Think It Through: Why Did You Join the Army?

"Greetings, sir!"

Han Yong was actually the first to react, and his voice was more impassioned than ever.

Everyone else hurriedly stood up as well.

"Greetings, sir!"

The colonel nodded, clasped his hands behind his back, and stepped closer to inspect the squad's situation.

"Mm..."

"Your speech was insightful and well put, but you still need to pay attention to how you express yourself.

Military songs carry the bloodline passed down by older generations of soldiers, and many stories are contained within them. They inspire us soldiers to forge ahead. Their purpose is by no means limited to stirring our blood; they can also cleanse the soul.

But there is one thing you said that was right.

When soldiers carry out missions, they need absolute calm. Life is the foremost force of creation and productivity. Every soldier's life is extremely valuable, and we are also conducting safety training...

Forget it, I won't go on. Young comrade, you have quite a breadth of knowledge.

Chief of Staff Yang, did you know I was coming and arrange this on purpose?"

The colonel had been about to launch into a work-summary-style speech, but suddenly felt it was inappropriate. He stopped himself and made a half-joking remark.

The officers and several squad leaders behind him laughed obligingly.

Fang Huai's heart twitched.

Arrange it on purpose?

Commander Huang, if I'd known you were coming, I'd have never said that even if you beat me to death!

Wouldn't I have praised the military song to the heavens?

Fang Huai immediately put on a serious expression and shouted, "Reporting, sir! My understanding was mistaken and not deep enough. Thank you for your correction, sir!"

"Hahaha..." The regiment commander laughed and waved his hand.

"Young comrade, you certainly know how to speak. This isn't a meeting—don't be so serious when you talk."

The chief of staff behind him hurriedly chimed in with a smile. "Commander, I only just found out you were coming too. Even if I wanted to arrange it, there wouldn't have been time!

Kid, the commander is praising you! Hao Chengbin is an experienced troop leader. The soldiers he trains have some ability!"

The chief of staff clearly knew Fang Huai, yet he had turned into an expert at playing dumb.

"Thank you, Chief of Staff! Thank you, Commander!" Fang Huai stopped trying to be clever. The regiment commander had questioned him directly just now, so he had no choice but to answer. But saying too much would have been as bad as saying too little.

"Mm... not bad. This squad has kept its quarters well." The regiment commander looked around, but now that all the recruits were standing, their bodies blocked much of his view, so he could not see much.

"I came to inspect two days ago. In terms of hygiene, this squad did a very thorough job."

The chief of staff nodded as well, giving them full approval.

The regiment commander turned around. He clearly knew who Hao Chengbin was and asked him directly, "You haven't overmanaged them, have you?"

Overmanagement.

The regiment commander's meaning was obvious.

This squad looked so different from the others. Had some methods been involved?

Hao Chengbin immediately stood at attention. "Commander, they're all very self-disciplined! Their ideological reform has gone relatively quickly, and this is the most worry-free squad I've ever led!"

As for whose credit it was, Hao Chengbin did not say. It was enough for the chief of staff to understand. Fang Huai was only a recruit; he did not need the regiment commander's appreciation yet.

Hearing that, the recruits could not help standing even straighter.

Seeing that Hao Chengbin did not appear to be lying, the regiment commander nodded with some approval.

"Good, very good. This shows that recruits can indeed be molded under more scientific management!

Chief of Staff, standardized and scientific training must be pushed even harder, and ideological development must be worked on even more!"

The regiment commander said some things the recruits did not understand. He waved to them once more, then turned and walked out of Ninth Squad.

This time, Fang Huai understood again.

This "scientific" and "standardized" talk was leadership jargon. Translated, it meant: hit soldiers less, punish them less, and cause fewer fucking problems for me.

The most direct result would be a greater emphasis on political education.

Military songs, regulations recitation, copying notes, song competitions, cultural activities, and the like.

This was related to reforms in the following years. At the regiment commander's level, he had long since caught the scent of it.

The fire service was a small force. At present, there were fewer than 160,000 personnel nationwide, roughly equivalent to two or three full-strength armies, yet there were thirty-one general corps units, over four hundred detachments, and they were spread extremely widely. It was hard for their thinking to stay synchronized, so units like the New Recruit Regiment, which centrally managed an entire province's recruits, bore even greater responsibility.

Starting with each intake of recruits, they would gradually change their way of thinking.

When Hao Chengbin came back, he could not hide the smile on his face. But once he shut the door, he looked around nervously and touched things here and there.

The chief of staff had just said that Ninth Squad would receive five extra points today!

What did five points in one go mean?

It meant they were being set up to become the regiment's Model Class for December! As long as they did not cause trouble before the end of the month, it would be Seventh Company, Ninth Squad!

One of his comrades had come by last night. The two of them had chatted for half the night at the barbecue stand outside the base gates. He had been sleeping all morning, then taken several more naps at the company headquarters after getting up. Aside from handing out some materials, he had barely managed them at all that morning.

To be honest, he still had no idea how they had earned the regiment's Model Class title.

After feeling around everywhere, it really was clean!

"Who cleaned up this morning?" Hao Chengbin turned and asked.

Yue Tao excitedly raised his hand.

"Reporting! We cleaned together!"

No matter how stupid they were, they knew they were definitely about to be praised today.

Hao Chengbin frowned at once. "Why was it everyone together again? Whoever was assigned to do it should do it! Fang Huai, who was responsible for hygiene today?"

Fang Huai could barely hold back his laughter. Yue Tao had not thought it through—Jiang Peng had said the same thing last time.

"Squad Leader, the whole squad really did clean together. It's the weekend, and everyone wanted to be in a good mood, so we discussed it and did a big cleanup this morning. Didn't you see it when you came in just now?"

I was so fucking groggy from sleeping, what the hell could I have seen?

If Wang Jian downstairs hadn't called to tell me the regiment commander was coming up, I almost would've been caught red-handed by him!

Hao Chengbin felt some regret as well. Ever since Fang Huai became the Assistant Squad Leader, his vigilance had been getting worse by the day.

But there was no way he could say that out loud.

"Mm... I deliberately didn't manage you today because I wanted to see whether you'd relax your vigilance over the weekend!

Now it seems you did quite well! But the chief of staff said that our squad has a chance to become the regiment's Model Class this month! We must strive for it and guard against arrogance and impatience!

Perform well, and earn more points for the squad!

I'm setting a rule! Anyone who earns points for the squad—if they want something to eat or drink, as long as it doesn't violate regulations, I can be Aladdin's lamp and grant their wish!

Anyone who loses points, just wait and see!"

Hell yeah, that was more like it! Give us something practical!

Chen Zhongqiang got excited too. He immediately patted Yue Tao and gave his fellow townsman a signal with his eyes.

Tao! Time to charge! Cigarettes! Cigarettes!

Yue Tao turned around with a look of disdain.

I don't even smoke! Last time, I was just trying it!

"Squad Leader, then do we get a reward this time?" Han Yong stood up, his face full of expectation.

Hao Chengbin was a little stunned. He pointed at Han Yong, then looked at Fang Huai.

He... had participated too?

Fang Huai understood and nodded.

Han Yong immediately said, "Squad Leader! I scrubbed the floor! With a towel!"

"Ahem." Hao Chengbin spoke with his hands behind his back.

"The regiment commander is here this week, so it wouldn't be appropriate! Next week, I'll pick a time and treat you to a late-night meal! You can discuss what you want to eat yourselves!... You can smoke a cigarette too!"

He definitely could not make good on it immediately. He had been a squad leader for so many years; he had mastered that delayed-gratification trick for fooling children.

But Ninth Squad still erupted.

"Long live Squad Leader!"

Even Han Yong, the newcomer, was a little choked up.

When had he ever seen anything like this in Eighth Squad? Forget late-night meals—they had to fight just to get vegetables at mealtime!

Before coming here, his family had all said the army food was good and there would be plenty to eat. He had not expected it meant there would be plenty of staple food!

That bastard Zhang Yinzhang from Eighth Squad looked down on him at every turn just because his family had money. He even stole his vegetables at mealtime!

Squad Leader Fang was better! Squad Leader Hao was better! Socialism was better!

"Shh! Keep it down! Don't you understand?!" Hao Chengbin hurriedly stopped their excitement, sounding a little fierce.

"'Long live,' my ass! Since the 1980s, the military can only shout 'long live' when charging! Don't shout it randomly! From now on, if you eat, you eat; if you smoke, you smoke. Don't go talking nonsense outside!

Other squad leaders don't give their men anything, but I do. How am I supposed to face them?

Enough! Go take a proper bath this afternoon. This weekend, I won't make you do extra training for now!"

After that little bit of PUA, everyone shifted into suppressed excitement again.

The squad leader was great! We were so lucky!

Fang Huai smiled along with everyone else.

Take a proper bath, and no extra training?

No need. Really.

After taking a bath, there would be no need for extra training.

And these kids were way too easy to fool.

They all thought other squad leaders did not give their soldiers anything? They all gave things secretly! Even their lines were exactly the same as Hao Chengbin's!

In the end, every recruit thought he was the luckiest one.

When they met comrades from the same company later and talked about those days, everyone would be stunned.

Holy shit? Your squad leader gave out cigarettes too?

Holy shit! Your squad leader treated you to late-night meals too?

Of course, Fang Huai really had it rough. His asshole squad leader in his previous life truly gave him nothing.

Back then, sitting among comrades sharing those happy memories, he had been one person envying a whole group.

That afternoon.

They happily went to take a bath.

Zhao Bing deliberately changed positions and walked behind Fang Huai, wearing what looked like a simple, honest smile.

"Hey, Fang Huai, what you told me today really moved me."

Fang Huai rolled his eyes.

"You're moved again. A military song moves you, a few words move you again—you still don't understand what I'm saying."

"Tell me! Say it slowly, and I'll listen to every single word!" Zhao Bing said sincerely.

People like Fang Huai, tough on the outside and soft on the inside, feared sincerity most.

He sighed, thought for a moment, then turned around.

"I've heard of plenty of people who aspired to become soldiers from childhood and actually made it here, but you're the first I've really met. If you're truly that pure about it, then honestly, I admire you.

But this isn't like what you see on television. A single shot in a TV drama can skip an entire year. An ignorant young man can become a mature soldier in one episode. But in reality, you have to live through it one day at a time.

Sticking with anything is not easy.

If you truly want to be a soldier, then do your work steadily and properly. Don't overthink things, and don't become full of hope or despair because of one incident. Once you learn things solidly and become an elite soldier, the passionate military life you want naturally won't be far from you.

But if you can only be an ordinary soldier, then... dedicate your youth properly and don't complain."

As he spoke, Seventh Company had already assembled.

"Can you make that a little clearer?" Zhao Bing still looked somewhat confused.

Fang Huai sighed again. "The life of an ordinary soldier is already very dull. I just don't want you to feel like you came here for nothing."

"Oh... you mean I shouldn't have joined the army?"

"You'd get full marks on reading comprehension."