Free Web NovelChapter 138: Chapter 94: Three are hot-headed, one even wants to be the boss
"This goods seems to have an undeveloped EQ.
He blew the wrong bugle call, turned the mess call into an emergency assembly, and then ran back in a hurry to let a new recruit blow it.
Was he messed with too much in his first year or what?
He blew the wrong call, okay, everyone saw him, they even called out his name, so why hide?
How come he looks a bit dumb?
As Fang Huai walked out, he looked back and couldn’t help but look at Qi Xiaohui with suspicion. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
This look caught Zhang Yang’s attention, who immediately frowned and called out.
"Fang Huai, come back!"
Fang Huai’s heart skipped a beat, and the expression in his eyes instantly cleared up.
"Ah... Squad Leader, what’s the matter?" Fang Huai turned around, feigning confusion.
Zhang Yang’s facial expression became stern, even somewhat hateful.
He felt that the new recruit was quite undisciplined and said with a strange smile, "What was that expression just now? Stare at him again for me to see?"
Fang Huai once again feigned ignorance: "Squad Leader, I wasn’t glaring."
"Not glaring? You think I’m blind?" Zhang Yang pointed at Fang Huai’s nose and said.
Zhang Yang and Qi Xiaohui were both combatants, and among the four same year soldiers, one went to the Cooking Squad, another to the Communication room. Before the new recruits were assigned to squads, it was the two of them doing odd jobs together; they had the closest relationship.
Although Qi Xiaohui was indeed a bit simple-minded, he couldn’t allow the "dignity" of a First-class soldier to be violated by the new recruits.
The three new recruits beside him all felt that something was off.
Especially Han Yong, thinking of what Fang Huai said when he entered in the morning, "Better to offend the squad leader than the second-year soldiers," felt like Fang Huai must have gotten himself into trouble.
Fang Huai wasn’t laughing anymore on his face, but just said seriously, "Squad Leader, I really didn’t glare."
"Really your m..." Zhang Yang was about to raise his leg to kick Fang Huai.
Seeing the drawn swords and bent bows, Brother Yong had a stroke of genius amid the urgency and shouted towards the back door of the canteen, "Greetings, Leader!"
Han Yong had listened intently to the cadres’ training that morning.
He wanted to scare Zhang Yang, stall for time, and wait for someone upstairs to come down and stop his behavior.
Indeed, the second-year soldiers all shivered and Zhang Yang also held back his leg and turned around.
But there was no one there.
Zhang Yang immediately glared at Han Yong: "Why the fuck are you shouting randomly? Looking for death?"
Fang Huai didn’t want to implicate Brother Yong any further and loudly said, "Squad Leader Zhang, Squad Leader Qi blew the wrong bugle call just now, turning it into an emergency assembly call. I did find it odd, but I didn’t glare at him!"
Qi Xiaohui, sitting on the side, heard these words and his face showed an expression of great indignation.
Before the new recruits were assigned, he had imagined countless times how to be a squad leader. His first year was quite suffocating, always being chastised by his squad leader. Just now, he went out to blow the bugle, wanting to show off in front of the new recruits.
He didn’t know how to blow the bugle? He had only heard it before, never blew it himself, and due to the excitement of the new recruit assignment, he blew a short, sharp blast.
After he blew it, every squad leader in the building was poking their heads out to scold him, and Squad Leader Zhao, who used to give him the hardest time, even said he was going to "come down and kill him."
He panicked and rushed back, handing the whistle to the only new recruit he could command.
And this new recruit was making fun of him!
Qi Xiaohui suddenly stood up and also pointed at Fang Huai.
"What do you mean? You think I can’t handle it too?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Huai’s mind became a tangled mess.
Damn it, I just gave an extra look, is it worth all this fuss?
These second cudgels, after a year of being tormented, are all easily set off – not only are they aberrant, but also sensitive.
"Squad Leader, I didn’t mean it that way," Fang Huai said helplessly.
"Hah," Zhang Yang let out a cold laugh, afraid that the instructor would really come down and without further outburst, glanced at Fang Huai and then towards Han Yong, and said:
"You two, better be careful! If I catch you making any mistakes later, just wait to see how I deal with you."
Having said that, he looked at Chang Ming and Meng Qiang on the side with a disdainful look in his eyes:
"The two of you usually talk behind Little Hui’s back all the time, and now you watch him being mocked by a new recruit without doing anything?
Do you even deserve to be my same year soldiers?
If it weren’t for me holding up our year’s physical training, you would have been played out by the old soldiers long ago! Fuck!"
Fang Huai felt like punching him.
This guy really knew how to fan the flames.
What was I mocking?
So what, you four same year soldiers have to gang up on me today to show your unity?
If you were really unified, why not just take the whistle outside and say you blew it and be done with it?
Fang Huai didn’t know why he was making such a fuss, but it was definitely an excuse to create trouble.
Chang Ming and Meng Qiang were provoked by his words and both looked quite ugly.
Different people heard different things from these words.
Chang Ming slammed down the pot he was holding and fiercely pulled the spoon from its hook, pointing at Zhang Yang:
"Zhang Yang, cut your crap! When have I ever talked behind Little Hui’s back?
It’s you who talks shit the most, isn’t it?! Saying Little Hui’s incompetent at this and that, almost affecting you—I’ve never jumped in on your gossip!
I know! You’re just jealous that I got into the Cooking Squad early, aren’t you? You’ve badmouthed me behind my back countless times, haven’t you?
I have a chef certificate! Do you? If you’re not satisfied, come compete! Ever since I’ve been in the kitchen, and before the new recruits arrived, which one of you willingly helped out with cooking?
Only Little Hui came voluntarily to assist in cooking when he had spare time. Why would I badmouth him?
Every time I’m super busy, I still have to request the squad leader to call you guys! If anyone deserves scolding, it’s you!
We depend on you? Damn your nonsense, once Squad Leader Liang was discharged, without me, you guys wouldn’t even have food to eat!"
In a burst of impassioned words, Chang Ming unleashed the resentment that had been building in his heart.
Meng Qiang also hummed, "That’s right, Zhang Yang, stop talking up a storm here. You think you’re becoming squad leader once the new recruits arrive, huh?
If you’re really so great, do both of our jobs. With your middle school education and not even knowing all the phonetic alphabets, try joining the Communication Squad!
Every day you treat Qi Xiaohui like an idiot, thinking we don’t see it? Always telling the Instructor before the detachment that you want to lead new recruits, but with the way you act, what kind of new recruits could you possibly lead?"
All of a sudden, Zhang Yang found himself under attack from two soldiers of the same year, fury burning inside him.
He wanted to show some temper, to let the new recruits see who had the most clout among the first-class soldiers, but instead, he got turned on by his peers, and now even Qi Xiaohui’s gaze was off.
But he had no authority to discipline his same year soldiers, and continuing to argue would only make a fool of himself in front of the new recruits.
So he turned to the new recruits and said:
"What the hell are you looking at? Get out and fall in! Let me tell you, you’ll be in the battle squad from now on, and you’d better have a clear idea of who you should and shouldn’t listen to!"
Unexpectedly,
Chang Ming completely lost it, throwing his spoon into the pot.
"Now is mealtime, and you want to take the new recruits away? I should serve the food alone?
I’ll strike right now, have the Instructor carry the food, believe it or not!"
After speaking, he looked at the new recruits and said:
"Listen up, every day at 10:50 AM, 4:50 PM, and after meals, it’s time to help in the kitchen, rain or shine, gather in the mess hall! Whoever doesn’t show up on time, two hundred push-ups!"
At this moment, the new recruits all maintained silence, passing signals with their gazes, eventually all turning to Fang Huai.
Fang Huai had more or less grasped the situation of the first-class soldiers.
These guys don’t have unity, each with their own thoughts.
No wonder they’re not favored by the authorities.
Out of the four, three were hot-headed, one wanted to be the boss, and then there was Qi Xiaohui, who did all the work but was the least respected by his peers.
"Squad leader, it’s time to eat, why don’t you blow the whistle first? We’ll serve the dishes?"
Fang Huai said to Zhang Yang while passing him the whistle.
Fang Huai, having figured out the situation, couldn’t care less about who became the boss in this bunch of conscripts.
With first-class soldiers like these, getting too close to any of them would mean the new recruits would sooner or later suffer a harsh lesson from them.
He decided quickly in his mind. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Better to follow the lead of Squad Leaders from upstairs.
Let them have a standoff for a couple of days, and when Captain Hao... no, Captain Hao arrives, let Hao Chengbin, this non-commissioned officer platoon leader, sort out these first-class soldiers.
As soon as Fang Huai spoke, all four fell somewhat silent.
Zhang Yang pulled the whistle over with a huff, "Do I need you to tell me what to do?"
He said, and nevertheless headed for the door.
Chang Ming showed satisfaction with Fang Huai’s move, "Go, hurry and serve the food, Fang Huai, remember to bring people here on time in the future!"
Chang Ming didn’t care who had control over the new recruits or about any squad leader’s "authority" among his peers.
As long as the new recruits came to help in the kitchen on time each day, anything else could fall apart outside his kitchen.
As for Meng Qiang, watching the new recruits obediently helping with the dishes, he hummed again, and new thoughts started to brew in his mind.
Meanwhile, outside, Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment before finally blowing the whistle.
"Tweet, tweet! Tweet, tweet!"
"Chow time!"
A proper assembly whistle should have a long tone after the first "tweet" followed by a short tone.
His was obviously incorrect, showing that these first-class soldiers hadn’t blown a gathering whistle before their detachment, nor had a squad leader taught them.
It was probably because it was Saturday today and the new recruits had just arrived. The squad leaders were probably off playing on the third or fourth floors, which gave them the chance to blow the assembly whistle.
Only after that whistle did footsteps begin upstairs, with Meng Qiang and Qi Xiaohui going out to fall in.
When Fang Huai and his group came out of the mess hall after setting the tables, over twenty people gathered in the yard, being lectured loudly by a second stage officer holding a whistle; it was Qi Xiaohui and Zhang Yang receiving the reprimand.
This person was Squad Leader Zhao, who had led them when they had been new recruits.
He occasionally kicked them lightly in the back, maintaining some decorum as they were now old soldiers, sparing their dignity.
"Is that how you blow a whistle? Huh! I may not have taught you, but you should have learned it by now!
Morning wake-up call, from low to high, one long note!
Assembly call, one long followed by two short!
Lights out call, from high to low, one long note!
An emergency assembly call is short five notes! That whistle, you’re not qualified to blow yet!
If you keep blowing it like this, I think we need to propose to the Squadron Leader to start a new recruit class for first-class soldiers and retrain you all!"
It wasn’t until Fang Huai and his three peers came out in line that the second-stage officer stopped, moved in front of the queue, and gruffly shouted:
"Fall in!"
Only then did the old soldiers chatting on the long grassy lawn at the front of the yard begin to move toward the formation.
After the lineup and singing were over, and they requested permission to begin the meal, Cao Yi stepped out of the formation and spoke loudly:
"First-class soldiers, please act like squad leaders!
You have one year left to prove yourselves to Captain Ye and me!
If at the end of this year, you haven’t shown us any improvement, forget about not wanting to stay; I wouldn’t want to keep you either!
Remember, this is the Special Duty Team! The troop is always at full strength! If you leave, the Detachment will immediately send replacements!
So put away your pettiness and set a good example for the new recruits!
Chow time!"
Inside the formation, Han Yong watched the first-class soldiers being scolded and felt they were quite pathetic.
At the same time, he thought back to the earnest words of Squad Leader Hao during their time in the new recruit group:
"Do you want to slouch through two years with the second-year soldier insignia given by the army, while the new recruits call you ’loser’ behind your back, or do you want the new recruits to genuinely call you Squad Leader Han?"
Brother Yong’s fists clenched tightly.
