Chapter 40 Don't Explore the Road Alone
Zhang Dahu never thought that just because he had a nightmare, his buddies would take care of him like a patient. He didn't want that.
"Sometimes, dreams are also a kind of premonition. Dahu, you'd better be careful." Que Dongjin said.
Zhang Dahu looked at everyone and smiled: "I didn't expect everyone to be superstitious. Dongjin, are you still following them? It's okay, go to sleep!"
"It's raining! Let's go to bed and get ready!" Que Dongjin said as he lay down and pulled the quilt to cover his head.
After dawn, we had breakfast and gathered urgently. It was time for cross-country training in the rain!
"Look, dreams come true! Even with such heavy rain and thunder, they actually let us go cross-country! Aren't these instructors too hard-hearted?" Zhang Dahu said as he watched his buddies putting on their equipment .
"Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up! Sweat more in peacetime and bleed less in war. You understand this principle! Pay attention, after we set off, Zhang Dahu, don't rush forward too hard, and don't fall behind. You'd better be second or third. In short, don't lose our sight!" said Que Dongjin.
"I think what you said is nonsense! I, Zhang Dahu, am a patient? I am a woman? I am a child? Do I need to be taken care of like you said? You should tell Wu Kui well. He has short legs and a fat body. I'm afraid he will fall behind and hold us back." Zhang Dahu said with a smile.
"Hey! Dahu, how can you bully others like this? What short legs, what fat? What's wrong with my short legs? I have short legs and I take steps faster. What's wrong with me being a little fatter? I'm a little fatter because I eat more, right? But, I eat more, I have more energy, and my endurance is better. Are you jealous of me?" Jiang Wukui was already fully armed, and he punched Zhang Dahu in the chest.
"Hey, hey! A gentleman uses words, not fists. My bandages haven't been tied up yet, why are you pushing me?" said Zhang Dahu.
"We'll be gathering and setting off soon, stop making trouble! Everyone check yourselves and pay attention to details! Don't let anything go wrong on the road!" Que Dongjin said seriously.
"Okay, my bandages are fixed! Let me think, there shouldn't be anything wrong!" Zhang Dahu straightened up and looked at everyone.
"Gather! Let's go!" Que Dongjin heard the assembly command and went out.
Everyone gathered in the rain.
Director Li talked about the importance and necessity of cross-country training in the rain, and called on everyone to not be afraid of hardships and to bravely train themselves.
Then, Instructor Gao Weilan explained the requirements of this training and the penalties for failure to complete the task. More importantly, it would affect one’s usual grades and, of course, one’s future after graduation.
After Instructor Gao said this, the students felt a little nervous. They knew that in such heavy rain, with only one hour to travel 20 miles off-road, the task was very difficult!
The students also know that no matter how difficult the task is, it must be completed!
At a command from Instructor Gao, the students set out in the heavy rain.
Zhang Dahu moved quickly. He was afraid that his team would fall behind, so he took big strides and trotted forward. Que Dongjin stepped forward quickly and grabbed him: "Dahu, why don't you listen? We are not sprinting a hundred meters! We are sprinting a twenty-mile mountain road with high slopes, gullies, and even traps set by hunters! We can't let our guard down, everyone should share the effort!"
"We should be far ahead from the beginning so that we won't be under pressure. At the same time, it will also put pressure on other teams! If you don't take the lead, I will take the lead and clear the way for you!" Zhang Dahu said, shaking off Que Dongjin's hand.
"Jianwei, Wukui, follow us quickly! We can't let Zhang Dahu out of our sight!" Que Dongjin had no choice but to follow Zhang Dahu closely.
After entering the forest, the groups quickly disappeared from each other's sight. The forest was thick with fog, visibility was so low that it was difficult to tell the direction.
"Dahu! Wait a minute! You can't leave the team, the visibility is too low! It's too dangerous to leave the team!" Que Dongjin shouted when he saw Zhang Dahu's back. He knew that Jiang Wukui behind him must have not been able to see Zhang Dahu's back. He could only see his own back.
"You guys follow closely, I'll be exploring the way ahead! Keep in touch at all times!" Zhang Dahu replied without stopping.
"Wu Kui, how are you? Can you still follow me?" Li Jianwei looked back and saw that Jiang Wu Kui was a few meters away from him. He was a little worried, "How about I ask Dong Jin and the others to wait for a while?"
"No need. It's okay, you go, I'll follow you closely!" Jiang Wukui said as he took a few quick steps.
There was a loud thunder and in the instant of lightning, the shadows of people in the woods were shaking.
Que Dongjin wiped the water droplets on his face with his hand, looked forward, and there was no trace of Zhang Dahu. Looking back, there was no trace of Li Jianwei either!
"This horrible weather, the fog is too heavy! Da Hu, Da Hu! Wait a minute! We need to re-identify the direction! Jian Wei, Wu Kui, have you two caught up?" Que Dongjin thought of the role of a bridge to connect the people in front and behind with himself.
"We caught up with you!" Li Jianwei reached out and pulled Jiang Wukui, then quickly replied to Que Dongjin.
"Da Hu! Answer back!" As Que Dongjin shouted, thunder roared.
"Da Hu! Da Hu! Did you hear that?" Que Dongjin shouted anxiously.
Zhang Dahu heard someone who seemed to be Que Dongjin calling him. He stopped, turned around and said loudly: "Dongjin, I'm in front! You guys follow me!"
"Da Hu! Wait a minute, let Wu Kui catch up and we'll confirm the direction! The visibility is too low, we can't get lost!" Que Dongjin said as he walked.
"Dongjin, we've only walked a few miles, why can't Wu Kui catch up? Wu Kui! Can you hurry up?" Zhang Dahu shouted behind him.
Jiang Wukui took a few quick steps and replied, "You think I don't want to go faster? But the road is slippery, how can I go faster?"
"I'm telling you, you still say I need care? Let's do this, I'll lead the way, Jianwei and Wu Kui will take care of each other, and Dongjin will coordinate the distance between us. I'm really afraid that Wu Kui will fall behind!" Zhang Dahu said confidently.
"Hurry, side direction! Be precise! Don't take detours!" Que Dongjin said and started the test.
The thunder and lightning are still loud.
"Follow me! I'll lead the way!" After determining the direction, Zhang Dahu took another step forward.
"Da Hu, don't be too careless and don't stay too far away from us! Be careful!" Que Dongjin said behind him.
"It's okay. I had a nightmare last night, and it was the opposite of what I thought. Our group is fine, and I'm fine too. Just follow me!" Zhang Dahu said, and walked quickly forward.
"Follow up, follow up!" Que Dongjin said to the back.
"Follow me, go ahead, it's okay." Jiang Wukui answered as he walked.
Li Jianwei followed behind Jiang Wukui and urged him, "Wukui, you can't get too far away from Dongjin. Hang on, we are almost halfway there."
"Halfway through? I don't even have the time and energy to worry about the journey. I can only keep following you! Jianwei, how about you walk ahead of me?"
"Okay, stop talking nonsense! You go ahead, and I'll feel at ease following you from behind! Hurry up, don't stray too far from Dongjin!" Li Jianwei said, pushing Jiang Wukui who was going uphill with his hand.
"Da Hu! I can't see you! Slow down! Do you hear me?" Que Dongjin shouted again when he saw that there was no figure in front of him.
"I'm not far from you, follow me closely! We have already walked more than half the distance, let Wu Kui and the others work harder! We can't fall behind! We should be the first!" Zhang Dahu said without stopping.
"Da Hu, don't think about being first or anything like that. Safety is the most important thing! Slow down and be careful! Don't be too far away from us! Wait for us!" Que Dongjin couldn't see Da Hu and felt a little uneasy.
"Okay, I'll walk slowly and wait for you guys in a while. This guy Wu Kui said that he has good endurance even though he eats a lot. He's just bragging!" Zhang Dahu slowed down his pace and looked back from time to time.
Que Dongjin saw Zhang Dahu and said, "Dahu, don't go ahead and explore the way alone! Let's go together! We have already walked more than half of the way! At this speed, if we spread our strength a little, we can reach our destination smoothly and on time."
"Well. We must maintain this speed!" said Dahu.
"Speed is not a problem now. The important thing is to avoid any accidents, okay? Dahu, let's go together! Don't go too far!" Li Jianwei and the others have caught up.
"Stop talking nonsense! Let's go together, in the side direction. Exploring the way will waste time. You guys follow, I'll continue to explore the way ahead!" Seeing that Wu Kui and the others had caught up, Zhang Dahu took another step and quickened his pace.
"I'm so tired! Jianwei, how far is it?" After walking for a while, Jiang Wukui seemed to be a little exhausted and he was breathing heavily.
"There's not much distance left, about four miles to go. Wu Kui, hold on!" Li Jianwei said, looking up at the sky. Raindrops hit his face. He thought to himself, "These instructors are so cruel. I wonder how the other team members are doing? Is anyone injured?"
"Da Hu! Da Hu! I can't see you, say something!" Que Dongjin shouted towards the front.
"I'm in front, you guys hurry up and catch up, we are already in the final sprint stage! Hurry up and catch up!" Zhang Dahu responded loudly.
"Wu Kui, come up, I can't see you anymore!" Que Dongjin shouted towards the back.
"We'll follow you, don't worry!" Li Jianwei replied, and then pulled Wu Kui and said, "Wu Kui, you should walk ahead of me. I'll watch over you and feel relieved."
"It's okay, go ahead! When we go up the steep slope, just wait for me and give me a hand." Jiang Wukui said as he pulled the strap on his shoulder!
At this time, Li Jianwei had already let go of Jiang Wukui's hand.
Jiang Wukui's foot slipped, he screamed "Ah" and fell to the ground.
"What's wrong? Wu Kui." Li Jianwei squatted down and asked with concern.
"Wu Kui, what happened?" Que Dongjin heard Jiang Wu Kui's call, turned around and walked towards them, his heart also lifted.
