Chapter 50: The Firing Range Explodes
Officer Zhang was immersed in the stunning debut of the Fourth Squad. Seeing the ten new recruits of the Fifth Squad take position at the shooting position, he couldn’t help but mutter in anticipation: “If an entire squad of new recruits all achieve excellent results, that could make for an article, but it’s still a bit short of something special.
If the entire Second Platoon’s new recruits could all achieve excellent results, that would be extraordinary. Such a grand scene hasn’t been seen in years, and it would absolutely make for a wonderful article.”
An officer responsible for the regimental newspaper wants to make achievements, wants to have standout and eye-catching performances.
Nothing else.
Only wonderful articles.
Articles in the regimental newspaper can’t be imagined out of thin air; they need verifiable facts and people. But with a regiment this size, major achievements are inevitably not plentiful. Where are there so many big news stories for you to write?
Officer Zhang wanting to see even more explosive events could be said to be following his professional duty.
“Officer Zhang, as the platoon leader of the Second Platoon, I’d like to boldly ask: if the entire platoon can achieve excellent results, could it make the front page of the regimental newspaper?” Chen Jun asked.
“Regimental newspaper front page?”
Officer Zhang laughed heartily, his eyebrows dancing as he said: “If the entire platoon really achieves excellent results, I’ll write it up and let him polish it. Not just the regimental newspaper—even the division or army newspaper front page would be no problem.”
“What if there’s also a new recruit who scores a perfect 50 rings?” Chen Jun smiled and asked again.
“That would be incredible—a regimental record! We’d have to find a way to get it into the army newspaper, so our 702 Regiment can really shine in the Group Army.”
Officer Zhang was so excited just thinking about it that he gesticulated wildly, his face beaming with delight.
“Then I’m relieved.”
Chen Jun nodded seriously as if it were a done deal, which instead made Officer Zhang feel that Chen Jun was being arrogant. He couldn’t help but pour cold water: “Platoon Leader Chen, it’s fine to think about it, but you don’t really think your platoon’s new recruits are that confident, do you?”
“Of course confident. I know my soldiers better than anyone. Just get your pen ready and prepare to write the report overnight tonight, haha.” Chen Jun laughed sunnily.
“Good, having confidence is a good thing.”
Officer Zhang gave a thumbs up, admiring that a cadet soldier like Chen Jun had such a mentality. Hearing that shooting at the target had begun, he turned to focus on taking photos.
The expensive Little Day camera he bought was played with expertly by him from all angles.
“Pa~”
Finally, the gunshots fell, and the Fifth Squad’s shooting at the target ended.
The most tense moment had arrived!
Officer Zhang anticipated whether it would still be all excellent; Chen Jun and Gao Cheng anticipated whether there would be a perfect 50 rings; the deputy regiment commander anticipated an even more explosive drama; the other new recruits and backbones anticipated whether the legend would continue.
The new recruits of the Fifth Squad who had finished shooting at the target assembled and were brought back; the target inspector from the target pit came out to report the results.
“Target number one: five shots, 33 rings…”
The shortest one on the far left, Xu Sanduo, had his shooting at the target result announced first. Five shots on target meeting the excellent standard made several people breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The worst shooter in the Fifth Squad was Xu Sanduo; everyone feared he would make a mistake.
Ultimately, the entire platoon’s efforts would be ruined on him.
Fortunately, Xu Sanduo was carefree with no pressure, and his performance was even better than usual. The most he’d hit before was four shots on target, but Xu Sanduo actually managed five shots.
As for the bullet holes scattering everywhere like flowers from the heavenly maiden, no one cared about that at all.
On target is what matters!
With Xu Sanduo passing this dangerous checkpoint, there were still two points left that no one dared to relax on even slightly, points that kept nerves taut—
Whether the Fifth Squad could all be excellent and whether Cheng Cai could score full rings!
The crowd, carrying these two strong expectations, was so tense that no one spoke; the whole audience became unusually quiet, everyone sharpening their ears to continue listening.
“Target number two: five shots, 40 rings; target number three: five shots, 39 rings; target number four: five shots, 42 rings; target number five…”
As result after result was reported, every new recruit’s result was five shots excellent, and with ring counts substantially higher than Xu Sanduo’s.
The whole audience’s atmosphere grew increasingly tense!
Even the worldly deputy regiment commander on the viewing stand, influenced by the on-site atmosphere, furrowed his brows tightly, becoming unusually focused.
Cheng Cai was in the second-to-last shooting position, making the Fifth Squad’s reporting unusually drawn out, as if at 5x speed.
Target number six, target number seven, target number eight—all excellent.
The closer to the answer, the more tense the atmosphere.
The next was target number nine.
Gao Cheng at this moment was almost unable to hold it together, involuntarily stepping forward two steps, as if getting closer to the shooting range would let him hear faster.
Chen Jun, Shi Jin, Wu Liu Yi, and other soldier-leading backbones were without exception holding their breath in concentration.
“Target number nine: four shots, 40 rings…”
“Ah????”
The target inspector reporting this bizarre result caused an uproar across the entire shooting range, unable to believe there could be such a strange result.
Four shots 40 rings meant hitting the bullseye four times; the remaining shot could only have missed.
In the case of four shots hitting the bullseye, a fifth shot at eight rings, nine rings, or even seven rings would be no problem—mistakes happen.
But a fifth bullet flying off like that was like a sharpshooter turning into an outline artist in one second.
Theoretically impossible.
Not to mention the new recruits being dumbfounded.
Even the experienced Chen Jun and Gao Cheng were stunned by this strange result, their minds buzzing for a moment, unable to believe it was real.
Even the deputy regiment commander couldn’t help laughing; this was the first time he’d seen something so strange.
“Impossible, this absolutely can’t be. There must be a mistake in some link. Communicator, go, get the target paper…”
Gao Cheng had high hopes for Cheng Cai and didn’t believe something so strange could happen; he wanted to get the target over and personally check the bullet holes.
But before he finished speaking, the walkie-talkie transmitted the target inspector’s voice again.
And it was very urgent, with a hint of tension.
And astonishment!
“Um… cough cough, I misread it. Two bullet holes overlapped by three-quarters; I thought it was one, so target number nine’s result isn’t four shots 40 rings, but five shots on target 50 rings.”
“50 rings?”
The new recruits and backbones just baffled by four shots 40 rings heard it was actually two bullets together, with the real result being a perfect 50 rings, and suddenly realized, various exclamations bursting forth.
“My goodness, that’s too amazing.”
“I gave it my all and only got four shots on target; this guy actually hit 50 rings. Is he really a new recruit? Are we really training in the same new recruit company?”
“Third-class merit, wow, too awesome.”
“Damn, I’m so envious. Why isn’t it me who hit 50 rings?”
…
The entire group of new recruits exploded; everyone’s faces were full of envy and jealousy, and the squad leaders and platoon leaders of each squad had equally rich expressions.
“This new recruit Cheng Cai is too fierce; he actually really did 50 rings.”
“Damn it, I’ve been in the army so long, been a squad leader for five or six years, and still haven’t hit 50 rings, but a new recruit did it??”
“Comparing people really pisses one off; is this talent?”
“The Fifth Squad Leader is set now; bringing out a new recruit with third-class merit, this year’s excellent backbone squad leader commendation is definitely unavoidable.”
…
Platoon leaders, squad leaders, new recruits—all exploded, but the most wonderful was still the observation area.
