After finishing breakfast, Lao Wenhong’s way of addressing Ling Chengyan changed from Captain Ling to Sister Yan’er.
Zheng Zhuoya, however, who knew Ling Chengyan beforehand, still called her Captain Ling. Although she wasn’t opposed to interacting with Ling Chengyan, she maintained a polite distance.
On this day, most of the competing teams had arrived, so the training field was crowded. Ling Chengyan and her team had already familiarized themselves with the place the previous day, so they weren’t in a rush, and managed to go through two rounds of practice.
As captain, Ling Chengyan didn’t participate.
Instead, she observed the training of other teams and got a rough idea of each team’s skill level.
Having witnessed Zheng Zhuoya’s skills the day before, she acknowledged her impressive shooting level, nearly on par with Zheng Hongwei.
What surprised Ling Chengyan slightly was Lao Wenhong—this doctor skilled with surgical tools had quite an impressive shooting level, subtly above Zheng Zhuoya. The key was her excellent psychological state, remaining relaxed throughout the training. Afterward, she even organized to take Ling Chengyan and Zheng Zhuoya to try the fad donkey at soup.
She seed carefree, but Ling Chengyan knew that such people often perform beyond expectations in competitions, because she doesn’t get stage fright or feel nervous.
On the contrary, Zheng Zhuoya’s personality was too rigid, constantly tense, like a taut string that might snap if stretched too long or too tight.
After all, she was only in her early twenties, so it was understandable.
Knowing Lao Wenhong’s personality, Zheng Zhuoya was sowhat helpless but didn’t object, and Ling Chengyan genuinely decided to relax, which was nice. So the three of them went out together, with Lao Wenhong driving the team’s car, roaming around half of the city before finding a small, nondescript old establishnt.
The surroundings were simple, but the donkey at soup was truly delicious, along with that freshly made crispy baked bread, square-shaped and puffed.
Lao Wenhong handed Ling Chengyan a baked bread, smilingly saying: "This bread resembles the pouches people used back in the day. Therefore, it’s also called pouch bread."
Ling Chengyan looked at the bread in her hand, biting into it and discovering it was hollow inside, making it resemble a pouch even more.
Lao Wenhong demonstrated an eating thod by putting donkey at inside the bread, similar to a at sandwich, along with a local specialty—donkey at jelly, akin to cold gelatin, enhancing the flavor when tucked in together.
They thoroughly enjoyed the local delicacies, feeling a bit stuffed after the al.
After eating, they returned to the base and went their separate ways.
Ling Chengyan went straight to the training field, knowing that at this ti, the team mbers would definitely be training.
Indeed, the ten team mbers from Eastern Province were all at the training field, including two from external units, training along with the special training team mbers.
Ling Chengyan gathered the team mbers to exchange insights gained from the past two days of adaptive training. Those selected through regional qualification were not weak, and after two days of training, each had their own insights. Sitting together, they shared their experiences openly, benefiting everyone.
Of course, how much they benefit depends on each person’s ability to comprehend.
Ling Chengyan silently listened, and once everyone finished speaking, she shared her own insights with them, proceeding to analyze each mber’s strengths and weaknesses, alongside key considerations for the official match.
She spoke gently, just like during regular training, without much sense of urgency, making the special training mbers feel as if it were just routine training, alleviating much of the pressure of the upcoming major competition.
As for the other two team mbers, how much they could learn and absorb was uncertain, but it was evident their tension was heavier.
Twelve competing teams, over a hundred participants in the competition, with the first day being a group preliminary round.
Team mbers were randomly regrouped; Ling Chengyan ended up in the third group, with no mbers from her own team.
Xiang Yuhong ca running over excitedly to inform Ling Chengyan: "Captain, do you know who’s in your group?... Zhao Gang! Oh, he’s the squinty-eyed one from the Rongcheng team."
Ling Chengyan suddenly realized, looking at Xiang Yuhong’s beaming smile, unable to resist kicking towards her: "Get ready for your own match."
Xiang Yuhong was in the second group, ahead of her in line; the first group had already started entering the arena, yet Xiang Yuhong wandered around without preparing those, considering they might be too relaxed?
Really ought to tighten their reins!
Xiang Yuhong dodged Ling Chengyan’s kick, smilingly running off to prepare for the competition.
Ling Chengyan stood in the stands, holding binoculars, waiting for the first group’s match.
Eastern Province participant in the first group—Wu Qingyun.
Wu Qingyun walked out with Ling Chengyan from Nanli Village. He was ticulous and calm, appointed as deputy team leader in the special training brigade, at the deputy battalion level.
His physical fitness was average, but his hard work and dedication to thinking through things propelled his military skills level to the forefront in the special training brigade.
Conversely, Zhang Wanxiang, who also erged from Nanli Village, physically outperford Wu Qingyun but had a more easy-going nature. He excelled in endurance-based activities but lacked finesse in skill-based tasks.
Ling Chengyan watched silently as the match began, viewing through binoculars as Wu Qingyun continuously scored ten rings with his first two shots, exhaling in relief. Not bad for him, holding steady during crucial monts.
Su Li, having wandered over at so point, noticed Ling Chengyan lowering her binoculars and sidled closer to ask: "Does soone from your team participate in the first group?"
Ling Chengyan glanced at him, nodded, and asked: "Which group are you in?"
Su Li looked at her with a bit of grievance, softly saying: "Didn’t you notice my group in the list?"
Ling Chengyan blinked, uttered an "Oh," turned, and picked up the binoculars to watch the match again.
Su Li opened his mouth, yet refrained from interrupting Ling Chengyan, eventually sulking away.
He was in the third group too. With Ling Chengyan. Truly his unlucky day!
After watching Wu Qingyun’s match, Ling Chengyan set the binoculars on the stand, adjusted her clothes, and walked towards the competition field.
With ten shots, Wu Qingyun scored eight tens, a nine, and an eight, getting ninety-seven rings; advancing to the semi-finals was a sure thing.
Arriving at the waiting zone by the competition field just as the second group’s match began, she stood beside Su Li, neither paying attention to the ongoing match.
Su Li frowned at a competitor on position four, muttering: "That big guy is really annoying, kicked a big pit into the ground. How’s the next person supposed to shoot?"
In prone shooting, so people prefer kicking a hole in the ground for their feet to gain stability by pressing upon their toes.
But this action might impact subsequent competitors, since everyone’s height and foot size differ, and the prior competitor’s hole won’t necessarily suit those afterward.
Ling Chengyan glanced briefly, calmly saying: "Why not press it flat yourself?"
Su Li glared at Ling Chengyan: "Is it about pressing? It’s about following the rules..."
But Ling Chengyan didn’t give him a chance to continue grumbling, stepped forward to et Xiang Yuhong and another mber as they concluded their match, patted them on the shoulder, nodding, before striding towards her designated shooting position.
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