Chapter 520 - 413 Modified Manipulation Techniques

"Boom boom clang, boom boom long boom clang..."

At two thirty in the afternoon, the Second Squadron beat drums and gongs.

Lian Xu walked through the water gate, beaming with joy.

The cadres chuckled: "Here comes another fierce warrior."

Lian Xu was also excited: "The legendary Second Squadron!"

Fang Huai stepped forward with warmth: "You’re here!"

Lian Xu nodded vigorously: "I am! Number 1!"

Fang Huai patted Lian Xu on the shoulder, laughing heartily: "Hey! Don’t be so formal, just call me Commander Fang!"

Lian Xu looked startled, glancing at the circle of people surrounding him.

"...Commander Fang?"

Fang Huai patted him again: "Just promoted yesterday! But that’s not important! Come on, Song Lin, take the squad leader’s backpack and luggage up! Oh, and help the squad leader find his camouflage uniform in the bag, and get him changed!"

Song Lin promptly approached: "Squad leader, in which bag is your camouflage uniform?"

"That... that one."

Lian Xu pointed to a camouflage bag, his head spinning a little.

"Change here? What for?"

Is this... some special activity?

Fang Huai waved his hand:

"Just swap it right here in the garage! We have training outside at two, and everyone has been waiting here for you for half an hour already!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a whistle from the bag and blew it furiously in Lian Xu’s face.

"Whistle--whistle-whistle!"

"Everyone, prepare the equipment, get on the vehicles, training! Gather up the hoses from the water gate, pack them up, hurry!"

Everyone’s smiles faded as they collected the hoses, like dismantling a stage after a performance.

Lian Xu stood there, not knowing what to do.

Damn, isn’t this a bit too perfunctory?

Back when I first arrived at Liupanshui Special Duty, the squadron welcomed me warmly, took me around to visit, treated me to a nice meal in the afternoon, and even held a meeting in the evening...

Is this it, just one minute after I walked in, the welcoming ceremony is over?

No sooner had I arrived than it’s time to go out again?

"Squad leader, please get changed quickly."

Song Lin found the summer camouflage and handed it to him, saying, "I’ve prepared a medium-sized combat uniform for you, it’s already in the vehicle."

"...Thanks."

Lian Xu took the camouflage uniform with a suffocated expression and headed to the back of the garage door...

No sooner had he changed and stepped out of the garage than Car No.2 had started and was already at the camp gate.

Fang Huai, wearing sunglasses, stuck his head out from the passenger seat with a swanky air, waving at him:

"Lian Xu, you take Car No.3! Get used to the pace of our Second Squadron!"

Lian Xu stood at the door of the garage, slightly dazed.

Damn, why does it feel like I’ve returned right after leaving training camp?

...

Twenty minutes later.

A construction road section, closed off at the entrance.

The fire truck arrived at the deepest part of the road, stopping by the construction barrier at the end.

As soon as Lian Xu got out of the vehicle, he looked around at the surroundings and began to understand.

"...Firefighting Drill at the Initial Rapid Outpour of Water?"

A smile spread across Fang Huai’s face as he said loudly:

"Knowing what we’re about to do just by looking at the site, you’re a pro!"

The people around also gave Lian Xu a thumbs up.

Lian Xu’s smile was still somewhat shy: "It’s nothing, it’s quite obvious, isn’t it? A two or three hundred meter road, going for 220 meters, right?"

Firefighting Drill at the Initial Rapid Outpour of Water usually requires a 220-meter field, but in recent years, Kunzhi had introduced a new 400-meter version.

Fang Huai took several reels of hose from the vehicle and started to organize them as he said: "Right, we’ll follow the competition rules. What role did you usually play?"

Lian Xu confidently smiled: "No. 6 firefighter."

The No. 6 firefighter has to carry a reel of 80-meter hose and a water divider, running the farthest and fastest.

Fang Huai nodded with a smile: "Okay, you be No. 5 then."

Lian Xu’s expression froze.

"...I said I’m No. 6."

Fang Huai set down the hose and stood up, pointing at He Zhijun and Huang Zhongjiu.

"They are the No. 5 firefighter and the Commander."

Then he pointed at himself: "Me, No. 6 firefighter."

After that, he showed a challenging smile: "What’s the matter, want to compete with me?"

Lian Xu suddenly felt a bit deflated.

But, as everyone was holding back their laughter, thinking he would back out, he said:

"Let’s compete, can I really lose to you in everything?!"

Wow, wow, wow.

Everyone looked surprised.

Not bad! Someone who dares to challenge Demon King Fang has appeared again!

At that moment, He Zhijun also stood up, his face full of excitement.

"I’ll compete with you too! Whoever wins will be No. 6!"

Fang Huai licked his lips, feeling somewhat thrilled inside.

This is the kind of firefighter he needs.

"Go!"

...

Two minutes later.

Each person, employing their highest level of skill, neatly packed up their own hose and, holding a divider in the other hand, stood on the freshly marked starting line.

The three of them held the hose and divider in different ways.

Lian Xu hooked one hand under the end of the hose, and with the other, he hefted the divider onto his shoulder.

He Zhijun clamped the hose under one arm and held the divider, with his other hand ready to sprint with full force.

Fang Huai, on the other hand, held both quite ordinarily. However, the awesome part was how he lifted the roughly 25-pound, 80mm hose into the air, balancing it in front of him.

Everyone stood behind them, holding their hoses and studying the three men’s stances while also discussing among themselves.

But everyone agreed Fang Huai’s posture was impractical; holding the hose that way would affect the power of their arm movements while running.

Hao Chengbin stood at the starting line with a whistle in hand, raising his other arm high.

"Get ready... Set!"

At the short blast of the whistle, the three beasts were unleashed from their stalls.

They all started off at nearly the same pace, but in the middle track, He Zhijun, who had one hand free to assist his sprint, took a slight lead.

However, to everyone’s amazement, Fang Huai managed to swing the arm holding the hose.

And he swung it fast.

The hose in his hand was like a gigantic boxing glove being firmly waved about.

He had coiled the hose so neatly that it stayed tight, even while swinging it around.

Soon enough, the victor was obvious.

He Zhijun’s method of freeing one hand to run gave him an advantage over the initial 100 meters, but it impeded his left leg’s movement, causing his thigh to hit the divider multiple times. During the last 120 meters, he was essentially struggling against his own divider.

Lian Xu was a split second slower but steadier. However, the divider kept knocking against his shoulder with each step, clearly another painful way to run.

Fang Huai maintained his acceleration, pushing He Zhijun to his limits.

He Zhijun, obviously stronger in willpower than Lian Xu, grew stronger when faced with a challenge and eventually finished just behind Fang Huai, a few meters ahead of Lian Xu.

All three were quite discontent.

On the way back, He Zhijun continuously adjusted the angle of his hose, while Lian Xu attempted Fang Huai’s technique. After testing it twice, he decisively gave up and then gave Fang Huai a look as if he’d seen something dumb.

All brawn and no brain! Messing around for nothing!

He’d definitely never practiced this technique before!

In truth, it was also Fang Huai’s first time playing the role of the number six firefighter.

In his previous life, he never had a shot at this position. Even in the county squadron, he never got the chance to be number six.

But he had his advantages. The hose’s affinity for him meant it didn’t feel so heavy when he picked it up.

Was that... cool?

In the blink of a thought, Fang Huai picked up the hose, drew a gap in the third coil, and bit down on it. Feeling the weight was bearable, he ran out like that.

The two beside him were stunned.

This surely wasn’t a 65mm hose; it was an 80! And it wasn’t load-bearing climbing, where having a free hand could grab the stairs and create an advantage!

Twenty-some pounds, and you’re running more than 220 meters with it in your mouth just for a free hand to help sprint? Are you insane?

But Fang Huai’s speed didn’t decrease in the slightest, and the hose didn’t fall. He ran back to the starting point just like that.

Everyone was shocked, and Hao Chengbin even went up to pry open Fang Huai’s mouth, inspecting it while saying:

"Your teeth... sticking with you, they’re damn unlucky! Ah, damn, they’re still pretty sturdy though!"

Fang Huai just grinned, saying nothing while his mind was racing.

The other two who had come back were already yelling: "This won’t do! Not only could it injure your teeth, but if you drop the hose and have to pick it up again, it might unravel! It will also slow you down!"

Only then did Fang Huai start to speak, smiling.

"I didn’t do this to speed myself up! Everyone, assemble!"

Quickly, everyone gathered and stood at attention.

Fang Huai didn’t bother to form them up, getting straight to the point:

"Today’s exercise is the Firefighting Drill at the Initial Rapid Outpour of Water!

This drill is intended to teach firefighters how to lay main and branch hoses over long distances, to enhance rapid deployment in combat, to raise the squad’s abilities for initial rapid control of fires, and to achieve the goals of deploying combat measures at the first possible moment and controlling the spread of the fire as soon as possible!

This is a familiar friend, right?

The murderer in the water discharge techniques!

Below, I’ll explain the standard procedure briefly!

Upon hearing the ’start’ command, the driver lays out two coils of 80mm hose connected to the fire truck’s outlet and operates the truck to supply water.

Firefighters numbered 1, 2, and 3 each carry two coils of 65mm hose and one water gun to the divider, connect the divider and water gun, and establish shooting positions within the water discharge area, ready to spray water.

Firefighters numbered 4 and 5, along with the Commander, each carry two coils of 80mm hose, lay them out in succession, connect the hoses, and run to the water discharge area to assist firefighters 1, 2, and 3 with water spraying.

The firefighter numbered 6 carries one coil of 80mm hose and the divider, lays out the hose, and connects the divider up to 170m away, operating the divider.

As soon as the streams from three water guns simultaneously cross the finish line, the Commander signals by shouting ’Good’!

In our traditional method of this exercise, the task of connecting hoses for firefighters numbered 4 and 5 is quite hefty! Today, I thought, why not distribute the work done at the front to those at the back a bit?

I just had an idea, Assistant He, how about you be the driver?"

This suggestion left everyone stunned.

"He Zhijun has such great physical ability, and you wouldn’t let him charge to the front but want him to be the driver? The driver’s role is crucial for controlling the water supply, which requires technical skill!"

Commander Fang pressed down with his hand:

"With my method, it’s not about technical skill! However, the driver will have himself a tough job! The driver’s hoses are no longer just two coils, but five! After connecting the five coils, the driver won’t need to worry about water anymore, just fully concentrate on adding water! The rest of you, just run like mad, and that’s it!"

"Damn! Five coils??"

Fang Huai smiled:

"That’s right, five coils of hose! The driver will take over three coils of hose work from firefighters 4 and 5! And I, with my mouth, will take care of the remaining coil! I’ll drop the coil from my mouth at the appropriate spot, and the firefighters 4 and 5 behind will be responsible for connecting the hose, distributing some of the work for firefighters 1, 2, and 3, following them to the finish line, letting them sprint with all their might. This way, we’ll all be a bit faster!"

Everyone was taken aback.

You could do that?

I’d never heard of such a wild method before!