Chapter 21: Let’s Fight For It At The Regiment
“The company commander is very happy? Is he?”
Shi Jin had just been scolded before this and only saw Gao Cheng’s long sour face; he didn’t feel any of the bouncing excitement at all.
Remembering that Gao Cheng had only said half of his words in their previous conversation, and Chen Jun had suddenly gone from soldier to platoon leader, Shi Jin simply decided to ask Wu Liu Yi for details.
But he didn’t ask directly; instead, he probed indirectly and said, “During the time I was away, did anything new happen in the company?”
“There have been quite a few things, oh. Let’s start from the new recruit company.”
Wu Liu Yi jumped down from the armored vehicle and said with a bit of smugness, “The regiment thinks highly of our Seventh Company and transferred five backbones from Seventh Company to the new recruit company.
The company commander is still the new recruit company commander, you’re still the new recruit company squad leader, and I promoted your squad deputy half a level, so now I’m also a squad leader.”
“Ho, impressive.”
Shi Jin opened his mouth wide, happy for his good brother.
“But compared to others, this isn’t much.” Wu Liu Yi sighed.
“Others? Who?” Shi Jin asked.
“Chen Jun. While you went to the local area to pick up recruits, he was just appointed acting squad leader of our Third Squad, and now he’s actually the platoon leader in the new recruit company.” Wu Liu Yi said enviously.
“The company commander just told me about this.”
Shi Jin stopped wiping the vehicle, turned around, and asked very seriously, “I’m really curious. During the time I was away, what did Chen Jun do? How did things change so much in just over a month?
I remember, when I left, his results in all areas were pretty average. The company commander rarely talked to him. How is he now like close brothers.”
Shi Jin had been a soldier for ten years or so and had seen all kinds of officers and soldiers.
Someone who transformed so much in a month—he really hadn’t seen that.
“Squad leader, this matter is a long story, so I’ll just summarize it briefly.”
Wu Liu Yi looked very serious, thought for a moment, and said, “The story starts from the day we sent you off. When Gan Xiao Ning and I got back to the squad, we happened to catch him inside.
You definitely know about the relationship between our squad’s veteran soldiers and him; they did say some excessive things.
As a result, Chen Jun seemed stimulated and actively said he wanted to have a 5 kilometers cross-country race with me. Later, Gan Xiao Ning and the others joined in too.
At the time, given Chen Jun’s pathetic state, I really didn’t like him, was unconvinced about him being squad leader, didn’t want to be messed around by his blind commands, and thinking he always came last in 5 kilometers, I simply accepted his challenge.
We agreed that in one week, our entire Third Squad would compete against him.
Just then, the company commander came over, heard that our squad was holding a competition, got interested, and upgraded it to a company-wide assessment.
I thought the result was a sure thing, but guess what happened after one week?”
Wu Liu Yi stopped halfway, and Shi Jin, whose appetite had been fully whetted, hurriedly urged, “How could I guess? Tell me quickly.”
“The result was, in just one week, Chen Jun actually tied with me. Can you believe it?” Wu Liu Yi still found it unbelievable even now.
Even though he had learned a lot of running knowledge under Chen Jun’s training, his running posture had been corrected, and his efficiency had greatly improved.
For Chen Jun to go from last place to first in one week, Wu Liu Yi still felt it was too heaven-defying.
“If I didn’t hear wrong, you’re saying… Chen Jun tied with you? In your strongest event, 5 kilometers light load cross-country?”
Shi Jin was stunned, feeling like he was listening to a myth.
“Yeah.”
Wu Liu Yi nodded heavily and then dropped another bombshell: “Not only did he tie with me, he also broke our regiment’s light load 5 kilometers record, in just sixteen minutes and twenty-five seconds.”
“Light load cross-country in sixteen minutes and twenty-five seconds?” Shi Jin’s tone rose two pitches in surprise.
As the most senior backbone squad leader in Steel Seventh Company, no one knew better than him the value of this or what that time represented.
“Yeah, he trained for just one week, and Chen Jun’s result improved by over seven minutes.” Wu Liu Yi nodded heavily.
“My goodness, this Chen Jun…”
This change was so exaggerated that Shi Jin didn’t know how to evaluate it.
“This isn’t even the most exaggerated part…”
“There’s more?”
Shi Jin interrupted Wu Liu Yi, his expression like he’d seen a ghost.
“Yeah, there’s more.”
Wu Liu Yi continued, “After that day, our company commander seemed completely convinced by him and actually put him in charge of company duty, leading the whole company in cross-country special training.
At first, I thought it wouldn’t have any effect, probably just going through the motions.
But a month later, the results came out, and I, Wu Liu Yi, was completely convinced. In my life, I’ve only been convinced by you, squad leader, but since then, he’s become the second.”
Shi Jin felt like he was listening to a legend, but Wu Liu Yi’s expression didn’t look like he was lying.
Driven by intense curiosity, Shi Jin became impatient and asked eagerly, “Did it really work? How were the results?”
“Not just effective—it’s simply miraculous.”
Wu Liu Yi seriously held up two fingers and described vividly, “The whole company did special training for just over half a month, and the average improvement was over two minutes. The whole company collectively met the excellent standard. Can you believe it?”
“…”
Shi Jin could still say a few words before, but hearing that the whole company’s improvement speed was so great, he was completely shocked into silence, not knowing what to say.
Wu Liu Yi seemed to be getting excited, speaking more and more animatedly: “My results improved a lot too. Now, in light load 5 kilometers cross-country, I can already run within sixteen minutes.
Next year at the mid-year regiment grand competition, I will definitely take back everything I lost, and even go further, to compete at the division level.”
At division level, there are many special recruits, including sports specialists.
The competition pressure is greater and more challenging.
“Hey, I really didn’t see it coming. Chen Jun changed so much—it’s too surprising. If you hadn’t told me yourself, I really wouldn’t believe it.”
It took Shi Jin a long time to sigh deeply and evaluate seriously, “Chen Jun made such a big contribution to the company; his current status is completely deserved. It’s only right for him to be platoon leader in the new recruit company.
Even after the new recruit company’s three months are up, if he comes back to our Seventh Company and becomes platoon leader, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”
Shi Jin analyzed completely from an impartial perspective; his judgment was indeed very reference-worthy, without any personal opinions or utilitarian motives.
“Hey, you know, it really might happen.”
Wu Liu Yi remembered something else: “Recently, I heard he’s challenging load cross-country and has been desperately training his muscles. The company commander even gave him special personal training.
Look at his current physique—isn’t it much more solid than when you left? Not like when he first came to the company, skinny like a bamboo pole that wind could blow away.”
Shi Jin looked into the distance at Chen Jun, who was calling roll, and noticed he was indeed much stronger.
“Load cross-country has always been Sixth Company’s strong suit; they’ve held the title for many years. Stealing meat from their mouths will probably be tough.”
Shi Jin knew the 702 regiment even better than Gao Cheng; just thinking of those Inner Mongolia guys gave him a lot of pressure.
“Hard to say.”
Wu Liu Yi smiled and pointed at himself mockingly: “The Wu Liu Yi standing in front of you thought the same at first, but now he’s a living example, haha.”
“You’re right; nothing is absolute. Who can say for sure.”
As Shi Jin spoke, he thought of someone and turned his gaze to the new recruit ranks.
That dumb and silly Xu Sanduo…
Shi Jin hoped he could also “successfully evolve” like Chen Jun in the army’s big furnace, so he could fulfill his promise to Xu’s father.
