Chapter 16: Preparing To Welcome New Recruits
Chen Jun’s face showed astonishment, surprise, and unexpectedness, with a rich variety of expressions, all of which Gao Cheng saw in his eyes.
These were all within his expectations!
Worried that Chen Jun had never led soldiers before and would be nervous about being platoon leader in the new recruit company, Gao Cheng specially comforted him: “Relax, platoon leader in the new recruit company isn’t as difficult as you think.
You’ve already learned how to lead soldiers in military academy, you just lack practical experience. This is the perfect opportunity for you.
I’ll make special arrangements for your platoon, putting our Seventh Company’s backbone squad leaders into your platoon. Like Shi Jin, Wu Liu Yi, they all have rich experience in leading soldiers. Whatever you don’t know, just let them handle it.”
From Gao Cheng’s words, it wasn’t hard to tell that he was now intentionally cultivating Chen Jun.
That’s why he was handing such a great training opportunity, a chance to show himself, to Chen Jun, striving to let Chen Jun complete the “gilding” in the new recruit camp.
As long as Chen Jun performed well in the new recruit camp, when he returned to the company, Gao Cheng could legitimately promote him.
But the current Chen Jun was no longer the same as before; he wasn’t a rookie fresh out of military academy who knew nothing and needed backbone squad leaders to lead him.
Gao Cheng’s comfort was completely unnecessary.
Unfortunately, Chen Jun couldn’t act too abruptly, otherwise the drastic change would easily arouse suspicion, which wouldn’t be good for his continued development in Seventh Company.
Therefore, facing Gao Cheng’s concern and cultivation, Chen Jun used a tactic of retreating to advance.
“Company Commander, although I simulated leading a company in school and my results were pretty good, I have no real practice. If I mess it up, you can’t blame me.”
Chen Jun’s words were very clever, affirming his own ability in a tactful way.
In reality, he was very confident.
In his previous life, he had led the top special forces team; in this life, a mere platoon in the new recruit camp was nothing more than Zhang Fei eating bean sprouts—a side dish.
“You kid hide it deep. I believe you definitely have that ability; one platoon won’t stump you.”
After Gao Cheng finished speaking, he stood up and said: “Alright, the platoon leader position is settled like this. You’ll go with me then. Let’s end today’s chat here for now. I still need to go talk to those few backbone squad leaders.”
“Got it, Company Commander, take care.”
Chen Jun stood up to see Gao Cheng off as he left. At this moment, he was still a bit excited.
A pie had suddenly fallen from the sky, which was too unexpected for him.
As for those three backbone squad leader quotas, Chen Jun could basically guess them: Shi Jin and Wu Liu Yi were definite, the remaining one was hard to guess.
It could be First Squad’s squad leader Lan Haiyang, or Second Squad’s squad leader Gu Zhanfei; Sixth Squad Leader Jin Dashan was also possible.
All three were second class sergeants, same rank as Wu Liu Yi.
They all had competitiveness!
If it had been a month and a half ago, Chen Jun would have cared about who was selected as backbone squad leader, worried that if the wrong person was chosen, he as platoon leader couldn’t control them.
But now that he had influence throughout the company, it didn’t matter to him who was selected.
As for Shi Jin, who was out picking up recruits in the local area and hadn’t been back in the company and hadn’t felt his comeback change, Chen Jun wasn’t worried about him at all.
Shi Jin was famously a good guy and would definitely cooperate with Chen Jun’s work.
So he didn’t think about it anymore.
The next day.
According to the readjusted training plan, the 5 Kilometers light load cross-country was officially upgraded to 8 Kilometers. Chen Jun personally led everyone to train together.
The days of special training continued as usual, making the veterans both suffer and happy.
The suffering was that the training difficulty had increased; the body needed to break through the bottleneck to improve results, and breaking the bottleneck required hardworking training.
The happiness was that after each day’s training, they could clearly feel the difference, with their bodies constantly getting stronger.
These days of pain and happiness continued just like this. Unknowingly, another week passed, and the date came to November 25,
The regiment finally officially issued the order.
It ordered Company Commander Gao Cheng to bring the backbone selections to the new recruit company to prepare to receive new recruits. The backbone selections from other companies also had to arrive by the 26th.
At this time, Steel Seventh Company’s cross-country special training hadn’t ended yet, and Chen Jun’s muscle gain had just gotten on track.
But military orders were as heavy as the sky.
Since the regiment’s order had been issued, no matter how big the matters in the company were, they all had to be put down immediately and carried out according to the order.
Gao Cheng immediately gathered the personnel participating in the new training and had everyone prepare their personal items and set off right away.
The biggest advantage of the troops was that personal belongings were few: pack the mattress and quilt, full gear, plus a camouflage luggage bag.
Pick it up and shoulder it, and you could set off immediately, no problem no matter where you went or how long you stayed.
Chen Jun, as the ace instructor of special forces, packing was a piece of cake for him; the whole process didn’t even take three minutes.
He even had time to run to the cadre building to discuss training matters with Company Commander Gao Cheng.
As company commander, even when going out, Gao Cheng didn’t need to prepare his own backpack and luggage; all that was handled by his personal secretary, the communicator.
When Chen Jun suggested that after they left, the follow-up training syllabus for cross-country special training should be handed over to Political Instructor Hong Xingguo, who would stay in the company, to be in charge.
Gao Cheng thought it was a good idea and immediately went to discuss it with the political instructor.
People who were straightforward and bold worked fast.
Gao Cheng quickly explained everything to the political instructor in a few words, then carried his tofu block quilt, travel bag in hand, and together with the communicator also carrying luggage and backpack, came to the parade ground.
“Beep beep beep.”
“Personnel participating in new training, assemble.”
One whistle, one command.
Chen Jun with backpack and luggage, Wu Liu Yi, Jin Dashan ran out of the dormitory and hurried to stand in front of Gao Cheng, standing in a row full of spirit.
“All present, attention, at ease.”
After simply organizing the drill a bit, Gao Cheng symbolically said a few words, warned everyone of a few things, and related precautions.
Then he waved his hand and ordered everyone to board the vehicles.
The regiment specially sent a 212 military vehicle and a truck. The former had only three seats besides the driver, just enough for Gao Cheng, Chen Jun, and the communicator.
Including them three, plus Shi Jin’s backpack and luggage who was out, and the dozens of brooms, rags, buckets and such that the company commander specially brought.
They all had to ride the truck with Wu Liu Yi and the others.
Watching the convoy slowly drive out of Steel Seventh Company’s gate, Gan Xiao Ning and the other Seventh Company veterans who could only train at home looked on with full envy in their eyes.
No choice, skill is inferior to others; nothing to say.
Their training positivity became even stronger!
Every unit had its own new training camp. 702 Regiment’s new training camp was within the base, modified from an abandoned armored company camp.
Normally, this camp was in sealed storage, basically with the gate locked and no one coming.
It was only reopened for three months each year during new recruit training.
When Chen Jun and his group arrived by vehicle, the camp was still in the state after last year’s new recruit training ended, with the gate’s iron lock already covered in rust spots.
Just looking at the gate, there was no need to look inside; Chen Jun knew they would be busy now.
