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"Unity is strength, unity is strength, this strength is iron, this strength is steel..."
"Stop, stop, stop! I don't think you are united at all! Sing it again!"
Old Black's voice was still loud.
The duty officer immediately issued the second command.
"At ease!"
"Sing a song!"
The new recruits, smelling the food inside, were salivating.
"Unity... ready, sing!"
"Unity is strength!!..."
After messing around three times, Old Black finally gave the command to start eating.
When the new recruits entered the mess hall, three of them, excited, slipped and fell.
The duty officer, noticing something wrong, rushed to shout, "There's water! There's water on the floor! Slow down! What's the rush??"
Old Black in the mess hall, watching the scene at the door, was pensive.
By the time all the new recruits entered the mess hall, a strange scene occurred.
The Chief of Staff was standing.
So the company leaders and squad leaders were also standing.
With all the squad leaders standing, all new recruits could only stand as well.
The Chief of Staff didn't say a word, and everyone fell into silence.
After a long pause.
"Why the rush? Flying? Is safety or eating more important? You get food by running fast?"
The Chief of Staff Old Black's shout echoed throughout the quiet mess hall; at this moment, only the noise from the cooks cleaning up the kitchenware contested silently against his harsh words.
"Starting today, let's reset the rules. Once you're in the mess hall, you must wait for all new recruits to arrive and for the Regiment Department to commence eating before you can eat! Without rules, there's no standard! Over eight hundred people in a regiment eat in this mess hall. What if we push and shove and someone gets trampled to death? Who will take responsibility?
Company leaders, squad leaders! Take care of your people! If I catch anyone pushing or racing into the mess hall to eat again, points will be deducted! Right, starting today, there will be a points table for each company and each squad posted downstairs in the New Training Building. Awards for the best group and individuals will be based on points!
The flustered rushing... it's like a bunch of starved ghosts!"
"Start eating!"
Picking this perfect moment to dampen the enthusiasm of the new recruits for eating, everyone hesitated to move.
Hao Chengbin, being an Old Soldier, took the lead in quietly calling out "Start eating," and only then did Squad Nine's recruits dare to sit down.
Hao Chengbin was the first to pick up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, looked at the rookies silent as cicadas, and softened the atmosphere.
"Did you all hear that? If you tick off the regiment, we all suffer!
But I think you did quite well today. In the training field, including the little runt who couldn't keep up, Sun Lianhai, everyone did their best, and you didn't scramble for food, good!
But learn from this! Don't step into the same puddle others have stepped in!
Having a points chart is a good thing; it's a chance for us to stand out! Our Squad Nine will be the best in the company, even the best in the whole regiment!"
"Thank you, squad leader!" Fang Huai immediately chimed in.
"Thank you, squad leader!"
Such words warmed everyone's hearts.
Isn't that what you expect of an experienced soldier?
All around, squad leaders were scolding their recruits, and some tables near the Brigade Department were still standing, ready to make a show of strictness for the Chief of Staff to see.
Only Hao Chengbin was neither scolding nor comforting and encouraging everyone.
Doing the opposite was not only the unique power of an old squad leader but also part of the charm they held.
In his heart, he saw clearly: What's the use of scolding? The Regiment Department wouldn't praise you for good scolding, and if the recruits broke down psychologically under the constant pressure, someone would still have to take responsibility.
They had already felt the tension, and in such a tense environment, being relaxed seemed valuable, and the sensible ones would know contentment and self-discipline.
The ones who didn't understand would be dealt with individually afterward.
Leading soldiers isn't about strictness alone; tensions must be escalated step by step.
Squad Nine's recruits, seeing the others still being lectured, already had no resentment left in their hearts.
Our squad leader is really the best!
The grudging meal turned congenial as they even started passing dishes to each other, led by Jiang Peng.
"Come on, runt, you had a tough day; eat more."
"You too, eat more."
"Fang Huai... do you want some meat? My arms are longer; I'll pick it up for you." Lu Zexian joined the effort to pass dishes.
Hao Chengbin's mouth twitched at the sight, considering whether to drop the kindly old squad leader mask and give them a piece of his mind.
"No need! Just eat your own! Stop passing! Eat quickly! There's not much time!" Fang Huai said loudly.
What, tired of hard-earned tenderness already? Why are they starting to pass dishes to others?
Do they think this is the cheerful New Year's Eve dinner in the army that you see on the news?
"Cough, a rule: you have only five minutes to eat! The rules won't wait for anyone!"
Hao Chengbin followed up with an ambiguous tone, getting more serious.
Everyone quickly silenced and devoured their meal.
Hao Chengbin had to go to the Brigade Department for a special meal that night, so he wasn't in a hurry to eat. He began to reason with everyone.
"In our Firefighting, you especially need to eat quickly!
You'll know once you're down in the squadron. The alarm bell can ring at any moment; in the middle of a meal or half-covered in soap during a shower, you won't even have time to rinse off before running to the Police Dispatch, and this happens more times than you can count!
Once the alarm bell rings, within a minute, combatants need to get dressed in their combat uniforms and onto the vehicle, the vehicle must also leave the Squadron Big Gate, and some places have a standard of 45 seconds!
Think about it; how fast is that? How much do you have to do in one minute? Is there any time for dawdling?"
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