Chapter 231: The Sound of a Horn in the Midnight!
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
In the eighth grade, the third platoon leader swiftly straightened his bed.
But before he could join Wang Ye for a chat, a cheerful guy appeared at the Class Eight dormitory door.
âHey, Brother Wang!â
Zhang Pingâan arrived.
âHey there!â
Wang Ye was originally seated on a small stool, pretending to peruse the regulations.
Upon Zhang Pingâanâs arrival, Wang Ye promptly rose with a friendly grin.
âCome on, let your comrades chat outside!â
At that moment, Zhou Qi, who had been standing with the third platoon leader, proactively turned and greeted.
This scene once again stirred envy in Zhang Wen and the other two.
Comparisons were unforgiving!
Look at Wang Ye; he didnât even utter a word when he memorized the questions earlier. If someone came looking for him, he didnât need to say anything; he willingly let them go for a walk. And what about them?
He lowered his voice and glanced over with a solemn expression.
That was the reality!
âOkay, thanks, class monitor!â Wang Ye expressed gratitude, and Zhang Pingâan also chimed in, âThanks, class monitor!â
They exited together, but they didnât wander far. They simply went downstairs to the spot where Ye Sanshi had taken Wang Ye that morning.
Seated on a stone bench, Wang Ye smiled and inquired of Zhang Pingâan, âHow was it? Did you enjoy the kitchen class?â
Zhang Pingâanâs expression immediately shifted as he grumbled, âItâs not enjoyable, Brother Wang. You donât know; we have to wake up at 430 every morning!â
This guyâs face was already somewhat round, and although he likely intended to convey his hardship, Wang Ye found it amusing no matter how he looked at it.
âYou must have some time for napping during the day and night, right?â Wang Ye grinned.
Zhang Pingâanâs expression remained unchanged. âNot in the morning. We get an hour and a half of rest in the afternoon, just like you. At night, we can sleep earlier than you; we turn off the lights and go to bed at nine oâclock!â
Wang Ye was slightly surprised, then he inquired, âWhat time do we turn off the lights?â
He had already turned them off when he returned last night, so he had no idea.
âOne hour earlier than our recruit company; you guys are at 930!â
âAlright then!â Wang Ye nodded.
In the next moment, Wang Ye noticed Zhang Pingâan glancing furtively left and right. He then discreetly pulled a rolled-up black plastic bag from his pocket.
âHere, Brother Wang, hide this!â
Zhang Pingâan suddenly whispered and swiftly concealed the rolled-up object in the black plastic bag.
âWhat is it?â
Wang Ye was taken aback as he took hold of it and gave it a squeeze.
It was somewhat pliable but not excessively so.
Moreover, when rolled into a ball inside the black bag, it wasnât particularly large; about the size of a fist, yet it had some weight to it.
âShh, put it away for now. Iâll tell you once youâve hidden it.â
Wang Ye had initially been curious to see what it was, but observing Zhang Pingâanâs anxiety, he refrained from probing further and stashed it in his pocket.
âWhat exactly is it?â Wang Ye asked in a hushed tone, baffled by Zhang Pingâanâs behavior.
Zhang Pingâan smiled and whispered, âItâs beef, cooked. 1 braised it and cut it into pieces. It wonât spoil, Brother Wang. You can take it with you. If youâre training or get hungry at night, you can have this!â
UhâŠâ Wang Ye gazed at him in astonishment, touched by the gesture.
This guy.
Patting Zhang Pingâan on the shoulder, Wang Ye smiled and said, âYouâre a good friend. Since youâre so considerate, I wonât refuse!â
It would be a shame not to enjoy some beef, especially when hunger might strike during nighttime training.
They werenât aware of what awaited them in the fourth Company.
Nevertheless, if the new recruits had to endure a five-kilometer run after dinner and engage in some light training, theyâd definitely appreciate having something to fill their stomachs at night.
After all, at the age of eighteen or nineteen, one could truly consume a substantial amount of food, particularly with physical training and the assistance of the system, which had pushed Wang Yeâs physical abilities and other fundamental attributes beyond human limits. In reality, he could consume more than the average person.
Eating in the canteen wasnât an issue for him, but there were still moments when heâd feel hungry at night without anything to munch on.
Now that he had some beef, it was indeed a welcome addition!
In fact, Wang Ye was getting an idea.
It seemed that if there was an opportunity in the future, he could procure more cooked food from outside to store in the system space.
He typically stashed it there and retrieved it when he wanted to eat.
If others asked, heâd simply attribute it to Zhang Pingâanâs generosity.
Hehe, the kitchen is great in that regard. They donât skimp on food, and we can grab a bite in the middle of the night when weâre hungry.â
Zhang Pingâan paused for a moment, then grinned and added, âBut, you know, beef is technically a rationed item. This time, I traded it with Squad Leader Dog. Brother Wang, donât let this slip!â
âUh⊠Squad Leader Dog?â Wang Ye widened his eyes, puzzled.
What did he mean by that?
Was the beef meant for dogs?
âHehe, donât fret, Brother Wang. The beef is perfectly fine and carefully selected. Itâs just that our companyâs dog squad leader eats better than us. He devours one or two pounds of beef daily. I exchanged it for three ham sausages!â
Wang Ye gazed at him and couldnât help but feel a bit flabbergasted. Even though it didnât sound that bad, why did he feel like he was snatching food from a dogâs bowl?
âBrother Wang, itâs really not a big deal. Squad Leader Dog canât finish his portion every day!â
Lowering his voice once more, Zhang Pingâan leaned in. âBrother Wang, if you ever get hungry in the future, or if itâs your turn for guard duty, just give me a heads-up. Iâll leave something for you to eat. That way, you wonât have to rely on instant noodles like the others after being dismissed!â
âSounds good!â Wang Ye didnât hesitate to accept. Why would he turn down such an offer?
After a moment of contemplation, Wang Ye reached into his pocket and said, âHow about this? Take this back and share it with your class monitor and the others!â
âUhâŠâ
Zhang Pingâan watched as Wang Ye retrieved a pack of Chinese cigarettes from his pocket, this time leaving Zhang Pingâan stunned.
âBrother Wang, you actually brought cigarettes with you?â
Typically, it took new recruits about half a year to quit smoking. In the Iron Blood Fourth Company, it could take up to a year.
Even in the kitchen, the rules were the same.
While it might not be as stringent as in the combat units, there were still regulations to follow.
However, Zhang Pingâan quickly smiled again.
âBrother Wang, thereâs no need. Our class monitor is a good guy. You donât have to offer him cigarettes.â
He politely declined.
Wang Ye patted his hand and placed the pack of cigarettes in his palm.
âItâs fine to share them occasionally to build camaraderie. I bought these cigarettes two days ago, but Iâm not a smoker, so I canât finish them when I return. You know smoking really affects oneâs physical fitness. 1 havenât even opened the pack. Iâll take them off your hands now so that I donât pull them out of my pocket for no reason!â
Wang Ye casually explained.
In reality, he had placed the cigarettes in the System Space and had no intention of smoking them.
However, today, Zhang Pingâan had brought over beef, so Wang Ye decided to return the favor and retrieved the cigarettes.
As an adult, Wang Ye understood that the bond between brothers could be pure, but one-sided giving or suffering losses constantly would strain the relationship. Such brotherhood wouldnât last long. Even if the brother in question didnât mind, others around him might start saying negative things, causing the relationship to drift apart.
âAlright, Iâll take them then!â Zhang Pingâan accepted with a smile.
Then, he looked at Wang Ye and inquired, âBy the way, Brother Wang, whatâs the situation with Deng Hai?â
This topic seemed inevitable.
Ye Sanshi had asked about it earlier in the day, and now that Zhang Pingâan had come over, he felt compelled to ask as well. Wang Ye even suspected that if he encountered other students from his original class, they would also bring up the subject.
After all, Deng Hai was also from Class Five.
Wang Ye shook his head and replied softly, âIâve already been to the military court. Letâs not delve into too many details. Weâll have to wait for the outcome.â
Zhang Pingâan sighed, saying, âHeâs in a really tough spot. Our class monitor mentioned that he might end up in jail this time.â
Zhang Pingâan was unaware of Deng Hai pulling a knife on Wang Ye or his other transgressions. He only believed Deng Hai was a straightforward deserter, just like their class monitor. Only Wang Ye and those who went to apprehend Deng Haiâs group, along with the regiment commander and division commander, were privy to the full story.
âBrother Wang, do you think this is necessary? If he had known today would come, he would have either retreated earlier or not joined the army at all!â Zhang Pingâan mused. âThey say being a soldier is an honorable duty, but because of this, his whole life is ruined!â
Wang Ye shook his head and redirected the conversation, stating, âLetâs not dwell on that topic any longer. Deng Hai is not just a soldier, actually.â
With that, Wang Ye closed the discussion and changed the subject. âDo you know where Qin Li and the others have gone? Have you seen them around?â
âNo, Iâve actually been outside with everyone these past two days. The main team was searching, and we were providing logistics support. We even took the food truck outâŠâ
After conversing with Zhang Pingâan for over ten minutes, a whistle sounded.
âLetâs go. Weâll chat next time. We should head back now.â
It wasnât an emergency assembly or anything crucial. It was just that it was nearing seven oâclock, and it was time for the evening news.
âIâve received a notice from my superior. Starting today, the entire company will cancel all leaves for the next three months!â
During the roll call, Wu Jianfeng delivered an order that sent shockwaves through all the seasoned soldiers in the company.
On the other hand, Wang Ye and the other recruits remained unfazed.
Leave? For conscripts, that was a distant dream.
Well, some may still harbor fantasies, but most recruits knew better. It wasnât usually their turn to go on leave.
Considering Wang Yeâs performance, he might have had a chance, but for now, it was fine to stay put. It was just three months, and the recruits hadnât gone on leave in three months, so what was there to fuss about?
After lights out, Wang Ye lay on his bunk, contemplating how he would spend the following day and what the week after would entail. He had just returned to the company, so Wang Ye was genuinely curious about what lay ahead.
In a daze, he felt like he had only recently fallen asleep whenâŠ
âWoo!!â
The sound of the emergency assembly siren jolted Wang Ye, causing his eyes to snap open.
âHurry up⊠Move it!â
In the dormitory, both Zhou Qi and the third platoon leader were already urging everyone.
Without needing any further prodding, Wang Ye swiftly threw off his blanket.
âDamn, itâs the emergency assembly siren, not sentry duty. Did something major happen in the middle of the night?â
Wang Ye heard a voice from the side.
It wasnât a fellow recruit but Wei Qinghai, who had two packs of cigarettes on hand.
âDonât waste time talking, get a move on!â Qiao Xuan snapped.
Simultaneously, his actions werenât sluggish either.
Wang Ye didnât even glance around; from start to finish, he efficiently packed his backpack.
Hurry, both of you, move faster. Whatâs going on with your recruit company!â
Wang Ye had already slung his backpack over his shoulders. At this moment, a voice came from the side. Wang Ye turned his head to see Zhou Qi berating Zhang Wen and the other two with a stern expression.
Zhang Wen had already retrieved the small yellow basin and was stowing it away, showing reasonable speed.
However, Peng Yuhang was still struggling to stuff his blanket into his backpack.
Zhou Qi rushed over to assist Peng Yuhang.
âHurry up, Iâll head out first!â
Once the third platoon leader had finished, he dashed toward the exit. As the platoon leader, he needed to assess the situation in the other two squads.
In roughly three minutes, the entire company had gathered in front of the company building after retrieving their weapons and gear from the armory.
âWeâve received an urgent message from our superiors. There are terrorists planning to attack our regimental headquarters. Our superiors have ordered us to eliminate all the enemies!â
Standing before the formation, Wu Jianfeng wore a stern expression and bellowed loudly.
At that moment, Wang Yeâs eyes widened, thinking he had misheard.
âWhat nonsense! Terrorists daring to attack a field armyâs headquarters?â
Had these terrorists been infected by the zombie virus? Why else would they act so recklessly?
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