Chapter 29: Chen Pai's Illness

At night, the moon, round as a bowl, illuminated the ground so brightly that it looked as if it had been dusted with frost; there was no need for streetlights to see the path clearly.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Beside the company's small flower bed, Su Yang hammered away at a punching bag. Feeling exhausted, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and paused to rest for a moment. Spring was drawing to a close, and the weather was becoming increasingly hot—a reality that the Yunnan-born Su Yang found difficult to bear.

Unlike the climate in Yunnan, the Southeast Military Region suffered not only from high temperatures but also from stifling humidity. The wind felt like a blast from a furnace, and the heavy moisture made it feel as if he were trapped in a sauna. In Yunnan, the temperatures were mild, and the breeze was always cool; as long as one stayed out of the direct sun, it was quite comfortable.

"Su Yang, you're about to head to the training camp. You should be resting properly. The training is brutal, and you need to be well-rested to perform at your best."

A man emerged from the dormitory opposite and called out to him. Su Yang looked up and saw Chen Guotao, dressed in his physical training gear. He stood up and saluted, saying, "Platoon Leader Chen, it's you. I’m just practicing a bit; I'm not very good at hand-to-hand combat."

Chen Guotao looked at the sweat-drenched Su Yang and shook his head. "You call this 'just practicing'? Your clothes are soaked. Combat isn't something you can rush; it’s not a skill you can master overnight."

"That is true, which is why I make it a habit to practice every day." Su Yang felt a twinge of frustration. He had no prior background in martial arts and had only learned the techniques taught by the military. Whenever he sparred with the veteran combat experts in the company, he was easily bested.

"Merely practicing forms isn't enough. Combat, to put it plainly, is experience earned through fighting. Only by taking hits enough times will the techniques you've learned become second nature and effective."

As Chen Guotao spoke, he delivered a whip kick to the punching bag, sending it flying. Su Yang could tell there was immense power behind that strike.

"Platoon Leader, what do you mean?" Su Yang asked, puzzled.

"Train with me from now on. I’ve been practicing martial arts since high school, and I’ve encountered quite a few veterans in the military who are skilled in combat. I have some experience to share," Chen Guotao recalled.

"Platoon Leader, you’re so skilled—why don’t we spar?"

Su Yang knew well how formidable Chen Guotao was, but his true motive was to see if Chen’s illness would manifest during a spar. He had observed him for a long time without seeing any signs of the agony caused by his condition. He couldn't simply tell a healthy-looking man that he was sick, as that would likely invite a reprimand.

"You kid, looking to spar? Fine, no problem." Chen Guotao laughed immediately. He liked the boy's audacity.

"Alright, here I come!"

Seeing that Chen Guotao had agreed, Su Yang didn't stand on ceremony; he found a clear space and took his stance.

"Come! You strike first!" Chen Guotao moved over and adopted a defensive posture.

"Kill!" Su Yang shouted as a feint, then lunged quickly toward Chen Guotao's chest. Chen Guotao, prepared, dodged to the side and landed an elbow strike on Su Yang. Su Yang endured the pain and threw a punch back, forcing them both to step apart.

"Good lad, willing to take a hit just to land one of your own." Chen Guotao steadied himself and rubbed his chest where he had been struck. He then added, "Then I won't hold back!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than he swept a whip kick toward Su Yang. Su Yang took another hit, stumbling back several steps.

"Again!" Chen Guotao was already moving in for another strike.

Su Yang realized that the Platoon Leader favored kicks, which relied on the coordination of his waist muscles. He dodged repeatedly, baiting Chen Guotao into attacking. After taking a few more kicks, Chen Guotao suddenly stopped, his face pale as he clutched his leg.

"Platoon Leader, what's wrong?" Su Yang rushed over to support him, asking with concern—though he knew full well that Chen’s inflammation had flared up.

"It's nothing. I must have overexerted myself and twisted it," Chen Guotao said, gritting his teeth and offering an excuse.

"Does it hurt badly? Let's go to the infirmary. If you've sprained it, it could lead to long-term issues." Su Yang reached out to touch his leg.

"Hiss... let go! No need for the infirmary; I'll be fine after a rest." Chen Guotao drew a sharp breath, but upon hearing the mention of a hospital, he stubbornly refused.

"You're in this state and you say it doesn't hurt? No, I'm taking you to the infirmary." Su Yang didn't give him a chance to refuse. He had risked a sparring session specifically to bypass Chen's objections and get him medical help.

"Stop right there. I'm telling you, I'm fine. We aren't going to the hospital." Seeing Su Yang start to walk away, Chen Guotao became anxious.

"Platoon Leader, you have to get an injury checked out. If you let it get worse and suffer permanent damage, I’ll never forgive myself," Su Yang insisted.

"Su Yang, am I your platoon leader or not?" Chen Guotao dropped his expression and roared.

"You are, but I'm more worried about your health," Su Yang replied.

Seeing the genuine concern in Su Yang's eyes, Chen Guotao’s tone softened as he tried to appeal to his emotions. "Listen, Su Yang, it's not that I don't want to go to the hospital. It's that I have a health issue. If I go and it gets diagnosed, I might not be able to stay in the military."

He continued earnestly, "My dream since I was a child has been to join the Special Forces. I have to make it there; I have to."

"So, can't you do me a favor and keep this quiet?" He looked at Su Yang with a pleading gaze.

"No, Platoon Leader. That is exactly why you need to go to the hospital. Otherwise, even if you make it into the Special Forces, what’s the point? I don't believe they won't conduct a physical exam—you won't be able to hide it. Besides, the training intensity in the Special Forces is extreme. If you're in this much pain just from a simple spar with me, you won't be able to handle the training. It would be meaningless!"

Su Yang shook his head firmly. Even if Chen Guotao hated him for it later, he wouldn't let him continue down this path. Chen Guotao was an exceptional soldier; if he were healthy, he could be an even better commander of the Lone Wolf Commando Unit than Geng Jihui. But all of that depended on his health. Without it, everything was meaningless.

"You... Su Yang, I'm telling you, this is my dream. Even if I have to crawl, I will crawl through the gates of the Special Forces. Even if I ruin my body, I accept that," Chen Guotao said, his tone resolute.

"That's impossible. You've admitted it yourself—your condition must be serious. I can't just stand by. I'm going to tell the Company Commander and get you to the hospital."

With that, Su Yang turned and ran toward Company Commander Miao's dormitory.

"Stop! I told you to stop, Su Yang..."

Chen Guotao struggled to stand to block him, but the agony forced him back down, and he could only let out a roar of frustration like a wounded beast.

"What! Chen's health is failing?"

In the Company Commander's quarters, Miao heard Su Yang's report, his face darkening instantly. He immediately followed Su Yang, rushing toward the dormitory building.