Volume One, Chapter 14: The Subtle Art of Growth

Page 1 of 3

“All right, open your eyes.”

At their instructor’s words, the students opened their eyes one after another, gazing curiously at everything within sight.

Under Battalion Commander Gu’s leadership, they crossed a stretch of wasteland and arrived at the only building in the area, surrounded by numerous hastily erected tents.

Many of the students guessed that it must be a dormitory. After all, there was only one building here.

But as they drew closer, the acrid smell of disinfectant reached them, and they immediately realized that this was a military hospital.

Outside the enormous ward, hurried footsteps mingled with deliberately lowered voices. People moved constantly through the hospital corridors while doctors and nurses worked under intense pressure.

“Everyone, assemble where you are. Stand at attention for one hour.”

“Yes, sir.”

Though puzzled, the students obediently followed the order.

“Beep, beep, beep…”

The ambulance siren shrilled through the air, like a sharp blade slicing across the silent sky.

“Quick, they’re here!”

At once, a crowd of nurses and doctors in white coats rushed toward the ambulance.

One stretcher after another was carried down from the vehicle.

Most of those lying on them groaned in agony.

Some were covered in wounds, blood pouring freely from their bodies. Others had lost an arm or a leg entirely, leaving only loose, empty clothing dangling helplessly in the air.

Some were even too grievously injured to make a sound. Only the faint rise and fall of their chests barely proved that they were still alive.

And most of them were merely young men in their twenties.

“Number Three has lost too much blood. He needs surgery immediately.”

“Number Six has stopped breathing. Contact the guards and have the Martyrs’ Cemetery prepared for cremation.”

“Number Nine’s left leg is completely necrotic. Amputate it at once.”

…

Each sentence spoken by the doctors weighed heavily upon the hearts of everyone present.

Just then, a man with a bandage wrapped around his head came running out of the hospital. He threw himself toward one of the stretchers.

“Zhang Ming, you damn well hang on! So you’ve got a hole blown through your chest—so what? I’ve been shot through more than once, and look at me, I’m still standing! Nothing’s going to happen to you, got it?”

Tears shimmered in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

The boy on the stretcher, his face deathly pale, managed to reveal a trace of joy.

“Company Commander… in my next life, I’ll serve under you again. Remember to visit my mother when you have the time.”

His eyes had turned gray and vacant as he gazed at the man.

“Bullshit. I’m not visiting her for you. Go see her yourself.”

“Cough, cough…”

He coughed up blood, speaking in broken fragments.

“Remember… to burn me the money I owe you for the drinks. And… I want a villa and beautiful women.”

“Zhang Ming!”

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

He roared, and at last, the tear slid down his cheek.

At that moment, Zhang Ming’s eyes were half closed. He took one final look at the clear blue sky, then peacefully shut them.

There was no hysterical wailing as one might have imagined. The company commander firmly wiped away his tears, tore the military tags from Zhang Ming’s neck, and cursed under his breath.

“Damn it. I’ve sent off so many of you already that my salary isn’t even enough to support me in old age.”

He respectfully saluted the guard standing nearby.

“Please take his body to the Martyrs’ Cemetery.”

The scene left everyone with reddened eyes as they lowered their heads.

“Raise your heads.” Battalion Commander Gu spoke sternly from the side. “This is the highest respect you can show a fallen hero.”

Hearing this, the students forcibly swallowed the sorrow in their hearts and raised their heads, staring straight ahead.

From beginning to end, Lu Jing kept his head raised, his eyes filled with awe for those men.

They were soldiers, warriors, and heroes.

As long as the demonkin remained undefeated, humanity’s sacrifices would never end.

At that moment, Lu Jing clenched both fists and made a certain decision.

Before they had even recovered from what they had witnessed, another ambulance arrived.

The nurses and doctors were drenched in sweat, yet had no time even to wipe their brows. They hurried continuously among the patients, stitching wounds, administering injections, wrapping bandages, and performing countless other tasks.

“At ease! Attention! All personnel, march toward the tents on the left.”

“Yes, sir.”

As they walked, Battalion Commander Gu explained, “A new wave of beast attacks on the front line ended the day before yesterday. There are so many wounded soldiers now that the hospital can no longer contain them.”

In other words, every one of those countless tents was filled with the injured.

Looking at the green tents, Lu Jing suddenly found them painfully conspicuous.

When they drew near, the thick stench of blood swept over them, and everyone instinctively covered their noses.

“No covering your noses! The smell of blood on a battlefield is far worse than this. Do you intend to kill demons while holding your noses?” Gu Wu’s booming voice rang out.

Faced with Gu Wu’s rebuke, the students lowered their heads one after another, gaining a deeper understanding of the brutality of the battlefield at Heavenly Gate Pass.

Outside some of the tents, soldiers whose injuries were not too serious sat in the sun. When they saw the students, they greeted them enthusiastically and waved.

“Hey! We’re short one player here. Want to join us for a round?”

“Look at that—the flowers of our motherland are blooming beautifully!”

“Old Ma, show some restraint. Be careful your wife finds out.”

“Get lost! I’m being completely serious.”

“Yeah, right. Who would believe you? Your eyes don’t even know where to look.”

Seeing how frivolous they were acting, Gu Wu’s face darkened.

“All of you, get back inside and lie down. If you think your wounds aren’t serious enough, I can help you with that.”

It was a threat—an utterly blatant threat.

The soldiers sitting outside instantly shrank back into their tents like turtles retreating into their shells and scurried inside.

“I brought you here today for one reason only: to tell you that if you don’t want to end up lying in a place like this, then become stronger. Spend these four years doing everything you can to grow stronger—strong enough to make your enemies fear you, strong enough to bring down any demon beast.”

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

At that moment, everyone’s desire to grow stronger reached its peak.

“All right. Next…”

Before Gu Wu could finish speaking, a communications officer hurried over.

“Deputy Battalion Commander, a large horde of demon beasts is approaching from a hundred meters away.”

“How is that possible?” Gu Wu asked, visibly startled.

Camps were stationed all around the military hospital, and a powerful defensive formation protected it. Demon beasts normally would not attack this place.

“How long will it take the nearest camp to reach us?”

“At least half an hour.”

When Lu Jing heard that, his pupils contracted sharply. Half an hour was long enough for countless people to die.

Gu Wu had no time to think. Protecting the students was the most important thing now.

He drew a deep breath and shouted furiously at everyone.

“Everyone, assemble by class! Move toward me at once and form a defensive formation where you stand!

“Instructors and soldiers, form a perimeter around the outer layer.

“Anyone with firearms or ammunition, prepare the artillery at the outermost edge.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

“Yes, sir!”

The entire area instantly became tense.

Although the students were somewhat panicked, the guidance of their experienced instructors kept the process orderly. Each class formed a defensive formation and gathered together.

“Deputy Battalion Commander, we can fight as well.”

The soldiers who had been joking moments earlier had undergone a complete transformation. Their playful expressions had vanished, replaced by an aura of cold murderous intent. They removed their bandages, picked up their weapons, and warily scanned their surroundings.

“All right.”

Gu Wu wasted no words.

“Qiqi, stay by my side.” Lu Jing took Su Qiqi and brought her to stand beside him.

“A-Jing.” Su Qiqi clutched his coat tightly with both hands.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Lu Jing knew that his meager strength would be utterly insignificant before a horde of beasts. Without power, what kind of hero could he possibly be? Only by protecting himself first and staying alive would he have the right to think about anything else.

You had to keep a low profile and grow stronger first.