Chapter 68: Hell Week Begins
“Calm down, Gao Zhong Dui is doing this to provoke us, so he has an excuse to eliminate us.”
Standing in the cold mud, Chang Ning lowered his voice and explained Gao Zhong Dui’s intentions to Xiao Zhuang, while also distracting himself.
The temperature dropped sharply at night, and they were still standing in the mud. If they didn’t find something to do to distract themselves, Chang Ning wasn’t sure he could hold on.
Being physically fit and being able to withstand the cold are two different things. Even if Chang Ning’s stamina was now four times that of an ordinary person, he would still shiver in the face of the cold.
After hearing Chang Ning’s explanation, Xiao Zhuang finally calmed down. He thought that if he were eliminated, Miao Lian would be disappointed, and Xiao Zhuang didn’t want Miao Lian to retire with regret and disappointment.
“Chang Ning, I understand. Thank you.”
Gao Zhong Dui saw the state of the rookies in the mud pit, which was the result he wanted.
Is it easy to be a special forces soldier? Their combat environment is often even more brutal than this. If they can’t endure this little hardship, it’s better to go back early, lest they harm themselves and their comrades later.
Gao Zhong Dui clearly saw Chang Ning and Xiao Zhuang whispering to each other. He didn’t stop them; encouraging each other between comrades was not a violation of regulations.
“How is it? The mud pit doesn’t feel good, does it? Look at you all starting to shiver.
To be honest, this is just the beginning. The training that follows will be hundreds of times more rigorous, and some exercises will even break your perceptions.
Anyone regret it? If so, leave now, take off your steel helmet, place it under the national flag, and go home.
I guarantee that every soldier who withdraws will have hot water and food.
This food includes various kinds of meat, from the sky, from the water, and from the ground.
As long as you want to eat it, I’ll have the cooks make it for you. Our special forces meal allowance is quite good.
Of course, the prerequisite is that you give up this selection.
Gao Zhong Dui stood by the mud pit, holding a loudspeaker and eloquently explaining the benefits of withdrawing from the selection.
Seeing his demeanor, he was about to list the dishes for the soldiers.
In the mud pit, many people’s mouths began to secrete a lot of saliva at Gao Zhong Dui’s words, and their stomachs rumbled.
The few soldiers standing at the very edge glanced at each other, confirmed their intentions with a look, and silently crawled out of the mud pit, then walked towards the national flag stand with their heads down.
No one mocked them; everyone has the right to choose their own life.
“As expected, there are still intelligent people. As for you fools in the mud pit, you’re not as good as those people just now. At least they could see the situation clearly.”
This time, the rookies didn’t react at all. Perhaps they all thought Gao Zhong Dui wasn’t a good person, which sparked the rookies’ rebellious spirit.
Standing in the crowd, Chang Ning could feel everyone’s emotional changes. This kind of thing can only be experienced personally and cannot be explained.
Frankly speaking, it’s just a matter of external appearances. The rookies are generally young and don’t have deep schemes, so they can’t remain unfazed when Mount Tai collapses before them.
Therefore, their psychological changes can be seen from their expressions.
Chang Ning, as an anomaly, had no superfluous expression on his face from beginning to end.
He knew that Gao Zhong Dui’s purpose in provoking and insulting them was to eliminate rookies with poor psychological resilience.
Knowing Gao Zhong Dui’s purpose, why should Chang Ning take these words to heart? He might as well consider them as fart.
“Alright, I’ve never seen such foolish rookies. You can eat now!”
Seeing that the rookies were silent, Gao Zhong Dui knew that this tactic wouldn’t work and immediately moved on to the next stage. Although the selection training was cruel, they weren’t really going to be deprived of food.
If the human body doesn’t ingest energy and undergoes strenuous physical training, problems will arise. Even ordinary people know this common sense, so how could an experienced special forces soldier not know?
Gao Zhong Dui waved his hand, and immediately some special forces soldiers came up and handed out pre-prepared field rations to everyone.
The rookies were starving and quickly tore open the packaging to eat. Some were so choked they coughed.
“Hui Lang, look, the rookies are choking. To show our hospitality, quickly give them some water,” said Gao Zhong Dui.
Hearing Gao Zhong Dui’s words, Chang Ning in the pit quickly sped up his eating. Even though he was almost choked by the dry compressed biscuits, he had to hurry.
Could Gao Zhong Dui be so kind as to let them drink water? He would sooner believe pigs could fly than believe the current Gao Zhong Dui would be so kind; it must be a water truck.
Hui Lang, who was standing at attention nearby, understood. He trotted to the water truck, connected the hose, turned on the valve, and carried the faucet towards the mud pit.
Before his transmigration, Chang Ning had watched movies and TV shows with special forces elements. The probability of the high-pressure water gun segment appearing was unusually high.
The medic saw Chang Ning eating so quickly and seemed to be contemplating something, then he also sped up his eating.
“Chang Ning, slow down. Gao Zhong Dui isn’t rushing you. Be careful not to choke.”
Seeing Chang Ning eating so ravenously, Xiao Zhuang kindly reminded him.
“I advise you to eat faster. You won’t have a chance to eat later.”
Facing a high-pressure water gun, even opening your mouth is a luxury.
The dry compressed biscuits tasted okay, they were just a bit dry. Chang Ning was ready, waiting to receive Gao Zhong Dui’s water and to moisten his dry throat.
“For…”
Before Xiao Zhuang could finish speaking, a torrent of water with immense force hit him in the face.
When Xiao Zhuang opened his eyes in embarrassment, he realized that the compressed biscuits in his hand had already been washed into the muddy water.
Xiao Zhuang had taken the blow for Chang Ning. Hui Lang was originally aiming for Chang Ning, but Xiao Zhuang had moved a little closer to talk to Chang Ning, and thus was sprayed by Hui Lang with the high-pressure water gun.
“All of you, pick up the rations that fell into the mud and eat them. Not a single cent of the Huaxia army’s military expenses is to be wasted!”
Gao Zhong Dui saw the biscuits in Xiao Zhuang’s hand being washed into the mud pit, and immediately said.
What could Xiao Zhuang say? He lowered his head, picked up the softened biscuits, and stuffed them all into his mouth, swallowing them.
They were impossible to chew. The biscuits mixed with mud and sand were hard on the teeth, and biting down made his mouth water.
Seeing that he had mistaken his target, Hui Lang discreetly turned the gun towards Chang Ning.
Chang Ning himself naturally couldn’t have asked for more, as he was quite thirsty.
The water jet from the high-pressure water gun caught the rookies off guard, knocking them all over.
Seeing this, Gao Zhong Dui roared, “Does anyone regret it? If you do, withdraw.
Reconciling with yourself is not shameful. If you withdraw, you’ll have hot water and delicious food. Why must you endure this suffering here?”
Although he knew this was training, Chang Ning had told himself countless times in his heart that Gao Zhong Dui was talking nonsense.
This time, he really couldn’t hold back. As long as he didn’t withdraw, arguing with Gao Zhong Dui wasn’t a big deal; at most, he’d be targeted.
The first stage, Hell Week, focused on training the rookies physically and psychologically. Chang Ning felt he could still cope.
So Chang Ning began to fight back: “Gao Zhong Dui, you perverts! Are you all psychologically twisted? Do you enjoy torturing people?
But if I may be so bold, this level is merely a tickle!”
Hearing Chang Ning’s mockery, Gao Zhong Dui walked up to him, grabbed his collar, and pulled Chang Ning to the edge of the mud pit: “Do you regret coming here? If you regret it, report it!”
Chang Ning met Gao Zhong Dui’s gaze, not flinching at all.
“Report, I do not regret it!
If only one person can enter Wolf Fang in the end, I believe that person will be me!
At the same time, if you eliminate everyone else, I will still be the last one to be eliminated!”
“Since you don’t want to quit, then continue to enjoy yourself!”
Gao Zhong Dui shoved Chang Ning back into the mud pit, then stood up and roared:
“Listen up, everyone. If you don’t regret participating in the selection.
From now on, you should only have one answer in your hearts: Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the people!
Everything else is nonsense!
Burn these words into your minds and engrave them into your subconscious!
Otherwise, get out!”
“Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the people!”
Chang Ning stood in the pit, doing his best to shout this sentence against the water pressure.
With him leading, the other rookies followed suit.
However, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Gao Zhong Dui did not stop his “persecution” because of this; instead, he intensified it.
“Hui Lang, from now on, if these rookies have any energy left to shout slogans, I’ll make you pay!”
“Yes!”
Seeing Gao Zhong Dui’s command, Hui Lang adjusted the water gun’s pressure. This time, anyone in the mud pit hit by the water stream couldn’t stand.
Even Chang Ning staggered under the immense water pressure, and the soft ground in the mud pit greatly reduced his grip.
“You shouted slogans well! But that doesn’t stop me from continuing to insult you rookies!
Do you know why I insult you? Because you are rookies! You brought it upon yourselves! I didn’t force you to come here, this is called deserving it! If you can’t stand it, get out; if you can, enjoy it here!”
As he said this, Gao Zhong Dui specifically glanced at Chang Ning. Since the training began, except for the moment of emotional outburst just now, Chang Ning had performed very well in the face of verbal insults and seemingly unreasonable physical training.
If the information didn’t indicate that Chang Ning had never received military training from childhood, Gao Zhong Dui would have suspected he was reenlisting.
“Do you regret it?”
Gao Zhong Dui seized the moment and continued to tempt the trainees to withdraw from the selection.
Chang Ning: “Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the people!”
Rookies: “Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the people!”
‘Looks like I need to make an example.’
Seeing that the rookies were temporarily united by Chang Ning, Gao Zhong Dui immediately changed his strategy.
“You, yes. It’s you, rookie, why are you smiling?
Is the training funny? Or do I look funny?”
Just as he was thinking about which chicken to kill to warn the monkeys, the medic Shi Dafan caught Gao Zhong Dui’s eye.
He wouldn’t choose Chang Ning; Gao Zhong Dui had figured Chang Ning out.
This guy seemed to be very familiar with their tactics, didn’t fall for any of it, and was very steady. How could such a mindset appear in a 19-year-old youth who was full of youthful vigor? This made Gao Zhong Dui extremely curious.
“I’ve been like this since I was a child; I’m used to it,” Shi Dafan responded with a chuckle.
Gao Zhong Dui hit the food that Shi Dafan was not holding into the mud: “Pick it up and eat it!”
Although he had sped up his eating along with Chang Ning, Shi Dafan had consciously controlled his speed to avoid choking, so he still had some left.
Hearing Gao Zhong Dui’s order, Shi Dafan chuckled, picked up the biscuits, opened his mouth, and ate them without hesitation, getting mud all over his mouth.
“Tastes good!”
This was a tough guy. His words, whether intentional or unintentional, sounded like a provocation.
Now they were all young people in their teens and twenties, not yet the battle-hardened Lone Wolf B-team elite special forces soldiers they would become. They naturally wouldn’t hide their tempers.
Chang Ning, standing in the mud pit, shook his head at this scene. If he were Shi Dafan, he would never have said those provocative words.
It was too disadvantageous.
As expected, just as Chang Ning thought, Gao Zhong Dui would not indulge Shi Dafan.
Gao Zhong Dui liked people who provoked him the most. He stared at Shi Dafan, snatched a pile of field rations, and threw them into the mud: “Eat them all!”
Looking at the pile of field rations thrown into the mud pit, Shi Dafan’s smile stopped. He knew he had gone too far, but what could he do now that it had come to this?
In the army, one must obey orders. If you are a dragon, you must coil; if you are a tiger, you must lie down. If you dare to disobey, the squad leader has a thousand ways to make you completely obedient.
Seeing Shi Dafan’s expression turn grim, Gao Zhong Dui smiled: “Eat one less, and I’ll punish all of you!
If you can’t eat it, let the person next to you eat it for you! You are brothers in hardship! Let them freeze in there for half an hour, then wash them clean!”
Gao Zhong Dui finished speaking and left with the loudspeaker. He was very relieved to have Hui Lang watching here.
In the mud pit, Shi Dafan looked down at the field rations, gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and began to eat, enduring the discomfort in his heart.
Thought it was over? Don’t forget Hui Lang, who was watching with covetous eyes. He occasionally sprayed Shi Dafan with the high-pressure water gun.
“Rookie, to prevent you from choking, I’ll let you drink some water. Take your time, we’re not in a hurry.”
Hui Lang, who had been smiling, now had a stern face. He shouted to the other rookies: “I advise you to quit quickly. Why are you here suffering? Is the company’s food not tasty? Or is the dormitory not warm?”
Shi Dafan, while eating, saw a hand with mud spots on the back of it appear in his field of vision. He looked up and saw Chang Ning helping him share the food under the high-pressure water gun.
“I haven’t eaten enough. You don’t mind sharing a bit with me, do you?”
Chang Ning didn’t say he was helping. Who among those participating in the Wolf Fang selection training camp wasn’t an exceptional talent? They didn’t need pity from others.
“Of course, I have plenty here.”
True friendship is shown in adversity. Chang Ning’s actions touched Shi Dafan a little.
If his system had a “favorability” detection, it would be constantly displaying: Shi Dafan’s favorability +1… +1… +1.
Ostrich, Qiang Zi, Xiao Geng, Xi Wa, and Xiao Zhuang, who were nearby, also joined in sharing the field rations, all using the excuse that they hadn’t eaten enough.
These few people banded together, and Hui Lang didn’t hold back; he focused his high-pressure water gun on them.
The other rookies also benefited from Chang Ning and the others, and the pressure on them lessened considerably. Even so, several people couldn’t endure it and chose to withdraw from the selection.
Half an hour passed quickly, and the rookies who had not surrendered were driven back into the pit.
Hui Lang continued to spray them with the high-pressure water gun until all the mud was washed off their bodies, and then he led them back to the dormitory.
