CHAPTER 348: CHAPTER 201: THE SELECTION BEGINS

Seeing Jian Yexuan with his head lowered in thought, Xiang Mingliang chuckled and said, "President Ye, are you worried that Coach Hang might make things difficult for Luo Ye? Don’t worry, Coach Hang has been busy running back to her original unit lately, saying that she wants to transfer back."

"Oh?" Jian Yexuan was startled, no wonder he hadn’t seen that female Yama these past few days. But the question was, would she give up that easily?

Noticing Jian Yexuan’s confusion, Xiang Mingliang explained, "This information is absolutely true. An old comrade of mine is in the same unit with Coach Hang. When he went to deliver documents to the higher-ups, he just happened to run into Coach Hang. At that moment, the chief was persuading Coach Hang to keep at it for a while longer before making a decision. It seems from what my comrade said, Coach Hang is pretty determined."

"Hehe... I won’t get involved in the matter regarding Luo Ye’s appointment. In two more days, the selection will take place. The qualifying team members will be re-arranged. Do you think I still need to worry about this?" Jian Yexuan passed the buck, he couldn’t interfere with Captain Xiang’s work, but still, he didn’t want Luo Ye to be troubled by Hang Menglin.

What if Hang Menglin doesn’t leave? After the military training ends, the training tasks are the responsibility of the team leader and the instructors. Who can assure that Hang Menglin won’t indulge in personal retaliation? Just thinking about Feng Hua’s situation made him uneasy about this woman!

After pondering a moment, Xiang Mingliang nodded his head, "Right, then let’s put this aside for now."

"Yao Juanjuan, here you are first and foremost a soldier, and then a woman, understand?" After completing a lap and returning, Yu Na sternly educated Yao Juanjuan, upset at her lack of iron will.

Yao Juanjuan gasped with her mouth wide open: "Leader... I think I should be a woman first, and then... then a soldier. Being a woman is for life, while being a soldier is just... a few years, or at most a couple of decades."

"In your lifetime that’s just a couple of decades, and with the way you are, if Coach Hang trained you, you wouldn’t even know how you died!" Yu Na’s tone was filled with deep dissatisfaction.

"Yu Na, you... you are Coach Hang’s disciple, you must have suffered a lot of... torment, right?"

"Actually, Coach Hang is quite nice, she’s just a bit more demanding with people. As long as you’re willing to work hard and endure, she will definitely like you. What she dislikes the most is pampered students, and she really does deal with those severely."

"Her demands for enduring hardship are too high, I’m afraid it’s difficult to win her favor. Honestly, I... regret enrolling here a bit. Initially... I thought wearing a military uniform would make me look cool, being an officer would be glorious, but... who would have thought, even students have to train like this. If I have to continue training without breaks for four years, I really don’t know... if I can persist."

"Don’t cry, show some grit!" Yu Na ignored Yao Juanjuan and accelerated her pace to run ahead, while Yao Juanjuan wiped her tears and quickly followed: "Leader, wait for me. Left by myself, I have even less confidence to carry on."

...

"Wuu wuu wuu..." When Yao Juanjuan returned to the dormitory, she burst into loud sobbing, startling a few who were asleep to sit up abruptly. Bai Qingchu groped for her uniform to pull on: "Quick, quick, quick, there’s an emergency assembly again. Can they let us live through this night?"

"Hahaha..." The people who were originally annoyed by Yao Juanjuan’s interruption burst into laughter seeing Bai Qingchu busily getting ready.

"What are you howling about in the middle of the night?" Bai Qingchu, coming to her senses while undoing her backpack, became angry. She had a habit ever since she was young; just after waking up, her mind tended to fixate on one thing. Recounting about emergency assemblies in recent days, naturally, she became fixated on that.

"Wuu wuu... I want to drop out... I want to go home... wuu wuu... today I’ve lost all face... wuu wuu..." Yao Juanjuan cried out breathlessly from under the blanket.

Yu Na’s brows furrowed deeply: "I say, you seemed pretty normal at the training ground, so why have you turned into this when you got back?"

"Wuu wuu... the drillmaster and instructors were all watching, I had to... wuu wuu... put on a show... wuu wuu..."

"Then puff out your chest and keep on performing, really disgraceful!" Yu Na stormed out of the dormitory, slamming the door behind her.

"Beep beep beep..."

"This time it’s a real emergency assembly, hurry, hurry, hurry!" Everyone was quick to get dressed and packed, as Yu Na dashed back in with a grim face, dragging Yao Juanjuan off the bed: "Hurry up, take that inner layer off, do you want to embarrass yourself again?"

After everyone once again lined up downstairs, Jian Yexuan nodded with satisfaction: "The speed has improved considerably this time. The weather is good today, and the air is fresh. After discussion among us instructors, we’ve decided to take everyone for some morning exercises. We’ll head to the hills to breathe in some fresh air. Prepare by your class units to set off!"

"Ah?" Everyone’s face turned sour. Could this be any more grueling?

"At ease!"

"Attention!"

"About face, right turn!" The instructors, energetic and not caring about the reluctant "ahs", led the team off.

"President Ye, can they endure this kind of intensity?" Xiang Mingliang asked Jian Yexuan with some concern.

"Captain Xiang, you’re a seasoned soldier. How can you still ask me this kind of question?" Jian Yexuan chuckled, "Are you thinking in your heart that I’m as much a devil as Coach Hang?"

With a sheepish laugh, Xiang Mingliang replied, "How could that be? I just feel that they’ve just started at the academy, and I’m afraid that too much training might lead to a negative reaction from the students."

"The intensity of this military training is not excessive. What I’m doing now is gradually getting them used to it. Otherwise, this type of training would have started much earlier." Jian Yexuan patted Xiang Mingliang on the back: "Captain Xiang, for those who have a negative reaction and want to leave because of this, it might be for the best. When war breaks out, the enemy won’t care if you are tired or haven’t slept." After saying this, he ran ahead to join the ranks.

Xiang Mingliang quickly caught up and said, "This is my first year as captain and I lack experience. Today, I wanted to experience it for myself too, but Chief Ye, there is one thing I am a little worried about."

Ye Xuan chuckled, "You’re worried that Hang Menglin will come to me with trouble over Yu Na’s matter, right?"

Xiang Mingliang nodded, "Chief Ye is indeed insightful!"

"The emergency assembly and the mountain cross-country tonight were already planned. It cannot be canceled just because Yu Na and Yao Juanjuan received punishment. If she is a true soldier, she should be aware of this."

"Hopefully," Xiang Mingliang said, his voice still laced with worry.

With instructors accompanying them, the trainees dared not voice their dissatisfaction, each quietly cursing to themselves. Looking closely, many were mouthing words while running.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the instructors commanded everyone to stop. Yao Juanjuan plopped down on the ground. She had already run eight laps and reaching this point was already her limit.

Her plan was to simply refuse to climb any further, even to death. If it weren’t for Yu Na’s watchful eye, she would have sat down and played dead long ago.

Shao Bo shouted loudly, "Yao Juanjuan!"

"Present!" Yao Juanjuan stood reflexively.

Shao Bo, with a stern face, said, "Do you want to be punished with eight more laps?"

"Instructor, I really can’t go on," she reported.

"You have to continue even if you can’t. Wearing this military uniform, you are responsible for your actions, understand?"

"Understood!" Yao Juanjuan said, standing up straight with tears in her eyes.

Ye Xuan walked to the front of the queue and scanned the group, "I know many of you are cursing me in your hearts, but as soldiers, you must be prepared to suffer hardships.

Suffer more now so you bleed less in war. Don’t always think that war is far from us. Soldiers must be ready at all times, whether in peace or war. This is imperative!

Considering that everyone hasn’t trained for long and has different physical abilities, we’ve come to this point, and now I give everyone the opportunity to choose freely.

Those who want to join the selection and become one of the thirty can proceed with the mountain cross-country. Three kilometers on the other side of the mountain, instructors are waiting with cards bearing your names.

Only those who retrieve a card and return will have their results recorded. This is an individual selection. You don’t have to act as a class unit; you can act on your own, or choose partners for collective action.

If anyone is in danger or really cannot continue, you can ignite the signal flare issued to you, and rescue teams will rush over as quickly as possible.

Those who don’t want to participate in the selection will be led back in advance by the instructors. Now, those who wish to return, please step out and stand on the right."

Yao Juanjuan, without hesitation, was the first to move over. She was well aware of her capabilities, and even without the prior eight laps, she doubtfully could endure any further. Following her, other trainees gradually stepped over, totaling no more than 10, which was quite conspicuous.

Luo Ye was keeping an eye on Liu Xing and noticed that he hesitated before ultimately not moving over. She made up her mind to talk to Liu Xing as soon as possible.

Liu Xing was always avoiding her. After training, he would quickly flee, and in the canteen, they couldn’t talk. As such, it had been continuously delayed.

If it weren’t related to the selection ranking, she would genuinely want to find Liu Xing and talk on the way.

"Luo Ye, I want to join you guys, is that okay?" Li Qing approached Luo Ye.

Bai Qingchu smiled, patting Li Qing’s shoulder, "Qing’er, with your tiny frame, you also want to participate in the selection?"

Li Qing smiled sheepishly, "I’ve been training for a while now, and I think I’ve made considerable progress. Plus, when I was a kid, I walked mountain roads on my own, so I want to try with you. Don’t worry, I won’t hold you back. If I feel I can’t continue, I’ll withdraw on my own."

"Alright, let’s do it together," Luo Ye encouraged with a smile, "Don’t talk about giving up just yet."

"Luo Ye, we’re here too. We’re a team, so naturally, we’ll go together." Zhan Hao, along with Wu Zetian and Zhang Youhan, came over. These days, they had been dining together, forming an extraordinary comradeship through shared meals.

"Liu Xing!" Luo Ye called out to Liu Xing, who was walking away, "Join us, you must!"

Liu Xing hesitated before reluctantly approaching Luo Ye. The struggle in his eyes was clearly visible. Ye Xuan also noticed him and frowned; what could it be that troubled him in such a way?

Second update for Nu’an, special thanks to ’Mei’er’ and ’tigerxuejun’ for their rewards, and special thanks to everyone who subscribed to the official Pink for Nuan version, love you! (To be continued. For more, please visit www.qidian.com, with more Chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)