Chapter 5: Snow Day Training, Soul Questioning Xiaozhuang

Chapter 5: Snow Day Training, Soul Questioning Xiaozhuang

"Turn back!" "Turn right!" "Let's go!"

Commands echoed across the recruit company's playground as veterans put the recruits through basic drill training. Lin Yi and Zhuang Yan had been conscripted in winter, and now in late December, the temperature plummeted as snowflakes drifted through the air.

A frail recruit collapsed, frozen to the ground. Two veterans quickly carried him to the infirmary.

Zheng Sanpao glanced at his watch. "Forty-five minutes. Anyone else want to quit? Admit you're weak?"

"No, we're tough," came the replies.

"Wrong. You're all soft, not even worthy of being called bears."

Chen Xiwa's teeth chattered from the cold, and the other recruits shivered similarly. Only Lin Yi stood straight as a pine, the [God of Involution (Gold)] allowing him to ignore the harsh conditions. He had made remarkable progress in drill training, already matching ordinary veterans after just a few days.

"Report!" Zhuang Yan shouted.

"Giving up?" Zheng Sanpao asked sternly.

"No, sir. I have a question," Zhuang Yan replied, stepping forward. "If we're weak, what does that make you? The bear squad leader?"

Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle. Zhuang Yan did have a talent for humor.

Chen Xiwa suppressed a smile, her face reddening. Zheng Sanpao approached Zhuang Yan. "You think that's funny? All of you, attention position for an hour. Ready!"

"That's inhumane!" Zhuang Yan shouted, turning to leave.

"Stop!" Zheng Sanpao barked. "What did you say?"

"We're here to be soldiers, not to be abused," Zhuang Yan retorted indignantly. "Why do other squads only stand at attention for half an hour, while we have to stand until we faint?"

Zheng Sanpao's face hardened. "Because you're recruits under my command. All of you, a hundred push-ups. Now!"

Lin Yi immediately assumed the proper position and began his push-ups without a word. The others followed suit.

"Report!" Zhuang Yan's anger flared. "Why punish them?"

"You're a unit. One person's mistake affects everyone," Zheng Sanpao explained coldly. "It's your error that's punishing them. You have two choices: leave, and they continue to be punished, or rejoin the squad and face the punishment with them."

Zhuang Yan grudgingly returned to the group, joining the push-ups.

The snow fell heavier as the recruits endured the bitter cold, their breathing becoming more labored. Lin Yi remained stoic, finding the exercise not particularly challenging. He understood that a soldier's duty was to obey orders, and this was as much about training Zhuang Yan as it was about teaching all the recruits their first lesson in the Special 8th Regiment.

"You're no longer civilians, but warriors," Zheng Sanpao announced, pacing around them. "So don't speak of humanity to your squad leader."

The grueling morning left an indelible impression on all the recruits.

Back in the dormitory, Zhuang Yan collapsed onto his bed. Chen Xiwa anxiously tried to rouse him, warning that the squad leader might come in.

"I can't get up," Zhuang Yan groaned. "Our squad leader is a sadist. Look at the other leaders; they treat their men well. He's trying to kill us with training. I'm done."

Chen Xiwa panicked, trying to quiet him. "Shh! Don't let anyone hear you!"

But Zhuang Yan only grew louder. "That bastard is probably listening at the door right now!"

"Zhuang, please," Chen Xiwa pleaded. "My mother always said you have to bow your head under someone else's roof."

Lin Yi had heard enough. He pulled Chen Xiwa aside and confronted Zhuang Yan. "I thought you just couldn't let go of your pride, but you're actually worthless. You can't even support yourself, let alone others."

"What did you say?" Zhuang Yan sat up abruptly.

"Am I wrong?" Lin Yi sneered. "The great future director from the Drama Academy? As a man, responsibility should be innate. Love is important, but what about duty to family and country? You're not just an individual now; you're a soldier. Your actions affect our squad, the entire recruit company, and thousands of recruits across the nation. The person you care for would never repeatedly drag down their comrades like you do."

Zhuang Yan, stung by the truth in Lin Yi's words, grew angry and defensive.

Lin Yi pressed on. "You're a Drama Academy student. You can leave and return to your studies. But what about them?" He gestured to the other recruits. "Most are just junior high graduates. They're here not only to serve their country but to build a future for themselves. Our squad's physical fitness is weaker than others. If we train at the same level as other squads, we'll end up at the bottom. The recruit company's performance determines future assignments. Do you want to condemn them to be cooks or logistics personnel? To return home after two years with meager discharge pay?"

"Not everyone is as privileged as you. Ask Chen Xiwa if he wants to stay in the army."

For the first time, Zhuang Yan realized the gravity of the situation. Coming from a comfortable background in Hebei Province, he hadn't grasped the reality faced by most of his peers.

"Xiaozhuang, I want to stay," Chen Xiwa answered without hesitation.

The longing in the eyes of the surrounding recruits made it clear: for many of them, being a soldier was their only path forward.

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30 power stones for an extra chapter !