Chapter 27: Respect Is Reserved for the Strong
Unlike the atmosphere in Company One, the mood in the Military Canine Battalion was rather somber. Huo Dong had returned, but aside from his own Leopard, Kang Zhen searched every corner of the battalion and failed to find a military dog to his liking.
These dogs, while all quite decent, simply weren’t strong enough to break through the competition and reach the finals. Even if all of them possessed the prowess of Leopard, making it to the finals would still be uncertain.
“Captain, what’s the matter? Why so urgent?” Having just returned, Huo Dong went straight to Kang Zhen’s office.
“The preliminary rounds for the military canine tournament are about to begin. In our Border Defense Regiment, only you and Leopard are worthy contenders. You must give it your all!” Kang Zhen looked at Huo Dong and spoke with gravity.
“This time, I encountered outstanding military dogs and trainers from other theaters. The pressure is considerable!” Huo Dong’s tone was light, but Kang Zhen knew that his composure only revealed the seriousness within.
“There’s one, Shi Jiwei, who left the deepest impression on me. I heard he comes from a renowned dog-training family in the south. His skills are on par with mine—if not better. His dog, Overlord, is also remarkable.”
“You may choose freely from our battalion’s dogs and trainers. I’ll ensure they cooperate with you fully,” Kang Zhen said, patting Huo Dong’s shoulder.
“Alright.” Huo Dong nodded. “Honestly, there’s no need for us to compete in this tournament. We’re all from the same family—why does Long Fei insist? Besides, our battalion is in such a state now; what can Company One’s old, sick, and frail dogs possibly achieve?”
He asked in confusion, a hint of complaint in his voice.
“Some things can’t be explained in a few words. Go and do what you must,” Kang Zhen replied softly.
“Yes.” With that, Huo Dong turned and left.
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“Whoa, so this is the Military Canine Battalion—what a sight!”
“Yeah, just look at these buildings!”
“Our Company One’s quarters can’t compare at all!”
As the members of Company One stepped off the vehicle, they couldn’t help but marvel at the battalion’s facilities. The contrast was stark—nothing short of a vast gulf.
The soldiers standing guard nearby wore expressions of pride and cast slightly mocking glances at Company One’s men.
“Stand properly! Don’t look like a bunch of bumpkins who’ve never seen the world!” Long Fei lowered his voice as he addressed them.
The group smiled awkwardly, then quickly formed ranks.
After training under Long Fei and Gu Jianfeng, Company One’s members had undergone a transformation.
“This preliminary competition for our regiment will be held here. The goal is to select five military dogs to represent us in the theater’s skills tournament. Keep a calm mindset,” Long Fei said.
“Oh, isn’t that Company One?”
“With just these few men and dogs, they want to compete with us?”
“Where do they get the nerve?”
“The officers insist on holding this contest, but the outcome is obvious. Why waste everyone’s time?”
Some soldiers from the battalion gathered around and began mocking them openly.
In the past, Long Fei might have been angered, but now, for some reason, their words struck him as amusing.
“Time’s almost up. Let’s head straight to the competition venue,” Long Fei said, ignoring the battalion soldiers and addressing his own team.
When they arrived at the venue, they found it barely set up, with only a few scattered people busy inside.
“Commander, what’s going on here?” Xie Yidao, who was quick-tempered, couldn’t contain himself.
“Patience. Let’s wait here,” Long Fei replied, glancing at his watch. Three minutes remained until the scheduled start, but at this rate, even another half hour might not suffice.
Gu Jianfeng saw the anger on their faces and spoke quietly, “Remember, respect is reserved for the strong.”
“There is no absolute fairness in this world.”
“The greater the glory you seek, the greater the effort you must put in.”
“Even if luck falls from the sky, you must have the ability to catch it to savor its taste.”
Gu Jianfeng’s words instantly transformed their indignation into determination.
Xue Meng and the others were now eager for the contest to begin, ready to show the battalion who truly excelled.
More than forty minutes later, the judges and participants finally began to arrive.
“Sorry, Old Long. We just had a meeting and got held up,” said Gao Yuan, the battalion’s deputy commander.
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“No problem. When does the competition start?” Long Fei asked calmly.
Gao Yuan and Long Fei had never gotten along, but outwardly, they maintained civility.
“No rush, we’re waiting for one more person,” Gao Yuan replied with a slight smile.
“Who else?” Long Fei asked, puzzled.
“It’s a competition, so we need a referee—can’t have us deciding for ourselves, right? I’ve invited the regimental commander to act as judge. He should be here any minute,” Gao Yuan said, his face full of smiles that somehow felt uncomfortable to everyone.
“Commander!” As they spoke, Yu Hongyang appeared before them.
“Ha, Commander, you arrived right on time! We were just talking about you,” Gao Yuan greeted him with a broad smile.
“This canine tournament is held once every four years. I don’t need to emphasize its importance,” Yu Hongyang said, then turned to Gu Jianfeng. “Boy, your half-year deadline has arrived. Does our wager still stand?”
“We’re soldiers—our word is our bond,” Gu Jianfeng replied, adopting a look of stoic determination worthy of an actor.
“Good, that’s the spirit of a true man!” Yu Hongyang laughed heartily.
“Commander, you haven’t forgotten your promise to me, have you?” Gu Jianfeng asked quietly.
“Rest assured, if you achieve a good result in the theater’s military canine skills tournament, I’ll petition to preserve Company One’s designation,” Yu Hongyang replied.