Chapter 289: Small Tricks Lead To Big Victory!
Two teams in a row ended with zero points and failed at the venue, turning this competition project into a nightmare for the competitors, suffocating them with pressure.
However, this nightmare was far from over.
This was merely the beginning!
The third team, fourth team, fifth team took turns on the field, with the same ending as the previous two teams, none achieving a new breakthrough.
The sixth team, seventh team… ninth team were the same.
The extension board became a life-and-death hurdle for all cadets, with not a single team member able to climb up, no matter how hard they tried, unable to break through.
Either time was insufficient, or effort was insufficient.
All cadets were in despair!
They didn’t believe that under such excessively harsh rules that already exploited the limits of the human body, anyone could complete such a perverted competition.
All the competitors who had already failed firmly believed that this was simply impossible for a human to do.
Unless targeted training was conducted, organizing a group of people to specifically train this project, exercising every specific muscle in the body, customizing the entire body for this project, only then might it be possible to complete it.
Just like athletes who specifically train weightlifting, or specifically train swimming.
Focusing only on one!
However, athletes can focus on just one, but special forces soldiers face ever-changing battlefields, enemies that cannot be predicted in advance, making it impossible to train only one, which doomed it to a dead end.
Under this unified situation, the sixth team led by Chen Jun, who went last, didn’t stir any waves at the scene.
“The sixth team is definitely just going through the motions, same as us, unable to escape the ending of zero points.”
The competitors were all very pessimistic, the atmosphere at the whole audience oppressive.
Don’t blame the other competitors at the scene for thinking this way; even the sixth team’s Cheng Cai, Wu Liu Yi, Tuo Yonggang and others felt no confidence in their hearts when they took the field.
Everyone’s face was unusually serious, as if facing a monumental challenge.
“This thing is indeed quite difficult, but don’t feel pressure, relax your mentality and just play casually, anyway other teams all got zero points, even if we also get zero points, the total score is still leading other teams.”
Chen Jun comforted and encouraged the team members; at this point in the matter, other aspects could no longer be changed, only the mentality could be changed.
Mentality is linked to strength performance!
As long as the mentality can be kept sufficiently good, it can maximally stimulate the potential in the body to further improve the result.
So relaxing the mood to compete might even produce a miracle.
Hearing Chen Jun’s words of comfort, thinking that even losing would still keep them in the lead, the pressure in their hearts immediately reduced by half.
Their bodies relaxed, and their spirits lifted.
Seeing that his words had an effect, Chen Jun decided to add one last push, extending his right hand and shouting loudly: “Come on, shout the slogan, don’t back down, just do it.”
“Don’t back down, just do it!”
Everyone extended their hands over, shouting the new slogan in unison.
Don’t back down, just do it.
These six words were perfectly fitting, as if born specifically for this moment.
With this brand new slogan shouted out, the oppression and nervousness in everyone’s hearts dissipated like smoke, leaving only adrenaline-stimulated flushed faces.
“Brothers, I’ll take the lead, go taste the waters first.” Tuo Yonggang volunteered.
“I’ll go with you.”
Wu Liu Yi was competitive and already impatient.
“Good, you two first group, go on, don’t overthink, just do your best.” Chen Jun patted their shoulders respectively and said.
“Sixth team, prepare to enter.”
Just then the referee ordered, and Tuo Yonggang and Wu Liu Yi went up together.
Whether physical fitness or professional ability, both were top-tier, their personal strength beyond doubt, able to fight anywhere in the entire army.
However, on this high-spec venue, their strength actually wasn’t much ahead of other competitors.
After all, other competitors were also one in ten thousand, having almost developed their bodies to the extreme, with abilities not too poor in any aspect.
The only difference might be experience, and innate talent that couldn’t be learned.
Talent this thing…
Was indeed the greatest unfairness, something effort could never fill.
So after Tuo Yonggang and Wu Liu Yi took the field, even though both were extremely competitive, the stubborn kind.
In this hurdle, like other competitors, they ultimately failed to break through,
Also could only regretfully stop under the extension board.
However.
Although they didn’t smoothly conquer this hurdle, ultimately stopping under the extension board, Tuo Yonggang’s action forced out in his final desperate climb onto the board caught Chen Jun’s eye.
At that time, Tuo Yonggang struggled for several seconds, unable to double-arm curl up because the load on his body was simply too heavy.
Tuo Yonggang then showed on-the-spot adaptability, suddenly thinking of a solution.
Since stamina couldn’t keep up to climb, and stamina consumption came heavily from the load.
Then first unload the things on the body, throw the grenade magazine rifle etc. onto the extension board, reducing the load to climb up, right?
Tuo Yonggang thought so and did so.
When Tuo Yonggang unloaded and threw things onto the board, taking a new approach no other competitor had used, it really made the whole audience’s eyes light up.
“Could this be the correct way?” Everyone felt this method had potential.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out!
Tuo Yonggang’s method although feasible, had one extremely fatal flaw.
That was time simply wasn’t enough.
With one hand still needing to grab the rope to secure the body, only one hand available to operate, undoing anything on the body was extremely laborious.
It was impossible to unload all the load in time; Tuo Yonggang had just removed the rifle and thrown it up, combat vest half-off, when the one minute was up.
“Sigh, looks like it still doesn’t work, time insufficient.”
The cadets under the stage saw Tuo Yonggang fail, the hope that had surged instantly extinguished again, not believing there was still a way to break the deadlock.
However, everyone only saw one aspect, their thinking trapped on unloading the load.
Only Chen Jun had a unique perspective!
Inspired by Tuo Yonggang’s rifle-throwing action, he discovered the only breakthrough point in the whole audience.
The extension board extended about two meters out, and to secure it from falling, there were several steel wire ropes above, slanting to hold the extended board.
Just like the slanted steel cables on a big bridge.
And the steel rope closest to the front end of the extension board was only a little over one meter away.
Competitors climbing up couldn’t reach with hands, even extending the rifle couldn’t reach, but as long as undoing the rifle sling rope, the hook near the muzzle end.
Then single-handedly grab the muzzle front, sling the one-sided rifle sling over, and the rifle sling could easily hit the steel wire rope.
Plus the metal buckle at one end of the rifle sling, when hitting the steel wire rope with inertia it would swing up, definitely wrapping around the steel wire rope several times.
And with the metal buckle as the heavy head in front, the rifle sling would likely get stuck after a few swings.
If not stuck once, throw again.
Once there’s a leverage point on the extension board, the competitor no longer needs the laborious double-arm curl, and climbing up becomes very easy.
Chen Jun thought more and more feasible, eyes couldn’t help lighting up.
Although this method was a bit opportunistic, the competition rules didn’t prohibit it, and since not prohibited, it meant usable.
“This method definitely works, if used well, our scores will soar, haha.”
Chen Jun got more and more excited, felt it had real potential, immediately told everyone the discovery.
“Damn, why didn’t I think of that.”
“As expected of the captain, really awesome.”
“Hahaha, this method is indeed awesome, this is steady.”
…
Cheng Cai and Qi Huan etc. who hadn’t competed yet, were enlightened by Chen Jun’s words, finding this method simply genius.
Their previously immense pressure turned entirely into excitement at this moment.
“You guys with faces red like monkey butts, what’s got you so happy?”
When the dejected Tuo Yonggang and Wu Liu Yi came down from the venue dispirited, seeing everyone’s expressions so happy, they were momentarily dumbfounded.
“It’s all thanks to you, you’re the meritorious official.” Chen Jun happily punched Tuo Yonggang in the chest.
“Me? Meritorious official? What do you mean?”
Tuo Yonggang recognized each word separately, but together he didn’t understand; clearly came down with zero points, how did he become a meritorious official.
“Eagle, you really are a meritorious official.”
Qi Huan thought of shocking the whole audience soon, mood uncontrollably excited, explaining the whole story to Tuo Yonggang on behalf of Chen Jun.
“Ah? Damn, why didn’t I think of it, what a pig brain I have.”
After learning Chen Jun’s method, Tuo Yonggang slapped his forehead in regret; the first scoring chance was right there, yet wasted by himself.
“No worries, the points you lost, I’ll get back for you.”
Cheng Cai was full of confidence and smug, stepping forward patting his chest: “Second group, I’m up, the first points of the second project are mine.”
“Not necessarily oh.”
Qi Huan grinned and stood out, clearly competing with Cheng Cai for this first points.
The sixth team was all joyous, standing out conspicuously and uniquely in this overall dead atmosphere of the competition venue.
Other teams couldn’t help noticing the situation here, all casting gazes over.
“What’s the sixth team so happy about?”
“Their first two competitors both got zero points, and they’re still this happy? Brains broken?”
“The sixth team is from the Capital Military Region, strength absolutely beyond doubt, indeed possible to complete, but with such difficulty in this project, do they have that much confidence?”
“Could it be, they have a trump card?”
…
Other teams’ competitors completely couldn’t understand what trick Chen Jun’s side was playing, suddenly all sorts of discussion voices arose.
Amid the crowd’s various guesses and discussions, the sixth team’s second group competitors took the field.
Unlike the previous competitors who were on high alert, Qi Huan and Cheng Cai both had confident smiles on their faces, as if victory was already in hand.
Because of the sudden change on the sixth team’s side, it had attracted the attention of the whole audience.
Including the event organizers, who couldn’t understand the sixth team’s situation, had to turn all attention over.
Wanting to investigate!
“Start!”
The referee gave the order.
Having gained sufficient experience and skill from previous competitors’ matches, and holding the ace, Qi Huan and Cheng Cai immediately started.
The initial rhythm was similar to others, maximizing stamina use, maintaining rhythm to climb up.
This part wasn’t particularly noteworthy.
Until Qi Huan first arrived under the extension board, everyone’s gazes at the scene changed, fixed dead on Qi Huan without daring to move.
Competitors all stumbled here, could Qi Huan create a miracle?
Everyone was curious!!
Chen Jun at this time also became somewhat nervous; after all, the method he described was still just theory, whether it worked depended on actual operation.
Qi Huan, under this spotlight, began operating according to Chen Jun’s method.
When Qi Huan undid one end of the rifle sling, grabbing the gun barrel and slinging it upward, the rifle sling arced through the air, hitting the steel wire rope and spinning over a dozen times.
The previously puzzled whole audience’s eyes suddenly bulged.
Everyone suddenly realized!
Regretting not thinking of this method themselves, also convinced by the sixth team’s ingenuity, even more curious if this method would actually work.
They watched eagerly, hearts tense.
Qi Huan himself had no certainty; all he could do was replicate Chen Jun’s description as much as possible, then give it his all.
After the rifle sling wrapped over a dozen times up there, Qi Huan yanked the rifle sling hard.
Confirming the rope above was hooked, Qi Huan hooked both feet back onto the rope to secure, both hands fully on the rifle gripping steady.
Feet pushing down, body rising, hands gripping the rifle body to climb up.
“The body is going up, it can work!!”
Qi Huan’s body felt it most directly; when the body could go up and very effortlessly, the brain would give the most accurate judgment.
Climbing up was completely no problem!
Seeing one foot already stepping over victory’s threshold, Qi Huan’s heart surged with joy, his parched body bursting with new strength, climbing up in a few quick moves.
“He really climbed up??”
The whole audience couldn’t hold back a commotion, unable to believe their eyes.
What the previous eighty-three competitors failed to do, Qi Huan actually achieved, and the whole process very easy.
Subsequently, Cheng Cai, only less than two seconds slower, also successfully stood on the extension board.
All doubts vanished in this moment, leaving only heartfelt admiration.
The importance of skill was demonstrated to the fullest.
The Steel Seventh Battalion competition team from this moment truly drew the attention of all teams in the whole audience, becoming the shining new star of the entire army’s special operations.
“Well done!!”
Chen Jun’s always tense heart finally relaxed completely, mood unprecedentedly great, confidence unprecedentedly full.
The sixth team still had six first choices left; if all could get two points, that would be twelve points.
Plus the points already gotten ahead.
Already a massive advantage, far leading other teams.
