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墨書 Inktalez
The year slipped by like a fleeting shadow, and it was almost time to draw a conclusion. The battle-hardened veterans, who had once faced countless challenges, were now nearing retirement. They were about to bid farewell to the uniforms they had worn for many years and immerse themselves in local development projects, contributing their strength to society. Meanwhile, we fresh recruits in the military camp were gradually shedding our naivety, growing into experienced soldiers.
At this pivotal moment of transition, the new Regulations officially came into effect. Notably, our unit was selected as a pilot program for the military district, which meant that various department chiefs would visit us for in-depth learning and rigorous training. To facilitate subsequent operations, the higher-ups decided to relocate us to an old garage for accommodation.
Although the garage was not spacious, it was exceptionally bright and airy. Perhaps it was the change to a brand-new environment that lifted everyone's spirits. However, when we first set foot on this new territory, we discovered that it was littered with abandoned steel frames, a chaotic sight indeed. Yet, faced with such a scene, we showed no signs of retreat; instead, we rallied our energy and threw ourselves into cleaning.
After two grueling days of hard work, we finally managed to make the entire garage spotless. Just as we were halfway through our cleaning efforts, the sky seemed intent on testing our resolve as snow began to fall gently. The snowflakes were light and delicate, quickly melting into droplets upon touching the ground. For someone like me, who had grown up in the south and had never seen real snow before, this scene felt like a dream come true, enchanting and mesmerizing.
Unable to contain my excitement and joy, I hurried over to share this surprise with A Yu. To my surprise, he merely glanced at me with indifference and muttered under his breath, "What's so great about this? Once you retire, I'll take you back to our hometown in the Northeast for a proper look!" Hearing this filled me with endless anticipation for the future.
Every morning at dawn, when the first rays of sunlight bathed the earth, we would quickly gather together into several small groups according to our established plan and march in unison towards the training grounds designated by the chiefs. Each of us carried a sense of mission, fully aware of the importance of our responsibilities.
I was fortunate enough to be assigned to the point closest to the garage. The workload here was relatively light compared to other groups, allowing me some leisure time after finishing my tasks. Typically, I would find a small hill covered in lush green grass and lie back comfortably. The warm sunlight would gently envelop me like a golden veil, providing an incredibly cozy and lazy feeling. It felt like soaking in a hot spring during winter—an experience I had never encountered since joining the military!
However, good times are always fleeting. Once everyone completed their busy tasks, we had to quickly regroup and begin our formation training. The purpose of this training was to showcase our best performance during the final presentation after training concluded. Thus, day after day, we repeated the same actions: hands tightly gripping playing cards while our eyes widened to the point of tears. This sensation oddly transported me back to my early days in the New Recruit Company when I was learning about formations.
Although formation training was exceptionally tedious and monotonous, many veterans had honorably retired by now; only about twenty or thirty of us remained in the camp. Consequently, compared to before, the management by duty officers was not as strict. Perhaps this leniency provided us with a rare mental comfort amidst our arduous training.
Time flew by like a fleeting shadow; before we knew it, training came to an unexpected end. Watching as the chiefs gradually departed from Camp left us filled with reluctance and nostalgia. Yet departure signified the beginning of a new journey as we entered the preparatory reinforcement period.
This so-called preparatory reinforcement period was just as demanding as those devilish training weeks depicted on television—only now extended significantly beyond weekly durations. Each day was packed with high-intensity physical training, intricate tactical drills, and fierce combat practice. Moreover, the training volume increased exponentially compared to daily routines.
Due to some comrades being selected to instruct new recruits, personnel in our Company decreased significantly overnight. As a result, everyone moved into first-floor accommodations together. We thought weekends would bring much-needed rest time for our weary bodies and tense nerves; however, due to insufficient manpower, cleaning duties and organizing gardens consumed considerable time and energy.
Despite those days being exceptionally tough, it was heartening that everyone maintained a relatively cheerful disposition. Our daily training was not monotonous but filled with variety and novelty. Sometimes we chose to conquer mountains we had never ventured into before while sweating profusely; other times we challenged ourselves with unfamiliar training equipment in pursuit of breaking personal limits. Our Company Commander also showed great concern for us; understanding the importance of balancing work and rest, he often organized group viewings of television programs during breaks to help us relax and relieve fatigue. Furthermore, during leisure moments, he would personally lead us into training sessions himself as an example to motivate everyone forward.
Time passed swiftly; soon it would be Spring Festival time as training neared its conclusion. Everyone busied themselves with preparations for this special holiday.
The Cooking Team was filled with enticing aromas as chefs diligently prepared delicious dishes for New Year's Eve dinner. The atmosphere within the Company was lively; soldiers adorned colorful lights throughout the camp while others wrote festive couplets brimming with celebratory spirit. Occasionally one could see small teams going out on errands for cleaning duties.
The most anticipated event was undoubtedly slaughtering pigs! A total of several people went out to help; among them were A Yu and myself. Since most of us had never experienced such an event before, we could only lend a hand where needed. A Yu was assigned at the back end of the pig's legs while I helped from another angle. Initially everything progressed smoothly; everyone collaborated seamlessly.
However, just when things seemed calm and steady, a sudden cry pierced through: "Ah!" Everyone turned around quickly only to see A Yu standing about a meter away from us with a pained expression while clutching his leg tightly. We rushed over to inquire about what happened only for him to awkwardly admit: "I accidentally got kicked by the pig." As soon as he finished speaking laughter erupted all around us.
Despite this minor incident occurring during our task completion went smoothly overall. As we walked back towards Company afterward, A Yu's once pristine uniform bore an enormous pig footprint that stood out remarkably.
Perhaps due to being away from home for so long and isolated from outside influences during Spring Festival celebrations within military confines didn’t evoke strong feelings within me either; here there were no firecrackers exploding nor dazzling fireworks lighting up skies; there were no opportunities for bustling shopping sprees or leisurely outings like back home either—only some carefully arranged decorations hinted at festive spirit amidst everything else remaining ordinary like any other day.
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