Chapter 267: The Fates Of Chengcai, Sanduo, And Wu Liuqi
Xu Sanduo drove the burning car and ran outside, really startling a group of veteran A soldiers playing villains, especially the leading Qi Huan who was the most nervous.
Afraid of causing some accident during training, he quickly took two people and chased out the main entrance.
Since it was a big right turn right after exiting the gate, Xu Sanduo couldn’t pick up speed with the car and was always trailed behind by Qi Huan and the other two.
After the car drove more than a hundred meters, it suddenly made an emergency stop by the roadside.
Worried that the cargo on the truck compartment kept burning and would detonate the bomb and dangerous items, Xu Sanduo got out of the cab and jumped straight to the rear compartment.
He took off his clothes and frantically patted the burning spot trying to put out the fire.
Qi Huan and the other two, who had run so hard they were sweating, were only afraid that the driver would do something reckless and cause an accident, not worried about that little fire burning the car.
Even less worried about the bomb on the car exploding, because there were no explosives on the car at all.
Seeing the small truck stop, their only concern was gone.
In contrast, Xu Sanduo who got off the car had no idea this was a trick and was still acting like a fool, anxiously sweating profusely to put out the fire.
Qi Huan and the two veteran A soldiers looked at each other, unable to hold back from removing their masks and bursting into laughter.
Xu Sanduo heard the laughter coming from behind and only then noticed three people had chased up, recognizing at a glance that all three were veteran A soldiers.
Even a clay Buddha has a bit of temper.
Xu Sanduo, who had never suspected anything from start to finish and never thought he’d be tricked, saw this group of people who deceived him laughing so heartlessly.
Xu Sanduo, who had never gotten angry since enlisting, was pissed off for the first time, fuming with rage and wanting to hit someone.
And that’s exactly what he did!
With a dark face, he jumped down from the small truck, stormed up to Qi Huan angrily, and punched the still-laughing Qi Huan right in the face.
Qi Huan was knocked to the ground but still laughing.
However, this laugh was different now.
No longer just amused like before, it also carried heartfelt relief and joy that Xu Sanduo had passed the final assessment.
This meant that from this moment on, Xu Sanduo officially became a veteran A soldier.
No different from any other veteran A soldier.
Meanwhile, the battle at the warehouse main entrance had also reached the cleanup stage.
“Alright, alright, stop fighting, we’re on the same side.”
“This was an assessment. Congratulations, congratulations on passing the assessment.”
“You three were really ruthless, still fighting—if you kept going, something would have happened.”
…
The group of villains who couldn’t fight back and could only flee heard the assessment end command through their earpieces and started chattering explanations.
Cheng Cai, Xu Sanduo, and Wu Liu Yi, who had been fighting with heads full of blood and determined to fight to the death, were instantly stunned by what the villains shouted.
A few seconds passed!
Wu Zhe reacted calmly, acting like he knew you were playing tricks all along, just as I figured it out—I’m so smart.
Cheng Cai had high emotional intelligence and didn’t easily offend people, so even at this point he didn’t forget.
He chuckled and said: “I say, folks, your acting skills were too good—we didn’t see through it at all. I didn’t hold back earlier; if I hurt you, please don’t blame me.”
Only Wu Liu Yi’s reaction was the most intense; thinking about how this group had toyed with him completely, a surge of anger rose from his heart.
He pointed at the group of veteran A soldiers and cursed them out.
If he hadn’t already fought enough just now, he’d definitely rush up and land a few hard punches right then.
Then Qi Huan brought a car and took the four newcomers with completely different reactions on board, driving them to the Yunnan side for roundup.
On the car, he roughly explained to everyone the reason they did this.
Once on the car, Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai, Wu Zhe, and Wu Liu Yi learned this was an assessment for them, and their expressions subtly changed.
A few minutes later.
Qi Huan brought the four off the car to the tent, walking to the door of the small room where Yuan Lang was still competing with Chen Jun on Metal Slug.
“Report, the last remaining A3, A4, B3, C4 have all been brought back. Awaiting instructions.” Qi Huan stood at the entrance and reported.
“You’re definitely not winning against me, concede.”
Chen Jun had already won two straight games against Yuan Lang, but Yuan Lang was unconvinced and wanted to turn it around. Seeing people were back, Chen Jun lost interest in playing, got up, and walked out.
“Deputy Battalion Commander Chen!”
Qi Huan immediately saluted Chen Jun, very respectful in both action and demeanor.
The huge contribution Chen Jun brought to A Squadron had linearly boosted all veteran A soldiers’ combat effectiveness, almost a qualitative change.
Everyone in A Squadron knew this.
Thus, every veteran A soldier in the entire A Squadron thanked Chen Jun from the bottom of their hearts for his help and genuinely respected him.
“Company Commander good!”
Wu Liu Yi, Cheng Cai, and Xu Sanduo, as subordinates, saluted and greeted Chen Jun together.
Because A Squadron had deceived them this time, the three felt very upset now and were increasingly eager to return to their old company.
Only Wu Zhe’s status was special; he just nodded with a slight smile.
“How are these guys doing? Tell me about them.”
Yuan Lang walked out while playing the game console, raised an eyebrow scanning the four somewhat disheveled newcomers, then returned his gaze to the game console.
“These four newcomers all performed very well, which surprised me greatly.”
Qi Huan first gave an overall summary, then from left to right, shortest to tallest: “A4, tough and independent, has a sense of responsibility, cares for teammates.
A3’s performance was average, but excels in caution, outstanding personal ability, strong execution capability.
B3, brain is indeed smart enough, but cleverness backfired—he could have performed better but spent the whole time in suspicion, didn’t bring out full strength, performance only passable.
C4, fierce in combat, solid skills, good mentality, most importantly persistent and persevering, a determined warrior, a bit like me.”
Qi Huan evaluated Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai, Wu Zhe, and Wu Liu Yi respectively, all very accurate, pointing out each person’s most distinctive trait.
“Do you think they all completed the mission?” Yuan Lang asked again.
“Although by assessment standards, none of the four truly met them, at least they all tried their best with some method.”
Saying this, Qi Huan looked at Xu Sanduo: “Especially A4, he’s the only one in all previous assessment exercises to dare remove protective gear.
Also the only one to dare drive a already burning car loaded with explosives out.”
At this moment, there was admiration in Qi Huan’s eyes.
Without knowing it was an exercise, believing the car was full of bombs that could explode anytime, yet daring to seize the car and drive it away just to keep the explosion from the factory, completely disregarding his own life.
Even veterans would hesitate on such courage, but a newcomer did it without hesitation.
This was truly admirable!
“Ah, died again, why always stuck here.”
Yuan Lang muttered, put down the game console, lit a cigarette from his cigarette case, and said: “Why are you four staring at me? Want me to explain?
Don’t overthink it. My mission is only one: take you back to base for tomorrow’s evaluation.”
With that, he directly ordered Qi Huan: “These past days exhausted me, all thinking how to trick them, no proper rest.
The task of taking them back, Qi Huan, is yours—take them down.”
Having four cadets complete the assessment made Yuan Lang inwardly thrilled, but his “pretentious” personality kept him from showing it.
“Yes!”
Qi Huan saluted, turned and said: “You four, follow me.”
Cheng Cai, Wu Liu Yi, and Xu Sanduo turned to leave, but Wu Zhe stared straight at Yuan Lang, his eyes as if saying: You must give me an explanation!
The other three, who were about to leave, saw Wu Zhe standing there rigid like a steel plate and stopped their steps.
“Why glare at me? Am I that good-looking?” Yuan Lang said with the cigarette in his mouth.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” Wu Zhe persisted.
“No need for me to say anything to you. At tomorrow’s evaluation meeting, say whatever you want then— you’ll get a satisfactory answer.”
Yuan Lang finished, picked up the game console again, and turned to Chen Jun beside him: “Give me one last chance, I don’t believe I can’t pass this level.”
“You…”
Wu Zhe was very dissatisfied with Yuan Lang’s dismissive attitude and was just about to argue when Cheng Cai beside him yanked him away.
Still whispering beside him: “Enough, you know his personality— not worth it. He said there’s an evaluation, so talk tomorrow.”
Under Cheng Cai’s persuasion, Wu Zhe thought about it and swallowed his anger.
The four walked out of the tent, got on the prepared car outside, and under Qi Huan’s lead, began returning to base.
“Captain Yuan, after playing such a big trick on them, you’re really not saying anything? If you piss them off and they all leave, it’ll be for nothing.” Chen Jun teased.
“Those who want to leave can’t be kept; those who want to stay won’t leave. A Squadron never forces anyone to stay.”
Yuan Lang sounded very domineering, but Chen Jun saw a bit of anxiety in his eyes, seemingly anxious toward him, Chen Jun.
“Hahaha, great line ‘never force anyone to stay’—I like it, Captain Yuan, you said it, no taking it back.” Chen Jun immediately latched onto that and was about to make it real.
“…”
Yuan Lang was speechless.
He’d said it casually, mainly to highlight A Squadron’s arrogance—no begging anyone.
But Chen Jun’s grip made him suddenly realize.
Among this class’s four top newcomers, three were from Chen Jun’s company—if Chen Jun said a word to them, wouldn’t they all slip away?
After all, tomorrow’s evaluation meeting was as he said; staying or not was up to the newcomers themselves.
A Squadron really wouldn’t force anyone!
If Cheng Cai and the other two all left, it really would be as Chen Jun said—half a year’s selection wasted.
He wanted to take back his words but couldn’t bear to lose face.
He could only shift topics: “Those things later—we’ll figure this out first. This time I can definitely clear it.”
Chen Jun knew Yuan Lang was panicking inside, smiled, and didn’t pursue it.
…
That night they all returned to A Squadron base. Chen Jun figured the time was about right and planned to tell Cheng Cai and the other two.
Have them withdraw at tomorrow’s evaluation meeting, then he’d take them back to the company.
But Yuan Lang seemed to have a premonition.
He preemptively found Chen Jun first, pulled him to Captain Tie’s office, and the three talked for over an hour.
With Captain Tie’s personal involvement, plus some extra conditions added.
Chen Jun changed his initial decision—not taking Cheng Cai and the other two back with him now, but letting them stay another half year.
Then return to the company together with the special operations platoon after completing special training.
The next day.
Chen Jun completed all his missions here; early in the morning, Captain Tie arranged a helicopter to send him back at top speed.
As if afraid Chen Jun would change his mind.
Meanwhile, Cheng Cai, Xu Sanduo, and Wu Liu Yi, who had each privately talked with Chen Jun last night and made their decisions, began the evaluation with the other newcomers.
Captain Tie personally hosted the evaluation meeting, showing great importance to it.
The first to enter for evaluation was Wu Zhe.
Having bottled up anger all along, purely to prove he wasn’t inadequate, that’s why Wu Zhe persisted till now.
This evaluation meeting became his venting session, freely unleashing his inner dissatisfaction.
He pointed out various issues during training, like Yuan Lang privately using a mobile phone, trampling cadet dignity, unscientific training, etc.
The result was about the same as the original drama.
Yuan Lang responded to each issue one by one: the phone used was a batteryless fake, deliberately to pressure cadets.
Then he used a story of an old leader to explain why he trampled cadet dignity.
The final result was the same as the original drama: Wu Zhe’s inner fire was finally extinguished, from forgiveness to understanding, and he ultimately chose to stay.
The remaining Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai, and Wu Liu Yi had originally decided to leave.
Passing the final assessment proved their personal abilities were developed enough—it was time to return and serve their old company.
But due to Chen Jun’s prior talk, the three cooperatively chose to stay.
Yuan Lang and Captain Tie, upon getting their replies, finally set their minds at ease and immediately began arranging special operations platoon special training.
Chen Jun’s matters with A Squadron came to an end here.
Next meeting would be half a year later!
And as soon as Chen Jun returned to the company and his feet touched ground, he was called to battalion headquarters by Gao Cheng’s urgent matter.
Only upon arrival did he learn it was a Group Army order, issued to Steel Seventh Battalion three days ago, assigning Chen Jun the latest mission—
Give lectures across the entire Group Army!
The lecture content was to promote the value of combined arms units and combined arms tactics under modernization reform to the troops, letting the whole Group Army understand ahead of time.
Laying a solid foundation in advance for the subsequent full Group Army promotion of combined arms units.
