The group wasn't stupid. Wang Xiaoya and Chen Xiaocao were initially quite unaccustomed to it, as they were used to breathing heavily through their mouths, and their chests burned from running.
But they stared intently at Su An's back, forcing themselves to listen to her footsteps and imitate her movements.
Then, a strange scene unfolded within the entire group.
The main group surged forward like a tidal wave, while Su Tang and her three companions lagged behind at the back, maintaining a seemingly slow but extremely steady pace as they ran forward step by step.
Their pace was so slow that those in front couldn't help but turn around and look at them with mocking eyes.
"Look at those guys, can't run anymore, huh? I thought they were something special, but they're just peasants." Li Yue followed Qiao Lin, glanced back, and curled her lip in disdain.
Qiao Lin was seething with anger. Being punished with a three-day fast left her feeling weak all over.
She needed to get her revenge elsewhere, and this cross-country race was the perfect opportunity. She gritted her teeth and gave a cold snort.
"Ignore them, they're a bunch of useless trash. Save your energy for your own run. Today, I must be the first female soldier to reach the finish line!"
On the other side, Zhao Yan, along with Sun Erniu and Zhou Zhihui, easily ran at the forefront of the female soldiers' team.
"Sister Yanzi, look at those four behind you, they're crawling like little turtles," Sun Erniu said with a smile as she glanced back.
Zhao Yan saw it too. Still resentful of Su An's disregard for her, she sneered:
"Let them be, they're brainless idiots. Do they think this is a stroll? They'll be crying later. Let's keep to our own pace, focus our energy where it matters most, and unleash our full power in the second half so they won't even see the back of our heads!"
At first, Wang Xiaoya and Chen Xiaocao struggled to keep up, but after running a kilometer, a miracle happened.
They found that the feeling of their heart pounding in their throats had disappeared, their breathing had become smooth and long, and the soreness in their legs had lessened considerably.
"It really...it really works!" Chen Xiaocao's eyes lit up as she looked at Su An's back, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Wang Xiaoya also felt it; although she was still tired, the feeling of being on the verge of despair and about to collapse was gone.
Liu Landi, who had been silently following at the back, was the one most deeply affected.
As the daughter of a hunter, she knew best how to conserve energy while tracking prey in the mountains.
She discovered that Su An's method was to exert exactly the same amount of effort with each step, keeping the fluctuations of her body to a minimum. This was an extreme demonstration of control over her body, even more effortless and effective than the ancestral tracking methods her father had taught her.
And so, the four of them formed a small, stable formation, moving silently along the dusty dirt road.
After running about two kilometers, the team's pace slowed down noticeably.
Those who rushed in at the beginning are now all wilted like frostbitten eggplants.
Some were supporting themselves on their knees, panting heavily, their faces flushed red; others were running unsteadily, their steps faltering, relying entirely on willpower to keep going.
"I can't... I can't... Let me rest for a bit... just one minute." A young man from the city felt like his lungs were about to explode. He sat down on the ground with a thud, unable to run any further, panting like a fish out of water.
Immediately, an instructor who was following the main group jogged up to the young man and expressionlessly drew an X after his name.
"disuse."
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