Special Forces: From the very beginning, I can upgrade the entry

Chapter 24: Squad Leader? A Familiar Face? The Gap Between People!

Inside the Recon Unit’s First Platoon, First Squad barracks, Chen Xiwa stepped in cautiously. He carried his gear bag in one hand and had a large rucksack strapped to his back. He felt a sense of nervous anticipation as he took in his surroundings. However, the moment he saw the people inside, he froze in shock.

“Squad Leader! Vice Squad Leader!”

Standing in front of him were Zheng Sanpao and Lin Yi. The two of them exchanged amused glances before looking back at him.

Lin Yi smirked. “What’s wrong? Have you already forgotten us just because we were apart for a few hours?”

Chen Xiwa quickly shook his head. “No, no! I just… I wasn’t expecting this.”

Sanpao patted him on the shoulder and spoke in a serious tone.

“You should know that I am your squad leader now, and Lin Yi is your vice squad leader.”

Chen Xiwa’s eyes widened slightly, but he nodded in understanding.

“From now on, you are officially part of our squad. The others are still training and will return later. We will hold a proper welcome ceremony for you then.”

Sanpao then pointed to a neatly made bed and tossed a small key toward him.

“This will be your bed, and here is your locker key. Everything has been prepared for you.”

Chen Xiwa finally relaxed a little. The fact that his squad leader and vice squad leader were both familiar faces made it easier for him to adjust.

Just as he was beginning to feel at ease, his expression changed slightly as he remembered something important.

Without hesitation, he asked, “Squad Leader! Vice Squad Leader! What about Zhuang Yan?”

Lin Yi and Sanpao exchanged glances before Lin Yi responded.

“He has been assigned as the company commander’s clerk.”

Chen Xiwa was momentarily stunned. He had expected Zhuang Yan to be in the same squad with them.

Sensing his confusion, Lin Yi continued in a calm tone.

“You don’t need to worry about him. Captain Miao is handling his development personally. He is making sure that Zhuang Yan fully understands what it means to be a soldier. This is the first step in transforming him from a clueless college student into a true serviceman.”

He placed a firm hand on Xiwa’s shoulder and looked at him intently.

“Your priority should be integrating into this squad as soon as possible. The Recon Unit is the tip of the spear, and the training is far more demanding than what you experienced during basic training. You need to be prepared for it.”

Chen Xiwa nodded firmly, absorbing every word.

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Meanwhile, Zhuang Yan was beginning to adapt to his duties as a company clerk. As he wiped down Captain Miao’s desk, his gaze fell on an old, faded photograph placed in a frame. Something about the image caught his attention. He squinted slightly and examined the faces in the picture.

After a few moments, he spoke. “Captain Miao, this person on the right, second from the front… that’s you, isn’t it?”

Without looking up, Miao responded, “Yes, that’s me. I suppose I do look a little different now.”

Zhuang Yan studied the picture more closely. The soldiers in it were armed to the teeth, and their expressions were hardened and resolute.

“Was this taken on a battlefield?” he asked curiously.

Miao finally looked up at him and nodded.

“Yes. This was taken during an active combat operation. The men in this photo were part of our reconnaissance task force.”

His tone carried a rare sense of pride as he continued, “Our unit’s codename was Wolf Fang.”

Zhuang Yan raised an eyebrow. He pointed at the unit insignia on the soldiers’ uniforms and chuckled.

“Wolf Fang? That logo looks more like a dog’s head than a wolf’s.”

Miao’s expression darkened immediately. His voice dropped to a stern tone.

“That is a wolf. Not a dog. A wolf.”

Zhuang Yan quickly realized that he had unintentionally offended him. He immediately corrected himself.

“Alright, alright. It’s a wolf. I got it.”

Zhuang Yan hesitated for a moment before asking, “If the Wolf Fang unit was so elite, why did you leave it? Why are you here instead of still serving with them?”

Miao’s entire demeanour changed. His jaw tightened, and his expression became unreadable.

A long, heavy silence filled the office.

Then, without answering, he picked up his cup and muttered, “Get me some water. I need to wash my face.”

Zhuang Yan, sensing that he had stepped into dangerous territory, quickly complied. He poured hot water into the basin and handed it over. Miao leaned forward and splashed his face several times.

Suddenly, he froze.

His hand moved up to his left eye.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.

Without warning, he turned to Zhuang Yan and ordered, “Get me a clean glass. Now.”

Zhuang Yan, slightly confused but following orders, grabbed a glass from the nearby shelf and handed it over.

Miao took the glass, reached into his own eye socket, and—

Plucked something out.

“HOLY!”

Zhuang Yan jumped back in shock.

In Miao’s hand was a glass prosthetic eye.

Miao remained completely unfazed. “Pour boiling water over it to disinfect it.”

Zhuang Yan, still reeling from what he had just witnessed, shakily followed his instructions. Once the prosthetic was clean, Miao calmly popped it back into his socket.

He blinked a few times and looked at Zhuang Yan.

“Is it straight?”

Zhuang Yan, still in disbelief, hesitated before responding, “Uh… it’s a little off to the right.”

Miao adjusted it slightly.

“How about now?”

Zhuang Yan swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah, that looks fine.”

Miao dried his face with a towel, placed his cap back on his head, and strode out of the office without another word.

Zhuang Yan remained frozen in place, his gaze fixed on the steaming glass in his hands. For the first time, he truly understood that Miao had endured things far beyond his own imagination.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Back in First Squad’s barracks, the soldiers gathered for a special occasion. They were holding a welcome party for Chen Xiwa and Lin Yi. Unlike regular squads, First Squad was handpicked and consisted of the most elite reconnaissance soldiers in the company. However, Captain Miao had a special plan in mind. Lin Yi had not been placed in this squad just to train. He was here to teach and prepare these soldiers for the future.

Lin Yi stood up and raised his canteen.

“Brothers, we don’t have wine, so water will have to do.”

“From today forward, we fight together, we bleed together, and we win together.”

His gaze swept across the room, his expression filled with determination.

“Welcome to the family.”

The soldiers raised their cups in response.

“Cheers!”

……………………………………………………………………………………………

As the night went on, Chen Xiwa glanced around the room and thought about Zhuang Yan.

He sighed and murmured to himself,

“The gap between people is even greater than the gap between humans and dogs.”