Chapter 73: We Are the Masked Squad
"Everyone, stand at attention!!!" The instructor behind Yuan Gang shouted loudly.
The new recruits instantly fell silent. Although their formation was still disorganized, there was at least a semblance of order.
Lin QiYe and Bai Li Pang Pang had arrived late, so they stood at the back of the formation. Even so, they could feel the pressure emanating from the instructors on the drill stage!
They hadn't used any forbidden zones or weapons, but just by standing there, their presence felt as oppressive as a towering mountain, pressing down on everyone's chest.
Such pressure could only come from the trials of life-and-death battles, something the new recruits had yet to experience.
Yuan Gang silently observed the group below for a while before slowly speaking in a deep, booming voice:
"I know, you all are geniuses from across the great Xia. Some of you possess forbidden zones others only dream of, others have extraordinary skills, and maybe even shocking backgrounds…
But, from the moment you stepped through that door, you all share one identity…
And that is, new recruits!
You are rookies!!
No, you're not even rookies yet. You are trash, garbage!
In the face of true, powerful mysticism, you'll only end up dead, dragging your teammates down with you!"
Yuan Gang's voice grew louder, echoing like thunder across the empty training field. Lin QiYe could clearly sense that most of the new recruits had hardened expressions.
Some looked up proudly, others sneered privately, some were dismissive, and some lowered their heads in deep thought…
"What? Are you all unhappy?" Yuan Gang noticed everyone's expressions, raising an eyebrow.
No one answered, but their faces spoke volumes.
Yeah, they were pissed!
"Do you think that because you have a powerful forbidden zone, extraordinary abilities, or boundless potential, you're above this? Do you think the only reason I'm up here shouting at you is because I've been around longer, or because I'm in a higher realm?
Do you think I can call you weak or say your cultivation is low, but that I can't call you trash, useless?"
Yuan Gang sneered twice, "Bullshit! I'm telling you right now, with your current state, even if you reached the Klein realm, you'd still be nothing but slightly stronger trash! When you face real powerhouses, you won't even be able to withstand a single move!"
Many recruits began to breathe heavily, their gazes burning with anger as they stared at Yuan Gang on the stage.
"I don't believe it!!"
At that moment, a young man wearing an open military uniform and a backward cap slowly raised his hand, chewing gum, his face filled with mockery.
"New recruit, what's your name?"
"Shen Zhuqing."
"Good. Anyone else not convinced?"
"I'm not convinced!"
"Me neither!"
"Me!"
"…"
With Shen Zhuqing leading the charge, more and more recruits raised their hands, and soon, about half of the entire group had their hands up.
At the back, Bai Li Pang Pang nudged Lin QiYe.
"QiYe? How about you?"
"Me? I agree."
"…Why?"
"Because he's right." Lin QiYe's mind flashed back to that torrential downpour, the Ghost Face King that ravaged everything in its path. Then, there was Nan Tuo, the scheming snake demon who hid in the darkness…
"They haven't encountered mysticism. They don't know what it's really like…" Lin QiYe narrowed his eyes. "I guarantee, if they faced the two mystic beings I've encountered, no more than ten of them would survive."
"Not to mention, there are definitely even stronger, more twisted mystic beings out there… If I faced them now, I wouldn't even know how I'd die."
"You've encountered mysticism? Was it powerful?"
"Very powerful."
"Well, if you agree, I agree too." Bai Li Pang Pang said, lacking any principles.
On the stage, Yuan Gang's lips curled into a slight smile, nodding in approval before continuing:
"Alright, since so many of you aren't convinced, I'll give you a chance, a chance to truly understand your own worth."
He took out a walkie-talkie and spoke casually: "Next round."
Beep—
The sound of the walkie-talkie turned off. Yuan Gang looked up at the blue sky, as if waiting for something.
The recruits below also looked up but saw nothing. After waiting a moment, they began to murmur among themselves.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd gasped:
"Look! Someone's falling from the clouds!!"
Everyone quickly looked up!
Lin QiYe squinted his eyes at the sky.
Up in the deep blue sky, seven small black dots were rapidly enlarging. After a few seconds, everyone finally realized… those were seven people.
Seven people wearing gray cloaks, with black boxes on their backs, and different masks on their faces.
They were falling from the clouds without any protective gear, plummeting toward the training field at high speed. The wind was whipping their cloaks violently!
"Damn! Did they just jump from a plane? They don't even have parachutes!?" Bai Li Pang Pang beside Lin QiYe exclaimed in shock.
Not just Bai Li Pang Pang, but everyone else was stunned. The noise grew louder.
On the stage, Yuan Gang rubbed his nose and muttered to himself, "Well, I just said it offhandedly, and they really jumped… They're so dedicated."
In the sky!
The seven figures were rapidly descending, their shrill screams echoing.
"Ahhhhhhh!!! Help meeeeee!!"
"Spiral! Can you quiet down? My ears are going to bleed!" The woman with the rose mask cursed.
"I'm afraid of heights!!! Rose! Don't just stand there and complain!!" Spiral screamed hoarsely, "Captain! Yuan Gang said to jump from a plane, and we actually did it?! Why?!"
At the bottom, a man with a "King" mask spoke indifferently: "I heard this batch of new recruits is hard to scare. Yuan Gang probably had no choice but to call us for help. We've got to do our part."
"Ahhhhh! What if we crash and die?!"
"I'll catch you. You won't die," a man wearing a scales mask rolled his eyes.
"Are you sure? I've gained two pounds lately. Can you catch me?"
"…Captain, can we just let this guy die?"
"No."
"…"
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
"Alright, enough!" The King-masked man shot a glare at the embarrassing scene.
"Then... I'll try to scream a little quieter…" Spiral covered his mouth.
As they neared the ground, the new recruits finally saw their outfits clearly.
"It's the **Masked** squad?!"
"One of the four special squads—**Masked**?!"
"Hiss..."
Amid the recruits' gasps, just as the seven were about to crash into the ground, the man wearing the scales mask extended two fingers, giving them a gentle flick…
The gravity on the seven of them disappeared in an instant, and they floated down like feathers, landing softly on the ground.
Their toes barely touched the ground before they stood firm, their gray cloaks fluttering in the wind. Under the sunlight, seven distinct masks glimmered brilliantly.
The King-masked man scanned the recruits' faces and said in a calm voice: "Hello, we are the **Masked** squad…"
Before he could finish, Spiral's legs gave out…
Thud—! He collapsed in front of the new recruits.
Spiral: (?????)
The Masked Squad: (▼ヘ▼#)!!
The new recruits: (?????)!!?