Chapter 245: The Veterans’ Legs Are Shaking
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“I understand that each of us is unique, just like our appearances.
Some are as handsome as me, and some may not be as fortunate,” Wu Jianfeng exclaimed as he surveyed the assembled line during the obstacle course.
His words elicited immediate laughter and smiles from the group, except, of course, for the instructor. He just looked at Wu Jianfeng speechlessly.
However, the jovial atmosphere quickly dissipated among those in the line.
“But we all share a commonality.
We are all human, we are all men, and we all possess two legs, two arms, and one head!”
Wu Jianfeng’s tone shifted abruptly. Though he had been joking just a moment ago, his demeanor grew grave.
Scanning the crowd, the soldiers of the Fourth Company abandoned their smiles.
At that moment, it was fair to say that under Wu Jianfeng’s intense gaze, the solemnity displayed by the attendees at a memorial service might not match that of the Fourth Company’s soldiers.
No one dared to meet Wu Jianfeng’s eyes.
Yet, what needed to be addressed couldn’t be avoided.
“One minute and thirty seconds!” Wu Jianfeng proclaimed. “Wang Ye managed to achieve this time because you all watched him sprint right before your eyes.
1 acknowledge that people differ.
I can accept if there’s a slight discrepancy, but when it extends to 10 seconds, 20 seconds, or even half a minute, that’s where I draw the line.
Tell me, can you understand that?”
Silence gripped the assembly.
Of course, they couldn’t fathom how Wang Ye had run so swiftly.
They couldn’t fathom the remarkable physical prowess that supported him.
Nevertheless, reality stared them in the face. If they dared to admit their inability to comprehend, Wu Jianfeng would undoubtedly give them a lesson in understanding.
“No one has anything to say?
Has everyone lost their voice?
Answer me, do you understand?”
“No!” The soldiers of the Fourth Company bellowed vehemently as though they had just ingested something extremely bitter.
They truly didn’t want to utter that word.
Yet, Wu Jianfeng forced them to respond.
Wu Jianfeng was highly pleased with the resounding response. He declared loudly, “Excellent. You don’t understand, and neither do I. So, let’s let the facts speak for themselves.”
Pointing towards the training ground beside him, Wu Jianfeng continued, “Later, all of you need to get back on track. Today, we won’t count the new recruits.”
The veterans’ test results all fell within one minute and forty seconds. Reflect on it yourselves, why is there still a gap?
One minute and forty seconds!” Wu Jianfeng emphasized.
At this juncture, Wu Jianfeng turned to the deputy company commander and asked, “Zheng Ke, tell me, what should we do?”
“Practice!” Zheng Ke replied loudly.
“How?” Wu Jianfeng pressed further, not letting up.
Zheng Ke’s expression grew stern as he exclaimed, “Except for those who completed it in 1 minute and 40 seconds, the rest of you will run a 400-meter obstacle course every morning, afternoon, and evening, in addition to two eight-kilometer cross-country runs, fully armed, in the morning and evening.”
At that moment, many veterans from the Fourth Company felt their legs quaking.
As for the recruits, their faces, tanned from their enlistment, seemed to lose some color.
It was too cruel.
Run fully armed for eight kilometers?
This was borderline madness. Five kilometers with gear was already grueling, and now they had to add three more kilometers twice daily.
The recruits at the training camp had never tackled the 400-meter obstacle course, so they didn’t fully grasp the intensity of the three 400-meter runs each day. They assumed that three such runs were manageable, taking just one or two minutes each, with any discomfort being temporary. So, they began running.
However, the veterans, along with some recruits from the Iron Bones Hero Regiment, now harbored a newfound dread for the 400-meter obstacle.
Naturally, just the thought of eight kilometers was enough to weaken one’s resolve.
In short, it seemed as if darkness had descended upon them.
Even though it was still the afternoon, and the sun hung high in the sky, everyone felt as if they were in a deep shadow.
“Move, move, move… Begin your run and pick up the pace… Faster. Tell me, at this speed, how could you have said you didn’t understand?”
On the training ground, the veterans swiftly embarked on their training.
Wu Jianfeng stood at the edge of the training ground, his voice booming as he relentlessly pushed the runners to accelerate.
Three lanes were set up, with three platoons of veterans running together.
Wang Ye remained unfazed.
However, the recruits on the sidelines felt a shiver down their spines.
When they had witnessed Wang Ye’s run earlier, the recruits who had never run in the training camp believed it didn’t seem too challenging.
But now, the veterans were all gasping for breath. Some struggled to get past the obstacles on their second attempt due to Wu Jianfeng’s relentless encouragement.
For instance, the high bench – they hung onto it and shook it a few times before they toppled over when they lost their strength.
Then, there was the deep pit. After leaping in, some found it difficult to climb out…
Confronted with a variety of situations, the recruits soon realized that these 400 meters were far from the cakewalk they initially imagined.
“1 minute 37.58 seconds, 1 minute…”
Zheng Ke proudly displayed his results.
He could breathe a sigh of relief if he completed the run within one minute and forty seconds.
As for those who didn’t make it, their faces were already drained of color from the 400-meter run, and now they looked even paler.
Half an hour later, all the veterans had finished their runs.
Not a single veteran in the company achieved a time under one minute and thirty-five seconds.
Fourteen of them finished within one minute and forty seconds, with most clocking in at 1 minute 38 seconds.
The rest exceeded one minute and forty seconds. Today, due to Wu Jianfeng’s exceptional urging and motivation, four individuals took longer than two minutes and even two and a half minutes.
This marked the third 400-meter run, and exhaustion prevented them from surmounting certain obstacles.
For instance, Wei Qinghai from Class Eight was relatively short, standing at around 169 centimeters, and his academic performance was not stellar.
This time, due to the excessive urging, Wei Qinghai had depleted a substantial portion of his stamina. Ultimately, he had to make five or six attempts at the deep pit, taking twenty to thirty seconds to successfully climb out.
“Embarrassing, and you dare to call yourselves veterans? You even claim to be a veteran of my Fourth Company. You were shouting earlier that you didn’t understand, and now you perform like this?” Wu Jianfeng scolded with a stern expression as he walked towards the newly formed formation.
“There are 51 veterans in the entire company, and 37 of them took more than 40 seconds.”
“Zheng Ke!” Wu Jianfeng turned his head and called.
“Here!” The deputy company commander stepped forward. Without waiting for Wu Jianfeng to say anything, he approached the front of the formation and shouted, “Those who finished within one minute and forty seconds step out!”
Fourteen seasoned soldiers stepped forward.
“You guys, teach the new recruits how to overcome the obstacles. The rest of you, follow me back to get your gear and prepare for an eight-kilometer cross-country run!”
“Hu…” At this moment, the 14 seasoned soldiers let out a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, the veterans following Zheng Ke back wore expressions of sorrow and indignation. An eight-kilometer cross-country run awaited them, and they wondered if they would even have the strength to eat with chopsticks afterward.
“Wang Ye, or rather, Brother Wang, you’re truly like a big brother to me now. Can you share some tips with me? Is there a way to run the 400 meters faster and with less effort? I don’t want to be like you; I just want to achieve one minute and forty-five seconds!” In the cafeteria, as dinner commenced, Peng Yuhang sat at a table, gazing at Wang Ye with a pained expression. He couldn’t help but ask softly.
He had shifted from addressing Wang Ye to calling him “Brother Wang.”
He found the challenge to be incredibly tough. Today, due to the veterans having to complete an eight-kilometer run, dinner had been delayed by half an hour. Consequently, the recruits had to run the 400-meter obstacle course after the veterans had instructed them.
The best result among the recruits, excluding Wang Ye, was one minute and fifty-six seconds, and this achievement belonged to the Iron Bones Hero Regiment recruits.
In other words, Wang Ye had already completed the 400-meter obstacle course once before.
As for the rest of the recruits who had come from the training camp, like the two recruits from Class Eight, none of them finished within two minutes. Only two individuals managed to complete it within two minutes and ten seconds.
The remaining results were even more protracted.
Peng Yuhang’s situation was no exception.
Not to mention the passing mark of 2.30 minutes.
He didn’t even reach that.
During his second attempt, he got stuck at the high bench, completely drained of energy, and couldn’t ascend. He was ordered to stop and concluded his 400-meter run prematurely.
Wang Ye looked at him and chuckled softly, “It mainly comes down to stamina. If you lack stamina, your performance will naturally suffer.”
Peng Yuhang wore a gloomy expression and muttered, “Yes, 1 didn’t manage my stamina well. I started too fast, and I…”
“What do you mean you didn’t manage your stamina? You simply don’t have enough stamina. Don’t make excuses. I don’t think you can run fast at all. 1 don’t know how you new recruits made it here. Let me tell you, over the next two months, you’ll need to improve your physical fitness,” Zhou Qi, sitting opposite Peng Yuhang, spoke with a serious expression. His voice wasn’t loud, but his message was crystal clear.
Peng Yuhang’s expression grew even more bitter, but he didn’t dare to argue. He could only reply quietly, “Yes.”