Some bosses who came later and didn't know what was going on heard the new recruits speaking and spoke up one after another.
"That's right, young comrade, tell us.
Whoever bullied you, we'll all stand up for you!"
The new recruits, who had been calmed down by the veterans, became agitated again when the veterans spoke.
They all looked at Qin Yangming.
Qin Yangming, looking at the cookhouse squad leader shouting about injustice and the new recruits with wronged expressions, felt his head swell.
"Political Commissar, please judge this fairly.
The Regiment Commander said he wanted to make something good for everyone, and the steamed buns I made for them this time were all corn flour.
I didn't even mix in any sweet potato shreds, and I even added some lard to the dishes."
"You're lying, you didn't give us good food at all.
Before our platoon arrived, wasn't it white flour steamed buns every day?
At worst, it was a mix of white flour and corn flour, and we had meat every day!"
"We can eat corn flour steamed buns too.
But each person only gets one, about the size of a fist, and it's not enough to fill us up."
"That's right, that's right, our entire platoon, even though we were so far away, had that kind of food.
Why is the food so bad when we get to the main force? It must be intentional!"
As soon as the new recruits spoke, the veterans on the outer perimeter were stunned.
"Good heavens, is the food at the 772nd Regiment that good?
White flour every meal, and meat every day?
It can't be true, can it?"
"I don't think they're lying. Look at these new recruits, aren't they all rosy-cheeked and full of vigor?
And the veterans from their platoon just now kept telling the new recruits that not all units were like theirs."
"I'm also from the 772nd Regiment.
How come I didn't know our regiment had such good food?"
"Could it be that the food only got better after the large-scale sweep?"
"What do you mean?
I've been in the 772nd Regiment all along, and I was only recently transferred to the New First Regiment."
"Then what's their deal? Aren't they from the 772nd Regiment?"
"I remember they were wounded soldiers like us."
"Wounded soldiers?
Wounded soldiers who are strong and healthy?"
Meanwhile, Sun Zhigang, who had been informed by the new recruits, closed his eyes.
"It's over, the last of our family fortune won't be left."
Just before the meal, the head of the regiment's logistics department found Sun Zhigang with an order.
He was to hand over the equipment to the regimental headquarters.
Sun Zhigang, who had long expected to be asked to hand over equipment, saw that there was no mention of handing over grain or other supplies, so he only handed over the equipment.
He kept the grain and other supplies.
He had originally planned to keep these supplies as transitional reserves for the troops once they reached the new garrison.
But he hadn't expected that the newly formed New First Regiment would be so lacking in supplies.
The poor food was one thing, but the portions were also small.
The soldiers, whose appetites had been trained by Qin Yangming, couldn't eat their fill.
The veterans were fine; they were mentally prepared for this situation.
But the new recruits were different.
From the first day they joined the army, they had never been without white flour and meat.
Every morning, they even had an egg, and the food was better than what common people had during the New Year.
As a result, when they arrived at the new unit, they were faced with coarse corn flour steamed buns and extremely bland boiled radish and cabbage.
These new recruits couldn't take it.
Sun Zhigang had originally planned to give the new recruits some extra food in the evening.
But now that these new recruits had made a fuss, everyone knew that their platoon had good food.
It would be impossible for them to eat alone.
Those supplies they had put away would definitely not be kept.
Listening to the new recruits' account, Qin Yangming understood what was going on.
He also hadn't expected the New First Regiment to be so lacking in supplies.
"Old Sun, how much white flour, dried meat, and canned food do we have left?"
Sun Zhigang listened to Qin Yangming's question and spoke helplessly.
"We still have ten bags of white flour, just enough for our platoon to eat for ten days;
about five hundred catties of dried meat, and three jars of lard,
and about a hundred cans of beef jerky from the Japanese devils."
"And two hundred catties of beef jerky made using the method you told me about."
Zhong Zhicheng, standing nearby, also felt a bit embarrassed. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
The soldiers nearby, hearing Sun Zhigang's words, all looked at Qin Yangming.
Especially the cookhouse squad leader, whose gaze was incredibly fervent.
With so much food, it would be enough for the entire Independent Regiment to have a good feast.
"What are you all doing, crowding around here?"
A rough, distinctive voice sounded from the rear.
It was Li Yunlong, who had finished discussing matters with Zhang Dabiao.
"Look at yourselves, it's just because they can drink and eat meat.
If you want to eat meat, it's simple: go snatch it from the Japanese devils yourself!"
"The fact that they can eat meat is their capability.
If you're envious, then close your eyes for me."
"If any of you have the ability to eat meat every day,
I'll be happy even if I have to eat chaff and wild vegetables every day!"
"Put away your petty thoughts.
Do you have the nerve to eat the meat and white flour that others earned with their lives?"
Li Yunlong was indeed Li Yunlong.
His words immediately intimidated all the soldiers.
"Alas, little rascal, the soldiers under me have no meat to eat.
This is my failing as a Regiment Commander, my old face is still worth something.
I'll borrow some meat from you, and I'll definitely return it after we capture some later."
After reprimanding the soldiers, Li Yunlong turned his gaze to Qin Yangming.
He had already taken too many things from Qin Yangming.
Even with his thick skin, he felt too embarrassed to take their rations anymore.
Qin Yangming listened to Li Yunlong's words and replied.
"What are you saying, Regiment Commander? I am already a member of the New First Regiment.
What's there to borrow or not borrow?
These supplies were captured, and captured goods naturally belong to the public."
"I think it's better this way: I'll bring out all the supplies.
Let the cookhouse squad prepare properly.
Tonight, let everyone have a good meal of meat."
Although Li Yunlong said "borrow,"
Qin Yangming couldn't possibly have Li Yunlong write an IOU.
Moreover, if they ate meat while other soldiers ate chaff and wild vegetables,
Qin Yangming wouldn't do such a thing.
"Regiment Commander, I think Company Commander Qin's method is good.
Now that the New First Regiment has just been established, a gathering together will help everyone get to know each other better.
It will be beneficial for increasing the unit's cohesion."
Li Yunlong nodded upon hearing Zhong Zhicheng's suggestion and agreed to his proposal.
Thus, under the reluctant gazes of Sun Zhigang and others,
the New First Regiment's cookhouse squad began to carry down the supplies from the cart.
However, they didn't take everything; they left the canned food and beef jerky.
Once the dried meat was stewed, each soldier could get more than half a catty, not to mention the two jars of lard.
As for the new recruits of the Vanguard Company, they didn't have any particular thoughts.
If there was no meat, they would just go snatch it from the Japanese devils.
Wasn't that how they got their meat in the first place?
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Li Yunlong returned to the regimental headquarters to rest.
The moment he lay down, he remembered he hadn't called Blind Cheng to thank him.
"Hello, connect me to the Regiment Commander of the 772nd Regiment, this is Li Yunlong."
Regimental Commander Cheng, who was discussing new recruit training with the Political Commissar in the regimental headquarters, was somewhat puzzled when the guard said Li Yunlong was calling him.
"How strange, why would Li Yunlong, that scoundrel, call me?
I've already given him all the unassigned wounded soldiers, isn't he satisfied yet?"
"Hello, Li Yunlong, I'm telling you, this is all the soldiers and equipment I can give you.
Take it or leave it, if you don't want it, send it back."
"Alas, Blind Cheng.
How can you speak to your old squad leader like that?"
"Blind Cheng, you are a straightforward person, and I, Old Li, thank you.
You sent me so many supplies and soldiers, and half of them are veterans who have served for over a year."
"I'll remember this favor, Old Li.
When you have time, come to the New First Regiment, and Old Li will treat you to a drink."
Looking at the hung-up phone, Regimental Commander Cheng was a bit strange.
He had only given Li Yunlong some wounded soldiers, at most with the equipment they brought themselves.
For such a small amount of equipment and personnel,
Li Yunlong had actually called to thank him, which didn't seem like his usual character.
"Old Cheng, it seems your old squad leader is truly in a difficult situation."
"Sigh, my old squad leader is good at everything, except he has major personality issues.
Because of this, he's been removed from his position as Regiment Commander countless times.
He should have been the Regiment Commander of the 772nd Regiment, but at the critical moment, he made a mistake again."
Regimental Commander Cheng, listening to the Political Commissar's words, also felt that Li Yunlong was truly in a difficult situation.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have called specifically to thank him for thirty or forty wounded soldiers.
Thinking of this, Regimental Commander Cheng remembered how the other man had personally taught him how to shoot and couldn't help but speak to the guard.
"I remember we still have about ten Old Barrel rifles in our regiment that have just been repaired,
send these weapons to Regiment Commander Li."