Chapter 184: Becoming a Celebrity in the Team
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Hmm? Why are you here?” The Chief of Staff happened to be on duty today.
In the camp, as the wake-up call sounded, he put on his clothes and prepared to leave the duty room to wash up.
However, the moment he opened the door, he was nearly shocked by the line of people standing at the entrance.
Without making a sound, they stood there in formation. The communicator didn’t even give him any warning.
Curses flew through his mind as he struggled to steady the basin in his hand, preventing it from slipping out.
“Reporting to the chief, our operation last night… it failed!” Platoon Leader Tian’s voice grew softer, his head bowing in shame.
He couldn’t bring himself to meet the Chief of Staff’s gaze.
“What’s the situation?” The chief of staff remained composed. He used considerable effort to lift the small, yellow basin, but his tone remained steady. There was no trace of anger.
Of course, Platoon Leader Tian understood that the storm would eventually subside.
“Report, I made an error in my strategy…”
“Sir, it’s not the Platoon Leader’s fault. It’s mine. I…”
“Silence.” Platoon Leader Tian turned his head, shooting Yang Wei a harsh glare.
“Enough, all of you quiet down!”
The Chief of Staff’s voice cut through the tension.
This scene played out just outside the regimental headquarters. They were standing at his door, and the wake-up call was still ringing.
There they stood, making a spectacle of themselves.
“Everyone, come inside!”
The chief of staff abandoned the idea of washing up for the moment.
He turned on his heel and re-entered the office.
“Platoon Leader, I’ll take responsibility for my mistake,” Yang Wei whispered, locking eyes with Platoon Leader Tian.
“Lower your head. I’m your Platoon Leader.
You don’t need to say a word later. Keep quiet!” He glared, his voice a low scold.
Platoon Leader Tian then led his men into the Chief of Staff’s office.
“Tian Feng, lay out the situation clearly. Don’t hold back anything!” Seated behind his desk, the staff officer fixed his gaze on the few individuals who entered.
More specifically, his eyes were locked onto Platoon Leader Tian.
“Reporting to the chief, my tactical arrangements for last night’s operation were incorrect, leading to the failure of the plan. Yang Wei was spotted by the recruits and got captured while trying to withdraw!”
“Hmm?”
The Chief of Staff’s hand, once resting on the table, clenched into a fist. His brows furrowed, and a low grunt escaped his lips.
This sound carried his confusion, dissatisfaction, and… disappointment. It even carried a hint of anger.
“What’s the meaning of this!” He stared down, his fist slamming onto the table as he spoke.
Genuine frustration had taken hold.
His return from the firing range yesterday had already put him in a sour mood for missing out on a promising soldier like Wang Ye.
Yet he had not expected to wake up to such disheartening news.
His most skilled subordinates, the very best scouts across the entire regiment, were now telling him that they had faced complications while attempting to assault a group of new recruits who hadn’t even finished their basic training.
After all, their specialty was deep infiltration, intelligence gathering, and precise attacks in enemy territory.
And now they were reporting a mission failure, with some of their own captured!
A sudden pang hit the Chief of Staff. It was as though his liver was on fire, burning with frustration.
His gaze shifted from the downcast Tian Feng.
Upon catching the Chief of Staff’s gaze, Yang Wei clenched his teeth and spoke again, “Reporting to the chief, it’s my fault. My carelessness led to the failure of the operation. I’m ready to take full responsibility!”
“Bang!”
The chief of staff’s fist hit the table as he stood up.
“Take responsibility my foot!”
He couldn’t hold it in any longer.
His eyes shifted from Yang Wei, then back to Tian Feng. With a mixture of disappointment and frustration, he stated, “You’ve let me down. Scouts! You are my pride, the pride of our Iron Bones Hero Regiment. You’re the sharp blades wielded by the stalwart men of our Iron Bones Hero Regiment. Yet, what are you showing me now? How am I supposed to explain this to the Regiment Commander?”
Inhaling deeply, the Chief of Staff continued, “When our regiment drew a sharp blade to slaughter a chicken, we ended up nicking the chicken’s neck. Worse, the blade broke. Shameful! You’re not living up to the title of scout.”
Tian Feng and his comrades stood in formation, their faces flushed, heads bowed. They had envisioned this scene on their return. In fact, they had considered it the moment their mission failed. But facing the reality was another matter entirely. The Chief of Staff was furious, yet they were powerless.
Gritting his teeth, the Chief of Staff stewed in silence for several minutes, gradually calming himself and suppressing his anger. He turned to Tian Feng and spoke in a low, intense tone, “Give me the full account.”
“Yes, sir!” Despite his embarrassment, Tian Feng launched into an account of the events of the previous night. He began with the pre-operation plan and continued on.
Initially, the Chief of Staff seemed unaffected. He didn’t see any glaring issues with the plan.
However, when the story reached the point where they encountered the sentry…
When he recounted Yang Wei’s encounter with the recruit, how the recruit had evaded him and shouted, “Enemy Attack!”
“What’s the name of that new recruit?!”
The question erupted from the Chief of Staff. Strangely, a certain figure popped into his mind even as he spoke.
“Wang Ye!”
Platoon Leader Tian replied, “After Yang Wei was captured, we confirmed with the Fourth Company that the recruit was Wang Ye, the one who shattered the 400-meter obstacle record in the regiment.”
“It’s really him!”
The Chief of Staff was taken aback. Simultaneously, he sensed that the anger within him had evaporated, replaced by another sentiment.
“Bastard, no, we can’t let this slide!”
The Chief of Staff clenched his teeth, suddenly standing up. Ignoring the bewildered looks from Tian Feng and the others, he dashed out of the room without even bothering to don his hat.
“The eight of you, wait here for me!”
Only after he left did he recall that the other eight individuals were still in the room. He spun around and hurried away, not waiting for their response.
Tian Feng was dumbstruck.
What was happening?
The storm had brewed and vanished just as quickly, dissipating right above his head?
Among the eight, Yang Wei was silent, the rest looking to their Platoon Leader in confusion.
Tian Feng shared their bewilderment.
Yet he was their Platoon Leader. The Chief of Staff’s wrath had abated for the time being, which was a positive development. Though the day’s blunder had occurred and the issue wasn’t resolved, it was better to navigate things in this state.
“Let’s head back for now!”
Truth be told, he didn’t wish to return right away. He dreaded facing the other detectives again.
But lingering wasn’t a solution either.
Wearing a feigned sense of composure, he returned to camp. He had no intention of discussing the previous night’s debacle. After all, Wu Jianfeng and the Fourth Company’s seasoned soldiers were still out in the field. News of the failure wouldn’t reach them so quickly.
Unbeknownst to Tian Feng, at that very moment, Wu Jianfeng, having calculated the morning wake-up time, had ordered everyone to halt during their almost hour-long rapid march. After a brief rest, he produced a mobile phone.
Coincidentally, this location was far from civilization but managed to catch a signal.
“Ha! Right, right… Battalion Commander, I can’t return right now, so I need to trouble you to claim credit from the Regiment Commander!”
“Ha, exactly… That’s right. Wang Ye is a member of our 4th Company, and he’s also under your command. Plus, I was leading the new recruits, which is akin to you leading them. It’s not like I’m doing you a favor!”
“Ha, fine then. Battalion Commander, I’ll leave it in your hands!”
Seeing Wu Jianfeng hang up, the instructor who had been grinning at the sidelines murmured, “Cannon, you’re in high spirits!”
The moniker “Cannon” had been conferred upon the Second Battalion Commander by the officers and soldiers of the second battalion due to his fiery temperament. This originated from Li Yunlong’s words, “Second Battalion Commander, where’s your damn Italian cannon?”
Given that “Italian cannon” didn’t sound particularly flattering, it was shortened to “cannon.”
Of course, this label was used only behind the Battalion Commander’s back. Uttering it to his face was akin to searching for trouble.
Wu Jianfeng chuckled. “Hehe, you’re right. He’s probably ecstatic, not even bothering to brush his teeth. He’s likely out somewhere by now.”
The previous night’s incident had been a humiliation for the recon platoon and the Chief of Staff.
However, for Wu Jianfeng, the Fourth Company, and even the Second Battalion, it was a matter of honor.
Wu Jianfeng’s new recruits had managed to outmaneuver the scouting platoon.
What a boost to their reputation.
This event needed to be widely circulated.
The request for credit from the regimental commander was just a pretext for publicizing the matter.
Furthermore, Wu Jianfeng had secretly advised the battalion commander to keep an eye on the Chief of Staff.
Wang Ye was once again in the spotlight. They needed to ensure his achievements were acknowledged without crossing into arrogance.
“Look at the company commander, grinning from ear to ear. Brother Wang, you’re in the spotlight again!”
By the roadside wasteland, Wang Ye sat alone in front of the team, clutching the flag in his arms.
However, Qin Li and the others had taken a break and couldn’t resist standing up and approaching.
“Hehe, it’s no big deal. I’m used to it!” Wang Ye replied nonchalantly to the compliments from his comrades.
Of course, even though his words seemed somewhat pretentious, Qin Li and the rest didn’t think much of it.
On the contrary, Qin Li said with envy, “That’s right, that’s right. Brother Wang, you’re incredible. You’re the center of attention in such a grand performance! And here you are, sitting calmly.”
“If it were me, I’d definitely hold this flag and strike a heroic pose to let everyone admire my imposing presence!”
Wang Ye looked at him speechlessly. “Do you think I wasn’t tired just now?”
These guys hadn’t carried the flag, so they had no idea how exhausting it was to charge with that thing.
H
Hehe, even if you’re tired, you still have to put on a strong front. Sadly, we don’t have the chance!” Liang Fan chimed in with a smile.
Afterward, he spoke up again, “Brother Wang, you’re truly remarkable this time. A scout! You caught the enemy scout. Just look at how our captain is on the phone right now. Once you get back, you’ll definitely become a hero in our unit!”
“Actually, Brother Wang is already a hero in our unit. It’s just that we don’t know about it because we haven’t officially joined the game yet. Remember, Brother Wang shattered our team’s 400-meter obstacle record!” Yan Zhiming added, grinning.
Wang Ye smiled and responded, “Who cares? Whether I’m famous or not doesn’t matter. I’m still just a recruit.”
“Hey, Brother Wang, do you think I’ll award you another third-class merit this time?” Gu Yingnan added in a hushed voice.
Wang Ye was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, “You’re overthinking it. It’s just one training session. Handing out third-class merits for that? Third-class merits don’t mean much!”
In reality, Wang Ye had limited understanding of how to earn a third-class merit.
However, he had a feeling that obtaining one shouldn’t be so simple.
The first one was for saving a life.
The second involved a new recruit breaking a team record.
The third method, which he couldn’t accomplish himself, was a mystery.
As for the situation at hand, Wang Ye found it even more amusing. While capturing the enemy scout was impressive and would surely garner attention, he was still a soldier of the Iron Bones Hero Regiment. This wasn’t a major operation or exercise, so earning recognition shouldn’t be so straightforward.
If any other recruit had achieved this, they might be rewarded.
But if it were Wang Ye, he’d likely receive verbal praise from the Regimental
Commander when he returned…
“Shhh! Shhhh! Assemble!”
At that moment, Wu Jianfeng concluded his conversation with the instructor. He picked up his whistle once more and blew it.
This wasn’t their scheduled resting spot from earlier in the morning.
The break had been prompted by Wu Jianfeng’s desire to share the good news and thwart Sixth Brother’s potential attempt to renege on the arrangement and swoop in to claim the location. With the call now done, it was time to resume their march.