Chapter 26: The Armored Tank Crushes the Body

For an ordinary person to become an outstanding soldier, apart from mastering professional military skills, one must also undergo many invisible yet crucial inner trainings.

The challenge Gong Jian had prepared this time, known as "courage training," was practiced by many military units both at home and abroad. However, the method itself was Gong Jian’s own invention. He even went to the effort of bringing two armored tanks from the regiment, parking them on the road in front of the recruits' formation.

“How does it feel? Finally meeting the big guys—impressive, aren’t they?”

Standing atop the tank’s turret, Gong Jian brushed the dust that had landed on his cap during the drive and smiled expectantly, awaiting the recruits' stunned and awed reactions at the sight of the tanks.

Just as he hoped, the recruits were amazed.

“Amazing!”

For many of them, it was the first time in their lives seeing a tank up close. They stared at the massive steel beast, so excited they wished their necks were longer to get a better look.

“Isn’t it cool?” Gong Jian asked again.

“Cool!”

They shouted in unison, their loud voices reflecting the excitement and thrill surging in their hearts at that moment.

“To experience such a machine up close is truly intimidating—the visual impact is overwhelming,” thought Xing Xiaolong. Although he had served as a soldier for a few years, he’d rarely fired a gun, let alone gotten this close to a tank—a monster weighing tens of tons.

Standing before this cold hulk of steel, the pressure felt almost tangible. If even a former soldier like Xing Xiaolong was this impressed, it was no wonder He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing were utterly captivated. The two stared at the tank, their eyes shining, wishing they could climb aboard and take it for a spin right then and there.

Yet, as mere recruits, that was a distant dream.

Having piqued the recruits’ interest, Gong Jian sat down on the turret, his smile fading into seriousness. “As soldiers, you’ll inevitably have close encounters with these machines on the battlefield. To overcome your fear of them, today you’ll undergo a courage training. The fear you must conquer is none other than the one standing before you right now.”

“What?”

The recruits, who had been so excited moments ago, sensed that things were taking a strange turn when they heard they’d be interacting with the tank. Their smiles froze on their faces.

Seeing their reactions, Gong Jian felt a hint of concern but pressed on, barking an order, “Old Hei, give them a demonstration.”

“Alright!”

Old Hei answered crisply. He jogged over to the road, put on his camouflage helmet, and calmly faced the tank.

Meanwhile, Gong Jian climbed down from the tank. The two tanks drove off in the opposite direction, then turned around and stopped about fifty meters away on the dirt road.

“What on earth is he planning?” Xing Xiaolong frowned, exchanging bewildered glances with his three closest friends. None of them could guess what Gong Jian was up to.

If the challenge was simply to stand there while the tank approached and stopped right in front of you, that would have some effect—after all, the sheer size of the tank was intimidating enough.

But tanks aren’t that fast, and even if they charged straight at you, the sense of danger would be limited. For such an elaborate setup, just this lukewarm challenge would be a waste, unworthy of the spectacle of bringing real tanks.

“Begin!”

Gong Jian didn’t explain further. No amount of description could match witnessing it firsthand. He waved toward the tanks and signaled Old Hei.

Old Hei glanced at the recruits, then stepped forward, braced himself, and lay flat on the road in standard prone position.

From fifty meters away, the right-hand tank spewed a cloud of diesel exhaust and began rumbling forward, picking up speed—heading straight for the spot where Old Hei lay.

A collective gasp swept through the recruits.

The purpose of the courage challenge was now clear: the recruits were to lie on the ground and let the tank drive over them.

A tank’s tracks run along the sides, and the lowest point of the chassis in the middle is about thirty or forty centimeters above the ground—just enough for a person to fit under.

However, the margin for error was razor thin. Any head movement or shift of the body could bring a limb outside the safe zone, and the steel tracks would show no mercy.

Tens of tons passing over a person—there was no doubt about the consequences.

If the recruit wanted to avoid being crushed, he had to suppress his fear. As long as he remained calm and unafraid, and didn’t panic as the tank approached, there shouldn’t be any danger in theory.

In short, the more afraid you are, the more dangerous it becomes; the more indifferent you are, the safer you’ll be.

It was simple logic, understood by all, yet as the tank rumbled over Old Hei, exclamations of shock erupted from the ranks.

Li Erniu even shut his eyes tight, trembling all over like a frightened child.

Even the boldest—Xing Xiaolong, He Chenguang, and Wang Yanbing—couldn’t suppress their racing hearts as they watched the tank roll over Old Hei, no matter how much they reassured themselves it was safe.

This was fear—one of humanity’s uncontrollable instincts.

It wasn’t until the tank had passed smoothly over the road in front of the formation, and Old Hei reappeared, that the recruits breathed a collective sigh of relief and broke into enthusiastic applause.

The courage challenge was just that: overcoming fear to break through one’s limits. The breakthrough happened in a split second—unlike regular training, which required long, sweat-drenched effort.

Old Hei dusted himself off and returned to the formation. “That’s all there is to it. Lie down, keep your head as low as possible, and it’s really nothing to worry about. Now it’s your turn. Who wants to go first?”

“I do!”

“I do!”

“I do!”

Xing Xiaolong, He Chenguang, and Wang Yanbing all raised their hands at the same time. What had started as a rivalry had become a habit.

“He Chenguang and Wang Yanbing, you go first. Xing Xiaolong and Li Erniu, get ready.”

Old Hei had barely finished assigning roles when Li Erniu shuddered, his eyes wide with fear. “Me? I… I have to do it too?”

“Of course. Every recruit has to participate. Go get your helmet on and get ready.”

Hearing the unmistakable command in Old Hei’s stern voice, Li Erniu looked at the massive tank, his throat dry. He swallowed hard, cold sweat already beading on his forehead.

Xing Xiaolong noticed Li Erniu’s distress and asked with concern, “Erniu, can you handle it? If not, maybe we can talk to the instructor. This isn’t a joke—one wrong move and someone could really get hurt.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Li Erniu was truly terrified of the tank, but didn’t want to drag down Xing Xiaolong, who had always looked out for him. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to tough it out.