"From our Luoshu Mountain to Honghua Mountain three peaks away, the straight-line distance is thirty-five kilometers. I’m giving you seventy-two hours to reach the summit of Honghua Mountain on foot,"
Song Lili was not very familiar with this area, but with a straight-line distance of thirty-five kilometers between the two peaks, the hiking distance would at least be over fifty kilometers.
Seventy-two hours to cover over fifty kilometers... That wasn’t even the key issue, the key was that there were only backpacks for forty people.
In other words, half of them would not be able to get a backpack, and for these recruits who had not undergone complete and strict training, it was an impossible task to trek for three days without food and water.
Big brother Lu Ziqing... He really lived up to his name of "Demon Instructor" in the military region; he was truly ruthless!
Everyone stared at the limited number of backpacks, and Lu Ziqing’s words only strengthened their determination to secure one!
"Chief, the backpacks should be given on a first-come, first-served basis to the first forty who reach the training ground,"
the speaker was a tall and burly young man. His name was Gao Qintian, a typical self-serving person.
"Everyone who assembled within three minutes is qualified, the Chief didn’t say anything about having to determine an order within those three minutes. Besides, I didn’t see any instructor keeping a special record of who arrived first or last; how do you define the first forty and the last forty?"
Song Lili immediately retorted.
If they really did it Gao Qintian’s way, she and Lin Xinglan would already be eliminated.
Gao Qintian looked at Song Lili,
"Then tell us, who should get the backpacks, and who shouldn’t."
With that question, everyone turned their eyes to Song Lili, and she looked towards Lu Ziqing,
"I trust that Chief Lu has his own considerations! There will be a fair and just way."
Lu Ziqing smiled lightly,
"Right, I do have my own way, but I’d also like to hear your thoughts. How do you think the backpacks should be distributed?"
Song Lili was taken aback for a moment. Although the floodlights on the training ground were bright, she couldn’t make out Lu Ziqing’s expression, nor could she guess what he was plotting in his mind.
For safety’s sake, she thought it was best to speak less and make fewer mistakes,
"Reporting to the Chief, since you have already made a decision, let’s go with that."
"My idea is the same as student Gao Qintian’s,"
Lu Ziqing said steadily, looking at Song Lili, seeing a flicker of speechlessness in her eyes!
"The first forty students who arrived here, I and the other instructors remember roughly,"
he continued leisurely,
"The selection of officer candidates was originally recommended by each class’s instructor and drillmaster, but it was you who asked for a fair and open selection for everyone! If you don’t have any thoughts, then—"
Song Lili shouted, pursed her lips. She might have really overestimated Lu Ziqing’s easygoing nature and his attitude toward the selection of officer candidates!
Song Lili glanced at everyone on the field and took a deep breath,
"To cover over fifty kilometers in seventy-two hours, across the three undeveloped wild mountains between Luoshu Mountain and Honghua Mountain, with steep and dangerous paths, unknown environments, and the presence of wild beasts, you are the best judges of whether it is possible to complete this journey and reach the end."
"Tang Xiaohua, why are you mentioning all this unnecessary stuff?"
Shen Lingxi stepped forward, questioning!
"I mean to say, if you’re going to give up, do it early."
"Haha..." Shen Lingxi sneered, tugging at the corner of her mouth, "So you mean to wait for forty-two people to give up voluntarily?"
Song Lili ignored Shen Lingxi and simply continued to ask,
"Does anyone wish to give up now?"
Amid the profound silence, indeed, two people raised their hands—only two.
Shen Lingxi narrowed her eyes, glaring fiercely at the two people who raised their hands.
Chief Lu said calmly,
"This is a wise move. Those who have given up can go back to sleep."
And so, the two of them walked off in low spirits.
"Tang Xiaohua, there are still eighty people here!" said Shen Lingxi with a cold voice, as if waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
"Eighty people... Isn’t that perfect?"
Song Lili’s eyes were firm, "Pair off, and each pair receives a backpack."