The Challenge

Do temporary squad leaders have any privileges?

Yes, they do!

For example, during meals, Jaxon was given an extra bowl of meat soup and an additional steamed bun compared to others. When it came to resting and sleeping, Jaxon had his own tent, while the other squad members had to share a large communal tent, sleeping on a common bunk. Additionally, during training, Jaxon had the authority to oversee his squad members, which meant he didn't have to participate in the training exercises continuously and could take a break to relax.

In summary, although he was just a temporary squad leader, there were still some differences between him and ordinary soldiers. This might have been a deliberate arrangement by the higher-ranking officers to motivate the soldiers to train diligently and fight bravely on the battlefield. Only by doing so could they advance in rank and enjoy privileges that others did not have.

Jaxon didn't care much about other aspects, but the most important thing for him was having his own tent at night. It was crucial for him because he was not in this world at night; he returned to reality. If he shared a tent with others and suddenly disappeared, it would be very easy for others to notice. That would be extremely troublesome and could even lead to serious problems. Living alone in a tent would cause much fewer complications. Although there was still a possibility of being discovered, the likelihood was undoubtedly much lower.

After learning about this privilege of the squad leader, Jaxon was determined to secure the position!

The training proceeded as scheduled. For Jaxon, who had participated in university military training, the drills here were not unfamiliar. However, the intensity of the training was stronger here. Of course, it wasn't that much stronger because they were, after all, just a ragtag army, not meant to go to the front lines but to handle logistics and other tasks. Naturally, their training intensity couldn't compare with that of professional soldiers.

Nevertheless, Jaxon noticed that Zhou Shan seemed to be very serious, or even somewhat meticulous, in his approach. Compared to other brigades, the training intensity of the Third Brigade was significantly higher. Jaxon even suspected that Zhou Shan was training them as if they were professional soldiers.

High-intensity training naturally made the soldiers more exhausted. With other brigades as a reference, many people in the Third Brigade began to complain that the training intensity was too high. They were only temporarily serving in the military and not regular troops; there was no need for such intense training.

In response to these complaints, Zhou Shan had only one sentence: "If you are not satisfied with the training, you can apply to be transferred to another brigade."

However, Jaxon knew that this was impossible. From the moment they were assigned to the Third Brigade, unless there were special circumstances, they would have to stay until the end of their military service. This was a military camp, not somewhere else. It wasn't a place where you could do whatever you wanted.

"I want to challenge you!" During a break in the training, the burly man from Jaxon's squad approached Jaxon and demanded a challenge.

Private duels were forbidden in the military camp, but challenges of a friendly sparring nature were not only allowed but also encouraged. The officers believed that such activities could inspire the soldiers' fighting spirit and maintain their aggressiveness.

Clearly, the burly man still had a hard time accepting Jaxon as the temporary squad leader. Even though Zhou Shan had said that the squad leaders would be formally reappointed at the end of the training period, the burly man still felt that it was humiliating to be led by someone he considered inferior. He wanted to defeat Jaxon and do so publicly, to prove to everyone that he was the most qualified to be the squad leader.

Previously, Jaxon might not have cared about the challenge at all. In fact, to avoid any trouble, he might have even given up the position of temporary squad leader voluntarily.

However, after learning that the squad leader could have his own tent, Jaxon had changed his mind. He was not going to give up this position.

To establish his authority within the squad and to prevent others from questioning his leadership, Jaxon had to accept the challenge.

"Sure," Jaxon nodded. "Not just you, but any of you who are not convinced that I should be the squad leader can speak up now and challenge me. I will accept all of them. But after this challenge, if I win, you will all have to follow my orders without question and no one is allowed to doubt my position as squad leader anymore. Do you understand?"

Jaxon addressed the remaining squad members. He knew that he might not just be facing objections from the burly man. After all, he didn't look very strong. People often judged others' abilities based on their appearance, so it was normal for some to doubt him.

"Humph, I don't need anyone else. I can beat you all by myself!" the burly man said.

"It's not up to you to decide," Jaxon replied. "Anyway, I've given you the chance, and it's only this once. Whether to challenge me or not is up to you. But after today, I don't want anyone to question my position as squad leader anymore. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Stop talking nonsense. I don't care what they think. I'll go first!" The burly man shook his arm and stared at Jaxon.

"Alright." Jaxon stood up, discarded the longsword in his hand, stretched his limbs, and said indifferently.

Their duel attracted the attention of many people, including Zhou Shan and the squadron leaders he had brought with him.

"Hey, it looks like someone is not satisfied with your appointment," one of the squadron leaders said with a smile, watching Jaxon and the burly man. He didn't take the matter seriously. They were all veterans and had seen such things countless times. It was very common in the military camp.

"Overestimating himself," Zhou Shan glanced at Jaxon and the burly man and said indifferently.

"Oh, boss, it seems like you have high hopes for that young man. But to me, he doesn't seem to have anything special about him except for his good equipment. He even looks a bit skinny. Why are you so confident in him?" another squadron leader asked curiously.

"Just watch. That burly man is definitely no match for the young man," Zhou Shan said.

"Boss, why are you so sure?"

"Intuition!" Zhou Shan said indifferently.

"Intuition? Captain, when did you start believing in such vague things? Didn't you always say that intuition is the least reliable thing in warfare?"

Zhou Shan looked at Jaxon and said indifferently, "This time is different."