Chapter 205: Fiery Compet.i.tion (Part one)
This military region compet.i.tion was an important annual event for the 36 armies in the nation, and it was the gathering of the sharpest elites of each region.
The natural dense jungle area near Yanjing was chosen to be the location for this year, and the rules of the compet.i.tion dictated that, with limited equipment, ammunition, and supplies, the 36 armies would compete in a chaotic free-for-all battle against each other. They could defend or attack, and there was no time limit. The last one to survive and occupy this jungle would be crowned the winner of this compet.i.tion. In simple terms, you need to do whatever it took to survive, and the conditions of this compet.i.tion was more suitable for lone wolves. In this kind of compet.i.tion, one could get a good a.s.sessment of the soldiers abilities in areas such as camouflage, breaking through sieges, eliminating teams, tactical team plays, and wilderness survival.
And for this compet.i.tion, the country also prepared ample job opportunities for the winners.
The last 30 soldiers that survive could be enlisted into the elite guardian-cla.s.s soldier list.
These people would be trained and a.s.signed to a subsidiary department under the Dragon Division, and the particularly outstanding ones would have a chance to join the Dragon Division.
Those ranking from the 31th to 100th position would be hired into various important inst.i.tutions in Yanjing.
Those who made it to the 101th-200th positions would have a chance to be promoted to training instructors and be a.s.signed to military regions of various locations.
Those in the 201th-300th positions would have a chance to join their local police systems and be a.s.signed a high level position. It wouldn’t be positions like patrol officers, but directly a middle-level deputy post with the opportunity to be promoted right after they finish adapting to the job.
So, for these promotion opportunities, soldiers every year would go all out.
Xu Cheng and the others got to a dedicated hotel by bus, and other military regions’ buses also arrived. This hotel was temporarily reserved for the time being, and no media nor unrelated personnel were allowed to enter.
After getting off the bus, they saw crowds of soldiers from other military regions. Xu Cheng also saw a few familiar faces that were also veterans that had been in service for years and had to come to babysit the rookies. But, most of them were new recruits.
“Xu Cheng? Holy c.r.a.p, you are partic.i.p.ating this year as well?” At this moment, veterans of other military regions spotted Xu Cheng and came to greet him. “I thought the Three Swordsmen all left the 5th MR already?”
Xu Cheng bitterly smiled. “Nah. We never got into the big top 300 list and I don’t want to give up, so here I am, here to battle again. Gao Zhan, what about you?”
Gao Zhan saw the people coming out of Xu Cheng’s bus were all rookies and said a bit sympathetically, “Looks like your back is going to break from trying to carry them all. Hey, how about we get our teams to cooperate and just try to hold out for as long as possible. It’s fine as long as we aren’t last.”
“I’m afraid that I can’t make the decision,” Xu Cheng said awkwardly.
“Wait, what?” Gao Zhan thought he heard it wrong. “You are not the captain?”
Xu Cheng shook his head.
At this time, Hu Bing walked past them. Xu Cheng looked that way and said, “That’s our protagonist right there.”
Gao Zhan grinned. “He looks quite impotent to me. Oh well, looks like the 5th MR’s going to be cannon fodder again.”
“You talk like your 23rd MR isn’t also cannon fodder. You are all just free points.” At that moment, a soldier recognized the badge on his sleeves and taunted.
Gao Zhan wanted to respond, but seeing that it was someone from the 13th MR that was talking, he poossied out right away. Last year, the 13th MR got second place, and those beasts all went onto the elite guardian list. That Wen Zhao guy that Xu Cheng sparred with was also from that MR.
Chapter 205: Fiery Compet.i.tion (Part two)
“Xu Cheng, just ignore him. I hope that they get screwed this year,” Gao Zhan pulled Xu Cheng to the side and said, not wanting this guy to ridicule them even more and demoralize their team.
“Xu Cheng?” Who would have thought that the guy that was ridiculing them asked in curiosity upon hearing Xu Cheng’s name, “You are the Xu Cheng from the 5th MR?”
Xu Cheng looked back at him in curiosity. “You know me?”
That guy snorted right away. “I don’t, and I don’t get why our Senior Wen Zhao actually went to the head instructor to ask him to recruit you. Anyways, just don’t let me see you at the compet.i.tion, I will take you out first.”
“Oh really?” Xu Cheng wasn’t mad. He was pretty used to the pre-game trash talk. “Alright, I will wait for you.”
Right after that guy left, Xu Cheng saw three more familiar faces – Wu Hao, Yan Wei, and w.a.n.g Ying of the 8th MR.
“Long time no see.” The three of them laughed and came over to greet him.
“Long time no see.” Xu Cheng looked at w.a.n.g Ying in full uniform and asked, “You are also partic.i.p.ating in this compet.i.tion?”
w.a.n.g Ying glared at him. “Are you discriminating against female soldiers? The compet.i.tion didn’t say that female soldiers aren’t allowed, and I also pa.s.sed the a.s.sessment with my own capabilities.”
Yan Wei patted Xu Cheng on the shoulder, laughed, and said, “If your team ends up at the bottom again this year, how about you consider joining our military region?”
Xu Cheng grinned and replied, “We can talk about it when we finish last. But this year, I’m planning to really stir up this water.”
Wu Hao: “Let’s make an agreement first, don’t be in a hurry to take us out when we meet. Let’s just be peaceful and take points from the other MRs first.”
Xu Cheng: “You are overpraising me. I probably won’t even make it far, we will see later.”
“Don’t be so modest. I didn’t know how strong someone could be before meeting you, but ever since that day, even I feel a bit unconfident. Anyway, if we meet you on the battlefield, we already thought about it. We will team up with others and take you out first,” Yan Wei said.
Xu Cheng didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. Those three then left and went to greet other familiar faces. At this moment, more buses came and a lot more people got off.
Instructor Yan appeared beside Xu Cheng shortly after, and he said as he looked at the people that were getting off of the buses, “That bald guy, pay attention to him. He’s Bagh and comes from a minority race by the nation’s border. He’s a dark horse this year. The 6th MR never lacks beasts on their team every year, and this year, it’s this guy. His shooting skills and melee combat skills are all on point, and he’s a slippery snake in the jungle, very hard to get rid of.”
“And that shortie. Tie Shi. (TL Note: means iron rock in direct translation) He’s very strong and agile, and he can cut into the enemy backline by himself. This guy’s very good at hiding himself. If you ever run out of bullets against him, don’t fight him head on. His melee combat skills are what’s most terrifying about him.”
“And that scar face, you don’t need me to remind you, right? He took you out last year, and he had been preying on you for two consecutive years now.”
Xu Cheng looked at the guy with a scar on his face and nodded. “I know.”
He looked at Scar-face, and that guy also noticed him. He directly walked towards Xu Cheng and grinned. “Are your teeth gritting after seeing me?”
Xu Cheng didn’t reply.
Scar-face: “I just like to look at the face people have when they are unhappy about me but can’t do anything.”
Xu Cheng said nonchalantly, “Then do you know what would happen to you if the guy that’s unhappy about you could actually do something?”
“Sorry.” Scar-face laughed out loud and replied, “I’ve never thought about it, but I look forward to it.”