Upon hearing those words, Mu Fan, who had not yet taken off his respirator, staggered, then slowly removed the respirator covering his head, and with a cold expression opened his mouth, "Dingchuan Academy's reserve special enlistment soldier department..."
"Damn it! Are they sending a bunch of school-going recruits here to die?"
"Why don't you go back where you came from? We are short-handed and can't protect you."
Suppressing his anger, Lin Hao continued slowly, "And the Special Combat Team stationed on Blue Capital Star!"
Click, click, click!
One by one, the respirators came off.
People like Luo Jianjin and Wolf, with indifferent expressions and members of the three-star Special Combat Team, now stood before the group of expeditionary soldiers.
The soldiers who had been laughing suddenly froze, because of the murderous aura and indifferent expressions and the various scars on their faces that only true veterans possessed.
Moreover, their golden badges bore 2 and 3 stars!
"Reporting to the Major, I apologize! The Expeditionary Army welcomes your arrival!"
The captain who had been causing trouble saluted smartly.
Lin Hao didn't give him a pleasant look; it was clear he was one of the people in the military, and the barely disguised laughter in his eyes showed he still held no respect for these student soldiers.
"We have been assigned by the second Military Department to conduct on-site special training operations. Who is the commanding officer of Area A1? Please step forward and speak."
"I am Major Zheng Rui, nice to meet you!"
The expeditionary soldiers automatically parted to form a path, and a calm-looking short man walked out.
"I am Lin Hao, the person in charge of the Dingchuan Academy's troops. Please begin the resettlement work."
Major Zheng Rui turned and glanced at the huge Base 3 and barked, "All-terrain vehicles ready, all personnel evacuate from Base 2!"
"Yes, Major!"
A group of previously mocking expeditionary soldiers, following Zheng Rui's shout, instantaneously aligned themselves in a disciplined formation, then orderly boarded the all-terrain transport vehicles, prepared to head to Base 2, two kilometers away.
In just 30 seconds, what appeared before Mu Fan was a deserted base and over a dozen all-terrain vehicles on the other side.
"There is a specialized robotics unit here to explain how to use the base. Your military permissions have been unlocked, Major Lin. Good luck. Hopefully, not too many of you will die tomorrow, otherwise, it wouldn't look good on me." After his last statement, Zheng Rui gave Lin Hao a cold look and stepped into the all-terrain vehicle.
A rumbling noise as they crushed the grass under their wheels rose, and only then did the Dingchuan's recruits understand that the other party had unabashedly isolated the academy's troops.
"Fuck, so arrogant!"
"To think I used to hold the Expeditionary Army in such high esteem. What fun is there in playing these games as soon as we arrive? We traveled all this way!"
"Look at that Major's attitude, looking down on us with his nose in the air. Who the hell does he think he is!"
"He's looking down on YOU!"
Suddenly, a deafening shout erupted, and people turned to see that it was none other than Major Lin Hao, who always wore a smile.
Right now, Major Lin Hao's expression was stern, his tone even colder: "In their eyes, your presence isn't even worth cannon fodder because they still need to pull people to protect you! Do you know the death rate of troops here? I'll tell you, it's over one-quarter!"
His last remark stunned the discussing recruits.
A death rate of over 25%!?
Lin Hao pointed at the ground beneath their feet and to the massive steel fortress behind him, "This base was paid for with their blood, and now we come and silently take away one of their strongholds. Every base has limited resources, and supplies are always a major issue for the Expeditionary Army! You can't even handle their mockery?"
"I'm telling you, for the next few days, everything you eat and drink will have been fought for with their blood and lives!"
Many recruits swallowed hard, feeling too dry in the throat to speak.
Lin Hao looked at the downcast group of new recruits in front of him, suddenly laughed, and there was an indescribable mockery in his laughter: "Such a disgrace, these are the soldiers I, Lin Hao, lead! You respond to problems with embarrassed silence? Is that it? Cowards!?"
"No!"
"Not loud enough, I can't hear you!"
"—NO!"
All the trainees yelled, even the typically aloof Zhang Shaotang and Xize were no exceptions.
For those who prided themselves as superior nobles, such ideological insults were even harder to accept.
"Very well, twelve days! That's the time the Military Department has given us. In these twelve days, I ask you, are you like a big nail hammered here immovable, or like a wolf carving out its own territory?!"
Heaving breaths began among the trainees.
"Speak, wolf, or big nail!"
"Wolf! We are wolves!" the youths' spirits peaked.
Lin Hao finally smiled, "Very good, then run into this base and settle in, familiarize yourselves with this city of steel as quickly as possible. There's no comfortable hot shower here, no fragrant canteen, only the cold metal and endless slaughter! In 10 minutes, gather and prepare for the first expedition battle!"
"Yes, sir!"
Mu Fan's lodging this time included one room per small group, due to the base's area limitations, this 10 square meter room was crammed with six beds, just enough space for a person to pass between them, no washrooms inside, just a row of communal water sources outside the rooms.
Yin Shuai, with a grim expression, pressed the ice-cold bed board and pursed his lips again.
"This is the life I've longed for, having left the Expeditionary Army for so long. Every time I lie here, my mind is filled with chaotic warfare, a pity from our team of twelve...only I survived," Deer touched the bed board sentimentally and then lay down reminiscing.
Luo Jianjin wordlessly patted Deer's shoulder and slammed his backpack onto a bed board.
Mu Fan too casually threw down his backpack, then prepared to leave.
White Hair stopped him, asking in surprise, "Don't you feel anything?"
Mu Fan glanced at him, his bland voice carrying through, "I just want to survive and return."
So, White Hair stepped out too.
The members of the Tiger Hunting Team looked at the backs of these two youths, exchanged glances, and nodded with a smile.
"Such temperament, rare indeed."
Soon, all fifty teams within Base Three had assembled.
Lin Hao held an Image Generator, pressed it forward.
A three-dimensional colored map appeared.
Is this... the area near Base Three?
From 1 to 50, it was covered with numbers.
Lin Hao observed everyone's reactions and spoke, "Today, I have divided the twenty people from the Expeditionary Army into fifty sections for exploration. You need to enter real combat as soon as possible, and the density should effectively ensure safety. I will later sync the data on the Zeg Clan appearing on this planet to your tactical helmets. The veterans in your teams will do their utmost to ensure your safety. Today, on the first day, throw out your fears!"
"Yes!"
Lin Hao pressed the command in his hand, and the data was instantly synchronized.
"Teams 26-50, stay on guard. Teams 1-25, move out!"
"Our team is showing up fifteen kilometers to the northwest," Mu Fan checked the combat map. They had to march there on foot, the area marked as a safe zone.
Thirty minutes later, the team walked silently and rapidly. Tracy, carrying a heavy-duty sniper rifle, was still not out of breath but instead looked at Mu Fan, "Little brother, why the tight face? Got big worries?"
"Is the casualty rate really over 25%?" Mu Fan looked up.
Tracy was taken aback, the teasing in her eyes vanished, she looked at the endless red prairie and said softly, "Death comes so easily that the only response is numbness. Little brother, you have a long way to go."
************
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