Chapter 69: Neither Big Nor Small, Let's Play Something Mind-Blowing

Meanwhile.
Inside the swimming training ground of the Spearhead Amphibious Force.
Qi Tian pressed the start-stop button of the stopwatch and shouted to the four people in the water who were struggling to complete the water-treading drill, "Training over!"
"Brother Tian, if you had shouted stop a few seconds later, I really would have cramped up!"
Lin Mang reached out to grab the hemp rope nearby, and after pulling himself ashore, he replied to Qi Tian with a painful expression.
Not long ago, under Qi Tian's personal demonstration, the four of them had learned the most standard water-treading technique.
However, the doubled training time demanded by Qi Tian was still far too difficult for them!
Not just Lin Mang; when Song Wei came ashore at this moment, his legs were also visibly trembling slightly: "Brother Tian, your training intensity is truly no joke.
Just now you trod water for fifteen minutes, and all the brothers admire you for it, but the crux is that we simply cannot compare to you.
This ten minutes of treading water has almost cost me half my life, so please spare your brothers!"
"We are soldiers, and every training session should be treated as a real battlefield, constantly surpassing oneself!"
Qi Tian's eagle-like gaze swept across the four brothers one by one:
"In terms of physical fitness, I am indeed somewhat stronger than you, but didn't I also practice until the very moment before my legs cramped up before coming ashore just now?"
"Brother Tian is right. The training time he arranges is never based on physical fitness, but on testing our mutual limits!"
At that moment, Zhang Meng and Jiang Chong also struggled ashore and shouted in unison.
Hearing this, Song Wei and Lin Mang subconsciously nodded: "What you guys said is right. More sweat in peacetime means less blood on the battlefield. Once the brothers catch our breath, we'll continue practicing!"
"Yo, all five rookies are on the shore. Don't tell me you're slacking off behind my back?"
Just as the two finished speaking.
Zhu Xiaotian's figure suddenly appeared, sizing up Qi Tian's group with a half-smile.
Hearing this, Lin Mang took the lead, pointing to the trembling muscles in his legs:
"You wrong us, Instructor Zhu. Look, Instructor Tian pushes us even harder than you do!"
"Just joking. Judging by how half-dead the four of you look, it doesn't look like you're slacking off.
Alright, I have a serious matter to announce!" The moment Zhu Xiaotian finished his last sentence.
Song Wei and the others, who had been lying on the ground, immediately stood at attention, lining up single file with Qi Tian at the head.
"During the evaluation of the Spearhead Amphibious Force Reconnaissance Company, Comrade Qi Tian demonstrated keen observation and bold judgment.
Displaying the military spirit of fearing neither hardship nor death, he protected the lives and property of several hostages.
He successfully captured and brought to justice the criminal who was hiding in the ventilation ducts disguised as a hostage.
Following evaluation by higher authorities, it has been decided to award Comrade Qi Tian a personal Third-Class Merit citation.
Congratulations to Qi Tian for being awarded two personal Third-Class Merits in less than fifty days of enlistment.
Prepare yourselves; after lunch, comrades from the Spearhead Propaganda Department will come to interview you and build you into an outstanding role model for widespread publicity!"

"An interview?"
Qi Tian frowned slightly, staring at the Third-Class Merit medal in Zhu Xiaotian's hand, and said with a trace of hesitation, "Instructor Zhu, I want this Third-Class Merit.
But isn't there really no need for interviews and publicity?
I just want to be a good soldier, do practical things, and I don't want to mess with these superficial, flashy things."
"How can you call this superficial and flashy? Do you have any idea how much impact an outstanding positive role model in the regiment can have on other soldiers?"
Zhu Xiaotian's expression turned stern. After giving Qi Tian a fierce glare, he paused for a moment and continued:
"Decades ago, our country went through a cruel war of resistance. Back then, all ordinary citizens were bullied by the Japanese invaders, and every inch of our land faced the plight of aggression.
It was precisely at the most critical moment that an exemplary hero emerged in our Dragon Country. Under his leadership, countless heroes came forward, joining hands to shine brightly in that period of history.
The heroes led by example, using their fighting spirit of fearing neither hardship nor death to guide our people in successfully sweeping the Japanese army out of our country.
Without them, how could the people have awakened? Without them, there would be no Dragon Country of today! Qi Tian, how can you consider interview publicity to be a superficial and flashy matter?"
This was the first time Zhu Xiaotian had sternly questioned Qi Tian.
Hearing this string of corrections, the slightly resistant expression on Qi Tian's face instantly vanished completely.
Of course, at this moment, Qi Tian also truly realized just how naive, and even ridiculous, his previous thought had been!
Right now, his physical fitness and military proficiency completely kept pace with frontline troops.
Yet despite this, he still had many shortcomings.
For instance, regarding interview publicity, he had completely failed to realize its importance!
With this thought in mind, Qi Tian quickly stood at attention and raised his hand to salute Zhu Xiaotian: "Instructor Zhu, I understand. I am willing to accept the interview and publicity."
"You brat have a good grasp of the big picture; you just fell into a misconception earlier, thinking that only doing practical work is the paramount duty of a soldier.
In fact, that is not the case. Many things have their own reason for existing!
I didn't mean to criticize you; I just wanted to make you understand the underlying principles.
Alright, looking at the way you can't even stand steadily, the water-treading training must have brought a tremendous physical toll upon you.
I'll hold onto this Third-Class Merit medal for you first, and I'll give it to you after you complete the final task of the amphibious 'three-board-axe' routine: the deep-water fear training!"
With that, Zhu Xiaotian led Qi Tian and the other five away from the swimming training ground in quick strides.
They arrived next door, coming to a halt inside a new training ground imbued with a high-tech atmosphere.
"The Deep-Sea Simulation Training Ground. This is a training facility specifically created for amphibious soldiers by scientists in our country's military sector after more than a decade of work.
Do you see the giant swimming pool right in the middle of the ground?
Shortly, the five of you will undergo the final training session of this morning right there.
Old Song, take these five rookies to change into their gear!"
As soon as Zhu Xiaotian's voice fell.
The person in charge of the training ground immediately stood up from the control console area, walked over to Qi Tian and the others with a smile, and waved his hand: "Follow me, little guys."

"Change gear? Brother Song, tell us about it. What is this deep-sea simulation training ground for, and why do we need to change gear?"
Following the person in charge all the way into the back of the training ground.
Zhang Meng couldn't help but speak up, asking the person in charge with intense curiosity.
Old Song, the person in charge, turned back to look at Zhang Meng, still wearing a smiling expression:
"As soldiers of the amphibious force, you will inevitably have to perform underwater operations in the future.
This deep-sea simulation training uses some high-tech equipment to let you experience in advance what it feels like to be deep in the ocean.
Only by adapting to this feeling in advance will the five of you rookies be qualified to carry out real frontline operations in the future.
Even if I told you too much, you wouldn't understand. I'll help you change into your gear, and once you experience it firsthand, you'll understand."
As Old Song spoke, he led the five of them to the locker room in the back.
He helped Qi Tian and the other four change into a set of black tight-fitting suits resembling wetsuits.
But that was not all.
After changing clothes, Old Song also fitted the five of them with heart rate monitoring devices and a very specially styled pair of swimming goggles.
Having done all this, Old Song led them back to stand before Zhu Xiaotian.
"Thanks for the hard work, Old Song!" Zhu Xiaotian nodded at Old Song with a half-smile.
Old Song didn't say much. After nodding, he returned to the control console to resume his own tasks.
Before leaving, however, Old Song still swept a playful gaze over Qi Tian and the five of them once more.
Unfortunately, since all five of them were now wearing specialized swimming goggles, they were inevitably unable to see Old Song's little gesture!
A few breaths later, Zhu Xiaotian brought Qi Tian and the five of them to the entrance of the giant swimming pool.
He cleared his throat and was just about to speak.
Qi Tian, who had remained silent for a long time, suddenly stepped forward, raised his hand, and said to Zhu Xiaotian:
"Instructor Zhu, I know what the content and intention of this deep-sea simulation training are.
However, I feel that this training is not quite suitable for the five of us.
I request a slight change to the training method.
We can keep the general subjective direction of the training unchanged.
However, can we make slight adjustments to the training duration and training methods?"
"Change the training method and duration?"
Zhu Xiaotian frowned slightly: "You brat, what kind of fancy tricks are you trying to pull this time? Let's hear it!?"