Free Web NovelChapter 209: Chapter 157: Learn well from Squad Leader Wen!
The Microcomputer Room was flooded.
Old Soldier Hong.
Normally, the veterans, who only appeared on the third floor on Saturdays, were now all quietly squatting by their beds, tenderly stroking their blankets.
After caressing their blankets, they moved to various workstations, starting to tidy up windows, floor tiles, tables, and chairs.
Last time, Captain Zhang came in casual clothes and was very amiable. He didn’t even go into the garage, let alone perform an inspection.
But whoever thought Captain Zhang had no temper was asking to be destroyed.
The areas under his charge, both the Political Commissar and the Regimental Commander delegated considerable authority to him. In terms of military training, he was an old hand, even the oldest in the whole corps, having previously led several brigade-level units before being transferred here.
What he detested the most was making excuses. If one didn’t directly solve any criticized issues, a transfer order would quickly follow, out of this detachment and off to the Training Base.
The Base was indeed a great assignment.
A paradise for soldiers, but hell for cadres.
Inside was the Firefighting School.
There were plenty of high-ranking instructors, able to accommodate any level.
With no duty tasks, within a detachment-level unit, there was only one Police Duty Squadron.
If one were transferred there as a soldier, it was practically living the life of Riley. Once off duty, the entire unit emptied out. The freedom and lifestyle were something regular staff officers could never catch up to.
However, for cadres, wanting to return to a position of real authority once there became difficult.
Big Team leaders transferred there could become teachers or instructors.
Leaders at the Squadron level would end up as minor clerks in some office, deprived of any subordinates.
The Base’s Police Duty Squadron had only about a dozen soldiers, majority being drivers. The others were scattered across various offices, each with their duties. Strictly speaking, their work was similar to that of clerks, even the group-level instructors had to check if an ordinary Soldier was free to help with chores.
Additionally, cadres had many diverse tasks to handle themselves.
If transferred to a local unit, one could hold a senior position such as a research fellow. In terms of rank, one might even be at the same level as the head of the unit, a Senior Colonel in a regimental position.
But in entire unit meetings, one could only sit on the side, listening to lower-ranking leaders with actual authority assign work.
Fail to lead your soldiers properly, and your qualification to lead is revoked on the spot.
Such a decisive and career-ending leader. Which cadre wouldn’t be afraid?
If cadres were afraid, how could those below not be?
If it were a new leader, would they dare to manage more loosely than the previous one who was made to "sit on cold benches"?
Last year, a Big Team leader who had been warned by Captain Zhang got so scared that he directly participated in the Squadron management, leading Squadron soldiers on a Five Kilometers run.
The Big Team leader himself timed the run with a stopwatch. Talk about being moved.
In any case, Squadron leaders all had to fully join the fray, leading Everyone to charge.
...
When the two vehicles from the Brigade entered the Squadron, the sentry stood with proper solemnity and reacted quickly. Seeing the cars approach, he promptly opened the Door, snapping to attention with a salute.
Some of the Non-commissioned officers of the Second Squadron were checking Equipment in the Garage, others were cleaning the already immaculate ground in the front yard, and some were simply holding towels, cushioning the stools while they wiped down the Garage doors.
That double garage door, four and a half meters tall and two and a half meters wide.
Even Yao Ming on a stool could only reach about halfway. Could that really get clean with a towel?
But what was important for Everyone was to be busy with something in hand.
The entire Squadron was bustling, but the Brigade’s Training Team in the back yard hadn’t received any news of the ongoing events.
Fang Huai was currently wearing an inspection cap and a white belt, with a notebook in hand, wandering around the front yard. He was preparing to wait for the leadership to get out of the cars to assemble, and then put on a show, inspecting their attire.
But when the two vehicles entered the front yard, they didn’t stop; they headed straight to the back yard instead.
All the impromptu performances had been wasted.
Fang Huai immediately hastened towards the back yard.
Internally, he was cursing.
What’s this situation? Why aren’t they following the script? You’re supposed to gather Everyone in the front yard, let me find some faults to report, inform you to make corrections!
In the training area, the Old Soldiers of the Training team were scattered around the Training tower watching one person attempt to secure ladders, others were sitting on the ground resting.
Seeing the two cars zip past, with the license plates blurred, they didn’t react at first.
Chen Zhechang’s head whipped around, and he was taken aback.
He recognized those two cars.
Instinctively, he shouted, "Assemble! Assemble!"
Immediately turning around, he saw the person on the ladder still climbing up to the third floor, and once again shouted:
"Safety Officer, don’t move, protect them!"
That shout saved Chen Zhechang’s career.
Two colonels in the lead and rear cars had already gotten out, leaning on the car doors to observe the situation at the Training tower.
They had all seen the moment Chen Zhechang yelled to assemble; both the Safety Officer and the Old Soldier climbing the ladder turned their heads to look.
That movement was extremely dangerous, causing both leaders, just about to exit their cars, to stop in their tracks.
If in that second anything had happened, Chen Zhechang would have been primarily responsible, with both leaders accountable for management.
That would have started with a massive deduction of points.
Only when the soldier had climbed into the tower did the two leaders dare to close their car doors.
"Climbing the tower and you’re calling for an assembly? Calling for what assembly??"
The Chief of Staff from the lead car had already hurried forward, looking ready to lay hands on Chen Zhechang.
Chen Zhechang stood his ground, his face alternating between pale and flushed.
"Good morning, Chief of Staff!"
"Good morning, Chief of Staff!"
One by one, the Old Soldiers stood up and took their positions.
"Chen Zhechang, you’ve been in battle training long enough to commit such a basic error? Where is your cap?"
As the direct supervisor of the training science division under the Command Department, the Chief of Staff was the first to erupt in anger.
And he noticed something even Fang Huai hadn’t: Chen Zhechang was not wearing his cap.
It wasn’t that the Chief of Staff was keener than Fang Huai, but just before, he had tried to knock Chen Zhechang’s cap off, only to find a bare head instead.
Chen Zhechang subconsciously reached up to feel for it, awkwardly admitting:
"I... left it in the car."
However, the Chief of Staff’s berating continued. After scanning the group, he went on:
"Conducting a training with no proper standing or sitting postures—do you even count as the best soldiers selected from various Squadrons?
When they came in, I thought a construction site had just called for lunch!
Sentry, you were standing right there, why didn’t you correct them according to the regulations and the whole corps’ orders?
Setting up a patrol just for you to turn a blind eye?
The old soldiers of the training team fell silent as cicadas in cold weather.
Fang Huai stood by, feeling an urge to cry.
I’m in the wrong standing, leadership, I just arrived too!
I freaking just reported them, who’s the grandson that wants to turn a blind eye!
And both colonels are dressed impeccably, nothing amiss with them at all.
Tried to show off and failed, even rushed up excitedly to receive a scolding.
Zhang Zhongting stood behind, unable to hold back his laughter.
Of course, he had no intentions of giving Fang Huai a chance to show off.
Kidding me, my dignity, is it something for Fang Huai, a little soldier, to step on?
But as a leader, it’s time to take a look at my own brigade’s training team.
So just now, upon receiving Fang Huai’s call, I called the Chief of Staff to come and have a look with me.
I didn’t expect to walk in on this scene.
Zhang Zhongting waited for Chief of Staff Zhou to finish before stepping forward with hands behind his back, glancing at Chen Zhechang’s attire, and said with a smile:
"Head Chen, what size are your feet?"
Chen Zhechang looked down at his shoes, feeling a cold chill in his heart.
Done for, the first wave just passed, and here comes the second.
"Report, four... size 260."
Zhang Zhongting didn’t speak further but turned and signaled his car with a wave of his hand.
A fourth-period non-commissioned officer quickly got out of Zhang Zhongting’s car, holding a box in his hand.
Upon reaching Chen Zhechang, he handed the box over and chuckled:
"Head Chen is really lucky, Captain Zhang personally made a trip to give you a pair of shoes. These are mine, haven’t worn them yet, size 265, can you fit them?"
Chen Zhechang swallowed hard upon hearing this: "I can wear them..."
When he opened the box, there was a pair of new regulation leather shoes inside, and a lapel pin beside it.
Now, he had somewhat understood something, and couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Fang Huai.
Fang Huai was expressionless.
"The lapel pin is mine." Zhang Zhongting frankly stated:
"This morning, I received a call, saying Head Chen had no shoes to wear and his lapel pin was broken.
You’re a combat training cadre, running around all day, it’s hard work, and now your shoes are worn out.
The Chief of Staff and I specially came over to take care of you."
The words were very calm, the demeanor pleasant, but each sentence hit the mark.
The leadership pointed him out clearly.
Chen Zhechang’s mind was initially blasted into confusion by the Chief of Staff, only now recovering, quickly pushing the box away:
"No need, no need, Regimental Commander, I have them!"
The Chief of Staff, known for his fiery temper, glared:
"You have them and you don’t wear them? Waiting for me to serve you?"
Chen Zhechang immediately ran to a silver Corolla in the side courtyard, frantically searching for his cap and leather shoes.
But the lapel pin’s screw was indeed missing, so he could only press it firmly into his regular uniform.
Taking advantage of this moment, the Chief of Staff started to survey the old soldiers, introducing some physically outstanding non-commissioned officers he recognized to Zhang Zhongting.
"Captain Zhang, that’s Liu Shoulin from the Special Duty First Squadron, you should know him? In our detachment, in terms of overall strength, apart from He Zhijun, he’s the best!"
"From Qing Town, Chen Dakang, in his fourth year, carrying an empty call for five kilometers, 17 minutes and 55 seconds! Last year, he participated in the assessment in Tianjin, reaching 17 minutes and 38 seconds!"
"Yao Shuwei from Yunyan First Squad, in his seventh year, can still do load-bearing climbing under 50 seconds..."
The Chief of Staff seemed to be taking inventory of his possessions, reciting the achievements of each old soldier with precision.
The old soldiers who were mentioned puffed up their chests, standing even more erect.
"Wen Jingsong, from Minister Wen’s family, very good, second year. He came last year, and during the new recruit evaluation, he did 40 pull-ups! Breaking our brigade’s new recruit record!"
By the end, the Chief of Staff got to Wen Jingsong.
Zhang Zhongting finally spoke: "Yeah, I know little Wen. Your dad even called me about you, telling me some of your matters. How are your results now?"
Wen Jingsong, named by Zhang Zhongting and addressed in an elder’s tone, was at a loss for words for a moment.
Other old soldiers were a bit confused at the moment, but he was very clear in his heart that Zhang Zhongting’s arrival was to support Fang Huai.
But Zhang Zhongting was not only a leader but also mentioned his father.
He could afford to be cold to Fang Huai, but he didn’t dare with Zhang Zhongting.
He knew just as much insider information as the cadres did.
When his father was promoted to regimental commander, Zhang Zhongting was already a regimental commander too, both of seniority, with Zhang Zhongting even a few years younger than his father. It was just that Zhang Zhongting had been elevated to regimental commander too early due to his merits and got held back, so his father got promoted first.
Coming to the provincial city as deputy regimental commander was a transition, to get acquainted with the personnel of this key detachment.
His next destination was well-known to everyone, an even more significant position than his father’s.
"Report, 48 pull-ups now!" Wen Jingsong had to reply loudly.
"Hmm..." Zhang Zhongting wasn’t very satisfied with this progress, but still nodded and continued: freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"The five kilometers?"
"...19 minutes." Wen Jingsong spoke hesitantly, answering question by question.
"Such good results in the first year, you need to fight for it, don’t stop training just because you joined the troops." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Zhang Zhongting seemed to know quite a bit about Wen Jingsong.
Wen Jingsong was shocked inwardly, he truly didn’t know that his father and Zhang Zhongting were quite familiar, and even the fact that he trained at home was told to him.
That made him all the more uneasy about offending him.
Internally he was extremely uncomfortable, pondering whether he needed to change his attitude towards Fang Huai from now on.
But the next statement shifted his discomfort to someone else.
"However, these results are already very outstanding among the first-class soldiers!
Fang Huai, you should learn well from Squad Leader Wen!"
