Tiger Cub Recruit: From Bottom of the Class to King of Soldiers

On the loess grounds of the Fierce Tiger Brigade, Lin Feng became the laughingstock of his company, carrying a pack wider than he was. “With a build like yours, a gust of wind could knock you over. And you want to be a special forces soldier?” The acting squad leader, Zhang Hailong, mocked him; the tall recruit Gao Qiang provoked him; and during the five-kilometer combat march, he was left struggling at the very back. For the first time, he learned what it felt like not to be believed in. He collapsed from heatstroke during initial training, tore open his palms on the horizontal bar, and was used as a punching bag in hand-to-hand combat. He became the most conspicuous “useless recruit” in the company. But his father's plea, “Don't bring shame on our family,” and the stubbornness in his bones drove him to push himself relentlessly. While others slept, he trained. While they rested, he studied technique. He carried an extra five kilograms on weighted runs and did two extra laps on the obstacle course. The calluses on his hands thickened, his breathing grew steady, and his gaze sharpened from timid to fierce. When he felt the cold touch of a live-fire weapon and everyone waited to see him miss the target, Lin Feng's finger on the trigger was astonishingly steady. He knew the path to becoming the Fierce Tiger Brigade's champion soldier had never been laid out for those born strong. Every taunt, every hardship, and every grievance was a stepping stone toward the summit. This time, he would show everyone who looked down on him that a soldier no one believed in could shine brighter than anyone!