped this principle.
“Good. Gu Yingnan, your turn!”
Wang Ye stepped aside as Ye Sanshi addressed a classmate.
This wasn’t an assessment but a nightly practice in firearm disassembly and reassembly.
Still, compared to Wang Ye, they were considerably behind.
When Gu Yingnan approached without a blindfold, his disassembly time averaged between thirteen and fourteen seconds, while reassembly took longer. Ye Sanshi’s stopwatch ultimately stopped at thirty-four seconds, surpassing Wang Ye’s blindfolded duration.
And this pattern persisted across the class.
“You’ve made no progress. In fact, you’re slower today. I’ve noticed your diminished appetite and your stagnation confirms it. Dismiss yourself and practice squatting with your firearm.”
Gu Yingnan’s expression soured.
However, he complied silently, retrieving a stool from the side and positioning it. Standing atop, he squatted awkwardly, hoisting the gun overhead in a clumsy posture.
Wang Ye observed, stifling a chuckle before turning away…
He felt guilty.
Internally, Wang Ye apologized.
Brother, don’t blame me. 1 can’t possibly keep my abilities hidden forever, right?
It could only be said that becoming classmates with Wang Ye was both fortunate and unfortunate for them.
The fortunate aspect was that they could boast about Wang Ye to others.
Whether in their company or after retirement, they could proudly recount how amazing their classmate was.
Moreover, being in the same class as Wang Ye raised the standards, and Ye Sanshi’s expectations naturally rose as well.
This allowed them to outperform their fellow recruits from other classes in the same period.
Of course, accompanying this fortune was the misfortune of leading a more arduous life than recruits from other squads….