Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

Hearing this, Gao Cheng laughed, "That's more like it. Soldiers are human, not machines. If they don't have any tangible benefits, what's the difference between them and telephone poles? If they really become telephone poles, they'll only have that one purpose."

The three of them chatted for a while, and then Li Xiao ran over to report, "Deputy Battalion Commander, everything is ready."

Gao Cheng waved his hand. "Alright, pass the word down. Everyone get some rest. We have things to do tomorrow. That's all, everyone disperse."

"Yes," Li Xiao replied, then turned and left.

Seeing Cheng Cai hesitantly walking this way, Gao Cheng called out, "Cheng Cai, what are you dawdling for? Everyone's waiting for you, hurry up!"

"Yes," Cheng Cai knew he couldn't avoid it, so he quickened his pace and walked over.

Zhang Anbang finished cracking the last sunflower seed in his hand, clapped his hands and said, "Let's go, this is your territory. Let's find a quiet place and talk."

"Yes, Deputy Company Commander, let's go to the mess hall; it's quiet there."

Led by Cheng Cai, the group headed toward the cafeteria that Class 5 had recently renovated over the past year.

……

Nearly 100 kilometers away at the Old A Base, Wu Zhe, who has been promoted to the captain of the Third Squadron, is leading his team in CQB training exercises.

Of course, it can't be called CQB yet. The current terminology is urban street clearing, house capture, and indoor close combat tactics.

Doors were kicked open roughly, rooms were swept clean, and targets launched into the air were all shot down the instant they bounced off the ground—very efficient and fast.

On some dirty white walls, there are still the letters "LIVE YOU" sprayed on by someone. It's unclear whether they meant to spray LOVE but made a mistake, or if they were simply trying to express "I'll spare your life" in Chinese-English.

The group of twenty-odd people quickly cleaned the room, went around to the back of the building, and began to climb up along the drainage pipes.

Silently, the group scaled the thin rooftop wall of the first small building and headed towards the last one.

As a result, Wu Zhe had only climbed a few steps up the steel ladder on the outer wall when he saw a solid red dot suddenly appear on the white tile on the wall next to him—a laser sight.

Wu Zhe shook his head helplessly, climbed down the steel ladder, and turned around to see that Yuan Lang was indeed standing on the rooftop, aiming his gun at him.

Wu Zhe shrugged helplessly, while Yuan Lang nodded, indicating that he had performed reasonably well.

That's how the military is: the barracks remain, but the soldiers come and go; every day, every hour, is pretty much the same.

……

The Fifth Platoon's small canteen wasn't the kind of special canteen reserved for officers, staff officers, section chiefs, and officers of battalion level and above in the division or regiment headquarters. It was called a small canteen simply because it was small.

Five people sat around a military green table. Zhang Anbang and Gao Cheng sat at the head of the table, Shi Jin and Wu Liuyi were on the left, and Cheng Cai, the current leader of the fifth squad, was on the right.

Gao Cheng took out cigarettes from his pocket and offered them to the group. Everyone accepted them, but Cheng Cai, who usually loved offering cigarettes, waved his hand and said, "Company Commander, I've quit. I don't smoke anymore."

Gao Cheng said with some surprise, "You little rascal," and then lit a cigarette for himself.

Seeing Cheng Cai's state, Zhang Anbang spoke up, "Cheng Cai, I heard you've made up your mind to retire. The camp has talked to you four or five times, but you still won't transfer to the second term."

Cheng Cai nodded. "Yes, Deputy Company Commander. I'm thinking of retiring and going home."

"Hmm, what are you going home for?" Zhang Anbang pressed.

"I haven't decided yet, I'll think about it when I get back."

"I haven't figured it out yet. This isn't like you at all. How come you've come back to this little place, all those little tangle of ties, and now you don't know what to do?"

"Deputy Company Commander," Cheng Cai raised his head and forced a smile, "It's not that I haven't thought it through, it's just that I don't know what to think. In the blink of an eye, I've been in the army for almost four years, and I don't even know what my family is like now. I have nowhere to think about it."

I was thinking of going back to see what the village is like now, and maybe learn a skill to help the villagers earn some money. You have to make a living to earn some money.

Zhang Anbang smiled knowingly. "What, not thinking about staying in the army long-term?"

"I……"

Before Cheng Cai could finish speaking, Gao Cheng waved his hand to interrupt him, "Cheng Cai, do you know how I feel seeing you like this today?"

Cheng Cai shook his head. "I don't know."

Gao Cheng took a drag of his cigarette. "The person is still alive, but their soul is half-dead. When I saw you like that, I really wanted to take you out and bury you. A person's soul is half-dead and they're useless even if they're alive."

Cheng Cai glanced at Gao Cheng's angry expression and then lowered his head again.

Zhang Anbang tapped the table lightly and picked up the conversation, "Back then, when you were in the Steel Seventh Company, your eyes were full of the drive to move forward. You always strived to be the first. Although you took the wrong path, your spirit was so lively that people liked you very much."

Now, he's lost his way, and he's lost all his spirit. That's not right either. When Xu Sanduo was guarding the empty barracks, he was all alone, but his spirit gradually stood firm.

You, on the other hand, have men and guns around you, and after going through all the trouble to find your way back, you still don't understand those six words from the Seventh Company.

Cheng Cai lowered his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his fingertips clenched the camouflage fabric on his knees. After a long while, he spoke in a low voice, "Company Commander, Deputy Company Commander, I used to always focus on my future and single-mindedly try to climb the ranks."

I wanted everything, but in the end I found I had nothing. All that was left was Xu Sanduo, my only friend. Back in Class 5, I think about how I lived too hastily before, only thinking about myself.

I never really understood why I joined the army. Now I want to go home, not for any other reason than to settle down and live a peaceful life, and do something meaningful.

Gao Cheng chimed in, "It's good to have this idea, but what about all your skills? Isn't it a waste to just throw them away?"

Your marksmanship is among the best in the entire division and army group, and your reconnaissance skills are also excellent. And yet you're gone.

"I..." Cheng Cai paused for a moment, "Company Commander, the skills were taught to me by the army, and I've kept them in mind. A person can't always be stuck on one path. I think it's time to change my way of life."

Zhang Anbang laughed out loud, "Change your way of life. You haven't even figured out one path yet, what kind of way of life are you trying to change?"

Gao Cheng laughed too, "Anbang is right, Chengcai, you haven't even figured out the path of joining the army, what are you thinking about? This time the army needs an excellent marksman, I'm thinking of recommending you."

Cheng Cai waved his hands repeatedly, "Company Commander, please don't, I..."

Gao Cheng turned his head and stared straight at Cheng Cai, "Don't say 'don't say'. Do you think you're a rare commodity? I'm going to find you a place where rare commodities gather."

That's it, no more discussion. If you embarrass yourself there, then retire, I won't care anymore.

As he spoke, Gao Cheng stood up. "Oh dear, let's go, let's go. The Seventh Company is all gone. What am I doing arguing with a coward like you?"