The hospital is too busy, so I'm going to join the army and become a top soldier!

The other recruits remained at the grenade throwing range for training.

Shen Yan was originally preparing to practice his weighted running, but Gao Zhenhai stopped him.

"Alright, stop looking."

"You can throw 79 meters standing up now. If you hang out with a bunch of new recruits who have just started handling training ammunition, you won't learn anything."

Gao Zhenhai waved to him.

"Come with me, I'll take you to some fun things to do!"

As Gao Zhenhai said this, a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

The two walked around the parade ground and through an equipment training area, and soon arrived at the other side of the camp.

Shen Yan looked up.

A straight training track stretched out before us, with three-step stakes, trenches, low walls, high springboards, ladders, balance beams, high walls, and low stake nets distributed along its length.

Gao Zhenhai turned to look at Shen Yan, a malicious smile on his face.

"Xiao Shen, today the class monitor will give you a little challenge."

"Let's practice the 400-meter steeplechase!"

Shen Yan was taken aback.

400-meter obstacle course?

He had actually heard of this thing before.

There's a saying that's been circulating in the military.

I'd rather run five kilometers than run four hundred meters!

The 400 meters here doesn't refer to running a lap around a standard track, but rather to the 400-meter obstacle course in front of you.

The total distance may seem to be only 400 meters, less than a fraction of 5 kilometers, but running it is a completely different story.

The entire event typically consists of two 100-meter flat runs and a round trip through an obstacle course in between.

After sprinting 100 meters from the starting point, run through three-step stakes, a trench, a low wall, a high platform jump, a ladder, a log bridge, a high wall, and a low stake net, and then return along the same route after reaching the turnaround point.

However, you cannot repeat the same actions when returning.

The same obstacle can be overcome in different ways on the outward and return journeys.

What needs to be crossed should be crossed, what needs to be drilled should be drilled, and what needs to be circled around the bridge pillars should be circled around the bridge pillars.

Those who should jump into the trench and climb out should absolutely not be allowed to run past it directly.

There are eight sets of obstacles. You have to pass through them in both directions and complete a total of sixteen movements.

Running, jumping, climbing, flipping, crawling, and stepping—you can't skip any of them.

What truly torments you is never the distance, but the constant disruption of your running rhythm caused by obstacles.

We've just picked up the speed and are about to jump.

They had just landed from the high wall when they had to lower their bodies and crawl into the low pile net.

If you step into a hole, get stuck, or lose your balance, you will not only waste time, but you may also get injured.

Gao Zhenhai saw Shen Yan staring intently at the obstacle course and couldn't help but laugh:

"Have you heard of it?"

"I've heard of it."

Shen Yan nodded.

"I'd rather run five kilometers than run four hundred meters."

"Good to know."

Gao Zhenhai stretched his shoulders and knees.

"Since this is your first time practicing, I'll run it through for you first."

"Pay close attention to the movements, especially after the turnaround."

The way you navigate the obstacles is different each way, so don't end up crashing into a wall and having to take you to the medical unit.

Shen Yan stood beside the track, his expression becoming serious.

Gao Zhenhai stepped onto the starting line and took a moment to adjust his breathing.

The next second, he suddenly rushed out.

In the first 100 meters, Gao Zhenhai did not immediately go all out like in a 100-meter sprint, but maintained a relatively stable pace.

After entering the obstacle course, his speed suddenly changed.

With his feet stepping over three stakes in quick succession, almost without any pause, his body leaped over the trench using the momentum of the last step.

Upon reaching the low wall, Gao Zhenhai braced himself against it with one hand, then swung his hips and flipped over from the side.

High springboard diving platform, ladder, and balance beam.

His movements weren't particularly graceful, but they were very skillful, with almost no wasted effort.

Especially when scaling high walls, the push-off, leg swing, wall bracing, and hip thrust are all done in one smooth motion, and in the blink of an eye, one lands on the other side.

Shen Yan stood to the side watching, a thought popping into his mind.

Looking at it this way, it doesn't seem that difficult... right?

As long as you're physically fit enough, you can just run over there following the movements, right?

However, once Gao Zhenhai reached the turnaround point and re-entered the obstacle zone, the situation quickly changed.

His breathing became noticeably heavier.

After going around the bridge pillars, crawling through the holes, jumping into the trench, and climbing out again, the originally smooth movements began to become difficult.

In the final 100-meter sprint, Gao Zhenhai's face was flushed red, and his chest was heaving violently, but his stride frequency still did not completely dissipate.

After crossing the finish line, he ran for another ten meters or so before gradually slowing down.

Gao Zhenhai glanced down at the stopwatch.

One minute and fifty-six seconds.

This result is not bad for him at present.

However, he had no energy to evaluate his own performance. He supported himself on his knees and panted for a long time before finally sitting down on the ground.

He looked like he had just been thrown into the water and pulled out; his forehead and neck were covered in sweat.

Shen Yan looked at Gao Zhenhai, who was sitting on the ground panting, and then looked at the obstacle course in front of him.

It is indeed difficult.

But it shouldn't be that exaggerated, right?

Gao Zhenhai looked up and saw Shen Yan's thoughtful expression.

Having led troops for so many years, how could he not know what this kid was thinking?

"Looks pretty simple, right?"

Shen Yan did not admit it directly.

"It feels alright."

"Well enough?"

Gao Zhenhai almost laughed out of anger, and casually tossed the stopwatch to the veteran in charge of the field next to him.

"OK!"

"Then you run it once!"

"I'd like to see if you can still utter those three words later!"

Shen Yan stretched his body and then stood behind the starting line.

He was very confident in his physical abilities.

I've run five kilometers with a 30-kilogram load, so a mere 400 meters shouldn't be too difficult, even with some obstacles in between.

The command was given.

Shen Yan rushed out instantly!

His starting speed was even faster than Gao Zhenhai's earlier.

Upon seeing this, Gao Zhenhai showed no surprise, but instead slowly shook his head.

All new recruits are the same when they run the 400-meter obstacle course for the first time.

Seeing that the total distance was only 400 meters, I wished I could treat the first 100 meters as the 100-meter final.

The more enjoyable it feels now, the more uncomfortable it will be later!

Shen Yan quickly arrived at the three-step stake.

The first stake was successfully stepped on.

The second pile was also fine.

However, he didn't adjust his steps properly. He took too big a step on the second stake, and when he got to the third stake, he had to shorten his stride. His body swayed and he almost stepped off the stake.

Shen Yan quickly regained his balance.

Although it didn't fall, its speed was significantly reduced.

Beyond the three-step marker, there is a trench ahead.

With Shen Yan's current explosive power, this width is nothing at all.

But when he actually got close to the edge, he realized that he hadn't found the right starting point.

If you jump too early, you might not land on the other side.

If you jump too late, you're more likely to step on the edge of a ditch and twist your ankle.

Shen Yan instinctively slowed down and only leaped over the obstacle after confirming the distance.

The person is gone.

But the accelerated pace was interrupted once again.

The next low wall also didn't go smoothly.

When Gao Zhenhai climbed over, it looked like he only needed to brace himself against the wall with one hand and shift his body to get over.

When it was Shen Yan's turn to do it himself, he realized that the position of the support against the wall, the angle of the body's turn, and the swing of the legs all had their own rules.

He was worried that his hands would slip, so he subconsciously made his movements more conservative.

The body, which should have naturally swayed to the side, paused for a moment against the wall.

Gao Zhenhai stood behind and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Don't stop!"

"Use the momentum to get through!"

"Who are you waiting for to take your picture while you're leaning against the wall?"

Shen Yan landed on the wall, and before he could respond, they had already reached the high springboard diving platform.

He took a running start and jumped, following the movements he had just seen, and braced his hands on the edge of the high board.

However, the take-off position was too close, and the body could not be fully extended. The chest almost hit the edge of the board, and the only way to get the legs on the high board was to rely on the strength of the arms to pull up a little more.

When he reached the cloud ladder, his problem became even more apparent.

Without a skilled swinging rhythm or knowing how to utilize forward momentum, they relied almost entirely on their arms to pull their bodies forward.

With his upper body strength, completing it shouldn't be a problem.

However, he expended significantly more physical strength than Gao Zhenhai.

After landing on the cloud ladder, Shen Yan's breathing became completely disordered.

He didn't have time to adjust; there was a narrow bridge ahead.

Shen Yan rushed forward quickly, but when his feet actually touched the narrow bridge surface, he instinctively looked down.

With that one glance, his center of gravity immediately shifted.

He could only spread his arms to maintain his balance, and dared not increase his speed completely.

Gao Zhenhai watched from the side and shook his head.

"Don't stare at your feet!"

"Look ahead!"

"The more you look at your feet, the more your body sways!"

Shen Yan gritted his teeth and crossed the log bridge, then rushed towards the high wall.

This time, he failed to shift his center of gravity onto the wall on his first attempt. He hung on the top of the wall for a moment to adjust himself before finally managing to flip over using his powerful arm strength.

As for the final low-pile netting, it was a bit more challenging for him.

When I watched Gao Zhenhai crawl through the low pile network, I just thought that all he had to do was lower his body and crawl forward.

Once inside, Shen Yan realized that his elbows, knees, waist, abdomen, and hips had to be coordinated.

He didn't lower his waist and hips enough, and his back almost hit the low netting. He had to lie down temporarily and move forward little by little by relying on his arms and legs.

By the time he finally crawled out, he was already panting.

But this is only the journey there!

Upon reaching the turnaround point, Shen Yan barely rested before immediately beginning the return journey.

The same set of obstacles, but in completely different ways.

His body was exhausted, but his mind still had to quickly recall Gao Zhenhai's actions.

Where you need to cross over, where you need to drill through.

After jumping into the trench, from where should one climb out?

Every time I think about it, I waste some time.

Even worse, Shen Yan discovered that although his physical abilities were strong, without mastering the techniques, the stronger he was, the easier it was to waste his energy.

He was used to relying on brute force.

If you encounter a high plank, pull it up; if you encounter a high wall, climb it over.

The movement was completed, but the shoulders, back, waist, abdomen, and legs were repeatedly strained.

After Shen Yan climbed out of the trench and stepped over the last five stakes, his legs began to feel heavy.

In the last 100 meters, he wanted to speed up as he usually did when running with weights.

But as soon as the speed increased, a strong burning sensation came from his chest, and he could only inhale half of each breath.

This trip practically squeezed every muscle in Shen Yan's body that he could use!

Shen Yan gritted his teeth and rushed across the finish line, then staggered forward for another ten meters to catch his breath before finally collapsing to the ground like Gao Zhenhai.

"Holy crap? Two minutes and thirty seconds?"

Did you pass?

Gao Zhenhai, who was in charge of timing, was quite surprised to announce Shen Yan's score.

Shen Yan braced himself against his back, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.

He finally understood why Gao Zhenhai didn't want to talk after he finished running.

This thing is deadly!

Just then, a system notification sounded in my mind.

[Host has completed their first training session on the 400-meter obstacle course!]

[A deeper understanding of chest expansion, respiratory muscle coordination, and changes in intrathoracic pressure during high-speed exercise!]

[Enhance your understanding of intercostal structures, pleural cavity, lung tissue, and mediastinal anatomy!]

[Improvement in chest trauma assessment, closed chest drainage, basic open-chest approach, and lung surgery techniques!]

[The host has achieved a certain level of proficiency in thoracic surgery!]

A wealth of thoracic surgery experience quickly flooded my mind.

The ribs, intercostal muscles, pleura, lung tissue, and mediastinal structures gradually became clearer in Shen Yan's consciousness.

The potential consequences of different chest traumas, methods for diagnosing hemothorax and pneumothorax, selection of the location for closed chest drainage, and how to avoid intercostal vessels and nerves during basic open-chest surgery...

A vast amount of knowledge, as if it had been practiced countless times, quickly seeped into the depths of his mind!

Even the treatment strategies for partial lung tissue damage and bleeding have been improved.

Shen Yan looked down at his violently heaving chest.

When others run the 400-meter obstacle course, they are training their physical fitness, coordination, and military skills.

He ran a lap, and the system directly taught him how to perform open-chest surgery.

This time the income was quite substantial!

Gao Zhenhai, standing beside him, didn't notice Shen Yan's expression.

He took the stopwatch and carefully looked at the numbers again.

Two minutes and thirty seconds.

That's right!

Gao Zhenhai couldn't help but raise his head.

Is this your first time running?

"Um."

"It is indeed quite difficult!"

Shen Yan nodded, panting.

He had previously passed many projects quickly thanks to the training experience provided by the dual cultivation of medicine and martial arts.

But this time, before he received any medical feedback on the 400-meter obstacle course, he found that military training still presented a certain level of challenge!

However, he was not discouraged; on the contrary, he became even more interested in the training!

"Two minutes and thirty seconds the first time?"

"You're something else, kid!"

Gao Zhenhai's gaze towards him immediately changed.

Two minutes and thirty seconds, just enough to meet the passing grade for the military!

It was my first time running the 400-meter steeplechase, and I wasn't even familiar with the movements, yet I passed the test on my first try?

This is so much better than he was back then!

When Gao Zhenhai first encountered the 400-meter obstacle course, he spent half a day just hanging on the high springboard platform and the high wall.

After finishing the race, my legs were so weak that I could barely walk.

Although Shen Yan ran in a similarly disheveled manner, it was only because he was unfamiliar with the movements!

If you master all the obstacle courses and learn to allocate your energy between the front and back sections, your performance will definitely improve significantly!

The more Gao Zhenhai thought about it, the brighter his eyes became!

If Shen Yan practiced for a longer period of time, wouldn't he be able to participate in another martial arts competition?

However, Shen Yan was not satisfied with his results at the moment.

"Two minutes and thirty seconds is still a bit slow."

There were a few places where I didn't dare to run completely freely.

"Especially trenches, high springboard diving platforms, balance beams, and high walls, I'm not familiar with the moves and I'm afraid of getting injured."

"I also mixed up a few of the steps when turning back."

"If these problems can be solved, the progress should be much faster."

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhenhai's lips twitched.

"Don't you dare act innocent after getting the benefit!"

"To run under two minutes and thirty seconds for the first time is already amazing!"

"Very few people in our entire team could achieve this time on their first try!"

"What you lack right now isn't physical fitness, it's technique. Once you master the moves, don't even mention two minutes; with your physical foundation, you could easily break a minute and a half!"

Shen Yan's eyes lit up slightly.

One and a half minutes?

This goal is quite challenging!

The two sat on the ground and rested for a while, their breathing gradually returning to normal.

Gao Zhenhai stood up and dusted off his pants.

"Walk."

"I'll skip the full marathon for now."

"I'll guide you through all the obstacles again!"