Ling Chengyan had already returned to the base, and other soldiers participating in the training also gradually made their way back. There were a few soldiers with scratches, and even cuts from tree branches or grass blades, but none were serious. They could simply be handled by the military doctors at the base.
While the soldiers attended to their wounds and rested, Ling Chengyan gathered the two deputy company commanders and the three platoon leaders for a eting to summarize the training’s experiences and lessons.
After listening to their summaries, Ling Chengyan made a brief speech: "The soldiers perford admirably, but there are several areas that need improvent. Firstly, their knowledge of self-rescue and mutual aid is lacking; secondly, the dical kits they are equipped with are too simple... These are issues that I take responsibility for, and I will report them to the leadership to seek a speedy resolution."
Sweat more during peaceti to bleed less during warti, even though it is permissible to have normal attrition during training and exercises, Ling Chengyan does not want to see soldiers sacrifice their lives outside of the battlefield.
It is her duty as the company commander to train valiant and battle-ready soldiers while striving to prevent unnecessary injuries and sacrifices.
After a day of rest, Ling Chengyan, accompanied by Xu Dong, arrived at the base hospital early the next morning.
Ling Chengyan and Xu Dong walked into the hospital ward where the soldier with an injured arm was helping a comrade move around: "Your leg needs to recover quickly. I’ve heard there’s an attrition rate. If you’re unable to adapt within three months of joining the company, you’ll be sent back to the original unit."
Ling Chengyan glanced back at Xu Dong, who suppressed a laugh with a cough. The two soldiers paused and turned to see them, feeling sowhat awkward.
"Company Commander, Instructor."
Ling Chengyan nodded and walked over to inquire about the condition.
"He can already get out of bed and walk. The swelling in his leg has mostly subsided, and the wound is healing well. The doctor said it has started to heal..." The soldier with the injured arm answered on behalf of his comrade.
"Li Ming, how is your injury?" Ling Chengyan asked him.
Li Ming was clearly surprised that the company commander knew his na. He hesitated for a mont before grinning foolishly, "My arm just got scratched, it’s a flesh wound, nothing serious."
Ling Chengyan replied, "In future training, be sure to pay attention and try to avoid injuries. Rember, avoiding injuries is crucial to maintaining combat effectiveness."
The soldier bitten by a venomous snake was nad Feng Jianshe, selected from the sa company as Li Ming.
After expressing concern for a couple sentences, Ling Chengyan turned to Xu Dong, "Since you two are injured and can’t celebrate with your comrades, the company commander specifically brought mooncakes and apples to spend the holiday with you."
The two were very touched, and Xu Dong also encouraged them a bit, even handing a fruit knife for Ling Chengyan to peel apples for them.
After the visit concluded, they left the hospital, and Ling Chengyan looked back at Xu Dong.
Xu Dong touched his face and asked, "Is there sothing dirty on my face?"
Ling Chengyan shook her head, "I discovered today that you’re truly gifted at being an instructor."
Xu Dong chuckled, "I’ll take that as a complint."
The Mid-Autumn Festival was also quite warm within the company. Everyone ate dinner together, with several at dishes specially added, and there was a large carp on the table, along with mooncakes, apples, and other seasonal foods. After dinner, a small social gathering was held with singing, whistling, and martial arts performances lasting nearly two hours before dispersing.
The next day, they awoke to the harsh and almost brutal training regin.
Ling Chengyan had successfully applied for better first aid kits, including wound dicine, snake dicine, hemostatic bandages, and added several ergency dicines.
After assembling at the training ground, they saw several large baskets covered with lids ahead.
Soone speculated if the holiday was still ongoing, wondering if they were going to distribute apples.
These baskets were indeed wicker baskets used for fruit orchard harvesting, but today they guessed wrong. Because after the formation was complete and nas were called out, another person walked up, dressed in civilian clothes, not soone from the military.
While everyone was puzzled, Ling Chengyan stepped forward to explain, "A few days ago, a soldier was bitten by a venomous snake during training, nearly causing serious consequences. In light of this lesson, we’ve specially invited an instructor today to teach everyone about common local snakes and the correct thods to repel snakes and insects, avoiding bites."
After a brief introduction, the invited snake-catching instructor began teaching. Opening the lid of one basket, his hand swiftly reached inside and just as quickly withdrew, revealing a two- to three-foot-long, earth-colored snake with black patches.
So faces in the ranks changed, despite many rural children daring to catch and play with snakes instinctively as kids, there were also many who had never encountered and even feared these reptiles, especially when they could be venomous and potentially deadly if bitten.
"This one is the most common venomous snake in the area, a type of pit viper..." The snake-catching instructor explained, calmly holding the snake by the neck, showing no fear, even opening its mouth to display its fangs to the group.
With the explanation, the group’s fear diminished slightly, and after the instructor displayed common snakes, it greatly alleviated their fears.
Next was learning to repel and catch snakes using non-venomous ones first, then practicing with venomous snakes after becoming familiar.
While learning to repel and catch snakes, the soldiers also learned that local snake species are not nurous and venomous snakes are rare, basically only the pit viper. Hence, during future outdoor training, each squad will be equipped with a dose of antitoxic serum. In case soone is bitten by a venomous snake, it can be promptly administered to detoxify, maximizing the chance to ensure soldier safety.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather grew increasingly chilly, especially after a continuous two-day autumn rain that abruptly dropped the mountain temperatures. Team mbers changed into autumn attire, wearing long johns and undershirts.
A week later, injured Li Ming and Feng Jianshe were discharged and returned to the team.
Their comrades barely had ti to celebrate their discharge before they were thrown into a deeper forest for the most rigorous training of the intensive period: a seven-day survival competition.
Three platoons participated as competing sides, with the score based on the number of successful returnees, with the side having more people declared the winner.
Ling Chengyan, along with the two deputy company commanders, followed one platoon each upon allocation. Ling Chengyan was assigned to the first platoon, led by platoon leader Geng Wei, including the two injured soldiers group, as well as Ling Chengyan’s forr vehicle troops Zhang Wanxiang and Pang Anbang, and Lin Yicheng.
Ling Chengyan and the others followed the troops, but did not accompany them directly, carrying sufficient food supplies and complete auxiliary tools.
Ling Chengyan kept a distance, observing as the first platoon soldiers divided their tasks sowhat reasonably, noticing patches of harvested sweet potato fields during their march, and after so searching, everyone ended up with several sweet potatoes in their backpacks.
Soone also discovered chestnut trees and persimmon trees on the mountain; though the persimmons were still astringent and disliked, the chestnuts were different, being crisp, tender, sweet, and delicious.
On the third morning, it began to rain in the mountains, and while advancing through the rain, they unexpectedly lost their way, walking tens of kiloters of pointless paths. After the rain stopped, they realized their error, corrected it promptly, and returned to the right direction, with the delay totaling a day and a half.
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