Chapter 15: The Most Formidable Recruit

Since this was a competition for the top recruits, only a few dozen soldiers were participating. With such a small group, the progress was swift, regardless of how many events there were. By three or four in the afternoon, Su Yang had already completed all the physical events.

He had taken first place in the five-kilometer run, the 400-meter obstacle course, and the pull-ups. However, he had fallen behind in the grenade throw, finishing only fourth. There was no helping it; two of the three guys ahead of him were martial arts practitioners for whom throwing grenades was second nature. He had heard from others in their company that these two were naturally superior at it even during basic training. As for the one who took first place, his physique said it all—he was a naturally gifted athlete, his muscles packed with pure power. It made Su Yang reflect on the fact that, in terms of raw strength, sometimes hard work alone isn't enough to secure the top spot. Fortunately, most of the other events focused on endurance, or else he might have lost several more events to that powerhouse.

"The final event: weapon stripping and assembly!"

As the officer’s voice rang out, Su Yang and the other recruits were led to a grassy area set up with numerous tables. On each table lay an unloaded Type 95 automatic rifle and a black blindfold.

"This round is different from what you practiced in basic training. Everyone must be blindfolded and perform the stripping and assembly in zero-light conditions!"

"Why blindfolded? I've never practiced that!"

"Yeah, I’m going to lose for sure! I was counting on this to grab first place!"

The officer's announcement triggered a wave of outcry among the recruits. They wailed in despair, losing all the composure they had shown in the previous events. All of this panic stemmed from the requirement to strip and assemble the rifles in total darkness.

"Su Yang, what do I do? I’ve only practiced blindfolded assembly twice before coming here." Looking at the competition setup on the grass, Xi Wa was as anxious as most of the other recruits.

"Don't worry, Xi Wa. You haven't practiced it much, but neither has anyone else." Su Yang comforted him, casting a smile toward the blindfolds on the tables.

The requirements for stripping and assembly in this competition differed from standard basic training, but this didn't surprise him. Zheng Sanpao had warned them before they arrived that the difficulty level of the competition would exceed that of their daily training.

This situation was not unexpected. Su Yang felt confident; he believed that unless there was someone else among the recruits who had been secretly training on the side like he had, he would take first place once again. As for Xi Wa, he felt the lad would perform decently, as he had followed along once or twice when Su Yang was training in private.

"I know, but I'm still not used to it. Squad Leader, you're definitely going to be first again!" Xi Wa nodded, then said with admiration.

Su Yang nodded back without saying another word, as it was time for them to enter the field.

On the sidelines, Company Commander Miao watched the sighing recruits and remarked to Chen Guotao, "Whoever organized this competition has some real insight. Look at how a single blindfold has caught the recruits off guard."

Chen Guotao disagreed, saying, "Commander Miao, I’m afraid this isn't ideal. Hardly any of the recruits have practiced blindfolded stripping. Adding this rule so suddenly—what kind of result will this actually yield?"

While stripping weapons in zero-light conditions was routine for veteran soldiers, Chen Guotao felt it was meaningless for recruits who had never been trained for it.

Miao replied sternly, "Who says it’s useless? Let me tell you, Xiao Chen, this is meant to test who has the most solid fundamental skills and who can adapt to changes the fastest. If a recruit is truly familiar with his rifle and remains calmer than the others, then even with a blindfold, he will only be faster than the rest!"

"That's true." Chen Guotao stopped arguing. He knew Commander Miao was right; weapon stripping and assembly were ultimately a matter of proficiency. As long as one was familiar with the weapon and had trained enough, anyone could improve their speed. And when proficiency levels were equal, it came down to who had the better mindset. If a soldier lacked composure and couldn't think on their feet, even with good technique, their nerves would lead to a string of errors.

Miao watched Su Yang, who was waiting for the previous group to finish, and then checked his watch. "Let's go, we're heading back."

Chen Guotao was puzzled. "Aren't we going to wait for Su Yang's results?"

"Nothing to see. That kid Su Yang has been getting extra coaching from Old Pao every day. Given his level of proficiency, I’m certain this won't stump him!" Miao said with complete confidence, before walking away from the competition site.

On the field, Su Yang was called up. He quickly moved to his station, noted the placement of the rifle as prompted by the recorder, and put on the black blindfold.

*Tweet!*

As the whistle blew, Su Yang reached out and found the rifle by memory, his movements swift and practiced. This round did not require a full disassembly, so Su Yang was fast. Relying on muscle memory, a series of "click-clack" sounds echoed as he finished stripping the weapon. He then reassembled it just as quickly, his speed leaving the recorder momentarily stunned.

"Su Yang, forty-three seconds!"

The recorder hesitated for a split second before announcing the time.

"Are you kidding me? Did I hear that right? Forty-three seconds? That speed can't be real—they haven't even had blindfold training!" The veterans watching from the sidelines couldn't help but grumble.

Facing the skepticism of the veterans, the recorder confirmed the time once more.

"It really is that fast! This recruit is incredible; that speed is on par with a veteran!"

Their shock was understandable, as that was about the speed most veterans would manage. But this task was purely about familiarity. For veterans, that speed was normal—they cleaned their rifles every day and could identify every screw by touch. Yet, a recruit who had barely touched a rifle had achieved the same result.

As for the other recruits, they were simply in awe of Su Yang's performance; there was no surprise left, as they had grown accustomed to his excellence. Over the past few days, they had realized that this guy had blown them away in almost every single event.

"Su Yang, well done! First place in this competition is definitely yours!"

As Su Yang stepped off the field, Company Commander Song and several veterans approached him.

"Thank you, Company Commander!" Su Yang saluted.

"The competition is over. Get some rest now. Once everyone is finished, we'll go to the division headquarters cafeteria for a good meal. We won't head back to the regiment until after the awards ceremony tomorrow morning." Commander Song looked at the high-spirited Su Yang and sighed. He knew from Commander Miao’s attitude toward Su Yang that the boy was destined for the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company. Everyone in the regiment knew Commander Miao was one of the few veterans who had seen real combat and was an exceptional leader. Even the regiment's Chief of Staff would give him a nod of respect. Though Song wanted Su Yang for himself, he was only a deputy company commander in the artillery company; he couldn't compete with a veteran leader of Miao's stature for such a talent.

"Yes, sir!" Su Yang didn't notice the tone in Song's voice. He was overjoyed, knowing he was about to achieve his first goal since joining the army: becoming the most formidable soldier in the recruit competition.