Chapter 117: The Army of Submission (1)

The scorching summer sun blazed unrelentingly across the barren clearing beneath the cliffside. Without the shelter of trees, the dazzling light seared the eyes and scorched the skin with an almost cruel intensity. Before her, one by one, sturdy figures knelt on the ground, their spines ramrod straight, unmoving—manifesting unwavering resolve and silent fortitude. Sweat mixed with dust streamed down their bronzed faces, leaving rugged traces across skin already darkened by exposure. The once indifferent, disdainful, even mocking gazes in those youthful eyes were now filled with sincerity and admiration as they fixed intently on her.

That single cry—"Leader!"—caught Gu Yun off guard, yet filled her with a quiet surge of delight. At last, they had truly accepted her.

Though her expression remained impassive, her heart stirred with a subtle tremor. These young men had touched her—shame awakening courage, a trait far more admirable than those cowardly fools who, ignorant and incompetent, dared to harbor arrogance. Such warriors, she was more than willing to train.

Gu Yun's cold face betrayed nothing, but the silence among the soldiers was soon broken by a thunderous chorus:

"Leader, we beg you to teach us the path to ascend the peak!"

What a roar! Their voices reverberated through the canyon, shaking hearts and deafening ears. Just as they prepared to shout a third time, Gu Yun stepped forward, frowning, her voice icy and commanding:

"Enough! Stand up. A man's knees are meant to move, not to kneel. If anyone dares kneel without cause again—frog jumps, a thousand of them!"

The soldiers exchanged glances. Was this her way of agreeing to continue teaching them?

Seeing them still kneeling, frozen like wooden stakes, Gu Yun found the sight oddly amusing. Her face darkened in feigned anger as she barked,

"What? Eager for punishment already? Get up—this is an order!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

She was roaring again, and their hearts lifted with joy. Scrambling to their feet—none of them wanted to suffer through a thousand frog jumps—they didn't yet realize that due to their pitiful leg strength, Gu Yun had already decided to make that very exercise a part of their daily routine.

Gu Yun walked up to Ge Jingyun and extended her hand.

"Give me the rope. You hold the other end."

"Yes."

They knew she was about to demonstrate, and every eye was fixed on her with anticipation. As she fastened the rope around herself, she began:

"Today's third training task is to teach you how to rely on your own strength and simple tools to climb a treacherous cliff that most would never dare attempt.

No two mountains in the world are ever alike. Free climbing demands extreme physical fitness, body coordination, and flexibility. It also tests your judgment and adaptability.

But don't worry—I'll provide training to strengthen all of these. However, there's one thing you must conquer on your own: fear.

This cliff is only ten zhang high, and you'll be secured with safety ropes. But in future combat, you might face cliffs ten times this height—without anyone holding a rope for you. That... will be your true trial."

Fear—yes, they all understood it well. Most of their self-doubt stemmed from it. As they lifted their eyes to the cliff, many clenched their fists and silently vowed: We will climb this mountain.

At the cliff base, Gu Yun exchanged a look with Ge Jingyun. He looped the rope securely around his arm three times and gave her a nod.

"I'll demonstrate once. Observe the route I take—how it differs from your own instinct, the techniques I use, and the precision of each movement."

Turning away, Gu Yun's sharp gaze scanned the cliff, quickly assessing its structure and choosing the most efficient route. Then she moved.

She climbed with breathtaking speed—every motion graceful, each handhold and foothold selected with exacting precision. Her light frame and powerful arms allowed her to vault and leap effortlessly, gliding along the rock face like a panther, steady as a gecko, yet fierce as an eagle.

In the blink of an eye, she was halfway up. The silence below shattered into a storm of exclamations.

"Whoa! She's so fast!"

"Incredible!"

"She didn't use any lightfoot skills—she actually climbed the whole way!"

"How did she do that?"

Han Shu stood quietly at the rear, his fierce eyes following Gu Yun's ascent. The heat in his gaze betrayed the storm of emotions within.

Cliffs like this often appeared in wartime. Most commanders would choose to go around them, but when forced to scale, the vanguard always went first.

Almost unconsciously, Han Shu touched the old scar on his shoulder. The wound had long since healed, but the memory of that battle still ached.

That cliff had been twice as tall. Midway through their ascent, they were spotted by the enemy. As she had said, boulders rained down from above. The losses were devastating. He'd lost his most trusted lieutenant that day.

If only we'd had her speed back then... perhaps we could have reached the summit... perhaps they wouldn't have died.

His intense gaze remained locked on the woman now descending the cliff with ease. Under the blazing sun, her confident brilliance was dazzling. The awe and reverence in the soldiers' eyes were plain.

Looking at the eager young men, eyes now brimming with courage, Han Shu suddenly recalled what she had said at noon—about a special operations unit. Perhaps... the Su family army truly did need such a team.

Gu Yun unfastened the rope and strode toward the overly enthusiastic young soldiers.

What were they so excited about? They had no idea she'd been climbing since she was fourteen. Her later training in the SWAT unit had only refined her already formidable skill. They had a long way to go.

Gu Yun smirked. Soon, they'd be begging for mercy.

She turned to the ever-composed Ge Jingyun.

"Split into two groups. Ge Jingyun, take your squad and begin climbing practice. Each person climbs once. Find your footing. Five per group. Safety first."

"Yes, ma'am."

As Ge Jingyun led his team away, Gu Yun continued,

"Leng Xiao, take your squad for flexibility and pull-up drills."

Pull-ups? Flexibility drills?

The soldiers were bewildered, question marks filling their minds, but no one dared voice a single doubt.

Gu Yun knew they didn't understand—she was just familiarizing them with her terminology.

Leading them to a wall thick with vines, she pointed at the nearest young soldier.

"You—step out."

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, the boy stepped forward. Gu Yun grabbed a sturdy vine.

"Hold the top of this vine."

"Yes!"

The soldier leapt and grabbed the vine, hanging motionless. Gu Yun stood beside him, speaking slowly and clearly:

"Now bend your elbows, pull your body upward until your chin is above the branch. Then straighten your arms and lower yourself back to the starting position. That counts as one rep."

He completed the movement easily. The others sighed in relief—it didn't seem too hard.

But Gu Yun's next words shattered their comfort:

"Sixty reps per set. I want five sets."

Groans filled their hearts, but not a single soul dared complain.

Watching their despair, Gu Yun grinned inwardly, lips curving with sly amusement.

"As for flexibility training..."

Her eyes searched the crowd, then landed on the boy who had questioned judo in the woods. Raising her hand, she called out in an unusually gentle voice,

"You—come here."

"Yes!"

The boy flinched, a chill running down his spine, but he dared not hesitate and quickly ran over.

"The first flexibility drill—splits."

She pointed at his legs.

"One forward, one back. Lower your center of gravity."

The boy froze for a moment before quickly complying. This is what she calls splits?

Gu Yun clapped her hands onto his, instructing firmly:

"Lower! Hands on the ground. Don't bend your upper body. Keep your back straight!"

Hands on the ground?

He struggled to spread his legs, back trembling...