The resentment the men of Easy Company held for Lieutenant Herb Sobel didn't stem from his strict training, but rather from his unpredictable and harsh personality.
For Lieutenant Sobel, training his company into the best in the 506th Regiment, making himself more conspicuous at battalion headquarters, was a tremendous honor.
"Luz, don't expect me to bring you Smith's pin-up tonight; I probably won't be back at the barracks tonight."
White propped one foot on a chair, polishing his already gleaming leather boots with a brush, his military shirt crisp, and a fashionable tie knotted.
He grinned maliciously at the dejected Luz.
"Smith?" This name was clearly unfamiliar to Parks, as he had just been reborn from 21st-century China.
"Is she a star? What movies has she been in? Maybe we can go to Town to watch a movie tonight."
"Whoa!" Several whistles simultaneously echoed through the tent.
"Don't tell me you don't even know Anna Nicole Smith!" Luz instantly perked up, looking disdainful of Parks' question.
"That's our favorite! Parks."
Ed Heffron walked over, stood in the center of the tent, unbuttoned his shirt, and pulled it off, revealing his white undershirt.
He wiggled his hips a few times.
"Parks, clearly all your energy has been spent on Sobel's training.
Is that pervert making you too busy to care? Smith is our dream goddess."
"Oh—those big ones!" Heffron blew a kiss, "Absolutely captivating."
Immediately, several retches were heard in the barracks.
But Parks finally understood: Anna Nicole Smith was one of America's most famous adult film stars, a cover girl for adult magazines.
No wonder these men in the barracks were so excited when her name was mentioned.
"Alright, Heffron, put away your disgusting ass!" Parks laughed, reaching out to pat Heffron's still wiggling backside.
"We're about to head out! Honestly, I really want to go to Town and find some fun right now!"
"Charge, stallions!"
Several men shouted and laughed as they rushed out of the barracks.
This was a rare moment of freedom.
Parks was also looking forward to it; since arriving here, he hadn't yet had the chance to experience the charm of American small Towns in the 1930s and 40s.
The Town's roads weren't wide and were paved with asphalt, strewn with pebbles.
The streetlights were dim, but the taverns in Town were brightly lit and bustling.
When Parks and his companions pushed open the door, the place was filled with smoke, incredibly noisy, with curses and loud shouts rising and falling.
"This is a bar??" Parks could hardly believe that such a messy place was what the soldiers in the barracks called 'heaven'.
Clearly, what they said was vastly different from what Parks imagined.
"Oh, Parks, it's as if you've never been here before!" Roy Cobb looked at Parks strangely.
"You're a regular here."
"Hehe, buddy, even though there are a lot of broads here, it seems you've never managed to pick one up!" Heffron added.
Then the group picked a table and sat down.
A plump waitress, around thirty, almost dripping with cream, came over.
She had a few freckles on her face.
"What can I get for you soldiers?" The plump waitress's voice was cloying.
"Beer?"
"Yes, one for each of us! Auntie Emma! Hurry up!" Odem Moore said.
"Wait!" The plump waitress named Emma glared at Moore.
As she turned, she bent down and gave Moore's crotch a hard squeeze!
Moore instantly cried out in surprise.
The group burst into laughter.
Parks took a big gulp of beer.
By then, Moore, Cobb, and Heffron's eyes were darting around, searching for their targets.
"Brothers, I'll have to excuse myself for a moment!" Heffron chugged his beer, then, eyes fixed on a busty blonde woman, stood up.
"She's mine!"
Watching Heffron walk towards the woman, Parks shook his head and laughed, "Has he always been like this?"
"Of course, hey, buddy, what are we out here for? Isn't it just to have fun?" Moore laughed.
"Do we have to stay in the barracks all day, living by jerking off?"
"Parks, Lieutenant Sobel must have trained you into an idiot!" Cobb laughed.
"Don't mention Sobel!" White clearly held deep resentment for Sobel.
"If you mention that man's name now, then tonight, if I can't get it up, you'll have to compensate me for my loss."
"Alright, don't mention him! Look at the girls here!" Cobb also stood up.
Clearly, he also had a target—a girl who was winking at him.
"Charge, stallions!" Moore patted Cobb's butt from behind him.
It was natural for American soldiers to seek pleasure and entertainment after training, but even though Parks had become accustomed to his new body, fully adapting to this open American lifestyle was still a bit difficult for him.
"I think I'll go back to the barracks first!" To cover his embarrassment, Parks raised his empty beer glass.
"I've had enough to drink.
I want to go back and get a good night's sleep.
Without Lieutenant Sobel tomorrow morning, I'll sleep better!"
White grabbed Parks, sounding a bit displeased.
"Oh, don't be like that, Reese! We came out together.
If people find out we ditched you halfway, we won't be able to show our faces in the company!"
"Yeah, Parks, don't be a spoilsport!" Moore also shouted from the side.
"I really am a bit drunk.
Do you want me to lie on a girl and do nothing? I'd become a laughingstock!" Parks tried to explain, but Moore and White absolutely refused to let him leave.
As the three were talking, they suddenly heard a "clank" from nearby, followed by a woman's scream and a clamor of voices.
All three looked over at once, only to see Roy Cobb and a burly man grabbing each other's collars.
The girl who had winked at Cobb earlier was crying nearby.
"Damn it!" Odem Moore couldn't help but slap his hand in annoyance.
"That bastard Cobb, he must have caused trouble again."
"Let's go, let's check it out, don't let our brother get taken advantage of!" Parks patted Moore and White, because by then, seven or eight burly men had already surrounded Cobb.
"Hey, you big dumb soldier, you want to fight me for a girl?" The burly man facing Cobb, with his undershirt open, revealing his solid muscles, sweat glistening under the light, said, "If you're smart, scram!"
"She was with me first!" Cobb seemed to want to back down, but he glanced at the girl and couldn't bring himself to lose face.
"You... what is this? Are you trying to cut in?"
"She was with you first? Don't be silly, she's my broad.
Are you trying to pick up my broad?" The burly man shoved Cobb's shoulder, making him sway and almost fall.
"Oh, look, these are our American soldiers.
If you're all like this, I can push you over with just a finger.
How are you going to kill German devils?"
A burst of laughter erupted in the tavern.
"Please don't insult us!" Cobb steadied himself, growing angry.
"Don't insult us paratroopers!"
"You're still paratroopers? That's really lame!
You might as well go home and be mommy's good little boys!" The burly man laughed heartily, then clenched his fist.
"First, let me teach you a lesson, you ignorant punk.
Next time you try to pick up a broad, open your eyes wider!" With that, he threw a punch.
Cobb was clearly terrified.
A "bang" of a punch landed on his eye socket, instantly blackening it.
Cobb shrieked, clutching his eye and stumbling back a few steps.
Unable to stop himself, he fell backward, and with a "crash," he pulled down a table behind him.
Glasses and bottles clattered to the floor.
Immediately, there were screams from women and cheers from men.
"Useless kid, get up, let me give you another taste of my fist!" The burly man got up to pull Cobb.
"Forget it, Clint, he's just a pathetic worm.
Let's keep drinking, ignore him!" A companion of the burly man called out.
"Forget it? No way, I still want to taste his fist!" At that moment, a voice came from behind the burly man Clint.
"Parks!" White, seeing Parks step forward, cried out in worry.
If it were just the few of them, trying to handle seven or eight burly men was clearly impossible; they would definitely get hurt.
Parks looked back at White, blinked, and laughed, "Don't worry, White, I just don't want anyone to insult us paratroopers.
So he has to apologize to Cobb and to us!"
"Apologize?" The burly man laughed loudly.
"Did you all hear that? This kid actually wants us to apologize?
Looks like you really do have some guts, but having guts definitely won't end well for you!" With that, he threw a "whoosh" of a punch at Parks.
"Careful, Parks!" White cried out in alarm.
"Parks!" Moore and the now-standing Cobb also shouted.
There was a dull "thud" as the punch landed on a face, followed immediately by the "crash" of a table being overturned.
Everyone watching was stunned by the scene.