Special Forces: I Can See the Experience Bar

Chapter 73: Hell Week Ends

"If you can't hold on, you can quit. There's nothing shameful about it. The training intensity in the selection camp is even greater than what you would receive in your own company."

It's understandable that you can't hold on, but don't you feel ashamed of this kind of cheating?

Soldiers should be open and honest, not engage in such petty tricks!
Now you have no rest time. Given the significant physical exertion you just experienced, you will need to do 300 push-ups as punishment.

After the high school team leader announced the punishment for everyone with a stern face, gunshots suddenly rang out at the small assembly point at the foot of the mountain, and the smell of gunpowder could be faintly smelled in the air.

"Hurry up, don't you want to eat anymore?!"

Chang Ning huffed and puffed as he did push-ups, the intermittent gunshots echoing in his ears, mixed with the instructors' urging and humiliating remarks.

The others didn't have Chang Ning's physical abilities. Just being able to keep going up and down the mountain without fainting was already their limit. The high school team even made them do push-ups.

Several newbies broke down and chose to withdraw from the selection process, which further reduced the number of newbies.

In the distance, Tong Youyou, who had just gotten out of the medical vehicle, frowned as she watched the high school team select its members.

To be honest, she couldn't agree with it, because this kind of training was completely overdrawing the soldiers' physical potential.

In the end, Tong Youyou didn't say anything.

She's just a doctor. How Wolf Fang selects its members is their own business. At the moment, she's an outsider and has no right or reason to criticize anyone.

Moreover, the high school team members may not be unaware of the drawbacks of this selection method, but the current international situation is severe, and they are special forces who must be prepared to deal with emergencies at any time. Time is precious for special forces.

Tong Youyou believes that doing her best to protect the health of the soldiers is what she should be doing right now.

……

Today is the last day of Hell Week.

At this moment, the novices are exhausted from performing an armed swim in a calm river.

To simulate the most realistic battlefield environment, the explosions continuously occur on the water's surface, creating waves that can knock newbies underwater.

The rubber boat followed at a distance that wasn't too close, and the instructors' voices were like mosquitoes buzzing in my ears, which was quite annoying.

Grey Wolf, sitting on the rubber boat with a megaphone, shouted: "Your armed swimming is really ugly. I don't know how your company trained you."

Currently, the members recruited by Wolf Fang are all elite soldiers from various reconnaissance units, unlike in the future when the personnel composition will be very complex, including members from various branches of the military.

Therefore, armed swimming is a basic training subject for everyone, and it's not as bad as Gray Wolf makes it out to be.

But if we don't say it that way, how can we motivate the trainees?

"I think even a pig would swim better than you guys!"

“Grey Wolf, we can eliminate the enemy by armed swimming. The pigs you brought were eliminated by the enemy. So you've essentially aided the enemy.”

Chang Ning, leading the way, spat out a mouthful of water and said, "Wild Wolf, I suggest you investigate Gray Wolf. I suspect he's a traitor!"

"Hey, you kid!"

Grey Wolf didn't mind Chang Ning making fun of him; instead, he laughed.

I don’t know if it’s because of his age, but Grey Wolf Mada is always very tolerant of newbies and usually turns a blind eye to minor problems.

For example, they'll let Xiao Zhuang off the hook when searching for items, and they can also have some fun with the two clowns, the ostrich and the medic.

Even when Chang Ning made such a somewhat offensive joke, he could just laugh it off.

The high school team didn't give Chang Ning a friendly look: "Chang Ning, I'm not happy that you can speak with so much energy. It means you haven't trained enough."

As your bishop, this is my dereliction of duty. Rookie Chang Ning, after swimming ashore, add another 10 kilograms of weight and do 200 push-ups!
Is it clear?

"Report, confirmed!"

Since training began this morning, Chang Ning has been carrying a load that has exceeded 100 kilograms, reaching 110 kilograms. This is a testament to Chang Ning's unyielding and uncompromising attitude towards the "evil forces" of the high school team.

The 110-kilogram load is equivalent to Chang Ning carrying a person weighing 220 kilograms on his back, but this is just enough for him to feel the pressure. Four times the strength of an average person is what Chang Ning relies on to provoke the high school team.

The high school team wasn't worried about Chang Ning being overpowered. Yesterday, Tong Youyou handed him the research report on Chang Ning from the past two days. According to the report, this weight was not enough to pose a threat to Chang Ning.

Despite being punished again, Chang Ning wasn't annoyed. She swam faster towards the shore and then did push-ups.

It's not that Chang Ning has developed any strange attributes, but rather that he has noticed his experience points related to physical strength in his system starting to increase.

Chang Ning silently brought up the system panel.

Name: Chang Ning

"Age: 19 years old"

Military Rank: Second Lieutenant (Platoon Leader)

Merit Points: 200

"Stamina: 460 / ??? (The average stamina for an adult male is 100)"

"Knife Skill: 100/100 (Cannot be upgraded)"

Shooting Proficiency: 100/1000

"Note: The level of this system is linked to the host's military rank. Please strive hard!"

'Tsk tsk, it's gone up another 10 points.'

Chang Ning was overjoyed to see his experience points increase as he did push-ups.

Chang Ning was the only one who was hanging up; the other newbies, including Xiao Zhuang, had already exhausted their stamina while soaking in the water.

Just when Xiao Zhuang felt he couldn't hold on any longer, a rookie behind him grabbed helplessly in mid-air and sank down.

The others gasped in disbelief.

The gray wolf calmly shouted, "Keep swimming, rookies!"

After calming him down, Gray Wolf then had the two frogmen on the rubber boat jump down to rescue the drowning soldier.

The novices continued swimming, while Xiao Zhuang stared blankly as the rubber boat carried the drowning man away.

He wondered if he should also take this opportunity to drown and be passively eliminated, so that he could at least give Miao Lian some closure.

Unlike Chang Ning, Xiao Zhuang was filled with longing for the special forces and wanted to help Chen Pai realize his dream.

He was unlike Miao Lian, who wanted to let go of his obsession.

As for Xiao Zhuang himself, he simply disliked special forces, believing that everyone there was a psychopath and a lunatic. He hated every single thing there!
Old Pao saw Xiao Zhuang staring at the drowning newbie's spot and not swimming forward, assuming that Xiao Zhuang was scared.

The veteran gave him a push: "Stop looking, swim forward! Just one last jolt, hang in there!"

Don't let Miao Lian down!

Xiao Zhuang was pushed into the water and choked on some water, but when he heard Lao Pao mention Miao Lian, he suddenly came to his senses. He then swam forward with all his might.

Qiangzi, Ostrich, Medic, Xiao Geng, Xiwa... everyone was swimming hard in the water, all for the sake of their plans.

After most people had reached the shore, the pre-prepared explosives began to detonate, sending dirt and grass clippings flying everywhere.

Xiao Zhuang and a few other newbies were unlucky enough to get mud splashed on their faces, and the ostrich following behind them had just climbed ashore when it was blown into the water.

He collapsed into the water and didn't want to get up again. The medic grabbed his backpack from behind and lifted the ostrich out.

"Ostrich, you should lose weight."

"Thanks, medic."

The ostrich didn't argue with the medic; without the medic's help, he would most likely be eliminated this time.

There's only one day left in Hell Week, it would be such a waste to get eliminated at this point.

By the time the rookies crossed the bomb zone and arrived at the minefield, Chang Ning had already vanished.

The minefield here was clearly left unguarded by the Wolf Fang team; with careful observation, almost every mine could be spotted. But the rookies, unlike Chang Ning who was constantly bombed and exhausted, were still able to carefully spot the mines.

They were all starting to feel dizzy and lightheaded; it was a testament to their strong willpower that they hadn't collapsed.

Newbies must identify the landmines marked on their feet while in a state of extreme fatigue, and then either go around them or jump over them.

Every now and then, a newbie would step on a landmine, and white smoke would immediately billow out.

Mada shouted through a megaphone: "Rookies who stepped on landmines can rest now! The rest of you who don't want to be eliminated, keep going!"

Upon hearing this, the unlucky rookies relaxed and collapsed. The rescue team quickly lifted them up and ran towards the medical vehicle while taking off their clothes to let them breathe and cool down.

Xiao Zhuang felt his legs starting to go weak. He staggered and jumped, trying to avoid the unevenly distributed landmines on the ground.

Mada, holding a loudspeaker, reminded the newbies: "There's only 20 kilometers left in the armed mountain march! You have 3 hours to complete it; if you're more than a second late, you'll be eliminated!"
"Hurry up, all of you!"

At the finish line, Chang Ning had already unloaded her load and sat down next to the high school team, very consciously picking up a bottle of water from the back seat.

"You're not shy at all, kid."

"Team leader, why are you being so formal? We've known each other for almost two or three months since our last meeting during the inspection."

We've practically become old acquaintances.

Seeing Chang Ning's nonchalant attitude, Gao Zhong didn't want to chat with him anymore.

He prefers straightforward kids like Xiao Zhuang, because he finds it more rewarding to train them.

Chang Ning felt that he was even more like a seasoned veteran than this old special agent, which was boring.

With the high school team remaining silent, Chang Ning was happy to have some peace and quiet.

One after another, rookies stumbled and staggered toward the finish line, their bodies and minds utterly exhausted.

Mada anxiously used a megaphone to cheer on the rookies. If he could run for them, Mada would want to run himself: "Faster! You're almost at the finish line."

From afar, Changning could see Laopao and Xiwa holding each other with backpack straps. Laopao, dragging Xiwa, tried to cross the finish line but collapsed.

Xiwa collapsed outside the finish line, unable to move any further.

Chang Ning jumped out of the car in a flash, squatted down next to Xiwa, and shouted loudly, "Xiwa! Keep climbing! There's only 0.5 meters left!"

"Changning, let me remind you, don't help him. If you help him now, you'll both be eliminated."

Grey Wolf Motor kindly reminded him.

"Understood," Chang Ning said.

Upon hearing Chang Ning's voice, Xiwa tried to get up.

But this mere 0.5 meters now seems like an insurmountable chasm to him, impossible to cross.

Chang Ning felt anxious, and suddenly remembered why Xiwa was participating in the selection: "Xiwa, if you can climb over this 0.5 meters, you will become the King of Soldiers."

Perhaps it was his dream that gave Xiwa strength. He gritted his teeth, gripped the ground with his hands, and stubbornly crawled forward little by little.

The small pit he dug in the ground was speckled with blood.

Mada smiled with satisfaction as he watched Xiwa cross the finish line. He quite liked the honest and simple soldier in front of him: "Good! You made it!"

Mada straightened up again, turned around and shouted to the rookies behind him, "You guys hurry up, time's almost up!"

Chang Ning helped Xiwa sit down against the wheels of the Mengshi truck, then helped him unload the weights on his body and used his own hat to fan Xiwa to prevent him from getting heatstroke.

Then Changning heard the medic and the ostrich, this pair of bickering lovers, running over, grumbling and cursing.

"Hey, you son of a bitch... medic, why... why do you keep chasing after me?"

"Hehe, I... need to find a target to follow..."

"Look...look around here...aren't those all places...that can lead the way for you?"

"No... there's nothing I can do. It's because you're the tallest, so you can help me... withstand the wind..."

When the two crossed the finish line, Gao Zhong glanced at the stopwatch; there were still 3 minutes left. Xiao Zhuang hadn't arrived yet.

When Xiao Zhuang appeared on the horizon, walking unsteadily, Xiwa, who was sitting on the ground leaning against her backpack while being given water by the medic, saw him and shouted, "Go Xiao Zhuang!"

Xiao Zhuang's eyes were already glazed over; he was close to losing consciousness.

He never imagined that his feet would feel so heavy, and that he had to use all his strength for every step.

The veteran also got up, leaned against his backpack, and shouted, "Xiao Zhuang, there are only 20 meters left, keep going!"

The high school team leader remained expressionless, staring at the stopwatch in his hand; there was one minute left.

Chang Ning ran up to Xiao Zhuang, but he couldn't touch Xiao Zhuang, otherwise he and Xiao Zhuang would be eliminated together.

"Xiao Zhuang, Miao Lian is watching you."

'Miao Lian!'

When Xiao Zhuang heard the name "Miao Lian," his eyes brightened slightly.

If we were to say who is the most important to Xiao Zhuang, it would be Xiao Ying first, followed by Miao Lian.

Seeing that it had an effect, Chang Ning continued to shout, "Xiao Zhuang, not only is Miao Lian watching you, but Xiao Ying, and your boyfriend are also watching you!"

"Xiaoying~"

This time, Xiao Zhuang was fully conscious. He said in a trembling voice, "Yes, I can't give up."

We can't let Xiaoying and Miaolian down!

what! ”

With Chang Ning's help, Xiao Zhuang shouted and rushed towards the finish line, even though his steps were still unsteady.

The stopwatch in the high school team's hand ticked away to the last second, and Xiao Zhuang crossed the line just in time.

"Quickly, he's fainted. The medic should take a look."

Chang Ning pulled Shi Dafan aside and asked him to examine Xiao Zhuang.

"Xiao Zhuang's problem is quite serious; he's dehydrated and suffering from heatstroke, so he needs immediate treatment!"

"Please let me do it; you don't have any medicine."

Tong Youyou and the medical team carried Xiao Zhuang away.

'Isn't this the girl who's been observing us all along?'

Chang Ning looked up following the sound and saw a pair of bright, piercing phoenix eyes.

With Xiao Zhuang falling into a coma, the rookie week finally came to an end.

Of the more than 100 reconnaissance soldiers selected from the reconnaissance units of the entire military region, only 47 rookies remained after the hell week.

Xiao Zhuang was lucky enough to stay alive in the last second, and that day, the team members finally got a long-awaited rest.

They bathe, eat, and sleep. And no one disturbs them.

However, the next day, just as the sun was rising, the reveille sounded again.

The newbies, who had already developed physical reactions, immediately got dressed and ran out of the dormitory to gather in the open space.

"Reporting, instructor, the training team should have 47 members, but 46 are present. Xiao Zhuang has not yet returned to the team. Please advise!"

As the highest-ranking officer among the rookies, Chang Ning had no choice but to take on the task of reporting.

(End of this chapter)