Chapter 18: Just Like That, We Won?

This time, Gong Jian decided to take a different approach. He wanted to test the physical stamina of the three men. After all, as an outstanding soldier, apart from possessing solid comprehensive skills, physical strength is the very foundation of a soldier. Without the support of powerful stamina, all other efforts would be in vain.

Whoosh!

Wang Yanbing and He Chenguang shot forward like sharp blades. They were truly the most formidable recruits in the Fourth Platoon of the Sharpshooters. As rookies, they had swept aside all competition. In just half a year, they had managed to stand firm and distinguish themselves among the many experts in the Fourth Platoon; their strength was indeed terrifying. The standard 24-kilogram load they carried felt like a mere trifle to them. With light and agile steps, they quickly put distance between themselves and Qin Yuan.

"So light."

As the whistle blew, Qin Yuan did not move immediately. Instead, he started at a slow pace, carefully feeling the weight of his gear. A Type 95 rifle, four magazines, four hand grenades, a canteen, a helmet, and more—all the weight combined felt as effortless as carrying a feather to him. With the strength of 5,600 kilograms—over 10,000 pounds—at his disposal, 24 kilograms was nothing, and even 240 kilograms would have been trivial.

"Winning this race... couldn't be easier," Qin Yuan thought, smiling brightly as he watched the other two pull ahead.

Rumble.

The roar of an engine approached. Gong Jian and Old Hei drove up to Qin Yuan, both looking puzzled. "Qin Yuan, why aren't you accelerating? Such laxity in a competition is a sign of disrespect to your opponents and yourself!" Old Hei said with a dark face, clearly dissatisfied with Qin Yuan's performance.

Qin Yuan chuckled, "Squad leader, I'm just warming up! No need to rush!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a surge of explosive power burst from within him. Carrying his 24-kilogram load, Qin Yuan broke into a full-on, hundred-meter sprint.

"I... this kid! Is he trying to kill himself?" Old Hei stared, dumbfounded, unable to even speak properly. Was this guy a reckless fool?

Generally speaking, a 1,000-meter run required strict pacing. To think that this fool, Qin Yuan, would attempt to complete a 30-kilometer weighted cross-country race at a sprinting pace? Was this a joke?

"Instructor, hurry, follow him! I'm worried this idiot won't be able to hold up," Old Hei urged.

In fact, conducting a 30-kilometer armed cross-country assessment for recruits was already a highly risky endeavor. If something were to happen to them, as their direct superiors, they would be held responsible.

"Right! I'm going after him!" Gong Jian nodded immediately. Training was training, but human life was paramount. Although the military provided a small quota for accidental deaths each year, that was usually reserved for large-scale exercises or high-risk training. If someone died during routine training, they would be in serious trouble.

Beside his ears, the wind whistled. Qin Yuan was now like a supercar equipped with a V12 engine; with just a slight acceleration, his speed would jump to a new level. The 10,000 pounds of force within him made him far more powerful than any engine, and his body was much lighter than a car. By any calculation, once Qin Yuan unleashed his potential, he could easily outpace the fastest car in the world. And this was only with his current "world-class ant-strength."

Within moments, Qin Yuan caught up to He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing, who had assumed victory was theirs.

Whoosh!

Qin Yuan tore past them like a blade, moving so fast that he left a faint afterimage.

"My god! No way! How can he run this fast with that much weight?"
"Is he a god descended to earth?"
"Terrifying!"

He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing, the kings of the Fourth Platoon's recruits, felt their composure shatter instantly upon seeing Qin Yuan’s terrifying speed. They could no longer remain calm. They pushed themselves to the limit, attempting to catch up, but after only a few steps, their legs felt like they were filled with molten lead—incredibly heavy. Not only that, their hearts pounded violently, and even breathing became a struggle.

"Chenguang, am... am I hallucinating? Just now, was that guy really that fast?" Wang Yanbing gasped, struggling for air, finding it difficult even to speak.

"Yanbing... you, you aren't hallucinating! Everything that just happened was real! That guy’s physical strength is terrifyingly strong! How can he maintain a sprinting pace while carrying such a heavy load?" He Chenguang was equally shocked and dismayed. "This time... we lost! We lost to an outstanding powerhouse; we have no reason to complain!"

At the beginning, they had thought they could win easily. Now, they realized they weren't even in the same league as Qin Yuan. It was like comparing the earth to the sky—there was no basis for comparison.

At this moment, it wasn't just the two of them; Gong Jian and Old Hei were completely stunned. They had expected Qin Yuan to give out after a few steps, but he maintained that terrifying speed for three minutes, then six, nine, twelve, fifteen... and all the way until the 56th minute, when Qin Yuan reached the finish line with ease, still carrying his full load.

Gong Jian and Old Hei looked at each other, staring at Qin Yuan as if looking at a deity.

"Old Hei, have you ever seen such a terrifying soldier in your life?" Gong Jian asked, eyes wide, swallowing hard as his voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Not only have I never seen one, I haven't even heard of such a thing! A 30-kilometer armed cross-country race completed with a time nearing the world record?" Old Hei was utterly shocked. "Is he a god?" he muttered, looking at Qin Yuan as he wiped away his sweat.

"Qin Yuan, congratulations. You won this match!" Gong Jian was the first to recover, offering his sincere congratulations. Old Hei quickly joined in with a smile. There was no helping it; Qin Yuan’s physical strength had reached a level they could never have imagined. His future was bound to be limitless.

"Just like that?" Qin Yuan smiled calmly, not at all surprised by the result of the race.