First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 153
Chapter 153: Cleaning
Ji Ban looked at Doctor Lin and asked: "Is coming here just for cleaning? Do I have to go too?"
Doctor Lin patted his head affectionately: "No, you're different. You're meant for greater things."
Lian Sheng sighed and went to inform Zhao Zhuoluo and the others about the situation.
The base had internet restrictions.
To prevent students from slacking off, their optical computers could only access specific webpages and receive limited information.
When Lian Sheng found them in a corner, they were squatting dejectedly with their belongings.
They looked completely dispirited.
Fang Jianchen asked: "Where have you been?"
"Let's go, let's change equipment. Today we're cleaning the mining area." Lian Sheng said optimistically, "We've been promoted."
"Cleaning the mining area?" Zhao Zhuoluo stood up and thought for a moment: "That might not be good. It's probably all manual labor over there."
During loading and unloading, scattered ore would fall. Keeping both sides of the road clear was a massive task.
Lian Sheng said: "What's there to clean in a mining area? It's all rocks returning to their natural state, perfect."
The four stood up gloomily, went to the equipment room to get different moving tools, then went to catch a ride.
Ji Ban really wanted to go with them, but he had his own mech and needed to pilot it over separately.
The students departed first at the appointed time. He was in the warehouse loading maps into Moshi and setting parameters.
Shortly after the students left, they saw a pure black mech rush past their vehicle and quickly disappear into the distance.
Everyone's eyes lit up as they pressed against the windows, exclaiming in admiration while watching it leave, their envy evident.
Being able to personally pilot a mech was probably every military student's ultimate dream.
Of course, the ones in the mining area didn't count. Those mechs had bumpy exteriors covered in scratches from severe wear in the mines. They had no weapons and limited functionality - the oldest models with the most basic configurations. They could only maintain a single hugging posture all day, completely unsuitable for imagination.
Lian Sheng and the others stopped by the roadside while the rest continued deeper in.
Ji Ban operated from the cockpit, with all perspectives displayed on screens that could be adjusted at will.
Additionally, manually operated mechs wouldn't risk dropping ore due to movement vibrations once parameters were set. Moreover, Moshi could transform, adjusting its position to secure targets. With its high specs, it moved with great flexibility.
Ji Ban mastered ore transportation instantly - fast, safe and precise.
In the time others made one trip, he had already completed four. The supervising mining team leader was moved to tears, wanting to shake the young man's hand in gratitude.
This speed, without needing constant supervision. Truly, new model mechs were different.
Lian Sheng and the others were moving rubble by the roadside.
During loading and unloading, vibrations would break off pieces of rock that rolled onto the ground, affecting vehicle passage. Their task was to clear nearby rocks and toss them onto vehicles.
The ore didn't look large but was incredibly dense. Not heavy for mechs but quite challenging for individuals.
Especially since the drivers refused to lower the vehicle chassis, making their job harder.
The troublemaker who had clashed with them before had also appeared.
This time not as police but as a driver, lounging nearby and watching them smugly.
Two people would lift a rock together, straining to raise it high enough to load onto a vehicle. This work seemed endless - at least until today's mining operations concluded.
Covered in dust, their palms were scratched by sharp edges despite wearing cloth gloves.
With Lian Sheng's limited strength and height disadvantage, no one wanted to partner with her.
Zhao Zhuoluo carried with her twice, but with one side lifted too high and moving too slowly, it became more strenuous.
Zhao Zhuoluo said tactfully: "Go rest over there. The five of us can take turns moving these. There aren't many rocks here anyway."
Lian Sheng said: "Aren't we advocating for independent women now? No need to be polite."
Zhao Zhuoluo insisted: "No, we're also advocating for gentlemanly men now. Please go rest!"
Finally understanding his gritted-teeth tone, Lian Sheng walked over and sat on a rock.
When Ji Ban came by again and saw them laboring, he stopped and said: "Let me help you."
Then he bent down, picked up the scattered rocks and tossed them onto a nearby vehicle.
With a powerful mech's help, the work became much easier. Cleaning was originally meant for mechs anyway.
After trying it out and finding it effortless and fast, Ji Ban said: "Go rest, I'll handle this. It'll be cleaned up quickly, no rush."
Fang Jianchen looked up and said: "Buddy, your voice sounds really familiar."
Ji Ban said: "Really?"
"Whatever." Fang Jianchen shook out his hands with a sense of relief: "I forgive you, really."
Ji Ban: "...Thanks."
Seeing all five sitting around resting, the nearby man found this development unacceptable. He walked over and ordered: "Hey. Students get back to moving ore. What are you wasting time here for?"
Several students who were about to leave stopped at his words and stood still.
Daily ore moving was boring, exhausting work they weren't without complaints about. But this could be considered payment for mech rentals, and sensor training was genuinely valuable, so they hadn't complained. But did he really think they were free laborers?
Still sitting, Lian Sheng said coldly: "Students aren't being paid by you. Even the mining team doesn't set minimum quotas, yet you're pushing them not to rest? Understand this - we're here for training, so we'll do what we want."
The short man sneered: "So you have no discipline?"
Lian Sheng: "Not as much as we have happiness."
Those standing nearby said: "You sit and rest. When we finish a trip, we'll clear this area ourselves. We'll tell the others too."
All students here were allies. With help available, being assigned to clean the mining area became a chance to rest.
The short man stepped forward onto a rock and pointed at Lian Sheng: "Move this."
Lian Sheng glanced at him, then slid off her rock.
The short man said: "What? Want another go? Don't be cowardly."
Ji Ban stopped nearby and called: "Lian Sheng?"
Standing opposite him with hands in pockets, Lian Sheng said: "I hope you understand something now. I don't know where your arrogance comes from, but let me remind you - if anyone needs to learn humility, it certainly isn't me."
She pointed at the students: "Do you know where we're all from? Top schools in the Alliance. Forget our personal backgrounds - do you think if you anger multiple major universities, your lives will stay this easy? Your so-called airtight evidence - could it withstand scrutiny? If someone investigated, who would suffer most?"
"I forgave you last time. From now on, stay away from me." Lian Sheng stuffed her hands in her pockets disdainfully: "Has no one told you not to mess with soldiers?"
The short man was stunned speechless.
Their vehicle was nearly full. Another driver behind them asked quietly: "Brother Ryan, can we go back now?"
The short man belatedly turned and got into the passenger seat, driving the transport vehicle away first.
Most ore movers were freshmen who knew each other.
Later, when student-piloted mechs arrived, following their peers' instructions, they conscientiously collected nearby ore to clear the area.
Lian Sheng's group of five became idle and started cross-country running training across the uneven terrain.
The bumpy ground required constantly changing stride height and speed, making excellent endurance training. After running all morning, they went roadside for lunch at noon.
Fang Jianchen saw Ji Ban's face for the first time. Though prepared, he still felt resentful.
Holding a box of plain rice, he kept glancing at Ji Ban, sighing thoughtfully before sinking into gloom.
Ji Ban's chopstick hand trembled: "Is he okay?"
Lian Sheng: "His vitality is incredibly tenacious."
Ji Ban patted her shoulder: "How have you all been? After moving ore, is mining next? Do you have blasting permits? Can you use weapons now?"
"Don't touch!" Lian Sheng shrugged sharply, wincing: "Our mechs' sensor systems have issues - the force stays on our shoulders. After exiting, our whole bodies stiffen up. A pat hurts like hell."
Ji Ban: "Ah... that tough? I could help. Manual mechs are convenient."
Lian Sheng calculated. They still had several days before finishing cleanup duty.
In following days, Lian Sheng's group idled in the mining area, becoming the most leisurely.
But they didn't just rest - using the terrain for continuous physical training. For them, everything depended on self-discipline.
In this light, their actual punishment was just one day of urban cleaning and one week without real mech access.
While Lian Sheng's group half-heartedly served their punishment, Doctor Lin remained busy with prior matters.
Though he'd reclaimed punishment authority from the training base and denied allegations, the complaints hadn't been withdrawn. He'd been running around about this.
Tired of contacting powerless people, he finally negotiated through Alliance University.
The school was furious upon learning the truth.
Initially angry these troublemakers had caused issues within days, upon hearing the exaggerated accusations against them, their anger shifted targets.
Punish what? On what grounds?!
Was this targeting students or the university itself? Trying to take down six students at once was slandering the school's reputation!
Had District 36 reached a point where individuals could dominate unchecked? Wouldn't sending students there be dangerous?
With even one school committee member investigating thoroughly, this couldn't be easily dropped.
Meanwhile in District 36's central high-rises...
A middle-aged man sat on a sofa, displeased. Leaning on the backrest, he coldly ordered when the call connected: "What have you done? Withdraw the lawsuit immediately!"
The officer hesitated: "Which lawsuit?"
"Which one? The one against those Expeditionary Force trainees! If not for Alliance University's official apology letter, I wouldn't have known about your deeds!" He roared, "What else have you done while I was away? Report everything!"
The officer broke into cold sweat, shaking his head hurriedly: "Nothing else, nothing!"
"I said report! All cases you've handled recently!" The man slammed the table, "If you want to die, don't drag me down."
Without looking closely at the dense list, his scalp tingled: "Withdraw them all!"
The uniformed man asked nervously: "All of them?"
The middle-aged man shouted: "Withdraw! Or wait for investigations? Do you really want to fight them? Where are your brains? With Alliance University's influence, if their people were detained, how would we explain? Would your nonsense documents hold up against Second District's scrutiny?"
The officer hesitated: "But Brother Ryan arranged this..."
In the shadows, a crouching figure's breathing grew heavy, eyes tightly shut.
The middle-aged man tilted his chin, shifting the camera.
The so-called Brother Ryan knelt on the ground.
The camera turned back as the uniformed man rapidly deleted files.
"After one trip, do my words carry less weight than my subordinate's?" The man scanned those on screen with pressure: "Don't forget your roles - you're District 36's police. Can't you act without orders? Or do you consider yourselves useless?"
He looked down at the short man: "Who gave you authority? Did I authorize this? Is this what I meant by proper management?"
The short man shook his head frantically.
He smashed his optical computer against the short man's head, gritting teeth: "Couldn't you lay low? Afraid people wouldn't know you're criminals? This is the Alliance, not bandit territory. Do a few calls of 'brother' inflate your ego?"
"Of all targets, you pick the worst. Very impressive, hm? More powerful than me! Can you afford to provoke the Expeditionary Force? Did you investigate those students' backgrounds? Don't test softness before picking fruit? Useless trash, get out!"
Unable to contain rage, he continued: "Who brought him in? Get out too!"
Lian Sheng knew nothing about punishment follow-ups, only that nothing happened.
Ji Ban had become popular recently - his cool mech gained many admirers. For someone usually alone, this felt nice.
Lian Sheng's group successfully rejoined training.
During their next break, they didn't go to the rental. They voluntarily surrendered keys and safe codes to Doctor Lin for leniency - at least less fear during future infirmary visits.
With summer halfway over, their anticipated speed training hadn't started. No instructors had appeared to teach new mech piloting techniques.
If this continued, would they show significant improvement for post-break finals? Without it, wouldn't the Expeditionary Force embarrass itself?
Gathering at the collection point, staring at ore piles, they found life truly perplexing.
One male student sighed: "When do we start mining? How much longer? What configurations are needed for advancement? At least give us standards to prepare."
"Mining's dangerous, don't rush." Zhao Zhuoluo said, "First learn blasting, test accuracy, and emergency response training."
Ji Ban said: "I think it's nice here. Everyone gets along, right?"
The male student said: "But people must progress! What's this situation? Truly free labor?"
"I think arrangements have purpose, just unstated." Zhao Zhuoluo pondered, "Recently piloting mechs, I've gradually adapted to the sensors. Days ago, my whole body ached with pressure marks. But these days have clearly improved - at least repetitive motions no longer cause the same issues. Proves our posture was incorrect before."
Lian Sheng agreed.
Perhaps settings intentionally amplified force effects on pilots to forcibly correct mistakes.
If they could perceive center-of-gravity shifts from this and increase difficulty, new mech adaptation could be resolved.
Hearing this, others reflected and agreed, patiently continuing ore moving.
They anticipated change but were accustomed to waiting - change never came overnight.
Regardless of training's benefits for mech piloting, it certainly opened secondary career paths.
Returning one evening for dinner before showers, Lian Sheng's group saw Lu Mingyuan coming from the infirmary direction on their way to the cafeteria.
He acted strangely, instinctively trying to avoid them upon noticing them. But with this being a one-way path, turning back would be too obvious, so he reluctantly greeted them.
Seeing medicine stains on his arm and scraped palms, Lian Sheng frowned: "Senior Lu? What happened?"
Lu Mingyuan said: "Nothing. Just fell."
They stood to one side to avoid blocking others.
Lian Sheng asked: "Have you started blasting training already?"
"Yeah. We've been here long enough." Lu Mingyuan said, "Our group and some remaining upperclassmen are doing blasting tests. Evenings are speed training."
Lian Sheng suddenly changed topics: "Where did you fall?"
Lu Mingyuan paused: "The mining area, where else? Don't worry about me, go eat. The cafeteria closes soon. The food's bad, but don't skip meals."
🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
ReplyDelete