Pushing the limits, the inheritance of will between father and son
Day 7.
At 4:50 a.m., Lu Chen opened his eyes.
My body felt like it was falling apart; every muscle was protesting.
The boy gritted his teeth and sat up in bed, looking down at his hands.
The area between my thumb and forefinger developed blisters, which scabbed over and then broke open again. This happened several times, and now thin calluses have formed.
He clenched his fist.
Very good, these are the hands of a warrior.
After changing into his training clothes, Lu Chen pushed open the door.
The corridor remained pitch black.
But the lights in the training field were already on.
The boy took a deep breath and walked over.
Lu Zhanting stood on the sidelines, holding a thermos cup in his hand.
When he saw his son appear, he glanced at his watch.
4:58.
"Report, we're two minutes late." Lu Chen stood at attention.
"reason."
"Body reactions become slower."
Lu Zhanting didn't say anything, he just handed over the thermos.
Lu Chen took it and drank a sip.
It was ginger tea, very hot, burning all the way down to my stomach.
"We're increasing the workload today." Lu Zhanting turned and walked towards the training ground. "Ten kilometers of cross-country running, to be completed within an hour."
Lu Chen's hand trembled.
Ten kilometers?
The first six days were five kilometers each, and today it doubled?
"Is there a problem?" Lu Zhanting turned around.
"No." The boy gritted his teeth.
"Then let's begin."
Lu Chen put the thermos aside and began to warm up.
But he could feel that his body was reacting much slower than usual.
Muscle stiffness and joint tightness.
This is a sign of overtraining.
Lu Zhanting stood to the side, his gaze fixed on his son.
The boy's movements were noticeably less fluid than in the previous days, and each stretch was accompanied by suppressed pain.
But he did not call a halt.
Ten minutes later, Lu Chen stood on the starting line.
"start."
The boy rushed out.
The first three kilometers went smoothly, although the speed was slower than before, the rhythm was stable.
At the fourth kilometer, Lu Chen's breathing began to become erratic.
By the fifth kilometer, his steps were noticeably heavy.
At the sixth kilometer, the boy's consciousness began to fade.
All I could hear was my own rapid breathing and my heart pounding wildly.
persist in.
We must persist.
Lu Chen gritted his teeth and forced his legs to continue walking.
But by the seventh kilometer, his body finally began to protest.
His right leg buckled, and the boy fell directly to the ground.
Lu Zhanting followed not far behind him.
Seeing his son fall, he took a few steps to get over him.
"stand up."
Lu Chen braced himself against the ground, trying to stand up.
But I couldn't put any weight on my right leg.
"Can't stand up?" Lu Zhanting looked down at him.
"Yes." The boy gritted his teeth and tried again.
He managed to stand up this time, but his right leg was in excruciating pain as soon as it touched the ground.
"Continue." Lu Zhanting's voice was completely calm.
Lu Chen limped forward.
Every step was agonizing.
Sweat mixed with dirt covered his face.
But he didn't stop.
step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Lu Zhanting followed behind him, his hands in his pockets.
There was no emotion visible on that face.
But his clenched fist betrayed his inner struggle.
Eighth kilometer.
Lu Chen fell down again.
This time he lay on the ground and didn't move for a long time.
"Get up," Lu Zhanting said.
The boy did not react.
"Lu Chen, get up."
There was still no response.
Lu Zhanting walked over and squatted down.
"Give up?"
The boy lying on the ground trembled slightly.
“I told you, if you don’t make it to the selection day, don’t go.” Lu Zhanting stood up. “It’s not too late to give up now.”
He turned to leave.
"I don't……"
Lu Chen's voice came from the ground, with a heavy nasal tone.
"I did not give up."
The boy braced himself against the ground, slowly lifting himself up.
My right leg is swollen, and every movement is excruciatingly painful.
But Lu Chen still stood up.
He looked up at his father.
Those eyes were red, but there were no tears.
"I can do it."
Lu Zhanting looked at him and remained silent for a few seconds.
"Then let's continue."
Lu Chen took a deep breath and continued walking forward.
This time he couldn't even run; he could only move step by step.
But he didn't stop.
The ninth kilometer.
The tenth kilometer.
When Lu Chen finally reached the finish line, he collapsed to the ground.
Lu Zhanting glanced at his watch.
"One hour and forty-three minutes."
It's past the time limit.
Lu Chen lay on the ground, his shoulders trembling slightly.
He thought his father would criticize him.
But Lu Zhanting simply squatted down and helped him up.
"Let's go to the infirmary."
---
In the infirmary, Su Wanqing was examining Lu Chen's injured leg.
"It's a muscle strain, but thankfully it's not serious." She looked up at Lu Zhanting, "but I need to rest for three days."
“No.” Lu Chen immediately said, “Mom, I’m fine, one day of rest is enough.”
“In your current condition, let alone training, even walking will be a problem,” Su Wanqing frowned.
"I really can—"
"Listen to your mother," Lu Zhanting interrupted him. "Rest for three days."
Lu Chen was stunned.
He thought his father would tell him to grit his teeth and persevere.
“Training isn’t about brute force.” Lu Zhanting looked at him. “Your body is your capital; if you get injured, you lose everything.”
The boy opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Su Wanqing applied the medicine to him and prescribed some oral medication.
"Rest well for these three days and don't move around too much," she instructed.
"I understand." Lu Chen said, head down.
Lu Zhanting helped his son back to his room and laid him down.
"Dad," the boy suddenly spoke.
"Um?"
"Have I... disappointed you?"
Lu Zhanting paused for a moment.
Why do you think that?
"Because I failed to complete the task." Lu Chen bit his lip. "I ran ten kilometers in one hour, and I exceeded the time limit."
Lu Zhanting sat down on the edge of the bed.
Do you know how long it took me to run 10 kilometers for the first time?
Lu Chen raised his head.
"Two hours and fifteen minutes," Lu Zhanting said calmly. "And I threw up right after I finished running, and there was nothing left in my stomach."
The boy's eyes widened.
“So, you’re already better than I was back then.” Lu Zhanting stood up. “Get some rest.”
He walked to the door and suddenly stopped.
"Lu Chen".
"exist."
"You didn't let me down."
After saying this, Lu Zhanting walked out.
Lu Chen lay on the bed and suddenly smiled.
My eyes feel a little hot.
---
In the living room, Lu Nian'an was reading a book.
Seeing his father come out, he put down his book.
"Dad, is my second brother alright?"
"It's nothing." Lu Zhanting sat down on the sofa.
Lu Nian'an pushed up her glasses.
"Is it really okay for you to train him like this?"
Lu Zhanting looked up at him.
"You don't like it?"
“I just think… he’s only fifteen.” The boy carefully chose his words. “At this age, he should have more choices.”
"It was the path he chose."
"But you can try to persuade him."
Lu Zhanting remained silent for a while.
"Nian'an, do you know what a battlefield is like?"
The boy shook his head.
“That’s hell.” Lu Zhanting’s voice was very soft. “Bullets don’t have eyes, and artillery fire doesn’t distinguish between friend and foe. You think you’re prepared, but when death really comes, you’ll find that you’re nothing.”
Lu Nian'an listened quietly.
“The reason I train him this way is not to torture him,” Lu Zhanting said, looking at his son. “It’s to let him know where his limits are. Only by knowing his limits can he survive on the real battlefield.”
The boy fell silent.
“Your brother has chosen the most difficult path.” Lu Zhanting stood up. “As his father, all I can do is train him to be the strongest warrior before he goes to the battlefield.”
Even if...he will hate you?
Lu Zhanting smiled.
"It's better to hate me than to die on the battlefield."
Looking at her father's retreating figure, Lu Nian'an suddenly understood something.
This seemingly cold and ruthless man actually cares about his child more than anyone else.
However, his way of expressing love was too heavy.
---
Three days later, Lu Chen's injuries had mostly healed.
He couldn't wait to get back to the training field.
Looking at his spirited son, Lu Zhanting smiled faintly.
"Let's switch to a different project today."
What project?
“A real fight.” Lu Zhanting cracked his knuckles. “You and I, no restrictions on moves, we’ll fight until one of us gives up.”
Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
"real?"
When have I ever lied to you?
The boy grinned.
"Then you mustn't go easy on me."
"Don't worry." Lu Zhanting walked into the arena. "I won't."
The father and son stood in the center of the field.
Lu Xi and Lu Nian'an appeared at the sidelines at some point.
Su Wanqing stood at the window, holding a cup of tea.
The whole family was watching this match.
"start."
Lu Chen struck first, throwing a straight punch at his father's face.
Lu Zhanting dodged to the side and then delivered a backflip kick.
The boy crossed his arms to block the kick, but was forced to take three steps back.
That was a lot of force.
Lu Chen steadied himself and charged forward again.
Fists and kicks clashed as the two figures moved swiftly across the field.
Lu Chen's moves were fierce, but Lu Zhanting's counterattacks were even faster.
In less than three minutes, the boy was knocked down five times.
But he always got up and continued the attack.
Looking at his son's defiant eyes, Lu Zhanting suddenly recalled himself many years ago.
He was like that back then, getting knocked down time and time again, but getting back up again and again.
Until you become the strongest.
“Lu Chen,” he suddenly spoke.
The boy was stunned.
In that instant, Lu Zhanting moved.
His speed was so fast that no one could react; a sweeping kick knocked Lu Chen to the ground.
Then he knelt on his son's chest, his fist stopping three inches in front of him.
"You lost."
Lu Chen lay on the ground, panting heavily.
"I know."
Do you know why you lost?
The boy shook his head.
"Because you were distracted." Lu Zhanting stood up. "On the battlefield, a second of distraction means death."
Lu Chen got up, lost in thought.
“One more time,” he said.
Lu Zhanting looked at him, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.
"good."
---
At night, Lu Chen lay in bed, his whole body aching.
Today he played ten games against his father and lost all ten.
But in each match, he persisted a little longer.
The moonlight outside the window was like water.
The boy looked at the ceiling and suddenly smiled.
There are 23 days left.
The academy selection will take place in 23 days.
He absolutely must pass.
must.
Outside the door, Lu Zhanting stood in the corridor, looking at the light coming from his son's room.
Su Wanqing walked over and handed him a cup of hot tea.
"What are you thinking about?"
“I was thinking…” Lu Zhanting took the teacup, “If someone had trained me like that back then, perhaps many of my comrades wouldn’t have died.”
Su Wanqing grasped his hand.
"Don't dwell on the past."
"Um."
The two stood quietly for a while.
"Zhan Ting".
"Um?"
"Do you think Lu Chen can really pass the selection?"
Lu Zhanting looked at his son's room, a smile curving his lips.
Yes, it will.
"Because he is our son."
The moonlight shone on the two of them, casting long shadows.
In that room, the boy was already fast asleep.
In my dream, he was wearing a military uniform and standing on the training ground.
Everyone was watching him.
Including that always strict father.
The father finally smiled with relief.
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