Chapter 40: The Best Company In The Entire Army Group
Everyone says that poaching talent always makes one feel guilty, but the Third Company Commander showed not a trace of it.
Facing the black face full of anger that hurried up from the stairwell, the Third Company Commander wasn’t panicked at all, and even smiled brightly.
“Old Seven, do you have a dog’s nose? I’ve only been here less than two minutes, and you followed the scent right over.”
The Third Company Commander had poached his own man and now had the nerve to mock him. Gao Cheng grew even more furious, itching to punch him in the face.
“Old Third, isn’t this a bit too unethical of you? Huh? Playing dead with me? If I don’t give you good soldiers, you come poaching my platoon leader?”
Facing Gao Cheng’s furious questioning, the Third Company Commander remained calm and said, “Your platoon leader? Where? I don’t see him.”
“Chen Jun, isn’t he my Seventh Company’s platoon leader?” Gao Cheng glared angrily.
“Don’t, Old Seven, you have to be reasonable.”
The Third Company Commander wasn’t intimidated at all and countered, “Not to mention he’s not your Seventh Company’s platoon leader—he’s the new recruit company’s platoon leader. In Seventh Company, he’s just a squad leader, and a temporary one at that.
When exactly did our troops change the cadet probation regulations? The probationary period hasn’t even ended yet—why claim he’s your man?
No matter where you report this, mine is fair competition. I haven’t taken a single advantage from you, Old Seven.”
The Third Company Commander spoke logically and convincingly. Gao Cheng, who wasn’t good at sophistry anyway, couldn’t outargue him and could only stubbornly say, neck stiff, “I say he’s a platoon leader, so he is. I already reported it to the regiment; it just hasn’t come down yet.”
Gao Cheng was blatantly lying with a straight face; outsiders had no way of knowing if he’d actually filed the report.
“Old Seven, don’t go too far with things.”
The Third Company Commander held back a bit but pointed at Gao Cheng; this time he was genuinely a little angry.
You didn’t give me a single new recruit, Old Seven—fine, you hogged all the prime picks. But even an unassigned cadet soldier, you rely on your connections to mess with me.
Soldiers all have some temper to varying degrees; so-called guts is just an inner explanation of temper. People without temper can’t even be soldiers.
How could the Third Company Commander swallow this?
And Gao Cheng was equally hot-tempered, with his stubbornness infamous in the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment. None of the regiment’s fifteen companies backed down from anyone.
The Third Company Commander dared to confront him face-to-face and challenge him; naturally, Gao Cheng wouldn’t swallow this either.
Seeing the two company commanders about to fight, Political Instructor He Hongtao, with years of political work experience, quickly stepped forward to mediate: “Alright, alright, say less, both of you. You’re both company commanders—don’t let the new recruits see the joke.”
He Hongtao said this as he stood between them to block the two, first advising Gao Cheng: “Old Third just came to chat with me, and we happened to mention Platoon Leader Chen. I heard he has unique insights on training, so I called him over for an exchange.
I heard he’s just a squad leader in Seventh Company, so I casually asked if he had any interest.
There’s no such thing as poaching anyone’s man. After Platoon Leader Chen’s probation, whichever company he goes to is his freedom—it doesn’t fall under our arrangement…”
“Future is future; I’m only talking now. Chen Jun is already our Seventh Company’s man.” Gao Cheng interrupted unhappily.
“Old Seven, be stubborn then. You’ll regret it.”
The Third Company Commander knew staying longer was meaningless. Really falling out with Gao Cheng wouldn’t benefit him either; in fact, he couldn’t win against the other man anyway. So he simply stepped back and left, heading toward the stairwell as he spoke.
“Me, regret? Old Third, you don’t have that ability yet.”
Gao Cheng shouted at the Third Company Commander’s back; he wouldn’t take the slightest loss.
“Company Commander Gao, let’s consider this matter over. We’re all in the same regiment— we’ll see each other all the time. No need to strain relations too much. I’ll go talk to Old Third.”
He Hongtao comforted Gao Cheng a bit, then jogged after him.
“What do you think Red Third Company is thinking? Using backdoor connections to get soldiers from me, and good ones at that. What have we busted our asses for three months for? Isn’t it to know our roots and pick squad top students, to wipe the floor with them in the grand competition? Can I give them any? They didn’t get any advantage here, so they turn their sights on your man right after—totally insane.”
Gao Cheng vented rapidly, then solemnly instructed: “Chen Jun, I don’t know what Old Third said to you.
But I, Gao Cheng, dare to say this right here: whatever Red Third Company can offer, I can offer too—and even more.
Just stay put in our Seventh Company with peace of mind; I guarantee you won’t be shortchanged later.
Old Third wants to compete with me for talent? Forget the door—not even a window.”
Though he definitely wouldn’t leave Seventh Company, and he’d only shown the tip of the iceberg but already had the regiment’s two best companies’ commanders fighting over him.
Chen Jun still felt quite proud and happy inside.
Seeing the worry and seriousness in Gao Cheng’s eyes, Chen Jun naturally wouldn’t miss this prime chance to show loyalty and make Gao Cheng value him even more.
He immediately patted his chest and said, “Company Commander, since I’ve decided to stay in Seventh Company, as long as I’m a Seventh Company man in life, I’ll be a Seventh Company ghost in death.
Forget some mere Third Company Commander’s recruitment—even Special Forces wouldn’t tempt me.
I’ll just follow you, Company Commander, and make Steel Seventh Company the strongest, most excellent company—not just in the regiment… no, it must be in the entire division, the entire group army.”
“Good, good, good.”
Gao Cheng was elated by Chen Jun’s words, laughing heartily with relief: “Excellent—a strongest company in the entire army. Chen Jun, I like your ambition, hahaha.”
“People have to have some pursuit in life. As long as I follow you, Company Commander, I think this isn’t a dream, but our goal.”
Chen Jun didn’t flatter easily, but when he did, it flowed like water.
“Good, then let’s set that as our goal first, haha.”
Gao Cheng took it as a joke and agreed, not thinking it was really achievable, because the entire group army goal was too big.
But after Chen Jun’s bout of “bragging,” Gao Cheng’s irritable mood from the poaching had eased amid the laughter.
Thinking it was time to finalize the specific new recruit list, he instructed Chen Jun: “Go call Squad Leaders Shi Jin and the other two. Seventh Company’s new recruit list should be settled too. I’ll wait for you in the small conference room.”
“Got it.”
Chen Jun nodded and jogged out.
The new recruit company had a total of ninety new recruits, to be allocated to each company in the regiment based on the veterans’ retirement situations, with corresponding quotas.
The regiment’s document had already come down, specifying exactly how many new recruits each company would get.
The number of new recruits for each company was set by the regiment; which new recruits went to which company was the new recruit company commander’s job, and Gao Cheng was responsible for the arrangements.
Steel Seventh Company didn’t have many new recruit quotas, so Gao Cheng definitely wanted the most excellent top students.
But aside from Cheng Cai, who stood out, there were many T1-level top soldiers, each with their own strengths.
Which top soldiers to bring to Seventh Company, or rather, which new recruits were most suitable for Seventh Company.
Gao Cheng really couldn’t decide and needed to discuss it together.
