Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

"Shi Jin, come on, let's go outside and talk." Zhang Anbang patted Shi Jin on the shoulder and turned to leave the dormitory building.

"Here, light it."

"Hey, thanks, Deputy Company Commander."

Shi Jin took the cigarette from Zhang Anbang, and the two scarlet dots were extremely conspicuous in the night sky where the small flame had died down.

"Tell me, what's the deal with this Xu Sanduo?" Zhang Anbang asked, exhaling a puff of smoke, somewhat curious.

Xu Sanduo's past is indeed very pitiful, but there are many people like him in this era. Zhang Anbang is a little curious whether Shi Jin's sympathy is a bit excessive.

"Um, Deputy Company Commander, can I not say?" Shi Jin was a little embarrassed.

"Is it inconvenient to talk about it? If it's okay, you can talk about it. After all, I'm not an outsider. Tell me, maybe I can help." Zhang Anbang knew that Shi Jin had agreed in his heart to bring Xu Sanduo out, but this was at the cost of his entire life.

"Well, okay, Deputy Company Commander, you should have seen my file, but some things in the file are incomplete. I'm from the countryside, the youngest in my family. I was beaten and scolded by my father every day when I was a child, and I've never been respected since I was a child."

Later, the army came to our area to recruit soldiers, and I was selected and joined the army. From then on, I finally left the mountains and changed my own destiny.

When I visited the new recruits' homes, Sanduo told me that his father wouldn't let him study, and that his father called him a "turtle son" at home. I felt like... " Shi Jin said, his voice choked up a little.

"Okay, I understand." Zhang Anbang flicked his cigarette ash.

Shi Jin's sympathy for Xu Sanduo was clearly not just a momentary soft-heartedness, but a combination of empathy for the past, compassion for the present, a sense of responsibility, and a commitment to upholding his promise.

By helping Xu Sanduo, he was redeeming himself from the time when he was looked down upon, and he was also fulfilling the original aspiration of a veteran and squad leader.

Xu Sanduo wanted to study, but his father, Xu Baishun, disagreed. Xu Sanduo's simple idea was to live a decent life and not be beaten or scolded by his father. After the path of studying was blocked, joining the army was the only option left.

Shi Jin's own experience made him realize that joining the army was one of the very few options Xu Sanduo could seize.

Therefore, Xu Sanduo's performance was clearly far from the standard for a soldier, but Xu Baishun, in front of Shi Jin...

Shi Jin, as a soldier and veteran, not only disapproved of this humiliating education but also felt a strong sense of pity for Xu Sanduo's cowardice and helplessness.

As an outstanding squad leader, Shi Jin is kind-hearted. He cannot bear to see his soldiers abandoned, and his belief in never abandoning or giving up on Xu Sanduo makes it impossible for him to stand idly by in the face of Xu Sanduo's predicament.

His numerous acts of kindness towards Xu Sanduo stemmed from his kind nature and professional responsibility, even at the cost of one of the few opportunities in his own military career.

As Zhang Anbang carefully recalled Shi Jin's dialogues with Xu Sanduo in the storyline, he increasingly understood the feeling.

During the home visit, a promise was made out of empathy, and that promise was fulfilled on the spot.

"I want you. One year, one year, I will raise your son into a respectable soldier."

"You've handed Xu Sanduo over to me, haven't you? From today onwards, if you dare to hit my soldiers or call them bastards, I won't stand for it!"

During your time in basic training, you encouraged and affirmed Xu Sanduo despite his clumsiness.

"You're not much different, are you?"

When Xu Sanduo was killing the Seventh Company of Huigang, he was under pressure to protect him, and he hoped that Xu Sanduo would stand up for himself.

"Are you trying to kill me, Xu Sanduo? Because of you, I've fallen out with the company commander, offended the whole company, and even lost my best friend. If you keep doing this, I'll be leaving next year!"

"Don't let your dad call you a turtle son anymore."

After completing 333 abdominal barbell rolls, Xu Sanduo still lacked confidence. Shi Jin guided him to develop self-identity and helped him build an independent personality.

"Sanduo, don't always place your hopes on others. Your own heart is blooming with flowers, one after another, how beautiful!"

Even when Shi Jin was discharged from the army, he still gave Xu Sanduo his final instructions, using the farewell to help him become completely independent and fulfill his promise to raise him to adulthood.

"I'm leaving, to help you cut away the last bit of weeds in your heart. Sanduo, it's time to grow up."

Xu Sanduo's transformation is step-by-step. The road construction in the Fifth Platoon on the grassland is the starting point for his awakening of self-awareness. The 333 abdominal bar wraps in the Seventh Steel Company are the point of his ability and recognition. The hammer-wielding breakthrough is the point of breaking through psychological shackles.

Ultimately, Shi Jin's discharge from the army taught him to say goodbye to dependence. After the Seventh Company was disbanded, he stayed behind alone for half a year, internalizing the slogan "Never abandon or give up" into a belief. He finally grew up independently and became capable of standing on his own.

It has to be said that Shi Jin is truly the most regrettable character in Soldiers Sortie. He is gentleness itself, sacrifice itself, and idealism itself.

His departure was not a tragedy, but it was more painful than a tragedy. He showed the audience the glory of soldiers, but also the helplessness behind that glory.

We witnessed the greatness of sacrifice, and also the price of sacrifice. The audience was reluctant to see him go, reluctant to part with the purest kindness in the military camp, and reluctant to part with this good squad leader who treated his soldiers like sons.

This reluctance to part has become an insurmountable regret.

Shi Jin truly deserves the title of "Mother of the Army."

The burning heat from the nearly burnt-out cigarette butt brought Zhang Anbang back to his senses. Looking at the distant night sky, he threw away the cigarette butt and looked at Shi Jin with a half-smile, "Tell me, what did you promise in your heart?"

"Deputy Company Commander, you figured it out." Shi Jin also threw away his cigarette butt.

"I said I would bring him out of this, I would train him to be a respectable soldier."

"Xu Sanduo, well, he's too cowardly and afraid of trouble. Although he's just started training, you can see that he's dragging the team down. He's also very sensitive. As a veteran squad leader, you know very well what it takes to train a soldier like him."

Zhang Anbang's tone was calm. This was a real world. He wanted to help Xu Sanduo, but he wouldn't help him like a babysitter. Xu Sanduo would grow into a good soldier, but he didn't want to pay too high a price for it.

"Deputy Company Commander, I know, but in my opinion, San Duo isn't stupid. He's just deeply insecure and withdrawn because of his family background and the constant negativity he's faced. Deep down, he's persistent and kind, and I think he can help him grow."

Shi Jin spoke with absolute certainty, without the slightest hesitation.

"I admit what you said, that he can be brought out, but have you thought about how long it will take? Do you even remember what time it is now?" Zhang Anbang decided to provoke Shi Jin, thinking that the troops wouldn't suffer any losses if Xu Sanduo brought him out a little later.

If Shi Jin had taken the original route, it would have certainly resulted in losses for the troops.

"Give me a year, Deputy Company Commander. I'm absolutely confident I can train Sanduo into a respectable soldier." Shi Jin looked at Zhang Anbang with a serious expression.

If Zhang Anbang had spoken up for him when the troops were divided, Xu Sanduo would have had a better chance of joining the Steel Seventh Company.

"A year, yeah, about right. I know your abilities, but what does this year mean to you? This is the most crucial time for you, the transition from level three to level four. You've poured this entire year into Xu Sanduo, what are you going to do?"

Zhang Anbang's question was like a bayonet piercing Shi Jin's chest; he knew what the deputy company commander meant.

No one knows better than himself what this year means to him. This is the most crucial moment for him to transition from the third to the fourth year of military service. If it passes, his military career can continue for at least four years. If it passes, no, he will be discharged from the military in a year.

He had never thought about what life would be like after retiring and returning to civilian life, nor did he dare to think about it.

He trained diligently and was highly skilled. He was the backbone of the third squad, leading his soldiers to achieve numerous advanced awards. He was not a naturally gifted elite soldier, but he was outstanding and the ultimate role model for grassroots soldiers.

However, his shortcomings are also obvious. He is excellent in daily training, but he has no hard achievements such as meritorious service in exercises or awards for major missions, which puts him at a disadvantage in the transition from third to fourth grade.

"Deputy Company Commander, I know, but I've already agreed in my heart." Even though it concerned his most important future, Shi Jin still did not hesitate.

"It's no use if you agree. It's good that you've trained a good soldier, but if the price of training a good soldier is losing you as a good squad leader, neither I nor the company commander would be willing to do that, especially the company commander."

The most important thing is that you can help him, but you can't be too biased, otherwise it's unfair to the other soldiers, and you'll sacrifice too much yourself.

Zhang Anbang's statement was equally absolute. If Gao Cheng knew that bringing Xu Sanduo out would mean losing Shi Jin, he would probably be jumping up and down cursing.

"Alright, think about it carefully yourself. I'll go back and think about it. We'll talk about it in detail tomorrow."

Shi Jin knew that Zhang Anbang was right; things would definitely be difficult to handle in Gaocheng. However, since the deputy company commander had said he would help find a solution, someone as capable as him should be fine.

With heavy thoughts in his mind, Shi Jin turned and headed towards his dormitory.