He was so persuasive that he actually practiced extraordinary

Zhang Yingying nodded, her tone decisive: "Okay, now that his identity has been verified, we can contact the Ninth Brigade and have them send someone to pick him up, or send him back after the mission is over." With that, she turned and left the confinement room to arrange the liaison.

Only Zhang Beixing and Zhang Nengliang remained in the confinement cell, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Zhang Beixing leaned against the door frame and slowly said, "Zhang Nengliang, do you know what you've done? You left the unit without permission and secretly boarded a military helicopter on a mission. According to regulations, this is desertion, and you might be discharged when you get back."

"Huh? Withdrawal?" Zhang Nengliang's face turned pale, and he hurriedly waved his hands, his voice changing in his anxiety, "I didn't mean to be a deserter! I just wanted to ask you some questions and have another match with you, I really didn't mean anything else! Please explain to our leaders for me, they shouldn't withdraw, right? I still want to train hard in the Ninth Brigade and become the Ninth Brigade's top soldier in the future!"

Zhang Beixing glanced at him sideways but didn't say anything—this kid is quite ambitious, but unfortunately he's too impulsive and doesn't consider the consequences of his actions.

Seeing that Zhang Beixing ignored him, Zhang Nengliang didn't dare to ask any more questions. He could only squat on the ground, looking down and picking at his fingers. He was very anxious, worried about being discharged and wondering how to explain to his squad leader.

After a long while, he finally raised his head and asked cautiously, "Um...where are we now? I just heard the soldiers guarding the solitary confinement cell say that it seems we're at sea?"

Zhang Beixing leaned against the doorframe, speaking casually: "Red Sea."

"The Red Sea?" Zhang Nengliang suddenly stood up from the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief. "The Red Sea, the one near Somalia, where pirates often appear? How did we end up so far away?"

“Yes, that’s it.” Zhang Beixing smiled and teased, “We just fought a bunch of pirates and seized their ship. What, are you scared now? You shouldn’t have sneaked onto the helicopter in the first place.”

Zhang Nengliang, neck stiff, snorted defiantly, "Who's afraid! I joined the army because I wanted to be a soldier who could fight. What's wrong with fighting pirates? If I had been there just now, I might have been able to help!"

"Alright, that's ambitious." Zhang Beixing nodded perfunctorily, then changed the subject, "However, there's a problem now. The fleet's escort mission this time is very demanding, and it's impossible to send a helicopter back to the Ninth Brigade. So you can only stay with the fleet and return together when we complete the mission."

Zhang Nengliang said he wasn't afraid, but he was actually a little worried. He had heard about the notorious Somali pirates; they were said to be ruthless and possessed a lot of heavy weapons. If he really encountered them, with his current skills, he might not be able to help much. But what worried him more was the return time—if he returned late and missed training, he might really be eliminated from the army.

"Then...when can we return?" he asked cautiously, a hint of worry in his eyes. "If we get back too late, will I really be forced to retreat?"

“I can’t control that.” Zhang Beixing shrugged, his tone indifferent. “I’ll have the communications soldier find you a phone later. You can contact your squad leader, company commander, or even brigade commander yourself, explain the situation to them, and then wait to be reprimanded.”

After saying that, he nodded to the soldier guarding the door: "Comrade, we'll take this man away for now. We'll arrange the follow-up matters after we contact his unit."

The soldier immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Yes, Captain Zhang!"

Zhang Nengliang, head drooping, followed Zhang Beixing out of the confinement cell and walked along the deck towards the dormitory area. As soon as he stepped onto the deck, a gust of damp sea breeze blew in his face, carrying a faint fishy smell, instantly refreshing his somewhat gloomy mood.

Zhang Nengliang stopped and looked up at the boundless sea—the azure sky and the turquoise water met in the distance, the surface of the sea shimmering, and occasionally a few seabirds would fly by, leaving behind a string of clear calls. This was the first time in his life he had seen such a magnificent seascape, and for a moment he was completely mesmerized.

After walking with Zhang Bei for a while, looking at the undulating seawater at his feet, Zhang Nengliang's frustration gradually dissipated. He even felt that although this "smuggling" trip was dangerous, it was worthwhile. He turned to look at Zhang Bei, who was walking ahead, and his eyes ignited with renewed fighting spirit—when they got back, he would definitely train hard and make sure he didn't lose to Zhang Bei again next time they competed!
Zhang Beixing had no time to ponder Zhang Nengliang's little scheme. He strode to the dormitory entrance and called out, "Is the communications soldier here? Could you please find a phone that can make long-distance calls so he can contact the unit?"

Soon, a communications soldier came out with a satellite phone and handed it to Zhang Nengliang. Zhang Nengliang took a deep breath, hesitated for a while, and then dialed the number of his squad leader, Niu Nuli.

As soon as the call connected, Niu Nuli's furious roar came through the receiver, making Zhang Nengliang's ears ring: "Zhang Nengliang! You've got some nerve, haven't you! I finally managed to transfer you from the maintenance company back to the combat unit, and this is what you do? Leaving the base without permission and even daring to sneak onto the Wolf Fang helicopter, have you fallen back into your old ways again! Do you have no respect for military discipline?!"

"Squad leader, don't be angry, let me explain!" Zhang Nengliang quickly moved his phone away a little, and said with a bitter face, "This was really an accident. I just wanted to find Zhang Beixing to ask about the exercise. I didn't mean to break the rules, and I certainly didn't mean to leave the army..."

"An accident? I think you did it on purpose!" Niu Nuli's tone remained unyielding. "Let me tell you, the 9th Combined Arms Brigade is going to undergo a major reform next month. They'll be changing from field training to urban combat training, and Chief of Staff Yang Junyu will be the examiner! If you can't make it back for the assessment and he eliminates you, you'll go back to where you came from. The Tank Company will definitely not take you back!" Zhang Nengliang, who had been on edge, suddenly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the words "can't make it back for the assessment"—this meant that the army wasn't going to treat him as a deserter. As long as he could make it back for the assessment, he still had a chance to stay in the combat unit!

He immediately perked up and assured the person on the other end of the phone, "Don't worry, squad leader! Even if it's swimming, I'll definitely make it back for the assessment! I absolutely won't let our tank company down!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Nengliang's worried expression vanished, replaced by a smile. He turned to Zhang Beixing, who was standing beside him, and scratched his head somewhat sheepishly: "Um... Zhang Beixing, when will our fleet be able to return? I'm afraid we won't make it in time for the assessment."

Zhang Beixing frowned slightly upon hearing this question. According to the original plan, the Linyi warship's escort mission would end in five days, at which point it could return to port. But he had a feeling things wouldn't go so smoothly—the pirates they had just encountered, while not well-equipped, were unusually cunning, unlike an ordinary pirate gang.

He looked up at the distant sea, his gaze becoming profound. These small-time pirates weren't really a threat; what was truly worrying was whether a larger force was behind them. If so, this trip to the Red Sea would likely not have been so peaceful.

Zhang Beixing sighed softly, thinking to himself: It seems that this is just the calm before the storm. A bigger storm may be brewing at sea next!
Zhang Beixing sighed softly, thinking to himself: It seems that this is just the calm before the storm. A bigger storm may be brewing at sea next!
Although the Guangdong merchant ship had already been successfully rescued, the escort fleet's mission was far from over. On the vast ocean, the Linyi ship and its convoy remained vigilant, darting through the waves like sharp swords. In recent days, they had driven away three groups of unidentified forces attempting to approach the merchant ship—some were poorly equipped pirate gangs, others were suspicious foreign vessels. Each drive-away required the entire crew to be on high alert, leaving no room for complacency. For the escort fleet, this repetitive vigilance and expulsion was their mission to safeguard the maritime routes, allowing no room for negligence.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and the 33rd escort fleet, which was originally scheduled to sail for more than a month, finally ushered in the moment of returning home. When the broadcast announced that "we are about to leave the mission area and are expected to arrive at a domestic port in two days," every soldier on the warship could not hide their excitement. After drifting at sea for dozens of days, with the deck swaying beneath their feet and the endless sea before their eyes, they could finally look forward to the day when they could set foot on land. Anyone would be overjoyed.

As evening fell, after a day of tactical training, the members of the Red Cell Special Operations Team came out onto the deck for some fresh air. The cool sea breeze brushed against their faces, dispelling their post-training fatigue, but Zhang Nengliang was nowhere to be seen. These past few days, the guy had been suffering terribly from seasickness, spending all his time sleeping in his dorm from morning till night, even having his teammates bring him his meals. He was probably still dreaming of battling the waves.

The sea was at its most beautiful at this moment, the afterglow of the setting sun casting a golden glow upon its shimmering surface. The sparkling waves, like countless tiny fish scales, danced and shimmered on the water, reflecting the gradually darkening sky in the distance, creating a magnificent and beautiful scene. Gazing at this sight, Xu Tianlong was inspired to write poetry, leaning on the railing and slowly reciting: "All rivers flow east to the sea, when will they return west?"

Seeing Xu Tianlong reciting poetry, Li Erniu, who was standing nearby, also imitated him, leaning on the railing and gazing at the sea for a long time before blurting out, "Ah, sea, you are all water!"

Upon hearing this, He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing immediately covered their mouths to stifle their laughter, their shoulders trembling uncontrollably. Xu Tianlong shook his head helplessly and patted Li Erniu on the shoulder: "Erniu, next time if we can't think of any poems, let's not force it. It sounds really out of place."

Li Erniu ignored the teasing, sighed, and said with genuine emotion, "I'm not just making this up, I really do get tired of looking at the sea after a while. When I first arrived, I was excited to see such a vast ocean every day, but it's been almost a month now, and all I can see is the sun and clouds in the sky, and the seawater below. I can't even see a single tree. It's so boring. It's much better to be on land, where my feet feel solid and my heart is at peace."

Song Kaifei smiled and came over, patting Li Erniu's arm: "Don't worry, we'll be able to dock the day after tomorrow and report back to the military region. By the way, the military region is holding a military-civilian social event next week. You'll be able to meet a lot of local girls there. Erniu, can I sign you up too? Maybe you'll meet someone even prettier than Cuifen."

“That won’t do!” Upon hearing this, Li Erniu shook his head vigorously, his tone firm. “I’ve been engaged to Cuifen in the village for a long time, and I’ve decided that she’s the one for me. I’m a man, and I have to keep my word. I can’t do anything to betray Cuifen.”

Song Kaifei was amused by his serious expression and burst into laughter: "You think you're trustworthy? I think I'm more like a 'good man' than you! Let me tell you the truth, most men turn bad when they have money, and women are the same. I heard that Cuifen went to the city to work, right? The city world is much more complicated than the village. Once a woman steps into society, her standards tend to rise. You'd better keep a close eye on her, or you might get dumped without even realizing it."

The words were clearly sarcastic, and the Red Cell team members burst into laughter. Li Erniu was genuinely angry now; his face turned bright red, and he glared at Song Kaifei, saying, "How could you say that about Cuifen! Cuifen isn't that kind of person! Next time Captain Zhang beats you up, I definitely won't stop him; I'll let you take a few more punches!"

Upon hearing the words "Captain Zhang will beat you up," Song Kaifei immediately cowered and waved his hands, begging for mercy: "No, no, no, Erniu, I was wrong, okay? I was just joking with you, I didn't mean anything by it, please don't tell Captain Zhang." As he spoke, he deliberately acted aggrieved, "I'm just a single dog that no one wants, and I was envious and jealous of you having a partner, so I was just teasing you. Please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart."

Wang Yanbing, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines and didn't want to miss out on it, chimed in, "Erniu, how can you tolerate him talking to Cuifen like that? Just beat him up!"

He Chenguang nodded in agreement, laughing as he added, "Yeah, go all out and beat him up. If you can't beat him, I'll help you. I'll make sure he knows how tough you are."

"Hey? What kind of camaraderie is this? Why are you helping outsiders bully me?!" Song Kaifei complained, looking aggrieved.

The deck was instantly filled with laughter and chatter. The team members' playful shouts and laughter carried on the sea breeze, brimming with youthful energy. Only Zhang Beixing remained, leaning against the deck railing, gazing at the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, his expression unusually calm. He neither joined in the team's laughter nor spoke, seemingly lost in thought, as if daydreaming or pondering something. No one could fathom his thoughts. (End of Chapter)