Chapter 344: Following One's Heart

"I'm currently receiving a disciplinary action here, but I don't regret it. I was teaching a lesson to those who harm the troops, sending that guy to the hospital so that they wouldn't return to our unit. Our troops are all good soldiers; one bad apple won't spoil the whole barrel."

"Actually, my comrades are also very skilled. Each has their strengths; I wouldn't say I'm the best. For instance, I can't compete with the regiment in terms of withstanding beatings, and I'm no match for the snipers in terms of camouflage. When they say I'm the best, it's just the brothers flattering me."

"Colonel Du has high expectations and has invested a lot in me. I also practice diligently. Otherwise, at this stage of my disciplinary action, I wouldn't just be unable to handle a gun; I'd probably be stuck in confinement every day."

"I have a beautiful wife back home. She wears two thick black braids. She may not be as refined as city women, but she's very caring. She's given me a lovely daughter. After her birth, I only held her once before rushing back to the unit. I didn't expect that last time I went home, this little cutie had grown so tall. Kids grow so fast. Maybe next time I go back, she'll be able to speak. I just don't know if she'll be angry with me for being away so long, or if she won't want to call me 'Dad' anymore."

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In the barracks, Zhou Ming, Du Peng, Colonel Du, and ** were having tea and chatting. From **'s straightforward conversation, Zhou Ming could tell that he was like most soldiers—honest and unpretentious, without the pretentious pride of some elite soldiers. He was easygoing and friendly, the type of person who makes friends easily if he likes you.

Moreover, he didn't carry the aggressive demeanor seen in training; he was quite ordinary, like a simple, honest young man of the same age.

"I heard that ** won second place in the last military competition and first place in shooting?" Du Peng asked curiously.

"Shooting is my strength. I didn't perform well in combat. If we had another chance, I might not lose to him!" ** replied.

Du Peng and Colonel Du laughed heartily. Colonel Du pointed at ** and said, "This guy has a stubborn temperament, like an old mule. Not only is he stubborn, but he's also tough and never admits defeat."

"Colonel, you shouldn't say that! I really didn't perform well. If we had another go…"

Before ** could finish, Colonel Du scolded him with a stern face, "Stop making excuses. Losing is losing. Do you think the enemy on the battlefield will give you a second chance?"

"If it were on the battlefield, I wouldn't do it that way," ** muttered, his voice not loud but enough for Zhou Ming and Du Peng to hear.

Colonel Du shook his head helplessly and said, "When will you learn to face reality?"

Hearing the term "face reality," Zhou Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly asked **, "Since this is a special forces unit, there should be training for creating chaos in urban environments, right?"

Everyone was caught off guard by Zhou Ming's sudden question. They looked at him in surprise. ** turned to seek Colonel Du's opinion and, upon receiving a nod, replied, "Yes, we do have such training."

Zhou Ming then asked, "If you were to create chaos in a major city, say, in our capital, how would you do it? For example, if you were to go to Chang'an Street?"

Du Peng, Colonel Du, and ** all looked at Zhou Ming with puzzled expressions, not understanding why he was asking these questions. Zhou Ming didn't answer, simply waiting for **'s response.

** thought for a moment and replied, "If it were me, as long as I had a semi-automatic rifle and ample ammunition, I would use the terrain and position to move and shoot. Without any heavy weapons and without the garrison unit being mobilized, no matter how many people the opposition has, I could hold out for at least two hours before being defeated."

**'s answer was bold, but he had the capability to back it up. As the most proud soldier in the garrison, he had this ability. In fact, in a previous urban battle, he had held out for over three hours with very limited ammunition and sustained no injuries. If he hadn't given up on life, it might have been difficult to kill him. If there were a Chinese soldier king, it would definitely be him.

After chatting with ** and Colonel Du for a while, Zhou Ming left. As he was about to leave, ** quietly told Zhou Ming, "I'll tell you in secret. My wife is pregnant with a big boy, due in three months."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zhou Ming asked, surprised. "I remember you already have a daughter. Having another child would be considered an illegal birth and could result in fines. In severe cases, it might even lead to forced abortion!"

"It's because I don't think you're a bad person. You seem quite approachable, so it's okay to tell you. There won't be any problems. When my son is born, I'll invite you for a drink! I also want to see my daughter, whom I haven't seen for a long time," ** said.

Seeing **'s excited and joyful expression, Zhou Ming felt a bit conflicted. He knew that the political officers in the army might already be intercepting his letters and learning about his wife's second pregnancy. Soon, local officials might force her to have an abortion, resulting in a tragic accident that could lead to the death of both mother and child. His daughter might also die mysteriously.

"If I have the chance, I'll definitely come to celebrate with you."

Zhou Ming said this to **, then left the military camp with Du Peng, ignoring **'s bewildered look.

Back in the car, as they were being driven out of the military camp, Du Peng asked Zhou Ming, "Isn't ** the person you were looking for? Why do you seem upset after meeting him?"

Zhou Ming shook his head and said, "It's nothing. Just a sudden headache. I don't know why."

"Maybe it's because you've had too much on your plate recently. Zhou Ming, you're under a lot of pressure. If it gets too much, consider following Yang Lao's advice and going abroad. The sky's the limit out there, and I believe you can achieve even greater success!" Du Peng said.

Zhou Ming smiled without responding. Then Du Peng suddenly recalled something and said, "By the way, Zhou Ming, do you think there might be issues with **'s wife being pregnant again? I heard that it's very strict in that area now. If something goes wrong, what will we do?"

"You thought of that too?" Zhou Ming asked in surprise.

Zhou Ming was genuinely surprised. He knew because he had been reborn, but Du Peng had immediately thought of this issue upon hearing about it today. It showed that this guy, who would become one of the country's biggest hidden fortunes in the future, certainly had his own abilities.

"Why couldn't I think of it?" Du Peng asked, somewhat puzzled.

"It's nothing. Since you thought of it, just leave it at that," Zhou Ming said. "What do you think we should do? Should we help him save his wife and unborn child?"

"Using the word 'save' makes it sound like something will definitely go wrong with his wife and child," Du Peng said.

Zhou Ming replied, "You can't be sure. Some officials in the country have poor and rough working styles. They don't care about these things or whose child it is. When something really happens, it will be too late."

Du Peng thought for a while and then said, "Indeed. It seems we should check on the situation in his hometown. But don't look at me like that, Zhou Ming. You think you're the only one who considers these things? I do too. If something really happens, and ** can't handle it and seeks revenge on society, what then? He is… what's the term… a super soldier."

"Anything else?" Zhou Ming asked淡淡地.

"Also, we need to be true to our conscience. Although I'm not a saint and don't want to be one, I can't watch such tragedies unfold in front of me. It would haunt me for the rest of my life," Du Peng said.

Du Peng's words suddenly enlightened Zhou Ming. He realized why he had been so conflicted—he was merely avoiding going against his own principles.

He was a man; why should he use others' tragedies to pave his own way? Couldn't he deal with Tan Qianjun without this incident? If that were the case, even if he got through this hurdle, what about the next time? Would he always have to create a tragedy to use as a stepping stone? Did he need to make others turn into corpses to move forward?

If ** were the enemy or a person of poor character, it might be seen as removing a threat to society, but he was such a straightforward and trustworthy man. If Zhou Ming just watched his tragedy unfold without intervening, could he still consider himself a good person?

If Du Peng could manage to do something that Zhou Ming couldn't, did it mean that Zhou Ming was inferior to him?

If that were the case, what right did he have to excel in business or criticize Tan Qianjun and others? Wouldn't he just be another Tan Qianjun?

So, Zhou Ming decided not to use this matter. He would confront Tan Qianjun directly, without using any external help, and defeat him in a straightforward manner.

Thinking of this, Zhou Ming suddenly patted Du Peng on the back and said, "Du Peng, I didn't expect you to have such enlightening words. Fantastic!"

Du Peng was startled and cursed, "Damn it! Zhou Ming, what's with the sudden surprise? What if we end up in a ditch?"

Zhou Ming laughed heartily and said, "That's easy. If we end up in trouble, I'll use you as a shield. I'll be fine. Although I have a conscience and won't use innocent people as stepping stones, using you, Du Peng, I have no qualms!"

Du Peng grumbled, "You're really something!"

At this moment, Zhou Ming didn't realize that his spontaneous decision would change many things, both in terms of occurrence and development.