Chapter 7: Assessment Begins!!
Wu Liu Yi deliberately went out for a run early in the morning mainly to probe Chen Jun’s bottom, not really to temporarily cram and come train.
Since he had already probed Chen Jun’s bottom, there was no need to continue training.
He ran two more laps afterward and then left the training ground.
Gan Xiao Ning and the veteran soldiers who were peeking from the corner saw that Chen Jun had trained so vigorously for so many days, and although his strength had improved, it was very limited, so they also put down their suspended hearts.
Before Wu Liu Yi came over to the parade ground, they all shrank back and fled.
Chen Jun simply used one move to turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage, plus flawless acting skills for cooperation, and easily got away with it, hiding his strength.
In the next two days, Chen Jun also intentionally controlled his speed to act.
Only when leaving the Steel Seventh Company barracks area to run 10 kilometers cross-country outdoors would he release all restraints and challenge the ultimate speed.
Eliminating the opponent’s vigilance is also an excellent tactic.
When the time came to the day before the competition, which was also the last day of the seven days of training time.
Chen Jun took advantage of the time when no one noticed in the evening, left the Steel Seventh Company barracks area for a simulation run, and went all out for a unarmed 5 kilometers sprint.
The final result was set at 16 minutes 30 seconds!
The average pace per kilometer was nearly three and a half minutes, which was much worse than within three minutes for a national first-class athlete, and could only barely catch up to Wu Liu Yi’s score for taking first place.
Chen Jun was definitely not satisfied with this result.
However, the preparation time was only this much, and Chen Jun’s foundation was also very limited.
Being able to improve from the company record of Chen Jun’s best result—barely passing 24 minutes 28 seconds—to as much as 8 minutes in just one week.
For others, this rate of progress would be unthinkable even in dreams.
Chen Jun was very satisfied with himself!
Whether it was the gritted teeth persistence during this period, or the training technology and methods used, and so on in various aspects, Chen Jun was very satisfied.
Whether he could take down Wu Liu Yi tomorrow, at worst he had to rush into the top three of the whole company.
Chen Jun had no confidence in his heart and could only go all out to fight.
After all, Wu Liu Yi’s light load 5 kilometers cross-country, with the rifle, ammunition, water canteen, saddlebag, grenade, etc., carried on him adding up to more than ten catties, could still achieve 16 minutes 29 seconds.
It was not the same concept as Chen Jun’s unarmed run; the difficulty was at least two levels higher.
Tomorrow’s competition was light load 5 kilometers cross-country, with more than ten catties of load on the body; whether he could still run 16 minutes 30 seconds, Chen Jun really had no confidence in his heart.
Fortunately, Chen Jun also had his own advantages and was not without a chance to win.
First, when Wu Liu Yi participated in the competition back then, he had carefully prepared for several months and adjusted his physical state to the best.
Now he was in the company’s rest period, and had not done cross-country long-distance running for a long time.
At most, just 5 kilometers to warm up.
Now Wu Liu Yi’s physical state in all aspects was far inferior to when he competed back then; he probably could not run such a fast result again.
Second, simulation cannot stimulate hidden emotions; the official competition can stimulate adrenaline and dopamine.
Potential is stimulated to open, and anything is possible.
Finally, and the most important point…
After Chen Jun’s careful camouflage over these few days, Wu Liu Yi’s fighting spirit had been paralyzed, and he definitely would not go all out in the competition.
Combined with Chen Jun having sufficient technology and experience, suddenly exploding during the competition to catch Wu Liu Yi off guard.
A comeback was not impossible!
With this beautiful anticipation and mood, Chen Jun finished work early in the evening and returned to the dormitory to recuperate, restore energy, and prepare for tomorrow’s big battle.
Wu Liu Yi and Gan Xiao Ning and other veteran soldiers seemed to also feel the atmosphere before the big battle.
The group who usually chattered nonstop in the dormitory under Gan Xiao Ning’s lead rarely became quiet.
Under this unusual atmosphere, the day of the competition finally arrived.
The company, excluding those on official duties, visiting relatives on leave, studying outside, and borrowed, actually did not have many people left, less than half of the full combat readiness period establishment of the company.
A full establishment company has three platoons and nine squads; some troops retain only three platoons and six squads during combat readiness period.
Steel Seventh Company belonged to field units, bearing the heavy responsibility of garrisoning the capital region, and also had full establishment of nine squads during combat readiness period; now the more than 60 warriors still in the company were all assembled on the large parade ground behind.
“For this recent period, you’ve all been very idle; day by day you’ve idled to the point of laying eggs. This won’t do; we are the fierce tiger Steel Seventh Company. Even during rest, we must show the spirit, energy, and mind of a fierce tiger, so…”
Gao Cheng stood right in front of the drill, excitedly announcing: “This morning, we’ll do a little activity, a light load 5 kilometers cross-country mini-assessment.
Those who can run within twenty minutes will be rewarded and can rest and freely activity in the afternoon. Where there’s reward there’s punishment; those who can’t reach it will do stamina preparation on the apparatus ground in the afternoon.
That’s all I have to say; weigh it yourselves, whether you want to be comfortable or want to be punished.”
Gao Cheng finished with just a few simple sentences, then began issuing orders.
“Armorer, get the key from the communicator to open the armory and organize everyone to draw rifles.”
“First Platoon Leader, after they finish drawing rifles, no need to wait for me; take the people to the parade ground and organize them for the assessment.”
“Clerk, you go along to record the time; the assessment results must be recorded accurately.”
Gao Cheng issued three orders in a row; the three who received the orders divided the work clearly and immediately began meticulous preparations before the assessment according to the order’s instructions.
As the company duty officer, the First Platoon Leader led the team to line up in front of the armory.
After everyone drew their rifles, put on combat equipment, and completed the combat dress for light load cross-country, he then led the team to the large parade ground.
5 kilometers cross-country didn’t need much preparation; once the team was pulled to the large parade ground, they could start.
The other veteran soldiers in the team still didn’t know that the initiator of this assessment was Chen Jun, this baggage cadet soldier they all looked down on; the scene was still quite calm.
If they knew Chen Jun was going to grab first place with Wu Liu Yi, that the baggage dared to challenge the company’s benchmark.
The team would probably explode!
Only Gan Xiao Ning and Wu Liu Yi and other Third Squad veteran soldiers knew that under this whole company assessment, there was also a game belonging to their Third Squad hidden.
Gan Xiao Ning’s monthly subsidy was only twenty-five yuan; a pack of Hongta Mountain cigarettes required saving for five months.
He absolutely could not afford to lose.
So even if he didn’t take Chen Jun seriously and didn’t think Chen Jun could completely transform in one week, he still took a posture of going all out to fight.
Wu Liu Yi, as Chen Jun’s challenge target, even if he was confident in his own strength, could not avoid pressure.
He also could not afford to lose!
As the side that actively initiated the challenge, Chen Jun’s emotions were now very intense; a long-lost sense of nervousness began to envelop him completely.
A familiar yet strange excitement began to ignite every cell.
He also could not afford to lose!
Three people who could not afford to lose, three different moods, each with their own goals, standing on the same starting line, fully focused and entering the state.
“Bang~”
The starting pistol sounded.
The warriors already poised at the starting line were like wild horses breaking free from reins, howling as they charged out in a swarm.
