Chapter 156: The Second Third-Class Merit
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
At this moment, Wang Ye’s eyes brightened.
To be honest, Wang Ye had never considered this possibility before.
The main reason was that Wang Ye couldn’t discuss this with Wu Jianfeng.
He hadn’t even started shooting, nor had he fired a gun. He merely aimed and practiced every day.
How could he be certain that he could retrieve all the rings?
He couldn’t reveal the existence of the system to Wu Jianfeng.
Hence, he had to devise his own strategy.
However, now that Wu Jianfeng had laid out his plans so clearly, Wang Ye realized that it might disrupt his own strategy.
He didn’t want things to take an unexpected turn now.
Wu Jianfeng truly lived up to his reputation as a company commander. He had a solution.
Observing Wu Jianfeng, Wang Ye secretly gave him a thumbs-up in admiration.
“Alright, wipe that gloomy look off your face.
We’ll discuss the shooting practice later. When the regiment commander arrives, don’t make any mistakes.
Now, start your recovery routine promptly.”
“Alright!”
Wang Ye concurred with a smile.
Wu Jianfeng gazed at Wang Ye, who was beginning to limber up, and continued, “Let me tell you, don’t let me down later, and don’t hold back any longer.
This time, you need to run as fast and as far as you can, ideally completing the run in under one minute and thirty seconds.
Even if you run until you collapse, I’ll carry you back.
But if you don’t perform well and fail to attain even a third-class merit, you’ll crawl back.
Hang on. If that happens, I’ll sit on your back. You crawl, and I’ll be your passenger!”
“Yes, I guarantee I’ll fulfill the mission!” Wang Ye stood up and saluted.
One minute and thirty seconds. Wang Ye was actually rather confident.
Just earlier, he hadn’t held back, but he hadn’t gone all out either.
After numerous practice runs, even without a stopwatch to monitor his time, he had a rough sense of it.
Under these conditions, he simply had to give it his all.
However, if he discarded all other thoughts and ran for his life, Wang Ye estimated he could complete the run in one minute and thirty seconds, or perhaps even break the team’s historical record.
After all, his stamina was no longer ordinary.
His physical strength was 1.8 times that of an average person. Most scouts didn’t possess such an advantage, and those who did were blessed with robust physiques.
Yet, if his physique was excessively robust, it would inevitably impact his other attributes.
For instance, flexibility, reaction speed, and so forth.
Striking a balance among these traits was quite challenging for a regular individual.
Nevertheless, with the system augmenting every aspect, Wang Ye had no weak points.
“Regiment Commander is here!”
Not long after, three individuals approached from the direction of the regiment headquarters building.
Two were in the lead, while one trailed behind them. Wang Ye glanced at the one in the rear and surmised that it must be a messenger or something of the sort.
He didn’t pay excessive attention to them, focusing instead on the two leading figures.
Wang Ye recognized one of them, the chief of staff. However, the other individual was unfamiliar to him.
“Let’s proceed.”
Wu Jianfeng greeted Wang Ye in hushed tones.
Subsequently, he guided Wang Ye forward to meet the newcomers.
“Greetings, Regiment Commander! Greetings, Chief of Staff!”
Wu Jianfeng spoke, and although Wang Ye didn’t need to utter anything, he followed suit with a salute.
“Very well!” The regiment commander let out a chuckle and motioned for them to lower their hands. His gaze then landed on Wang Ye.
“Comrade Wang Ye!”
“Yes, Regiment Commander!”
“I heard from your captain that you completed the run in 1 minute and 31 seconds?”
“Yes, sir! Regiment Commander.”
Wang Ye responded in a robotic manner, addressing each query with precision.
“Yes, an impressive performance indeed. For a new recruit to achieve such a result, I must say, in my years of service, you stand out as one of the most remarkable recruits I’ve encountered.”
How about this: could you run once more? I’ll personally witness it!”
“Yes, Regiment Commander!”
Wang Ye echoed his response.
“Very well, go ahead. I’ll personally keep track of the time.”
With those words, the regiment commander turned around.
A soldier behind him promptly produced a stopwatch.
“Yes, Regiment Commander.”
Then, he glanced at Wu Jianfeng, who nodded in approval. Wang Ye then jogged over to the nearest track, a 400-meter training ground on the left.
Truthfully, during standard military assessments, the 400-meter obstacle course would commence from a prone position. Ye Sanshi had informed Wang Ye of this.
However, being a new recruit, Wang Ye’s starting position hadn’t been stressed by the regiment commander and the others. So, he discreetly chose to ignore the rule and commenced the race from a standing stance.
At present, seeing Wang Ye’s stance, the regiment commander didn’t comment.
After all, they were recruits from a new recruit company, and there was a degree of leniency when it came to the starting position.
“Prepare!”
The regiment commander positioned himself at the side, while Wu Jianfeng and the chief of staff stood a few meters behind him.
“Go!”
As the regiment commander pressed the stopwatch, Wang Ye explosively dashed forward.
His initial speed was quite impressive. Even Wu Jianfeng couldn’t help but feel a tinge of concern witnessing this rapid start.
This young recruit, let’s hope he doesn’t overexert himself simply because the Regiment Commander is observing.
Fortunately, Wang Ye’s forte lay in the initial acceleration. After covering a dozen meters, he adeptly adjusted his pace and breathing rhythm.
In his case, the explosive start was just that—an initial burst—and his stamina was more than capable of sustaining it.
Before long, the first hundred meters were behind him.
The regiment commander scrutinized the stopwatch in his grip.
Meanwhile, Wu Jianfeng observed from behind. It wasn’t that he doubted the regiment commander’s accuracy, but rather he desired to ascertain the outcome as promptly as possible.
Turning the flag, executing the Five Step Stance…
Wang Ye navigated the obstacles with swift fluidity. He employed the most efficient techniques recognized by the military to maneuver through them.
Of course, this approach bore its own risks.
Perfection was an elusive goal. Pursuing speed could exact a significant toll on one’s physical energy. A misstep could lead to a miserable fall or even hospitalization.
However, such a scenario wasn’t in the cards for Wang Ye.
Bolstered by his remarkable reflexes and complemented by his relatively lithe physique, along with the steadiness of his limbs and enhanced flexibility and explosive power gained from his extensive training, Wang Ye was almost impervious to error when he focused completely.
He sailed through the obstacle course with ease.
Although his return speed was marginally slower, he maintained his rhythm with precision. He recalibrated his pace in harmony with his diminishing physical reserves.
As the last hundred meters drew near, Wang Ye emitted an “ah” sound. His countenance flushed, and his strides surged.
In truth, Wang Ye’s legs were verging on the edge of control. He was capable of maintaining a steady pace, yet his impulse to accelerate had taken hold. It was a drive fueled purely by determination.
“Faster… Faster… Pick up the pace!” At the finish line, the regiment commander remained glued to his stopwatch, bellowing encouragement at Wang Ye.
The regiment commander’s customary demeanor had vanished, replaced by the fervor of an animated referee on a stadium track.
“Excellent!”
Finally, as Wang Ye arrived at the regiment commander’s side, he ceased the stopwatch and erupted into hearty laughter.
“Haha!” Indeed, he wasn’t the sole one laughing; Wu Jianfeng joined in the celebration.
In that instant, he pocketed the stopwatch and hastened to Wang Ye’s side, where the recruit had knelt down after completing the run.
“Company Commander!”
Despite his heaving breaths, Wang Ye turned his gaze toward Wu Jianfeng as the latter approached.
At this juncture, Wang Ye experienced a tinge of nervousness.
Confidence aside, this context diverged from standard training.
Now, he had just completed the run for a third-class merit.
“1 minute 29 seconds 42 milliseconds. You’ve succeeded. You were a mere 0.10 seconds away from breaking the team record!”
Wu Jianfeng’s grin stretched ear to ear. He crouched beside Wang Ye, extending a helping hand to assist him to his feet while sharing the outcome.
“Haha, I managed 1 minute 29.39 seconds—close, but not quite. That’s the outcome, Wang Ye, you’ve outdone yourself!”
The Regiment Commander’s laughter resonated as he strolled over.
In that instant, Wu Jianfeng lent a hand to Wang Ye, aiding him to stand upright.
Wang Ye’s face was suffused with a deep crimson hue, sweat beading his forehead.
Yet now, Wang Ye too, was beaming with unbridled elation.
The second third-class merit was now within his grasp..