Ghosts Sing Before the Taoist's Gate

Hao Chengbin was utterly baffled.

Having family members in the military and some Physical Training experience was normal.

Knowing a little military common sense was normal too.

But saying Fang Huai's father had even made him memorize the Regulations and Ordinances was a little insane, wasn't it?

"Fang Huai, go ahead tonight. We'll talk about memorizing tomorrow when you get back. Memorize however much you can."

"Yes, Squad Leader!"

By afternoon, the sky had grown even clearer.

Yet Lu Zexian's brow had furrowed deeper and deeper.

The soldiers across the entire Training Ground wore their dress uniforms and Peaked caps. At last, they looked somewhat like soldiers, every face solemn and serious, unwilling to disgrace the new clothes they had just put on.

"Lu Zexian, march in step! One command, one movement! I told you to keep your head up and chest out—what are you looking at the sky for? You're at the head of the line. With your chin raised that high, how are the people behind you supposed to align themselves with their peripheral vision?"

Smack.

Lu Zexian's Peaked cap was slapped over the back of his head.

Yue Tao burst out laughing with a snort.

"Squad Leader, ever since Fang Huai said he'd sacrifice his lifespan to heaven, the weather's started clearing up! He's calculating how many years he has left!"

The other recruits could no longer hold it in, their bodies beginning to shake.

Smack! Smack!

This time, two Peaked caps came down.

"Yue Tao, how are you? How old are you?" Hao Chengbin wanted to laugh too, but he held it in and kept up his stern act.

"Wow, Squad Leader, you speak English too? What does that mean?" Yue Tao clutched his head, looking utterly shameless.

Those who understood were already laughing openly.

Hao Chengbin immediately kicked Yue Tao in the ass and blurted out another phrase.

"I said!"

"What!"

"Damn it!"

"It's you!"

Everyone burst into laughter. Over the past few days, even Fang Huai had changed some of his initial impressions of Yue Tao.

The guy deserved a beating, sure, but not a serious one. His optimism and his ability to take whatever came his way truly made it hard to stay angry at him.

The jester of the revolutionary ranks.

After you slapped his left cheek, he would grin and offer you his right. His whole attitude toward life was that he could not go on living without being a little cheeky.

"Let me tell you all! At the New Recruit Regiment, we only do three things!"

Feeling that the atmosphere had grown too relaxed, Hao Chengbin walked to the front of the formation and raised three fingers with a somewhat serious expression.

"First, cultivate formation discipline."

"Second, cultivate discipline in daily life."

"Third, cultivate awareness of obedience to orders!"

"When you're in formation, telling you to relax does not mean telling you to act recklessly! Let me repeat this: as long as you are in formation and no dismissal order has been given, if you want to laugh, you can only laugh in your hearts!

Any action others can see or hear, even if you need to fart, requires permission!"

"Report!" Yue Tao shouted.

"Speak!"

"Squad Leader, doesn't the New Recruit Regiment train every day? Why do you say we only do three things?"

Hao Chengbin sneered. "Haven't you all been looking forward to joining your assigned units? You'll find out how intense the training here is once you get there!

Of course, some of you may be useless recruits who can't handle training. Later, you can become sentries or join the Mess Hall Squad. As long as you don't become the kind of soldier everyone hates—someone who contributes nothing yet causes trouble every day—you can still spend two pleasant years in the military.

Not everyone in the military can handle training. If you conduct yourselves properly, work diligently, and do your assigned duties well, people will still like you!

But all of that must be built on a foundation of obeying orders!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Peng again.

"Report, Squad Leader! I obeyed!" Jiang Peng cried out indignantly.

Hao Chengbin clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. "Kid, let me teach you another lesson. I don't need evidence to suspect you. Don't put on one face in public and another behind my back. If you can make these eyes—eyes that have spent ten years in the military—feel comfortable looking at you, then you've grown."

In truth, Hao Chengbin had spent quite a lot of time keeping an eye on Jiang Peng. First, he was afraid Jiang Peng would spread rumors outside. Second, he felt Jiang Peng had some talent worth preserving.

If Jiang Peng worked hard in the military, he could become a good prospect. Any single aspect of him was passable, but that only made him relatively outstanding among recruits. Compared to Fang Huai, he would struggle to stand out.

Fang Huai's grasp of the bigger picture and his composure when facing problems were qualities even Hao Chengbin felt inferior to.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Peng retorted again.

"Squad Leader, Fang Huai's family served in the military, so they taught him. He's been trained longer than any of us. It's unfair for us to be compared with him!

I joined the military because I wanted to bring honor to my family too. My uncle-in-law is in the fire service, and when I came here, he told me to work hard! I want him to see my achievements too. Why can Fang Huai win that honor, but I can't?"

Jiang Peng was probably desperate. He laid everything out in the open at once.

Fang Huai came from a military family, and I have connections too. So what?

The recruits all looked somewhat surprised.

Our squad has someone with connections too?

Hearing this, Hao Chengbin narrowed his eyes and quickly thought back. A moment later, his tone turned cold.

"That day, when Fang Huai and I were talking outside the squad room, were you eavesdropping?"

Lu Zexian immediately exposed him. "Squad Leader, every time you went out to talk with Fang Huai, Jiang Peng ran to the doorway to listen!"

Hao Chengbin kept nodding with a cold smile. He walked up to Jiang Peng, stared him straight in the eye, and said icily, "Who gave you the authority to eavesdrop?"

Jiang Peng began to panic.

He was not stupid. If this went badly, he might get beaten. Flustered, he said,

"Squad Leader... I wasn't eavesdropping! I only heard it by accident!"

Hao Chengbin stared at him for a while longer, then suddenly smiled. He returned to his position directing the formation and shouted,

"Fang Huai!"

"Here!" Fang Huai immediately stepped forward.

"You're the Assistant Squad Leader. How do you think this should be handled?"

"Report, Squad Leader, he must be punished! I suggest a Five Kilometer Run! Or one hundred standard push-ups!"

Fang Huai had no intention of smoothing things over, nor did he hesitate in the slightest.

Hao Chengbin had not made him Assistant Squad Leader so he could be a people-pleaser.

Besides, Jiang Peng's actions had struck a nerve with him.

In his previous life, after entering society, people with connections like this had repeatedly pushed him out of promotion opportunities.

"Did you hear that? The Assistant Squad Leader has given the order. Go carry it out." Hao Chengbin spoke flatly.

He had not simply walked up and slapped Jiang Peng. First, he wanted to see Fang Huai's decision. Second, he wanted to humiliate Jiang Peng this way.

Jiang Peng's expression changed again and again, his face burning.

Having Fang Huai punish him meant he had lost all face.

"Report, Squad Leader! I refuse to accept this!"

Hao Chengbin snapped, "Then take off your uniform and get out! Refusing to carry out an order—who the hell do you think you are? What right do you have to refuse?"

Jiang Peng finally lost his head. "This is disguised corporal punishment! I'm reporting you to the company!"

Hao Chengbin immediately pointed toward the center of the Training Ground.

"Go report me! Once you finish running, report me however you like! If you won't obey orders, then don't stay in this squad. Get the hell over to the Flying Tigers Squad! They happen to need people! Ninth Squad doesn't welcome you!

If you want to call your connections, perfect—you can go find the company commander! If he lets you call, then go ahead! Report me! Have your connections come make trouble for me!

Want me to tell you which unit I'm with?"

Everyone looked in the direction Hao Chengbin had pointed and discovered that only Han Yong from Eighth Squad seemed to be standing in the middle of the Training Ground. This Uncle Han apparently did not care about being watched. Regimental Headquarters had even given him a stool, and he sat there steadily.

In a single day, two people had already failed to endure it and left the Flying Tigers Squad to return to training.

Squad Leader Hao's move was ruthless!

No, the regiment was ruthless.

They were all seventeen or eighteen, barely over twenty at most—hot-blooded young men. Who could endure being pointed at and mocked like that?

Han Yong... perhaps it ran in the family. His family did business, so his skin was probably thicker.

When Jiang Peng looked toward the center of the Training Ground, he suddenly felt that coming into the military had been a mistake. The glory of a soldier he had imagined, being admired by his girlfriend, respected by society...

It was all fucking fake.

Since arriving, he had been ordered around like a dog. Now, he was even going to be punished by a recruit who had enlisted in the same year as him.

"Fine, I'll go! I'll definitely report you!"

After saying that, Jiang Peng actually left the formation and walked toward the center of the Training Ground.

The farther he walked, the more he regretted it.

He regretted coming here.

If he had gone to work back then, how could he have suffered like this? Right now, he should have been getting ready to clock out and enjoy the weekend!

If he were outside, his probation period would almost be over by now! With his own hard work, he would definitely have gotten promoted and received a raise soon. He could earn at least two thousand a month by then—wouldn't that be better than suffering like this?

Those college roommates who had excluded him, those people from the student union—he had to make something of himself and show them!

He had to show these Fellow Recruits too!

Especially Fang Huai. What was so great about him? Other than being a soldier, what could he do? A high school graduate—once he entered society, legitimate big companies would not even look at his résumé!

He had only taken a few steps.

"Stop! You there!"

A captain called out to him and approached with his hands behind his back.

Jiang Peng stopped, feeling as though he had seen hope.

One bar and three stars. He had to be from Regimental Headquarters. He could finally lodge a complaint.

The captain asked, "Why are you walking around the Training Ground by yourself? Where's your squad leader?"

"Report, sir! I'm from Seventh Company, Ninth Squad! Our squad leader, Hao Chengbin, wants to punish me physically! I refused, so he sent me over there!"

Jiang Peng spoke with righteous indignation, pointing toward Han Yong before continuing to air his grievances. "Sir, it's not that I can't handle training. I just don't want to be treated unfairly—"

"Oh? Old Hao's squad? Squad Leader Hao actually produced someone for the Flying Tigers Squad too?"

The captain interrupted him, an inexplicable smile on his face. Then he turned and called out loudly,

"Staff Officer Jin! Come over here! A new comrade has joined your command! You've got the Yuquan duo now, hurry up!"

His booming shout made people from several nearby companies look over.

Jiang Peng felt the gazes coming from every direction, and his breathing grew hurried. He knew what kind of mockery those looks contained. Just a few hours ago, he himself had been among those onlookers.

For some reason, he thought of something the Chief of Staff had said.

"Whether you show your face or make a spectacle of yourself depends on your performance!"

His grievance gradually turned into rage.

Everyone in the New Recruit Regiment was in cahoots! They were all the same!

Only reporting them could protect his dignity!

Ninth Squad continued its formation training.

Over the course of one training period, everyone noticed that Jiang Peng had vanished from the center of the Training Ground.

Hao Chengbin glanced toward the middle of the Training Ground and realized something as well. He turned and said,

"Jiang Peng may have gone to report me. Regimental Headquarters might come ask you questions later. Tell the truth about Jiang Peng, understand?"

Fang Huai immediately understood Hao Chengbin's meaning and loudly said,

"Don't worry, Squad Leader! If he says you hit us, he's definitely lying! He's deliberately retaliating!"

He said it for everyone to hear.

After that, everyone should have stated their position.

"Right! When did you ever hit us? Squad Leader was educating us! Squad Leader is great!" Yue Tao chimed in with his usual joking manner.

No one else spoke.

After thinking for a moment, Fang Huai looked at Lu Zexian, who had been disciplined the harshest before, and said, "Lu Zexian, we're brothers in the same squad. You make a statement first! Has Squad Leader ever hit us?"

Lu Zexian gave a contemptuous laugh and looked toward the center of the Training Ground.

"No matter what, I wouldn't be like that kind of person! Always talking in that fake, sarcastic way—a Japanese interpreter!"

"What about Shorty?" Fang Huai continued.

Peng Yingqirui clearly did not know what to say either. After stammering for a long time, he said,

"I... I already cut ties with him last time!"

Hao Chengbin smiled and shook his head. "All right! I only said they might ask you! Train properly!"

"The company commander is here!" Zhao Bing suddenly said.

Wang Jian hurried over from the entrance to the Training Ground.

"Old Hao! The Chief of Staff wants you!" Wang Jian ran up, glanced at the recruits, and did not say much else.

Hao Chengbin said with some irritation, "He wants me? I'm training recruits! How am I supposed to leave?"

"Ah, enough, come on, come on. I've already had Yang Hui bring Sixth Squad over. He'll help you lead them for now!"

Wang Jian wore a coaxing expression as he pulled Hao Chengbin away. Then he turned back and called out,

"Oh, right, Fang Huai, you come too!"

"He's the nephew of Deputy Director Liu from the Political Department of the Provincial City Detachment... from Deputy Director Liu's wife's side of the family. He calls him uncle-in-law, and Deputy Director Liu and the Chief of Staff were comrades from the same unit..."

"He says you physically punished him, favored Fang Huai, and even slapped him that morning before yesterday..."

"Now he's making a fuss about leaving the military, unless he gets transferred to another squad."

As they walked, Wang Jian explained the situation to Hao Chengbin. Remembering something, he turned to look at Fang Huai.

"By the way, Fang Huai, have you and the other recruits in the squad been freezing him out and refusing to speak to him?"

"What the hell does it have to do with him?"

Hao Chengbin immediately sprang to his men's defense.

"That recruit has problems with his thinking! He ran to another squad to spread rumors! What, just because he has an uncle-in-law who's a deputy director, he thinks he's something special? Does he want to be the Crown Prince? Does the Chief of Staff have to give him face?

"If Deputy Director Liu teaches his kid like this, then fine—worst comes to worst, I won't go to the Guiyang Detachment!"

"What are you talking about?" Wang Jian said helplessly.

"I'm just telling you what Jiang Peng said earlier, so you can be prepared! His family hasn't made a statement! The Chief of Staff hasn't informed his family at all! But if a recruit reports you for hitting soldiers and says he was treated unfairly, can he just ignore it?"

As he spoke, his tone softened somewhat.

"Old Hei knows the situation perfectly well. He's just handling things by the book—give you a slap on the wrist, say a few words, and that'll be that. You're familiar with the Chief of Staff too. He won't do anything to you!"

Wang Jian knew perfectly well about Hao Chengbin disciplining the recruits. He had been the one to bring Yue Tao back to Ninth Squad. Jiang Peng had probably just been dragged into it and was using the opportunity to make a fuss.

If this really got dragged out, then as company commander, Wang Jian would catch hell for allowing soldiers to be hit.

Fang Huai's mind was racing as well.

Jiang Peng's uncle-in-law was also with the Provincial City Detachment?

A deputy director... that made him his uncle's subordinate.

Things had escalated to the point of wanting to discharge a recruit. Should he call his uncle and try to mediate?

Forget it. It wasn't his place to step forward, and he wasn't qualified to do so.

Besides, even if his uncle was the Corps Commander, he wouldn't let a new recruit use the phone.

Each of the three had his own thoughts as they arrived at the Regimental Headquarters office on the third floor of the New Recruit Building.

The moment they reached the door, voices came from inside.

"Discharge? Discharge for what? Your uncle-in-law sent you here so you could become a deserter and get sent back?

"He works in political affairs, too!

"What a joke—there's no stool in a carpenter's home, and ghosts sing outside a Taoist's door!

"Since you chose this line of work, how can you become capable without putting in hard work and suffering a little hardship?

"You say you want to prove yourself, then go ask your uncle-in-law how much hardship we endured back in the company! How did we get into school? The company had emergency calls and training; there was no time for us to study. We could only memorize our books at night while standing guard in the sentry box!"

Outside the door, Wang Jian and Hao Chengbin exchanged a look and knocked.

"Report!"