These Days Are Hard to Endure!

When Fang Huai came out, two squad leaders were standing at the door, and he instinctively did a salute.

The third squad leader checked his watch, looking somewhat incredulous.

He asked, "Are you from the third batch?"

"Fourth batch, Squad Leader."

"Oh..." The third squad leader nodded and said, "Then change your clothes and wait here for a bit."

Fang Huai quickly put on his pants and shirt, sat on the bench to put on his socks and shoes, and massaged his legs to rest.

A minute later, the third squad leader knocked on the door.

"Fourth batch! Hurry up and get washed and come out!"

Soon, one person emerged, wearing only his underwear, which was clearly wet.

Upon seeing the squad leader, he acted awkwardly, conspicuously trying to cover himself.

"What the hell, why are you wearing your underwear?" the first squad leader was also shocked.

"Squad... Squad Leader, I... I just washed my underwear too!"

"Take it off! Put on your pants directly! Don't get your pants wet too!"

The first squad leader roared. The guy slowly began to put on his pants, shifting his position twice and turning his back to them as he did so.

But more recruits were coming out, and they happened to see him.

The one who came out glanced instinctively, then let out a chuckle.

The man dressing, his crotch burning with shame, quickly sped up his movements. Fang Huai could see his back trembling.

"Ahem," Fang Huai cleared his throat.

Still got time to laugh? You'll be targeted soon, and the squad leader will make you cry.

The new recruit saw the two squad leaders next to Fang Huai and immediately suppressed his smile, diligently looking for his clothes and putting them on quickly.

Two minutes later, seven or eight new recruits stood at the door, forming two lines.

The third squad leader ordered, "You can go out now! Stand separately downstairs!"

As soon as they went downstairs.

The fourth squad leader stood at the door. All the new recruits were standing at the door, some still with steam rising from their heads.

The new recruits were divided into two teams.

The fourth squad leader saw them coming down and pointed to one side.

"Those who came down first, stand on the left!"

Everyone realized: those who came down later likely had a reward.

Those on the right were already sighing, while those on the left didn't dare to mock them now and stood quietly.

Fang Huai glanced to the right and saw that only Yue Tao from his squad seemed to be there. Even Lu Zexian wasn't on that side.

Looks like that guy really believed what I said this morning.

Looking again, he saw Jiang Peng.

Ah, there you are. Serves you right for laughing.

When Jiang Peng turned his head, Fang Huai also gave him a smile.

The guy was so angry he was stunned and immediately pointed at Fang Huai, shouting loudly.

"Squad Leader, he's smiling at me!"

The fourth squad leader followed Jiang Peng's finger to Fang Huai, who was already looking straight ahead with a serious expression, his face showing no trace of emotion.

The fourth squad leader turned around. "Shut up, did I say you could talk?"

Fang Huai chuckled inwardly.

Young man, anger harms the body.

Five minutes later, the last group of people entered the formation. When they came out, their faces were full of satisfaction.

The fourth squad leader laughed. "Go to the right, find your own spots! Those on the left, move aside!"

Those on the left quickly cleared a large space to the side. The rapid movements were as if they were afraid of getting splashed if blood splattered.

"Those on the right, spread out! Prepare for push-ups!"

The few who had just come down looked confused.

"Reporting, Squad Leader! We came out ten minutes ago!"

"Came out?" The third squad leader, who had followed them down, roared.

"When did I call for you? If the alarm had gone off, would you have waited until you were comfortably washed before coming out?"

The squad leader of Class Four turned and shot a displeased glance at the squad leader of Class Three.

Damn it, he stole my lines. What am I supposed to say now as the duty squad leader?

Turning back, he shouted, "There are regulations for fire response! 45 seconds during the day, one minute at night, and the response vehicles must drive out of the squadron gate! This means you have less than 40 seconds to get dressed and get in the vehicle!

And after deducting the time to put on your combat uniform, you have no time to think!

The alarm bell is the order!

Squad leader, the leaders' commands are also orders!

Whether you are showering, eating, or using the restroom, you must stop immediately and rush to the garage as quickly as possible, put on your gear, and get in the vehicle!

I don't want to talk to you about how time is life!

You are not worthy of saving lives yet!

But for now, time is the standard by which you will be assessed!

Listen to my command, the group on the right, five seconds! Prepare for push-up position!"

The movements immediately sped up.

But a few were still noticeably slow.

"Third person in the third row, second person in the fourth row, seventh person..."

The squad leader of Class Four pointed out a few who were slow earlier. "110 push-ups! The rest of you, 100! Count yourselves! Shout 'Report!' when you're done!"

The new recruits started doing them.

Some were quite fast. Without the squad leaders correcting their form, and without requiring standard execution, these push-ups were easier.

Many were pushing their lower bodies into the ground.

"Eleven, twelve!..."

The squad leader of Class Three patrolled back and forth behind the new recruits doing push-ups, occasionally shouting.

"Count each one as you do it! Count louder! If I can't hear you, do it again!"

It seemed that not everyone in Class Nine was at the bottom in terms of physical fitness. Fang Huai saw several who stopped moving after counting into the twenties.

However, many of them had arrived only after being held in position for a long time, their arms already exhausted.

Some saw others stop and wanted to slack off too, just holding their positions.

One after another, people finished and shouted "Report!"

But the squad leaders pretended not to see them, with no intention of letting them get up. Instead, they stared at those who hadn't finished.

Soon, everyone understood the squad leaders' intention: no one could get up until the last person finished.

This was going to be tough.

Some had only managed to do 30.

Those who finished started urging the others, "Hurry up!"

Some, realizing the situation, quickly started doing them again.

Some, seeing they were holding back their comrades, and with their arms giving out, started wailing, "I really... can't do it anymore! Waaah..."

The person next to them, Zuo Dui, didn't dare to make a sound, wishing he could merge with heaven and earth, blending into the air, so the squad leaders wouldn't notice him.

Fortunately, the squad leaders didn't intend to punish the right-side group too harshly. After only a minute or two, they let them off.

The main reason was the gap in physical fitness. If they were really going to train, they couldn't have four people watching dozens of people train like this.

Those with good fitness hadn't reached their limit, while those with poor fitness were already crying and screaming.

"Everyone stand up! Those on the left, move in! Five seconds!"

"Quick!"

This time, the movements were swift.

Even those who had been wailing didn't have time to wipe their tears before scrambling up. Within seconds, everyone was standing together.

The squad leader of Class Four smiled, very satisfied.

"Good, you didn't disappoint me this time! Turn around!"

Everyone turned around and saw the direction of the New Recruit Building, letting out a sigh of relief.

Damn, that shower was tough.

Who would have thought.

"Had enough hand training? Next, we'll train your legs!"

"Prepare for frog jumps!"

The new recruits' faces changed.

Fang Huai had already been subtly shaking his legs for a while. At this moment, he sighed and crouched down again.

Whis today! Whis today ah!

There's a lot of swearing in the military.

When we first arrived, there were plenty of well-behaved recruits, but after a year, you'll find it's suffocating if you don't learn to curse a bit.

Damn instructors, and fellow recruits who screw you over.

Back in the barracks, the recruits whose instructors weren't around were all learning to curse. The dirtier the words, the more asterisks they were replaced with.

Instructor Hao was clearly not around. Ever since he led the new recruits downstairs into formation, he hadn't shown his face.

As soon as the door to Squad Nine opened, everyone filed in, found their small stools, pulled out the tables, and started to lie down and rest.

Lu Zexian said indignantly, "That damn Old Godmother kicked me in the butt during the frog jumps, sending me tumbling! I'm covered in dust everywhere! What a waste of a bath!"

Chen Zhongqiang next to him turned back in surprise, "Who's Old Godmother?"

"The Squad Leader of Squad Four, Tao Huabi! His name is exactly the same as Old Godmother! The guys in Squad Four secretly call him Old Godmother!"

"Hahaha"

A burst of laughter followed, and everyone's mood lightened a bit.

Fang Huai, however, was too lazy to talk. He grabbed his basin and hurried to wash his hair again.

Looking at himself in the mirror in the washroom, he seemed to have lost some weight, and he couldn't help but sigh.

This afternoon was too damn uncomfortable.

The Regimental Commander had come to inspect them that morning and said those words, but the instructors seemed not to understand. They still hit and punished as usual.

Tradition was too strong; no one took it seriously.

The hardships of the military aren't something you can easily overcome just because you have a System. Fortunately, thanks to my foreknowledge, I haven't suffered any major setbacks, and the instructors treat me quite well.

As Fang Huai was contemplating, hurried and messy footsteps suddenly came from the corridor nearby.

"Damn, is Staff Officer Jin really secretly filming the Eighth Company downstairs?"

"Really! The Eighth Company just called, saying Jin Can is on the training ground with a camera, secretly filming the recruits on their way to shower!"

"Shit, how long has he been filming? Has he filmed us?"

"Don't know!"

"It's over, it's over! Brother Tao was leading the team today, Brother Tao is probably going to die this time!"

"Bullshit, you think you guys can escape?"

"Damn it, I want to learn to drive when I go back this year! The squadron already signed me up!"

Several instructors said, walking towards the stairs, so anxious they didn't even notice Fang Huai in the washroom.

Fang Huai couldn't help but laugh, gloating.

Still pretending to be Old A, go ahead and pretend. The Regimental Commander was here this morning. Acting against the wind, this is going to be fun.

Actually, Fang Huai could understand them.

This show of force was necessary. The recruits, who had been peaceful for a few days, had shown just how bold they were this afternoon: during showers, several recruits completely ignored the instructions and stayed inside for a full thirty minutes before coming out. The first group went in, and the fourth group only followed them out.

But the methods used this time were really a bit excessive. Especially on the way back, many recruits were kicked and shoved back, and even when they tried their best to hurry forward, they were still considered too slow.

If you're slow, you get kicked. If you report, you get kicked. Recruits deserve to be kicked.

They had just joined the military and couldn't handle such intense training. It wasn't their fault.

When Fang Huai returned to the barracks, the Squad Nine recruits were like the Eighteen Arhats, each in a different pose.

Yue Tao's foot was injured. He took off his shoes and socks and held his foot, rubbing the blisters that had recently formed.

Han Yong was leaning by Fang Huai's bed, spacing out.

Chen Zhongqiang and a few others were lying down and sleeping.

Zhao Bing stood with his hands behind his back, looking out the window, seemingly still waiting for the loudspeaker to play military songs.

Peng Yingqirui was holding a pen, writing on the newly distributed materials. After writing something, he looked up, extended a hand, and muttered to himself. Seeing Fang Huai enter, he immediately asked, "Fang Huai, when do we get discharged in 2009?"

Fang Huai walked closer and saw that he had written "Days until discharge: __" in the blank space of his materials, and couldn't help but laugh.

"We come in December and leave in December! Still seven hundred and thirty to three hundred and forty days, and you're already counting?"

Peng Yingqirui sighed, "Ah, it's so hard to get through the days!"