Chapter 552 - 430: Multi-department Joint Interview Scene?

In the middle of the training field at the Training Base, the venue for the Iron Man competition was already prepared, with just two referees missing.

Beside the playground, the Super Large Comprehensive Training Tower was poised and ready, with tables set up with light bulbs, basins, and beer bottles—one for each—signifying that the assault skill drills were also prepared.

Soldiers on the playground, who were getting ready for their own equipment-based competitions, had their attention captured by this scene. Some logistics personnel were able to move about freely, and a few approached and enquired with those preparing the field.

Soon, the news that Fang Huai was going to attempt consecutive record-breaking challenges quickly spread across the entire playground.

Damn it.

Just as things were starting, the Guiyang Regiment was about to show off to everyone.

The soldiers who had meticulously prepared for their individual events felt quite uncomfortable.

Here comes the mind game.

In the southeast corner of the playground, below the horizontal traversal platform, Fang Huai was focusing intently on the rock wall in front of him.

Today, he had to conquer three stages.

Right now, for the first challenge, rock climbing and traversing, if he didn’t break the record, the entire attempt would be considered a failure.

"Are you ready?"

This competition field was now prioritized for Fang Huai’s use, and even the referee’s command to prepare was somewhat informal.

Fang Huai walked under the platform, touched the rope, and raised his hand.

"Ready!"

Then, he crouched slightly, preparing himself.

The leaders standing nearby had all stepped back a bit and folded their hands behind their backs.

"On your mark!"

"Go!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a rope was flung around Fang Huai’s waist, the movements of his hands were incredibly fast, and with a crouch and a half-squat, he grabbed the safety hook passed to him by the assistant, hooked it in one fluid motion, and leapt blindly to grab hold.

His hands firmly gripped the wall.

This climb was no longer as tentative and careful as before. Instead, it was all about wide, sweeping movements—as if he were a completely different person.

The last time he climbed by jumping, this time, it was a charge.

For this wall, he had practiced 86 times in ten days.

The positions of the short protruding handles and cross star handles on the wall were etched in his mind. He knew which ones to grab and which ones to step on, honing his skill through relentless training.

To the watching leaders, Fang Huai had transformed. Gone was the floating lightness of a monkey; now he resembled a half-starved leopard who had just spotted fresh prey.

His movements couldn’t be described as elegant but were full of lethal intent.

Agile and powerful!

Without any reliance on the safety rope, he soared over the wall in the blink of an eye!

The soldiers below were all mentally timing.

It seemed, a bit slower than the bouncy climb just before.

But this time, as soon as he was over the wall, he was faster. The change to the protection gear was done in an instant, with no stepping back, just a retreat step, and then he charged forward.

"Ha!"

He surged forward from where he stood, the force under his feet even mightier than before, triggering a shout from within Fang Huai’s throat.

Jump!

Just as smooth as before.

The fish-like glide took him over one-third of the rope’s distance in one bound. The move that followed was a spider-like maneuver over the rope after the flip.

This close observation thoroughly satisfied the leaders’ vision.

Secretary General Hao nodded and sighed.

In ancient times, there was the Five-animal Exercise, which imitated animals to strengthen the body, but those were slow movements of tigers, deer, bears, monkeys, and birds. Such rapid motions could certainly be considered martial arts!

Colonel Liu couldn’t help but let out a long "Hmm" of approval.

He had seen many martial arts competitions and even more of the training that preceded them.

To gauge basic skills, he didn’t need complex maneuvers. With just this speed and fluidity, he could imagine the sweat and tears that went into them.

No matter what the outcome, whether he broke the record or not, he was already applauding.

The entire thirty-something-second routine was electrifying. While the leaders pondered, Fang Huai had already reached the opposite side.

After two steps to shift over, switching the protection buckle, he turned around, without any pause to look around, and jumped back.

Every millisecond that Fang Huai gained was a lawful reward for his absolute defiance of instinct.

"Sh..."

Upon landing, Fang Huai shouted, "Good!"

"Beep." The silence of the audience made the sound of the stopwatch particularly clear.

The referees were almost sprawling on the ground, not hearing Fang Huai’s shout but instead, timed it when Fang Huai’s heel hit the ground, giving a fair stop on the stopwatch.

With so many people watching and a colonel scrutinizing, the referee’s judgment was incredibly stringent.

Too fast.

Firefighters were confident in their hearts, this time, it should be a record.

But everyone was waiting for the referee’s announcement.

How fast was it?

The referee only looked at the stopwatch after he had stopped it, and his eyelids twitched as he saw the result.

"36 seconds, 61!"

Upon hearing this, a murmur went through the crowd.

Director Xu on the side quickly checked the record he had on hand and confirmed it.

"Whole corps record, 37 seconds 80! Broken by 1 second 19!"

At this, Boss Wu and General Luo burst into joyous laughter.

"Excellent! 119, a very meaningful number! A good omen!"

Colonel Liu led the applause.

"Well done!"

The surrounding leaders also showed their bright smiles and joined in the applause.

"Very impressive, young man!"

Just with this attempt, the day’s effort had paid off.

The Guiyang Regiment’s soldiers were still okay, having seen Fang Huai’s fiercest attempt at 36 seconds 2, but the rest were already sweating.

This was serious trouble.

Coming up and breaking the record right away, plus this "119," everyone began to sense an exaggerated essence of harmony between heaven, earth, and man bestowed upon Fang Huai.

A chosen one.

He was born to be a firefighter.

Meanwhile, Fang Huai smiled inwardly, feeling quite satisfied. This time he had been perfect, and the fact that he didn’t achieve the highest score was only because the referee was too strict with his timing.

In fact, if the referee hadn’t been too tense and had stopped the stopwatch the moment he shouted "good," today he might have set a national record.

Fang Huai knew the national record wasn’t 36 seconds but rather 36 seconds 22.