Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 239 This is our dereliction of duty!
Just when things were at a stalemate and everyone was almost in despair—

"Da da da! Da da da~!"

A crisp and rhythmic burst of automatic rifle fire suddenly rang out from the high ground to the side and above!
The bullets struck the open ground outside the wolf pack with precision, kicking up dust and gravel, creating an effective deterrent while perfectly avoiding all of them.

"Hey~~~! Ha!!" Immediately afterwards, a powerful roar, filled with a strong sense of killing intent, exploded from the hillside like rolling thunder!

More than a dozen soldiers dressed in camouflage and carrying Type 81 automatic rifles appeared as if they had descended from the sky. With extremely skillful tactical formations, they quickly emerged from behind the rocks and bushes on the hillside, charged forward, and aimed their guns in one smooth motion!
Several dark gun barrels, radiating a chilling aura of death, steadily locked onto the remaining wolf pack.

An overwhelming sense of oppression instantly enveloped the area.

A fighting group composed of human warriors is far more intimidating than a few scattered firearms.

The wolf pack was utterly terrified by this sudden and powerful force. The alpha wolf struggled to its feet, and with the remaining few wolves howling in fear, it tucked its tail between its legs and fled in panic into the depths of the dense forest, quickly disappearing from sight.

The soldiers maintained their alert formation and quickly moved closer to He Yuanchao and his men.

The young officer at the head of the group, with eyes as sharp as a hawk's, quickly scanned the scene. Seeing the wounded Chen Jiang and the disheveled group, his face darkened. He strode to the regimental commander, stood at attention, and saluted.
"Reporting to the regimental commander! The Ninth Company patrol team heard the gunfire and is rushing to provide support! Commanders, are you all alright?!" His voice was loud and clear, tinged with lingering fear and anxiety.

His gaze then fell on Chen Jiang, whose back was stained with blood but who still stood straight. His eyes were instantly filled with shock and unbelievable respect—in this desolate wilderness, someone could actually fight a pack of wolves to this extent with their bare hands.
He Yuanchao breathed a long, deep sigh of relief and immediately helped Chen Jiang up: "Chen Jiang! How are you?!"

Chen Jiang's face was pale from blood loss, but he shook his head and said in a steady voice, "It's nothing, just a superficial wound, a minor cut. Quickly check on the commander and the others."

Commander Wang was both ashamed and anxious. He quickly said, "I'm fine, I'm fine! It's all thanks to Director Chen! If it weren't for him..." He recalled the terrifying scene just now and was still shaken. "Quick! Ninth Company Commander! Do you have a medic? Quickly treat Director Chen's wounds!"

As expected, the patrol team of the Ninth Company had a medic who immediately stepped forward to stop the bleeding and bandage Chen Jiang.

He Yuanchao looked at Chen Jiang, who was injured for him and the others but didn't care at all, and then looked at the Ninth Company soldiers in front of him, who seemed like divine soldiers who had descended from the sky and timely rain. He was filled with mixed feelings.

He grasped the hand of the Ninth Company Commander and shook it vigorously:
"Thank you! You arrived just in time! You were patrolling here?"

"Yes, sir! We didn't receive any notification from the regiment because of a communication failure here. Luckily, we were patrolling this area today, otherwise it would have been troublesome," the young officer replied loudly.

"Good! Well done, Ninth Company!" He Yuanchao nodded emphatically, all the fatigue and danger seemed to have dissipated at this moment. "Let's go! Take us to your company!"

"How often do your team leaders come here?" Chen Jiang couldn't help but ask. Such poor road conditions would be impossible in coastal areas.

"Sir, the leaders in the regiment probably do it once a year, I guess."

He Yuanchao and Chen Jiang exchanged a glance. Needless to say, judging from the 9th Company Commander's hesitant manner and the way he secretly glanced at the others, they knew he was lying.

But the two of them were too lazy to expose him, and they decided to give the border regiment commander some face.

The soldiers of the Ninth Company had clearly received advance notice from the patrol team. Led by their political instructor, the entire company was already lined up on the small flat area in front of the camp, waiting for them. Their uniforms were neat, but the signs of multiple washes were visible.

The scorching sun and fierce winds left deep marks on everyone's faces, their lips were chapped, but their eyes were exceptionally bright, their spirits were high, and their postures were as upright as pine trees.

Upon seeing the regimental commander and his entourage arrive, their eyes were filled with surprise and excitement.

He Yuanchao strode forward, solemnly returned the military salute, and then shook hands tightly with everyone's calloused hands.

"Commendations, you must be tired from your journey! We...we really didn't expect this," the Ninth Company's political instructor said, his voice choked with emotion.

In this almost isolated border post, it is very rare to see superiors. This time, the regimental commander actually came, along with a senior colonel and a colonel. This is a profound and heartwarming gesture of being seen and remembered.

Therefore, everyone clapped and cheered excitedly.

He Yuan looked around at these most lovable soldiers, gazed at the simple but tidy barracks behind them, and looked at the continuous border line in the distance. The hardships and fatigue of the journey turned into deep respect.

He took a deep breath of the crisp air and said loudly, "Hello, comrades!"

"Hello, Chief!"

"Comrades have worked hard!"

"Serve the people!"

The unanimous response, though cliché, was the soldiers' most genuine and pure expression of emotion.

"We came here specifically to see you all. If you have any difficulties or needs, please let us know. You are guarding the gates of our motherland, and we will do everything we can to safeguard this lifeline of logistical support for you!"

Silence, long silence.

It's understandable that the soldiers were unsure whether He Yuanchao was telling the truth or not, so they didn't dare to say anything.

"Director He genuinely wants to understand your living difficulties. You can speak freely about any difficulties or thoughts you may have!" Chen Jiang chimed in from the side.

As soon as Chen Jiang finished speaking, a young soldier standing at the front of the column couldn't help but mutter softly, "Commander, all we want is to be able to take a hot shower."

His squad leader next to him quickly nudged him with his elbow, and the young soldier immediately shut up, his face turning bright red.

He Yuanchao and Chen Jiang heard it clearly.

"Is it difficult to take a shower here?" He Yuanchao asked the commander of the border defense regiment.

In fact, the regimental commander has never been here since he took office, so how could he answer that?

It was the political instructor of the Ninth Company who picked up the conversation, "Reporting to the commander, it's actually not too bad. There isn't enough water here, so it's a bit difficult to get water for bathing."

"Yes, we're on a mountain ridge, and even getting water for daily meals and drinks is difficult, so taking a bath is a luxury," the Ninth Company Commander chimed in.

"Is there no running water here?" Chen Jiang asked with some surprise. He never expected that there would be a company without running water.

The soldiers of the Ninth Company looked at each other, unsure how to answer. Chen Jiang had now gotten the answer he wanted. "Let's go check on your drinking water problem." Compared to bathing, He Yuanchao was more concerned about the soldiers' drinking water.

Not showering might just make you a little dirtier, but how can you survive without drinking water?
Led by the company commander, He Yuanchao and his men arrived at the company's canteen. Although the canteen was relatively clean, the facilities were rudimentary and the variety of vegetables stored was limited, mainly consisting of potatoes and winter melons.

Some of the canned meat was piled up in a corner.

However, no tap water was found here; instead, a huge water tank was discovered inside the house.

He Yuanchao lifted the lid, but couldn't see the bottom of the tank clearly. He scooped up a spoonful of water and found that the water looked a bit yellowish and tasted slightly sour.

"Is this what you usually drink?"

Both he and Chen Jiang could hardly believe their eyes.

“Our location is high up, so if we want to drink water, we have to fetch it from the river two kilometers away, so it is indeed quite difficult to get water.”

"What about winter? Or the dry season?" Chen Jiang asked.

"Winter is alright, we can collect snow to melt for water, but during the dry season, we have to find ways to conserve water resources."

The meaning of "saving" as used by the company commander of the Ninth Company is obvious without even thinking about it.

He Yuanchao's face darkened immediately. He didn't speak, but instead swept his gaze across the soldiers' young but determined faces, and turned to the Ninth Company Commander and Political Instructor: "Come on, take us to see other places."

The low-rise house was somewhat dimly lit, but the beds were made quite neatly, with the blankets in perfect squares. However, faint water stains from the rainy season were visible on the walls, and the windows were a bit drafty.

The books and periodicals in the company's reading room were quite old, and after being passed around many times, the corners were curled up.

The only entertainment was a set of Chinese chess pieces, worn smooth and shiny, laid out on a large stone table. The Chu River and Han Border were hand-carved on it. Chen Jiang discovered that a "pawn" and the opponent's "soldier" were actually replaced with small stones. Needless to say, these two pieces had been lost.

Because there is no internet or television signal in this area, telephone lines are easily interrupted.

The only television was propped up on a tree trunk outside, with an enormous power cord made of wire and other metal objects attached to it, but the signal it received was barely any.

In the words of the officers and soldiers here, every night is spent listening to programs and enjoying an auditory feast. As for the images, it's basically a matter of "sifting through the sand," and on lucky days, you might be able to see a blurry figure.

The bathroom was built next to the toilet. Because of the lack of water, the toilet smelled terrible, so taking a bath was out of the question, let alone a hot bath.

The regimental commander's expression remained somewhat unnatural. Several times he tried to explain something, but He Yuanchao stopped him with a look.

He Yuanchao just looked, looked carefully, and occasionally touched and tapped it with his hands, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

Finally, they arrived at the company's honor room.

This place stands in stark contrast to the shabby exterior.

The walls are covered with banners and certificates of merit, and the glass cabinet displays various trophies won in competitions. Although many of them have faded, they are wiped spotless.

The black-and-white and color photographs record the figures of generations of soldiers of the Ninth Company guarding the border here, from wearing old-fashioned military uniforms to today's camouflage, with the ever-changing, vast mountains as the background.

He Yuanchao stood in front of a photograph for a long time.

In the photo, several young soldiers are patrolling in the snow and ice, their eyebrows and beards covered with frost, but their eyes are fixed on the distance with unwavering determination.

"Commander," the Ninth Company's political instructor said softly, "the conditions are tough, but please rest assured! Since the day the Ninth Company was formed, we have never lost an inch of our territory! We have never been afraid of any difficulties! Every time a company commander or political instructor takes over, the first thing they do is bring him here and tell the new commander what our company's spirit is—it is 'We will shed blood and sweat but not tears, and we will not give up an inch of our territory!'"

He Yuanchao turned around, his gaze slowly sweeping over every officer and soldier present, including Commander Wang, who looked ashamed.

His voice was not loud, but unusually heavy:

“We saw it, we all saw it.” He paused, as if suppressing the turmoil in his heart. “I saw the honor you forged with your loyalty and blood, and I also saw the difficulties you endured with your bodies.”

"Comrades, you are guarding the nation's borders, the peace and tranquility of hundreds of millions of people. But you are also made of flesh and blood, our comrades-in-arms, our brothers!" His voice rose slightly, "To make you worry about basic needs like a clean drink and a hot shower after you have shed blood and sweat for the country is a dereliction of duty on our part as the logistics department! It is a dereliction of duty on my part as the department head!"

He Yuanchao's words struck Commander Wang and several other regimental leaders like a hammer blow, leaving the soldiers of the Ninth Company stunned.

They never imagined that a leader would so bluntly attribute their difficulties to himself.

“Here, I want to make my position clear to you,” He Yuanchao said firmly, “I guarantee that I will solve the drinking water and other water problems here, and at the same time enrich your leisure and cultural life so that you can also watch the Spring Festival Gala!”

The officers and soldiers of the Ninth Company were dumbfounded. These were problems that they had been reporting and applying for every year but had never been resolved. Director He had solved them with just a few words.

So, in my excitement, all I could do was clap and cheer wildly.

After a long while, Chen Jiang asked, "In your regiment, how many companies are in a situation like the Ninth Company?"

Upon hearing this, He Yuanchao added, "Yes, if there are any similar situations, list them all out and submit them to me so that our logistics department can work together to find a solution."

"Yes, sir!" The border regimental commander stood at attention and saluted excitedly.

He Yuanchao faced the soldiers of the Ninth Company again, his eyes gentle yet firm: "Comrades, the difficulties are temporary. I, He Yuanchao, assure you all today that the motherland will never forget any soldier who defends the border! You have dedicated your youth to protecting the motherland, and we will do everything in our power to protect you!"

A moment of silence fell over the room, followed by a thunderous burst of applause that lasted for a long time.

Many soldiers had tears in their eyes, not only because the problem seemed to be solved, but also because their efforts and hardships had been truly seen, understood, and appreciated.

That evening, He Yuanchao and Chen Jiang ate a simple dinner with the soldiers in the Ninth Company's mess hall—potato stew with canned meat, stir-fried cabbage, plus rice and steamed buns.

Perhaps because they had been tired and busy all day, everyone ate with extra relish, and the Ninth Company's garrison was as lively as if it were a festival.

(End of this chapter)