Chapter 51: Oh My God, Another Crazy One!
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“It’s too difficult for us,” someone wiped their eyes and expressed what everyone was thinking. They had come to the military camp with dreams and aspirations, but the excitement they felt at the beginning was now replaced by sadness.
When they left their hometowns, some places, like Wang Ye’s, sent off their troops with glory and the attention of the masses. The veterans would beat drums and welcome them warmly, even providing water to soak their feet. At that time, everyone thought it was wonderful and heartwarming.
But now, after comparing the short period from yesterday to today, they realized that it was just an illusion. The heaven they experienced before was fleeting. They had to endure what felt like two years of hell ahead.
Regret and homesickness filled everyone’s hearts. However, there was no remedy for regret, and home was thousands of miles away. Despite the tears and bitterness, Wang Ye and the other two recruits were helping the others, and the recruits didn’t throw tantrums. The main reason was that everyone’s temperament had been worn down the day before.
They had witnessed recruits being beaten up, fighting with veteran squad leaders and being forced to retreat, and even unjust punishments. The experienced soldiers were ruthless, and the idea of running away had already taken root in everyone’s minds.
“1 guess 1 won’t need this basin of water,” Ye Sanshi returned, confirming his earlier statement. He actually came back with a basin of water. However, everyone had already come down and stood by their beds.
Ye Sanshi continued, “Another wasted basin of water. Never mind, Wang Ye, pour it into your bucket and use it to mop the floor later!”
…..
“Yes, sir!” Wang Ye released Zhang Ping’an’s hand and went to take the basin.
Once Wang Ye had taken the basin, Ye Sanshi looked at everyone again. “What are you staring at? Hurry up and get dressed. Go outside and fold your blankets!”
After saying that, he went to his bed, took off his shoes, and lay down. He pulled the blanket up and said, “Don’t make too much noise!”
Honestly, Wang Ye felt the urge to splash the water from the basin onto Ye Sanshi’s bed. He really wasn’t humane! He woke them all up, and now he was lying back down.
Unfortunately, it was just a fleeting thought. After glancing at everyone, Wang Ye noticed that some had already sat down on the lower bunk, struggling to put on their clothes.
Applying safflower oil and massaging could relieve muscle strain, but it wasn’t an instant cure. The pain made putting on clothes and shoes extremely difficult.
“Let’s help them,” Wang Ye took the initiative and said to Wan Baojiang and Qin Li, who were doing fine.
There was no other option. At their current pace, it would probably take ten minutes just to get dressed. If they wasted so much time, Ye Sanshi might curse and scold them again. It was better to lend a hand. Wang Ye helped them pull up their clothes and pants and put on their shoes.
Finally, once everyone was dressed, he helped carry the small benches and blankets outside.
Inside the dormitory, it was still dark. In the corridor outside, recruits from other squads were already coming out, though there were very few people.
“I want to go home. 1 want to protest. You guys are simply inhumane,” one recruit muttered as Zhang Ping’an helped him outside. Just as they laid their blanket on the ground, Wang Ye turned around in surprise.
Zhang Ping’an and Wan Baojiang, who were supporting another recruit, had the same expressions of astonishment.
“Oh my god, another crazy one!” Gu Yingnan, who was supported by Wan Baojiang, turned around and looked at the dormitory.
The pain in his body was unbearable, but watching others’ antics seemed to offer some relief.
“Are you even a man? You’re desperate to go home over a little muscle soreness? What right do you have to be a soldier? If you were injured on the battlefield, you’d be bawling your eyes out. Stop crying and get a grip! I’m telling you, you have no choice today. The door is over there, so get lost, or stay here and suffer, or 1’11 teach you a lesson!” a furious roar came from the neighboring dormitory.
Wang Ye glanced at his dormitory. Ye Sanshi didn’t budge. Obviously, he wasn’t in the mood to care about the other classes. Though he didn’t get up, his voice reached them.
“What are you all standing there for?” Wang Ye, Wan Baojiang, and the others immediately snapped out of their daze. They couldn’t afford to dawdle any longer.
Wang Ye turned around and returned to the dormitory to help the next recruit. After helping Gu Yingnan find a spot for his blanket, Wan Baojiang quickly joined them.
Soon, Class 5, including Deng Hai, came out of the dormitory with their blankets.
Unable to remain in the corridor any longer, Wang Ye, Wan Baojiang, Qin Li, and another recruit spread their blankets on the floor of the water room.
“I was about to lose my nerve! 1 actually thought about running away,” someone in the water room exclaimed. With only four of them from Class 5 present, there was no class monitor, and they were far from the dormitory door. They could chat softly without fear. Qin Li expressed his boredom upon hearing that the noise from Class 6’s dormitory had ceased.
“What else can w^e do? Cry to the instructor, beg to go home, and call it inhumane?” Wan Baojiang laughed, acknowledging that he was a coward and adding, “Your family would probably come and hack you to death overnight if you dared to say that. My dad wouldn’t come over, but he’d tell me to die outside and never come home to embarrass myself again… In other words, he would sever all ties with me on the spot.”
Laughter filled the water room, though it was stifled.
“Alright, let’s press down the blankets properly. Someone’s coming!” Wang Ye reminded them.
The aisle outside was limited in space, and once the recruits from other classes came out, they couldn’t find a spot. They w^ere forced to look towards the w^ater room.
Although the toilet lights were on at night, Wang Ye believed that everyone would prefer to go downstairs and use the streetlights in front of the dormitory building than spread their blankets on the toilet floor.
“Hey, Brother Wang, why do you keep unfolding and refolding the blanket? It’s not compact, and folding it is pointless. It’s better to press it down and use a small stool on top after folding it,” Qin Li couldn’t help but comment as he watched Wang Ye unfold the blanket for the third time.
“Is that a technique, Brother Wang? You seem to be better at folding blankets than us. Is that the technique?” Liang Fan chimed in.
Wang Ye smiled and stopped. He looked up at them and said, “Keep unfolding and refolding the blankets. It helps prevent them from overlapping. However, that’s not the main point. When pressing, don’t just use a small stool. Use your hands as w^ell. Try to squeeze out the air in the cotton. Then, when folding the blanket, take it a bit slower with each step. Stack and press at the same time for better results!”
The system upgrade had brought an increase in experience and abilities. Wang Ye couldn’t tell them that his abilities had improved and his hands were steadier. However, he could share some of his experiences.