Chapter 32: Five-Kilometer Weighted Run

Chapter 32: Five-Kilometer Weighted Run

"Squad leader, how will the adjustments be made?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone became visibly nervous, fearing the consequences might fall upon them. Seeing their reaction, Xu Qiao realized this was definitely the first time the squad leader had brought up the subject. They were not only uninformed but even more anxious than she was.

It was easy to understand why. The signal company had been almost entirely wiped out in the recent exercise; only she and Sergeant Wu had earned merit and awards. Sergeant Wu was leaving soon and didn't care about the outcome, but since Xu Qiao had returned to the signal squad, it was clear what the superiors thought of her. This meant that no matter what changes were implemented, Xu Qiao would be the least affected. But as for the others, they had faced disaster as soon as they reached the battlefield and had no notable achievements to show for it.

Thinking of this, someone else asked worriedly, "Squad leader, they won't disband our signal company, will they?"

Her breathing became shallow, and her heart pounded wildly; she knew she was nearing her limit. Of course, a few months from now, they would surely curse their present selves. The group exchanged glances, truly at a loss for words. Having spent time learning from Sergeant Wu, who knew everything, Xu Qiao had gained a decent understanding of the composition and management methods of various military units.

As she ran, she noticed Xiao Yu beside her, head hung low and looking unhappy; she could guess what she was thinking. But today’s weighted run truly gave her a different perspective. The female signal soldiers didn't know what they were about to face; they only knew that the five-kilometer run in front of them was their most immediate problem.

In her estimation, a restructuring or even a complete overhaul of the original signal company was possible. As those around her slowly pulled away, Xu Qiao took a deep breath. "Xu Qiao, you can do this. You definitely can..."

They wanted to refute the squad leader's words, but even Xu Qiao, whom they had always looked down upon, had recorded enemy kills during this exercise. What argument did they have left? She knew that only by facing extreme challenges could she truly improve herself, and this was just the beginning.

Everyone was stunned, looking at one another; what she said seemed to make sense. When she spoke, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief. "That's right, we haven't lost yet."

Xu Qiao followed first, her mind still on her recent words. She kept warning herself, yet those around her kept pulling ahead, and the finish line seemed to grow more distant.

"Besides, we haven't lost yet."

"We just made mistakes during the exercise, and we lost to a group of highly capable scouts. Under these circumstances, would they really dismiss us just because our combat strength as signal soldiers is poor?"

Hearing her words, Xu Qiao snapped back to reality. She knew that the key to long-distance running was rhythm; once the rhythm was broken, the person was finished. Seeing that those around her showed no signs of slowing down, Xu Qiao gritted her teeth and forced her heavy legs to keep moving forward.

Guan Yuqi waved her hand. "Alright, stop thinking about all that. Focusing on the training in front of you is what you should be doing right now."

"That’s simply not realistic. My guess is... it’ll just be a change in training methods."

Her whole body felt increasingly heavy, and her pace slowed. When a unit performs poorly in an exercise, that failure cannot simply be ignored.

Guan Yuqi slowed down and came alongside her. Her legs began to feel weak, as if they were filled with lead, and every step was exceptionally difficult. She desperately told herself not to give up; no matter how heavy the load, she had to persevere.

After the halfway mark, she found the weight on her shoulders growing heavier, severely draining her stamina. Xiao Yu gasped, subconsciously looking toward Xu Qiao.

Physical exhaustion gradually spread, but she realized this weight was not just for physical conditioning; it was to train her willpower and perseverance. At this moment, she had no choice but to slow her pace to maintain her rhythm.

Guan Yuqi quickly shook her head. "Why would they handle it so crudely? If they disbanded every unit that lost, there would be so many units lost to the Blue Force—would they all be disbanded?"

Xu Qiao didn't mind. She smiled and said, "I may be a new recruit, but I have my own common sense."

"She’s a greenhorn just like you. Can you trust her words?" Cheng Yifei said with a hint of disdain.

The exercise she had just experienced was the greatest test for an army in such peaceful times. Guan Yuqi looked at the time. "Let's go, five-kilometer weighted cross-country!"

"Even if there are changes due to this exercise, the core of the signal company won't change, and the original members shouldn't see too many shifts. Otherwise, would they just bring in a bunch of new recruits to rebuild the signal company?"

The first kilometer or two were relatively easy; she could even chat with Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Really?"

"Xu Qiao, follow my breathing rhythm!" Just then, a familiar voice came from beside her.

"Stop looking, she's right." Guan Yuqi was actually on her side. "However... the training in the future won't be this easy."

Before they could even be happy, Guan Yuqi continued, "Don't get too excited. While they won't disband our signal company, reforming our weaknesses is inevitable."

For the current Xu Qiao, five kilometers wasn't too difficult. After all, with several months of training and her original, decent physique, she could manage it.

She pointed at them. "With combat capabilities like yours right now, it’s definitely not going to cut it."

They didn't really care whether the training was grueling; as long as the signal company wasn't dissolved, they could accept it. Hearing her words, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the past few months, even though she had been in the mess hall, she had the benefit of Sergeant Wu, who knew everything. She had answered all her wild questions, and Xu Qiao had absorbed military knowledge like a sponge.

At this moment, she suddenly remembered a phrase from the special training camp in her past life: "Only when facing difficulties can you truly understand your own capabilities."

This phrase had always inspired her, pushing her forward and helping her constantly exceed her limits. This was the first training session since her return; she could not give up now.

Upon hearing the squad leader's words, she immediately matched her pace. With the squad leader leading the way, taking it step by step, it suddenly seemed much easier, and her feet no longer felt as heavy.

Finally, she saw the comrades who had already stopped ahead. A sense of immense joy surged in her heart, for she knew that was the finish line. She quickened her pace, and the final stretch seemed to vanish into thin air.