Chapter 334: Chapter 109 Remember, This is Not a Drill
But I can finally go out and have a blast!
Can you imagine the expression on White Hair’s face, all excited, when they said that?
Mu Fan couldn’t picture it, but he could see it—and the gleam in that person’s eyes was so bright he instinctively turned away.
“They’re all saying it might have something to do with wilderness survival training, hahaha, I can finally put my talents to good use!”
“Wilderness survival training…” Mu Fan pondered upon hearing these words.
“Gentlemen, welcome back to Ding Chuan. I trust your weekend was delightful. Do I look unfamiliar to you? Don’t worry, soon enough, I’ll become a familiar face,” a burst of boisterous laughter echoed from afar, its wildness throbbing in their eardrums.
Ruan Xiongfei!
Only Mu Fan had a look of surprise on his face; he knew that voice all too well.
Sure enough, as all the students turned to look, three people were walking towards them. The man leading was none other than Ruan Xiongfei, his bulky frame and shiny bald head dwarfing the other two, both in stature and presence.
Wu Yue and Lin Hao exchanged awkward glances.
“Who’s that?”
“Why is Major Lin walking beside him?”
“Instructor Wu is on the other side, too. That big bald head looks really imposing.”
“Uh, isn’t that the examiner who recruited us?” Finally, a few people from Purple Jade Star caught a clear glimpse and couldn’t help expressing their surprise.
“Good evening, young men. I am Ruan Xiongfei, the Fighting Instructor at Dingchuan Academy. I’ve been away on business, so Instructor Wu Yue took over my training duties for a while. Now that I’m back, I’m happy to see you.”
“Instructor Ruan!” the students promptly responded, and with Major Lin standing by, they knew to act dutifully, if for no other reason than to respect him.
Clearly pleased with the response, the big bald head looked around, his smile widening further when he caught sight of Mu Fan.
“Since you’ve made me happy, let me reciprocate. I’ve got great news for you—we called you back urgently tonight because we are going to organize pre-battle teams. Tomorrow, you will be leaving this base.”
This announcement sent the young men’s spirits soaring. Were they really about to leave for a new location tomorrow? When the big bald head said he’d make us happy, did he mean there were exciting things in store?
The students were brimming with anticipation, but Mu Fan had an ominous feeling—good news rarely came out of the big bald head’s mouth.
“The Military Department is expanding into a newly discovered asteroid that’s 11 light-years away. You’re fortunate that, with the approval of the Military Department, you’ll get to experience this privilege along with a group of battle-hardened veterans.”
What privilege, all of us together?
“You will all share in the thrill of pioneering a new planet!”
Even though some had guessed it, hearing it confirmed filled their hearts with curiosity and joy—such honors were not everyday occurrences!
“Let me clarify that fifty Special Combat Teams will be randomly selecting two of you each to form a new team. We’ve discovered a small presence of the Zeg Clan on that planet. Your mission is to fight alongside other soldiers within the Expeditionary Army’s base for twelve days. A friendly reminder: though the Zeg Clan might not be large in numbers, their ferocity is encoded in their genetics. So if you do encounter them, don’t hesitate—dying in combat is far luckier than being captured alive.”
Silence fell among the students, and even Mu Fan’s eyes widened. Indeed, with Ruan Xiongfei, there was nothing he couldn’t come up with!
“The Zeg Clan! Mu Fan, you must take me with you on this mission!”
Suddenly, Black’s earnest voice reached his ear.
Mu Fan couldn’t reply, only clacked his teeth softly, signaling Black to keep his composure.
“Officer, are you saying there’s a chance we might die on this new planet?” a bold student asked.
How were they given such a difficult task so unexpectedly during training?
What if they died?
“That’s correct, no one can guarantee safety during this operation! If casualties occur during this training, they will be treated as combat losses, and you’ll receive treatment equivalent to that of a Lieutenant.”
“So can we choose not to go?”
Another one stood up. They hadn’t fully enjoyed life yet—some didn’t want to take the risk.
“You can, but then you can also leave this place, drop out of the pre-commissioned officer training sequence, and re-enter the exams for Dingchuan Academy. Who knows, you might get the status of a regular student!” said the big bald head with a smirk.
That’s harsh—there’s no room to back out at all!
“Now, if anyone else wishes to drop out, please step forward. You won’t have to go.”
The crowd exchanged glances; no one spoke up.
“Very well, then it’s settled. The results of the random assignment have been generated. Now, the leaders of the Special Combat Teams will come forward to collect their personnel. Get acquainted with each other because tomorrow at 8 AM we gather and prepare to depart.”
“Officer!” A resonant shout drew Ruan Xiongfei’s attention.
“Speak!”
“Sir, may we bring personal belongings?”
“Yes, each person is allowed one marching backpack, 130L, which you can fill with your items. Firearms as well, heh heh.” Big bald head looked at the floating White Hair in front of him and clicked his tongue, “Don’t ask a second question, I might not be able to resist plucking out those white hairs of yours.”
Scared, Yin Shuai shrank back behind Mu Fan. This bald jerk, not sparing even such a handsome hairstyle.
Mu Fan and Ruan Xiongfei’s gazes met squarely.
Both the tall and the short grinned broadly.
“Mu Fan, come with me. Lin Hao will take over from here.”
Ruan Xiongfei waved his hand and turned to walk away, with Mu Fan following behind.
Behind them, the group of students buzzed with surprise. This big bald head actually knew Mu Fan?
“Alright, stop gawking and no more questioning. Instructor Ruan is in a very good mood today; you should be glad you didn’t crash headlong into trouble. I’ll handle the team assignments.”
“Shi Sen, Zhou Xu, Earth Dragon Team.”
“Zhang Shaotang, Wan Zhi, Swordfish Team.”
…
“Mu Fan, Yin Shuai, Hunting Tiger Team.”
…
As Lin Hao called out, burly NCOs behind him occasionally raised their hands.
Seeing the signal, the students moved into their respective formations.
Meanwhile, Mu Fan followed Ruan Xiongfei to a smaller training field, where a tall and burly man was standing.
“Kid Mu Fan, you’ve performed well, I’m very satisfied. During this extermination operation, you’ll be with the Hunting Tiger Team. This is Captain Luo Jianjin.”
“Hello, Captain Luo.” Mu Fan frowned slightly as he looked at the bearded man grinning in front of him, feeling a sense of familiarity.
“We fought in the virtual network. I am the Challenger.” Luo Jianjin reminded him.
“It’s really you!” Mu Fan immediately recognized him. Those violent strikes were made by this big guy in front of him.
“Heh heh, Luo Jianjin, the Captain of the Hunting Tiger Team.”
“Mu Fan!”
The large hand and the small hand clasped together, marking the moment when Mu Fan and the Hunting Tiger Team embarked on their shared journey.
“Mu Fan, speaking of which, I’m not exactly qualified to be your cheap teacher, because tomorrow I have to accompany the dean on a trip. So, the team will still be led by Lin Hao. In the Zeg Clan extermination operation, which lasts twelve days, I suggest that you get to know those disgusting creatures’ combat patterns with Captain Luo Jianjin first, and then, quite apart from surviving, try to kill as many as possible. Regarding the kill count, the Military Department has hidden rewards this time.”
Finally, the big bald head gave Mu Fan a little inside information he had obtained through special channels.
“Understood.” Mu Fan nodded.
Looking at the spirited young man in front of him, Bald Ruan admired him and, with a serious expression, gave Mu Fan a final piece of advice, “The brutality of the Zeg Clan is beyond your imagination. Remember, this is not a drill!”
Mu Fan nodded again.
“Okay, go back and get ready with Captain Luo, I’m going to find the dean. In two weeks, I’ll be waiting for your good news.”
Having finished speaking, Ruan Xiongfei walked away alone.
Once more, Mu Fan heard Black’s words ringing in his ears, “He’s right, the ferocity of the Zeg Clan is sure to surpass your imagination. Even the Fighter was nearly unable to contain himself today! But why am I, the magnificent one, so excited? Perhaps you’ll get your hands on the second core component for your War Armor ahead of schedule.”
Mu Fan imperceptibly nodded. Black had mentioned one of the material requirements for the War Armor—a core from a Zeg Clan Corruptor. But Mu Fan, who knew nothing about the Zeg Clan, had no idea what this never-before-mentioned Corruptor was like.
“Let’s go and meet your teammates,” Luo Jianjin said, patting Mu Fan’s shoulder.
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