Not enough Japanese devils to kill? 1.4 billion people volunteer for the Battle of Shanghai.

On the shore, several referees were huddled together, engaged in a heated discussion in hushed tones.

"The rules only say 'you can only bring one item at a time'! They don't say you can't create things on-site!"

"But this is exploiting loopholes! If everyone does this, what's the point of the selection process?"

"But they really did build it! They used on-site materials! They didn't violate any regulations!"

"From now on, everyone should bring an axe and just chop down trees to build boats!"

The debate grew louder and louder.

At that moment, General Wang Kangmei made the final decision:

"During the War of Resistance Against Japan, our army's weaponry and equipment were outdated."

"Some people would wet a cotton quilt, spread it on a table, and carry the table while charging into battle—this was called a 'homemade tank'."

"Some people make 'flying thunder cannons' out of bamboo and launch explosive charges from gasoline drums—this is called a 'heartless cannon'."

The old man's voice was calm, but every word was like a nail, hammering into everyone's ears:

What is wisdom?

"It's about finding a third way out of a desperate situation."

"It's about creating possibilities outside the rules, within the rules themselves."

He looked at the river, at the makeshift boat, and at Lin Yun standing at the bow:

"Now, someone has come up with a solution."

"We built boats, sailed downstream, avoided enemy fire, and conserved our strength."

"What's this called?"

Wang Kangmei took a deep breath, and her voice suddenly rose:

"That's called—wisdom!"

"allow!"

Two words.

Definitely.

Undeniable.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the Yangtze River, the water temperature was bone-chilling, and physical strength was rapidly depleting like sand in an hourglass.

The five members of the Thunder Bear Team—Lei Xiong, Jin Sheng, Li Huai, Wang Jin, and the ever-silent but exceptionally reliable scout Tan Ming—are now facing a desperate situation.

Their chosen route of attack became a death trap under the crossfire of the machine gun company.

A roundabout way? Not enough time, and my energy is almost gone.

Force their way in? They landed on the beach and were met with machine gun fire.

Jin Sheng tilted his head back above the water, gasping for breath, the icy air cutting his throat.

"Gentlemen... to get out of this zone of fire, we need to go at least several hundred meters further... We don't have the strength or the time."

Even the usually calm Li Huai had purple lips at this moment, but he pushed up his already fogged-up glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses were staring intently in a certain direction, in the area that Xu Le was guarding alone.

"There's... another way." Li Huai's voice trembled from the cold, but his thoughts were frighteningly clear. "Xu Le's place."

Everyone followed his gaze. Xu Le, like a moving reef, appeared and disappeared in the river, controlling a sector about fifteen meters wide.

Anyone who enters that area of ​​water will be precisely "killed" by him.

"Are you crazy?" Jin Sheng stared wide-eyed. "That guy's a monster! He's more agile than a fish in the water!"

"But he's the only one there," Li Huai said calmly, pointing to the river.

"Watch Xu Le's movement trajectory."

"He is a very good swimmer, but no matter how good a swimmer is, it is impossible to stay in one position for a long time in a rapid current of three meters per second."

"He's moving."

"Observe his movement pattern—every thirty seconds, he will shift two meters to the left, and then slowly move back."

Li Huai paused:

"He is controlling a sector."

"It is about fifteen meters wide."

"This 15-meter stretch is his absolute control zone. Anyone who tries to get ashore from here will be 'shot dead' by him."

"but--"

"Risk comes with opportunity!"

"With Xu Le here, the machine gun company on the shore will consciously ignore this area."

"I see gaps between the sectors."

"No matter how strong Xu Le is, he's still just one person."

"Fortune favors the bold; find the cracks."

"Wait until his movement pattern shows a pattern of flaws—"

Just then, Wang Jin suddenly spoke, his voice soft but clear:

"He's almost out of bullets."

Lei Xiong's eyes lit up.

The exhausted giant suddenly felt a surge of power in his chest.

"We'll break through from Xu Le!" he roared, his voice booming across the river.

Jin Sheng nodded emphatically: "Okay!"

Li Huai even took off his glasses, carefully stuffed them into a waterproof bag, and then clenched his fist: "I'll give it my all."

Wang Jin took a deep breath, choking on the river water. He coughed twice, but his eyes were firm: "Go for it, I won't hold you back."

With their opinions aligned, the group no longer hesitated, like four dying fish suddenly given life and beginning their final sprint.

They were getting closer and closer to the sector controlled by Xu Le.

They could already see the scars on Xu Le's face and the hunter-like focus in his eyes.

Xu Le also saw them.

The scarred company commander curled his lips into a cold smile.

It wasn't mockery, it was excitement. Like a shark that had caught the scent of blood, he suddenly changed course and flanked us from the side.

"Lei Xiong! Xu Le is here!" Jin Sheng roared in the water, his voice mostly swallowed by the river.

Lei Xiong glanced back, then made a decision that surprised everyone—

"You guys continue!"

Lei Xiong roared, his voice like a thunderclap.

Then, he suddenly turned around and rushed towards Xu Le.

Its two-meter-tall body unleashed its final power in the river, like a ferocious bear charging at its hunter, splashing water across the surface and carving out a deep trench.

"Lei Xiong! What are you doing?!" Li Huai shouted from behind, his voice cracking.

"Hold him off!" Lei Xiong spat out each word through gritted teeth without turning his head. "You guys take this opportunity to get ashore! Quickly!"

Xu Le stared at Lei Xiong, momentarily stunned.

He clearly hadn't expected anyone to dare to rush towards him.

Moreover, it was a charge without reservation.

Then he laughed, a genuine, heartfelt laugh of having met his match, of encountering a worthy opponent.

He threw away the marking gun in his hand; in the water, that thing was no better than his fist.

"Good timing!"

The Yangtze River does not believe in tears, and a true man never retreats.

Xu Le used his waist and abdomen to increase his speed, and crashed back into Lei Xiong without dodging or giving way!

Two elite soldiers, in the chest-deep, icy river, collided like two raging prehistoric beasts!

A muffled thud.

The water splashed up three meters high.

Xu Le was knocked back two steps, the water reaching his neck, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, and he managed to keep steady.

Lei Xiong was also in a bad mood; the recoil made his chest feel tight, but he quickly adjusted himself by using the water's momentum.

Without a word, the two men almost simultaneously discarded all their cumbersome equipment. Rifles, tactical vests, even water bottles... one by one, they sank to the bottom of the river.

In the heart of the river, on this selection field, only the most primal and pure essence remains—

A battle of strength and will.

There are no rules.

There was no referee.

There is only victory and defeat.

"Get out of here!" Lei Xiong roared while fighting Xu Le. "Quickly!"

Jin Sheng gritted his teeth and waved his hand: "Let's go!"

The four men bypassed the battle and swam desperately toward the mudflats.

Xu Le tried to stop him, but Lei Xiong held him tightly.

A powerful and heavy punch was thrown.

Xu Le dodged to the side and retaliated with an elbow strike, hitting Lei Xiong in the ribs.

Lei Xiong grunted, but didn't back down. Instead, he grabbed Xu Le's arm and threw him over his shoulder.

In water, the effectiveness of an over-the-shoulder throw is greatly reduced.

But Xu Le was still thrown into the water.

Lei Xiong pounced, trying to subdue him.

But Xu Le's agility underwater was beyond imagination. With a roll, he broke free and then locked Lei Xiong's throat from behind.

Thunder Bear struggled.

Lei Xiong struggled frantically, and the two of them were like two giant pythons fighting for their lives, rolling, sinking, and strangling in the river.

Water splashed everywhere, and the heavy breathing was like that of a bellows...