Chapter 483: Three Days to Take Effect, the Medicine Cures the Illness

The next morning, there was a small lake on the south side of the camp.

Underground channels beneath it let seawater flow in, causing it to become a unique saltwater lake.

Precisely because of this, the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Battalion had previously chosen this spot as a training ground.

At this moment, Lu Yang was supervising the soldiers as they completed a swimming drill, demanding they be fully armed and weighted.

This also caused many soldiers with poor swimming ability to struggle to adapt and fall behind the training pace.

The worst off was Guo Yongwen; at this point he was practically cursed, constantly choking on water and unable to swim fast.

Lu Yang frowned, watching from the shore for a while; seeing that time was nearly up, he finally blew his whistle: "All ashore!"

"Tired, dead tired!"

"Oh my god, give me a hand!"

"No strength left, I'm dying, I really am dying; this morning we ran ten kilometers, then did another fitness set, and now, now we have armed swimming— even Special Forces don't train like this!"

Kang Changyi looked like a beached fish, crawling out of the water, his body and face covered in mud and sand.

Zhou Kaidong, Liu Ziqiang, Sun Chen and the others also staggered out of the water and plopped onto the ground.

Seawater provides buoyancy; once ashore the buoyancy disappears, and the clothes and shoes become soaked, adding at least several kilograms to their original weight.

The overwhelming majority were exhausted and utterly disheveled when they got ashore, but some performed exceptionally.

Someone like Chen Panpan, naturally good in water, was noticeably better in condition and even had the strength to stand on his legs.

"Gather the whole unit!"

Lu Yang shouted, and Chen Panpan was the first to run over.

The others rose slowly from the ground and walked over to assemble.

A quick glance showed that almost everyone was listless, unable to stand upright.

Ma Qing'an and Gao Feng saw this and felt anxious: it's only the first day, and this situation appears— can it last?

The people behind the training plan— are they brain‑fried, or completely brainless, making decisions with their toes?

"At ease!"

"Attention!"

Lu Yang gave a simple command and shouted loudly: "From the official start of training yesterday to today, to be honest, you have disappointed me!"

His gaze swept over the soldiers' weary faces one by one, but the exhausted troops had blank minds at that moment, their eyes staring vacantly.

Veterans simply wouldn't have any emotional swing just because his words were harsh.

Lu Yang continued: "Those of you who can stand here were once soldiers from the Army's elite units; after the Sea Training Base's trials and selection, you should logically be the elite of elites, each one a Soldier King."

"But the result? It's only the first day of formal training, and each of you is like a soft‑legged shrimp, lacking any drive?"

"Can't even stand steady, can't keep a proper military stance, do you still have any soldier's bearing?!"

The soldiers below straightened their posture symbolically, just to save face.

It's not that they don't want to train, nor that they don't want honors or to bring glory to the unit.

Rather, the training volume is too massive, exceeding standards; even veteran field reconnaissance troops who train outdoors year after year can't endure it.

It's like forcing a group that usually hovers around passing grade to score ninety; their ability simply doesn't allow it.

"However, a very few soldiers surprised me; here I want to especially commend comrade Chen Panpan, whose condition is excellent."

Being suddenly singled out by Lu Yang, Chen Panpan was both shocked and delighted, and a smile instantly lit his face.

From once being the universally acknowledged bottom‑ranked standard unit to now being the sea‑land elite praised by everyone.

Chen Panpan's rise from laggard to a successful comeback is not only due to his water skill; his past hard work and steady grounding also play a big role.

If basic fitness doesn't improve, no matter how good the swimming ability, one can't go far.

Lu Yang went on: "Everyone should learn from Chen Panpan. You were all assigned here four months ago as well— why can he achieve a comeback while you cannot?"

Zhou Kaidong and the others cast their eyes toward the proudly‑faced Chen Panpan, unable to hide their sighs.

Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side— never look down on a poor youngster; truly, the wheel of fate turns.

Suddenly, Guo Yongwen in the crowd noticed Lu Yang's gaze on him, and the nervous man tensed his body.

According to the Sea Training Base's usual rule, after praising the best, one must immediately pick out the worst for a scolding.

But what he didn't expect was that Lu Yang's gaze lingered on him only briefly before moving on, without publicly rebuking him or embarrassing him.

"Everyone, rest in place for fifteen minutes."

After announcing the dismissal, Lu Yang called Guo Yongwen and Ding Tengfei out alone.

He first praised Ding Tengfei for his improvement since the previous assessment, then turned to question Guo Yongwen.

"What's up with your swimming? How is it that you still can't breathe properly?"

"Um, this…"

Guo Yongwen's expression was extremely awkward, stammering.

Lu Yang frowned: "You're no longer an ordinary soldier but a junior commander; you choke on water when breathing and can't swim fast— how can you lead troops, how can your subordinates respect you?"

Guo Yongwen helplessly: "In my heart, there's still, more or less, a bit of…"

"A bit of what?"

"I'm a little afraid of water; when I was a child I fell into a pond and almost drowned."

"That kind of talk stops here, with me; you must not say it again."

Lu Yang looked at him seriously: "A Marine Corps commander who fears water, fears drowning— if this gets out, people will laugh their heads off, and then your departure from the uniform won't be far off."

"The unit won't wait for you, nor for anyone; becoming an officer doesn't guarantee a smooth landing— if you perform poorly, you'll be optimized at any time."

"Optimized?"

At that point in time, such a fashionable term didn't exist yet.

Lu Yang found another word to replace it: "It means being eliminated, the latter two characters of the phrase 'survival of the fittest.'"

Guo Yongwen fell silent, with a bitter expression on Zhang's face, and didn't know what to do.

Ding Tengfei was also quite anxious: "Brother Lu Yang, can you think of a way to help the Guo Platoon?"

Lu Yang said nothing else, and led Guo Yongwen into the water: "The best way to conquer fear is to face it head‑on; in a moment I'll press you into the water......"

"Huh?" Guo Yongwen was stunned: "I've tried that move, it didn't work."

"How did you try it?"

"Just, press the head into the water, that's it."

Ding Tengfei gestured beside him, and Lu Yang shook his head: "You didn't use the right method."

Ding Tengfei didn't understand: "Which step was wrong?"

Lu Yang: "Too soft‑hearted."

"What?"

"You're afraid of drowning him; I'm different—I'm afraid he won't drown......"

Before the last word could be heard clearly, Guo Yongwen, standing in waist‑deep water, was suddenly grabbed by the throat and pressed hard into the water.

Gururururu!

Caught off guard, mud‑filled water rushed into his nasal cavity and lungs, and an intense suffocation instantly sparked deep‑seated panic.

His body began to struggle instinctively, turning the surrounding water murky as well.

But Lu Yang just kept pressing, expressionless, showing no sign of easing his grip.

Second by second, Guo Yongwen kept thrashing in the water.

Ding Tengfei began to panic, and the enemies who had been watching from the shore also lost their composure.

Gao Feng saw this and rushed forward: "Lu Yang, you're insane—let him go right now, you'll kill him that way!"

Lu Yang looked at him: "Releasing him would be harming him; don't worry, I know what I'm doing, it's not time yet—5,4,3,2......"

Seeing Guo Yongwen's struggling motions grow weaker, everyone's palms grew sweaty, eyes fixed tightly on Lu Yang as he counted down.

When the count reached one, Lu Yang swiftly pulled the man out of the water; the instant his lungs touched air, survival instinct made the near‑dead Guo Yongwen snap his eyes open and gulp a huge breath.

But before his mouth could close, Lu Yang again pressed him hard into the water, indifferent to his thrashing.

The scene made everyone's hair stand on end, their breathing became labored, as if they themselves were being pressed into the water.

Kang Changyi and the few soldiers who had been dealt with earlier broke out in cold sweat, their faces turning pale.

Too ruthless, too brutal, too inhumane!

Lu Yang, however, acted as if nothing mattered, repeatedly tormenting them; up and down, like blanching tripe.

During the process, survival instinct forced Guo Yongwen to flail his hands wildly, nearly grabbing Lu Yang's face, but Lu Yang reacted quickly enough.

When the next round came to lift him out of the water, Lu Yang unceremoniously smashed a fist onto his face, making his skull buzz.

Lu Yang's explanation was only three words: "For his own good."

Back and forth they tormented him countless times, and even Lu Yang was sweating from fatigue.

When it ended and they dragged him ashore, Guo Yongwen lay motionless like a dead dog, his belly swollen like a balloon.

"Is that… all there is?"

"Once each morning, noon, and night; three days to see effect; the cure works, no need to come to me."

"Cough, cough cough cough.......!"

Guo Yongwen suddenly sat up in a dying, feverish shock, violently coughing and vomiting while wildly gesturing, indicating he couldn't continue.

Lu Yang laughed, patting his back: "Afraid of drowning? Then experience the feeling of drowning every day; after a few more tries you'll be fine."

He looked at the others: "Anyone else with this kind of psychological shadow can come to me; I'll provide help free of charge."

Everyone's throats gave a heavy Gooong, eyes filled with terror; he was literally the embodiment of a demon!