Chapter 409: Chapter 240: Partners
Chief Instructor’s Office.
Instructor Yue looked at Mo Datong with a worried expression: "Boss, if someone with such a narrow mind is ultimately selected, it’s no different than a ticking time bomb."
After pondering for a while, Mo Datong looked towards Instructor Yue: "What do you think we should do?"
Instructor Yue sighed: "Before, you publicly pointed out his shortcomings, and I’ve talked to him in detail afterward, but his performance today has made it clear that he didn’t take a single word we said to heart. Another talk is probably meaningless."
Mo Datong tapped his fingers lightly on the desk: "His bias and yearning for power are almost ingrained in his bones, and our few words alone certainly won’t be enough to make him change.
He did indeed suffer some unfair treatment in the provincial team. You know how things are done locally; if we push him away now, we might ruin his life, and it’s not impossible for him to go astray from then on."
"Are we just going to ignore it then?"
Mo Datong smiled: "You’re being too extreme. Ignoring it is impossible, but his case is very special, so we need to think of a proper way to handle this. If we can refine good steel well, it can become a sharp blade!
Remember when we were training soldiers, the rural soldiers were more willing to endure hardships and obey orders, while the city soldiers were more spoiled and unruly. At first, you didn’t like the city soldiers at all, even giving me cold looks.
But later you found out that after the city soldiers adapted to military life, they were much faster at picking up new things than rural soldiers, and in the end, most of the key technical positions were filled by city soldiers.
A person’s childhood environment and experiences have a great impact on their character. As long as there is something redeemable at the core, we have to make an effort."
Instructor Yue "hmphed": "With his vicious kick today, it’s only because it was Zhan Hao. Had it been someone else, it would have been a tragedy. The task you’ve set is very challenging."
"You’re a soldier, you have to be as steadfast as a nail."
Instructor Yue waved his hands repeatedly: "Boss, don’t make it difficult for me, I can’t handle being that nail..."
Mo Datong cut off Instructor Yue: "Look at you, don’t worry, I’ve already thought of a candidate. Let’s test it out first and see how it goes!"
"That’s good, that’s good." Instructor Yue breathed a sigh of relief: "I really get a headache with these student soldiers. When you talk to them, they have even more reasoning than you do, and they make it sound like they’re right..."
"So you were just bragging last time?"
"No no no..." Instructor Yue’s face was sheepish: "I was just making a comparison."
"..."
...
At the training ground, male and female candidates lined up separately, with Mo Datong and Instructor Yue standing in front of the teams and a row of instructors standing with stern expressions behind them.
"At ease!"
"Turn to the right and align!"
"Attention!"
After a series of commands, Mo Datong stepped forward: "This afternoon, we will conduct terrain training. Each team will consist of one male and one female candidate. According to the map given to you, you’ll find the landmarks marked on it and write down the combinations of numbers on the landmarks.
Each team has five marks to collect, and once all are collected, you can return. The first team to return gets five points, and the points decrease progressively. The sixth team to return gets minus one point, the seventh minus two points, and the eighth minus three points. Got it?"
"Report!"
"Step out!"
Yan Han stepped forward: "I’d like to ask Mr. Mo, if we’re the first to return, do the points get divided equally, or do both team members get five points?"
"Five points for each!"
"Report to the instructor, can I go solo?"
The expression on Mo Datong’s face became severe: "Yan Han, on the battlefield, are you going to fight the enemy alone?"
Yan Han puffed out his chest: "If possible, I’d be willing!"
"Was China’s War of Liberation won by just one person?"
Yan Han hesitated for a moment: "No!"
"As a soldier, you should consider yourself a bullet. You go where the commander orders you to go, not decide to take a detour after the commander’s order to find a target on your own. Got it?"
"Understood. Obeying orders is a soldier’s duty!"
"Any more questions?"
"Report to the instructor, no more questions!"
"Back to your position!"
Mo Datong scanned the group: "I’ll form the teams now. Sang Cao and Zhan Hao, Liang Xiaorao and Liu Xing, Luo Ye and Yan Han, Yan Xingnong and Jing Feng, Yu Na and Wu Zetian, Li Xiaobei and Lu Jian, Ji Sisi and Wang Tianlin, Mo Yaoguang and Li Midong!"
While Mo Datong was speaking, Instructor Yue distributed simple maps to the girls.
"...I’ll give you all five minutes to prepare. Dismissed!"
The so-called preparation time was only to allow everyone to quickly deal with personal matters, because mixed-gender groups would undoubtedly have many inconveniences. Mo Datong had thoughtfully considered this.
"Luoluo, it’s easy for us, but you with that jumpsuit... Poor Luoluo." Xing Nong put his arm around Luo Ye’s shoulder as they exited the bathroom, his face full of worry.
Luo Ye snorted: "Don’t worry, I won’t hold him back. If I don’t, he’s not going to hit me, is he?"
"That’s so annoying." Xing Nong sighed: "He also knows you and Zhan Hao are friends. Who knows if he’ll make things difficult for you."
Luo Ye shook his head: "No, he takes grades so seriously, he wouldn’t give me a hard time."
Xing Nong pondered for a while and then nodded in agreement: "That’s true!"
Yaoguang suddenly leaned in: "What’s there to brag about with him? His grades aren’t top-notch, and he’s not as good-looking as Zhan Hao. Luo Luo, how about... discussing with the instructor and swapping our teammates? I’ll deal with him properly!"
"No need, let’s just keep it this way."
Following behind them, Yu Na snickered: "Don’t act coy after getting a bargain. Among the boys, aside from Zhan Hao, isn’t Yan Han the strongest? Being in a team with him, with his Mr. Pinming spirit, you’ll surely be ahead. You don’t even have time to gloat, do you?"
Xing Nong retorted: "Then you might as well be in a team with him. I’ll give you such a good deal, how about it?"
Yu Na earnestly replied: "If possible, I would certainly like to."
"Since that’s the case, let’s go find the Chief Instructor together," said Luo Ye.
"Okay!"
...
Beside the vehicle, Yue Santie asked again: "Can this really work?"
"How many times have you asked? How do you know if it works without trying? Based on my observation of her, maybe she’s the only one suitable for this!"
Yue Santie nudged Mo Datong: "Turn around, Luo Ye and Yu Na are coming over."
"Do you two have something to report?" Mo Datong asked first.
Luo Ye stood at attention and saluted: "Reporting to the instructor, Yu Na and I wish to exchange teammates!"
Mo Datong looked towards Yu Na.
Yu Na hurriedly saluted: "Reporting to the instructor, I am willing to partner with Yan Han!"
"No way!" Mo Datong flatly refused.
"Report!" Yu Na shouted.
"Speak!"
"Chief Instructor, my ranking is already on thin ice. If you pair me with the lowest-scoring Wu Zetian, aren’t you blatantly dragging down my score?" Yu Na blurted out.
Mo Datong watched Yu Na with amusement: "Are you implying that I deliberately arranged a strong partner for Luo Ye, and a weak one for you?"
Yu Na defiantly replied: "Reporting to the Chief Instructor, I don’t want to think of you that way, but the fact before us is just so."
Mo Datong nodded: "Alright, you partner with Yan Han, and Luo Ye with Wu Zetian." With a more serious demeanor, he continued: "Yu Na, the grudges between your master and me are our business, and it has nothing to do with you. I won’t treat you differently because of her.
The pairing was arranged by me and Instructor Yue based on everyone’s performance over this period, fairly and reasonably. Since you think it’s unfair, and you and Luo Ye have come to an agreement, then I’ll follow your request.
However, I hope that no matter what the final result is, you should willingly bear it. Can you do that?"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Yu Na and Luo Ye replied almost at the same time.
...
The vehicle traveled around 5 kilometers from base, taking turns east and west before stopping. Yue Santie urged everyone to hurry off the vehicle.
A wasteland lay before them, wild grass growing everywhere, some reaching waist-high, with a hillside forest up ahead, the specifics of which were not yet visible. However, according to the map, a small section of the hillside was a graveyard, and beyond that, an abandoned quarry. No wonder the instructor wanted male-female pairings for this environment.
"Quickly form two columns!"
"At ease!"
Mo Datong, with a rare smile on his stern face, said: "Instructor Yue and I will leave you here, and you’ll rely on the maps in your hands to find your way. After gathering the landmarks, return to base on foot. Instructor Yue and I will be waiting there for you.
Of course, if you can’t hold on, don’t forget to set off a flare. It’s just a five-point penalty, and setting one off is no big deal. Dismissed!"
As his words fell, he had already jumped into the vehicle. Yue Santie gave everyone a brief glance, started the car, and quickly drove away. The large truck that had brought them also hastily turned around and disappeared.
Liang Xiaorao tapped her forehead speechlessly: "I mean, do they need to rush off like that? It’s as if we were about to jump on the truck and head back with them."
Xing Nong chimed in: "That was a display of triumph if anything. Showing off to us that they have four wheels to take them back."
Luo Ye urged: "Okay, okay, everyone hurry up and set off with your respective partners."
"Right, ooh right, that pair has already left. Luo Luo, good luck!" Xing Nong waved to Luo Ye and quickly went to find Jing Feng. Naturally, the pair she referred to was Yan Han and Yu Na.
Luo Ye looked at Wu Zetian, who stood beside her grinning foolishly: "Male Emperor, let’s go. Look at you, it’s your eyes you need to navigate with, not your mouth."
"I’m just happy," Wu Zetian exaggeratedly lifted his chin and rubbed his cheeks: "I was worried sick at first, but in no time, it turned into excitement. Old Wu, I am indeed a lucky guy!"
"See you all later!"
"See you in a bit!"
...
The remaining seven teams greeted each other and set off in the directions indicated by their maps.
This is the first update of the day from Nuajin, a special thanks to "ぐ戀貓﹏" Cat, "Ah Xing Girl" Ball for their rewards, and heartfelt gratitude to ’Pink for Nuan’ for their genuine subscription, and all you guys who leave encouraging messages for Nu’an. (To be continued... To find out what happens next, please visit . More Chapters are available, support the author, support genuine reading!)