Chapter 21: Leaving a Lasting Impression on the Veteran

“Squad leader, has this guy ever charged a hill before?” Deputy squad leader Xu of First Squad, who had followed Zheng Sanpao up the hill, looked at Su Yang trailing behind Chen Guotao and asked Zheng Sanpao somewhat bewildered.

“No, never.” Zheng Sanpao shook his head.

“Then how does this kid dare to push himself so hard, even competing with Chen’s squad?” Xu was uncertain whether Su Yang truly had talent or was just reckless.

“That’s just his personality—he wants to be first in everything,” Zheng Sanpao glanced at Su Yang and explained before picking up his pace to catch up.

“He wants to be first in everything? No wonder Chen’s squad likes him so much,” Xu muttered softly and followed.

Soon, several new recruits who had just joined began to falter; their pace slowed.

During their time in the recruit company, they mostly ran on cement. Even during endurance training, they had never charged a hill like this.

This was their first time running up a hill with the unit. Without experience, they followed the veterans’ lead at full speed, lacking the veterans’ skill in conserving energy. By the latter half, their stamina dropped sharply, and their speed faltered.

“This kid is impressive,” Chen Guotao looked back at the struggling new recruits. Although Su Yang was panting heavily, his speed matched Chen’s with no sign of slowing.

His eyes flicked, and he shouted to the team, “Those at the back, pick up the pace! If you want to give up, report it. I’ll allow you to slow down a bit since you’re new recruits.”

“It’s normal for rookies to struggle, right, veterans?”

The veterans understood Chen Guotao’s meaning and shouted back, “Yes! New guys, the platoon leader’s right—if you want to give up, just say it. No one looks down on you. We all went through the same.”

The veterans’ jeers made the new recruits grit their teeth in frustration, desperate to explode forward and slap the veterans’ faces.

But their bodies told them they truly couldn’t catch up in such a short time.

Just as they were about to give up, Su Yang shouted from the front, “We new recruits don’t back down! If the veterans want to give up, that’s on them! Right, new guys? Are we cowards?”

Su Yang’s voice echoed through the back hill. Following his lead, the new recruits responded with a chorus of, “No, no, no!”

The three resounding negations startled the veterans, who glared angrily. They were used to the new recruits’ defiance—after all, they had been the same once—but they hadn’t expected the rookies to mock them for lacking courage.

“You guys, we were just joking about ourselves, didn’t think you’d take it seriously.”

Then Sun Weihao caught up behind Su Yang, panting, and retorted, “Su Yang, words alone mean nothing... You think this is a rookie competition?”

“I’ll tell you, the competitions in the recruit company mean nothing to us veterans. Not even a fully equipped five-kilometer cross-country run. Those events are only impressive to you rookies.”

“Fine, then let’s have a real contest. I’m not afraid of you!”

Su Yang hadn’t expected Sun Weihao to jump in, but it didn’t surprise him much. He slowed his pace, waiting for Sun Weihao.

He understood that unlike the recruit company, where veterans were mostly squad leaders and picked on rookies to train them, veterans in the unit were different.

In a whole squad, aside from the squad leader and deputy, other veterans wouldn’t easily accept someone without real ability.

Especially someone like Su Yang, who had won first place among rookies and earned third-class merit awards that even some veterans lacked—he was bound to draw attention.

Since that was the case, he might as well show his true skills early.

Besides, he had considered that for other events, he was still untrained compared to veterans, but physical endurance wasn’t one of his weaknesses—especially charging hills.

After all, he was from Yunnan. The so-called hills near the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company’s area were nothing more than jokes to him.

In Yunnan’s endless mountain ranges, such hills were mere mounds.

“All right, whoever charges to the front of this hill first wins! Loser has to wash the winner’s socks. Anyone who refuses is a grandson!”

Sun Weihao ran up to Su Yang, raised the stakes, and then surged ahead.

Su Yang didn’t flinch, quickly pulling away from Chen Guotao and the others to catch up.

“Old Pao, didn’t you tell Sun Weihao that Su Yang is catching up to you?” Chen Guotao asked Zheng Sanpao, who was running at an even pace.

“Nope. Sun Weihao needs to suffer a bit—he needs to learn there’s always someone better,” Zheng Sanpao replied with conviction.

Chen Guotao chuckled, “Never thought you, big-eyed Old Pao, would play this kind of game…”

“But it’s good. You lost face in the recruit company; at least let these veterans see who made you lose face. Otherwise, they’d think you’re getting old.”

Zheng Sanpao shot Chen Guotao a glare. He hadn’t thought that far—he just didn’t want his soldiers to see him beaten repeatedly by a rookie.

Seeing Old Pao ignoring him, Chen Guotao turned to look at Chen Xiwa struggling behind them.

As platoon leader, he couldn’t fully immerse himself in competing with his subordinates; he had to watch over the whole team.

Though he called them rookies, he had to keep an eye on them to prevent accidents.

After all, it was their first time in the unit.

“Xiwa, keep going… hang on a bit more! Look, Su Yang’s already run so far. You’re not far behind him—try to catch up.”

Chen Guotao’s encouragement lifted Xiwa’s spirits, and he clenched his teeth to keep pace.

The hill ahead looked deceptively close but was actually a long way off. Besides Su Yang and Sun Weihao, other veterans were also fiercely competing.

With limited rest spots, those charging to the front were mostly prideful, unwilling to slow down and face extra training.

At the hilltop, Company Commander Miao, who had driven up, looked through binoculars at Su Yang and Sun Weihao leading the charge, surprised.

“Old Wang, look at this. I thought Su Yang would take some time to make a name in the company, but he’s already going head-to-head with the veterans.”

Instructor Wang nodded. “Indeed. Sun Weihao has a bit of a bad temper but is the strongest among their peers. Didn’t expect Su Yang to hold his own against him.”

“That’s exactly what I want—a new generation better than the last. Only by bringing in fresh blood can the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company have hope.”

Miao’s sun-darkened face broke into a smile.

After more than ten minutes, the hilltop grew nearer in Su Yang’s view. The veterans summoned their last reserves for a final sprint.

Several veterans who had been trailing Su Yang and Sun Weihao caught up, ready to overtake them.

“Su Yang... you think you’re fast, but we veterans are conserving energy. Only you’re foolish... Follow me and charge!”

“Night Tigers, kill…”

Sun Weihao, gasping for breath, taunted Su Yang, then clenched his teeth and charged up the hill.

Su Yang was startled by Sun Weihao’s fierce push. No wonder the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company soldiers were like this—Old Pao was tough, Chief Chen was fierce, and this foul-mouthed guy was just as daring.

Su Yang’s eyes reddened. He wasn’t in the habit of washing others’ socks. Gritting his teeth, he pushed forward with aching, heavy legs.

The two of them, leading and trailing, left the veterans who had just caught up far behind.

“Damn... Sun Weihao’s gone mad again!”

“That rookie too. Both crazy.”

The veterans grumbled but bit their lips and followed, while the new recruits fell further behind.

After running desperately for a stretch, Su Yang felt as if his legs would break, and his lungs burned like he had swallowed high-proof liquor.

Just as he was about to slow down, through his sweat-blurred eyes, he noticed Sun Weihao ahead had slowed first.

He was overjoyed—Sun Weihao had finally faltered.

Like injected with adrenaline, Su Yang surged forward, and in the final hundred meters, he reached the car parked at the hilltop first.

“Well done, Su Yang, you win!”

Company Commander Miao’s words, the ones Su Yang longed to hear, made him collapse weakly to the ground.

“Don’t sit on the ground!”

Instructor Wang hurriedly caught Su Yang, preventing him from falling.