Chapter 31: We Must Take First Place At The Regiment
Gao Cheng’s anxious questioning instantly lifted the atmosphere at the scene.
Everyone turned their gazes to Shi Jin, even though they all knew Chen Jun’s speed was very fast, they were still curious about the exact time.
“Report… Report, Company Commander, 20 seconds “
“What? Say it again?”
Shi Jin’s excited, stuttering report of the result truly startled Gao Cheng, who almost instinctively denied the result.
This result was simply too good, so good that Gao Cheng didn’t dare believe it was real.
“20 seconds “
Shi Jin almost roared it out, reporting Chen Jun’s result once again.
The volume was two decibels higher than last time!
“20 seconds 35??? Hahaha.”
Gao Cheng confirmed he hadn’t misheard, and burst into laughter, unable to hide his excited emotions.
He clearly remembered that last year’s mid-year grand competition for the 81-bar disassembly and reassembly subject, the mechanized infantry division’s best result was 21 seconds.
What did Chen Jun’s time represent?
It represented that in next year’s mid-year grand competition, Chen Jun could definitely secure first place in the entire regiment for Seventh Company, and first in the division would basically be no problem.
That was first in the entire division, something Gao Cheng dreamed of winning.
Unfortunately.
Steel Seventh Company was top-notch in 702 Regiment, but looking at the whole division, it was somewhat lacking; currently, the best result in the whole division was just one second place.
That was Wu Liu Yi, who was most skilled at the 5-kilometer cross-country, who had trained hard for years and accumulated no less than 5000 kilometers of running, took first in the regiment and went to the division grand competition, giving his all to win second in the light infantry 5-kilometer cross-country.
Other competition subjects were decent in the regiment, but in the division’s grand competition, they had yet to win anything.
Gao Cheng knew Steel Seventh Company’s positioning.
It was destined that in stamina categories, they couldn’t compete with troops like the division direct reconnaissance battalion, special service company, guard company, etc.; in armored combat, they couldn’t compare to tank company or motorized infantry company; and in artillery, they couldn’t match ground artillery troops.
After all, those were all specialized in single projects; their comprehensive ability might not match Steel Seventh Company, but in a certain single event, they were definitely much stronger.
While Steel Seventh Company knew a bit of everything but wasn’t expert in any.
Human energy was limited, and troops’ energy was limited too.
Troops focused on all-around comprehensive combat inevitably couldn’t train every subject to the peak.
So Gao Cheng had never really demanded to force the soldiers under him to go all out and definitely win first in the division.
The troops’ inherent shortcomings couldn’t be helped; forcing it would instead affect the company’s normal operations.
But now it was different.
The cadet soldier Chen Jun, who originally dragged the company down, suddenly seemed to have unblocked his Ren and Du meridians, rising from the ground to become the company’s brightest star.
The previous light infantry 5-kilometer cross-country breaking the regiment record had already given Gao Cheng hope of contending for first in the division.
Now Chen Jun had shown his rifle assembly skill, faster by half a second than last year’s division competition first place; even if that tough guy from last year’s first improved this year, Chen Jun still had great hope.
Suddenly there were two projects with hope to impact division first, equivalent to having double insurance, with high probability fulfilling his dream.
How could this not make Gao Cheng excited and thrilled.
How could this not make Gao Cheng laugh heartily.
Wu Liu Yi and Jin Dashan were also greatly impacted; they had been playing with the 81-bar for at least six or seven years, but never thought of impacting such an exaggerated result as 20 seconds.
Thinking that if Chen Jun specifically trained a bit more, the result could definitely improve further.
The looks they gave Chen Jun carried an extra bit of respect.
That was the highest courtesy from veteran soldiers!
The new recruits, though they didn’t understand grand competitions and hadn’t seen other squad leaders demonstrate, had trained for half a day and knew how difficult rifle disassembly and reassembly was.
Hearing this time, they were collectively shocked.
“Damn, is it that heaven-defying?”
“So our platoon leader is that awesome? It takes me a minute to disassemble once; the time for him to do it once is enough for three times.”
“My god, it’s more than twice as fast as the excellent standard; is this really something a person can do?”
“Yeah, if not seeing it with our own eyes, we wouldn’t dare believe a person could do it.”
“So practice makes perfect means this; the platoon leader can do it in twenty seconds, if we train more, excellent should be no problem.”
“Right, we may not match the platoon leader, but passing should definitely be no issue.”
…
The new recruits were emotionally excited and talking nonstop; some marveled at Chen Jun’s exaggerated performance, others were inspired and felt they could do it too.
The previously defeatist atmosphere of thinking it impossible was completely swept away in this moment.
The whole audience was only Chen Jun who remained very calm, even with a bit of small regret; after all, Chen Jun’s best result back then was 18 seconds.
At that time, soldier kings from various group armies were all easily suppressed by Chen Jun.
But with a turn of thought.
For this just over 20 seconds, Chen Jun was also satisfied.
After all, so many years had passed; being able to touch the 81-bar again and find the feeling so quickly proved he was still sharp as ever.
If given a few more days to warm up, returning to the peak wasn’t impossible.
“Platoon Leader Chen, come with me for a bit.”
Just as all the new recruits and squad leaders were immersed in shock, Gao Cheng, whose face had turned particularly flushed, called Chen Jun over with an unusually “sweet” smile.
“Yes, Company Commander.”
Chen Jun saw Gao Cheng’s nauseating smile; those who didn’t know would think he was trying to hit on him; he forcibly held back laughter and left with Gao Cheng.
Shi Jin recovered from the shock, taking advantage of Chen Jun’s influence, said to the new recruits: “You all saw it, right? Second Platoon Leader can finish in twenty seconds; do you still think fifty seconds is impossible?
I know, reaching Second Platoon Leader’s result would be a bit difficult for you.
But I believe as long as you put in the effort, believe you can do it, and seriously learn and comprehend, you can definitely achieve under fifty seconds…”
Shi Jin’s motivational pep talks came one after another; the new recruits’ emotions were thoroughly stirred, all like injected with chicken blood, full of energy.
Especially Cheng Cai, who always wanted to be a sky horse, looked at the departing Chen Jun with eyes full of admiration.
Secretly vowing in his heart to train hard to improve his results, become the most excellent sky horse, and have Gao Cheng take him to Seventh Company.
To the all-sky-horse Seventh Company!
That was where he, Cheng Cai, belonged.
Xu Sanduo was instead very simple-minded, not thinking as complicated as Cheng Cai; he was like an extra, happily fooling around with the other new recruits.
Gao Cheng brought Chen Jun to the edge of the training ground, and with a gentle tone Chen Jun had never heard, almost unrecognizable, kindly said: “Platoon Leader Chen, you’re pretty good with the 81-bar; did you specifically train on it at the military academy? This specialty of yours doesn’t seem to be written on the recommendation letter.”
Gao Cheng asking this wasn’t suspicion, just voicing his inner curiosity and doubt.
