A generation of soldiers begins with Feng Yuxiu traveling through time and space with Xu Sanduo

Chapter 461 Feng Yuxiu's Intensive Training, Zhuang Yan's Frustration

"What is the company commander doing? It's been several days. Apart from going downstairs to eat and give instructions, he just keeps muttering something. He's not even in a hurry to hold meetings for the platoon leaders and squad leaders to summarize their experiences every day."

Chen Pai was completely baffled and couldn't understand the new company commander's thought process.

Other recruit company commanders would love to hold meetings and give speeches every day, because these three months are the most crucial for the recruits in the recruit company, determining whether they are good soldiers or bad soldiers.

Or rather, these three months form the basis for determining the future of these new recruits over the next three years.

Therefore, the responsibilities of the company commander in the recruit training camp are very heavy.

But now, apart from showing off his skills when welcoming new recruits on the first day, which became a topic of conversation among the other company commanders in the regiment and even attracted the attention of the regimental commander, this company commander has also become a focus of attention.

There was no sign of him about to shine; he was like a flower bud about to bloom, only to be withered by the frost and snow of the next day.

Feng Yuxiu, however, ignored everything and recited the Nine Dragons Union Technique, the most difficult one he had ever seen.

For example, the Subduing Demon Skill or the Ape Strike Technique are mostly just pictures and some annotations.

That's easy to remember; Xu Sanduo's brain has the instinct to remember everything he sees.

However, the Nine Dragons United is different; this thing is written entirely in classical Chinese, and even contains some obscure and difficult-to-pronounce characters.

This forced him to search on the computer in the reading room.

It took me three days to barely be able to read it fluently.

It would take at least half a month to memorize it completely.

He was quite at ease during the recruit training, as these were all seasoned veterans and squad/platoon leaders.

Their innate military instincts were enough to allow these greenhorns to unleash their full potential.

-

-

In the barracks, on the open ground outside the dormitory, the veteran soldier stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over a group of dusty and disheveled new recruits in front of him.

Having just finished a 5-kilometer unarmed cross-country run, the recruits were all panting, their clothes soaked with sweat, and their hair plastered to their foreheads.

The veteran's voice was icy, exploding in the air: "My assessment of your 5-kilometer unarmed cross-country run just now can be summed up in two words: garbage! You ran 5 kilometers in a mess, dragging your feet like sheep droppings, and that was just unarmed! What would you do if it were an armed cross-country run? What would you do if a war really broke out?"

Xiao Zhuang clenched his fists, a surge of resentment welling up inside him, but he could only suppress it and try his best to keep his expression calm.

But the old man still caught this subtle emotion. He narrowed his eyes and stared straight at Xiao Zhuang: "Some comrades still dare to glare? What are you glaring at? Let me tell you, if you don't suffer enough in peacetime, you'll be the first to fall on the battlefield!"

Xiao Zhuang took a deep breath, swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and bit her lower lip tightly, remaining silent.

The veteran glanced at his watch, his voice softening slightly but still carrying an undeniable authority: "There are still 30 minutes until dinner! Go back and get yourselves cleaned up, don't embarrass yourselves! Dismissed!"

As the word "disband" was uttered, the new recruits felt as if they had been granted a pardon, dragging their heavy steps as they scattered in all directions, each one looking dejected.

Back in the dormitory, without even taking a breather, everyone grabbed their basins and rushed to the washroom to wash their faces.

But Xiao Zhuang couldn't hold on any longer. As soon as she entered the room, she collapsed onto her bed and lay there motionless like a lump of mud, not even wanting to lift a finger.

Xiwa carried a basin, wiping the water droplets from her face as she walked in. Seeing Xiaozhuang lying on the bed, she quickly went over and whispered, "Why are you lying down now? What if the squad leader suddenly comes over? Wouldn't that be like walking into a trap?"

"I can't worry about that anymore," Xiao Zhuang muttered weakly, barely having the strength to open his eyes. "Even if you point a gun at me, I can't get up. Don't you think Lao Pao is a psychopath? The other squad leaders are all polite to the new recruits, but he's always finding ways to torment us!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a new recruit shouted urgently from the doorway: "Stand up!"

The dormitory instantly descended into chaos, with the clanging of washbasins and hurried footsteps echoing everywhere as the new recruits scrambled to their feet.

Xiao Zhuang suddenly jumped up from the bed and stood in front of the messy bed, his hair still sticking up in a mess. Xiwa stood next to him, holding a wet towel in her hand.

Old Pao walked in with a gloomy face, his gaze sweeping across the dormitory before finally landing on Xiao Zhuang's messy bed. He tapped his belt lightly against his palm, pointed at the bed, and asked sternly, "What's going on here?"

Xiao Zhuang, neck stiff and not intimidated at all, said, "Reporting, squad leader! I was the one who lay there!"

"You were lying down?" The veteran's voice suddenly rose. "What are my usual rules? What are we supposed to do when we go back to the dorm after training? Have you forgotten?"

"Isn't a bed just for sleeping? What's wrong with lying down for a while when you're tired?" Xiao Zhuang retorted, losing his temper.

The veteran squinted: "Who told you to sleep now? The training mission is over, so you don't need to worry about housekeeping anymore?"

Xiao Zhuang made a snap decision and decided to go all out: "I'm tired, I just want to lie down and rest for a bit."

"Aren't they tired?" The veteran pointed to the other recruits standing ramrod straight beside him, his voice full of questioning.

Xiao Zhuang pursed his lips and stopped talking, but the resentment on his face did not diminish at all.

Seeing his state, the veteran's anger flared even more: "Everyone, get out and assemble! Run another 5 kilometers!"

Xiwa, standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer and muttered softly, "Squad leader, lunch is about to be served. By the time we finish running, the food will probably be cold..."

"All you ever think about is eating!" Old Pao turned and glared at Xiwa, his voice full of disappointment. "Today I'm going to teach you all a lesson: the food in the army isn't free! If you eat the army's food, you have to take responsibility! All of you, get out and assemble!"

The new recruits looked at each other, their faces full of reluctance, but they could only obediently walk towards the door.

Looking at everyone's tired backs, Xiao Zhuang felt a pang of guilt and silently followed them.

The new recruits in the first platoon quickly lined up in the open space outside the dormitory. Although they all looked tired, they still tried their best to maintain a neat formation.

The veteran soldier walked to the front of the ranks, his cold gaze sweeping over each of them. His voice was firm and resolute: "Remember this: what is an army? It's a war machine forged with iron discipline! If you were all like this bunch of cowardly soldiers, afraid of hardship and fatigue, how could we talk about defeating the invaders? You're just a bunch of good-for-nothings! You're just wasting the army's food!"

He paused, then heard a few soft murmurs coming from the queue. His expression darkened further: "What? Still chattering away down there? Looks like you're not tired yet!"

Xiao Zhuang gritted his teeth, suppressing all his emotions, and remained silent.

The other recruits in the queue also kept their heads down, and no one dared to utter a sound.

"5km cross-country run, let's go!" the veteran shouted, waving his arm forward.

"Report!" Xiao Zhuang suddenly shouted, taking a step forward.

The old man frowned: "Speak!"

"Squad leader, if anyone is at fault, it's all my fault today. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I'll take the punishment myself!" Xiao Zhuang's voice was firm, and his eyes were fixed on Lao Pao.

"What did I tell you before?" The old man's voice carried a hint of sarcasm. "If one person makes a mistake, the whole class is punished! This is a collective, not a place for you to show off your individual heroism!"

"I'm willing to take the punishment for the whole class!" Xiao Zhuang didn't back down, his tone even more forceful. "There are nine new recruits in the class. If each of them runs 5 kilometers, that's a total of 45 kilometers! I'll run those 45 kilometers all by myself!"

Upon hearing this, the new recruits in the ranks were stunned. They all turned to look at Xiao Zhuang, their eyes filled with surprise and emotion.

The veteran was also taken aback for a moment, then sneered: "You think this is child's play? Taking punishment for someone else makes you a hero? I'll say it again, this is a collective effort!"

"Report! I know this is a collective matter, but the mistake is mine alone, and I can't drag everyone down with me! I hope the class monitor will approve!" Xiao Zhuang's attitude remained firm and unwavering.

The old man stared at Xiao Zhuang for a long time, the coldness in his eyes gradually fading, and a complicated smile appeared on his lips: "Alright, at least you have some sense of responsibility, knowing not to implicate your comrades. It shows that although you're a coward, you're not a complete coward. Since you volunteered, I have no reason to object. Go!"

He paused, then turned to the other recruits and said, "The rest of you, disperse and get ready for lunch!"

Xiao Zhuang gave a military salute, then turned and ran towards the back of the mountain.

The new recruits stood still, their eyes following Xiao Zhuang's figure, their faces full of conflict.

Seeing this, the veteran shouted sternly, "What are you all standing there for? Disband!"

"Report!" Xiwa suddenly stepped forward and shouted loudly.

"Speak!" Old Pao looked at Xiwa with some surprise.

"Squad leader, I'll run my own 5 kilometers. I don't want Xiao Zhuang to be punished for me!" Xiwa's voice trembled slightly, but her eyes were firm.

The veteran raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, another recruit stepped forward and shouted, "Report! Squad leader, I'll run too! We can't let Xiao Zhuang carry this alone!"

Immediately afterward, more and more new recruits stepped forward, saying, "I'll run too!" "We're in the same platoon, we'll run together!" "We can't let Xiao Zhuang be the only one punished!"

The veteran looked at the group of recruits who had previously been dejected, but now all had determined eyes. A barely perceptible sneer appeared on his lips, but his tone remained serious: "Not bad, quite loyal, huh? Since you all think that way, then go run!"

The new recruits responded in unison, "Yes, sir!"

The old man stood there, watching their backs, a faint smile of relief creeping onto his stiff lips.

Feng Yuxiu muttered to himself as he strode past from the side. The old man wanted to stand at attention and greet him, but he saw Feng Yuxiu disappear around the corner without even looking up.

"What is the company commander doing...?"

For several days now, Feng Yuxiu has been spending his time walking through the recruit training camp every day, except when he's eating.

Chen Pai and his men wanted to report but couldn't find anyone, so they could only complain to Miao Lian.

-

-

A week later.

Suddenly, a torrential downpour began, with large raindrops pounding on the ground and splashing up sprays of water.

All the recruits in the first platoon stood straight in the rain, holding their lunchboxes, which were neatly arranged in a row. Rainwater kept falling into the lunchboxes, gradually filling them up.

The veteran was soaked to the bone, water dripping from the brim of his military cap, but he still stood ramrod straight, staring straight ahead at the new recruits in front of him, his face expressionless.

With the water in the lunchboxes about to overflow, the recruits' clothes were already soaked, and they were shivering from the cold. The veteran soldier, however, said expressionlessly, "Pour it out!"

With a series of neat sounds, the new recruits poured the water from their lunchboxes onto the ground.

The old man looked at them and sneered, "You're revolutionary soldiers, steel warriors! You can't even handle a little rain? Look at your whining, all unhappy! On the battlefield, will you be getting this little bit of rain? You'll be getting rained on bullets and shells! I'll say it again, you can only go in to eat when you can fill your mess boxes in the rain!"

After saying that, he took off his belt, turned around and walked into the mess hall, leaving a row of new recruits standing dumbfounded in the rain, letting the rain wash over them.

Xiao Zhuang was shivering from the cold, his teeth chattering. He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, "That old punk is a tyrant..."

Standing beside him, Xiwa was also shivering from the cold, his lips turning purple. He whispered in a tearful voice, "I'd better not say anything more, or he'll hear me and I'll be punished again... If my mother knew I couldn't even get food in the army, she'd cry her eyes out..."

As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes and mingled with the rain as they streamed down his cheeks.

Seeing Xiwa's aggrieved look, Xiao Zhuang felt a pang of sadness and quickly comforted her, "Don't...don't cry...we can't let him look down on us...just hang in there..."

"I...I really can't take it anymore..." Xiwa choked, her voice filled with helplessness.

The already suppressed emotions of the new recruits around them were stirred up by Xiwa's cries, and they couldn't help but tear up as well.

In the reconnaissance company headquarters, Miao Lian was looking at the scene at the canteen entrance through binoculars. He smiled helplessly and shook his head gently.

The telescope lens moved slowly, and when it swept across Xiaozhuang, Miao Lian's movements stopped.

Although Xiao Zhuang was shivering in the rain and his face was pale, there were no tears in his eyes, only a hint of stubbornness and unwillingness to admit defeat.

Miao Lian was somewhat surprised and raised an eyebrow.

"Report!" A clear voice called from outside the door.

"Come in!" Miao didn't even turn his head, still looking at the scene through the binoculars.

Chen Pai pushed open the door and walked in, holding a document in his hand: "Miao Lian, this is the training plan you requested. Please take a look."

"Put it on the table." Miao Lian's gaze remained fixed on the binoculars.

Platoon Leader Chen placed the plan on the table, walked over curiously, followed Miao Lian's gaze, and said with a smile, "Miao Lian, you still have time to look at this? What's so interesting about a new recruit crying?"

“Look closely, there’s one who isn’t crying.” Miao Lian pointed to Xiao Zhuang through the binoculars, a hint of appreciation in his voice.

Chen Pai leaned closer for a closer look, then smiled knowingly: "What, you've taken a fancy to that troublemaker soldier?"

"A rebellious soldier is a good thing. With proper training, he can become a sharp blade in the future!" Miao Lian put down his binoculars, his eyes full of expectation.

Chen Pai smiled helplessly, "You really are becoming a soldier fanatic. I've left the plan here, you're busy, I'll head out now." Miao Lian waved his hand, watching Chen Pai leave the room, and muttered to himself, "Soldier fanatic? If it weren't for this soldier fanatic, you little brats wouldn't have a future!"

As he spoke, he picked up the binoculars again, his gaze returning to Xiao Zhuang.

At the entrance of the canteen, the rain was still falling, and the cries of the new recruits gradually subsided.

Suddenly, Xiao Zhuang raised his head sharply and roared at his comrades around him, "Stop crying!"

The crying stopped abruptly, and the new recruits, wiping away their tears, looked at Xiao Zhuang in astonishment.

"What's the use of crying? Will crying make the old man stop punishing us? Will it make him respect us?" Xiao Zhuang's voice was a little hoarse with excitement. "Hold your heads up! We are new recruits, but we are not cowards! Let's sing! Let's cheer ourselves up with songs!"

The new recruits looked at each other, and their sobs gradually subsided.

Xiao Zhuang took a deep breath and shouted, "Unity is strength! Ready, set, go!"

"Unity is strength, unity is strength! This strength is iron, this strength is steel..." The stirring song rang out in the rain. At first, it was a little scattered, but gradually, the voices grew louder and more unified, full of fighting spirit.

Miao Lian's binoculars slowly swept across the faces of each new recruit. Their faces still carried a hint of immaturity, but gradually their previous timidity faded, replaced by a sense of determination and passion.

Miao Lian looked at Xiao Zhuang in the camera lens and nodded in satisfaction.

In front of the glass window in the canteen, the old soldier stood there, expressionless, watching the new recruits in the rain.

As the singing grew louder, the indifference in his eyes gradually melted away. He quietly put on his soaked military cap, tightened his belt, and pushed open the door to go out.

Despite the heavy rain, the new recruits continued to sing at the top of their lungs, their lunchboxes already overflowing with water.

Old Pao walked up to Xiao Zhuang and looked at him calmly: "Xiao Zhuang."

"Here!" Xiao Zhuang answered loudly, his voice full of determination.

"Pour out the water in your lunchbox!" The old man's voice was still serious, but it lacked the previous chill.

Without hesitation, Xiao Zhuang flipped the lunchbox over, and the water splashed onto the ground with a "splash."

"The rest of you, go inside and eat," the veteran said, turning to the other recruits.

The new recruits stood still, all looking at Xiao Zhuang with worried expressions.

"Xiao Zhuang violated formation discipline; this is the punishment he deserves." Old Pao looked at everyone, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The rest of you, go inside and eat! Don't let your food get cold!"

Feng Yuxiu, who was about to go to the cafeteria for lunch, stopped and looked at Zhuang Yan in the rain.

The old man standing on the steps had sharp eyes and spotted Feng Yuxiu immediately, so he hurriedly ran over.

"Reporting to the company commander, the squad leader of the third squad is disciplining the new recruits. Please give him a speech."

Feng Yuxiu stepped forward and looked at Zhuang Yan. There was always a certain aura about this kid that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Unlike He Chenguang, who is superficial, he has a kind of aloofness.

Some people are out of place in the military camp.

“Squad leader, give him a bigger bowl. His lunchbox will be full in no time. How can this train a soldier’s will?”

Zhuang Yan suddenly looked up, his eyes fixed on Feng Yuxiu.

"Hey, hey, new recruit... don't stare like that. I'm actually quite decent now. If you had glared at me like that a few years ago, I would have been lying on the ground."

Since returning from Wangdu Village, Feng Yuxiu has been treated by the military doctor professor at the General Hospital, and his personality seems to have become even more complicated.

In short, he's more like a human being now.

Instead of being a cold-hearted, pretentious jerk.

Although the new recruit in front of us is unique, he has just single-handedly united this group of unfamiliar recruits into a cohesive unit.

Such people are born with a strong affinity and ability to unite others.

Feng Yuxiu actually admired this soldier.

"Old Pao, what are the special forces called in the military?"

Feng Yuxiu suddenly had a strange feeling. He went to the Eastern Theater Command, but He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing were recruited into the special forces.

I just arrived and I've already seen such a cohesive unit of soldiers. How come this script is so similar?

The veteran thought for a moment, then said, "Let's call it the Lone Wolf Special Forces."

Feng Yuxiu narrowed his eyes. "I understand."

This is another promising candidate for special forces training, but this candidate is still so unruly.

Feng Yuxiu stared at Xiao Zhuang. "What? I hit you, and you didn't even think about getting revenge? That you'd hit me one day to settle the score?"

Rain washed over Xiao Zhuang's face, and his eyelids twitched as he tried to answer.

Feng Yuxiu chuckled. "Kid, stop being so effeminate. Be a man. What is a man? It's getting revenge face to face, not going back home, turning off the lights, and getting angrier and angrier, taking it out on yourself. That's not a man, that's a coward."

"Company commander, if it were a basin..." The old gunman hesitated for a moment, the lunchbox being his punishment.

If it were the basin Feng Yuxiu mentioned, and you wanted the sparse rainwater to fill it... it would take until the middle of the night.

Feng Yuxiu turned around and said, "You're right. One basin. I won't eat or sleep if I'm not full."

A new recruit has been so unruly after a week; the veteran is being too lenient.

"Yes!"

Old Pao turned around, went into the canteen, took out a basin, and handed it to Xiao Zhuang.

Xiao Zhuang was a stubborn mule, refusing to back down, standing silently in the rain with his hands clasped.

Feng Yuxiu nodded. "Very good, very manly. Let's continue like this."

After saying that, he turned around and went into the cafeteria to eat.

The veteran was somewhat moved, thinking, "Who said this company commander didn't care?"

They came in with a huge one right away.

By the time all the new recruits had finished eating, the basin of water that Xiao Zhuang was carrying was only one-fifth full.

Chen Xiwa stepped forward in surprise, "Why did you change to such a big basin?"

He looked left and right, then ran to the corner of the wall, picked up a bucket, and prepared to pour water into it.

Xiao Zhuang immediately stepped back, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Xiao Zhuang, nobody saw it. This is clearly a prank, such a big basin full, it'll be midnight by then."

Xiao Zhuang gritted his teeth, "This is my business, even if I don't sleep for three days and three nights, it's still my business."

The old man, who was crouching in the grass, slightly crouched up, his eyes fixed on Xiao Zhuang.

"Hey, a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle. Just admit your mistake. Otherwise, the squad leader will keep torturing you like this. It's not worth it, Xiao Zhuang. Even the simplest fool in our village knows that if it hurts, let go."

Chen Xiwa offered advice that, though blunt, was reasonable.

Xiao Zhuang is a stubborn person, especially since he is an art student. Such a person has a firm resolve and will not listen to anyone's attempts to change their mind.

After all, artists are known for their romanticism and dignity; they would rather die than submit.

After finishing his meal, Feng Yuxiu strolled out of the canteen and glanced at the old man emerging from the bushes.

Without even glancing at Zhuang Yan, he walked into the bushes, paused slightly, and said, "Let's do something tougher."

The veteran was stunned for a moment, "Company commander, this isn't quite right..."

"This kid was causing trouble for you at the train station, and you couldn't bring yourself to do it?"

He's still a child... Although Lao Pao has a cold exterior, he has a soft heart. Xiao Zhuang is at most eighteen years old, about the same age as his younger brother.

"If you don't deal with him, I'll deal with you. If you can't get a soldier to submit to you from the start, he'll never submit to you."

Watching Feng Yuxiu's departing figure, Lao Pao gritted his teeth and suddenly stood up. "Third squad, assemble! We've spotted enemy activity. Target: mountains to the southwest. The enemy has entered the mountains. Our mission is to search the mountains for enemy activity! Move out!"

Xiao Zhuang began to tremble all over. Chen Xiwa looked at Xiao Zhuang pitifully and tried to dissuade him, "Give in... or you'll be brought down."

"Did I tell you to go deaf?" the old gunman roared.

The soldiers of the third platoon shouted and ran towards the distant mountains.

Xiao Zhuang took a deep breath, picked up the basin of water, and followed.

"The company commander is even more ruthless than me. Sure enough, none of those who can become company commanders are easy to deal with." Old Pao sighed and followed.

Tonight is destined to be a tough night for these new recruits.

When they returned late at night, the soldiers of the third platoon walked with their heads down, looking listless.

"Go back to sleep! Dismissed!"

The veteran followed behind, while the new recruit limped along.

They had just entered the dorm and were about to turn on the lights when Old Gun roared, "Don't you know the lights are off? Get in bed!"

The new recruits silently took off their shoes and went to bed.

Feng Yuxiu walked in from outside the dormitory.

The old soldier, seeing it through the light, immediately stood at attention and said, "Good morning, Company Commander."

Feng Yuxiu returned the greeting, then turned to the soldiers of the third squad, "From now on, you will have to traverse the mountain jungle every night after training. Aren't you tough? In these three months, I will let you experience what real iron-blooded men are like."

Instantly, all the new recruits turned ashen-faced, and some even began to tremble.

This was only their first time and they were already close to breaking their legs. The next three months were truly hellish.

"Take a rest." Feng Yuxiu turned and went out, and Lao Pao followed him out.

"Shh!"

Feng Yuxiu waved from the corner, and the old man closed his mouth in bewilderment.

Feng Yuxiu stood quietly in the dark corridor, listening.

"Xiao Zhuang... Grandpa Zhuang... I beg you, please don't be so stubborn, just give in. The other classes are all comfortable, but our class is like hell."

One of the new recruits couldn't take it anymore and turned to Xiao Zhuang, pleading.

You can grit your teeth for a day or two, but three months of relentless high intensity will really break you down.

Xiao Zhuang's tense body trembled slightly.

"Xiao Zhuang, just let it go for our sake... It was your fault to begin with. Apologize to the class monitor..."

They now understand what true collective punishment means. Wasn't Xiao Zhuang stubborn?
What about these comrades? Although he was stubborn, his compassion was stronger than most people's; this is called the artist's resonance.

"I……"

In the darkness, Xiao Zhuang's voice was hoarse, trembling, and somewhat suppressed.

He could endure the physical suffering, but this invisible torment drove him to the brink of collapse.

(End of this chapter)