Zhang Xiaodong looked at the many students and said, "Since you have made mistakes, I will punish you. You are all adults and must take responsibility for your errors."
Hearing Zhang Xiaodong's dispassionate words, the students present resigned themselves and glanced at Zhang Tianxing.
"We're doomed. This greenhorn instructor is angry. It looks like we've touched a nerve."
"It's alright. At most, they'll make the class leader run ten kilometers. I feel like this instructor will only make people run ten kilometers."
"Instructor, I'm not convinced. If someone has to run, everyone should run together. You can't make Zhang Tianxing run alone!"
Hearing his classmates' words, Zhang Xiaodong let out a cold laugh. Good, they had spirit. Let's see if their lip service is as strong as their bodies.
"Listen to my command, everyone! Turn right and march!" Upon hearing Zhang Xiaodong's words.
Zhang Tianxing and a few others were the first to start running. It was only 10 laps; it was fine, they could finish it.
Zhang Tianxing took the lead. As the class monitor, he had to be the first to run. And the best approach was to lead everyone through it without anyone falling behind.
"Zhang Tianxing, I'll give you a chance to show your capability. How about it?"
Zhang Xiaodong said calmly, "Our unit's standard time for a ten-kilometer cross-country run is forty minutes. Let me see your prowess."
Zhang Tianxing smiled, "How about this, instructor? Let's discuss something. I'll try this ten-kilometer cross-country run. If my result meets your requirements, can we skip this bonus meal for our class and discuss training tomorrow?"
"That can be arranged. But gambling has winners and losers. If I lose, I'll do as you say. But what if I win?"
"That's easy. If necessary, you can try the top ten tortures of your unit on me for everyone's amusement."
Zhang Xiaodong looked at Zhang Tianxing, who was about the same age as him. They were of similar age, but their statuses were vastly different. One was a soldier of the people, the other a contemporary university student.
One studied literature, the other practiced martial arts.
This Zhang Xiaodong was clearly a straightforward person.
Without further ado, Zhang Tianxing took off, his legs pumping. Zhang Xiaodong signaled for the others to stop and rest for a moment.
Zhang Tianxing was like a wild horse that had broken free, sprinting furiously on the track.
If he couldn't do something himself, the punishment for him was minor. But to implicate his classmates would be a great offense.
The students outside the sports field watched Zhang Tianxing's fast-running figure.
"This instructor is impartial to a fault; I can't say anything against him."
"Normally, I should side with the instructor. However, Zhang Tianxing's approach deeply resonates with me. He'd rather sweat more himself than let his brothers take the blame. I like that style."
Tan Honghong glanced at Zhang Tianxing's running form and couldn't help but exclaim, "I didn't expect Zhang Tianxing to be so capable. I believe his performance won't be bad."
"Beauty Tan, the class monitor is running for you. Has your heart been stirred?"
"From your professional perspective, can he meet Instructor Zhang's requirements?"
"It's impossible to tell. If I could gauge someone's performance, I wouldn't be studying here; I'd be a coach directly."
Tan Honghong fell silent. Anything she said at this moment would be wrong. However, Zhang Tianxing gave her a sense of warmth.
Ten kilometers is a test of one's stamina and endurance. And most critically, Zhang Tianxing was running alone on the track at this moment.
When running alone, one cannot gauge their speed because there is no reference point.
However, for Zhang Tianxing, none of this was an issue.
If nothing else, his endurance was something he had cultivated to the point of perfection.
To grill skewers well, patience is essential. Without patience, your skewers will lack a certain flavor.
Only by enduring loneliness can one witness the clouds gather and disperse.
It's the same in doing things and in living.
At this moment, Zhang Tianxing's long legs moved, his calves exerted force, his lower limbs sprang up, powerfully and swiftly.
Seeing Zhang Tianxing's running form, Zhang Xiaodong nodded. This student seemed to have good physical fitness.
Coach Zhao Hu from the next class walked over, "Xiaodong, how are your students? Look at mine, they're top-notch!"
They were soldiers from the same year, always wanting to compete.
Zhang Xiaodong's face remained expressionless, but he turned his head and gestured with his chin towards Zhang Tianxing's running figure.
"See that student running? That's from our class. Are you sure you want to find a student to compete with him?"
Zhao Hu's eyes widened. Good heavens, this student wasn't slow. He looked steady and strong, a skilled runner.
But he wasn't going to back down either. He had already inquired; all the sports students recruited by Zhonghai University this year were under his instruction.
"Let's compete, I'm not afraid of you, you little brat! To be honest, all my students are sports majors! Don't say I'm bullying you."
Zhang Xiaodong chuckled upon hearing this, "That's excellent. It will be more exciting to compete then. If they are all sports majors, it will come down to skill. Now you're sports majors, and I seem to be from the materials science department. Shall we compete?"
Hearing Zhang Xiaodong's words, Zhao Hu didn't know what to say. This Zhang Xiaodong, truly a young man who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. Did he really think this was child's play?
Sports majors had been training for years, especially the sports majors at Zhonghai University. Their physical fitness was top-notch, and they would make good soldiers. Was this Zhang Xiaodong crazy?
"I told you, Dongzi, I've made myself very clear. Are you sure you want to compete?"
"Of course, we want to compete. What's the point of competing if the outcome is predetermined? We all like to see the underdog win."
Zhao Hu was almost angered to the point of spitting blood, "You, Zhang Xiaodong, do you think your student has your kind of stamina? To tell you the truth, those sports majors eat beef every day. There's no comparison in terms of physical condition."
"Stop blabbering here. If you want to compete, compete. You're the one showing off here, and now you're saying you don't want to compete. What do you really want?"
Hearing Zhang Xiaodong's words, Zhao Hu couldn't help but smile.
"My idea is very simple. I lost to you in the army's major competition, and I merely wanted to prove myself during this military training, showing that I lead my soldiers better than you. But after seeing the students, I suddenly felt it was meaningless because there is a fundamental difference between the students we are leading."
"What difference? They all have one head and two hands, no genetic mutations." Zhang Xiaodong spoke disdainfully. One could lose their head, shed blood, but their spirit must not be lost.
A true man, one must not lose in verbal sparring, better to lose to others than to lose face.
Zhang Xiaodong never shied away from a fight.
Besides, as the saying goes, great strength creates miracles. In Zhang Xiaodong's eyes, this Zhang Tianxing had some skill; he wasn't someone who looked good but was useless. Kid, you better win decisively, or I'll make your military training a real struggle.
These university students came from all over. Zhang Tianxing seemed to have high prestige, and his physical condition looked good too.
Why not let them compete? They were idle anyway.
Losing to a sports major would be completely normal, but if a sports major lost, it would be a great boost to his own reputation.
This Zhao Hu was a stubborn one; otherwise, he wouldn't have won against him in the major competition.
Everything requires strategy. This situation demanded a fight. An opportunity presented itself, so why not compete when it's free? If they lost, there was no loss, but if they won, it would prove his own superior coaching ability.
Zhang Xiaodong couldn't help but look at Zhang Tianxing running, a smile on his face, becoming more satisfied the more he looked.