Ace Special Forces in Movies and TV Shows

Chapter 0055: The 7th Company, the Steel 7th Company!

Zheng Yingqi always thought that his "care" for Xu Sanduo in basic training would change him, but the truth told him that it didn't!

Xu Sanduo is still the same Xu Sanduo.

This soldier has the heart of a tiger but has grown into a bear, but that doesn't mean I can remove his bear skin by adding extra training.

Bing is a good soldier, but he needs to be tempered in the fire of the Seventh Company to shed his bear skin and grow the backbone that a soldier of the Seventh Company should have before he can truly shed his bear skin.

So he stopped interfering with the plot development, such as telling Xu Sanduo how many people were in the Steel Seventh Company and what to say at the induction ceremony before the ceremony was held. Instead, he let Xu Sanduo chat and talk nonsense with Cheng Cai, who had just rushed in.

"Xu Sanduo, do you remember the goal I told you about? I've achieved it! I'm a sniper now!" Despite Zheng Yingqi being there, Cheng Cai couldn't help but boast about his newfound status: "Xu Sanduo, you've done well too, going from the neglected Fifth Platoon to the Seventh Company. You'd better keep up the good work!"

Just as Cheng Cai was enjoying Xu Sanduo's envious gaze, the third platoon leader appeared at the door at an inopportune moment and called him. Without even saying hello, Cheng Cai hurriedly slipped out.

After Cheng Cai left, Bai Tiejun sneered, "This Cheng Cai has no shame. He boasted about his status in front of Zheng Yingqi in our class. It's unbelievable that he could even say that!"

Xu Sanduo was somewhat puzzled, as he knew Zheng Yingqi was not a sniper.

Bai Tiejun continued, "Xu Sanduo, your fellow villager isn't very honest. He carried three packs of cigarettes. The ten-yuan Hongtashan was for the officer, the five-yuan Honghe was for the squad leader, and the one-yuan Jianshe was for his comrades. Other companies might have a few like that, but in our Seventh Company, there's only one!"

Xu Sanduo instinctively defended himself: "He's my good friend, he... he's a really good person."

"We are your roommates, your classmates, your comrades-in-arms!" Gan Xiaoning said angrily.

Xu Sanduo was unaware of how wrong his statement was—in this elite unit, every small group had an extremely strong sense of honor. Between classes and platoons, and even at the individual level, there was a strong sense of honor and solidarity, as well as fierce competition. His statement was as if he were tearing himself apart from this group.

"Xu Sanduo, this is the Seventh Company!" Zheng Yingqi didn't explain for Xu Sanduo, but instead reprimanded him:

"This isn't your old unit, so remember this: you're a soldier in the 3rd Platoon, 7th Company! When you speak, stand in this position first!"

In the past, Zheng Yingqi would have told his comrades that this kid was new here and asked them to be lenient with him for my sake. But now he understands that some things need to be experienced firsthand. He can't protect Xu Sanduo under his wing—besides, he's not some kind of raptor, how could he protect him?

Xu Sanduo stared at Zheng Yingqi in astonishment; this was an attitude and tone Zheng Yingqi had never used before.

"You'll gradually understand. Here, only by becoming strong can you earn respect!"

Zheng Yingqi couldn't bear it in the end and gave him another warning.

That evening, the Third Platoon held a special induction ceremony for Xu Sanduo. Except for the absence of the scene where Wu Liuyi scolded him and threw down the ore, everything else was exactly the same as the original plot. As Xu Sanduo was caught off guard and confused during the induction ceremony, Shi Jin fixed his gaze on Zheng Yingqi, his eyes filled with surprise, doubt, incomprehension and annoyance.

He thought Zheng Yingqi would teach Xu Sanduo about the induction ceremony, but judging from Xu Sanduo's reaction, it proved that Zheng Yingqi didn't say anything!

While Xu Sanduo was merely going through the motions reciting the Liange song with everyone else, Gao Cheng appeared at the door. Shi Jin knew he had something to say, so he hurried out. Gao Cheng then beckoned to Zheng Yingqi, who followed him out.

Under the dim moonlight, the company flag of the Seventh Company fluttered slightly, as if it were alive.

A company commander, a squad leader, and a soldier were standing below.

"In my experience, you can usually tell a good soldier from a bad one during this ceremony!" Takashiro said after a long silence.

As a company commander who loved to eavesdrop on the new recruits' performances during ceremonies, Gao Cheng was very experienced. Just like Zheng Yingqi's performance at the last ceremony, he knew then that Zheng Yingqi would definitely be the best recruit in this batch.

Shi Jin: "He doesn't understand yet; we need to give him time!"

"But what about your time?" Gao Cheng said angrily, "This pilot program has been reported to the division headquarters. How much time do you have left? When the people from the division headquarters come, they won't say that this soldier joined halfway through the program; they'll only look at our overall performance!"

Shi Jin was speechless.

Zheng Yingqi stood like a pine tree.

"I regret it," Gao Cheng said. "I'll take him with me. I need an orderly. Let him be my orderly."

This is Gao Cheng's compromise.

Shi Jin knew that Xu Sanduo was not suitable for this job—with Xu Sanduo's personality, how could he be a service soldier?

"Company Commander, three months, you can make a decision after three months, okay? Let him stay in the Third Platoon for three months!" Zheng Yingqi pleaded.

"Are you very confident?" Gao Cheng looked at Zheng Yingqi.

"Company Commander, this is the Seventh Company, the Steel Seventh Company! I have confidence in this team!" Zheng Yingqi said.

"Three months, Company Commander. Let's see if he's suitable after three months, okay?" Shi Jin pleaded. Gao Cheng looked at the two of them with exasperation, then finally turned away and said, "You two decide!"

Gao Cheng stormed off.

"You..." Shi Jin looked at Zheng Yingqi: "Why didn't you teach him beforehand... You know he's slow."

"Squad leader, I used to think that if I protected him and gave him enough time, he would grow on his own. But I later realized I was wrong. Growth requires trials and tribulations. Without weathering storms, just shedding blood and sweat doesn't guarantee growth." Zheng Yingqi sat on the steps:

"I can teach him how to speak in ceremonies, teach him what the Steel Seventh Company is, how many people are in the Steel Seventh Company, but that's just what I teach him. He will never have it so firmly imprinted in his mind."

Shi Jin then realized he had wronged Zheng Yingqi, but recalling Xu Sanduo's performance at the ceremony, he felt a pang of sadness. This soldier…

"Squad leader, promise me one thing." Zheng Yingqi suddenly became serious with Shi Jin. Shi Jin gestured for Zheng Yingqi to speak, and then he said:

"Don't be too nice to him, just treat him like an ordinary soldier."

"What do you mean?"

"You're too nice to him, so nice that he treats you like an older brother... He doesn't need older brotherly care now, he needs cold-blooded beatings," Zheng Yingqi said.

Shi Jin seemed a little dazed. Was it because his own people were too kind to him?

"We'll take care of Xu Sanduo. Just treat him like an ordinary soldier," Zheng Yingqi emphasized.

Looking at Zheng Yingqi's serious expression, Shi Jin thought for a moment before saying, "Okay, I believe you."

At night, Xu Sanduo tossed and turned in bed. The unfamiliar surroundings and familiar people felt strange, and he was disappointed.

That night, I kept thinking, did I make the wrong decision? Should I not have left Class 5? This place felt so unfamiliar, and even the familiar people here had become so strange...

Shi Jin could feel Xu Sanduo tossing and turning. He wanted to peek out and say something, but then he remembered Zheng Yingqi's words and finally gritted his teeth and buried his head under the covers.