BXBX NOVEL Chapter 159 - 159: The Price of Setting Yourself Lose
“Class monitor, I’ve never helped the class monitor do laundry.
Regarding the second question, I responded that the class monitor has always shown care and affection toward us. He has never resorted to physical punishment or scolding…”
In the dormitory, Gu Yingnan was the first to speak.
Under the gaze of Ye Sanshi, he kept his eyes fixed ahead.
Well… Originally, he shared a sleeping space with Ye Sanshi.
However, the current scenario was different. Ye Sanshi occupied a small stool while Gu Yingnan stood, resulting in their eyes not meeting.
It wasn’t until the final question that Gu Yingnan averted his gaze. He looked at Ye Sanshi and uttered with a smile, “Class Monitor, the last question pertains to the aspects in which the recruit company can improve. I mentioned that I hope you could arrange for us to make a call to our families!”
“An opportunity to make a call!” Ye Sanshi didn’t comment on Gu Yingnan’s initial response but addressed the last question.
“Really?” These words elicited an immediate reaction from the onlookers.
Everyone’s yearning to communicate with the outside world was beyond measure.
On the first day, Ye Sanshi had promised that after collecting their phones, he would distribute them during the weekends if their performance was commendable.
This promise had been taken to heart by all, albeit naively.
Yet, the reality was that Ye Sanshi didn’t possess a phone himself. Thus, he had to rely on letter writing, and the same applied for receiving responses.
As for making phone calls, they had to be patient.
After all, Ye Sanshi had enlisted once before, during which he had made a call to assure his safety.
Gazing at Yan Zhiming and speaking in a casual tone, Ye Sanshi queried, “Will I get a meal if I deceive you?”
He glanced at the whole group. “The day after tomorrow is New Year’s. 1 will definitely arrange a chance for you all to make calls home during that time!”
“Uh…”
Upon hearing this, some individuals were taken aback, while others were lost in thought.
For the recruits, New Year’s Day was perhaps the only indicator of the upcoming year. It was only in this moment that they suddenly grasped the proximity of the New Year.
Yet, amidst the intense physical training of the past month, they had been so immersed that they failed to keep track of the days.
Absolutely! The new year was swiftly approaching.
Ye Sanshi’s reminder disoriented everyone.
Wang Ye was also momentarily dazed. He had forgotten about the date.
With Ye Sanshi’s proclamation, he finally snapped back.
It had been over sixty days since the initiation of the training.
“Class, what’s the date today? When is New Year’s?” Liang Fan couldn’t resist whispering to his neighbor.
“The 10th, and then the 13th for New Year’s.
Alright, I’m the one asking the questions here.
Come on, Ping’an, it’s your turn…”
During the survey, one person had let their guard down while writing. Now that they were back, they had transformed into a well-behaved individual.
Ye Sanshi inquired. The responses from the classmates were carefully worded.
However, Wang Ye could discern the truth from their expressions and tones.
Certainly, if Wang Ye could identify falsehoods, Ye Sanshi was undoubtedly capable of it as well.
Surprisingly, though, he didn’t lose his temper. Instead, he seemed content. After everyone had responded, he smiled and remarked, “Not bad. Everyone did well.
How about this, no extra work after lights out tonight. Get some rest and sleep early!”
Wang Ye regarded him skeptically.
But the others cheered…
Shortly after, Ye Sanshi excused himself, mentioning a meeting.
Gu Yingnan took a seat by the door, and Qin Li leaned in, speaking in hushed tones to the others. “Guys, let’s be honest, what did you write!”
“Cough… I memorized the questions!”
Wang Ye shot him a glare. Yan Zhiming, seated across, rolled his eyes and swiftly grabbed the questionnaire, loudly committing the questions to memory.
Yet, Liang Fan whispered to Qin Li, “It’s written as 1 had said earlier.
Remember, caution yourself against sleep-talking tonight!”
Having said that, he began memorizing the questions.
Walls had ears, so they refrained from chattering too much, lest Ye Sanshi was lurking nearby.
The following day proceeded as usual, and the class monitor’s booming voice was absent.
Nevertheless, Wang Ye had a hunch that this matter wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.
However, nothing appeared amiss until late at night when the lights went out.
Contrarily, Ye Sanshi didn’t task them with overtime duties.
Lying in bed, Wang Ye shifted his gaze slightly to Ye Sanshi, who lay still on his own bunk.
“Are we really just going to take this?”
Wang Ye was skeptical, yet everyone was lying down.
He couldn’t fathom it.
Wang Ye didn’t dwell on it. Primarily, he was tired. The day’s training had involved four 400-meter runs in the morning alone.
Though he had achieved a third-class merit today and knew that Wu Jianfeng would publicly acknowledge it before the entire company tomorrow morning, the gratification from the recognition didn’t negate his need for sleep.
In a daze.
Wang Ye suddenly detected an acrid scent invading his nostrils.
“Cough, cough! Oh, damn it…”
Suddenly, a series of coughs resonated through the dormitory, followed by yells and expletives.
Wang Ye was immediately jarred awake.
Upon entering the room, he was confronted with a burning object on the floor at the dormitory’s center.
“Enemy attack! Hurry, don your gas masks and gather for an emergency assembly!”
The door swung open all of a sudden. Ye Sanshi stood at the entrance, donning a gas mask.
While instructing, he swiftly covered his own face and hurriedly moved in to secure his bedding.
“Cough, cough!”
In this instance, Wang Ye found himself involuntarily seized by a fit of intense coughing.
What a farce! He had clearly seen that the item on the ground was a Red Bull can. It wasn’t even a smoke grenade.
Undoubtedly, chili had been placed inside the can, coupled with a combustible substance. Once ignited, the concoction produced suffocating smoke. The can had been ignited and tossed into the dormitory.
“Cough, cough!”
“Damn it!”
Chaos consumed the dormitory. Everyone was struggling against the irritation that brought them to tears.
The smoke was stifling beyond measure.
Clutching his nose, Wang Ye tumbled off the bed.
Staring at the Red Bull can, he refrained from touching it.
Well duh! He was shoeless. The object was ablaze, emitting an intense red heat. It would be reckless to attempt to handle it.
Rolling and crawling, he maneuvered toward the shelf where the gas masks were stationed within the dormitory.
“Ouch!”
Wang Ye and Liang Fan accidentally collided, yet Wang Ye disregarded the encounter. He hurriedly sought refuge beneath the equipment rack.
“Pass them over… here…”
Dispensing them one by one, regardless of the mask’s owner, Wang Ye provided one to each person present. Concurrently, he exploited this opportunity to rapidly secure one for himself.
“Cough, cough!”
Upon donning the mask, Wang Ye couldn’t suppress his coughs, as remnants of the smoke lingered within.
“Swiftly, quickly, quickly!”
Having packed his belongings and positioned his gear, Ye Sanshi’s voice emanated from under the mask.
However, nobody was in the mindset to attend to him. They speedily adorned their masks and promptly returned to their bunks, initiating the procedure.
Following Wang Ye’s approach to his bed and the act of donning his shoes, he delivered a kick to the burning Red Bull can on the floor, propelling it beyond the door’s threshold.
Approximately two minutes later, Wang Ye was the first to burst out of the door.
He descended the stairs.
The armory’s entrance on the ground floor was already ajar. Wang Ye dashed inside and headed straight for the rack where his classmates stored their weaponry. Retrieving his firearm, he dashed back out.
“Listen up, it’s almost the new year, but remember, our adversaries don’t partake in new year celebrations.”
Once everyone had assembled in the downstairs armory, Wu Jianfeng positioned himself on the steps leading to the dormitory building, addressing the gathering.
‘As soldiers, vigilance is imperative at all times, especially in situations like this.
When our nation is in a festive mood during the new year, it’s also when our defenses could be most lax. Our adversaries aren’t fools; they would likely seize this opportunity if they wish to act against us.
Consequently, we must maintain our readiness for combat at any given moment.
While the rest of the nation might be unwinding, we can’t afford to ease off.
This is the custom and ethos of any military unit during the new year.
Even though you’re new recruits, you are still soldiers.
Alright, now that we’re all assembled, follow me to conduct a sweep for potential threats.
Pay attention—do not remove your gas masks to safeguard against any further chemical attacks!”
Beneath his mask, Wang Ye’s lips moved incessantly, echoing the word ‘fuck.’
He vowed that tonight would certainly see retribution.
Retribution for the violation of their nightly tranquility.
Granted, he lacked tangible evidence, but did evidence truly matter?
Soon enough, everyone donned their gas masks and set out after Wu Jianfeng.
They didn’t venture beyond the camp but rather circled the camp’s perimeter twice.
“I… I’m seriously… utterly convinced!”
Once they returned to the dormitory, Qin Li slumped onto Wang Ye’s bed like a lifeless form.
“Get up, get up! Don’t sprawl on my bed!”
Clutching a perspiration-drenched mask, Wang Ye was equally drained.
This exhaustion transcended the physical realm, bordering on agonizing torment.
Engaging in two laps around the camp’s perimeter, fully equipped and veiled behind gas masks, wasn’t an endeavor fit for humans.
Li… Lie here… I’ll rest… Catch my breath!” Qin Li exhibited no intention of relocating. He maintained his position on Wang Ye’s bunk.
Wang Ye was on the verge of physically assisting him to his feet when suddenly…
“Shhh Shhhh! Emergency assembly!”
“FUUUUCK!”
Within the dormitory, despite their profound weariness, a symphony of synchronized and resounding fucks echoed in unison.