gnovel Chapter 0087: Before It Begins
Chapter 0087: Before It Begins
(Suddenly realized I didn't need to use the title "Selection (Top 10)"!)
Before the division headquarters' orders were even issued, Zheng Yingqi confronted Meng Jianguo.
"Master, Old A is recruiting soldiers and invited me. I...I want to go."
Before Zheng Yingqi said this, he was uneasy, but after he finished speaking, he felt much more relaxed. Meng Jianguo, who was cleaning his gun, didn't even stop for a moment and said, "Go if you want to."
what?
Staring blankly at Meng Jianguo, Zheng Yingqi wasn't sure if his master was angry—he probably was, he thought. If it were him, painstakingly teaching a successor only to have them abandon him halfway through, he would definitely be angry.
"Are you surprised?" Meng Jianguo asked with a smile, looking at Zheng Yingqi's stunned expression.
Zheng Yingqi was naturally surprised that there was no anger or disappointment as he had imagined, and he nodded obediently.
"Being a soldier isn't easy, it really isn't easy. If there's a good opportunity, you should take it—well, that's what I heard from someone."
Zheng Yingqi stared wide-eyed at Meng Jianguo, unable to believe that his master could say such a thing.
Seeing Zheng Yingqi's surprised look, Meng Jianguo laughed. These words were spoken by one of his former apprentices. In the end, he left for a better opportunity. It was said that he later resolutely left the army for a better opportunity, and the clothes he was wearing now were worth two months' salary.
"You, on the other hand, don't have much ambition. You wanted to join the elite unit, and I know you wanted to be a better soldier, so I don't blame you. You've been working so hard ever since you joined the guard company, so I knew your heart wasn't in the guard company—you always felt guilty and wanted to make amends. As your mentor, I felt even more uncomfortable seeing that. Well, now that you're gone, I, your mentor, can finally relax." Meng Jianguo said with a smile. Zheng Yingqi felt even more upset listening to him. He would rather Meng Jianguo call him an ingrate than hear Meng Jianguo say that.
He lowered his head and said in a low voice:
"Master, I'm sorry."
"Why bring this up?" Meng Jianguo waved his hand. "We're grown men, don't be like those nagging little girls—good soldiers should go to better places. I support you, Master. Go to the Old A. I only have one request."
"Master, you said it, I promise you!" Zheng Yingqi hurriedly assured him.
"Let the Old A see for themselves! None of the soldiers from our 702nd Division are cowards!"
Zheng Yingqi nodded firmly.
"Actually, you definitely won't let me down." Meng Jianguo breathed a sigh of relief, but said with great satisfaction, "You always do such a good job."
Zheng Yingqi chuckled and said, "Master, I'm actually not as good as you say. Like this time when I went to the Old A selection, I was quite nervous myself. I heard that the Old A requirements are quite strict, and I really have no confidence. If I get eliminated, I'll come back with my tail between my legs, so please don't turn me away."
"I'm not confident about others, but I'm most confident about you. If Old A really doesn't think much of you, it's their loss—alright, go say goodbye to the company commander." Meng Jianguo waved Zheng Yingqi away. After Zheng Yingqi had walked away, he sighed silently, feeling melancholy. Another apprentice was gone…
Company Commander's Office.
"Company Commander, I...I'm saying goodbye to you." Zheng Yingqi looked at Du Zhiguo, the guard company commander, with mixed feelings. Du Zhiguo didn't have the unique charm of Gao Cheng, but he was incredibly kind to him, a "transfer student." When he proposed the concept of "anti-infiltration and decapitation prevention," Du Zhiguo supported him without hesitation and helped him establish Group A.
But now, he has taken Du Zhiguo's proud "Group A" to "join" Old A.
"Why do you seem a bit down? This isn't like you, Zheng Yingqi—you're usually so tough." The guard company commander said with a smile, "In my heart, you're a strong man who would dare to face anything, even if the sky were to fall."
Zheng Yingqi scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I just feel bad for you."
"Hey, you're always thinking you owe others something, it makes people feel really bad—you're Zheng Yingqi, a strongman in our guard company, and you'll be a strongman from our guard company in the future! Our guard company is proud of you, you don't owe us anything!"
The guard company commander patted Zheng Yingqi on the shoulder: "Go ahead. If our entire A group gets selected by the elite A team, I, as the company commander, can brag about it for years to come. In short, you're a soldier who came from the guard company, and the guard company is proud of you!"
Zheng Yingqi solemnly saluted the guard company commander, almost swearing, "I assure you, I will not disgrace the guard company!"
"Go on!" Meng Jianguo waved with a smile, urging Zheng Yingqi out of his office. Just as Zheng Yingqi was about to go down the stairs, he suddenly called out:
"Zheng Yingqi, remember, the guard company is your home!"
While it was still dark, the soldiers who received the order from the division headquarters got up early and headed to the rendezvous point—the guard company. The four men in Group A got up quietly, took their packed belongings, and walked out into the pitch-black darkness.
As they reached the main gate, the four men turned around simultaneously, faced the guard company, and saluted.
Unbeknownst to them, at that moment, many people were watching them leave from the window, including the company commander, Meng Jianguo, and many soldiers from the guard company.
"Good luck to you all!" the guard company commander said in a low voice, watching the four figures disappear into the darkness.
……
The sky was still dark, and several veterans stood guard at their temporary encampment, motionless. There were no markers or slogans around, only military vehicles covered with camouflage netting and two tents; the area was completely empty.
Railway himself drove the car, carrying Wang Qingrui, the commander of the 702nd Regiment. Military vehicles from all directions also arrived one after another. On the vehicles, the elite soldiers from the T Division were excited and nervous. They looked out into the darkness, their hearts filled with fantasies about the future.
The vehicle arrived at its destination, the doors opened, and soldiers from various units jumped out one after another, assembling in the open space. They deliberately kept their distance from the two leaders to avoid any interference.
As the vehicles were still gathering and the soldiers were still assembling, Yuan Lang ran up to the two big shots, saluted, and greeted them.
"Can you tell me the specific rules now? And how many people will be taken away?" Wang Qingrui asked the question he was most concerned about—the railway had been giving him the runaround, saying he would find out when the time came, and now that time had come!
"Besides the one who will definitely be taken, there are three more spots available." Yuan Lang glanced at his captain before answering Wang Qingrui's most pressing question.
Four? There's one that they'll definitely take with them?
Looking at the assembled soldiers, Wang Qingrui was shocked—these were all the elite soldiers from the entire T Division, now numbering over a hundred. Yet, out of so many, only four were taken away.
At the same time, he relaxed, realizing that his worries were unnecessary. He had been afraid that others would take all the top students from his group, but he didn't expect them to be so demanding.
Of all the units in the entire division, it would be good if even one person came to him. Wang Qingrui breathed a sigh of relief, then asked curiously:
"Who is the one you absolutely must take away?"
Yuan Lang didn't want to talk about it, but Tie Lu interrupted, "What's the rush? You'll find out when the time comes."
Wang Qingrui glared at the railway with a resentful look, "Fine, I won't say anything then!"