The hospital is too busy, so I'm going to join the army and become a top soldier!

After Ga Wa said, "We've done a great service!"

There was a brief moment of silence in the police station's break room.

Then Zhou Weiguo couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Yang Wenjun turned his face to the side, but his shoulders visibly trembled twice.

Gao Zhenhai even raised his hand to cover his forehead, wishing he had never led this soldier.

Chen Gang stood at the door, initially feeling gratified that the two new recruits were safe and sound, and even had been awarded a second-class merit.

Hearing that Ga Wa was worried about being discharged from the army, his face immediately darkened again.

"This silly child, why does he have a mouth?"

Chen Gang glared at him.

Ga Wa immediately shut up and turned his gaze to Shen Yan, his meaning very clear.

At times like this, it's better to let the intellectuals speak; if you talk too much, you'll just get a scolding from the company commander!

Shen Yan did not hide anything and recounted the entire incident from the moment the two entered the amusement park.

The more Chen Gang listened, the more serious his expression became.

Although Zhou Weiguo had already given a general overview, hearing it again from Shen Yan made his lingering fear even more pronounced.

Especially when they heard that the assailant was extremely agitated after inhaling an unknown powder and was still chasing after the two men with a knife.

Gao Zhenhai's brows furrowed as well.

"Do either of you know who that person is?"

"That's a knife-wielding thug who's lost his mind!"

"If you hadn't dodged even one of those cuts, you wouldn't be sitting in the police station drinking sugary drinks right now, you'd be lying in the hospital waiting for IV fluids!"

Ga Wa had just thought he might be about to make a contribution, but after hearing Lao Gao's words, he gradually calmed down.

At that moment, all he could think about was preventing the perpetrators from continuing to harm the public.

Looking back now, I truly realize just how dangerous those three long swords were.

"If anything really happens to either of you, all your merits will be for nothing!"

This statement was very strong, yet no one thought it was excessive.

Zhou Weiguo stood to the side, watching Chen Gang and Gao Zhenhai reprimand the people, and his smile actually widened.

This reminded him of the time when his old squad leader used to scold him.

"Alright, we can talk about your unit's training of new recruits later!"

"The performance of these two comrades today is truly commendable!"

Next, our public security authorities will send it to your unit through official channels.

"As for the unidentified powder carried by the three criminals, the preliminary test results have been released."

It is indeed related to illegal drugs, and their identities and origins will be further investigated!

Upon hearing the result, Chen Gang and Yang Wenjun exchanged a glance.

If it's just a simple act of subduing a criminal or saving someone's life, the merit is already considerable.

Now that it involves D, the nature of the matter and its social impact have been further amplified!

The second-class merit award should be secure now!

Ga Wa understood, and his eyes immediately lit up again.

"Director Zhou, does that mean our second-class merit award is secure?"

A vein throbbed on Chen Gang's forehead.

"Could you put aside your credit for now?"

The little boy shrank back and whispered:

"I was just asking. This is my first time performing meritorious service, I have no experience."

Laughter erupted again in the lounge.

After the matter was clarified, Zhou Weiguo arranged for them to return with the troops first.

Chen Gang hadn't seen his old squad leader for many years, and they exchanged a few more pleasantries before he left.

By the time everyone left the police station, it was completely dark.

They didn't even have a proper dinner because they were rushing to pick someone up.

Although Shen Yan and Ga Wa drank a few bottles of sweet water and ate a boxed meal at the police station, it was clearly not enough to fill their small stomachs.

Chen Gang walked to the military jeep, glanced at the time, and suddenly waved his hand.

"We still have time, let's not rush back. Let's find somewhere to eat; it's on me today!"

When Ga Wa heard the words "I'll treat," he immediately perked up.

"Company Commander, there's a barbecue restaurant on that street up ahead. It smells authentic, and I want some grilled lamb chops!"

Chen Gang glanced at him.

"You've only been in the city for a few hours, and you've already found out which barbecue place is the best?"

Ga Wa said matter-of-factly:

"It's a local instinct. When you arrive in a new place, the first thing you do is find out where there's good food, so you won't starve."

Yang Wenjun couldn't help but laugh:

"Okay, then we'll listen to the local guide!"

So he won't go back and tell those greenhorns that he did something great but didn't even get a barbecue!

The group quickly arrived at a nearby barbecue restaurant.

Chen Gang was genuinely happy today, and he didn't hesitate to spend money when ordering food!

The table was laden with lamb skewers, grilled lamb chops, grilled kidneys, grilled naan, side dishes, and drinks!

If he weren't so pressed for time, he would have loved to order a whole roasted lamb to treat Shen Yan and Ga Wa to a good meal!

They really brought honor to the army!

Ga Wa's eyes practically lit up when he saw the table full of roasted meat.

"Friend, was today's mission worthwhile? Not only did you get to earn merit, but the company commander even took care of the barbecue. Could we have more opportunities like this in the future?"

Chen Gang picked up a skewer of grilled meat and said irritably:

"You'd better pray this never happens again!"

"If this happens a few more times, my old sergeant will be so worried he'll lose all his hair!"

Hearing Chen Gang make a joke, Gao Zhenhai and Liang Zheng finally relaxed completely.

The atmosphere at the table grew increasingly lively, with only Shen Yan occasionally revealing a hint of regret as he ate his barbecue.

Ga Wa quickly noticed the anomaly.

"Friend, the company commander treated you to so much barbecue, why do you still seem troubled?"

Shen Yan sighed.

"I haven't bought my medical books yet!"

Everyone paused in their eating for a moment.

Chen Gang looked at him incredulously.

"You received a second-class merit award today, and now all you're thinking about is not buying your book?"

Shen Yan nodded earnestly.

Chen Gang was silent for a moment, then suddenly realized that he had underestimated Shen Yan when he said that Shen Yan's brain didn't have the ability to take a break.

This is no longer a case of not having a holiday function.

This means there's simply no hibernation system installed in their brain!

Ga Wa remarked from the side:

"Friend, even the thugs couldn't interrupt your study. Your title of 'King of Papers' is really secure."

Shen Yan glanced at him.

"Say less and eat more meat!"

After everyone finished eating, they packed up the remaining barbecue and got back into the vehicle to return to the unit.

By the time the military jeeps entered the camp, there wasn't much time left before lights out.

After parking the car, Chen Gang said to Shen Yan and Ga Wa:

"You two go back to the dormitory with Gao Zhenhai and Liang Zheng first, wash up and then rest on time."

"Don't spread this around the company beforehand, and absolutely do not embellish it."

"The instructor and I still need to report to the company commander and the regiment. The official documents from the Public Security Bureau will also be sent over later. They might even hold a commendation ceremony for you!"

Shen Yan and Ga Wa immediately agreed.

Shen Yan and Ga Wa followed Gao Zhenhai and Liang Zheng back to the Class 2 dormitory.

As soon as the door opened, all the new recruits in the dormitory looked over.

Wei Shanjia was sitting on the edge of the bed studying the regulations, with a notebook in his hand.

When they saw Shen Yan and Ga Wa return empty-handed, their first reaction wasn't to ask them why they were back so late.

Instead, he glanced behind the two of them a few times.

"Where's my instant noodles?"

"And spicy strips, sweet drinks, and sausages—you guys didn't forget to buy any of those, did you?"

Ga Wa said somewhat embarrassedly, "Something came up, and I didn't have time to buy it."

Wei Shanjia's face immediately fell.

"You two went out to play all day, and you didn't even bring me back a single pack of instant noodles?"

"Are we still brothers?"

Just as he was about to accuse the two of lacking camaraderie, Gao Zhenhai suddenly walked to his cabinet, opened the door, and started taking things out from the inside.

Pickled chicken feet, beef jerky, ham sausage, biscuits, sweet drinks, and a few packets of spicy strips that I usually can't bear to eat, quickly piled up on the table.

"Bring all of these out today, let's all eat them together!"

The dormitory fell silent instantly.

Wei Shanjia was completely dumbfounded.

These snacks are usually kept very well hidden by Lao Gao.

If someone just glances at the cabinet a couple of times, he might yell at them.

What's wrong with me today?

The sun rose in the west of the region?

Shen Yan casually grabbed a packet of pickled chicken feet and handed it to Wei Shanjia.

After taking it, Wei Shanjia tore open the packaging while looking at Gao Zhenhai suspiciously.

"Class monitor, why are you being so generous all of a sudden today?"

"Shen Yan and Ga Wa wouldn't happen to be your long-lost half-brothers, would they?"

Gao Zhenhai kicked him in the butt.

"Little Wei, instead of wasting your time talking nonsense, you should learn more from Shen Yan and Ga Wa."

Wei Shanjia rubbed his buttocks and said indignantly:

"Didn't they just go out and shop around all day with the purchasing truck?"

I spent the entire afternoon in my dorm studying the regulations diligently!

Gao Zhenhai could no longer suppress the smile on his face.

"You've been shopping all day?"

"These two encountered three armed assailants at the amusement park today. They protected the public, rescued a child, and assisted the police in subduing all three assailants!"

"The local police are preparing to formally submit the materials to the military. If this matter is handled well, both of them might be awarded a second-class merit!"

After those words were spoken, the entire Class 2 dormitory instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The recruits, who were just tearing open snack packaging, all froze in mid-air.

Someone had half a cookie in their mouth but didn't think to chew it for a long time.

Someone had just unscrewed the bottle of sweet water when they heard the words "Second-Class Merit," and forgot to even take the cap off.

Suddenly, everyone felt that the snacks on the table didn't smell so good anymore.

The pickled chicken feet weren't spicy at all, and the beef jerky had no flavor either.

The sweet drink tasted bittersweet!

They are all new recruits who have just enlisted. Today, they are playing on their phones in the dormitory, memorizing regulations, and living the ordinary life of new recruits.

Shen Yan and Ga Wa went out for a stroll, and when they came back, they were awarded the title of Second-Class Merit Citation.

What exactly is going on?

Wei Shanjia was the first to break down.

He looked at Shen Yan in disbelief, then at Ga Wa, and finally pinned his last hope on Liang Zheng.

"Liang, tell me, the squad leader is lying to us."

"This can't be real, right?"

Looking at Wei Shanjia's near-collapse, Liang Zheng suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.

Just a few hours earlier, when he first heard about this, his reaction was not much different from Wei Shanjia's.

We're all soldiers, how come you guys earned merit so easily?

Liang Zheng sighed and said in a tone that was both envious and somewhat helpless:

"The public security authorities will officially send the materials to the military in the next two days, and the specific merits will have to wait for review by higher authorities."

However, given the nature of the matter, the possibility of receiving a second-class merit award is indeed very high!

After hearing this, Wei Shanjia felt as if the sky above him had collapsed.

"What the heck?"

"The little boy went out with Shen Yan and got a second-class merit award?"

"We're all new recruits, so why are you two acting like you're creating a class difference with us after just one day out?"

"Will it be that in a few years, when I see you, I'll still have to stand at attention, salute, and greet you as 'Sir'?"

Ga Wa thought about it seriously.

"Friend, won't making a good contribution just make you a high-ranking officer?"

Wei Shanjia glared at him.

"I know!"

"But if I don't feel bad now, won't I be unprepared when it actually happens?"

For a moment, everyone was unsure how to evaluate this premature anxiety.

Gao Zhenhai then gave a brief account of what had happened at the amusement park.

When everyone heard that Shen Yan had knocked down a thug who was about to harm the little boy with a stone from dozens of meters away, they already thought it was outrageous.

When they heard the little boy hitting moving targets with pebbles, hitting exactly where he pointed, they were amazed.

Even after throwing stones at the flying knives in mid-air, everyone was completely at a loss for what expression to make.

Wei Shanjia felt even worse after hearing this.

He was biting into the pickled chicken feet, wishing he could chew the bones to pieces too.

"If I went out with them today, wouldn't I also achieve great merit?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

The more Wei Shanjia thought about it, the more he felt he had missed a chance in life, so he immediately started to plan a heroic role for himself.

"No, if I had been there, I definitely wouldn't have let Gawa act impulsively and take such a risk."

"I first swept my leg to knock the little boy down and put him in a safe position."

Then I covered Shen Yan's retreat with the children, and finally I rushed in and bravely fought three thugs all by myself!

The little boy looked unconvinced.

"Friend, why did you use a sweeping kick on me first?"

Wei Shanjia glared at him.

"I've wanted to kick you for ages!"

Ga Wa looked Wei Shanjia up and down a few times, then added sharply:

"If you rushed up and slashed down with three long swords at once, you'd probably be chopped into minced meat by now."

Wei Shanjia's face darkened.

"Can't you wish me well for once?"

Ga Wa said very honestly:

"I'm telling the truth. I wanted to rush up there too."

If Shen Yan hadn't stopped me, I might have done the same thing as you, acting rashly and ruining everything!

Shen Yan nodded in agreement.

"I can still hold onto the little kid."

Upon hearing this, Wei Shanjia immediately perked up.

"You mean I'm stronger than Ga Wa, and you can't stop me?"

Shen Yan looked at his expectant expression and calmly said:

"I'm not sure I can hold onto this human-shaped beast."

Wei Shanjia's lips had just curled into a smile when Shen Yan followed up with his next sentence.

"You might not get a second-class merit award by then."

"You might just get a first-class merit award displayed on the wall!"

The dormitory was silent for a moment, then everyone burst into laughter.

Wei Shanjia sat there, his eyes filled with deep resentment.

He fantasized about fighting bravely.

In Shen Yan's mouth, it directly became a wall-mounted display?

Is this comrade-in-arms still worth keeping?

Not long after, lights out sounded.

Gao Zhenhai immediately stopped smiling and urged everyone to wash up, tidy up, and go to bed.

The second platoon quickly quieted down, but many new recruits still couldn't fall asleep after lying in bed.

They all enlisted in the same batch, but Shen Yan and Ga Wa have already begun to develop into heroes.

How can they possibly sleep like this!

The next morning, all training proceeded as usual.

Shen Yan and Ga Wa did not receive any special treatment because of their meritorious service the day before.

They still dragged Wei Shanjia and Liang Zheng to get up on time and start the infighting!

While training, Wei Shanjia kept staring intently at Ga Wa.

The little boy felt uncomfortable under his gaze and couldn't help but ask:

"Hey friend, why are you staring at me like that?"

Wei Shanjia said, "I'm figuring out how to get half of your second-class merit to me."

The little boy answered earnestly, "Go to bed early tonight, and you can dream about how much you want to share!"

Wei Shanjia was hurt again and began to regret talking to Ga Wa.

Halfway through the morning training session, Chen Gang suddenly arrived at the training ground.

"Shen Yan, Ga Wa, step forward!"

"Gao Zhenhai, Liang Zheng, you two come over here too!"

Although the four didn't know what had happened, they immediately stepped forward and followed Chen Gang toward the camp's reception room.

As they approached the reception area, they saw a police car parked outside the camp.

Besides several police officers, the family of the rescued boy, local reporters, and personnel responsible for military propaganda were also present.

As soon as Shen Yan and Ga Wa appeared, several cameras were immediately pointed at them.

The sound of camera shutters clicking rang out one after another.

Ga Wa straightened his back instinctively, but his eyes were a little dazed.

Yang Wenjun, who was standing nearby, saw the local reporter's camera panning towards the background of the camp and immediately stepped forward to remind him.

"Filming is allowed, but strict confidentiality requirements must be followed."

"Our soldiers' faces need to be blurred according to regulations. The location of the camp, background, signage, and personnel information must not be exposed; they must be censored in post-production!"

The reporter nodded quickly, indicating that all materials would be reviewed and that sensitive information would not be disclosed without authorization.

When the rescued boy and his family saw Shen Yan, they immediately walked over quickly.

The child's father held a bright red banner with a line of large golden characters written on it:

In times of crisis, the People's Liberation Army soldiers demonstrate their commitment by rescuing young children!

The child's mother's eyes were red. As soon as she walked up to Shen Yan, she pulled her husband and prepared to kneel down.

Shen Yan was startled and quickly reached out to support the two of them.

"Brother and sister-in-law, please don't do this."

"At that time, anyone who saw the child in danger would have tried to save him."

The child's mother shook her head, crying.

"Not everyone has the courage to face a knife-wielding assailant. If it weren't for you and this young man, my son might already be..."

She couldn't continue speaking; all she could do was hold the little boy tightly in her arms.

The little boy looked up at Shen Yan, his eyes still a little timid, but he mustered his courage and said:

"Thank you, Uncle."

Shen Yan's expression stiffened slightly.

I'm only nineteen years old, I should be calling him "brother"!

Next came the formal handover between the military and local authorities, followed by photo documentation.

The public security authorities explained the incident to the military unit and handed over the preliminary commendation materials to the company leaders.

The publicity staff had Shen Yan and Ga Wa stand in the middle, accept the banner with both hands, and then brought two exaggeratedly large red flowers, which they tied to the chests of the two of them respectively.

Ga Wa looked down at the large red flower on his chest, which was even more conspicuous than his own head, and couldn't help but whisper:

"Friend, isn't this flower a bit too big? It looks like an award being given to a model farmer in the village!"

Shen Yan also felt somewhat uncomfortable, but could only stand up straight.

"Stop talking, we're taking pictures!"

When the photo was taken, Gao Zhenhai, Liang Zheng, and Chen Gang were also called to stand next to the two.

One was the squad leader, one was the platoon leader, and one was a recruit training officer.

Those who were responsible for training and leading the two new recruits naturally had to be included in the promotional photos.

Gao Zhenhai stood next to Shen Yan and Ga Wa, his back straighter than ever before, and he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

After the photos and materials about their deeds are submitted, the two new recruits will be seen by the entire regiment!

As a squad leader, he will also come into the leadership's view as a key leader in commanding troops.

Liang Zheng's feelings were much more complicated.

I was tortured by Shen Yan, but now he's carrying me to new heights!

How did I, as the platoon leader, become someone who just coasts along for credit?

Soon, everything came to a satisfactory conclusion.

Shen Yan and Ga Wa wore big red flowers on their chests, while Gao Zhenhai and Liang Zheng carried a banner. The four of them prepared to return to their dormitory.

The new recruits and their squad leaders, who were undergoing training, all turned to look at them.

Clearly, the people in Class Two couldn't keep their mouths shut, and the news of Shen Yan and Ga Wa's meritorious service yesterday quickly spread throughout the entire recruit company!

Now look at the big red flowers and huge banners on their chests!

The other recruits were green with envy!

They all enlisted at the same time, so how come they progressed so quickly?

Looking at Gao Zhenhai, who was following behind and personally holding up the brocade banner.

The other class leaders had even more complicated feelings!

Especially Cao Jianfeng, the class monitor of Class One.

He was secretly competing with Gao Zhenhai, vying for better performance in the new recruit training competition and for opportunities to stay in the army and develop further.

As it turned out, Class Two produced the genius Shen Yan first!

Gao Zhenhai, the squad leader of the second squad, followed the new recruit and made his appearance time and time again!

Cao Jianfeng watched as Gao Zhenhai held up the banner, his face beaming with undisguised smugness, and he nearly ground his teeth to powder!

"How come Gao Zhenhai always seems to get all the good things?"

"At this rate, he'll almost certainly be staying on the team this year!"

"Damn it!"

Why isn't Shen Yan in our class?!