Shipborne Special Forces.

The more Wang Jianshe spoke, the more cold sweat Wang Aiguo broke out in. Something seemed to have gone wrong in his military career—comradeship? Did stealing instant noodles count?

Is it concern from superiors? Does going to the hospital count?

Mutual help and support... does rally racing count?

It was as if his normal military career had disappeared from the moment he stepped into the recruit camp.

This guy dragged the instructor into the cesspool the moment he walked in, and that wasn't all; a couple of days later, he even sent the instructor to the hospital. Of course, this wasn't just his doing; there were many others involved.

Then, in an attempt to demonstrate camaraderie, they trampled someone's bed, forcing the leader and his group to switch classes.

And these past few days have been even more alarming; they've even sent the quartermaster to the hospital. At this rate, it's estimated that by the time basic training ends, this 12th squad will be half its original size.

Think about it carefully, is he here to join the army? Are you sure he's not a spy sent by another country?

Wang Aiguo felt he was going to die of shame if he kept thinking about it. He couldn't think about it any longer.

Wang Jianshe got more and more excited as he spoke, completely oblivious to the strange behavior of Wang Aiguo.

Wang Jianshe's excited demeanor now seems to be a recollection of his glorious days in the army. He uses himself as a benchmark, and it's believed that Wang Aiguo's military career will follow a similar path.

Fortunately, Wang Jianshe didn't see Wang Aiguo's current state and didn't know what had happened. If he had known, taking him back would have been a good thing; most likely, he would have shot Wang Aiguo on the spot.

Wang Aiguo listened to his father's endless chatter on the phone, a wry smile on his face.

After a long pause, Wang Jianshe's voice suddenly changed, and he said in a low voice, "Actually, what's truly valuable about the military is the spirit we learn here. These special spirits can't be experienced anywhere else. I remember when I was the commander of a reconnaissance regiment, there was a reconnaissance soldier competition held abroad. Then the higher-ups said they would select the best reconnaissance soldier from my unit to participate in the competition."

"I spent a long time choosing, and in the end, I didn't choose a younger soldier with better physical strength, but instead chose an older sergeant. At that time, many people didn't understand, because reconnaissance soldiers have very high physical requirements, and my decision to prioritize the older soldier over the younger one was incomprehensible to many. But do you know what happened in the end?" Wang Jianshe suddenly asked.

Wang Aiguo was stunned for a moment before asking, "How is it?"

"Haha, that old sergeant won the title of the world's strongest reconnaissance soldier. Physical fitness is indeed a crucial factor in the competition, but willpower is even more important. The moment that old sergeant returned from the competition, my eyes turned red. Because I clearly saw that, in order to ensure the stealth of the reconnaissance, he took off his shoes and walked barefoot for more than ten kilometers in the mountains. It was this kind of behavior that earned him his extraordinary achievement."

Hearing this, Wang Aiguo was a little stunned. To be honest, in his opinion, this behavior was a bit foolish. It was just a competition; there was no need to risk his life like that. If the wound got infected, he could die!

Wang Jianshe paused, as if recalling the old sergeant. After a long while, he continued, "When I saw his bloodied and mangled feet, I couldn't help but scold him. It was just a competition, why push himself so hard? He could have been crippled! But guess what that old sergeant said to me?"

"What did he say?" Wang Aiguo asked curiously.

He said that he couldn't let me and our country down no matter what.

In those simple words, Wang Aiguo heard the stubbornness of a soldier.

We live in peacetime now, and you might never see the battlefield in your entire life. But for those veterans who have fought their whole lives, those competitions are their battlefields.

After a long while, Wang Aiguo ended the call and walked out of the phone booth. At that moment, he felt somewhat lost, as if a wall in his heart was slowly crumbling.

Just then, Wang Aiguo was surprised to find that the monk had also come out of the chat room. And the moment he stepped out, the monk's eyes were slightly glistening.

Wang Aiguo gave the monk a strange look and chuckled, "Monk, you're not that fragile, are you? It's just a phone call!"

"Sigh, my mom is home alone, and I'm a little worried about her," the monk said calmly.

Wang Aiguo frowned slightly and asked疑惑地问道：“Then where is your father?”

"My father passed away when I was very young," the monk said calmly, raising his head.

Wang Aiguo was taken aback, then said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's okay. Although my dad passed away when I was very young, and I can hardly remember what he looked like anymore, I know he was a hero who saved many people."

That day, Wang Aiguo learned that the monk's father was a forest firefighter. His father was about to retire from the army, but just a week before his retirement, a huge fire broke out in the forest.

Although his father was about to retire from the military, he still bravely and fearlessly put on his firefighter uniform and resolutely walked into the fire.

That was the one time his father never returned. And along with his father, his entire class also perished.

After listening to the monk's words, Wang Aiguo was stunned for a long time. After a long while, he finally asked, puzzled, "Then why did you join the army? Aren't you afraid?"

"Some things always have to be done by someone," the monk said calmly, as if stating something perfectly natural.

That night, Wang Aiguo tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. The two stories he had heard that day left him with a strange feeling.

He was born into a military family, and he used to admire his father and grandfather, thinking that their military uniforms were really cool.

But as he grew older, he realized that this handsome military uniform came at a great price.

Other children grow up with both parents by their side, but he only has a mother and no father, which makes his life feel like it's missing a piece.

So as time went on, his admiration for the military gradually faded, and even turned into disgust.

But the monk's words today greatly shocked him.

Yes, some things always have to be done by someone. His father may not have to serve in the military, but someone else will have to take his place, and other families' children will also have to face this missing piece.

Wang Aiguo once thought that the world must be cold, and that society was indifferent and selfish. But today he suddenly realized that the world is not so cold after all.

There are many people in this world who use their warm hearts to bring light and warmth to society.

They were like dry tinder thrown into a flame, using all their strength in the hope of melting away the coldness between people.