Ace Special Forces in Movies and TV Shows

Chapter 0013: Zheng Yingqi's "Simple Method of Deception"

The next day.

After the evening's extra training session, Cheng Cai, Zheng Yingqi, Xu Sanduo, and three other new recruits walked wearily into their dormitory. Inside, four other recruits who hadn't participated in the extra training were whispering amongst themselves:

"Class Six didn't announce the vice-class leader candidate today either, and Chen Lin's face turned dark."

"Class Four hasn't announced it either."

"None of the three classes in the first and third rows have announced their class leaders."

Cheng Cai listlessly sat down on his bed, ignoring his comrades' murmurs. Failing to become the deputy squad leader had been a big blow to him; although he was still participating in extra training, he remained dejected. Xu Sanduo, on the other hand, was used to this intensity of extra training, and since he hadn't been criticized by Wu Liuyi today, he was in high spirits. Hearing his comrades' murmurs, he asked questioningly:

"Hey, what are you guys talking about, the class monitor candidate?"

As soon as Xu Sanduo finished speaking, the atmosphere in the dormitory froze. Sure enough, the next second, Cheng Cai stood up abruptly. He thought that the people in his class were talking about him behind his back. Cheng Cai, who was already a bit sensitive, immediately turned around and left angrily.

"Hey, Cheng Cai, where are you going?" Xu Sanduo, who doesn't hold grudges, called out from behind, but Cheng Cai ignored him and walked out on his own. His comrades looked at Xu Sanduo and slowly curled their lips. How slow-witted this guy is!

Zheng Yingqi smiled, finding Cheng Cai's stubbornness and bronze-like sensitivity amusing. He had been somewhat disappointed yesterday, but had already composed himself today, unlike Cheng Cai—this kid is still too young!

"What are you saying? Say it out loud, stop whispering." Zheng Yingqi looked at his four comrades who were somewhat embarrassed and gestured for them to repeat what they had just said. Although he hadn't heard it clearly, he knew that the four of them weren't talking about Cheng Cai and himself.

"Weren't we told that today was the day to announce the vice squad leaders for each squad? But we've heard that none of the squads have announced their candidates yet. They've all postponed it to tomorrow," a new recruit shared.

"They haven't announced it yet?" Zheng Yingqi wondered, was it not what he thought?

Xu Sanduo then realized, "Oh right, today really is the day the company announces the squad leader candidates."

"Maybe the company has some considerations," Zheng Yingqi muttered uncertainly.

After chatting for a while, Zheng Yingqi noticed that Cheng Cai hadn't come in yet, so he quietly nudged Xu Sanduo and whispered, "Sanduo, go out and find Cheng Cai."

"Huh?" Xu Sanduo was completely confused. Zheng Yingqi smiled bitterly to himself. This kid really has no sense of perspective and is incredibly naive.

"Chengcai is in a bad mood. Try to comfort and encourage him. After all, you two are from the same village and grew up together."

"Oh, then I'll go find him," Xu Sanduo replied.

……

Cheng Cai was hiding in a corner, lost in thought.

He was filled with bitterness and wanted to find a place where no one could hear him and howl. Subconsciously, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, but after taking one out, he remembered the scene of Wu Liuyi's rage after he handed him the cigarette. With a heavy heart, he crushed the cigarette in his palm, and as if to retaliate against Zheng Yingqi, he crushed it a few more times, and then angrily threw the cigarette far away.

The tobacco leaves were blown by the wind and scattered all over him, making Cheng Cai so angry that he spat and cursed:

"Grizzly, even you guys are bullying me!"

Just then, Xu Sanduo's sneaky shouts rang out:

"Chengcai... Chengcai..."

Cheng Cai wanted to hide, but he was afraid that Xu Sanduo's noise would alert the sentries, so he quickly leaned out and whispered to Xu Sanduo, "Xu Sanduo, don't shout."

Xu Sanduo crept over furtively: "What are you doing here? I've been looking for you for ages."

Cheng Cai became arrogant again, scoffing, "What do you want from me? Want to see me make a fool of myself?"

"A joke? What joke?"

Looking at Xu Sanduo's dazed expression, Cheng Cai suddenly lost his anger towards the silly boy and chuckled, "Hey, I just can't see eye to eye with you!"

"Why can't we agree? We're from the same village, we grew up together, even though you used to bully me..." Xu Sanduo said, dissatisfied. Before he could finish, Cheng Cai snorted.

"I knew it! I knew it was because I bullied you before, and now you're getting revenge on me, aren't you?"

"I didn't, I didn't retaliate against you." Xu Sanduo was anxious. Although Cheng Cai had scolded him a few times, making Xu Sanduo very angry, he had calmed down the next day and hadn't held a grudge. Seeing Cheng Cai's disbelieving look, he lowered his voice and stammered:

"When you insulted me... I... I was very angry... but I calmed down the next day, really, I calmed down the next day, I never thought about revenge."

"I believe you. You're such a simpleton." Cheng Cai looked at his friend and smiled bitterly. He knew in his heart that Xu Sanduo had not wronged him. On the contrary, he was the one who felt uncomfortable because Xu Sanduo and Zheng Yingqi were getting too close, and he had scolded Xu Sanduo several times as if he were picking a fight.

"I...I didn't mean it the other times. I just felt uncomfortable seeing you getting too close to Zheng Yingqi, so I said those things to you," Cheng Cai suddenly said to Xu Sanduo.

Xu Sanduo was stunned for a moment, then said, "Why? We agreed on the train that we would work together to get under the platoon leader's command."

Why?

Cheng Cai gave a wry smile, thought for a moment, and then said, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain."

"But you and Zheng Yingqi are both Pegasus," Xu Sanduo said.

"He's a celestial horse, and a tiger. Anyway, I don't get along with him. Xu Sanduo, will you stay with me or with Zheng Yingqi from now on?" Cheng Cai asked somewhat unreasonably. Right now, he felt like a child who had lost everything, and he didn't want to lose Xu Sanduo even more.

"Why do we have to choose just one?" Xu Sanduo muttered. "Can't I go with both of you?"

"No, you have to choose one." Cheng Cai thought for a moment, then realized that asking that question was too naive, so he changed his words, saying, "If there's a war, and both Zheng Yingqi and I are injured, you can only save one of us. Who would you save?" After asking, he was afraid that Xu Sanduo would say something like, "Can't you save both of us?" so he added, "You have to choose one to save, and you can only save one!"

Xu Sanduo was stunned. He thought about the conditions Cheng Cai had mentioned and pondered who to save.

A voice suddenly rang out: "Only children make choices; adults want it all."

"Who?" Cheng Cai and Xu Sanduo were startled and spoke up in unison.

Zheng Yingqi peeked out from the side, and upon seeing the two wary men, chuckled, "How old are you? Still making silly choices? I save all the adults!"

He waited for a long time but Cheng Cai and Xu Sanduo didn't come back, so he secretly slipped out to look for them. He used to read military novels where new recruits would often be unable to endure the hardship and desert. He was afraid that Cheng Cai, that silly kid, would be too badly affected and desert, so he secretly went out to look for them.

He had been sneaking around for a while, but he didn't want to show himself, so he quietly eavesdropped, demonstrating the old saying that walls have ears—unexpectedly, Cheng Cai had been forcing Xu Sanduo to make this kind of test of people's hearts, and that's why he finally showed himself.

"Yingqi!" Xu Sanduo exclaimed joyfully. He was overjoyed that he no longer had to make a choice.

Cheng Cai got angry and said, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid you've deserted," Zheng Yingqi said deliberately. Sure enough, Cheng Cai immediately retorted, "Zheng Yingqi, who are you calling a deserter? Am I, Cheng Cai, the kind of person who would desert?"

Young people really can't handle being provoked.

"I knew it! With your pride, Cheng Cai, how could you possibly desert?" Zheng Yingqi softened as he admitted his mistake, and Cheng Cai instantly felt like he had defeated him.

"Shall we talk? Hmm, the three of us together." Zheng Yingqi leaned against the wall and squatted down. He smiled to himself when he saw the tobacco leaves on the ground by the moonlight. This kid has learned his lesson.

"What do I have to talk about with you?" Cheng Cai said arrogantly, but he didn't chase him away. Xu Sanduo, who was standing next to him, quickly said, "Cheng Cai, let's chat. We came together and got along so well in the car."

Ignoring Cheng Cai's arrogance, Zheng Yingqi continued, "Cheng Cai, San Duo, let me tell you, this recruit training camp is just the beginning of our soldier life. Our real soldier life will begin after we've been assigned to our units. I think being a little ahead in recruit training camp is nothing special."

Only those who laugh last are the true victors; victories achieved only step by step do not count as true victories.

He used an analogy: "You all know Liu Bang, right? When Liu Bang was fighting Xiang Yu for the throne, at his worst, Xiang Yu even captured his wife, children, and father. But what happened in the end? Xiang Yu, who had been winning all along, slit his throat at the Wujiang River, while Liu Bang became the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty!"

This kind of inspirational talk works best on young people like Cheng Cai who are still a bit immature. Sure enough, Cheng Cai immediately got excited and invigorated—he wanted to be Liu Bang!

Uh, wrong, he wants to be like Liu Bang, laughing last!

"Of course, I won't stop here either, Cheng Cai, let me tell you, I think I can win in the end!" Zheng Yingqi unleashed his third move. To summarize, his first move was called provocation, the second was called encouragement, and the third was called confrontation. Put them together, it's called deceiving Xiao Jie...

Cheng Cai retorted defiantly, "I believe I'm the one who can win in the end!"

"Arguing is pointless. Cheng Cai, let's see the results in the end. Do you dare?"

"I dare!" Cheng Cai immediately replied, "Why wouldn't I dare?"

Xu Sanduo, standing to the side, was somewhat stunned. Why were these two talking about cremation and the flames shooting out, but he felt that their relationship had suddenly become harmonious?