Chapter 39: Is there any need to continue?

This was the first order Leng Qiangguo issued upon his arrival at the Iron Fist Regiment.

The deputy regimental commander was the quickest to react. He stood up promptly, retrieved a stack of white paper from a nearby cabinet, unscrewed a carbon pen, and handed it respectfully to Leng Qiangguo. Qi Tian, showing great tact, turned away, not sparing a single second to glance at the numbers.

Two minutes later, Leng Qiangguo finished writing. The political commissar of the Iron Fist Regiment laid the three sheets of paper at the head of the table and called Qi Tian back.

"Timing begins!" Li Yunfei declared, starting his stopwatch.

Leng Qiangguo had originally promised Qi Tian ten minutes to memorize them. But for Qi Tian, a single glance was enough for those numbers to be etched into his mind forever. Less than ninety seconds after turning around, he called out to the officers, "Report! I have finished memorizing and am ready to recite."

"So fast? Then proceed!" Leng Qiangguo responded with a hint of excitement. He had the political commissar return the papers to him so he could check Qi Tian's recitation against the source, line by line.

...

Five minutes later, Qi Tian spoke the final number. By now, all the officers had risen and gathered behind Leng Qiangguo, checking the results together.

"Nearly seven hundred random numbers, and he recited every single one without a single error, all after looking at them for barely eighty seconds. This memory—could he go and set a Guinness World Record?!" Li Yunfei could no longer contain his shock. As he spoke, he picked up his own teacup and handed it to Qi Tian. "You must be thirsty, drink some water!"

At this moment, Li Yunfei looked at Qi Tian with the fondness of a proud parent. Qi Tian took the cup, thanked him, and drained it in one go. Truth be told, after a busy morning, he was indeed parched. The water couldn't have come at a better time.

Had anyone who missed the assessment been present, they would have been astonished. For a veteran regimental commander like Li Yunfei to personally offer tea to a recruit would have seemed like madness. But the officers present were unfazed; even the deputy commander and the political commissar felt a secret pang of admiration. The commander was truly the commander—his gesture of offering water to the top recruit was a lesson in leadership they could spend a lifetime learning.

"Truly photographic memory, truly photographic memory!" Leng Qiangguo set down the three sheets of draft paper, sighed, and looked Qi Tian up and down before adding, "Qi Tian, your performance today can only be described as world-shaking. Go have lunch; your commander and I have important matters to discuss. As for the opportunity I promised you, rest assured, you will see it before long."

"Yes, sir! I will take my leave," Qi Tian replied. He moved quickly, exiting the conference room without lingering for a second. As he left, he thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

*Ding!*

Five seconds after stepping out, the voice of the Strongest Soldier King System rang in his mind:

[Congratulations to the host for completing the fourth mission: Topping the monthly assessment and setting new records.
Mission details: The host gave his all to shatter the Iron Fist Regiment's assessment records.
Assessment: The host has broken five records.
Random rewards received: Intermediate Physical Enhancement, Elite-level Reconnaissance and Counter-Reconnaissance skills!
Note: During the physical enhancement, your body will undergo significant changes; please find a suitable place to undergo the transformation immediately.]

"Two major rewards at once? It seems the system is very pleased with my performance today!" Qi Tian felt a surge of joy as he sensed the familiar, strange energy beginning to ripple through his body. Without hesitation, he turned and dashed toward the restroom at the corner of the building. It was noon, and all the veterans were at the mess hall. The regimental headquarters building was empty save for Li Yunfei’s group. It was the perfect place to undergo the upgrade without drawing attention.

Meanwhile, in the conference room, Li Yunfei remained silent for a moment before tentatively asking Leng Qiangguo, "Now that we are alone, General Leng, could you give me a straight answer? Are you planning to transfer Qi Tian to a frontline unit as soon as the recruit training ends?"

"You are right, but not entirely. I will definitely transfer Qi Tian, as well as the other promising recruits I saw this morning."

"I knew it!" Li Yunfei sighed heavily. Although he had prepared himself for Qi Tian’s early departure, the reality still stung. Over the past month, he had watched Qi Tian closely, and, subconsciously, he had come to see this recruit as the future of the Iron Fist Regiment. Li Yunfei had diverted all the regiment's resources to him—high-precision rifles, specialized ammunition—if Qi Tian asked for a hundred rounds, Li Yunfei would find a way to get them. Yet, he could not escape the fate of losing his prized recruit once the training ended. He felt both happy for Qi Tian and a lingering sense of reluctance.

However, Li Yunfei’s assumption was still too conservative. Moments later, Leng Qiangguo dropped a bombshell that made everyone doubt their own hearing:

"In my view, the Iron Fist Regiment's current batch of recruits can end their training now. Distribute them to their companies based on their overall scores!"

"What? General, you want to end the recruit training?" Li Yunfei’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. It had only been a month; how could it be over? Since the founding of the Dragon Kingdom's military, recruits had always required at least two and a half months of training to shed their civilian habits and forge the spirit of a true soldier. To end it after just one month and one day was unprecedented in the history of all five military regions.

"General Leng, I understand you want Qi Tian to grow quickly, but this is too rushed. We have never had an instance of ending training in thirty-one days. Isn't this against regulations?"

"Regulations? I, Leng Qiangguo, am the regulation of the Southeast Military Region!"

Leng Qiangguo, the only one seated, stood up slowly and looked at the others with a stern face. "Furthermore, do you think there is any need for this batch to continue training? I looked at their barracks and their drills this morning. Under Qi Tian’s leadership, they are no different from veterans. Their overall scores in various military skills are not inferior to those of seasoned soldiers. Is it not a waste of time to continue? Or do you believe there is anything left for them to learn here?"

"This..."

Leng Qiangguo’s words left everyone speechless. After half a minute, Li Yunfei finally recovered, offered a bitter smile, and nodded. "General Leng, you are right. Under Qi Tian's lead, these recruits have grown too fast. I lost sight of the original intent of the training. They are now capable of standing on their own; they no longer need this so-called training. I should remove the shackles and let them head to their companies to showcase their talents!"

After speaking, Li Yunfei took a deep breath and ordered his political commissar, "Old Kong, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to work overtime this afternoon. Have the files for this batch of recruits prepared. Let's aim to complete the company assignments by tomorrow morning. Notify everyone: the recruit training officially ends upon the conclusion of the assessments and the release of the scores. We will hold the rank conferral ceremony by tomorrow night at the latest."

As if suddenly remembering something, Li Yunfei added, "As for Qi Tian, because of his exceptional performance in the recruit company, I will personally grant him the rank of corporal as a special exception. Consider it the final gift I bestow upon him!"