Strongest Soldier King

"Forget it? And you, knowing the inside story yet playing along and making me worry to death. Just bring back a good result, and I won't ask for much. Just don't be at the bottom. When you return, we'll honor the achievements. Otherwise, we'll settle old and new accounts together. However, you two did cooperate well this time and even managed to deceive me. I believe other opponents were also fooled. Perform well and don't disappoint me," the Commander said with a stern face.

Luo Zheng and the Captain breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged a knowing glance, and Luo Zheng quickly stood up, determined to show his resolve, but the Commander gestured for him to stop. The Commander seriously said, "Listen carefully, kid. Perform well on the battlefield. If you find out something is wrong, you can take over the command. I will issue you an order later, and I believe no one will have any objections, just wait."

As he spoke, the Commander got up and went to his desk, busied himself with the computer. Luo Zheng and the Captain exchanged glances again, with the Captain shaking his head to suggest Luo Zheng not to overthink. Luo Zheng nodded, understanding that what will be, will be, and patiently began to wait.

Before long, the Commander prepared a document with his signature and the official seal of the Command Center. Luo Zheng read through the document; it was an appointment letter. The content was straightforward, stating that Luo Zheng's mediocre performance was at the Command Center's request to deceive the opponent. From the moment Luo Zheng presented this appointment letter, he could assume the role of team captain and exercise the powers of this position, requiring unconditional support and cooperation from everyone, without mistakes.

This appointment letter was akin to a secret decree. Luo Zheng, overwhelmed by the trust the Commander showed in him, stood up, saluted solemnly, and said earnestly, "Please rest assured, Commander."

"I know some of your situation, but the matter is of great importance. A soldier needs achievements to speak. Do you understand?" the Commander said seriously.

"Yes," Luo Zheng replied sharply and promptly.

"Alright, with this appointment letter, it will be much more convenient for you to take action; it will be up to you then. As for the Scholar, he will officially act as the captain on the surface, which can have a great deceiving effect. It's up to you how well you can use and maximize this advantage," the Commander casually remarked.

"Yes," Luo Zheng responded, as the Captain also stood up. Both of them then excused themselves and left.

Back at the hostel, the Scholar and others had already left. The Captain closed the door and said, "Do you know why the Commander gave you the appointment letter instead of directly talking with the Scholar?"

"The Scholar was publicly appointed in an official setting. To dismiss him just after his appointment would be hard for a young person to accept. Even if he accepted the appointment and dismissal, he wouldn't be comfortable emotionally, which would affect the unity. The Commander gave me the appointment letter, hoping I would use it when the Scholar makes mistakes, or the squad is in trouble, and the Scholar cannot turn things around. It would then naturally fall to me," Luo Zheng explained calmly.

"You really see things clearly, kid; then I'm not worried," the Captain said, satisfied, smiling. "Before, it was fine you weren't the captain, but now that you can be one, tell me, what do you plan to do?"

"The situation on the battlefield is unclear; it's hard to say. Also, I need to further study the other team members' capabilities and specialties," Luo Zheng said with a wry smile.

"True, different identities bring different perspectives. Take your time to figure it out; I'm going to rest," the Captain said cheerfully and went back to his room.

Luo Zheng forced a smile and also went back to his room to study the materials. Before, he had never considered he would become a team captain and used to review the materials just to understand his teammates without delving deep. Now, possibly seizing command and serving as the squad leader, he had to thoroughly, comprehensively, and deeply understand each person's abilities to effectively command and maximize everyone's combat effectiveness.

┅┅

The next morning, the competing members gathered, led by the Group Army's Commissar, along with commanders from various military districts. Everyone boarded a military transport aircraft and took off for the competition site. Luo Zheng did not know where the competition would take place and was not informed nor in a position to inquire. Seeing the Commissar in his fifties, Luo Zheng's complexion changed slightly. From the Commissar, Luo Zheng sensed a hint of hostility and remembered that his last name was Song. Anger surged within Luo Zheng; the future of his fellow first squad members and his own career were nearly ruined by this man.

On the plane, Luo Zheng noticed the Commissar didn't even look directly at him. Instead, it was the Captain sitting next to him whose face was full of worry. Not wanting to cause trouble and make things difficult for the Captain, Luo Zheng suppressed his anger and closed his eyes to rest. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and there's no hurry.

After some time, the transport plane landed. Everyone walked out of the cabin to see rows of tents set up on a barren wilderness. Many soldiers were on guard nearby, numerous military vehicles were parked, some equipped with radar, and a group of generals gathered together chatting and laughing in what seemed like a starkly discordant atmosphere.

In the distance, the winding mountains stretched endlessly, bare and severely desertified, with chilling winds and biting cold. Luo Zheng, surprised by the scene, pondered where this could be. Yet, like everyone else, he refrained from asking, foolishly, questions that he was not supposed to know the answer to, thus avoiding becoming the butt of a joke.

Some people came forward to welcome them. It was naturally up to the Commissar, who led the team, to handle the formalities, and if anything else, the commanders from the military districts were there. The competing team members simply needed to follow and move forward. After some pleasantries, a person led everyone to a tent already set up, where they were instructed to stay put without wandering around.

Luo Zheng and a few other competitors entered the tent, which had five bunks. Without any formality, each chose a bunk and lay down to rest. The commanders from the military districts and the Commissar went to the organizing committee. The Scholar stated lightly, "This place should be the headquarters of the competition. Have you guys noticed anything?"

"What is there to notice? The security is managed by a certain unit, and probably like us, all competitors are just staying inside the tents, not allowed to go out for a breath of fresh air. Besides, with it being so cold outside, let whoever wants to go outside go—I'm going to sleep. Who knows if there will be time to sleep later," the Farmer said indifferently.

"Exactly, let's sleep. There's no point worrying now. We'll deal with whatever comes when we're on the battlefield," the Gardener agreed.

"Amitabha, don't you want to know about the other competitors' strengths?" Monk chanted a Buddhist mantra and asked.

"What good does knowing do? Let's sleep," the Gardener said discontentedly.

Luo Zheng could tell that this team, although appearing harmonious, had not completely integrated into a cohesive unit. No one truly respected the other, and melding into a unified team was probably only possible through battle. Only by sharing experiences of life and death, forged through the flames of war, could the team truly unite.