On the playground, during the training break, the recruits take a break.
A new soldier came up to Pan Zhuzi and sat down: "Brother, you are really awesome."
Pan Zhuzi smiled and said nothing.
The new soldier said again: "You can just call me Ma Zi."
"My name is Pan Zhuzi."
Pan Zhuzi had just arrived at the independent regiment for one day and didn't know a lot of things. This classmate named Ma Zi was the first to take the initiative to talk to him. He felt much better and asked, "I saw a little girl wearing a military uniform, and she seemed to be standing with the company commanders and instructors. Whose child is that?"
"Child? Haha, she is not a child, she is a soldier"
"What did you say?" Pan Zhuzi couldn't believe it. He joined the Eighth Route Army to fight the Japanese invaders, but he didn't expect that there would be such a young soldier in the Eighth Route Army, not to mention a little girl. Isn't this a joke
Looking at Pan Zhuzi's expression, Ma Zi said seriously: "This is true. I didn't believe it when I first came here."
"Even if she is a soldier, why didn't she show up for the morning training? Instead, she was hanging out with the company commanders and instructors?"
"It's a long story. She is a soldier, but not an ordinary soldier. I tell you, this little girl is extraordinary and not someone you can easily mess with. There are four combat units in our regiment, known as: Iron Company 1, Red Company 3, a sharp knife is Company 2, and the fool goes to Class 9. That girl is from Class 9, and Class 9 rarely comes to the playground."
"Class nine?" Pan Zhuzi was even more puzzled. How come there was another class unit
Ma Zi was about to explain in detail when suddenly the teacher Tie Dan shouted, "Everyone gather, everyone gather, hurry up!"
Didn't they say we were going to take a break? Why were we gathering again just after we sat down? The new recruits hurried to line up with a lot of complaints and confusion.
At the edge of the playground under the sun, six figures came from the direction of the regiment headquarters: the regiment commander, the first company commander Wu Yan, the second company commander Gao Yidao, the third company commander Hao Ping and the third company instructor Yang Dezhi. The shortest and smallest one with two braids was Xiao Hongying.
The team began to whisper: "What's going on?"
"All of them are shopkeepers. What do you want?"
The regiment leader walked into the playground first, and waved to the instructor Tiedan who was about to stand at attention and salute: "It's okay, let them go and have a rest. Who is Pan Zhuzi? Bring him out for me to see."
Captain Lu was having a headache listening to his men quarreling in the regiment headquarters, so he had an idea. Wouldn't it be better to let Pan Zhuzi compare prices from three stores and make his own decision? This would save them from crying and making a fuss about how unfair it was. No one should fight for it and let Pan Zhuzi choose.
This method left everyone speechless. Gao Yidao was the happiest. No matter what, this opportunity had been created. It would not be so easy for the Third Company to get what they wanted. Hao Ping and Yang Dezhi had nothing to say either. After all, they had anticipated this possibility when they decided to bring this matter up. Now they really had to reshuffle the cards. At least the wicked girl's chances were slimmer. The little girl was the most reluctant to blackmail the Third Company. She had fallen from the peak to the valley. Her efforts were in vain. She jumped on her feet and shouted her opposition in the regiment headquarters. The regiment commander's answer was that opposition was futile. They could only stare pitifully at Hao Ping's triumphant smile at Gao Yidao.
It turned out that Pan Zhuzi was to be allowed to choose his own unit. The newly-disbanded recruits immediately went wild and gathered around him, forming a large circle on the playground to watch. Their eyes were filled with envy and hatred.
"This kid is so lucky. He's only been here for one day."
"Alas, who can blame him for being able to wield a big knife?"
“This is too cheap for him.”
Pan Zhuzi himself was also confused. He didn't think this was a good thing, because he didn't know the specific situation of the independent regiment at all. No matter where he was assigned, he was still an Eighth Route Army soldier, fighting against the Japanese invaders and avenging them. What was the difference? He didn't understand why the regiment made this arrangement.
Captain Lu asked Pan Zhuzi about his background, and then walked around Pan Zhuzi three times. Finally, he said three words: "Not bad." Then he turned around, put his hands behind his back, glanced at the three company commanders, the instructor, and the little girl, and said, "Then... Let's go in order. Wu Yan, you speak first."
A stone stirs up a thousand waves. Gao Yidao, Hao Ping, Yang Dezhi and Xiao Hongying all dropped their jaws. They didn't expect that the first company was also counted? What does this have to do with his first company? Isn't this one less opportunity? Is it really like this? It's outrageous
Swish, swish, swish, swish—four people cast eight eyes at the same time on the first company commander Wu Yan, Gao Yidao, Hao Ping, Yang Dezhi and Xiao Hongying. None of the four faces looked good, but at this moment, they actually shared the same hatred for the enemy for the first time. Wu Yan, who looked like a consumptive ghost, couldn't help but sway, his hair stood on end and his back was cold. He thought to himself, "Captain, you are too much. I never said that the first company would participate. Aren't you throwing me into the fire?" I can't afford to fight for Pan Zhuzi. I can't wade into this muddy water.
"Ahem... this matter... originally has nothing to do with the first company. I abstain." Wu Yan expressed his attitude. The four cold gazes that were originally shining on Wu Yan's face immediately warmed up and turned into enthusiastic warmth of approval, making Wu Yan feel hotter than the sun above his head. His forehead was hot and sweaty.
The regiment commander frowned, looked at the four guys, then looked at Wu Yan, and sighed helplessly: "Wu Yan, can't you show up for once? Originally, I was going to include him in the regiment headquarters, waiting to see if this guy is willing to be a guard. Now, you, the company commander, have taken a high-profile stance, so how can I, the regiment commander, compete
Oh my, this time even Wu Yan is included. The five of them looked at the leader in silence with black lines on their heads.
"What are you looking at? Only your unit is a unit? My regiment headquarters is not a unit? I'll let you off the hook this time, and you three can handle the rest."
Phew—the captain’s words finally made the four guys feel relieved and they breathed a sigh of relief. If the captain had also intervened, then the result would probably have been no suspense.
The playground was completely quiet. It was obviously filled with new recruits, but it was eerily quiet because the selection was about to begin. There were three options: the second company, the third company, and the ninth squad.
Pan Zhuzi stood upright in the field, motionless, with sweat on his forehead. A few meters away from him, three people stood at intervals. On the left was a strong and tall black-faced man, the second company commander Gao Yidao, who was intimidating without being angry. He stood with his legs shoulder-width apart and his arms folded across his chest, with a face as fierce as a tiger; in the middle stood a little girl, wearing a petite military uniform and standing at ease. The two pigtails on her head were tied up in a proud and arrogant manner and swayed slightly in the wind. In her hand, she was fiddling with a rifle bullet that was spinning around her small fingertips, blinking her two beautiful big eyes and looking at Pan Zhuzi sideways; the person on the right was the third company commander Hao Ping, who was neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, neither black nor white, and neither humble nor arrogant. Although he was also in a military uniform, in Pan Zhuzi's eyes, he looked as ordinary as a neighbor's brother, and smiled at Pan Zhuzi.
Gao Yidao said first: "Listen carefully, kid. The Second Company is the sharp knife company. I am Gao Yidao. Only when you join the Second Company will you feel proud.
He didn't say much, just this one sentence, with an unfriendly tone and full of arrogance. Although Pan Zhuzi was a trained warrior, he was still oppressed by the coldness that hit him and his breathing was unnatural. His self-confidence suddenly disappeared. This person... is not simple.
There was a murmur around them. A person's name is like a tree's shadow. Erlian, Gao Yidao, just reporting the number is enough. Fame overwhelms everything. Is there any need for nonsense? Domineering and face
"cut-"
This sneering voice attracted Pan Zhuzi's attention, and he looked at the little girl in the middle. She was retracting her disdainful look from the side and looking at Gao Yidao. Her beautiful big eyes met Pan Zhuzi's eyes, and she blinked quietly for a few times, then opened her mouth and spoke in a childish and crisp voice: "A Type 38 rifle with a bayonet and 120 rounds of ammunition; a box gun and two magazines of bullets; you can choose any hand grenade, and hang them up as you like; I'm too lazy to say anything about the equipment, come to the ninth squad, these are yours, how about it?" After she finished speaking, her beautiful big eyes began to blink.
The whole audience was in an uproar... Naked temptation, naked, this is too shameless, this is too... what the hell. Only the ninth class can offer such conditions, this is the difference between a hundred people eating one steamed bun and one person eating one steamed bun, the ninth class has an absolute advantage, it can make people greedy to death
Ma Zi said that this child was extraordinary, and now Pan Zhuzi really saw that she was extraordinary. Although she was young and her voice was charmingly immature, these conditions coming from her mouth were even more impressive. At this moment, she was not a child at all, but a dream realizer, a self-satisfied beautiful elf, with a gorgeous magic halo floating around her body, which made Pan Zhuzi dumbfounded.
The reputation of the second company, the slash of the ninth squad, when it came to the third company, Hao Ping was really annoyed. What is this, everyone is showing off with red mouth and white teeth, shameless and stinky, it seems that it is really not good if they don't bleed.
"Ahem... Pan Zhuzi."
"Yeah." He finally recovered from the elf's enchantment and looked at the third captain.
"Come to the third company. I can make you the squad leader directly." Hao Ping's words were even simpler than Gao Yidao's. He had no choice. He couldn't say anything more. He only had this condition to rely on.
The whole audience was buzzing again. Good fellow, he is famous, profitable and powerful, why is our life so miserable? Why does the big pie always fall on his head? The heaven is blind and the law is unfair.
Now that everything that needed to be said had been said, it was only Pan Zhuzi's turn to speak. Suddenly, one of the new recruits around him began to give Pan Zhuzi advice, whispering to him, "You can wield a broadsword, so why don't you choose the Second Company? Choose the Second Company..."
Another voice said: "Choose the third company and become the squad leader directly. Do you need to think about it, you idiot..."
At the same time, several voices were mumbling behind Pan Zhuzi: "You can't go to Class 9, you fool. Don't you know that if you go to Class 9, you will regret it? Don't be fooled, kid. Class 9 is the worst place in the whole group. If you go to Class 9, you will be looked down upon. Then even I will look down on you..."
Pan Zhuzi himself didn't know much about the Second Company, Third Company, and Class Nine. The chattering of his classmates around him made him even more confused. His body was stiff, his fists were clenched, and sweat was pouring down his nose. He almost wanted to speak, but he held back because of the suggestions from the people around him. When he was hesitating, he suddenly heard someone talking on the other side.
"Pan Zhuzi, our Third Company... the environment is indeed a bit harsh, but I sincerely hope that you will come to our Third Company, let's kill the devils together and avenge your master and mistress, your entire village, and the millions of unfortunate people in this world."
The speaker was Yang Dezhi. When he was in the political work department office, he heard Pan Zhuzi's original intention of joining the army. Seeing Pan Zhuzi's hesitation, Yang Dezhi finally said this sentence, helping the third company to play the last card.
Pan Zhuzi loosened his fist, looked directly at Yang Dezhi, and finally made up his mind: "I hope to join the third company."
It was almost noon. With the instructor's command, the new recruits on the playground finally finished their morning training and dispersed in a hurry, preparing to go to the kitchen compound for lunch.
In the sunlight, Pan Zhuzi felt someone patted his shoulder. He turned his head and saw it was Ma Zi, so he smiled back.
Ma Zi frowned and asked: "Why did you choose the third company? Are you stupid? The second company has face, the ninth squad has substance, and the squad leader of the third company is not that valuable. I really admire you."
"I'm not after that. I came here to avenge the Japanese. I also want to go to the Second Company, but... Instructor Yang's words touched my heart. Even if I'm not given the position of squad leader, I will still choose the Third Company."
"Let me ask you, how many of you are here not to fight the Japanese? I think so too. Do you think you are the only one who thinks so? Doesn't the Second Company fight the Japanese? Doesn't the Ninth Squad fight the Japanese?"
Pan Zhuzi thought about the little girl's appearance. He believed that she was rich, but he didn't believe that the Ninth Squad could fight the Japanese. He said casually: "The Ninth Squad... Haha, didn't you hear what everyone said? They..."
"Hey - you really are..." Ma Zi's face was full of helplessness, his eyebrows were splayed, "People who said those things have a purpose, did you know that? Class 9 is small, so there are few places. They said those things because they were afraid that you would take up Class 9's quota. Although they all say that Class 9 is bad, they are fighting like crazy to get into Class 9 privately, did you know that? If I could have an opportunity like you, I would choose Class 9 without hesitation."
Pan Zhuzi thought about it and finally came to his senses. No wonder they kept nagging behind him. They were all beasts in human form. Based on the conditions offered by the little girl, most people would not care about reputation or consciousness. It was a sky-high price. There was no other place like him. However, Pan Zhuzi did not regret his choice. They were them, and he was himself. Fighting the Japanese and avenging himself was the first priority.
Ma Zi said that these were all well-intentioned. Pan Zhuzi patted him on the shoulder and said, "Everyone has their own aspirations. I don't care about those things. As long as I can..."
Ma Zi turned his head and interrupted him, saying, "You want to talk about fighting the Japanese again? Let me tell you something. Do you know who killed the most Japanese in the battle a few days ago? The ninth squad had the least people, but they killed the most. They almost wiped out an entire Japanese squad. That guy was really... You idiot. Before this, the whole division issued a general commendation twice and the regiment issued one. This was also for the ninth squad. You... Haha, even if you were here to fight the Japanese, you went into the wrong place. You missed the ninth squad and the second company."
"What?" Pan Zhuzi was really surprised this time.
"It's too late to say anything now, but at least you can become the squad leader directly, which is the only thing that everyone is envious of. I guess some people are starting to say behind your back that you are a power-hungry person, haha."
Pan Zhuzi was dumbfounded. It seemed that he really missed something. It felt so bad, as if he suddenly had a mouth full of sand that he could neither spit out nor swallow. His original excitement turned into a chill in his heart.
The midday sun shines dully on the yellow earth on the empty playground. Fate is fate. Sometimes, even if you have the opportunity to choose, you can't change your fate. For example, Pan Zhuzi is deeply regretting because of his missed opportunity. In fact, he doesn't know that even if he chooses Class 9, he will still be sold to Company 3 by that wicked elf. His fate will not change because of his choice.