Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 134 Chen Jiang is promoted again for his meritorious service.
"Captain, have you ever been to the Fifth Platoon on the Grassland where Sanduo was stationed?" Chen Jiang did not directly defend Cheng Cai, but instead asked a seemingly unrelated question.

Yuan Lang probably hadn't expected Chen Jiang to ask about this at this time. Without thinking, he said, "I'm sorry, I haven't been there. But I think it must be a pretty good place for someone like Xu Sanduo to stand out. What's wrong?"

Chen Jiang glanced at Xu Sanduo, who also looked puzzled. Wasn't he here to plead for Cheng Cai? Why was he suddenly talking about Class 5?
"Captain, if we only look at the hardware and software, we can't simply categorize it as bad or not bad. To borrow a phrase someone else used to describe it, we would call it 'the graveyard of platoon leaders and the paradise of cowardly soldiers.'"

Yuan Lang listened quietly. Xu Sanduo was about to retort when Chen Jiang stopped him with a look. Of course, he knew what Xu Sanduo was going to say, because that place was very important to Xu Sanduo.

But at this moment, he is telling the truth.

It is described solely from the perspective of someone who has never worked or lived there.

"That place is several hours' drive from the regimental headquarters, and hardly anyone comes here. The fifth squad is authorized to have 10 people, but there are only five people all year round. It's not due to combat casualties, but because they are simply not needed there! At least that's the view of the higher-ups."

"The main task of the Fifth Squad is to guard the oil pipeline and ensure the fuel supply for the field troops during exercises. It may sound like nothing, but in reality, this oil pipeline is completely buried underground and operates entirely automatically. There is absolutely nothing that the Fifth Squad needs to do. Even the lock on the maintenance room door has rusted!"

"In such a neglected place, what soldiers find most unbearable is loneliness and despair! So the soldiers there are extremely lazy, neither doing drills nor training, and their barracks are a complete mess. Everyone has to find a hobby to pass the time, otherwise they will be driven crazy by boredom and monotony!"

Now, after Chen Jiang said that, Xu Sanduo was reminded of the days when Sergeant Ma was still alive, and he even remembered a series of famous quotes they had said back then:

"You're drinking water. This water has a high copper content, so it can be considered mineral water."

"Glory lies in the ordinary, and hardship lies in the long process."

"Glory my ass, hardship my ass!"

Yuan Lang remained silent. After listening to Chen Jiang's words, he felt that Xu Sanduo was truly remarkable, managing to turn his military career around in such a place.

He saw this resume when he went to retrieve the files of Xu Sanduo and others: first he went to the Fifth Platoon, and then he was transferred to the Seventh Steel Company.

In his mind, Xu Sanduo's transfer from the worst platoon in Chen Jiang's words to the best company in the entire regiment could only be due to either using connections or doing something extraordinary.

Xu Sanduo definitely belongs to the latter category.

"I never imagined that place was so harsh," Yuan Lang remarked.

Chen Jiang continued, "But after Cheng Cai was eliminated from our brigade, he went back to that place to become a squad leader, but guess what happened to him?"

Yuan Lang admitted that Chen Jiang had successfully piqued his curiosity, and he was also curious about what Cheng Cai could do after being eliminated and returning to that seemingly hopeless place.
"After he returned, he didn't wallow in self-pity, but instead rallied himself. He not only rallied himself, but also improved the overall morale of the Fifth Platoon. He took charge of everything from morning exercises to housekeeping. Now, the Fifth Platoon's location is Point 936, which all the troops in exercises and training would rather detour to get to."

"Oh?" Yuan Lang was somewhat surprised, because Xu Sanduo's difficulty lay in his ability to remain untainted by the corrupt practices of the Fifth Squad and to stay true to himself. Moreover, Cheng Cai not only maintained self-discipline but also inspired the entire squad.
"You've seen his performance in these exercises, selections, and other competitions. I won't go into details about his combat effectiveness, as you have more comprehensive and accurate data. I just want to say that he wasn't allowed to fire live ammunition in the Fifth Platoon, and the only time he got a chance to shoot live ammunition after he went there was when Xu Sanduo returned."

Chen Jiang's words truly shocked Yuan Lang, so much so that he stood up on the spot, somewhat losing his composure. "Are you saying that he didn't fire any live ammunition at all after he went back?"

"Yes, that's right," Chen Jiang affirmed.

"How is that possible? Sharpshooters are made by being fed bullets. You, Sanduo, and I, which one of us didn't develop our feel for guns through long hours of live-fire shooting here?"

Yuan Lang didn't believe it at all.

“Captain, it’s true. The Fifth Platoon isn’t entitled to live ammunition. The logistics department doesn’t provide live ammunition, so keeping it is against the rules.” Xu Sanduo quickly explained when he saw that the captain didn’t believe him.

"Captain, when San Duo first came to the A Battalion, he hadn't really touched a gun for almost a year, but he was still excellent at shooting. To paraphrase a saying we used in the Seventh Company: If your body is steady, your hands will be steady too!"

Xu Sanduo was very grateful to Chen Jiang for speaking up for Cheng Cai without reservation.

He looked at Yuan Lang expectantly. He was not good with words and was not as eloquent as Chen Jiang, so it was definitely the right thing to leave the persuasion to Chen Jiang.

"Okay, I admit, you and Xu Sanduo have somewhat persuaded me." Yuan Lang got up and poured himself a glass of water, but didn't pour any for the two of them, his intention to send them away was quite clear.

"You guys go ahead! I'll think about it!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Chen Jiang and Xu Sanduo could only salute and walk outside.

Yuan Lang took a sip of water and glanced at the training ground in the distance. He was somewhat conflicted.
To be honest, he was somewhat indifferent to those who had been eliminated, but Chen Jiang's words just now still touched him a little.

A soldier with exceptional marksmanship might not be particularly rare in Squad A, but a soldier who can influence and change the environment around him is extremely valuable.

"Dong dong dong."

"Please come in!" Yuan Lang wondered, why was it so lively today?

When the door opened, it was Xu Sanduo; Chen Jiang was not there.

"Sanduo, what's the matter?"

"Captain, have you made up your mind about Cheng Cai?"

"Hmm, Sanduo, I definitely need some time to think about things. You should at least give me a day, right?" Yuan Lang tried to communicate with him in a calm tone.

"Okay, then hurry up a bit!"

Yuan Lang was somewhat speechless, but still smiled and waved.

Xu Sanduo saluted and walked out.

Yuan Lang shook his head. Xu Sanduo was really stubborn.

"Dong dong dong."

"Someone's knocking again?" Yuan Lang chuckled.
"Come in!"

The door opened, and there was Xu Sanduo again.

"Why is it you again?"

"Captain, it's me."

"What? Get to the point! It's not about Cheng Cai again, is it?" Yuan Lang said impatiently, seeing Xu Sanduo's hesitant expression. "If you're going to talk about Cheng Cai again, then don't say anything!"

"Oh, that's all right."

Xu Sanduo awkwardly closed the door.

Yuan Lang breathed a sigh of relief; it hadn't been easy.

Unexpectedly, the knocking on the door started again not long after.

"Damn it, what are you trying to do?" Yuan Lang roared.

There was silence outside the door, but Xu Sanduo still opened it and said resolutely, "Chengcai, I still hope you can accept him. You don't know how outstanding he is. Really, it's not just because he's my good friend, but because he has truly changed. He is the kind of soldier our A-Team needs!"

He spoke very quickly, probably because he was afraid Yuan Langzhen would kick him out and stop him from speaking, so he spoke very fast.

This was probably the most fluent he had ever spoken since he was born.

"Okay, are you done?"

Yuan Lang was trying his best to restrain himself, while Xu Sanduo's behavior was very offensive.

If someone else didn't know Xu Sanduo well, they would probably have gone berserk. But Yuan Lang knew Xu Sanduo and knew that he was only doing this because he was worried that his friend wouldn't be able to pass the test.

So he could only suppress his anger and patiently persuade him, "You have to believe me, and you have to believe in the brigade leadership. We will not abandon anyone who is beneficial to the brigade or the national army, okay?"

"OK then."

Seeing that Yuan Lang had already said that, Xu Sanduo really couldn't find any other reason to persuade him, so he could only leave.

This time, Yuan Lang learned from his previous mistake, so he stood at the door.
Sure enough, a short while later, there was another knock on the door. This time, he was truly furious.
"Is this ever going to end?"

He suddenly flung the door open.

But he stopped in his tracks.

"Team Iron Iron, it's you!"

Isn't that the railway captain outside the door?

He came to find Yuan Lang excitedly, but...
He looked at Yuan Lang with great confusion. "Why can't it be me? Can't I come to see you? What are you doing?"

A barrage of questions left Yuan Lang speechless, his mind screaming:
Xu Sanduo, you really tricked me!
Xu Sanduo was completely unaware of all this. He did his best and returned to the team. The first thing he did was to go to Chen Jiang and tell him that he could not go to Cheng Cai because there was a strict rule: those who participated in the assessment could not speak to anyone in the base without permission.

Even if they were already very familiar with each other!
A day later, Team A held a meeting of all personnel, at which Team Leader Tie Lu announced a commendation order.

In recognition of the outstanding performance of Team A during the exercise, a collective third-class merit is awarded!
Chen Jiang was awarded a second-class merit.
Wu Liuyi also received a third-class merit.

In addition, several other people were also commended, but only Chen Jiang received the Second Class Merit, which is extremely rare, and the First Class Merit is even more difficult to obtain.

Chen Jiang's commendation was well-deserved. His actions had indeed played a decisive role in turning the tide of the battle, and with the approval of Commander Gao, a second-class merit was a certainty.

Wu Liuyi's third-class merit was indeed commendable for his courage in staying behind to cover the rear, but part of the reason was also because the brigade took care of him. With this third-class merit, his promotion to sergeant would be much easier.

In addition to the commendation, the railway also announced an appointment order, appointing Chen Jiang as Yuan Lang's deputy, becoming the deputy company commander of the A brigade, and promoting him to the rank of lieutenant.

While people could understand the previous second-class merit awards, the current promotion of military ranks is simply outrageous.

Normally, a second lieutenant needs two years to be promoted to first lieutenant, but Chen Jiang was promoted in less than two years, which is obviously an exception, and an exception among exceptions.

Fortunately, there are plenty of junior officers in the A team, so everyone was only a little surprised by the promotion. But now that Chen Jiang has been appointed as the deputy company commander as a lieutenant, it is more difficult to understand.

You should know that in his squadron there are majors like Wu Zhe, and several captains, but none of them are qualified for the position of deputy squadron leader. Instead, Chen Jiang takes the position.
Will this convince the public?
Chen Jiang also felt the intense gazes directed at him. He felt a mix of jealousy, confusion, and envy.

The railway probably sensed what everyone was thinking, and at the meeting, they started to support Chen Jiang.
"Actually, the leadership of our brigade discussed Comrade Chen Jiang's rank and promotion for a long time, and even the higher-ups had their opinions. But in the end, the higher-ups gave us a reply: If any of you can complete the infiltration and sniping under those conditions, then his promotion will be immediately canceled!"

The railway's words were truly powerful and resounding.

Yes, perhaps some people haven't been to the scene and only know that Chen Jiang sniped the H Army commander from over 2000 meters away, but even at that distance, none of them dared to guarantee that they could do it.

Not to mention climbing the cliff face at night to sneak in, which would be an impossible task.

From this perspective, this exceptional decision is perfectly acceptable.

"No objections now, right? Let's give a warm round of applause to the comrades who have been awarded and promoted for their meritorious service!"

There was thunderous applause.

Chen Jiang and the others stood up, stood at attention, and saluted!
Wu Liuyi was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. Receiving a third-class merit here was even more valuable than when he was in the Steel Seventh Company.

This is an affirmation of his initial choice.

After the meeting, Chen Jiang remained humble in the face of everyone's congratulations.

He certainly understands the principle that a tall tree catches the wind.

When he calmed down, he still felt it was all a bit unreal; he was a lieutenant at such a young age.
He is now probably the youngest lieutenant in the entire A-team, and he was promoted from the ranks of soldiers. He is not comparable to officers who graduated from military academies after passing the college entrance examination. To outsiders, he really has a bright future.

"Still not ready to react?"

Suddenly, Yuan Lang's voice came from behind. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice someone behind him. Otherwise, with his current perception range, he would definitely have been able to detect it.

"team leader!"

Chen Jiang gave a military salute.

Yuan Lang waved his hand, "From now on, you'll be my deputy, and you'll be a leader in the squadron. Let's not be too formal with each other."

Team A has always prioritized strength, while seniority and rank are secondary. Therefore, Yuan Lang's words are both an affirmation and the truth.

“I’ve taken your and Sanduo’s advice to heart. After careful consideration, I’ve decided that if Chengcai really wants me to take over again, his assessment score can only start from 60 points!”

"Captain, this isn't fair!"

A voice came from behind. Yuan Lang turned around and saw that it was Xu Sanduo.

He had come here to congratulate Chen Jiang, but upon hearing Yuan Lang's decision, he immediately became anxious.

Team A's assessments are notoriously strict; even 100 points isn't enough to get deducted, let alone 60.
Isn't this obviously targeting him?
“Sanduo, you’re here too? That’s perfect, saves me the trouble of looking for you! 60 points, you think that’s unfair?” Yuan Lang asked coldly.

"Of course it's unfair! We're all on a 100-point scale! Even with that, many people still lose all their points and have to leave. How is it fair that he only gets 60 points?"

"Hehe, Xu Sanduo, don't forget, you two lost so many points because you knew nothing back then. But Cheng Cai has been through it once, and he's participated in most of the events, including our training and shooting. He understands everything. 60 points is already giving you two face and special treatment. If it were up to me, I would only give you 20 points at most! Otherwise, it would be extremely unfair to the other examiners!"

Xu Sanduo was speechless for a moment, realizing that Yuan Lang's words were indeed reasonable.

This is like giving you the same test again after you've already taken it, and using the same grading criteria as everyone else. Is that fair?
"Captain, let's do it this way then. I think if Cheng Cai were here, he would agree too." Chen Jiang winked at Xu Sanduo and agreed on behalf of Cheng Cai and the others!
(End of this chapter)