Xia Luyao glanced at him and said coldly, "If you're not training, get out of the way. I don't have time to chat with you." With that, she continued to punch the sandbag.
However, Lin Beichen suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. "Captain, if you train so hard and collapse before meeting Long Chuzhi, what then?"
Xia Luyao looked at him in surprise. "How do you know?"
Lin Beichen released her arm and said with a smile, "It's not hard to guess."
Xia Luyao was momentarily stunned, then realized Lin Beichen was right. In this military exercise, the Shen City Military Region would certainly send its strongest Wolf King Special Team. Her confrontation with Long Chuzhi would inevitably become the focus.
Lin Beichen looked at her and sighed. "Didn't you already beat her last time? Why so nervous?"
Xia Luyao was silent for a moment before saying slowly, "Last time, I barely won with your martial arts."
Lin Beichen chuckled. "So what? Winning is winning! If you want to keep beating Long Chuzhi, I have a solution!"
Xia Luyao asked curiously, "What's your solution?"
Lin Beichen smiled mysteriously and didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "Didn't you want to learn martial arts from me before? For the next two days, stop your training and focus on learning from me."
If I can master the complete set of martial arts, Long Chuzhi won't stand a chance against me!
"Then let's start learning now!" Xia Luyao said eagerly, her eyes shining as she looked at Lin Beichen.
"Not now." Lin Beichen refused without hesitation.
"Why?" Xia Luyao asked, puzzled.
"It's already late, and your master is tired." Lin Beichen yawned, looking somewhat fatigued.
Xia Luyao glanced at the dimming sky outside and smiled awkwardly. "Can we start learning tomorrow then?"
Lin Beichen nodded. "Sure, but you have to call me 'master' first." He looked at Xia Luyao challengingly, as if to say he wouldn't teach her the martial arts otherwise.
Xia Luyao hesitated, feeling reluctant, but eventually muttered "master" under her breath.
"Ah, that's better." Lin Beichen patted Xia Luyao's head with a smile. "Don't worry, little apprentice! Tomorrow, your master will teach you martial arts. Let's head back." With that, he turned and walked out of the training grounds, with Xia Luyao following closely behind.
...
Outside the training grounds, Flame and others gathered together, chatting and waiting for half an hour to pass, expecting to see Lin Beichen embarrassed.
"Oh, Lin Beichen is coming out." Wild Ox looked up and exclaimed in surprise.
Hearing this, Flame and the others turned to see Lin Beichen casually walking out of the training grounds, followed by their "demon captain."
"How is this possible?" Flame looked at the time, noting that less than five minutes had passed, and exclaimed in shock.
Soon, Lin Beichen and Xia Luyao reached them.
"What are you all doing here? Get back and rest!" Xia Luyao said sternly as she looked at them.
"Yes, yes, we're going right away," Lao Dao replied, smiling awkwardly.
Xia Luyao nodded and said to Lin Beichen, "Don't forget tomorrow." Seeing Lin Beichen nod in response, she turned and headed for the dormitories.
"Lin Beichen, how on earth did you do it? And what's this 'don't forget tomorrow' about?" Flame asked curiously, putting an arm around Lin Beichen's shoulder.
Lin Beichen smiled slightly. "That's a secret. Oh, by the way, you're in charge of my socks for the next six months." With that, he patted Flame's shoulder and walked away.
Flame and the others stood there, dumbfounded. To have persuaded their relentless captain, Lin Beichen wasn't just any ordinary person!
Over the next two days, Lin Beichen taught Xia Luyao the Taiyi Five Elements Fist as promised. Time flew by, and soon it was time for them to head to the Southwest Military Region for exercises.
On the morning of the military exercise, the seven members of the Venomous Snake Special Team took a helicopter to the Southwest Garrison District.
"What do you think our mission for this exercise will be?" Wild Ox couldn't help but ask on the plane.
"No idea, but whatever the mission is, the Venomous Snake Special Team has nothing to fear!" Flying Eagle and Lao Dao said in unison.
The group eagerly discussed the upcoming military exercise as the plane arrived at the Southwest Military Region.
As soon as they got off the plane, they encountered the Wolf King Special Team from the Shen City Garrison District, also there for the exercise. The Wolf King team also arrived with seven members, including the familiar Long Chuzhi, Han Zuan, and Ma Hong, along with a few new faces.
...
"Captain Xia, long time no see!" Long Chuzhi greeted Xia Luyao immediately upon seeing her, though her tone carried a hint of animosity.
Xia Luyao nodded slightly in response, filled with fighting spirit. In this exercise, she was determined to defeat Long Chuzhi!
The team members watched the exchange of hostile glances between these two female captains, each thinking to themselves: Women are truly not to be trifled with!
On the way to the conference hall to receive the exercise details, a member of the Wolf King Special Team suddenly approached Lin Beichen to greet him. "Hello Lin Beichen, we meet again!"
Lin Beichen turned and looked at him, a confused expression on his face. "Have we met?"
"I'm Leng Feng. I was also present last time during the operation against the drug lord at the Southern Border, but I was the sniper, hidden at a distance, so you probably didn't see me," Leng Feng explained.
As soon as Lin Beichen heard this, he vaguely recalled, "Was it you who took that shot at the warehouse last time?"
"Yes, it was me." Leng Feng smiled awkwardly, "Speaking of which, I should thank you. If you hadn't acted quickly last time, that hostage might have died."
Lin Beichen gave him a faint look. "No need to thank me; I didn't do it to save you." This left Leng Feng speechless, unsure of how to respond.
At this moment, Long Chuzhi glanced back and looked at the two of them, then asked Xia Luyao, "Captain Xia, is this your Venomous Snake Special Team's new member?"
Xia Luyao nodded affirmatively. "Yes, he is Lin Beichen, a new recruit but remarkably strong."
Although Xia Luyao often teased Lin Beichen, she gave a fair assessment of him in front of outsiders.
One had to admit, apart from his sharp tongue, Lin Beichen was indeed extraordinary in many respects.
Long Chuzhi chuckled lightly, appearing indifferent. "Oh? Strength isn't something you just talk about; let's see the real skill in the exercise grounds!"
She believed Xia Luyao was just bluffing. How strong could a new recruit really be?
When the exercise arrives, she intended to show this new recruit what true strength means.
The group continued chatting as they entered the conference hall of the Southwest Military Region's administrative building.
…
In the conference hall, a middle-aged man in a military green uniform, Shi Qingsong, the commander of the Southwest Defense Zone Third Brigade and the officer in charge of this military exercise, addressed everyone:
"I'm Shi Qingsong, in charge of this exercise. The target is me; I will lead the Third Brigade's soldiers in defense and counterattack at Qiyang Mountain."
"Whoever can 'take me out' first will be the victor."
The members of both special teams displayed determined expressions upon hearing this.
Shi Qingsong smiled faintly and continued, "But if all of you are wiped out before finding me, the victory belongs to our Southwest Garrison District."
Xia Luyao smiled confidently. "Don't worry, Commander Shi. Our Venomous Snake Special Team won't disappoint you."
Long Chuzhi immediately stated, "Commander Shi, our Wolf King Special Team is determined to win this time."
Even though the military exercise hadn't officially started, the tense atmosphere already pervaded the air.
With objectives laid out, the three parties wasted no time and swiftly headed to Qiyang Mountain.
The members of the Venomous Snake and Wolf King Special Teams took two helicopters to Qiyang Mountain, while Shi Qingsong led seventy elite soldiers via a concealed mountain road.
Meanwhile, at a memorial ceremony outside of Huaxia, Min Teng was holding a funeral for his brother, Wu Ji. Dozens of people stood orderly, each holding an AK47, the atmosphere solemn.
Min Teng gazed at the photo on the gravestone, lost in memory. His brother was killed in Huaxia for trafficking drugs, and now, he only wanted to avenge his brother.