004, Picking a fight with the entire squad! _1

"Report, you will know when you finish running yourself!"

Lai Liang raised his voice suddenly, his eyes bright with an unyielding look, he said each word deliberately.

Mo Shangjun watched him closely.

Young, vibrant, an intellectual with a tough side—people like him dedicate their prime to the military yet possess a most fatal flaw.

They had not suffered much setback.

Mo Shangjun believed that before she came along, he had never been punished for such a trifle.

People like him might submit to certain orders and rules, but they would still debate it, resist it in their minds, and never give in at heart.

Those with their own ideas are not easily "brainwashed".

Just as Mo Shangjun was witnessing at that moment, this platoon leader was accepting his punishment grudgingly, clearly not willing to acknowledge her, thus his eyes were filled with defiance and resistance.

"Quite spirited," Mo Shangjun hooked her lips slightly, pressed her military cap down, and raised an eyebrow, "Five more laps, I'll run with you. Any problem with that?"

"Report!"

Lai Liang shouted.

Sweat soaked his uniform, sticking tightly to his body, his chest heaving and breaths rapid, yet he tried hard not to appear too disheveled.

"For what reason are these five laps?!"

Lai Liang stared steadily at her, a sharp glint sparkling in his dark eyes.

"No reason, I am pleased to." Mo Shangjun shrugged with a casual air.

"Then," Lai Liang took a deep breath, his voice resounded firmly, "can I refuse?!"

"You cannot."

Meeting his fierce gaze, Mo Shangjun replied nonchalantly.

"Report!" Lai Liang's voice was loud and clear.

"Speak."

"I have a proposal!"

Mo Shangjun narrowed her eyes, nodded, and instructed, "Continue."

"If you lose, I hope you can take my soldiers and personally visit the medical center!" Lai Liang's face was serious, his words very earnest.

"And what if you lose?" Mo Shangjun raised her eyebrows slightly.

"At your disposal!" Lai Ming stated firmly.

Raising her hand, Mo Shangjun snapped her fingers and nodded with a smile, "Fine."

For some reason, when Lai Liang caught a glimpse of that faint smile on her lips, he felt a sudden chill.

Aside from Mo Shangjun and Lai Liang, only the small soldier who had just finished punishment running knew about this impromptu race, since he was brought over by Mo Shangjun to act as the judge.

And—

As the two started running close to one lap, nearly everybody on the training ground noticed the situation.

Scattered individuals and small groups started converging around, drawn together to spectate.

Those unaware of the circumstances watched the airborne female deputy company commander and the recently finished thirty-lap Lai platoon leader running on the track, each one baffled.

What bewildered them even more was that Mo Shangjun, initially not far behind Lai Liang by the second lap, began to exert force starting the third, incrementally speeding up visibly, and when she sped by like the wind, they were all left dumbstruck.

"Fast?"

One person nudged their neighbor's arm, their slightly trembling finger betraying their nervousness.

"It should be... very fast," the other pondered aloud.

"Does our company have anyone who runs that fast?" the first speaker swallowed subconsciously.

"Yes!" The response was emphatic.

Quickly exchanging glances, they both hung their heads in dejection.

Yes!

How could there not be?

But those were the elite! The best of the best among elites!

They had thought the newly arrived female deputy company commander was just a pretty face that was pleasant to look at. After all, she truly looked the part, and her lightning-quick action in the canteen and her decisive temperament were impressive enough. But now, she was crushing half their self-esteem, which they, as male soldiers, prided on their physical fitness.

Their hearts felt as if they were weighed down by a thousand catties, oppressively heavy.

After all—

She was a woman!

At that moment, Lin Qi, who had been training on the ground all this time, arrived near the track just as Mo Shangjun was on her last lap.

"Company commander, good," he greeted.

"Second squad," someone replied.

"Commander Lin," another added.

Others around him also greeted him in succession. Lin Qi glanced at them and then turned his attention to Mo Shangjun, who was running on the track.

By the start of the fifth lap, Mo Shangjun had already gained a half-lap lead on Lai Liang.

Although Lai Liang had already run thirty laps and was nearly out of stamina, Mo Shangjun's speed was undeniably fast. She even ran without gasping for breath, her breathing incredibly steady.

Hearing the discussions and exclamations of surprise around him, Lin Qi's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a flash of disdain passed through his eyes.

Mo Shangjun's strength was far from mediocre.

This person, who acted according to her mood and the environment, had never shown her true capabilities.

As the last lap reached its midpoint, Mo Shangjun slowed down her pace, maintaining a certain distance from Lai Liang, yet never giving him a chance to close the gap.

"Go, third squad commander!"

"Go, Commander Lai!"

"Go, Little Lizi!"

...

Cheers erupted near the track. A group of big fellows came together, shouting in unison, their voices thunderous and deafening.

The cheers were completely one-sided, each shout rooting for Lai Liang, while the far-leading Mo Shangjun had become the target of their collective antagonism.

Everyone knew that before competing with Mo Shangjun, Lai Liang had already completed the thirty laps he was punished with. No matter how Mo Shangjun performed on the track, just the fact that she proposed such a challenge was clearly bullying, wasn't it?

What was the point of such an unfair competition?

They were resentful, they were annoyed, they were angry!

Upon learning the situation from the soldiers, Mo Shangjun's shameless behavior was completely denounced by the group!

However—

When everything was already decided, no matter how the spectators shouted or how much psychological strength they gave to Lai Liang, in the end, they could not change the outcome.

Mo Shangjun, having advanced smoothly, stepped over the finish line without surprise, maintaining a lead of more than half a lap over Lai Liang.

The moment Mo Shangjun stopped running, she felt countless hostile gazes sweeping over her.

The eyes filled with anger and dissatisfaction represented a collective sentiment; they were resisting Mo Shangjun's unfairness, expressing a rejection of her presence.

Those looks, sharp as thorns, came from all directions.

Closing her eyes, Mo Shangjun took a deep breath, quickly adjusting the disordered breathing from her run.

Gradually, the footsteps from behind grew clearer and clearer, each step resilient and persistent as if proving something to her.

Until the sound of footsteps ceased, Mo Shangjun turned around, looking back.

Lai Liang stood on the finish line, upright and straight, his eyes filled with a stubborn unwillingness to lose. He was gasping deeply, drenched in sweat, his breathing erratic, and while he appeared disheveled, his spine was straight, a defiant pride propping him up immovably.

The next moment, the onlooking crowd surged forward in a rush.

"Little Lizi, how are you doing?"

"Commander, are you alright, alright?"

"Walk around, take a rest for a while."

...

They surrounded Lai Liang, some concerned, some empathetic, some helpless, and some just watching.

Adjusting her cap, Mo Shangjun remained expressionless and walked slowly, amid many guarded gazes, toward Lai Liang.

"You lost," she stated.

Each word was enunciated clearly by Mo Shangjun in a calm tone.

Suddenly, the crowd fell silent.

"Reporting!"

A strong voice called out from among the people.

The soldier brought in to act as the judge at this moment stepped out from beside Lai Liang, his eyes bulging.

"Speak," Mo Shangjun said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"This competition is unfair!"

Staring at her with indignant eyes, the soldier exclaimed righteously.