Chapter 40: The Horse's Might

  Qu Jun and Cui Ze were enjoying the air-conditioned room when the door was suddenly pushed open.

  A lieutenant colonel and a captain came in.

  Qu Jun and Choi Jae hastily stood up, Choi Jae busily pressed the cigarette into the ashtray, and the two of them stood at attention to salute the two military officers.

  "Ah, so you're enjoying yourself?" The lieutenant colonel who came in put his hands behind his back and glanced at the air conditioner blowing cool wind, then looked at the cigarette butts in the ashtray still emitting wisps of smoke.

  Choi Tae was very embarrassed, and Kook Min Joon didn't know what to say either. The two of them just smiled awkwardly and then stood at attention.

  "Take a break." The lieutenant colonel also smiled and handed over the list in his hand to the captain next to him, took a look.

  "Qu Mingjun? Cui Ze?"

  "Yes!" replied Qu Mingjun and Cui Ze in unison.

  "Not bad, right? The creator of the new record for armed five-kilometer cross-country, fifth in individual combat tactics. And you, third in armed cross-country, second in 400-meter hurdles. Not bad at all." Major said lightly, but he didn't seem to mean it, and instead looked somewhat disapproving.

  Qū Míng Jùn and the other two didn't notice these, slightly proudly standing at attention simultaneously, a crisp "crack" sound served as their response to the major.

  "Alright, let me introduce myself." Major Fan handed the roster back to the lieutenant behind him. "My surname is Fan, and I am the leader of the training group for this military competition. You can call me Instructor Fan. For the next two months, you will be under my management and training."

  "This is Instructor Li, he will be specifically responsible for your various training and performance statistics. In addition, your daily life in this team also belongs to him."

  Li Shangwei slightly raised his chin and nodded at Qu Mingjun, his face still maintaining an icy expression without a hint of a smile.

  "This living environment we've provided for you is the best in all of Shimen Academy, isn't it? And there's air conditioning for you to enjoy." Captain Fan smiled slightly, and Qu Mingjun also had a smile on his face.

  "But the next training will definitely be top-notch, something you've never experienced before. Be mentally prepared." Captain Fan's smile now looks very ill-intentioned, Qu Mingjun thought to himself.

  "This time, the delegation selected a total of twenty people, but in the end we only need twelve people. Among the twelve people, three are reserve team members, which means it's not easy to become one of the final nine formal team members. Do you understand?" Captain Fan suddenly raised his voice at the last sentence.

  "Understood!" Qu Mingjun and Cui Zhe stood at attention like conditioned reflexes.

  "Alright, I hope you can be the last nine formal team members." Captain Fan turned around and left, throwing down the last sentence, "Rest well tonight, this will be the only comfortable night's sleep in this dormitory."

  Li Shangwei didn't follow Fan Shaobo to leave immediately, but instead took out two armbands from his briefcase and said: "Later, I will issue you a new set of camouflage uniforms and combat boots. During the entire training process, you must wear these two armbands at all times. Remember, when I ask you to take off the armbands, that's when you leave the training team."

  "Yes!" Qu Mingjun and Cui Ze took over the armband. The armband was embroidered, made very delicate. On the surface of the shield-shaped armband, a stone gate Lu Institute emblem was embroidered, with two lightning bolts crossing under the emblem, and around it was a circle of letters, which upon closer inspection were the Chinese pinyin for the Shimen Military Academy's military competition team.

  Quan Mingjun and Cui Ze quickly fell in love with this exquisite armband and hastily sewed it onto their camouflage uniforms.

  After Li Shangwei left, it was a while before they heard someone in the corridor shouting for the training team to gather their equipment.

  Qū Míng Jùn and Cuī Zé found out that not only were they issued a brand new set of camouflage uniforms, but also a type of high-waisted combat boots they had never seen before. The surface of the boots was made of leather, while the waist part was made of canvas in camouflage colors.

  The two also issued a new combat backpack and helmet at the same time. The backpack, which looked like a vest, had various pockets and slots, as well as a matching nylon belt. The new helmet was not the old-fashioned steel helmet that could be used as a pot when turned over, but rather the Kevlar material helmet with ear protection issued to the garrison troops, which was lightweight while also improving protective capabilities. Cui Ze was delighted at first sight and put on the combat backpack and helmet as soon as he returned to his dormitory.

  "Hey, hey, how's it?" Cui Ze stood in front of the dresser mirror at the dormitory entrance, looking left and right, "Pretty cool, huh?"

  Qū Míng Jùn smiled and nodded, it's not bad, compared to the original left-back grenade bag, right-back canteen backpack, with a bullet bag in the middle of the old-fashioned equipment, looks much better, has some modern Western army feel.

  Qiu Mingjun opened the camouflage uniform he had brought back and only then discovered that although the color of the camouflage uniforms was the same, there were also changes in the structure. The original camouflage uniform had four exposed large pockets on the upper body, which used adhesive closures. The newly issued camouflage uniform did not appear to have any pockets on the upper body, with two zipper-closed pockets on top and two slanted open-mouthed pockets below. Qiu Mingjun put it on to try it out, and his hands could be inserted into the pockets at ordinary times, giving a very comfortable feeling.

  The pants have changed little, but the thickened layer that prevents wear and tear has added several side areas in addition to the knee.

  "Heh heh, I really want to wear it back and show them now." Cui Ze also found the difference in camouflage clothes, saying while changing.

  The two of them tried on all the new clothes and excitedly ran to Feng Shaojun and Guo Xiangyang's room to chat, before long it was already bedtime. Everyone returned to their rooms to wash up, only to discover that hot water was still being supplied, Cui Ze immediately got excited and took a bath, completely disregarding that he had already taken a cold shower at the 14th squad in the afternoon.

  This is not bad, can take a hot bath every day, although in the 14th team can also take a cold shower, but taking a hot bath is more comfortable. Qu Mingjun also took a bath and changed his clothes, and the two fell asleep peacefully after lights out.

  The next morning, Captain Li led them to wear new camouflage uniforms and combat boots, running laps around the large playground. This small team of twenty people quickly attracted the attention of all the student teams who were exercising. The different camouflage uniforms, the unseen combat boots, and the beautiful and generous armbands made some students almost exclaim in surprise: "How did the Hong Kong garrison troops run to our place?"

  Twenty people ran around the big playground for five laps, which is almost six kilometers in distance. However, since they were running in formation, their speed wasn't fast, and everyone's physical fitness was super strong, so they all finished easily.

  Bring back, wash up, and get ready for dinner.

  When twenty people came to the dining hall, they found themselves facing another surprise, enjoying an unimaginable food standard.

  It turned out to be a buffet, Qu Mingjun was surprised when he took the plate handed over at the door, there were many small dishes in the morning, as well as eggs, steamed buns, baozi, fried dough sticks, bread, cake, milk, various rice porridge and several kinds of fruit.

  All the training team members were stunned by this luxurious breakfast that could be called in the military camp, and everyone was staring at it until Captain Li urged them to move forward and take their food.

  Qu Jun took a cup of milk, picked up a few small dishes, took an egg and a steamed bun back to the dinner table. Before he could start eating, Cui Ze came over with a plate of food.

  Qu Mingjun almost burst out laughing, how did this kid take so much. Cui Ze basically took a little bit of all the small dishes, and also took two eggs, a pile of small buns, some bread oil strips, even took milk and rice porridge, and also took some fruit.

  "Have you eaten?" Qu Mingjun suppressed a smile.

  "This is just a little food? I'm still worried that it's not enough to eat." Cui Ze sat down carelessly and started devouring with his chopsticks.

  Feng Shaojun and Guo Xiangyang almost burst out laughing when they came over, it was really exaggerated.

  It's not bad, Cui Ze didn't waste anything, except for an egg that he couldn't finish and put in his pocket. The rest were all reimbursed by him, but some of the fruit was finished off with the help of Qu Mingjun, Feng Shaojun, and Guo Xiangyang together.

  "It's so comfortable, it's like a godly life. The food is so delicious, I guess this is the standard for air force pilots too." Cui Ze rubbed his belly in praise of the training team's food, and he wasn't wrong, this time they were following the aviation brigade's catering standards, and only higher not lower.

  In the morning, a few people returned to class as usual. As soon as they went back, they were seen by their fellow students who were doing morning exercises, wearing new clothes and asking questions with envy. Cui Ze was even more proud of showing off his accommodation conditions and food level, listening to which the students in Class 6 drooled, regretting that they had not worked hard enough and had not been selected for the training team.

  Choi Tae forgot what Captain Fan said, that one good night's sleep, but Qu Ming Jun didn't. Since the enjoyment is so great, the training must be even more brutal, Qu Ming Jun felt some worry.

  "Full gear, assemble in front of the building!" At four o'clock in the afternoon, with a whistle, Captain Li's voice echoed in the corridor.

  Everyone hastily put on all the equipment issued and quickly ran to gather in front of the building.

  "Too bad!" Captain Li, holding a stopwatch and frowning, scolded everyone, "You haven't even been given your weapons or equipment yet, nor have you been told to wear your backpacks. With just 20 people, it takes two minutes to gather together?"

  "After returning to the house, take off your equipment, wear a camouflage vest on top and camouflage pants on the bottom, then come out in front of the building and disperse!" Captain Li gave an unexpected order. Not far away, Major Fan sat on a stool drinking tea, shaking his head and savoring the flavor."

  Although everyone didn't understand why they had to go back and take off again, good military habits made them quickly execute the command.

  "Hmm!" Captain Li glanced at his watch, "Taking off clothes is pretty quick, huh."

  "Everyone disperse now, but no one is allowed to enter the building, disperse!" Captain Li dispersed again.

  Huh? Not allowed to enter the building? What does that mean? Is it just dispersing here? The twenty students who participated in the competition, you look at me, I look at you, but not one person moves.

  "What are you doing?" Captain Li suddenly became furious, shouting loudly, "I told you to disperse, didn't you hear me? What do you mean by disperse, don't you know?"

  Qu Mingjun hastily took a few steps back and everyone else also came to their senses, scattering in all directions, becoming sparse and scattered.

  "Full gear, assemble!" Just as Choi Jae walked up to Kook Min-joon's side, he heard a loud whistle and then Lieutenant Lee's yell.

  All the trainees were originally nervous and waiting for Captain Li's next command. After hearing this command, almost everyone started sprinting towards the dormitory, rushing back to put on their equipment, and then coming out again to assemble.

  Qiu Mingjun and Cui Ze rushed into the room almost at the same time, without saying a word, they pulled on camouflage uniforms, put on camouflage equipment, buckled their hats on their heads, and then rushed out of the building while fastening the safety buckles.

  "Hmm!" Captain Li looked at the stopwatch in his hand, "One minute and three seconds. Not bad! From now on, we'll gather according to this standard. Those who can't make it will be punished."

  Heaven, Qu Ming Jun's scalp felt a bit numb, this is a prepared state, and the pants and boots were all worn in advance, what if you pull one back at midnight?

  "Next, we'll go to the armory to get our weapons." Captain Li said calmly, and at this time, Major Fan had already walked towards the armory with his hands behind his back.

  Wish you all brothers have a great weekend!