Chapter 180: Night Attack, Counterattack
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
At night, a sprawling expanse amidst the mountains was transformed as several large tents were raised under the starry sky.
However, within these tents, Wang Ye’s presence was absent.
In this moment, Wang Ye grasped a steel spear, standing silently at a corner on the periphery.
The recruits, who had spent over two months in this camp, had not yet experienced the duty of standing guard—until tonight, when each unit was tasked to take shifts in this responsibility.
They were allocated to various locations, some bathed in light, and others concealed by darkness.
And presently, it was Wang Ye keeping an eye out as part of the night watch.
The query had been posed by Wu Jianfeng, who approached Wang Ye to assess his condition. Once the inspection concluded, he stood before Wang Ye to inquire.
“Report—no, I have no intentions of serving as a secretary for the Regiment Commander,” Wang Ye replied, a smile playing on his lips.
Wu Jianfeng reciprocated with a grin. “Indeed, I concur that the role of a secretary does not befit you. Hence, I have never entertained the thought of assigning you such a position.”
But, let’s not delve further into this topic. I’m going back to sleep. Youngster, maintain your stance with precision. Napping is out of the question.”
With a pivot, Wu Jianfeng took his leave.
On this occasion, Wu Jianfeng refrained from mentioning how Wang Ye deliberately relinquished his opportunity to earn third-tier merit points during the daylight hours.
For, elaborating upon this matter seemed superfluous.
Wang Ye’s resolve was crystal clear when he released that fifth shot.
“Yes, sir!”
Wang Ye snapped to attention. As he observed Wu Jianfeng’s departure, he secured his weapon and continued standing vigilantly, his gaze fixed and unwavering.
The duty of guarding had fallen to him as vice-captain, a role that soldiers dreaded—ranked o to 2.
After all, it was imperative for officers to set an example.
Even in his capacity as the deputy class monitor.
The role of vice class monitor also bore the status of a cadre.
As to why the class monitor had not undertaken this duty, it was attributable to the ongoing training regimen dedicated to soldiers and new recruits.
The mantle of overseeing the sentry rotation lay exclusively with the experienced squad leader.
Around 1:30 a.m., situated within a concealed outpost on the perimeter.
A figure hunched within the roadside grass, teetering on the precipice of slumber. His eyelids drooped heavily, and he intermittently roused, only to resume his descent into sleep.
Suddenly, an arm extended from behind, muffling his mouth, while another ensnared his throat.
“Wu wu!”
This abrupt maneuver jolted the elder man, causing his eyes to widen in shock.
Instantaneously, drowsiness dissipated.
However…
His vocalization was stifled, confining him to emitting faint whimpers.
“Stay still, rookie. You’re already deceased,” a hushed voice emerged from behind.
At this juncture, the recruit, whose speech had been stifled, gradually recovered from his astonishment.
He tilted his head slightly. In the proximity of the night’s obscurity, he discerned that the individual sporting camouflage on his countenance was similarly attired in a military uniform.
Nonetheless, in stark contrast to him, the figure donned a steel helmet while sporting night vision goggles atop it…
In tandem, two silhouettes materialized from the shadows, silently advancing to his flank.
“Very well, I shall now release you, yet you must remain soundless and motionless.
Remember, you are now bereft of life. I implore you to honor the dictates of this engagement!” the soldier who had seized the recruit conveyed in a subdued tone. Concluding this statement, he orchestrated the recruit to settle onto the ground before relinquishing his hold.
“And you are…” Once liberated, the vice-captain from Class 4 gingerly massaged his neck, his utterance tinged with trepidation.
“Shut up, rookie. You are already dead. Do not make me knock you out!” He promptly desisted from speech.
On the periphery, the trio of unfamiliar veterans, adorned in well-equipped accouterments, refrained from acknowledging him further.
One of their ranks issued a low-toned communication, “The three concealed sentries have likely been neutralized. The time has come to elucidate matters.” As this dialogue ensued, a Corporal fixed his gaze upon the deputy of the fourth class, stationed vigilantly nearby.
“Undress.”
“Pardon?”
“An additional twenty-eight minutes…”
Positioned in the upper-left corner of the several sprawling tents stood Wang Ye’s designated sentry locale.
As he maintained his post, Wang Ye surreptitiously leveraged the nearby bonfire’s flickering illumination to glance at his wristwatch.
He had donned the timepiece specifically for this field exercise, even donning it when tasked with nighttime surveillance.
However, a semblance of exasperation welled within Wang Ye as he ascertained the time.
Discomfort loomed large.
A delineation on the ground circumscribed his sphere. As the night watch, he was compelled to remain motionless.
Stagnation was his sole recourse, a posture to be sustained.
For an hour and a half, he had remained rooted.
Had it been the dead of night or even daylight, it might have borne minimal impact.
Yet, the current juncture bred true discomfort.
This day, fraught with toil, rendered even a midday siesta ineffectual.
Presently, his eyelids battled incessantly.
Thus far, sheer determination had forestalled the drift into repose.
Unbeknownst to Wang Ye, in the enveloping darkness, some ten meters to his left, an individual attired identically was ensconced stealthily behind a heap of green leaves.
He raised his wrist to inspect his watch.
At the expiration of a mere ten seconds, he vacated this covert location and emerged.
“Hey, buddy, nature’s calling. I’ll go address it. If there’s an inspection later, could you vouch for me…”
The timbre, neither muted nor resounding, sufficed to invigorate Wang Ye’s spirits.
A silhouette emerged from the shadows.
Wang Ye recollected that a covert sentry was situated in that direction.
“Handle it right where you are. Nobody’s around, after all.” Wang Ye spoke, punctuating his words with a smile.
However, mid-utterance, Wang Ye was sundered by a sudden start.
His faculties hadn’t entirely dimmed.
In essence, throughout his sentry duty, Wang Ye had diligently admonished himself against dozing off.
Thus, he remained attuned.
And now, a realization jolted him—this individual’s voice deviated from the fourth class deputy’s, nor did it correspond with any cadence he could recollect from his comrades..