Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 192 Giving Up the Second-Class Merit

The atmosphere in the Red Army command post was like a rollercoaster ride, from initial euphoria to despair, and finally to renewed hope.

The operations staff kept a close eye on the ever-changing battle situation on the electronic sand table, their expressions shifting with the ebb and flow of the situation.

In the early stages of the exercise, the Red Army's advance proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Armored formations swept through the enemy lines, mechanized infantry rapidly penetrated enemy lines, and electronic warfare units successfully suppressed the Blue Army's communication systems.

An optimistic mood filled the command post, and the staff even began discussing how to expand the gains.

However, when they reached the middle of the assault, their reconnaissance troops discovered the positions of the Blue Army units and couldn't help but gasp in shock.

This situation is clearly a trap; the Blues are trying to encircle and trap the Reds.

But by the time they realized it, it was too late to retreat, so they had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge in, hoping that the Blues would run out of fuel and that they could end up with a draw.

However, everyone knows that the Blues must have had a foolproof plan to deploy the troops in this way, and the Reds are likely in grave danger.

Just when everyone thought it was all over, the Blue Team made a series of inexplicable moves.
The coordination between the various units was chaotic, a case of squandering a winning hand. Although the exact reason was unknown, and the Red Army command even suspected that the Blue Army had used some kind of trickery, after thinking for a while, it seemed that there was no worse outcome. So, they ordered all units to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and deliver a final blow to the Blue Army.

As expected, the Blue Team fought independently, lacking any group coordination or strategy. Most astonishingly, the Blue Team's command post seemed to have been wiped out by their own people.

this.
Regardless of the circumstances, the Red Army was indeed victorious in this exercise, while the Blue Army suffered a crushing defeat!

The judges on the exercise judging panel unanimously agreed with the result.

The exercise has successfully concluded!

Only then did the referee team fully release the recap of the exercise, allowing both the red and blue teams to understand the enormous role played by Chen Jiang and his small unit.

The Blue Party hates Chen and Jiang so much they grit their teeth and have repeatedly protested, saying this practice is against regulations!
However, after deliberation, the referee team determined that Chen Jiang and his team had not violated the exercise rules and that their actions were reasonable and effective.

The commander of the Red Team also said with a relaxed expression that in modern warfare, there are no bottom lines in the tactics between countries. Moreover, Chen Jiang and his team were completely using the principle of "warfare is based on deception". If this is considered a violation, then there is no need to fight. They should just become Duke Xiang of Song!
The entire audience burst into laughter.

A few days later, a grand meeting was held to summarize the exercise and commend outstanding participants.

The most prominent unit at the meeting was undoubtedly the Seventh Company led by Chen Jiang. Although it did not regain its original designation as the Steel Seventh Company, it was awarded a collective second-class merit by the army group, which was already a remarkable honor. As a result, Company Commander Jiang Fahui, soldiers He Chenguang, Wang Yanbing, Li Erniu, and others were all awarded individual third-class merits.

Chen Jiang and Tang Xinyi's performance was particularly outstanding. Originally, the credit should have gone to Chen Jiang, since he was the team commander. However, Chen Jiang admitted that without Tang Xinyi's technical support, they would not have been able to complete the mission at all. Therefore, the credit should definitely go to Tang Xinyi.

Therefore, Tang Xinyi was ultimately awarded a second-class merit, while Chen Jiang was awarded a third-class merit.

Tang Xinyi was very grateful for this. It would have taken her some time to be promoted to battalion commander, but with this second-class merit, it would be much faster and smoother.

Chen Jiang didn't say much about it. Anyway, a second-class merit wouldn't be of much use to him now. A third-class merit was enough for him to be promoted to a regular officer on schedule. Could a second-class merit really make him a deputy regimental commander in one step? It was simply unrealistic! It was better to be realistic and humble.

Furthermore, he strongly disliked the practice that those with higher official ranks would automatically receive the greatest credit.

Chen Jiang's approach earned him an excellent reputation in the Third Battalion and even the 702nd Regiment.

Who wouldn't want to work with someone who has strong leadership skills and is willing to share credit?
Gao Cheng praised Chen Jiang's approach highly, saying that while ability is fundamental in the military, being "good at getting things done" is also essential.

“Chen Jiang, you’re right to do this. You don’t lack honors anyway. Getting this second-class merit is only good for making your resume look better. On the contrary, if you let it go this time, you can get the second-class merit when you’re promoted from battalion commander to deputy regimental commander next time. It will be a natural progression.”

Chen Jiang hadn't thought that far ahead; he just smiled and said, "Company Commander, let's talk about it then."

"Alright, alright, with your abilities, even if you don't achieve any merit, being promoted to deputy regimental commander is just a matter of time." Gao Cheng waved his hand. He meant it sincerely. There's a saying in the army: once you reach the battalion level, everything else is zero.

It's not that battalion-level officers are useless, but the step from battalion commander to deputy regimental commander is extremely difficult to cross. Many people can't get past this step and have to transfer back to civilian life. The resettlement of battalion-level officers is incomparable to that of deputy regimental commanders.

At the county/district level, the former refers to ordinary cadres, while the latter refers to deputy section-level leaders.

"Ha, you think so highly of me?" Chen Jiang chuckled.

Gao Cheng didn't laugh. Through this exercise, he had developed a sense of crisis. His brother-in-law was too outstanding, and Tang Xinyi, who hung out with him, was no pushover either. She had good looks, a great figure, and, most importantly, she was a talented woman.

The two of them are always inseparable; who knows, someone else might steal her away.

"Chen Jiang, now that this matter is over, I think we can put your marriage with Chu Ning on the agenda." He suddenly blurted out this sentence.

"Huh? So fast?" Chen Jiang was caught off guard and was still a little confused.

"You brat, don't you want to?" Gao Cheng said, feigning anger.

"No, no, the main problem is that I haven't bought a house yet, I have nothing. If we get married like this, isn't it a bit unfair to Xiao Ning?" As a man who has traveled through time, Chen Jiang couldn't ignore this aspect.

Although he was an orphan, he still hoped to do his best to make the most of such a major life event as marriage, without rushing things.

"Pshaw, I thought it was something big? You think you can save up to buy a house with your meager salary? That would take another 10 years. Can you afford to wait that long? Can Chu Ning afford to wait that long?"

Gao Cheng is a straightforward person who doesn't like roundabout ways. He continued to encourage her, "Men can wait, but Chu Ning can't. In the blink of an eye, she'll be an old maid. Besides, houses are just material possessions. If the couple works hard and manages the family together, they can always move or change houses when they have the means in the future."

“In the military, officers like you can apply for a small apartment. Plus, you and Chu Ning are both outstanding individuals. I’ll help you out, and getting a decent wedding home in the city will be no problem at all. You just need to put together some money for renovations and decorations.”

After hearing Gao Cheng's words, Chen Jiang said it was impossible not to be moved.

He's right. With his salary, it's almost impossible to save enough to buy a house, especially since house prices will likely rise in the future.

"Would Xiao Ning agree?"

"Tch, you really don't understand women. She's after you as a person, not your house or anything. Otherwise, with her qualities, wouldn't she have suitors?" Gao Cheng replied dismissively.

"Stop dawdling, hurry up and propose. While you're at it, also file a marriage application and apply for a house. I'll talk to the division about this and make sure it's resolved properly. I'll make sure it's a grand affair for you."

Gao Cheng's family actually owned another house, but knowing Chen Jiang's temperament, he knew that mentioning it would be counterproductive. It was better to let him apply for a military-owned house. Without hesitation, Chen Jiang returned and immediately submitted a report to his regiment, also taking leave to go to the city. His goal was to buy a decent wedding ring.

He had never been married in his past life, but he had attended other people's weddings, so he knew that he would definitely need a wedding ring when he proposed.

He walked into a fairly large department store, where there was a dazzling array of jewelry and ornaments. Chen Jiang wasn't particularly knowledgeable about jewelry, so he just browsed around.

At this moment, a pretty saleswoman in a business suit came up to us.

"Sir, how can I help you?"

The sales assistant had a gentle and pleasant voice, and a professional smile on her face.

Chen Jiang scratched the back of his head somewhat awkwardly: "I want to see the wedding ring."

"Congratulations, sir!" The sales assistant's eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically led him to the counter. "We have the latest diamond ring collection here. What is your girlfriend's finger size? What style does she like?"

Chen Jiang was taken aback by the question: "This... I really don't know."

The sales assistant smiled knowingly: "It's alright, many men don't know this when they come for the first time. You can take a look at the styles first; we have simple styles, luxury styles, and custom-made styles."

Chen Jiang's gaze wandered between the glass display cases, where diamonds of various colors sparkled dazzlingly under the lights.

He actually understood that in the later stages, gold rings were the most valuable and cost-effective, but in this era, diamond rings were used for weddings, so he could only follow the trend.

He noticed a simple platinum diamond ring with a small but exquisitely cut main diamond surrounded by a ring of tiny diamonds.

"This one is perfect for working women; it's elegant yet understated." The sales assistant keenly noticed his gaze and carefully took out the ring, wearing velvet gloves, and placed it on a black velvet tray. "Its main diamond is 0.5 carats and is designed by a famous designer. It's quite affordable among the new models."

Chen Jiang took the ring and examined it carefully, imagining how it would look on Chu Ning's slender finger.

However, when he saw the price listed below the ring, he was still shocked. It really is true: diamonds are forever, but one can bankrupt you.

"Sir, if you like colored gold rings, this kind is actually quite affordable, and the price will be slightly lower." The saleswoman had a very good grasp of people's needs and immediately recommended another style to him.

But Chen Jiang knew that although this colored gold ring looked better, it would become outdated and lose its value over time. Most people would dislike it, and it was eventually phased out.

"Thanks, but I'm not interested in gold rings," he replied with a smile. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing at the counter of another shop next door.

"Tang Xinyi?"

The woman turned around at the sound of her voice, and it was indeed Tang Xinyi.

She was dressed casually today, in a white shirt and jeans, looking less dashing and more feminine than usual.

"Chen Jiang?" Tang Xinyi was clearly surprised as well. "What are you doing here?"

Chen Jiang shook the ring in his hand, "I bought a ring to propose to Chu Ning."

Tang Xinyi's eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure: "Congratulations! You're finally going to get married."

"Thank you," Chen Jiang replied with a smile. "And you?"
Tang Xinyi held up a small box in her hand. "I'm here to pick up my father's repaired watch."

"How's the selection going? Do you need any advice? We girls know girls' preferences best."

"That's great," Chen Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. "To be honest, I had absolutely no clue."

Tang Xinyi examined the ring carefully: "Good taste, simple and elegant. However," she lowered her voice, "I suggest you choose the heart-shaped one next to it. Girls will love this kind of romantic design, and the diamond looks bigger than it actually is."

At Tang Xinyi's suggestion, Chen Jiang finally chose this heart-shaped diamond ring.

As they walked out of the mall, the setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them.

"Thank you for your help today," Chen Jiang said sincerely. "I'll treat you to dinner another day."

Tang Xinyi waved her hand: "It's nothing. By the way," she hesitated for a moment, "how are the proposal plans? Do you need any help?"

Chen Jiang scratched his head: "I haven't decided yet."

"That won't do!" Tang Xinyi suddenly raised her voice. "Dr. Chu is a goddess-level figure in our military region. You can't act rashly."

Seeing Chen Jiang's embarrassed look, Tang Xinyi sighed: "How about this, I have an idea for you. Consider it as repayment for giving me the second-class merit during the exercise."

Chen Jiang wanted to refuse, but thinking that Chu Ning really deserved an unforgettable proposal, he finally nodded: "Okay, then tell me."

Tang Xinyi moved closer to Chen Jiang and spoke to him for a while.
"Is this okay? Is this reliable?" Chen Jiang asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"What's wrong with that? Girls all love romance." Tang Xinyi laughed and playfully punched him. "Are you just a coward?"

"Bullshit! What do I have to be afraid of? I'll go!"

The two parted ways in the mall parking lot. Chen Jiang carefully placed the ring box into his inner pocket, his heart pounding involuntarily. He imagined Chu Ning's expression when she saw the ring, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

Meanwhile, Tang Xinyi got into the car but didn't start the engine for a long time.

She had to admit that she had some feelings for Chen Jiang; after all, he was truly outstanding, but she never expected that he was about to get married.

Since that's the case, she must learn to let go and completely erase this thought.

"Hmm, it wouldn't be bad to be good friends in the future," she murmured, finally starting the car.

(End of this chapter)