Chapter 208: Yuan Lang And Chen Jun’s First Showdown?
Relying on Ba Te Er’s tough guy tactics, Wu Liu Yi and the others smoothly passed the checkpoint and continued to seize the time, heading toward the destination.
The twelve competitors from Steel Seventh Company who set out had only five left by now.
But compared to other companies, they were already quite lucky.
Competitors from other companies suffered much greater losses in the subsequent pursuit than the Steel Seventh Company group, and were gradually found by the Reconnaissance Battalion pursuers.
Some hid in pits full of weeds, even covering their bodies with weeds.
But because the weeds covering them were too messy and didn’t look like they were blown flat to one side by the wind, they were spotted by the pursuers and dragged out from the grass.
Some competitors chose paths with bad luck, with a vast flat grassland ahead.
Unable to hide using ditches, they could only risk it by running quickly to pass through this flat section as soon as possible.
As a result, they were quickly discovered by the pursuers, who charged over with engines roaring.
The competitors could only speed up and run desperately forward.
The Reconnaissance Battalion warriors who caught up seemed to enjoy this cat-and-mouse game and didn’t fire to trigger the laser beacons on the competitors.
They just chased unhurriedly from behind.
Only when the competitors were all out of breath and exhausted did they leisurely grab them onto the vehicles.
When time reached twelve-thirty at noon, of the more than forty competitors who escaped in the first wave, nearly half were eliminated again.
The competitors still struggling in the war zone were down to just over twenty.
From setting out for the war zone at around six in the morning to now, it had been just over six hours—barely half a day—and a full sixty-plus had been eliminated.
The elimination rate was over seventy percent!
This showed just how high the mission completion difficulty was in the selection assessment prepared by Yuan Lang, and how high the threshold was to step through the door of A Detachment.
Such a high elimination rate was proof enough.
The competitors who survived the first and second waves—the two most dangerous pursuits—were all skilled.
Moreover, as the competitors spread out farther, the search difficulty would increase.
It would be several times harder for the Reconnaissance Battalion to catch the remaining competitors than before.
Forget grabbing several at once like before, where one burst of bullets could eliminate two or three—even catching two at a time would be tough.
It turned into a whack-a-mole game.
Finding and hitting them one by one, slowly.
The search methods also had to change.
From before, where they could see where people were and chase in that direction for results.
Now it became driving around the roads everywhere, looking for various traces left by competitors, purely relying on luck to encounter one.
They also dispatched large squads to set up checkpoints at key intersections.
Blocking the competitors’ paths and increasing the selection difficulty.
The five from Steel Seventh Company, who had been running all morning, saw that time had passed lunch and finally couldn’t hold out, so they stopped to rest.
They found a relatively concealed small earth bank and all huddled inside to rest.
Wu Liu Yi and the others, with their stamina greatly consumed, were ravenous at the noon biological clock reminder to eat lunch, and basically all took out their field rations.
Taking a bit out to stave off hunger, so they would have stamina left to continue traveling in the afternoon.
Only Xu Sanduo could really endure it; even in this situation, he didn’t take out rations to eat, but instead dug up houttuynia cordata in the earth bank.
He then enthusiastically shared it with the others, saying as he distributed it: “This is houttuynia cordata. Though it has an earthy smell, it’s edible, with plenty of moisture. Everyone eat some; it can stave off hunger too.”
Wu Liu Yi had already opened a pack of chocolate and saw the houttuynia cordata Xu Sanduo handed over.
Thinking there was still a day and a half to endure, and the days ahead would be the hardest, plus Xu Sanduo wasn’t eating any, he repacked it and put it back in the bag.
He took the houttuynia cordata and started chewing it, swallowing juice and dregs together, aiming to fill his stomach.
“Three idiots, you can really endure.”
Cheng Cai had eaten half a biscuit in his hand, but seeing Wu Liu Yi put his away, he had no choice but to put his away too and took Xu Sanduo’s fish herb.
The deputy squad leader had to act like one; no matter how hungry, he had to set an example.
He truly admired Xu Sanduo!
“Carrying over twenty kilograms, chased like rats all over the mountains, stomach growling with hunger, and still learning to eat grass like goats—pah~”
Gan Xiao Ning spat out the fish herb angrily and pulled field rations from his pocket.
He opened it and looked.
His face looked even worse.
Because the bag was empty inside; the last small piece of candy had been taken out and eaten at some point.
“Sigh~”
Gan Xiao Ning smashed the bag on the ground and fantasized fiercely: “If I see a Reconnaissance Battalion vehicle later, I’ll definitely rush up, raise my gun, and shout at them: ‘Don’t move! Hand over the meat buns—I want fresh meat ones.'”
“It’s still broad daylight; dream on a bit longer.” Cheng Cai said helplessly.
“You? Shouting? I think you’d better just pop a smoke grenade and get taken back by them. At the prisoner camp, you might even get roast rabbit.” Bai Tie Jun ruthlessly mocked without mercy.
“Enough, no more chit-chat.”
Wu Liu Yi interrupted their banter and said sternly: “Gan Xiao Ning, pick up the trash bag—don’t expose our position.
If you want to go eat meat, I won’t stop you, but you can’t lose face for Seventh Company. Seventh Company has no weaklings.
As long as you haven’t collapsed from exhaustion, as long as you have one breath left in you, you have to stand tall for me—even one more minute, you hold on.
This isn’t a safe area. Hurry and eat; after eating, we still have to keep moving.”
Wu Liu Yi had enough prestige; after this scolding, Gan Xiao Ning didn’t dare complain, and the others stopped bantering.
They obediently ate the dug-up houttuynia cordata, so they’d have strength to travel after eating their fill.
…
At 7 p.m.
The Reconnaissance Battalion squads responsible for pursuit had basically all returned to camp, leaving only those setting up checkpoints still guarding the intersections.
After the people here finished dinner, they would go relieve them.
Chen Jun, bringing the eliminated Steel Seventh Company competitors, also drove into the camp at this time and first settled Ba Te Er and the others in the rest area.
Yuan Lang had already set up, with two large barbecue grills, wearing an apron and busy as can be.
He even looked quite like a chef!
Seeing Chen Jun drive back, Yuan Lang immediately called out from afar: “Come on, perfect timing—hurry over and lend a hand.”
“Leader, didn’t you say roast rabbit? How’d it become roast lamb?” Chen Jun walked over laughing.
“No more ‘leader’—too formal. We’ve met before; no need to be so stiff. Just call me Lieutenant Colonel or Yuan Lang.”
Yuan Lang drew closer to Chen Jun, then said while brushing oil on the lamb: “Well, everyone’s been running all day and is pretty tired.
Those two rabbits wouldn’t have enough meat; it’d only be enough for us two with some wine.
So, our captain is treating—freshly slaughtered from herdsmen this afternoon. Everyone eat lamb and have a good full meal.”
Yuan Lang put on an air of caring for the warriors, completely forgetting that everyone was this tired because of his shenanigans.
“Your captain really cares. Serving under him must be blissful.” Chen Jun deliberately said the opposite to tease Yuan Lang.
Yuan Lang clearly understood but pretended not to, tossing his head and saying earnestly: “Of course. Our captain is famously fond of his soldiers. If you came to A Detachment, your treatment would be even better than mine.”
Seeing Yuan Lang starting recruitment again, Chen Jun decisively didn’t engage.
He changed the subject: “Captain Yuan, your barbecue technique is off. You don’t brush oil like that, and your fire’s too big—the inside won’t be cooked and the outside will burn.”
As he spoke, Chen Jun personally took over, grabbing a bottle of mineral water from the side, opening it, pinching the bottle mouth flat with his hand, and squirting water on the fire below.
This mineral water bottle mouth was quite sturdy, but Chen Jun easily crushed it with two fingers.
Yuan Lang’s eyes lit up at the sight!
He grew even more curious about Chen Jun’s strength.
If not for lacking a suitable chance, Yuan Lang really wanted to have a proper contest with Chen Jun—a hard clash of fist against fist.
He noted this thought in his mind and, following Chen Jun’s words, simply handed over the brush.
“Whoa, finally met an expert. I’m just a dabbler at barbecue, just putting on a show. Since you’re the pro, it’s yours—don’t disappoint me.”
Yuan Lang actually knew how to barbecue, but to build rapport with Chen Jun and give a free compliment, it was effortless.
“Captain Yuan, you’re too modest. I think your skills are no worse than mine; I should learn from you.”
Chen Jun also wanted to build rapport with Yuan Lang and so suggested: “How about this: two lambs here, one each. Let the warriors judge later whose craftsmanship is better.”
“Haha, I like challenges. Deal.”
Yuan Lang laughed heartily and agreed readily, then went to the adjacent barbecue grill.
The two thus used barbecuing lamb as a topic, sitting there grilling while chatting, starting their first boundless idle chat.
In this work-free chat, they gained further understanding of each other.
…
In the Command Post Camp, joy and sorrow mingled: eliminated competitors looked worried and unhappy one by one, while the Reconnaissance Company warriors who had caught “rats” all day grinned happily.
Anyone who’s served knows how wonderful days out on detachment duty are.
Meanwhile, the competitors still surviving in the war zone would face the safest yet hardest and even most painful night.
In this January in the Northern Region, how exaggerated the nighttime temperature is—those who know, know.
Even though temperatures around the capital were slightly higher, not like the Northeast provinces dropping to dozens of degrees below zero at the drop of a hat, it was still terrifying.
Competitors afraid to light fires and expose positions could only figure out ways to endure the night themselves.
Luckily, this assessment was fully equipped; warriors had brought mattresses and quilts. Covering with a quilt would get them through.
Otherwise, no fire and no quilt—they’d absolutely freeze to death at night.
As for when to rest…
Desperate competitors could persist longer, traveling more at night without pursuers, even rushing through the night and resting when the sun came out during the day.
Stability-seeking competitors could only quickly find suitable spots to camp after dark.
Wu Liu Yi and they chose the middle way: hurrying as much as possible in the first half of the night, then finding a spot to rest tightly in the second half.
They specifically found a sunken earth pit, padding the mattress below as insulation, and sleeping covered with the quilt on top.
They didn’t dare take off clothes, helmet, or shoes.
Mainly for safety; if something unexpected happened, they could stuff the quilt into the backpack and run immediately, saving lots of time.
At the same time, for nighttime body warmth to avoid problems while asleep, Wu Liu Yi ordered everyone to eat all remaining rations.
To build up enough energy in their bodies to cope with this cold night.
Gan Xiao Ning, who had already eaten his rations, could only watch as the other four each contributed a bit, filling his stomach with everyone’s help.
Gan Xiao Ning grinned while eating, but when others weren’t looking, a flash of discomfort and self-blame showed in his eyes.
To ensure nighttime safety from poisonous insects, snakes, ants, and wild beasts, the five implemented shifts: each standing post for an hour, allowing four hours sleep, basically meeting individual sleep needs.
Yuan Lang just wanted to select excellent competitors, not kill them.
He seemed chaotic on the surface.
But he had it more figured out than anyone.
Thus, the entire night no one was sent out, letting competitors enjoy a peaceful night until morning when work resumed.
Steel Seventh Company’s five competitors were awakened by the roar of engines at dawn.
Wu Liu Yi saw vehicles appear here and knew this area was no longer safe; the Reconnaissance Battalion would definitely start sweeping it.
To avoid being caught by the Reconnaissance Battalion, he immediately led the team to keep moving.
From yesterday morning to this morning, nearly twenty-four hours had passed, and the pitifully little food they’d eaten was barely anything.
Just one pack of field rations for breakfast, plus some wild vegetables foraged on the road.
Under sustained high-intensity travel, this was far from enough to replenish stamina; everyone was starving to the guts.
Compared to yesterday when they could still run fast even chased, today Wu Liu Yi and the others showed full fatigue.
After jogging less than an hour, they basically couldn’t run anymore; at most they could keep a fast walking pace, and even that was grueling.
Abnormal pallor appeared on their faces.
Especially Gan Xiao Ning, who finished his rations first and had a somewhat plump body.
He was really suffering, feeling like he might faint.
From morning travel, he kept muttering nonstop: one moment cursing A Detachment as inhuman, the next cursing Reconnaissance Battalion as bastards.
His mouth muttered endlessly without stopping, as if only constant cursing could keep up his strength to walk.
Wu Liu Yi, except for cursing once at the start to save energy and use speaking strength for walking instead, later saw it was useless and didn’t bother.
Wu Liu Yi knew Gan Xiao Ning’s state; he was already very satisfied he’d lasted a day. How long the others lasted, he wasn’t too concerned about anymore.
But he also knew continuing like this, they definitely wouldn’t last the day.
They must replenish food!
So Wu Liu Yi kept thinking of methods along the way. Perhaps heaven never fully blocks paths; after less than two hours, he really found a way.
He saw two rats startled, darting into a nearby hole.
Wu Liu Yi, stomach growling with hunger, saw the two rats and his eyes turned green. He immediately pulled out his utility knife and charged over in a few strides.
