Chapter 16: The Second Phase of Training is About to Begin!

"I..." As he spoke, Ruike suddenly froze. He put down his spoon, feeling a sudden heaviness in his heart, unsure if it was guilt or some other feeling.

Setting aside the fact that Diz liked him, she really was a perfect friend who always helped him when he needed it. "Zhou, what do you think...?" Ruike lifted his head, wanting to ask for Zhou Yuan's opinion.

Zhou Yuan nodded approvingly and snapped his fingers. "Good, you finally gave up on your foolish 'I think'." 

"I think you should apologize to Diz. If her unrequited love for you is bothering you, you can talk to her about it once and for all," Zhou Yuan advised. 

"Relationships in social circles are not just limited to romantic ones; friendships are also crucial," Zhou Yuan continued. 

"Even if for no other reason, just talking it out will make you feel better, so it's definitely worth having a conversation with her."

"Oh, and a friendly tip: Diz is heading towards the restaurant entrance. If you finish your meal quickly, your dormitory with only the two of you could be a good place for the conversation."

"Thanks, man!" Ruike suddenly realized and took the bread from his plate, rushing towards the restaurant entrance. "Zhou, you're a genius."

"You've made Ruike your disciple," Paul and Allen clapped lightly, stunned at Zhou Yuan's words. They didn't quite understand what Zhou Yuan was saying, but it all sounded smooth and reasonable.

"Keep it low-key, I don't want to draw attention," Zhou Yuan said, curling his lips and pressing his hand down as if on empty space.

Actually... in matters of romance, he truly had no clue. But even if he didn't understand it, who wouldn't talk about it on paper? His current view on relationships was to go all out and pursue someone he liked, using any means necessary to win them over. If he didn't find someone he liked, it wouldn't be bad to encounter someone eye-catching once in a while; he didn't mind occasional exchanges as a way to practice his skills.

"Zhou, I need your help with something," Allen suddenly moved closer to Zhou Yuan and whispered, "If you're good at picking up girls, I want you to teach me some sweet talk."

"Do you know Marcy? She has a great figure, and I'm interested in her. I just don't know what excuse to use to ask her out for dinner."

"Marcy?" Zhou Yuan instantly shivered, getting goosebumps all over his body. Allen was barely 1.8 meters tall and weighed less than 130 pounds, while Marcy was about 1.7 meters tall and weighed close to 150 pounds. The image of a bamboo pole hugging a big tree was too beautiful.

... ...

After two hours of lunch break, training resumed. But the first day of training was still considered a warm-up and could be referred to as the "opening ceremony."

They formed up in a line, toured the various training fields they would visit in the future, and then it was over. They ran laps until 5 p.m., and then they were dismissed.

However, everyone knew that it was just the beginning. The new recruits' training period was only one month, but within this month, they had a lot to learn and train. Physical fitness, combat skills, tactics, marksmanship, throwing, and more. The first half of the month focused on physical fitness and combat skills, while the second half intensified training in battlefield skills.

With the same training time, more training subjects meant significantly increased difficulty. This was also why Sim said many people couldn't endure until the end. Losers, wastrels, and weaklings... these were the types of people who would be eliminated during the new recruits' training period. Only those with the courage and ability to fight insects on the battlefield would remain.

As expected, the first day of the second phase of training, Sim began to increase the intensity. If there were flaws in the formation, punishments were given. If the running pace was slow, punishments were given. Anyone who made a mistake in what they had been taught on the first day would be hit, and Sim's strikes were heavy.

At the end of the second day of training, several recruits were injured, with bruises and swelling all over their bodies. This continued for half a month. The third squad of recruits went through multiple eliminations. What had originally been a group of 31 people now only had 22 remaining, with nine people eliminated.

Seven dropped out voluntarily, and two were expelled. The remaining 22 were those who had made up their minds and had the ability to stay until the end.

That night, after finishing a day of training and having dinner, they returned to their dormitory.

"Awesome! We'll be getting our guns tomorrow!"

"I want a sniper rifle. Snipers are the coolest."

"I wonder if there'll be a Gatling gun. Suppressive firepower is the strongest."

The new recruits gathered together, their faces filled with excitement, already forgetting the hardships of today's training. Because the next phase of training was about to begin. Tomorrow, they would finally be able to hold a gun in their hands!

Not just guns, but they would receive a full set of weapons and gear. Body armor, combat knives, scanners, and everything except grenades and ammunition.

"Zhou, what kind of soldier do you want to be?" Ron sat beside Zhou Yuan and asked curiously. 

After half a month, Ron was completely convinced by Zhou Yuan and had become his loyal follower, sticking to him like a bodyguard wherever he went. 

"I think I want to be a machine gunner," Zhou Yuan pondered. "Our enemy is the Arachnid swarm, which has a strong ability to reproduce and excels in swarm tactics."

"Machine guns have a high ammunition capacity and acceptable weight, making them a good choice for killing the bugs."

"At the same time, considering the possibility of emergency injuries, it would be better to choose a machine gun that can be used with one hand."

"What about handguns?" Riko interjected, listening attentively nearby and finding Zhou Yuan's reasoning quite sound. 

"Regarding handguns, I would choose the one with the greatest firepower," Zhou Yuan continued. "If I am forced to use a handgun, it means I am in an emergency situation, such as losing my machine gun due to injury or running out of ammunition."

"At that point, the bugs would already be close to me, so having a handgun with bug-killing capabilities might become a lifesaver."

Zhou Yuan explained his perspective, considering his own circumstances.

The perfect combination would be the Infinite Ammo Pineapple alongside the Infinite Ammo S500, which is highly suitable for killing bugs.

However, for ordinary people selecting their roles, it's best not to choose machine gunners because insect swarms are no joke, and machine gunners have the highest casualty rates among infantry positions.

"Understood!" Upon hearing Zhou Yuan's words, all the new recruits around him nodded in realization, beginning to understand the concept of 'what is suitable is best'.

The battlefield is different from games, and sometimes a little carefulness can save lives.