Chapter 103: Yet Another Way to Acquire a Third-Class Merit

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

They had no choice but to drink the ginger soup.

They lined up to receive the bowl and sipped it. The warmth it brought to their body made her feel relaxed.

However, there was a price to pay for consuming the soup.

“Run, all of you, run! Move faster, and you won’t feel the cold. The rain is about to stop. Once it does and your clothes are dry, you can rest!”

Unlike the others, Wu Jianfeng chose not to run this time. Instead, he had changed into dry clothes after having the ginger soup. Now, holding an umbrella, he stood at the side of the track, shouting through a loudspeaker.

His voice echoed so loudly that the recruits of the entire company gritted their teeth and glared at him with fiery eyes.

It rained continuously for an entire day, sometimes heavily and sometimes lightly, never giving the recruits of the entire company a moment to dry their wet clothes.

Even during lunch and dinner, they had to endure the discomfort of wearing soggy attire.

At noon, after the meal, everyone was summoned to the training ground.

Wu Jianfeng instructed them, “Keep your wet clothes on. Taking them off now and resting might lead to sickness. We need to keep exercising and practicing, pushing out ail the cold and moisture from our bodies.”

The recruits were seething with anger at his words.

Sleep?

Did the instructor actually expect them to sleep in the afternoon?

Yes, there had been one occasion on the first day of training when they were allowed a short rest, and occasionally, other classes had experienced something similar. However, those instances involved merely one hour of rest, and since then, they hadn’t been allowed to rest in the afternoon at all.

“I think I must be crazy for joining the army!”

“Before I enlisted, people used to tell me that 1 would regret being a soldier for two years but also regret not being one for the rest of my life. At that time, 1 didn’t really understand the meaning behind that statement, but now it’s crystal clear.”

“I’m regretting it so much now. Why did I become a soldier for no apparent reason?”

After dinner, the exhausted recruits returned to their dormitories, and in Class Five, everyone was filled with bitterness, venting their frustrations in front of Ye Sanshi.

“Nonsense! What do you mean by regretting being a soldier for two years? I’ve been a soldier for six years already,” Ye Sanshi retorted angrily while wiping his body with a towel.

Gu Yingnan immediately looked over. “Really?”

This question seemed to stump Ye Sanshi momentarily.

“Uh, well, yes. I did feel regret when 1 was a recruit, just like all of you. But now, I don’t regret it!” he replied.

Curious, Qin Li asked, “Why not?”

Ye Sanshi glanced at him and then around at the rest of the crowd. Suddenly, he smiled. “You won’t understand even if I tell you now, but let me share this with you. I still keep in touch with some of my retired comrades. Some of them were my squad leaders, and some were my fellow soldiers. When 1 ask them if they regret their time in the army, you know what? About 80% of the time, the answer they give me is regret. But it’s not regretting being a soldier; it’s regretting that they couldn’t stay!”

These words left everyone stunned, pondering the deeper meaning behind Ye Sanshi’s words.

Ye Sanshi continued, “You may not understand it now, but in two years, some of you will definitely choose to retire. When that time comes, you will take off your uniform and go home. Only then, you might truly comprehend what 1 meant.”

The words left everyone in Class Five deep in thought, contemplating the potential meaning behind Ye Sanshi’s words.

However, Ye Sanshi didn’t give them much time to ponder. “Alright, the rain has stopped. Hurry up and change your clothes. We re going out for training!”

Indeed, the rain had been heavy, pouring down just before the morning exercise and stopping entirely in the middle of dinner. This strange occurrence made some recruits wonder if the weather was somehow manipulated.

Yet, at this moment, no one was in the mood to care about such thoughts. They were too preoccupied to even process what Ye Sanshi had just said.

“Hey! Class monitor, are we still going to practice?” someone shouted.

“Nonsense! Do you think you just joined the camp? Let me make it clear that the first phase of the new recruit assessment will take place next week. This is not the time to rest!”

“Wang Ye, you have to give it your all. T he assessment next week will select the formation models!”

“Formation models?” Wang Ye was slightly taken aback.

Why were they all about models? His mission was to train them, not to become one.

Ye Sanshi nodded. “That’s right, the formation models. In the first phase, you’ll be training for the formation, and the assessment will also be centered on the formation. Your formation skills are the best in our class, surpassing even some of rhe veterans. So, in this assessment, aim to become the formation model.”

After a pause, he added, “Let me tell you, if you achieve this and continue to excel in other training subjects, by the time the recruit company ends, you might have a chance to earn a third-class merit.”

Wang Ye found himself stunned yet again, contemplating the unexpected possibilities that lay ahead.

On the other hand, Gu Yingnan couldn’t help but curse under his breath. In fact, everyone else in the class was also taken aback by the news.

Another chance for a third-class merit?

Though the news of Wang Ye s potential meritorious service had not been officially announced yet, everyone was aware that he would likely receive a third-class merit for his achievements.

And now, there was an additional opportunity.

“Yes,” Ye Sanshi continued, surveying the crowd. “If you can secure the role model position and excel in all the subsequent assessments, you will undoubtedly earn a third-class merit.”

“But,” he added, “it’s not an easy feat. Always being the best among the best requires tremendous effort.”

However, Ye Sanshi elaborated, “If you achieve the formation model title, you will secure the top spot in more than half of the other subjects’ assessments and perform excellently in rhe rest. This may earn you the training model title.”

Looking back at Wang Ye, he said, “If you manage to hold both the role model for internal affairs and the formation model titles, you might even earn the training model title as well. Essentially, this would be equivalent to a third-class merit.”

Ye Sanshi then adopted a softer tone and spoke directly to Wang Ye, “I know you want to serve in the army for a long time, but probably not forever. With your confirmed third-class merit, you’ll already meet one of the crucial requirements for being recommended to a military school. If you can get another one, it would greatly enhance your chances.”

The entire class held their breath, all eyes fixed on Wang Ye, eager to see how he would respond to this extraordinary opportunity.

Wang Ye was genuinely taken aback by the numerous opportunities for earning third-class merits that seemed to be presenting themselves to him. He never imagined that he wTould have such chances to make significant contributions during his time in the army.

Before enlisting, he had believed that earning merits would be an arduous task, but now it appeared that luck was on his side, and opportunities were coming his way.

“Alright, class monitor, don’t worry. I ll definitely do my best!” Wang Ye responded with determination, feeling a sense of pride swelling within him.

The thought of achieving first place in ail the assessment items filled him with resolve and ambition.

“Good luck! ” Ye Sanshi nodded approvingly and then turned his attention to the others. “The internal affairs model will be chosen monthly, evaluated twice. If any of you manage to secure it and then also obtain the formation model and training model, you can also earn a third-class merit!”

However, the other recruits immediately withdrew their aspirations.

“I don’t dare to ask for too much!”

“Let Brother Wang handle it!”

What a joke! The leaders of the group looked at Wang Ye s bedspread. Surpassing him seemed like an impossible task, and it left everyone feeling hopeless.

Well… Perhaps they could let Wang Ye get away with it here. During the judgment, they could let him present a subpar quilt or even assist them in folding theirs so that one of them could be judged instead.

Although cheating posed a considerable risk, there was still a chance that the company commander might call him out and expose him publicly.

However, if this was considered cheating, there was still a possibility of success.

Wang Ye s exceptional skills and the possibility of multiple third-class merits had motivated everyone to strive harder. The competitive atmosphere in Class Five grew even more intense.

“Useless!”

Ye Sanshi cursed, and then said, “Alright, I’ll give you one minute. Change your clothes and go downstairs immediately.”

That night, after the training of the fifth class was over, they returned to the dormitory and settled into their beds.

Wash and freshen up? What was there to clean?

A few of them had not even taken off their clothes. If it wasn’t for Ye Sanshi scolding them, Qin Li would have fallen asleep on Wang Ye’s bed.

He had not rested the entire day. Apart from eating, he had been engaged in rigorous training, spending most of the day in the queue.

However, standing in line all day was also incredibly exhausting!

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