I enlisted four times! My former unit blacklisted me.

The truck slowly drove into the training camp gate.

Meanwhile, a group of people were already waiting on the training ground of the training base.

Next to the parade ground was a row of cement viewing platforms, on which stood a dozen or so officers and sergeants in civilian clothes.

Standing at the front was a short major, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old.

His name is Qin Gang, the captain of the division's training team, and a notorious devil instructor in the entire division.

Standing behind Qin Gang were four captains, who were the four company commanders under his command.

Behind the four company commanders stood more than a dozen second-term sergeants, who were the squad leaders of each platoon.

Squadron Leader Liu Zhen took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and squinted towards the main gate: "Captain Qin, how are the prospects this batch? I heard there are a few good ones?"

Qin Gang, with his hands behind his back, snorted, "I've looked at the list. Most of them are second-year soldiers, and a few are just transferred from the first batch. They were recommended by each regiment, supposedly top-notch, but we'll only know how they are after they've been trained."

"Second-year recruits..." Du Hong clicked his tongue, somewhat dissatisfied, "They're too green. Last batch at least had a dozen or so first-year sergeants, but this batch is all privates. It'll be hard to train them."

"Whether you're young or not, it's all the same here," said Han Song, the captain of the second squadron. "When you come here, dragons have to coil up and tigers have to lie low."

"Only those who can endure several months are truly outstanding. Those who can't, whether they are first-term or second-term soldiers, will be sent back or not transferred if necessary."

"I'm afraid of encountering those troublemakers."

"Last year, there was a soldier from the Second Regiment who couldn't take it after two weeks of training. He tried to escape by climbing over the wall in the middle of the night, but I caught him. There were also two who talked back to their squad leader and were punished with three days of intensive training. They cried their eyes out."

"In the end, we couldn't make it through. The three-month period was extended to six months, and we're still stuck here."

"What's there to be afraid of, troublemakers?" A second-term sergeant squatting on the ground chuckled twice, shoving the cigarette butt in his hand onto the ground. "Once a troublemaker is in our hands, we'll smooth him out in three days."

"If you're stubborn, give you two more sets of physical training; if you're tough on the legs, run two more 5-kilometer runs. If all else fails, put you in solitary confinement for two days. When you come back, you'll be more obedient than a sheep."

The speaker was Song Yizhou, the squad leader of the first squad of the first company, a second-term sergeant, who had served in the army for eight years and led eight training sessions. He was one of the most senior squad leaders in the training unit.

He always had a nonchalant smile on his face, but his soldiers all knew that this squad leader, who seemed the most amiable when he smiled, was the most ruthless when it came to training people.

"Squad Leader Song is right." Liu Zhen exhaled a smoke ring. "This isn't basic training here, so there's no need to pamper or spoil them. There's only one thing to do when you arrive—be obedient and understand what we're saying. Everything else is just nonsense."

"But speaking of which," Du Hong stroked his chin, "I've heard there's something special about this issue."

"What's so special about it?"

"The Third Regiment sent over a second-term sergeant."

There was a half-second silence after those words were spoken.

Even Qin Gang tilted his head slightly.

"Second term?" Song Yizhou blinked, unusually abandoning his nonchalant expression. "Are you kidding me? Second-term sergeants are here to participate in reserve backbone training?"

"This training camp is for soldiers who haven't become sergeants yet or have just completed their first term. What's he doing here, a second-term recruit?"

"I find it strange too," Du Hong shrugged. "Logically, second-term sergeants should have already started their core training. How could it have been delayed until now? Unless—"

"Unless he got in through connections," Liu Zhen scoffed. "He's probably a relative of some leader who missed out before and is now jumping in. I've seen plenty of people like that—just here to get a certificate so they can get promoted back home."

"I don't think so." Han Song shook his head. "I just glanced at the notes on the list. This person is called Wu Hanfeng. His enlistment time is clearly written. He enlisted four times."

"He enlisted four times before finally becoming a second-term sergeant. You're saying he got it through connections? Can someone with connections pull off this much?"

"Four times enlisted?" Cao Meng frowned. "What do you mean? You've been discharged and then re-enlisted, then discharged again?"

"Probably. There might have been some special circumstances in between, like being discharged and then re-enlisted, going back and forth four times. So although he's a veteran, his service has been intermittent, and he's only in his second term so far."

Even Song Yizhou became interested.

He stood up, brushed the dirt off his trousers, and looked towards the main gate with interest: "A veteran who has enlisted four times is here to participate in the reserve cadre training?"

"Interesting. These soldiers are either truly skilled elite soldiers, or they're just seasoned veterans who haven't learned anything after all these years. Which one do you think they are?"

"It doesn't matter which one," Qin Gang finally spoke, his tone indifferent, revealing no emotion. "Once they're on my turf, whether they're a top soldier or a seasoned veteran, we'll know after a training session."

"If he's really capable, I'll salute him. As for those who're just coasting along, I'll train them to a pulp!"

He spoke calmly, but the four company commanders and more than a dozen squad leaders all simultaneously abandoned their previous lazy demeanor.

Qin Gang doesn't usually oversee specific training; the four company commanders are each in charge, and he only oversees the overall direction.

But everyone knows that he is the one person you absolutely cannot mess with in the entire training team.

This major, though unassuming, is actually a former army group competition champion, excelling in everything from free climbing and armed swimming to the 400-meter obstacle course.

What's most ruthless is that he has a principle for training troops—no elimination, only extension.

If someone fails the assessment within three months, they won't be let go. Instead, they'll be kept on to continue training until they pass. This process can take anywhere from four to six months.

If the candidate fails to pass the evaluation within six months, he will sign "Recommendation not to promote" on the evaluation form and return the candidate to their original unit.

That would be the harshest punishment.

Because it means that in his eyes you are no longer worth practicing.

"Alright, stop joking around." Qin Gang clapped his hands. "The first batch of vehicles will be here soon, so all of you better be alert. Don't let them see you all acting like lazy bums as soon as they get off the train, or you'll embarrass our training team."

The four company commanders and more than a dozen squad leaders stood up, dusted themselves off, and straightened their uniforms.

Although the training team has a rough style, it still needs to maintain a certain image.