Chapter 152 - 152: The Dumbfounded Third Platoon Leader
You little rascal…
The leader of rhe Third Platoon turned around, his gaze fixing on Wang Ye. As his expression shifted, ir transformed into one of disbelief and speechlessness.
He was now utterly convinced that this fellow hadn’t exerted his full strength earlier. It was even possible that he had intentionally held back during that throw. Now, he had deliberately set the bait to reel in his catch.
Uh… Well, truth be told, 1 made an error in judgment during my previous attempt. 1 didn’t quite put my full force behind it…”
In that moment, Wang Ye redirected his attention from Ye Sanshi. He focused on the Third Platoon Leader s expression and, with a chuckle, scratched his head while explaining.
The Third Platoon Leader was left speechless once again.
He then shifted his gaze to Wang Ye and retorted with a touch of displeasure,
“Your previous throw doesn’t count. Fifty bucks take it or leave it!”
Although two hundred yuan wasn’t a significant amount, the platoon leader felt a sense of injustice at being played and duped.
The fifty-yuan reward wasn’t meant for those who exceeded forty-five meters, as outlined by the company commander. He had no intention of parting with even a single cent of the reward now.
This new recruit was truly exasperating…
Of course, the primary reason for his frustration was that this new recruit wasn’t under his command!
Um, platoon leader, is it right to go back on your word like this?” Wang Ye stared at him, his expression slightly perplexed.
He genuinely hadn’t anticipated the Third Platoon Leader’s shamelessness.
Hehe, it’s your call if you don’t want it. Don’t fret, Wang Ye. 1’11 make sure to compensate you with those 200 yuan later!”
Ye Sanshi chimed in, having overheard the conversation.
Class 4 had approached, preparing for the grenade launch. Being only seven to eight meters away from Class 1, how could they not overhear the exchange?
Humph! ” The Third Platoon Leader glared at Ye Sanshi, a trace of annoyance in his snort. Then, his gaze shifted to Wang Ye, and he remarked unhappily, “Are you really set on losing a third time?!”
Whoosh… I’ll give it another shot.
As he picked up the last grenade, Wang Ye suddenly turned his head again, adding, “By the way, platoon leader, why not give ir another go this time? If 1 manage to exceed 55 meters, does your offer of 200 yuan still stand?”
Quit your nonsense. Even if you manage to go beyond sixty, I won’t give you an extra cent. Now get on with it, stop wasting time!”
The more rhe Third Platoon Leader looked at Wang Ye, the more irked he became. This guy had already managed to bait him once, and now he was attempting to do so again?
New recruits truly needed to learn a lesson. Did they not grasp that he was a seasoned second-year sergeant?
Hehe!
Wang Ye chuckled before launching the grenade.
Bang!
The grenade descended gracefully in a gentle arc.
It had stretched a tad beyond rhe second attempt. The previous distances were around 51 and 52 meters.
This time, the grenade landed directly on rhe 52-meter mark, though not significantly farther. It was at most a span of 10 to 20 centimeters.
I actually thought you had it in you.”
From the sidelines, the third platoon leader chuckled upon observing this outcome.
Wang Ye casually flicked his wrist and offered a grin, stating, “Well, you see, 1 was merely playing around, platoon leader!”
Enough nonsense, who’s in the mood to jest with a rookie like you!” The third platoon leader, his expression unyielding like a dog’s, turned the page and gestured for Wang Ye to come forward.
With a chuckle, Wang Ye complied and made his way off.
Brother Wang, that was incredible!
As they approached Class Five, Gu Yingnan and the others rushed over to them.
Ye Sanshi hopped down from the sandbag, slapping Wang Ye’s shoulder heartily. “Nicely done!”
Hey, quit dawdling. Where’s your Class Five?” The third platoon leader’s voice echoed from behind.
Ye Sanshi grinned and glanced over. He didn’t utter a word, instead pulling Wan Baojiang away when he tried to step forward, then shoving Qin Li forward. “You go!”
“Ah!”
Qin Li was bewildered. Why was he always the chosen one?
It had been the same during the 400-meter obstacle course, and here he was once more.
What’s this? How can you play all the aces at once? If you pur down the ace of spades in Landlord, you’ll be left with a three, won’t you? You’re the third one. Move it!”
Pfft!” Laughter erupted from Class Five in response to Ye Sanshi s words.
Qin Li s expression transformed into a pouty one.
But he had no choice. He wore a long face, dragging his feet begrudgingly across the training ground.
What’s rhe hold-up? Move it already!” The third platoon leader’s mood hadn’t improved. Witnessing Qin Li’s expression, he prodded impatiently.
If not for the several meters of separation, he might have walked over and given Qin Li a kick.
Though his spirit was quickly lifted.
True to form, Qin Li didn’t exceed 20 meters in his first attempt. While he displayed slightly more strength than the Class One student, he fell short of the 20-meter line. The third platoon leader wore a triumphant grin, casting an amused look toward Class Five.
Hehe, no worries, no worries. Wang Ye, Liang Fan, once the grenade exercise is done, I’ll treat you both to a trip to the service center!”
Without sparing Qin Li a glance, Ye Sanshi grinned at Wang Ye and Liang Fan.
If Qin Li was indeed the first to achieve such a result, he would be more embarrassed than a donkey. However, with Liang Fan leading the way and Wang Ye following closely, especially with Wang Ye having surpassed the 50-meter mark, unless something went terribly wrong, Qin Li would likely secure the top position. Ye Sanshi was in a good mood now.
Qin Li had also stolen a glance back. Observing that Ye Sanshi didn’t have a disgruntled expression, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Concentrate and watch your wrist movement.
In that instant, Wang Ye noticed Qin Li’s gaze and called out to him.
Got it!
Qin Li nodded and began his second attempt.
This time, while he didn’t succeed, his performance was far better than his first try. He had crossed the 22-meter line.
His third attempt saw him advance by another meter.
This gradually eased his nerves as he returned.
The outcome of his initial throw had indeed rattled him.
Failing to reach even 20 meters was painfully embarrassing. Wang Ye claimed the first spot, and although he wasn’t the last, he’d have nothing to retort even if Ye Sanshi mocked him for such a result!
Now, achieving more than 20 meters was a relief. Although it wasn’t an outstanding result within the 20-meter mark, it was far better than falling short of it…
One by one, the students of Class Five took their turns.
There were both wins and losses.
Ye Sanshi didn’t permit others to challenge Liang Fan. The rest all managed to exceed 20 meters. Only Chef, who went second to last and was Ye Sanshi s personal favorite, truly astounded everyone this time.
Not only did he excel, he went beyond expectations. The force behind his initial throw breached the 48-meter threshold. While it might have just grazed the 48-meter mark, this feat was achieved on his very first try!
This outcome was even more remarkable than that of Wang Ye and Liang Fan. Even the third platoon leader appeared somewhat dumbfounded.
Among the first four classes, none had surprised him as much as Class Five did just now.
Setting Liang Fan aside, as his consistent performance was already well-known within the company, it was less of a shock.
He labeled Wang Ye as a “fishing bastard,” a sentiment borne out of astonishment.
To him, this seemingly unremarkable individual was truly beyond belief.
In his perspective, this was just another underwhelming student from Class Five. Even if he passed rhe test, he should at least manage to hit 30 meters. After all, he hadn’t been particularly standout during training.
Yet, the outcome was…
The first throw reached 48 meters.
in this moment, he was genuinely flabbergasted.
Simultaneously, Wang Ye’s anxiety surged.
In truth, when Wang Ye totaled up his points, he did consider the possibility of someone surpassing his record.
However, the likelihood of this happening seemed slim. Plus, he was currently working on the quest. By adding one more point to his tally, he could complete the quest, claim the reward, and then proceed to the task. After accomplishing that, he could come back and continue strengthening himself. This was why he hadn’t even contemplated the idea just now.
He hadn’t expected such an unforeseen development at this juncture.
Now, he had to react.
This individual was a chef, so his performance mustn’t be underestimated!
His wrist strength must be considerable. Furthermore, Wang Ye vaguely recalled him mentioning his fondness for stone throwing.
All right, all the best! Chef, go for it. It’d be amazing if you could top Wang Ye’s distance and exceed 50 meters. The class rep will treat you to some delicious food later!”
At that instant, Ye Sanshi promptly climbed onto the sandbag once more and shouted at Zhang Ping’an.
Zhang Ping1 an turned around, a goofy grin on his face.
Wang Ye had feigned a similar smile while Zhang Ping’an was genuinely wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Good luck, Chef! You’ve got this!
Go for it! Throw it beyond fifty meters, or better yet, sixty meters!”
Class Five’s members joined in the clamor, causing Wang Ye to feel somewhat helpless.
Given the circumstances, Wang Ye relinquished the anxiety he harbored and called our to Zhang Ping’an, “Best of luck!”
If he did indeed surpass the record, so be it. A reward was inconsequential. As for the third-class merit for sharpshooting, it wasn’t an issue to sacrifice a few skill points to enhance his aiming accuracy.
Ultimately, it wouldn’t be a loss. After all, rhe skill points were being used for his own benefit.
Got it!” Zhang Ping’an nodded emphatically and picked up the second grenade.
This rime, his throw was slightly skewed and lofted higher than before. In fact, it soared much higher than his initial attempt, causing it to land at the 41-meter mark.
This outcome fueled a surge of nervousness within him
He turned around.
Stay calm, focus on your positioning and aim. You’ve still got one more shot. Ye Sanshi descended from rhe sandbag, approaching Zhang Ping’an to offer words of encouragement.
He could sense Zhang Ping’an’s anxiety. His desire to surpass the 50-meter threshold led him to throw the grenade at a higher angle, in the hopes that this would propel ir further. Nevertheless, an overly lofty trajectory could negatively impact the parabola.
in short order, Zhang Ping’an was reassured, embarking on his third and final attempt.
Ye Sanshi stayed back, monitoring the situation from a distance.
At the same time, Wang Ye narrowed his eyes, watching as rhe grenade soared through rhe air.
Swoosh!
As the grenade landed, Wang Ye released a sigh of relief.
While he had been mentally prepared for his record to be surpassed, seeing that his record still stands made him feel relieved.
Upon confirming that Zhang Ping’an hadn’t exceeded his distance, Wang Ye felt a wave of relief wash over him.
The rewards were secondary; the skill points were of paramount importance!
Wang Ye naturally rejoiced at the prospect of saving them.
Haha, well done. Over 50 meters. Let’s head back now. The class rep will treat you to something delicious!”
With that, Ye Sanshi guided Zhang Ping’an away.
He was genuinely content. Although Zhang Ping’an hadn’t managed to eclipse Wang Ye’s record, his achievement was commendable enough!
Phew!
Meanwhile, near Wang Ye, Wan Baojiang audibly exhaled.
Observing him, Wang Ye contemplated for a moment before advising, “Don’t put too much pressure on him. He’s a chef, and he has prior experience!”
Understood!
Wan Baojiang nodded and promptly rushed to the training ground.