Chapter 128: The Door to First-Class Merit
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Half a month ago, it was just 0.2 seconds short, and now it has reached an impressive 1 minute and 34 seconds.
This kid keeps surprising me!”
Inside Wu Jianfeng’s office, he wasn’t angry because Ye Sanshi had attempted to poach Wang Ye with two other people. If Wu Jianfeng had seen such talented individuals, he would have acted just as fast. Even if the chances of recruiting them were slim, he wouldn’t miss the opportunity.
But what truly captivated him was Wang Ye’s rapid improvement.
During his first attempt, Wang Ye completed the four-hundred-meter obstacle course in 1 minute and 44 seconds. And now, just after half a month, he had shaved off an impressive 10 seconds from his previous time.
Keep in mind that this was a four-hundred-meter obstacle course, not a three-kilometer or five-kilometer run. So, such drastic improvement was understandable, considering it was Wang Ye’s first time running the course and now he had gained proficiency and experience.
However, what shocked everyone was the extent of Wang Ye’s improvement.
In the Iron Bones Hero Regiment, Huang Dayong from the reconnaissance platoon held the first-place record, running the course in a little over 1 minute and 33 seconds. The second-place record was from their side, with a time of 1 minute and 33 seconds. Wu Jianfeng’s own teammate ranked third with a time of 1 minute and 34.41 seconds, which was the best result in their company.
But now, Wang Ye’s performance had shattered that record effortlessly. He wasn’t just among the top three in the team; he was now in the top four overall.
With just a little effort, Wang Ye had broken the company’s best record. The difference between the first two was merely two seconds, which was truly remarkable.
“Do you think Wang Ye can break Huang Dayong’s record?” Wu Jianfeng asked Ye Sanshi with a smile.
“Yes, he can,” Ye Sanshi said seriously. “I believe in him. It’s just two seconds. It’s just a matter of a shiver!”
“Bullshit, why don’t you tremble for two seconds?” Wu Jianfeng teased.
Wu Jianfeng then made a proposition, “I said, as long as you run 1 minute and 35 seconds, I will give you a third-class merit quota in the company this year.” “Hehe!” Ye Sanshi scratched his head, unsure how to respond. Accepting such an offer seemed unrealistic, as he knew he couldn’t achieve that time. His fastest time had never been one minute and forty seconds, let alone one minute and thirty-five seconds required for a third-class merit. The current military record was an impressive 1 minute and 23 seconds set last year, and he dreamt of breaking that record and earning a first-class merit, but that too felt far beyond his reach.
“Alright, let’s go back. I’ll make a call!” Wu Jianfeng said, signaling the end of the discussion about the proposition.
Though Wu Jianfeng wasn’t truly angry about Second Company’s attempt to poach Wang Ye, he still needed to express his stance on the matter. But instead of calling the Second Company Commander himself, he realized it was not his expertise, and he had no business negotiating in this situation.
The army had a reputation for toughness, and the spirit of resilience ran deep in the Iron Blood Fourth Company’s veins.
Wu Jianfeng took action and called the current deputy company commander of the 4th Company, instructing him to keep a close eye on the Second Company from now on. He wanted the Fourth Company to join the Second Company during their physical training sessions and ensure they kept up with their rigorous training.
The deputy company commander responded with a straightforward “Yes, sir!” There was no need for further explanation. He understood the message clearly: the Second Company was in for tough times ahead.
The thought of having to train alongside the Iron Blood Fourth Company, who were known for their tenacity even though they were just pretending to be infantry, was intimidating for the Second Company. But admitting defeat was out of the question. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and give it their all.
The Fourth Company’s physical training was legendary, and they were considered an elite company among the infantry. Their training routines were more extreme than most.
Even the strongest members of the Second Company found it difficult to keep up with the Fourth Company’s grueling training sessions. The effort required to match their intensity was too much to bear.
The situation became a struggle for the Second Company as they tried to keep up with the relentless pace of the Iron Blood Fourth Company during their shared training sessions. It was a challenging and demanding experience that pushed them to their limits.
“Brother Wang, how did you do? What’s your score?”
“Yeah, tell us quickly, Brother Wang!”
As soon as Wang Ye entered Class Five’s dormitory, Gu Yingnan and the others surrounded him eagerly. They were on a lunch break, but for new recruits, there was no real break. Instead, they were engaged in reciting military theories.
The training included daily two-hour ideology education classes, where they were required to memorize and be tested on various military-related topics. Wang Ye found this part of the training quite challenging as it involved fixed knowledge that couldn’t be turned into a skill. He had to carry it all in his memory, but fortunately, his memory had reached an impressive 1.5 times, allowing him to memorize even the less interesting topics.
Despite the difficulty, Wang Ye put his heart into it and managed to memorize the questions one by one. However, new questions were introduced every week, making the process ongoing and demanding.
He had already taken a test last Saturday and scored 90, which was considered decent. But many in Class Five had failed, with the worst being Wan Baojiang, who only got 48 points. It was quite a challenge for those who were not used to getting such high marks in open-book exams.
As they chatted, Wang Ye was sitting on a small stool, part of the intense training regimen.
Wang Ye placed the small stool upside down and stood on its foot. This treatment was not unique to him; the other four who had failed the test also had to endure the same punishment.
After a moment of suspense, Wang Ye reported his results with a smile, “1 minute 34 seconds 51!”
His friends were amazed by his performance. “Fuck, Brother Wang, you’re too abnormal!”
“That’s right, it’s terrifying! We all thought you could only run 1 minute and 35 seconds, but you went straight to 1 minute and 34 seconds. Brother Wang, you’ve only been here for half a month. If you had another half a month, wouldn’t you achieve first-class merit right away?”
Because of Wang Ye’s exceptional abilities, Ye Sanshi had shared some remarkable records with the rest of Class Five. This included the 400-meter records for the entire army, division, and regiment. The team record was 1 minute and 29 seconds, and the regimental record was 1 minute and 27 seconds. As for the entire army, the higher-ups had set an ambitious goal of one minute and twenty-three seconds.
Wang Ye joked, “According to your calculations, I’ll be able to take off in two months. I’ll be able to fly 400 meters in less than ten seconds!”
His friends laughed, and one of them said, “Hey hey, that may not be possible for others, but if Brother Wang says he’ll fly, 1 absolutely believe it!”
Wang Ye playfully retorted, “Get lost!” as everyone continued to share a good laugh together.
After the playful banter, Wang Ye became serious and warned everyone, “Alright, stop fooling around. The class monitor will be here soon. Don’t let anyone hear you, especially you guys. If the class monitor sees you standing up, be prepared to put a cup on your head!”
His words instantly silenced the entire dormitory. Wan Baojiang and the others, in particular, immediately squatted down obediently. They had no desire to experience the cup punishment.
Ye Sanshi was known for his skill in messing with people. Squatting on the bench was one thing, but if he saw anyone not being obedient or reciting too slowly, he would go to the extent of pouring water over their heads. It was a terrifying move that made everyone anxious because they knew that the punishment could be even worse, like dropping a cup instead.
Even with just water, the cold liquid could be quite uncomfortable, so the threat of a cup being used as a punishment made everyone’s hair stand on end. They didn’t want to face that kind of ordeal.