8.Accelerating

Qin Hu had heard his father mention that the daily routine for new recruits was "wake up early, busy until lights out." He had always thought his father was just making it up, but now he was experiencing it firsthand—what it truly means to be busy from morning to night.

He had a feeling that the resistance army was doing this on purpose!

Qin Hu disliked this the most. If it was during training, he could understand, but it didn't stop even after training was over. They kept managing the tiniest details.

For example, although the cave didn't even have a bed, and everyone slept on the ground, everything had to be arranged in an orderly fashion. Clothes had to be folded in a specific way, and once folded, they had to be placed in the same spot. Even at night, shoes had to be arranged in the designated spot!

Qin Hu knew the military was full of unnecessary rules, but he never expected it to be to this extent. To be blunt, even farting required a report.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand—after all, the resistance was a regular army, and they were just following their standard procedures. However, doing all of this at this time? With survivors being slaughtered by the Vessen daily, how could the resistance have the energy to stick to rigid training for new recruits?

Qin Hu, who had always been against military camps, found this place even more repulsive.

Especially that big oaf, Wang Ben, who spent every day yelling at everyone. No matter who he disliked, he'd scold them loudly, his spit flying everywhere. Anyone who didn't know better might think he was competing to see who could shout the loudest!

It was bad enough that Wang Ben had a loud voice, but his training methods were useless. Every day, it was just standing in a row, walking back and forth, or turning left, right, or backward. It seemed like they couldn't stop until they were dizzy from changing direction.

Qin Hu couldn't help but sigh, wondering when this torturous routine would end.

But there were some perks here too, like the food. They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted at every meal.

Qin Hu was starving. He ate like he hadn't seen food in ages, stuffing his face until food lodged in his throat and he couldn't swallow another grain.

Within a few days, the quartermaster couldn't take it anymore and went to complain to Wang Ben that a "starving ghost" had arrived at the camp, and if he kept eating like this, they'd run out of rations by the end of the month!

The news of the "starving ghost" spread quickly through the base. While Qin Hu pretended not to care, he did feel a bit wronged. Was it such a crime to eat a little more? No one had said he couldn't eat!

As for the training, well, the intensity was nothing to him. He could easily breeze through it.

After several days of practicing formations, they finally changed things up and began tactical training. There was climbing, crawling, and jumping over obstacles. The only goal was to get everyone through the obstacles as quickly as possible.

Qin Hu always thought of himself as agile, but the high-intensity, professional training was a different story. After every session, he felt exhausted, like a dead dog. His mind would go blank, and he just wanted to lie down on the ground, refusing to get up, not wanting to think about anything.

He just couldn't understand where these bizarre training methods came from. Wasn't this just torturing people?

The tactical training only lasted for two days, after which a tactical assessment took place. The results were disappointing—only half of the over a hundred recruits passed.

After the assessment, Wang Ben's face was black with displeasure. He complained that the higher-ups had given them too little time. To have the tactical test now was pure madness—there was no way to grow soldiers like this!

But Wang Ben only grumbled privately. He could have the loudest objections, but once the higher-ups made a decision, he had no choice but to execute it.

Although the new recruits' training was rushed, the pass rate was far too low. Even Qin Hu's results were just barely passing, which was unexpected to Wang Ben.

To be honest, Qin Hu could have easily placed at the front, but he knew it was best not to stand out too much. He was a newcomer and barely knew anyone. Why draw attention to himself? That would just invite mockery and make him enemies.

So, Qin Hu wisely held back.

The next morning, things took a turn. The recruits who failed the assessment would continue tactical training, while the successful ones were pulled aside.

Wang Ben strode up to the front of the formation. "According to orders from above, from today, you will start weapons training," he said before stepping aside. "Lieutenant Ye, it's your turn."

As soon as he finished speaking, a female officer walked into view, dragging a large box.

The female officer had short hair, bright eyes, and a tall, slender figure. Wearing full armor, she exuded a unique and compelling aura of confidence.

At first glance, she seemed like a pretty young girl, but the size of the box made it clear that this lieutenant was not as simple as she appeared.

Most of the recruits who passed the assessment were young men, still in their teens, and many of them were immediately smitten by her presence. The atmosphere in the camp grew lively.

Wang Ben glared angrily. "What's going on here? Never seen a woman before? Quiet down!"

The female officer's face remained cold, as though neither the recruits' excitement nor Wang Ben's reprimand had any effect on her.

She walked to the front of the formation, turned briskly to face the recruits, and said, in a detached tone, "I'm Ye Jingwen, your weapons instructor."

Qin Hu's mind went blank with a loud bang, as if a nuclear bomb had gone off in his head. All he could think about was Ye Jingwen.

A voice in his mind kept telling him that this woman was his, that every strand of her hair and every cell in her body belonged to him!

Qin Hu felt an overwhelming desire welling up within him, urging him to get closer to her, to touch her, to possess her. This deep, primal impulse almost made him leap out of formation!

At that moment, Ye Jingwen's cold gaze swept across the recruits, and it felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over Qin Hu, snapping him back to reality.

What's going on with me?

Qin Hu was a bit panicked. Though he was young, his experiences over the past few months had made him calmer than most people his age.

Ye Jingwen's looks weren't enough to make someone lose their cool, and even if it was love at first sight, it wouldn't cause such a reaction!

What was wrong with him? Had someone drugged him? But what kind of drug could have such an effect?

Determined not to give in, Qin Hu looked back at Ye Jingwen, expecting to avoid the earlier feeling. But as soon as his gaze landed on her again, that same irresistible attraction returned.

Qin Hu bit his lip hard, trying to suppress the feelings surging inside him.

What he didn't know was that Ye Jingwen, though calm on the outside, also felt something was off. As her gaze swept over the recruits, it landed on Qin Hu's intense stare for a brief moment, making her frown slightly before she moved her gaze away, as if nothing had happened.