Chapter 45: Before a Coward, Every Path is a Precipice

With those words, Qi Tian took a deep breath, stepped onto the narrow log bridge, and charged straight toward the opposite side.

Following the marrow-cleansing transformation, Qi Tian's physical fitness had reached a true pinnacle state.

To describe him as having zero weaknesses would not be an exaggeration in the slightest!

This kind of training exercise that tested both balance and courage posed a challenge to him, but certainly not a significant one.

Especially regarding balance.

His core physical balance had likely reached the absolute top tier nationwide.

A wooden plank bridge like this one, which did not sway at all, was mere child's play.

As for the searing heat surrounding him, Qi Tian ignored it completely.

With obstacles of this nature, the more one thought about them, the more the mind would magnify the fear infinitely.

One only needed to make a single genuine charge to completely conquer their psychological barriers!

"Behind a warrior, there is no retreat; before a coward, there are only cliffs!"

Within the crowd, Lin Mang watched Qi Tian vanish rapidly into the flames, repeatedly muttering the words Qi Tian had just spoken.

By this moment, he had understood.

Tonight, whether he would act as a warrior or a coward rested entirely on a single thought!

A whistle blew, signaling Qi Tian's successful completion of the assessment.

"Lin Mang, don't let Brother Tian down. The rest of us will be waiting for you at the finish line!"

Jiang Chong reached out and gently punched Lin Mang in the chest, then strode boldly toward the starting point, saying to Fu Wei:

"I'll go second. I grew up watching animals jump through rings of fire at the circus, so today, I'll give it a try myself!"

"Suit yourself!"

Fu Wei's expression remained entirely unreadable. After letting out a cold snort at Jiang Chong, he turned and looked back at the group of veteran soldiers, a flash of deep disappointment quietly crossing his eyes.

To be honest, he had expected these veterans to mentally prepare themselves tonight and courageously complete the valor training one after another.

Yet the final outcome left Fu Wei's face burning with humiliation.

Could these veterans really dare to call themselves elite selections from various battalions and regiments?

They didn't even dare to walk across a thirty-meter fiery ring; once deployed to the frontlines, they would undoubtedly turn into softlings!

Meanwhile, in the command room of the Sharp Blade Amphibious Unit selection zone, a colonel handed a cup of hot tea to Leng Qiangguo and said respectfully:

"Commander, I never expected this elite martial selection to disturb you personally. It seems there is someone among this batch of recruits whom you are paying special attention to?"

The colonel was named Nie Feihong, holding the rank of regimental commander within the Sharp Blade Amphibious Unit and serving as the solid, undisputed master of this place.

Zhu Xiaotian followed closely behind the two men, not daring to draw a heavy breath.

Clearly, even this battle-hardened deputy commander felt a wave of tension and sweaty palms in the presence of someone like Leng Qiangguo.

Hearing this, Leng Qiangguo showed no false modesty; he nodded slightly and said: "I brought you five fine saplings from the Iron Fist Regiment. If they pass the selection, train them well."

"The Iron Fist Regiment?!" Nie Feihong's pupils constricted noticeably, and he muttered instinctively.

Noticing his unusual reaction, Leng Qiangguo took a sip of the hot tea and asked in return: "What is it? Is there a problem?"

"Well, Commander Leng, to be honest, I've actually been keeping an eye on the Iron Fist Regiment this year."

Nie Feihong slowly sat down next to Leng Qiangguo and drew a group photo from an inner pocket of his uniform:

"Years ago, an old comrade-in-arms of mine sacrificed his life to protect me during a counter-terrorism operation, becoming a martyr. Ever since then, I have always looked out for his family. As far as I know, his son enlisted this year, right in the Iron Fist Regiment. Logically speaking, a basic training unit like the Iron Fist Regiment has no slots to send soldiers to our Sharp Blade Amphibious Unit. I had been hesitating about how to pull my old comrade's son over to my side once he matured without breaking the rules. I never expected you to help me out this year..."

"You must mean Jiang Weipin? I still remember him. That soldier had backbone!"

Before Nie Feihong could finish, Leng Qiangguo interrupted directly:

"By your account, Jiang Weipin's son is a recruit in the Iron Fist Regiment this year? Old Nie, I won't hide it from you—the five little fellows I brought you this time are recruits from the Iron Fist Regiment. Furthermore, one of them shares the surname Jiang, and his name is Jiang Chong!"

"Goodness... It's him, Commander, it's Jiang Chong!"

Upon hearing Jiang Chong's name, Nie Feihong's emotions stirred visibly:

"Commander, to have you personally bring him to the Sharp Blade and insert him into the selection team midway—it seems young Chong is exceptionally capable!"

"I have an impression of this kid. He's one of the three sports students I brought along this time, and his various military competencies are quite impressive. To think there is such a connection between us—talk about water flooding the Dragon King's temple! Look, the one running through the fire ring on the surveillance monitor right now is him!"

Leng Qiangguo tapped the surveillance screen, and Nie Feihong immediately leaned in close, carefully scrutinizing Jiang Chong, who was about to complete the special courage training on the monitor.

"It really is the boy. Well done, truly well done. My judgment was right.

Weipin, do you see this? This is your son—he is fierce! Rest assured, once he passes the selection, I will spare no effort in training him to take my place!"

By the end of his words, the eyes of Nie Feihong, a hard-boiled veteran who had spent half his life in battle, were slightly reddened.

He kept that photograph extremely well; at that moment, he placed it right in front of the monitor, as if wanting to show his fallen comrade-in-arms just how wonderful his son's performance truly was.

Under their watchful eyes, Jiang Chong successfully sprinted across the log bridge and reached the finish line to meet up with Qi Tian.

Through the baptism of the blazing fire's intense heat, he too had achieved a personal breakthrough and conquered his inner obstacles!

"Well done, Jiang Chong!"

"We mustn't let Brother Tian leave us behind. I still want to follow you onto the frontline battlefields!"

Qi Tian raised his hand and bumped fists with Jiang Chong.

Immediately afterward, the two exchanged a tacit look toward the starting point on the other side, wondering who would be next to step forward for the assessment.

Zhang Meng? Song Wei? Or perhaps... Lin Mang, whose courage was slightly lacking?

"Brother Wei, Brother Meng, would you let me go third? If we drag this out any longer, I'm afraid I really will become a coward. I want to train alongside you guys; I don't want to go back to our original unit!"

Lin Mang clenched his fists tightly and said to Zhang Meng and Song Wei beside him.

Hearing this, the two men both smiled, took a step back, and nodded heavily at Lin Mang:

"Go ahead, Brother Tian and the others are waiting for you at the finish line. Don't let them down!"

Ten minutes later, the sixth man reached the starting point, caught his breath, and stepped onto the log bridge.

By this time, Qi Tian and the other four had all completed their assessments, winning the profound respect of every veteran present!

The five of them had made no mistakes, nor had they taken a single step backward.

All they displayed was an indomitable momentum and the resolute determination of warriors who did not fear death!

It was as if they were verifying the very words Qi Tian had spoken to them before setting off:

Behind a warrior, there is no retreat!

Such a performance completely silenced the idle talk of the veterans who had already spent two days participating in the selection.

Every single person present now clearly understood that these five supplementary recruits were by no means as simple as they had imagined!