Chapter 116: Freshly Minted Second-class Merit!!
Short-distance running focuses most on sprint speed, while long-distance running focuses most on rhythm control. Running at the most suitable and correct rhythm can achieve twice the result with half the effort.
The two competitors from the Reconnaissance Battalion are very strong. If they maintain rhythm to finish the remaining distance, their time will definitely be shorter than Ba Te Er’s.
Chen Jun is even stronger than the Reconnaissance Battalion competitors. Similarly, as long as he maintains his own rhythm until the final 500-meter sprint, he can easily take the load-bearing 10 kilometers.
This is the hard power gap!
However, in order to achieve for Ba Te Er and repay the favor he owed, Chen Jun did not play by the rules and sprinted early ahead of time, leading the Reconnaissance Battalion competitors astray, which would surely leave them without energy to sprint at the end.
These Reconnaissance Battalion competitors actually all understand, but they lost their reason due to the mocking stimulation.
After running out, it is even more impossible for them to suddenly wake up.
Because Chen Jun keeps running ahead of them, he will continuously stimulate them, only making the anger in their hearts stronger and their brains more confused.
This leads to when the competition reaches the last 1000 meters, Chen Jun and the two Reconnaissance Battalion competitors have overconsumed their stamina and cannot maintain speed anymore, running slower and slower.
While Ba Te Er, who has always maintained rhythm, his speed remains very steady.
Gradually catching up from behind.
When the competition enters the final 500 meters, Chen Jun and the others have already appeared in the spectators’ field of vision, making the spectator area’s atmosphere hot again.
Everyone anticipates the three running in front to start sprinting and compete for the final 500 meters.
However, their idea is destined to fall through. Not only did they not see Chen Jun and the three accelerate, but instead they saw the three’s speed getting slower and slower.
Like a car that has run out of battery, the speed getting slower and slower.
Instead, Ba Te Er running behind enters the sprint phase, his speed gradually picking up, and catches up to Chen Jun and the three ahead.
When passing by Chen Jun’s side, Ba Te Er, who has already understood Chen Jun’s good intentions, gives Chen Jun a look full of gratitude.
He knows this is the path Chen Jun paved for him, and he must give sufficient respect and gratitude.
Since Chen Jun has already paved the road for him, ahead is a smooth broad road without obstacles. Ba Te Er cannot let down Chen Jun, nor his own dream.
He begins to squeeze every bit of strength from his cells, charging toward his dream stage.
“What’s going on?”
The Reconnaissance Battalion experts not sprinting is one thing, and the new competition overlord Chen Jun, who has already secured nine consecutive victories, also does not accelerate to catch up. Both are overtaken by the unfamiliar Ba Te Er, leaving everyone on the stands completely dumbfounded.
Especially the Reconnaissance Battalion commander, seeing his own two competitors perform abnormally, he feels completely unwell, his brows furrowed enough to squeeze a fly to death.
Only those familiar with Chen Jun’s style, Gao Cheng and Regiment Commander Wang who have seen similar things in the regiment competition.
The two exchange a glance and instantly understand.
From this moment, they have a new cognition of Chen Jun again. Beyond personal strength, their recognition of Chen Jun’s character and personality has elevated another step.
They love Chen Jun even more!
And when Ba Te Er, under such an atmosphere, gives his all to rush past the finish line, completing his life goal and leaving no regrets in his military career.
He really cannot hide the excitement in his heart, involuntarily shouting to the sky for a full three seconds.
The time of 55 minutes 12 seconds on the stopwatch, although it does not break the division record, unlike Chen Jun who breaks records every match to bring shock.
But for Ba Te Er.
This result he is already very satisfied with, and will regard it as the glory of his life.
With Ba Te Er striding across the finish line, it represents the division competition formally ending, and also the annual grand competition coming to a perfect close.
No surprise.
The winner of the competition is the 702 Regiment.
The biggest winner is Steel Seventh Company.
The Steel Seventh Company representative team, led by Chen Jun and Wu Liu Yi, with a luxurious battle record of ten wins in fourteen projects, strongly seized the company-level first place in the division competition.
At the same time, with this brilliant result, they helped the 702 Regiment secure regiment-level first place with eleven wins.
The 702 Regiment’s battle record is really too exaggerated, completely dominating this division grand competition, making even the second-place Reconnaissance Battalion forgotten by people.
Everyone only remembers two names—
Chen Jun and 702 Regiment!
The hard work cultivation lasted three and a half days. On the afternoon of the fourth day of competition, the award ceremony, which has become a solo show for the 702 Regiment, formally opens.
Regiment Commander Wang of the 702 Regiment, laughing with a beaming face, stands on the podium representing the 702 Regiment for the first time.
He is very happy.
And infinitely proud.
Standing as straight as an iron plate, he extends his strong and powerful hands, receiving the “Four Iron Model Unit” honor certificate from the division commander’s hands.
And that squarely folded brocade banner, placed in a red box.
From the moment he receives this honor, the 702 Regiment formally becomes the strongest main regiment of T Division, rightful and without any other.
Followed by an unexpected joy.
Because the 702 Regiment performed exceptionally well in this competition, taking both first places, and also breaking all-army records, numerous division records, and so on.
The division headquarters, to commend the 702 Regiment’s outstanding performance, specially awards the 702 Regiment a second-class merit honor.
Although this second-class merit belongs to the regiment unit, for Regiment Commander Wang Qing Rui, it is equivalent to being given to him.
With this second-class merit plus the Four Iron Model Unit, Regiment Commander Wang has obtained the ticket to go further.
Perhaps it won’t be long.
Comrade Regiment Commander Wang now will become Deputy Division Commander Wang.
The regiment’s gains from this competition are very substantial. Steel Seventh Company, which contributed the greatest strength, makes the award ceremony’s atmosphere soar to the clouds.
The title symbolizing T Division’s strongest company—T Division Victory Company brocade banner, personally handed to Gao Cheng by the political commissar.
With this brocade banner in hand.
“Domination in the division, horizontal in the regiment, I am the boss among the 85 companies in the entire division.” This phrase that Gao Cheng always has on his lips will, from today, completely replace “Domination in the regiment, horizontal in the battalion, I am the boss among the 16 companies in the entire regiment.”
This is hard-fought with strength, and Gao Cheng has absolute qualification to say it.
This honor is merely the beginning.
Subsequently, Steel Seventh Company, due to sufficiently outstanding performance, the company is awarded a third-class merit, accepted by Company Commander Gao Cheng on stage.
Gao Cheng and Regiment Commander Wang are similar, both accompanying the competitors to walk through and finally return with various honors.
Facing the endless applause from below the stage, and various envious gazes thrown over, Gao Cheng laughs even happier, unprecedentedly delighted.
Like a victorious rooster, neck stretched, head raised, arrogance full.
At this moment, Gao Cheng has the qualification to be arrogant.
The unit’s competition rewards are distributed, next is the competitors’ individual rewards.
The second team represented by Ba Te Er basically had no performance, but relying on Steel Seventh Company’s perverted performance, they got regiment-level first place without doing anything.
And team captain Ba Te Er performed well at the end, taking the only individual first place.
Letting the 702 Regiment second team represented by Ba Te Er obtain one collective third-class merit record, the competitors essentially picked up a merit for free.
The second team that rubbed off the light has collective third-class merit, Steel Seventh Company’s first team is naturally even more awesome.
The first honor is collective second-class merit.
Third-class merit and second-class merit differ by one word, but their gap is very large.
Among the competitors from Steel Seventh Company in the competition, except for Chen Jun who is a cadre, the others are all veteran soldiers and non-commissioned officers, as well as new recruit Cheng Cai.
For veteran soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and even new recruits, collective second-class merit has a greater effect than individual third-class merit.
Not to mention turning non-commissioned officer, it can even serve as the threshold for promotion to officer.
And Cheng Cai as a new recruit egg, he has high school education level, has gotten third-class merit in the regiment, plus this collective second-class merit.
Cheng Cai turning non-commissioned officer is already a done deal, even promotion to officer has one foot in.
As long as subsequently he can serve one year as squad leader backbone, and reach standard in the annual rating assessment, without committing any principled major errors.
Cheng Cai will definitely not complete first-class non-commissioned officer service before entering the promotion to officer program.
And Wu Liu Yi, who is now second-period volunteer soldier（ second-class sergeant）, his performance is even more outstanding, his promotion to officer progress will inevitably be faster than Cheng Cai’s.
High probability within the next two years, Squad Deputy Leader Wu will become Platoon Leader Wu.
Steel Seventh Company competition team’s gains are so substantial. As competition team captain, obtained ten individual first places, created nine consecutive wins record, broke five division records, and also broke all-army record Chen Jun.
His performance cannot be described as awesome, only as perfect and unmatched.
With invincible crushing-level absolute strength, Chen Jun easily conquered a crowd of division leaders including the division commander and political commissar, and was solemnly awarded one individual second-class merit.
And also personally inscribed by the division commander, awarded the “All-around Competition Sharp Soldier” division commendation certificate.
The four words all-around and sharp soldier really match Chen Jun.
And being able to get the division commander’s personal inscription makes this division commendation have different meaning, value even possibly higher than second-class merit.
Because second-class merit is just a manifestation of honor, but the division commander’s personal inscription represents his recognition.
Being recognized by the division commander.
That equals in future military career path, Chen Jun is also a person with background and backing, at least from company to division is mostly clear.
From the envious gazes of hundreds below the stage, one can see the weight of this division commendation.
When receiving the second-class merit honor certificate with both hands, looking at the second-class merit medal worn on the left chest, Chen Jun finally shows a satisfied smile.
Got this second-class merit, plus the third-class merit from the regiment, and collective second-class merit and third-class merit.
Chen Jun has almost taken all that can be taken.
The plan formulated before coming to the competition is steadily completed beyond standard.
Becoming deputy company commander within three years is already no problem.
Even able to look forward to company commander!
Gao Cheng is a proper second-generation military. He could rise directly from just one year as platoon leader to company commander, skipping deputy company commander, an awesome existence.
Now in this division grand competition again, securing so many honors.
In the next three years, he will definitely rise to the battalion level, starting at least as deputy battalion commander, directly becoming battalion commander is also possible.
The company commander position vacated after Gao Cheng leaves, looking at Steel Seventh Company, only Chen Jun can take it.
Gao Cheng will also actively hand it over to Chen Jun.
Thinking of when he becomes Steel Seventh Company’s company commander, joining hands with the promoted Battalion Commander Gao Cheng, under Regiment Commander Wang Qing Rui’s help to build the combined arms battalion.
Chen Jun is full of drive.
Already impatient to return to Steel Seventh Company, and grandly launch his synthesized modification plan.
Under this impatient strong emotion, Chen Jun at the evening division competition ending gathering meal, even surrounded by a crowd of division and regiment leaders, is somewhat absent-minded.
His mind full of how Steel Seventh Company can complete synthesized modification in the shortest time, and possess certain actual combat ability.
Until returning to the regiment, at the grand celebration banquet personally hosted by the regiment commander, Chen Jun suddenly comes back to his senses.
Taking advantage of now returning from great victory in the competition, Regiment Commander Wang is in very high spirits, mood very good, isn’t this the best opportunity to propose synthesized modification?
Thinking of this…
Chen Jun immediately perks up, finds an opportunity to enthusiastically chat with the regiment commander.
At this moment, Regiment Commander Wang loves Chen Jun very much. He who originally loves talent has already been thinking in his mind how to cultivate Chen Jun this excellent young first lieutenant.
702 Regiment needs excellent rising stars, and Chen Jun is undoubtedly the best representative of excellent.
Therefore, for Chen Jun proactively coming up to chat, Regiment Commander Wang is very willing in his heart, just taking this opportunity to chat more deeply with Chen Jun.
To see Chen Jun’s understanding of the army, whether he can become a qualified commander.
One’s own military skills and techniques being strong is certainly important, but for an officer, even more important is talent in military command and leadership.
And up to now, Regiment Commander Wang does not understand Chen Jun’s understanding of leadership and command.
So he needs to use chat topics to probe.
During this, Regiment Commander Wang brings up a topic, hoping Steel Seventh Company not only shines in competitions, but is also equally excellent in company construction.
The purpose is to use this topic to see Chen Jun’s thoughts on company construction.
For Chen Jun.
This is simply like hitting the pillow when sleepy.
Regiment Commander Wang proactively sends the topic, Chen Jun smoothly inserts his own idea, bringing Steel Seventh Company’s synthesized modification to the table.
“Regiment Commander, through the Kuwait War, we can see that future warfare form has changed. To keep up with our army’s modernization and informatization reform pace, I think it’s time for Steel Seventh Company to make some changes. I have a good idea, I don’t know if you are interested in hearing it?”
In Chen Jun’s few short sentences, from international situation leading to reform trend, and finally bringing out his own idea, the logic is clear and very explicit.
The regiment commander, convinced by Chen Jun’s personal strength, has already recognized Chen Jun as an excellent rising cadre.
Army reform trend is inevitable, Regiment Commander Wang actually already knew long ago, just that he personally has no good method.
Now this rising cadre Chen Jun stands out, proactively mentioning modernization reform idea.
Regiment Commander Wang’s interest is immediately captured.
He calls Chen Jun alone outside the canteen, avoiding the noisy din of the gathering inside.
With great interest asks: “Platoon Leader Chen, regarding what you mentioned, the division has already started long ago, and I have been researching.
However, I don’t have mature ideas yet, everyone is groping. You came from military academy, your foundation theory knowledge is definitely solid, and you understand international situation better.
I am very interested in hearing your ideas.”
