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墨書 Inktalez
Both sides agreed to start at the same time, following the same route. If any one person in a team was not outstanding, that team would lose; if all were outstanding, they would compete based on overall time. The last warrior to reach the finish line, with the longest timing, would be the loser.
The Deputy Chief of Staff personally blew the whistle to signal the start.
Both teams erupted with a roar and charged out of the starting line. I stood outside the fence, watching them prepare to circle the field and run onto the main road.
As they reached the main road, I sensed something was off, even a bit strange.
The High Song Squad maintained their usual formation, moving in an orderly fashion, with Gao Ge still bringing up the rear.
However, the Reconnaissance Platoon was divided into two factions. One part was faster than the High Song Squad and ran ahead of them, while another part lagged behind. Old Bi led the latter group, following at a leisurely pace.
What was Old Bi up to? I was somewhat puzzled but decided to follow along and see what was happening. As the High Song Squad passed by, I noticed Gao Ge glance at me sideways; I returned a smile.
Old Bi soon caught up from behind, turning his head to smile at me and calling out, "Old Wang, are you interested in coming along to take a look?"
Without hesitation, I nodded and began to match their pace as we ran along the roadside.
The formation remained consistent; Old Bi's half-platoon did not press hard against the High Song Squad but kept just ahead of them. The part led by Old Bi did not exert themselves to catch up either; they simply trailed behind.
The two groups continued running until they reached the other end of the unit and began to turn back when suddenly, the situation changed!
At the turning point in front of First Battalion Headquarters, there was another path leading to a steep slope towards Agency. After passing through behind the agency, it rejoined the main road, passing through Concave Mountain Pass before returning to the field.
As they turned onto this new path, the High Song Squad suddenly increased their speed, seemingly intending to forcefully push through and break past Old Bi's formation ahead.
Old Bi sensed this change as well. He placed his fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle, causing his team's formation to shift!
I watched as the crowd ahead suddenly split apart while maintaining their speed, allowing the High Song Squad to slip through. Just as they passed nearly half of them, warriors from both sides began inserting themselves into the High Song Squad's ranks, jostling and colliding with those in the middle of their formation—clearly attempting to disrupt their speed and rhythm.
At the same time, Old Bi urged his trailing warriors to accelerate as well. They split into two sides and surged forward, effectively surrounding the central portion of the High Song Squad.
Old Bi aimed to eliminate the weaker warriors in the High Song Squad. Gao Ge's formation protected the less physically capable fighters in the center, allowing them to move together during acceleration or uphill climbs, thus maintaining overall speed and preventing anyone from falling behind. Old Bi clearly intended to disrupt the rhythm of the warriors in Gao Ge's center, affecting their pace, so that they would eventually lag behind the main group. If he could take out just one warrior, it would be enough to ensure his victory.
Old Bi was no simple opponent! As I contemplated this, we approached the steep incline, which would serve as a turning point where someone was bound to fall behind. Suddenly, I heard Gao Ge shout, "Protect!" The formation of the High Song Squad shifted from a rectangle to an oval shape. A dozen burly warriors moved to the outer side of the formation, running while using their physical advantage to push against Old Bi's warriors, protecting their own formation.
The two sides became entangled as they began their ascent!
Earlier, it was clear that this slope was not meant for running; one could only lean forward and walk up quickly. I watched as the warriors from both sides mixed together, pushing and shoving as they climbed. I paused at the bottom of the slope to observe.
It seemed that both Old Bi and Gao Ge had prepared strategically, I thought.
Both groups moved swiftly, and since the slope was vast enough for two trucks to fit side by side, it wasn't long before some warriors reached the top and continued running ahead. I noticed that Old Bi's warriors did not increase their speed upon reaching the slope; they still expected the High Song Squad to regroup for another charge.
However, something felt off. Gao Ge had clearly changed his plan because his warriors accelerated as soon as they reached the slope, leaving no one behind and showing no intention of regrouping. It was evident that he had abandoned formation entirely, and most of those following were elite soldiers meant to protect.
Disaster! Old Bi was on the defensive! His faster warriors lingered near the top of the slope, confusedly maintaining their speed while waiting for the High Song Squad to regroup. Little did they know that those with average stamina had already surged ahead, leaving behind only Gao Ge's elite soldiers ready to clash with Old Bi's weaker units! Meanwhile, Old Bi's slower warriors were already at a disadvantage in their struggle up the slope! They were being systematically targeted by Gao Ge's elite fighters!
Gao Ge demonstrated remarkable insight and foresight! He had thoroughly considered that this slope would be a watershed moment where physical strength would become evident. Here, he protected his weaker warriors by allowing them to leave early while using his elite soldiers to pin down Old Bi's weaker troops, thereby creating a gap—this must have been part of his contingency plan!
At this moment, Old Bi must have realized something was amiss as he shouted, "All units sprint! Don't get entangled; fight to avoid being last!"
The soldiers of Reconnaissance Platoon reacted quickly and immediately began their sprint!
I noticed that both Gao Ge and Old Bi had fallen behind! Clearly, both had prepared for cover; Old Bi carried two rifles while Gao Ge had three—likely reducing the burden on their weakest members during the ascent.
By the time I reached the top of the slope, Gao Ge and Old Bi were already running side by side for over fifty meters. I quickened my pace to catch up. The front-line warriors formed a near-perfect line, pairing off; it was obvious they were competing against each other—those running together shared similar physical capabilities.
Strangely enough, neither Gao Ge nor Old Bi increased their speed; they maintained a steady pace as I followed closely behind at a distance of several meters.
As we approached Concave Mountain Pass, I saw Gao Ge suddenly increase his speed. Was he preparing to sprint this early?
Old Bi was also picking up speed, and I had no choice but to accelerate to keep up with the two of them.
After running for several dozen meters, we passed a mountain pass and entered a long, gentle downhill slope. In that moment, a light bulb went off in my head, and I suddenly understood why Gao Ge had increased his pace. There were two reasons: first, there were hardly any warriors left ahead, which meant that the last one might very well be between him and Old Bi! He had to shake off Old Bi! Second, this downhill path was just right for creating a gap; the key lay in height. At over six feet tall, his stride could cover almost two of mine and Old Bi's steps combined. At that moment, he was sprinting as if he were going for a hundred-meter dash.
Less than thirty meters later, I felt I could no longer keep up. I was gasping heavily, struggling for breath as if my lungs were about to burst! This pace was clearly Gao Ge's own rhythm! Even if Old Bi was better than me, he couldn’t keep up either! Even if he managed to stay close to Gao Ge without being left behind, he wouldn’t have the strength to sprint when they reached the track!
If only I hadn’t helped the warrior carry the gun, maybe there would still be hope.
If only we had all run our own races from the start, perhaps there would still be hope.
But I knew there were no "ifs." Everything had been calculated by Gao Ge, even Old Bi's competitive nature was accounted for; Old Bi was destined to lose.
Damn it! Gao Ge! I had underestimated him; if it came down to the Preliminary Round against him, I truly had no confidence in winning.
I had to stop and lean against the railing by the track, gasping for air while watching the scene on the track. The last few warriors were rushing toward the finish line; at this point, it didn’t matter whose warriors they were—the key was who would reach the finish line first: Gao Ge or Old Bi!
Everyone was anxiously watching the entrance as they entered! Gao Ge was in front! He was actually accelerating! Old Bi had already been left behind by several dozen meters! My heart sank; that distance would likely be impossible to make up.
As Gao Ge ran past me, I clearly saw him smile at me—a smile filled with pride and confidence, a smile of a victor.
When Old Bi passed me, Gao Ge was already at the Finish Line receiving cheers. Old Bi's gasping sounded louder than a broken wind instrument; he was drenched in sweat, his camouflage uniform soaked through, and his face pale as a ghost! I shouted, “Old Bi, slow down! Just make it to the finish!”
Old Bi didn’t respond; he maintained his speed toward the finish line, his form wavering. I knew he had given it his all, and I was very worried.
Old Bi soon dashed across the finish line. I watched as he crossed over and collapsed on the ground with many people rushing over…
Fortunately, there was a Medical Unit stationed at the finish line with Military Doctors on standby for immediate checks. He was fine—still conscious—but his legs were weak and cramping.
When I approached him, he was half-lying on the ground drinking from a bottle of Glucose while another warrior pulled at his leg and kicked at his soles. “Hey, how did you end up like this?” I asked.
Old Bi blinked weakly, saying, "I was tricked. Gao Ge's training was all for show; he was prepared. In the end, I really had no choice. If it were you, you'd have to hold on too."
Just then, Gao Ge approached and parted the crowd. "Are you okay, Bi?" he asked.
"I won't die!" Old Bi rolled his eyes at him.
"You won, so carry me back! I need to rest well and watch someone else get defeated tomorrow!"
Gao Ge seemed to ignore everything else and turned to me. "Wang Squad Leader, tomorrow is our showdown."
I smiled and replied, "Who would dare to compete with a senior? I'm just here to learn from you. Friendship first, competition second."
Gao Ge stared at me for a long time. I maintained my smile as I met his gaze until he finally looked away, letting out a soft sigh. "I always feel like I can't see through you."
I responded, "That's because the water in my pool is very clear."
Gao Ge hesitated for a moment before choosing to leave. As he passed by me, he patted my shoulder. "You're a good opponent. Do your best and don't embarrass us local university students."
I stood tall and replied, "I'll do my utmost!"
(To be continued; tomorrow will be even more exciting!)
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