Chapter Fourteen: The Acting Team Leader (Part One)
“Adams, Team Two!”
“Zhao Li, Team One!”
“Mark, Team Three!”
...
Although many were puzzled as to why, after completing basic training, they would be separated, no one dared raise any objections in the military. They simply followed their new captains and entered their respective squads. Fortunately, an explanation soon came. After announcing the end of the training, Instructor Arnold clarified the reason for the division: each branch would undergo further specialized training. Yet, Zhao Li couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the whole truth. Still, he kept quiet and dutifully joined his assigned squad.
He wondered if he would ever see Commander Christine again. Her gentle, alluring smile always left him flustered, and though he felt a tinge of regret, the thought of the white rats quickly calmed his emotions.
The new squads were formed according to some unknown method, each containing only twenty members. However, fresh recruits soon filled the ranks back to a hundred.
“Zhao Li, temporary leader of Group One!”
...
Each group was assigned a temporary leader. Judging from the selections, the twenty people who entered Team One with Zhao Li were split into groups of five, each with a leader. The officers made it clear that these leadership positions were temporary; in the end, whoever performed best would take the role for good.
No one underestimated the importance of being a squad leader. Every recruit understood that such a position was likely to earn them a sergeant’s rank after training, rather than remaining an ordinary soldier. The competition for the role was fierce.
Zhao Li was well aware of this, but being a temporary leader seemed like a good opportunity. He was lucky enough to be picked first, and he intended to seize the chance.
At this stage, they still couldn’t access the army’s special techniques. On the first day, the captain led everyone to the armory to collect their training firearms.
The training guns were heavy, almost twice the weight of real ones, designed purely for recruits to practice handling. This saved the trouble of needing extra weights for specialized training.
Standing shooting stance required everyone to hold these heavier guns for extended periods, supposedly to improve stability. It was basic training, and no one could avoid it.
Each group lined up, gritting their teeth and enduring. Zhao Li, though lacking the foundation of first-level techniques, could restore his stamina whenever needed. All his teammates saw was sweat pouring down his face, as if he might collapse at any moment.
His appearance delighted several teammates who kept a close eye on his performance. Previously, Christine the medic had cared for him due to a supposed chronic ailment, and he often ranked last in physical training—his weakness. The other four members strained to surpass him, hoping to claim the leader’s spot.
The stance lasted an hour. As Zhao Li appeared barely able to hold on, everyone, exhausted as they were, kept pushing themselves.
While the others watched Zhao Li, he watched them in turn. He noted all their performances. Thanks to his ability to restore stamina, he could maintain the posture for another hour if needed, but seeing everyone barely holding on, he began to strategize.
He continued to endure, but his hands started making subtle movements—opening and closing his grip, or forcefully pushing back his shoulder. His teammates recognized these as signs of fatigue. Perhaps a little longer, and Zhao Li would give in. This thought filled them with renewed strength; even the gun in their hands felt lighter.
Group One seemed to recharge instantly, maintaining their fighting spirit and continuing the drill. The instructor observed but said nothing, merely urging each group to do their best.
When Zhao Li’s fatigue became unmistakable, and he was on the verge of collapse, his teammates finally put down their guns one after another. Only then did Zhao Li feign exhaustion and lower his arm, sweat soaking his shirt once more. The sweat was impossible to hide; even with restored stamina, he couldn’t stop it from pouring. His exaggerated movements massaging his arms suggested they no longer belonged to him.
In the end, Zhao Li and his teammates were nearly equals, with barely any difference between them. This didn’t discourage the others; instead, it gave them more confidence. Seeing Zhao Li’s strained endurance, they believed that with more effort, they could surpass him.
Besides weapons training, there was still the relentless physical training. Zhao Li’s performance remained poor, but his teammates fared even worse, and he always managed a slight edge.
Gun training involved various aiming postures and maintenance routines, as well as stability drills. Everyone managed maintenance without issue, but in the stability exercises, Zhao Li consistently lasted a few seconds longer than his teammates, dashing their hopes of overtaking him.
No one gave up, though, since Zhao Li only held out a few seconds more each time, and he was always so exhausted afterwards he could barely speak, wishing he could sleep on the spot. This only fueled his teammates' determination to beat him.
In the other groups, whether by chance or not, all the temporary leaders were far stronger, always leaving their teammates behind by a large margin. Though some tried, their strength fell short, and after a few attempts, they gave up the challenge.
Only Group One kept their fighting spirit alive, each member determined to defeat Zhao Li in the final assessment. In fact, beating Zhao Li seemed inevitable; the real goal was to best the other competitors. This attitude filled the group, and at every training session, even the instructor noticed that Group One was the most diligent and driven.
The other leaders all knew Zhao Li seemed to have health issues, and those who had already secured their positions felt regret for him, worried his performance might cost him the role.
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Happy weekend, everyone!
In the midst of ranking, I hope for your continued support. Thank you!