My Military Career in a Parallel World

The sad atmosphere did not last long. After bowing and thanking the families of soldiers, Lei Zhenjun restrained his expression and began to talk about the summary of the reconnaissance battalion for the whole year. Finally, he praised some soldiers with excellent performance and outstanding training results.

Among them were the second squad leader Zhao Hongbin, the third squad leader Li Gang, and even Jiang Chen, a new recruit who had just joined the army for less than half a year, was mentioned.

About seven or eight minutes later, the battalion commander finished his speech, and the instructor took the stage and gave a new round of speeches on housekeeping and other aspects.

Immediately afterwards, the three company commanders and instructors of each company also took to the stage to speak.

It’s a bit like the scene at the school’s opening ceremony where school leaders line up to speak on stage.

However, compared to those leaders who spoke in a formulaic manner for an hour or two, among so many people, only the instructor and the battalion commander spoke a little longer, close to ten minutes, while the other company commanders and instructors basically finished in three or four minutes.

eight thirty.

The party began and the people from the kitchen pushed carts and brought up the New Year's goods that had been prepared in advance.

Each class had a big round table, and together with the soldiers' families, there were nearly 400 people. Fortunately, the auditorium in the battalion headquarters was large enough, otherwise, so many people would have to hold the party on the playground outside.

Although the winter in the south is not as terrible as in the north where the temperature can easily drop to minus ten or twenty degrees Celsius, it is still uncomfortable to sit outside in the cold wind.

It would be fine if it were just soldiers, but the key is that there are so many women and children.

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The first program of the gala was a chorus of all the officers and cadres of the battalion.

The song in the chorus was very unfamiliar and it was not any military song that everyone was familiar with. In fact, 99% of the people at the scene were hearing this song for the first time.

To be precise, apart from the officer singing on the stage, only one person at the scene had heard this song.

This person is naturally Jiang Chen, the time traveler.

The name of this song is "The Motherland Will Not Forget".

Although this song was created in the early 1990s, it did not really spread until after the millennium, when it won the 8th Spiritual Civilization Construction "Five One Project" Award issued by the Central Propaganda Department, and then gradually reached the ears of the public.

The 'masses' referred to here are mainly soldiers and police forces.

It was not until more than 20 years later, with the rise of short videos, that the song became truly well-known and spread across the country.

Especially in videos about flag-raising ceremonies, this song appears 100% of the time.

When the flag-raising guard of honor marches out of Tiananmen Square in goose-step, the background music is often "The Motherland Will Not Forget".

I don't need you to know me, nor do I desire you to know me.

I integrate my youth into the rivers of my motherland.

The mountains know me, the rivers know me.

The motherland will not forget.

Will never forget me.

……

This song was originally written for the soldiers fighting on the front lines of aerospace technology, but because of its affectionate lyrics, it quickly caught the eyes of all the troops silently guarding the front lines of national defense and became widely circulated.

Although this song is not as uplifting as "Unity is Strength", it contains just as much emotion.

Especially for those soldiers who are on the front line of national defense.

I don’t know how many people have been infected by that sentence that the motherland will never forget.

After the chorus ended, each class began to perform on stage according to the previously arranged order.

Jiang Chen's song "Forever Brothers" was scheduled for the penultimate show, which is commonly known as the finale.

As for the final highlight, it is naturally the military song that all the Flower-Growing Army soldiers can sing.

Unlike the gala shows on TV, the gala performances in the army were much more casual. Almost every three classes would have a chorus, and they would sing the same few songs over and over again, but they still won applause from the audience.

In fact, not many people care whether it is old-fashioned or not. The main purpose of celebrating a festival is to have an atmosphere.

In addition to the chorus, there were also crosstalk, sketches, and the military boxing and martial arts performances that Jiang Chen and his classmates had signed up for, as well as some talent shows such as solo singing and instrument playing.

As the party progressed, various dishes and dumplings made in the afternoon were served one after another. Everyone ate the food while watching the performances on the stage. Soldiers whose families came to attend the party sat in the family seats. Some of them played with their children, and some whispered with their families whom they hadn't seen for a long time...

Time passed by minute by minute. After Jiang Chen followed the rest of the class to the stage to perform a set of military boxing, he did not go back with the team, but stayed backstage to prepare for the final show.

It must be said that the two cultural secretaries from the Youth League are really capable.

Jiang Chen had previously written down the guitar music score from his memory. Now, less than half a day had passed, and the two cultural secretaries had simply expanded the score, adding some other musical instruments to make the song less monotonous than before, with only a guitar as accompaniment.

"Hey, where is the private deputy squad leader of your class? Why can't I see him?" A sergeant from the second squad next door couldn't sit still and ran to the table of the third squad to chat. He glanced around the seats and found that Jiang Chen was not there, so he asked curiously.

Even though they usually don't show it, they are actually very curious about Jiang Chen, the private deputy squad leader.

It’s not that they have any opinion about Jiang Chen.

After all, Jiang Chen's achievements are there. He has won second-class merit and third-class merit. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that being a deputy squad leader is at most a starting point for Jiang Chen. Going to a military academy for further studies and becoming an officer and serving as the commander of a company is Jiang Chen's future path.

Therefore, there is no question of jealousy or not, they are just simply curious.

Not to mention them, there is no soldier in the entire 228th Regiment who is not curious as long as he knows the name Jiang Chen.

"I don't know. He was called away by the instructor after the performance just now and hasn't come back yet." Hu Kai shook his head to indicate that he didn't know either.

"Oh, I see. By the way, who from your class was going to perform this year? Why didn't I see it?" The sergeant from Class 2 didn't dwell on this question any further and asked casually.

After he asked this, everyone in Class 3 finally reacted.

That’s right, isn’t Jiang Chen going to perform a show? Why haven’t we seen him yet?

As he was talking, the show on the stage had ended. The announcer took the microphone and came on stage. He looked at the content written on the cue card and read: "For the next show, please enjoy the song "Forever Brothers" performed by Comrade Jiang Chen, a soldier from the third squad of the first platoon of the third company. Everyone, please welcome him with applause! "

Hearing the announcement coming from the speakers, the people in Group 3 who were discussing the show stopped talking instantly and turned their eyes to the stage.

Jiang Chen was wearing a neat soldier's uniform with two medals of honor hanging on his left chest.

The second-class medal of merit is in front and the third-class medal of merit is in the back.

When the stage lights shone on him, the two metal medals of honor flashed with golden light, and combined with the rank of private on Jiang Chen's shoulders, it inexplicably gave people a very abrupt feeling.

This was not Jiang Chen's own intention, but a temporary decision made by the two cultural officers of the regiment after they learned about Jiang Chen's deeds from the instructor of the third company, Deng Chang.

The purpose, of course, is to promote the work after the party.

If it weren't for the fact that a private soldier wouldn't be able to wear a formal dress, they would have wanted to find an officer's dress for Jiang Chen to wear.

Of course, with the two medals of honor as a backdrop, it doesn't matter whether it's a formal dress or not. Not to mention that Jiang Chen is still wearing casual clothes, even if he is wearing a torn sack, everything will be fine as long as he has the medals of honor hanging on his chest.

The same goes for the private rank that seemed abrupt just now.

Merit is the most important honor for a soldier.

As Jiang Chen walked to the center of the stage and stood still, the scene gradually became quiet.

Under the light, Jiang Chen's fingers gently plucked the strings, and accompanied by the electronic keyboard and drum beats, a loud but slightly low singing voice rang out.

The days before were sparkling and bright, and you and I shared the deliciousness of youth together.

The past days were sad and bitter, and you and I shared the physical and mental exhaustion.

The romance of the past made you and I extremely intoxicated, and the vicissitudes of the past made you and I no longer pure. When we broke up, I didn’t know where you were going, and I didn’t say when you and I would meet again...

The first half of the song was fine. Although everyone felt it was nice, they didn’t feel like they were in the song until the chorus started…

Come on bro, cheers!!

We wade through water together and face fire together.

We live together, we die together, we depend on each other~

The day of triumph~Don't get drunk~Don't return~

This classic song topped the Chinese Golden Melody Chart 11 years ago and remained in the top three for a month. Even though Jiang Chen's singing skills were limited, his high-pitched singing voice still infected everyone present with his true feelings.

After the song was over, when Jiang Chen turned around and walked off the stage, applause rang out like a tide. All the soldiers below the stage stood up involuntarily no matter what they were doing, expressing the emotions that had just been revealed in their hearts through the song with the warmest applause.

As soon as he stepped off the stage, he saw the platoon leader Li Cheng. Next to him stood a little boy who was probably only three or four years old. At this moment, he was holding Li Cheng's fingers and looking at the guitar in Jiang Chen's arms with curiosity.

"Good, you sang really well!!!" Li Cheng was not the talkative type. He just patted Jiang Chen's shoulder and praised him twice before pulling him back to his seat.

Jiang Chen also knew the character of his platoon leader, so he just smiled and saluted without saying much.

After returning the guitar and carefully putting away the two medals of honor pinned on his chest, Jiang Chen returned to his seat and prepared for the last show of the evening party.

Unlike other programs, the final main show does not have fixed performers.

When several soldiers holding a bright red flag and marching to the center of the stage, all the soldiers and officers present stood up tacitly.

As the familiar music sounded, everyone sang in unison this military song created in 1939.

Forward! Forward! Forward!!!

Our team faces the sun,

Stepping on the land of the motherland,

Carrying the hope of the nation,

We are an unbeatable force.

……

After the song was over, Battalion Commander Lei Zhenjun, Political Instructor Tian Zhiqiang, and a group of company commanders and instructors came on stage holding their glasses.

The party ended with a concerted toast and Happy New Year.

However, the party was over, but the crowd in the auditorium did not disperse.

Jiang Chen and other soldiers who had no family members present sat at the table and ate a table full of sumptuous dishes brought by the kitchen team.

Officers and soldiers with families stayed with their families, enjoying a warm and short reunion moment.

It was not until 10:30 in the evening that Jiang Chen and others helped to clean up the venue. Soldiers with families followed the convoy to send their families back to the regiment headquarters.

In this regard, neither Lei Zhenjun nor Tian Zhiqiang said much. It was a rare opportunity and everyone wanted to spend more time with their family, even if it was just for one more second.

The regiment has its own guesthouse, and the families of soldiers who have come from afar will be temporarily accommodated in the guesthouse and return home on the same day's train tomorrow morning.

Soldiers accompanied them throughout the journey, and the carriage they were riding in was an independent carriage that the army had contracted out to the railway bureau in advance.

This is not a waste of time. Now is not the future, and trains are notoriously vulnerable to public security disasters.

There are so many women and children, all of whom are family members of soldiers. Even if the troops are relieved, the Railway Bureau cannot be careless.

If something bad happens...

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Clearly, there was a festive and carnival atmosphere in the camp yesterday, but when it came to the next morning, the remaining warm moments of last night were replaced by solemnity.

Combat readiness patrol.

Patrolling is just a side job, the focus is on combat readiness!

What is combat readiness?

As the name suggests, war preparation is to carry out preparatory activities in preparation for war and military conflict!

Let’s just say that early this morning, several large trucks loaded with ammunition drove into the reconnaissance battalion’s camp.

What is carried on the vehicle are not blank bullets, but everything from shells used by tanks and self-propelled artillery to various types of bullets, grenades, and rifle grenades.

In addition, each class is equipped with at least one Beidou individual navigation and positioning device and more than five night vision goggles.

This shows how much importance the higher-ups attach to this combat readiness patrol.

Each company is assigned a mission area and patrol range to ensure all-round monitoring of the border line within the entire defense zone.

As the spearhead force of the 228th Regiment, the reconnaissance battalion's mission is undoubtedly the most important, and the defense area it is responsible for is also the most dangerous.

Less than 500 meters ahead is the boundary marker and a minefield that has been there for who knows how long.

Don’t think that the presence of minefields means safety. On the contrary, this is the area where human activities are most frequent.

Precisely because it is close to minefields and boundary markers, some criminals take the risk and choose to enter or leave the border from here.

Most of the border conflicts and provocations also occur near these areas.

It's a very simple logic. The existence of the minefield itself explains a lot of problems.

If it is an unimportant area, why go through so much trouble to set up a minefield?

The third day after the Little New Year.

January 20th.

It is the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, and there are only three days left until New Year’s Eve.

The reconnaissance battalion has received orders from their superiors that they will set off for the border, either tonight or tomorrow morning.

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