Chapter 381 On How to Scientifically Pull Radishes "No! This mud is too strong!" Zhang Kui gasped for breath, feeling as if he were wrestling with the entire earth.
He panicked. In order to find a better point of leverage, he took a step forward, trying to put his foot down more firmly.
"Pfft."
A soft sound.
Zhang Kui felt his right foot suddenly sink, and a sensation exactly the same as Bai Wei's came over him—cold, numb, and then that damned suction!
His heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong. He quickly tried to pull his foot out.
But with his weight of over 180 pounds, plus the force he had exerted earlier, he lost his balance, and as he struggled, his other foot also sank in.
"Holy crap!"
Zhang Kui let out a desperate roar.
This time, he completely followed in Bai Wei's footsteps.
And because he was heavier, he sank much faster than Bai Wei. The mud quickly covered his calves, then his knees…
A deathly silence fell once again at the edge of the mud pit.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the center of the mud pit.
If Bai Wei had gotten caught up in it all by herself just now, it would have been somewhat comical.
Now, Zhang Kui, the strongest man in the entire battalion, in order to save her, also "planted" himself in the mud. The two of them, like two unfortunate brothers, were stuck side by side in the mud, with only their upper bodies showing...
However, because the mud was not deep, the two stopped sinking after their feet touched the bottom.
However, the two of them were unable to break free on their own.
This scene can't even be described as comical; it's downright outrageous!
"Pfft, hahahahahaha!"
Gao Kai was the first to lose his temper and burst into a deafening roar of laughter. He slapped his thigh as he laughed, tears welling up in his eyes.
"My goodness! This is hilarious! Buy one get one free! Plus, there are bundled deals!"
His laughter was like a signal, instantly igniting the entire venue.
"Hahaha! I can't take it anymore, my stomach hurts!"
"Joke of the year! Battalion Three was pulling up radishes; they pulled one out and planted another!"
"Were these two sent by heaven to be funny? Well, now they're keeping each other company!"
In the quagmire, Bai Wei and Zhang Kui were utterly desperate.
The mud was already up to their waists, and the icy mud kept seeping into their clothes, taking away their body heat, as well as all their strength and hope.
"Help... Instructor... Help me!" Bai Wei's voice was trembling with sobs. She was truly terrified; she was afraid that she would be swallowed alive by this swamp.
Zhang Kui panicked too. For the first time, he felt the threat of death and shouted in a rough voice, "Instructor! Help us! We can't move!"
This is a serious problem.
Lei Kuan finally realized that if someone actually drowned, things would get really messed up.
He grabbed the megaphone and yelled down, "Stop laughing! Find a way to save them! Everyone, stay away from that area!"
The roar temporarily silenced the laughter, but everyone was helpless.
"Use a rope!" someone shouted.
"No! The rope is too thin, they're too deep, pulling them will hurt them!"
"Then what should we do? Find some wooden planks to lay across?"
"It's too late! Look how fast they're sinking!"
The trainees offered a variety of suggestions, but none of them came up with a feasible solution.
At this moment, someone shouted, "We need to find long branches, or take off everyone's belts, tie them together, and throw them over there so they can catch them!"
This is currently the safest approach, and it received Lei Kuan's approval.
Several male soldiers immediately sprang into action.
However, at this moment, Su Tang, who had been silent all along, spoke up.
"it's useless."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to have a magical power, instantly silencing the chaotic scene.
All eyes were immediately focused on her.
Su Tang glanced at the two people in the mud who were almost submerged up to their chests, and said calmly:
“This kind of swamp, in physics, is called a ‘thixotropic fluid.’ The more you struggle, or the more force you apply to a single point, the more unstable its internal structure becomes, and the suction will increase exponentially. Pulling them with ropes or belts will at best dislocate their arms, and at worst… accelerate their sinking.”
His words left everyone present stunned.
What... a thixotropic fluid?
They had never even heard of these terms!
Ignoring the shock of the crowd, Su Tang said, "Right now, a near-vacuum negative pressure environment has been formed between their lower bodies and the mud, which is the main source of the suction. To save them, we can't rely on brute force to pull them out. We must first destroy this negative pressure environment and increase the contact area between their bodies and the mud to disperse the downward pressure."
Even Lei Kuan was stunned. He could hear the logic and professionalism in Su An's words. "Su An, what's your solution?"
She paused for a moment, then said, "The best thing to do now is to find some of the widest and longest planks of wood. Find a few people to cut down some of the thickest and longest bamboo or tree trunks. The rest of you, bring over the buckets and fill them with water."
Her voice was calm yet powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.
Lei Kuan paused for a second, looking at Su Tang's eyes, which still shone brightly despite her ordinary disguise. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately nodded: "Okay! Do as she says."
He turned to Xu Gaogui beside him and shouted, "Xu Gaogui, take some men and remove the wooden planks from the barrier wall! Quickly!"
Without hesitation, Gao Kai excitedly replied, "Yes, Teacher Su!"
He turned around and led his gang of brothers, roaring as they charged into the nearby woods. He now had complete faith in Su Tang.
Seeing the crowd mobilized in an instant, Bai Wei and Zhang Kui saw a glimmer of hope amidst their despair.
They looked at the thin figure standing on the shore, calmly directing everything, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside them.
Bai Wei, in particular, couldn't understand why! Why did this country girl, whom she looked down upon the most, know so many things that even the instructors didn't know?
...
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