Chapter 9: Plotting The Mid-year Competition
Gao Cheng had contact with Chen Jun before this and even promised him that as long as he could get into the top three, he would hand over the company’s training and cross-country to Chen Jun.
If he could make the entire company’s 5 kilometers all reach excellent standard, he would even go to the regiment to request merit for Chen Jun.
The reason he dared to paint such a big pie was that Gao Cheng didn’t have much hope for Chen Jun at the time; he just wanted to use this to motivate Chen Jun a bit, make him more motivated, and improve his results a little.
He didn’t ask for the results to be very excellent, at least reach the passing line.
After all, Steel Seventh Company only had Chen Jun as a cadet soldier; if the results were too poor after the internship, it would be embarrassing for Gao Cheng if word got out.
Now it’s good…
Originally, it was just said as motivation, but Chen Jun actually did it.
This made Gao Cheng even more confused than Hong Xingguo.
Facing Hong Xingguo’s repeated astonished questions, Gao Cheng, who didn’t quite believe it himself, hesitated and answered: “Probably… maybe it’s him.”
“It’s not maybe, it is him.”
The first echelon ran past the stands, and Hong Xingguo confirmed that the one in second place was Chen Jun.
Both shocked and delighted, he said: “What’s going on with this Chen Jun today? How did he suddenly run so fast? Could one week of training really have such a big effect?”
Chen Jun had been gritting his teeth and doing overtime training for a week straight, and this matter had spread like wildfire in the company.
Most warriors didn’t take it seriously.
Hong Xingguo had been in the troops for nearly ten years and had seen all kinds of good and bad warriors; he knew how hard it was to improve in cross-country, so he didn’t pay too much attention either.
He thought practicing for a week would bring progress, but the progress should be very limited.
At most, he could shake off the baggage title.
After all, every warrior in Steel Seventh Company was a top student, all carefully selected by Gao Cheng; their strength was basically not bad, not so easy to surpass.
Others had practiced for one or two years to achieve those results; you think you can surpass them in one week.
Everyone thought it was unrealistic, which was completely understandable.
“This kid’s progress is indeed very fast, so fast it’s baffling; he’s already followed for three and a half laps and can still stick to the Third Squad Deputy Leader; it’s really quite weird.” Gao Cheng frowned thoughtfully.
Chen Jun’s worst project was running; if he could really keep up, Gao Cheng would definitely be very happy.
It’s just that Chen Jun’s results were too good, making it impossible to think with common sense; the resulting surprise had overshadowed the happiness.
“This progress is indeed astonishing.”
Hong Xingguo shook his head and sighed, then said with relief: “But having said that, no matter what happened to Chen Jun, as long as the results can improve, it’s a big good thing.
The warriors had all laughed at him as baggage before, and he did drag down Seventh Company’s overall results; now that he can catch up, we won’t have to worry about next year’s mid-year competition.”
From June to September every year, all troops organize mid-year competition-style assessments.
702 Regiment also holds a grand competition every year, where all companies’ experts compete; the most excellent are even sent to the division to compete on the same stage with elite soldiers from other regiments.
This is both a test of training achievements and a battle for honor.
“Hey, Old Hong, don’t mention it; this year’s mid-year competition was really embarrassing; we were actually overtaken by Red Third Company; every time I see Old Third, I get fired up seeing his nose turned up to the sky.”
Gao Cheng was famously the most competitive in the entire regiment; he wasn’t convinced by any of the dozen companies; how could he not be frustrated being suppressed by Red Third Company.
“Sigh, this year was indeed very average; at the end of the year, we’ll get a few good seedlings; next year we’ll prepare well, and take back all those lost honors.”
The political instructor’s work is to assist and support the company commander, so Hong Xingguo naturally stood with Gao Cheng.
“That goes without saying.”
Gao Cheng raised his neck and said fiercely: “Next year’s grand competition, we must take them all; whether Red Third Company or Great Merit Sixth Company, they all have to yield to our Steel Seventh Company.”
“Chen Jun improved so fast in just one week of training; if trained well, he would absolutely be a dark horse.” Hong Xingguo followed up.
“This kid’s improvement is indeed pretty fast, but whether he can become a dark horse is hard to say now; Wu Liu Yi… he’s not that easy to beat.”
Gao Cheng turned his gaze to Wu Liu Yi, his eyes full of trust in him.
That was the veteran who brought honor to Steel Seventh Company; currently, aside from Shi Jin, he was the most versatile in all skills, with the strongest comprehensive quality in the company.
How could Gao Cheng not believe in him!
Wu Liu Yi, who was highly expected and trusted by Gao Cheng, if placed ten minutes ago, would definitely treat it as a joke if someone said they could make him nervous.
But now, after sprinting nearly 2 kilometers, even top veteran soldiers were starting to hold on and fall behind.
The first echelon, which started with seven people, now only had four left, and the other two veterans were in very poor condition, likely to drop out of the first echelon at any time.
Yet Chen Jun, who was baggage a week ago, was still as fierce and energetic as at the start.
Like Wu Liu Yi’s shadow, following closely.
Having a toffee trailing behind that couldn’t be shaken off no matter what, it greatly affected Wu Liu Yi’s mentality and emotions, with irritability constantly rising.
And as his mentality and emotions were affected, Wu Liu Yi’s running rhythm also began to be disrupted.
Obsessively thinking only of shaking off Chen Jun, constantly squeezing stamina from his body to accelerate, made Wu Liu Yi’s stamina consumption intense.
The stamina that would have been enough for a normal sprint rhythm was now unexpectedly insufficient.
In comparison, Chen Jun was constantly chasing, maintaining sprint speed was also tiring, and stamina consumption was fast, but still much more relaxed than Wu Liu Yi.
If the two ran separately, Chen Jun probably really couldn’t keep up with Wu Liu Yi.
After all, there was a significant strength gap between them!
Fortunately, Chen Jun used running skills, always letting Wu Liu Yi help him break wind; this way, even at the same speed, stamina consumption would be much less.
With this increase and decrease between the two, the stamina advantage was evened out.
Wu Liu Yi lost his stamina advantage, while Chen Jun still had the absolute advantage of running skills, plus a slight advantage in height and leg length.
The extra advantages might not show in the short term, but over time, the gap would become obvious.
And it would grow larger!
When Wu Liu Yi led into the 8th lap, about to break the 3-kilometer mark, he finally reached the critical point, with his condition showing a clear decline.
From the initial full sprint state, he slowed down at a visible speed.
Mouth breathing plus a pale face proved that Wu Liu Yi’s stamina was overly depleted; the full sprint state could no longer be maintained.
In contrast, though Chen Jun was covered in sweat, his breathing was still very steady, and his steps very solid.
Seeing Wu Liu Yi’s condition decline and the first echelon left with only himself and Wu Liu Yi, Chen Jun realized that the moment he had been waiting for had arrived.
