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墨書 Inktalez
"Is it really necessary?" Old Bi asked.
"Do I have to?" I replied.
"Absolutely," Old Bi insisted.
Fine, I admit I hadn't thought that far ahead; I was defeated.
Old Bi sat across from me at the table, looking like a victor. "Brother, you really need to pay more attention to these things. How are you going to move up?"
"I didn't even expect to come to the army, let alone move up."
"You have to move up! There's no turning back for you. If you were a Military Doctor, I wouldn't care, but now you're a Squad Leader—oh no, I should say Captain Wang Dai," Old Bi suddenly declared.
"What? You what?!" I exclaimed in shock, standing up.
"Sit down, sit down, don't be surprised," Old Bi said casually as he pulled out a cigarette, lit it with ease, and took a puff.
"The new recruits will arrive soon. The higher-ups want you to go to the Recruit Training Camp and lead the New Recruits Company as the New Recruit Platoon Leader," Old Bi dropped another bombshell.
"Impossible!" I protested. Even though I didn't know much about the army, I knew that the New Recruit Platoon Leader was typically held by a senior Deputy Company Commander from some Unit. There was no way it could be me.
"Haha." Old Bi chuckled. "You know, sometimes I'm really jealous of you. Did you know that this year the higher-ups issued documents emphasizing the need to cultivate Local University Student leaders and establish them as role models? They want to make good use of Local University Students; that's one thing. Secondly, they've officially issued documents strictly prohibiting corporal punishment of soldiers, especially new recruits, advocating for humane and scientific management."
Old Bi paused for a moment. "So, you're lucky. The regiment has decided that you'll lead a New Recruits Company, with all the core members drawn from Local University Students. One reason is to see how well Local University Students can lead troops; the other is that after the new recruit training is completed, several New Recruits Companies' performances will be compared to provide a reference for leadership's next steps in troop management."
I was left speechless, astonished by the shocking news that had just reached me. I couldn't quite process all the information at once; my mind was racing, yet nothing coherent came out.
Old Bi seemed quite pleased with my stunned expression. He burst into laughter, saying, "Old Wang, I really admire you. Not for anything else, but for the surprises you bring to everyone. Every time you show up, things seem to change in unexpected ways. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to seeing how you handle the new recruits. I can't wait to find out what kind of team you can put together."
He patted me on the shoulder and added, "Don't ask me how I know this; consider it a heads-up from a brother. Now, I've got a pack of Furong Wang cigarettes here for you. When you report in later, give them to the Cadre Section Chief as a little gift. Remember, it's a loan—you'll need to return it!"
With that, Old Bi turned and went into his room. When he emerged again, he had a pack of Furong Wang cigarettes in hand, which he tossed onto the table. "Take it or leave it; it's up to you. This is as far as I can help."
I sat there feeling conflicted. To be honest, I had given gifts before, but I never expected such things existed within the military. After a moment of contemplation and a wry smile, I stood up and tucked the cigarettes into my backpack. "I owe you one!"
Old Bi chuckled and waved me off, urging me to hurry up and report.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I quickly made my way to the office.
After announcing my presence, I entered the Cadre Section Chief's office. I placed my backpack on the floor and stood at attention, beginning to report on my recent work. Throughout the process, the Cadre Section Chief nodded along without any other reaction. As I neared the end of my report, I casually bent down and retrieved the cigarettes from my backpack. "Leader, these are from someone else, but since I don’t smoke, I thought I’d better not let them go to waste." I neatly wrapped the pack in newspaper and set it on his desk.
He smiled and leaned back in his chair. "You know how to handle yourself well. Furong Wang cigarettes? They’re popular in Guangxi County too? You didn’t buy these yourself, did you?"
Unsure how to respond, I chuckled awkwardly.
"Wang," he continued, "you’re stepping in temporarily for receiving new recruits—are you worried about where you're going? Is it going to be tough?"
"No worries at all; as soldiers, obedience comes first. Personally, I have no concerns," I replied quickly.
"Hahaha! That's good! A young person who can withstand challenges is destined for greater responsibilities! Let me tell you this: don’t report back to your unit right away. Head over to the Recruit Training Camp instead; you're preparing to form a New Recruit Company!"
Despite my mental preparation, I was still taken aback when the words came out of the Section Chief's mouth. It was indeed true; Old Bi was something else.
Before I could respond, the Section Chief continued, "The Recruit Training Camp has three companies, each corresponding to a battalion. This means that for the New Recruit Company you are in charge of, aside from the three Squad Leaders we will assign, you will select twelve squad leaders from within the battalion! I've already called the Company Commander of the battalion."
I was momentarily stunned. How was this year so different from previous ones? Wasn't everything usually assigned beforehand?
As if sensing my thoughts, the Section Chief smiled and said, "This year is a pilot program. However, the New Recruits Company will be evaluated. You three Company Commanders from the Recruit Training Camp have Deputy Company Commanders and Squad Leaders as substitutes. Whether you can drop those substitute titles in your next positions is closely related to your training results with the new recruits!"
"Alright, that's all I can tell you for now. This Sunday evening, during the meeting for all cadres in the regiment, more details will be announced. You should hurry and prepare."
I wasn't sure what to say, so I stood at attention and replied, "Yes!" saluting before preparing to leave. Just then, the Section Chief called me back with a wave of his hand. A cigarette flew toward me, and I quickly caught it. "Take this; I appreciate the gesture," he said.
A warmth spread through me. "Leader, this..."
"Enough, just go. Oh, by the way, what’s your relationship with the Commander or Political Commissar?" The Section Chief asked casually.
"What relationship?" I was taken aback. "I only met the Commander and Political Commissar after coming here."
"Oh, got it. Go on." I noticed a flicker of disappointment in the Section Chief's eyes.
Turning away, I felt puzzled but had too much to do to dwell on it. I headed back to the Special Operations Unit with my backpack; yes, I was going to return the cigarette.
After hearing my recounting, Old Bi looked quite confused as he paced around the Company Headquarters with his hands behind his back, muttering, "No way; that can't be right. He’s not like that."
I found it puzzling too but didn't have much energy to think about it. I handed him the cigarette, but unexpectedly Old Bi refused it. He suddenly said to me, "I've thought it over. If you want to do well in the New Recruits Company, you'll need to use cigarettes to make connections with those Squad Leaders and class leaders; only then will they put in their best effort for you. So consider this an investment; keep this cigarette for now—you might need it later. If everything goes smoothly after your training and you get confirmed as a regular officer, you can return me three packs of Furong Wang—oh no, how about one premium Furong Wang instead?"
I chuckled and replied, "Sure! If everything goes well and I'm lucky enough to be appointed as Company Commander by March, I'll return you a premium Furong Wang!"
"Alright! It's a deal!"
With a clap of our hands, I made a pact with Old Bi. I grabbed my backpack and prepared to report back to the Battalion. The Easy Company Commander of the First Battalion was from my hometown, Hubei Anlu. He was a very straightforward and charismatic person. I remember when I first reported in; he was lounging on a deck chair in the training ground, wearing sunglasses and soaking up the sun. At that moment, I couldn't connect him to being the Company Commander at all.
I wasn't sure if it was because we were from the same hometown or if he genuinely appreciated me, but he had always looked out for me like a brother, and I respected him greatly. I decided to seek his advice first.
To my surprise, as soon as I entered the Battalion gate, he shouted from his chair in the middle, "Hahaha, here comes the wall-digger!"
His shout made me quite embarrassed. I set my things down and sincerely said to him, "Company Commander, I'm here to seek your guidance."
"Hahaha, Lu Squad Leader gave you my blessing! You want to pull some core personnel from my First Battalion to form a New Recruit Company? That's great! This is competition between battalions; competition brings out the best soldiers! I'm all for it!"
Hearing this from the old Company Commander eased my mind significantly. However, his next words raised my anxiety again. "Ah, but there are conditions!" he said slowly.
My heart sank. "What conditions do you have?"
"Two conditions. If you agree, I'll let you take core non-commissioned officers from my Second Company and Three Teams. You can choose your own unit's personnel. How does that sound?"
"Could you please state your conditions first?" I asked cautiously.
"Hahaha, very prudent! Listen up: First, when your New Recruits Company is formed, I want to have a say in selecting personnel for our battalion."
This didn't seem too difficult. I quickly nodded in agreement. Worst case scenario, I could consult with the Military Affairs Division's staff to bring some outstanding recruits into our battalion; even our company was my goal.
"So what's the second condition?"
"Ha ha ha, second one, a private request, one Furong Wang. If you give it to me, I'll help you out; if not, you'll have to coordinate with each Unit yourself!"
I thought it was something serious and laughed. "Leader, believe it or not, I actually have a Furong Wang right here. How about you take it for now?"
"Really?" The Company Commander widened his eyes in surprise.
I chuckled as I pulled the cigarette from my backpack and respectfully handed it over. "Wow, you're really something, carrying a Furong Wang with you!" the Company Commander murmured.
I smiled. "Now, can you prepare a Roster for me?"
"You’re really eager!" The Company Commander grabbed a pen and started writing quickly. Before long, he finished and tossed it to me before going off to find matches to light his cigarette.
I laughed heartily; this was truly helpful. A good start is half the success! The New Recruit Company has its foundation!
(To be continued, more exciting content tomorrow!)
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