At this moment, Liu Tiezhu didn't dare move a muscle. He was terrified that making any sound would alert Jiang He and Zhang Zhiliang, who might join forces to quietly eliminate him. He hid like this for over ten minutes until the two had walked far away, then he got up and hurried back to the barracks.
Lying on the bed, Liu Tiezhu had no trace of sleep. His mind churned, figuring out how to handle the situation of joining Jiang He's faction next. For now, the fortunate thing was that he knew Jiang He's goal, while Jiang He hadn't discovered him. Next, he needed to find a way to pass Zhang Zhiliang's tests. But how Zhang Zhiliang would test him—that was the tricky part.
"It looks like from now on, I'll have to be extra cautious with every mission. Anything involving Jiang He and Zhang Zhicheng, I'll have to show absolute loyalty." Liu Tiezhu silently reminded himself, then finally settled down to sleep.
The next day at nine, everyone was woken up. Jiang Tianliang, with a grim face, gave them a ten-minute lecture before letting them eat breakfast. As Liu Tiezhu passed by him, Jiang Tianliang's eyes flickered with venomous malice.
*Tch!* Liu Tiezhu shot back a contemptuous smirk, completely ignoring him.
"You bastard, go ahead and flaunt it. Let's see if you can still strut later," Jiang Tianliang muttered through gritted teeth, watching Liu Tiezhu's retreating figure.
After breakfast, everyone followed Jiang Tianliang to the entrance of the second stage. Once he assigned everyone their positions, Jiang Tianliang stepped back. The second stage was overseen by Zhang Zhiliang and Liu Zhigao. After counting heads, Zhang Zhiliang waved his hand, and someone immediately brought out bamboo baskets.
"In front of you are fifteen-kilogram stones. The rule of the second stage is to carry the stones in these baskets and run five kilometers within forty-five minutes. No stopping allowed. Anyone who stops or exceeds the time will immediately lose their qualification. Begin now."
As Zhang Zhiliang's voice fell, everyone quickly loaded the stones into the baskets and sprinted toward the marked track outside. The moment Liu Tiezhu lifted his stone, he immediately sensed something was off. The stone in front of him looked similar to the others, but it was actually a full ten kilograms heavier. That meant others were carrying thirty-kilogram stones, while he was carrying fifty kilograms. Recalling Jiang Tianliang's sly grin as he left, Liu Tiezhu realized that bastard had tampered with it.
"Screw you, just wait. One day, I'll settle every single score." Liu Tiezhu cursed under his breath, not daring to waste any more time. With his current stamina, carrying fifty kilograms for five kilometers was still a piece of cake. He didn't run fast, but he maintained a steady rhythm. Meanwhile, the burly men who had charged ahead at the start turned pale-faced after just a few dozen meters. That was the consequence of failing to pace themselves. If they kept sprinting, they wouldn't just fail to finish the five kilometers—they might even drop dead from their hearts not keeping up.
"Kid, don't rush. The real show is about to start. There's more fun waiting for you." Watching Liu Tiezhu lag behind the others, Jiang Tianliang grinned smugly. To kill Liu Tiezhu, he had spent a fortune and prepared multiple schemes. Not only had he rigged the stones, but he had also planted two of his own strong men among the group. When the opportunity arose, they would strike without hesitation to take Liu Tiezhu out. After all, in this kind of assessment, anything could happen, and a few deaths were perfectly normal. Even if the two couldn't finish him off, the fight would waste plenty of Liu Tiezhu's time. He was absolutely certain that Liu Tiezhu couldn't run five kilometers on time carrying fifty kilograms. Once Liu Tiezhu was eliminated and no longer a member of the Ming family, Jiang Tianliang could openly take his life. And if Liu Tiezhu somehow got lucky and passed the second stage, it didn't matter—he had a backup plan for the third. In short, Liu Tiezhu couldn't be allowed to live. Otherwise, he couldn't answer to the person backing him.
While Jiang Tianliang sneered, Zhang Zhiliang also received word that Liu Tiezhu's stone had been swapped. After a moment's thought, Zhang Zhiliang passed the news to Jiang He. Upon hearing it, Jiang He said, "Pretend we don't know. This is a good chance to see if this kid is a dragon or a worm." Liu Zhigao pointed at Liu Tiezhu, who was trailing behind the group, and added, "From the looks of it, Liu Tiezhu probably won't make it through the second stage."
"Not necessarily. Don't judge him just because he's lagging now. Take a close look at his pace and his expression, and you'll see this kid is hiding his true skill. I'd bet that within ten minutes, he'll catch up to everyone." Jiang He's tone was firm because he had noticed the rhythm of Liu Tiezhu's breathing and steps. Carrying fifty kilograms and running dozens of meters without breaking a sweat or losing his breath—Jiang He himself couldn't do that. Liu Tiezhu, on the other hand, looked completely at ease. If he hadn't prepared thoroughly, he must have undergone special training. The former was unlikely, since even thorough preparation couldn't make it look this effortless. That left only the latter.
Hearing this, Zhang Zhiliang and Liu Zhigao narrowed their eyes, carefully observing Liu Tiezhu's stride. After a few minutes, both spotted the clue. Zhang Zhiliang said, "Damn, this kid has synchronized his breathing and steps. That way, running doesn't strain his heart rate and saves a lot of energy." Liu Zhigao added, "Exactly. To pull that off, he must have had special training. This kid is no ordinary one."
Jiang He also squinted, scrutinizing Liu Tiezhu's pace. If Liu Tiezhu couldn't be controlled, he would have to eliminate him early. After all, keeping a "grenade" that could explode at any moment was extremely dangerous. Ten minutes later, just as Jiang He had predicted, Liu Tiezhu overtook everyone. This sight made Jiang Tianliang's smug grin vanish in shock.
"What the hell? How did that bastard do it?" Watching Liu Tiezhu pull further ahead, Jiang Tianliang grew anxious. After running three kilometers, Liu Tiezhu gradually slowed down. There was still plenty of time, and he couldn't stand out too much. Otherwise, people like Jiang He would become wary. Ever since overhearing Jiang He and Zhang Zhicheng's conversation last night, he had planned to play along and feign cooperation. If he showed too much strength, Jiang He and his crew wouldn't keep him around. They might even team up with Jiang Tianliang to take him out in the shadows. So, hiding his true abilities as much as possible was the key to survival.
When Liu Tiezhu's pace slowed, Jiang He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If Liu Tiezhu kept accelerating, he would have to consider getting rid of him. Such formidable strength posed a serious threat to him, and he absolutely couldn't allow that threat to exist.
"Liu Tiezhu is in danger now." Just as Jiang He relaxed, Zhang Zhiliang's warning came from beside him. The three of them looked toward the track and saw two burly men charging at Liu Tiezhu from left and right. Their intent was clear—as they closed in, they immediately hurled the stones off their backs. This sight made Jiang Tianliang break into a sinister grin.
"Hahaha, you bastard, let's see how you dodge this one!"