Chapter 293: Internal Disputes
China Team One and the official and reserve competitors, a total of 10 people, felt considerable pressure in their hearts after reading the contents of the Competition Manual.
They also truly admired the person who designed the Competition Rules, making it so complex was really something.
To satisfy all the Competition Rules, the first thing to do was to fill out the Team Member list and submit the lists for China Team One and China Team Two on time.
This matter was very important!
The Organizers already had prejudice against China Team, and from the Competition Rules, it was clear they placed great emphasis on the Sense of Time. If China Team couldn’t submit the list on time, the Organizers would definitely find fault with it.
If because of a delay in submitting the list, China Team couldn’t participate in the Competition, and they just showed up and had to go back.
That would really be a huge loss of face.
Don’t think the Organizers wouldn’t do such a thing; these days, the malice from foreign countries toward China is something you can’t imagine, but nothing they can’t do.
No need to mention what happened before; what will happen later is even more outrageous to both gods and men.
The 1999 embassy bombing, the 2001 fighter jet collision.
Both incidents were instigated by a certain country behind the scenes, deliberately suppressing China with arrogant actions that were utterly infuriating.
China decided at this point in 1998, riding the wave of informatized Military Reform, to participate in this international Special Forces Soldier Competition.
The core reason was just one.
Actually, it was to expand international influence.
By showcasing China’s Military Strength, China would have sufficient right to speak in the world, without letting a certain country continue to smear and suppress.
To have sufficient influence internationally, everything else had to take a backseat; only a hard enough fist was truth.
So…
Chen Jun and his group participating in the Special Forces Soldier Competition was far from just superficially winning the Champion.
Behind it was extremely profound significance, a game between great powers, the nation’s long-term planning, and the starting point of formally stepping onto the world stage.
Only if Chinese Soldiers were strong enough and the Chinese Army tough enough could the world respect China.
It was precisely because of the significance it represented that the pressure in Chen Jun’s heart was so great, not daring to slack off even a tiny bit.
This was the first time Chinese Soldiers were competing abroad, and the first battle must start with a big win.
There was no second path!
If China Team couldn’t achieve good results, it wouldn’t just be losing face abroad; it would affect international prestige.
The negative impact of this layer was simply indescribable with pen and ink.
Therefore, the slogan Chen Jun shouted upon departure was that military order carrying a resolve to face death and the willpower of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats—
“Either win, or die!!”
With this break the cauldrons and sink the boats determination, Chen Jun set the goal directly on the Champion, eliminating any country that stood in the way.
To achieve this ultimate goal, Chen Jun had to make a biased arrangement in the teams.
That was to gather all the elites and form the strongest sharp blade.
Select the four strongest from the eight who were most suitable for this Primitive Jungle Competition, to form the strongest China Team.
This team would be responsible for charging for the Champion, winning the first Champion for the country in an international military Competition.
Team Two would serve as the support team, aiming to strive for second place while also protecting the “main team,” making sacrifices when necessary.
Chen Jun’s idea was extreme and also the approach with the highest success rate.
However, Senior Colonel Li Dayong did not agree!
As the Regiment Commander of the Chinese Delegation, Senior Colonel Li Dayong had some right to speak on the Competition Arrangement and sufficient authority to constrain Captain Chen Jun.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong had a typical Chinese personality, leaning toward the Confucian emphasis on the golden mean.
Chen Jun’s one main one auxiliary configuration seemed too aggressive to him; if the main team had an accident, China Team would completely lose the chance to win the Championship.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong preferred a balanced middle way, evenly distributing the strength of the eight people.
Put the eggs evenly into two baskets, so even if one basket flips, there are still eggs in the other basket.
It meant both teams advancing neck and neck, with greater hope than one team charging alone.
As for the issue that both teams’ strength would average out and not reach the peak, Senior Colonel Li Dayong had a reasonable explanation for it.
At least he thought it was reasonable!
First, the rules of this Competition were clear: no early arrival, so in Senior Colonel Li Dayong’s view, no overly strong strength was needed.
It mainly tested the competitors’ persistence and perseverance, whether they could endure 78 hours without rest.
And this was something Chinese Soldiers all had.
Second, the ten competitors of China Team, in his view, each Team Member’s strength was about the same, the difference being only in specialties.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong was sent by the Military Commission, and his understanding of the Competition Team Members was entirely from paper information.
From the information…
Except for Captain Chen Jun who was a pervert, almost a flawless octagonal warrior, making even Senior Colonel Li Dayong sigh:
“Are young people nowadays all so tough?”
The personal information of the remaining Team Members was basically similar, just excelling in different aspects, all very excellent competitors.
With his experience and logic, Senior Colonel Li Dayong believed every Team Member had the potential to charge for the Champion.
Since every Team Member’s strength could charge for the Champion, it was only necessary to balance and pair two teams according to individual specialties.
There was no need to take risks by picking the four strongest to group together.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong had never been to the grassroots, always working in government units, so not understanding the Competition mechanism made such judgment completely normal.
If pursuing insurance and stability, like steadily taking the top three, it was enough.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong’s middle-way choice was indeed more secure; as long as no major accidents occurred, two-handed preparation was indeed more advantageous.
From a normal person’s perspective, they would also recognize Senior Colonel Li Dayong’s decision.
After all, for the first participation, aiming for the Champion was really too bold.
By common sense.
For a country participating in an international event for the first time, with modern Special Operations just budding and still developing, taking the top three would already be great success.
After all, the participants this time were all from Europe and America, where modern Special Operations started almost earlier than China.
Most importantly, as Europeans growing up here from childhood, they had a natural geographical advantage and were more adapted to the local climate.
So Senior Colonel Li Dayong’s choice of securing third while striving for first indeed had sufficient reason.
However, Chen Jun was someone who had hacked the system; as long as he appeared, normal logic couldn’t apply, and settling for third after hacking would be too embarrassing.
So Chen Jun rejected Senior Colonel Li Dayong’s “golden mean” without thinking.
The Captain and Regiment Commander’s opinions couldn’t unify, and after talking for a long time, neither could persuade the other; this was really quite troublesome.
In the end, Chen Jun could only propose: “Regiment Commander Li, since we two can’t convince each other, let’s go old tradition: for team Competition, let the team decide. Everyone votes together to choose the path, how about it?”
“Alright, let’s do that.”
Senior Colonel Li Dayong thought for a few seconds and could only agree to Chen Jun’s proposal.
“Comrades, you should all know the plans of me and Regiment Commander Li. Whether to secure third while striving for first, or break the cauldrons and sink the boats to seize the Champion, the choice is yours. Next, raise hands to vote.”
Chen Jun’s line of sight swept over all the Team Members present, truly without absolute confidence in his heart, pondered for a moment and announced: “Those supporting Regiment Commander Li’s plan, raise your hands.”
…
The whole audience was silent.
Only one hand went up, and its owner was Senior Colonel Li Dayong.
Seeing this scene, Chen Jun’s mouth curved up, his voice raised a tone, and he announced again: “Those supporting my plan, raise your hands now.”
After Chen Jun spoke, he raised his hand first.
Swish swish swish…
Nine hands went up neatly.
The result was obvious; Chen Jun gained all Team Members’ support, winning the final decision-making right with a huge 10-to-1 advantage.
Seeing this, Li Dayong shook his head helplessly; Chen Jun’s influence exceeded his imagination.
“Alright, it seems everyone really believes in you. Since this is everyone’s decision, I naturally respect it. Captain Chen, we’ll do as you say.”
Li Dayong was ultimately a straightforward person; having lost, he admitted defeat cleanly without any hesitation.
“Yes!”
Chen Jun achieved victory, raised his hand in salute, then began arranging the teams.
Considering the Competition venue was all in Primitive Jungle, and they had to cover 150 kilometers in 78 hours, the greatest test was on stamina.
After analyzing each Team Member’s situation, Chen Jun finally wrote two lists on paper.
China Team One: Xu Sanduo, Cheng Cai, Wu Liu Yi, Chen Jun.
China Team Two: Wu Zhe, Tuo Yonggang, Ba Te Er, Qi Huan.
If this were an actual combat operation or leading troops in assault combat, Chen Jun definitely wouldn’t bring Xu Sanduo and Wu Liu Yi.
Instead, he would swap in Wu Zhe and Qi Huan!
Because actual combat situations are more complex, requiring consideration of more change factors, and needing various tactical cooperation, where experience and wisdom have higher value.
Wu Zhe was proficient in Demolition, Computer, Chemical Engineering, etc., with unparalleled advantages.
Qi Huan had participated in numerous combat operations, absolutely second only to Chen Jun in experience richness, and similarly more suitable than Xu Sanduo and Wu Liu Yi.
However, this was precisely a Competition, and one that disallowed fighting.
This gave physical fitness absolute leading priority in selection weight.
Xu Sanduo and Wu Liu Yi, with better physical fitness, more abundant stamina, and being younger and more vital, instead became the optimal choices.
Cheng Cai’s stamina was slightly worse than the two, but he had absolute advantage in Reconnaissance.
In the entire Chinese Participating Team, besides Chen Jun, no one had Cheng Cai’s Reconnaissance technology; he was the competitor most fitting the Competition theme—Reconnaissance Infiltration.
With absolute advantage in skills and tactics, plus superb marksmanship.
Chen Jun had no reason not to bring Cheng Cai!
The rest were grouped into Team Two; they also had very strong competitiveness, and their four-person configuration was very good.
For intelligence and strategy, there was top student Wu Zhe; for Firearm All-rounder, there was Tuo Yonggang; for seasoned experience, there was Qi Huan; for individual comprehensive quality, there was tough guy Ba Te Er.
The only inferiority to Team One was stamina and endurance; all four were deficient in this aspect.
Whether they could persist for four days and three nights was still uncertain.
However.
As long as these four could squeeze their potential and erupt in the Competition, enduring 78 hours to take second was not impossible.
Senior Colonel Li Dayong looked at Chen Jun’s grouping, carefully checked against the information, and found it very reasonable.
The slight resentment left in his heart from losing the vote to Chen Jun completely dissipated at this moment.
As for the eight Competition Team Members, they had no objections at all, taking Chen Jun’s command as paramount.
After all, they were long accustomed to Chen Jun’s command!
The only competitor with a slight change in expression was Tu Lang and Tian Lang from Wolf Fang Special Operations Brigade, serving as reserve Team Members.
As reserve Team Members, the two really wanted to compete, to win honor for the Chinese Army abroad.
But the two didn’t want to participate.
Because if they competed, it meant a formal Team Member must have had an accident, which they didn’t want to see.
Under this conflicting mood, it seriously affected their emotions.
Chen Jun’s keen and meticulous observation caught their emotional changes, walked over, patted their shoulders, and encouraged: “You two don’t need to feel lost; you are our strongest backing. With you, we can charge fearlessly.
If a real accident happens, we’ll still need you two to step up, so keep your condition and be ready to join the Competition at any time.”
According to the rules in the Competition Manual, if uncontrollable dangers or accidents occur midway, each team is allowed to replace one competitor.
This was why the Organizers required each country to bring two reserve Team Members.
“Got it, Captain. I’ll adjust well.”
“Thanks for the concern, Captain. I’m ready to go on at any time.”
Ran Feng and Chen Xiaopan answered resolutely, very grateful for Chen Jun’s care for the two.
The most important list confirmation link was thus completed, with Senior Colonel Li Dayong handing it to the Organizers; the first day’s work upon arrival was almost done.
There was no welcome banquet in the evening; dinner was in self-service mode.
Because China Team arrived late, other countries’ teams had long finished eating; by the time China Team came for dinner, the restaurant was almost empty.
The food in the restaurant leaned toward the Europe and America style, mostly high-sugar high-fat foods.
China Team, including Chen Jun, really couldn’t get used to it; thinking they needed to maintain good body and stamina before the Competition, they forced themselves to eat what they could barely stomach.
Like reheating medium-rare steak to well-done, then sprinkling salt and pepper with bread.
After dinner, returning to the dormitory was nearly eight o’clock; only then did the Organizers send someone to notify China Team to organize picking up supplies at nine a.m. tomorrow.
The participating Estonia, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, United States, and China—12 participating countries, a total of 24 Participating Teams.
Unified at the designated Main Camp center Parade Ground to receive all Supplies and Equipment needed for the Competition.
