Chapter 224: The Regimental Officers Are Lucky
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
That night, the two recruits of the eighth squad lay in bed for a long time before falling asleep.
Meanwhile, there were those who remained sleepless throughout the night.
Deng Hai found himself under interrogation.
Yet, he swiftly provided his explanations.
By that point, his heart had grown numb.
Thus, he divulged every detail, encompassing the motive, the process, and even the thoughts he had harbored along the way.
In the dead of night, the leader, seated in his office with a lit cigarette, received the report. His visage turned ominously grim.
His anger surged, causing him to tremble. Simultaneously, a profound sense of relief washed over him.
Surviving a catastrophe!
That scoundrel had actually plotted to ensnare his girlfriend.
Yes, that girlfriend of his was utterly reprehensible. According to Wu Jianfeng’s account, even the regiment commander had contemplated giving her a sound slap and questioning the whereabouts of her decency and integrity.
But her actions were none of his concern.
His responsibility lay with Deng Hai, his subordinate.
If his scheme had succeeded, or if Wang Ye had not kept a close watch, he might have crossed paths with that woman.
The regiment commander had delayed intervention. Given the woman’s disposition, there was an 80% likelihood that Deng Hai would have resorted to violence in the end.
Should such an event have occurred…
As a regiment commander, he might have had to gather his belongings and return home the next day.
“Deng Hai’s thought process is undoubtedly flawed. Why did the military officers have to conduct such exhaustive investigations?”
Muttered the chief of staff, his expression darkening.
In truth, none of the committee members wore smiles either.
Upon reading the interrogation report, a collective sense of relief washed over them.
Fortunately, they had intervened. If events had transpired differently, it wouldn’t have been a mere grenade; it could have escalated into a damn missile.
A missile capable of annihilating the regiment’s senior officers.
“Shameful, despicable!”
The regiment commander slammed his fist on the table, then turned to the chief of staff and uttered, “Send him to the military court immediately. I fear that if he remains here any longer, I won’t be able to restrain myself from shooting him!”
Breathing heavily, he vividly remembered the report stating that Deng Hai had absconded and pilfered the attire of his comrades. His teeth clenched tighter in frustration.
He felt utterly disheartened.
He had essentially disregarded the principles instilled in recruits when they joined the army!
He had neglected the Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points of Attention that he had often recited.
It was imperative to recognize that these were the bedrock of military conduct. It was not about the theft of a mere piece of clothing or its value.
“Very well!”
The chief of staff clenched his fists and departed with a stern countenance.
Once he had left, the director turned to the regiment commander and inquired solemnly, “Regiment Commander, what is our course of action? Should we report this incident truthfully?”
This was not the sole significant issue at hand.
Moreover, Deng Hai’s arrest did not mark the end of this matter.
The division headquarters awaited a response.
The regiment commander’s countenance turned pallid, but he remained silent.
He relit his cigarette and gazed out of the window.
Only after he had consumed half of it did he pivot and declare, “Report it truthfully. There’s no need to conceal anything. There’s nothing to hide in the military court.
Unless you and I are willing to help him alter his confession, but I cannot bring myself to do that.
I believe that an individual like him needs to spend a considerable time behind bars. If he is released prematurely, he will undoubtedly become a ticking time bomb!”
“Yes, I concur. Additionally, what did Wang Ye say?”
“Nothing!” The regiment commander chuckled ruefully. “I have no pride to seek credit now. Let the division make their own decision. We will act accordingly based on the circumstances.”
“Agreed!” The director nodded, and his expression softened slightly. “Although this incident transpired this year, having a recruit like Wang Ye has brought us some solace.
“Nonetheless, Regiment Commander, you must be vigilant. Last time, Wang Ye had already garnered the attention of the senior officers. Word of the previous assessment must have circulated. Although there have been no reports yet, there are undoubtedly those keeping a close watch on Wang Ye.
This time, Wang Ye’s actions have once again attracted scrutiny.
I think the division headquarters will definitely have their own ideas!”
“Bullshit! I won’t allow anyone to approach him. Wang Ye’s departure can wait, but only after our team has molded him into something exceptional.
Even if the instructor insists, he won’t be allowed, I’ve made it clear!”
With a stern countenance, the regiment commander vehemently declared.
Indeed!
Having suffered such a loss of prestige, he was pinning his hopes on organizing a martial arts competition this year to help Wang Ye reclaim the honor of the Iron Bones Hero Squad.
Ideally, it would involve a challenging 400-meter obstacle course.
Later on, he would task Wu Jianfeng with supervising Wang Ye’s training and enhancing his performance. When the time was right, he would enroll Wang Ye in a 400-meter obstacle competition, aiming for a higher rank.
Although this year’s incident had put an end to the unit’s chances of achieving an “advanced” rating, he couldn’t allow it to end like this. He needed to maintain a favorable image. Otherwise, he would truly have no face when attending meetings at the division headquarters in the future.
Who could bear being spoken of in such a manner when encountering the other regiment commanders?
“Get up, get up! It’s time to rise and fold your blankets!”
In a groggy state, Wang Ye heard someone softly urging. He lifted his gaze slightly and observed Qiao Xuan prodding the soldier in the bed opposite him.
If his memory served him right, this recruit had also joined Class Eight this year.
Hmm… They weren’t initially trained by the Iron Bones Hero Regiment; they were assigned here after completing their basic training at the division headquarters.
“Sure, alright!”
“Shh, keep your voice down. The others are still asleep. Rise quietly and take care of it in the corridor outside,” Qiao Xuan whispered, then turned his attention to the bed on Wang Ye’s right.
This belonged to another recruit.
Without needing to be summoned, Wang Ye also sat up at that moment.
Qiao Xuan, alerted by the movement, turned to look in astonishment. Soon after, he grinned and said, “Wang Ye, you’re awake too? It’s okay, go back to sleep.”
His words left the recruit across from him, as well as the one just roused from slumber, bewildered. Subsequently, they felt a surge of bitterness and couldn’t help but cast envious and even jealous glances at Wang Ye.
They were all recruits, yet was there really such a vast difference in treatment?
“Don’t be envious. I’m not showing favoritism. Wang Ye is the exemplary figure in the recruit company’s internal affairs, a consistent performer,” Qiao Xuan whispered to the two of them.
He added, “His blanket-folding skills rival those of a seasoned veteran, and the speed at which he folds a blanket is beyond your reach.”
After a pause, he continued, “If you can earn the title of an internal affairs department model and manage to fold your blanket into a perfect ‘tofu block’ in ten minutes, I might let you sleep until the reveille horn sounds next time. But today, you must rise and tidy your blankets immediately!”
“I understand, Deputy Monitor. I’ll get up. My blanket has been crumpled in my backpack for two or three days. I’ll need to put more effort,” Wang Ye replied, rubbing his eyes and then shifting to the edge of his bed to rise.
In reality, even if the blanket had been rolled up, Wang Ye could still complete the task in ten minutes. He just needed some hot water and a cup to smooth out the creases.
However, Wang Ye was no longer a young man.
He understood very well that if he chose to stay in bed and continue sleeping today, he would be distanced from these two recruits forever.
As a soldier, unity was essential.
Regardless of what these two recruits were thinking, Wang Ye had to remain true to himself and make an effort to assimilate with them.
He was far from his comrades, even shunned by them. He knew that if he didn’t at least try to connect, he wouldn’t get far, even if these comrades were just two fellow soldiers from the same year.