Chapter 64: Special Training

In a specific area of the military camp.

The elite soldiers of the army stood tall and upright, looking solemn and stern.

Before them stood General Gao Yue, holding his head high. His majestic gaze swept across the crowd, carrying an intense, oppressive aura.

Every single soldier wore a grave expression, not daring to draw a full breath.

Earlier, the order they received was to participate in a special, independent training session, but they never expected that the General himself would be in charge of it!

Such a great honor filled the hearts of many with wild joy.

Yet, determined not to make fools of themselves or show cowardice before the General, everyone secretly competed against one another, trying their utmost to display their most flawless side and striving to appear calm and resolute.

"General!" At that moment, Qin Jue, having been chosen for the Breaking Army Battalion and guided by Wang Zhong, hurried to the spot.

Gao Yue tilted his head slightly, his gaze lingering on Qin Jue for a brief moment before he calmly said, "Go on in."

With Qin Jue's arrival, the entire troop numbered exactly eight hundred people, no more, no less.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Gao Yue cleared his throat and announced in a resonant, imposing voice, "Starting today, you will follow this General in special training. Until the training concludes, no one is permitted to leave the camp without authorization."

At these words, everyone felt a sharp jolt in their hearts.

Did this not mean that in the days ahead, they would be quartered together, living as one, with their every movement strictly restricted?

Gao Yue had no intention of offering lengthy explanations. He swept his gaze across the assembly and proclaimed in a booming voice, "Therefore, you shall bear a brand-new title—the Breaking Army Battalion!" He paused slightly, his tone impassioned as he waved his arm. "To break means to shatter the formidable and conquer the enemy! I want each of you to transform into a raging torrent, a swift thunderbolt, pushing ever forward with the unstoppable momentum of splitting bamboo to completely crush the enemy!"

A brand-new troop?

This news struck like a heavy bomb, instantly stirring up an uproar among the crowd.

Astonishment and excitement gleamed in the eyes of many present, their hearts burning like raging fire, ignited by this sudden and pleasant surprise.

They already realized that this special training was of extraordinary significance and might even be related to an impending campaign.

After all, subtle signs of change had been perceptible within the camp for some time.

Next, under Gao Yue's arrangement, the entire Breaking Army Battalion was reorganized into four major regiments, each comprising two hundred men. The commanders of these regiments were appointed from two third-realm martial artists and two peak second-realm martial artists.

Each regiment was further meticulously subdivided into four squads, each accommodating forty personnel, while the remaining members fell under the direct command of the regiment leader.

Through this arrangement, the Breaking Army Battalion established a clear hierarchical structure, ensuring that orders could be effectively communicated and executed.

With the personnel distribution completed, Gao Yue did not rush to commence drills. Instead, he directly dismissed the troop, instructing them to first become acquainted and get to know one another.

As soon as Gao Yue departed, the crowd erupted instantly, with noise and chatter rising one after another.

Restricted by his realm and seniority, Qin Jue could only settle for the rank of an ordinary squad member. Furthermore, Gao Yue showed no special favoritism toward his martial nephew, resulting in Qin Jue being randomly assigned under the command of a squad leader at the second level of the second realm.

Nevertheless, upon entering the squad, he spotted a few familiar faces.

"Squad Leader Qin, I never expected to run into you here!" He Tie greeted Qin Jue first with a warm and enthusiastic expression.

Zhu Xiaohu and Yu Sanmeng quickly crowded around as well.

During this elite selection process, the minimum requirement was the fourth tier of the first realm, and they too had successfully been chosen to enter the battalion.

Qin Jue smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

However, before the four of them could properly catch up, a booming voice rang out: "Everyone, assemble immediately!"

Following the sound, they realized it was none other than their squad leader.

With no other choice, the four quickly hurried toward the formation.

Their squad leader, Liu Guanghan, was a burly, bald-headed man with a sturdy build and an imposing aura that commanded respect without the need for anger. Much like Wu Mi, he was a martial artist at the second tier of the second realm.

The forty men quickly fell into formation and stood firm. He Tie, accompanied by Zhu Xiaohu, Yu Sanmeng, and Qin Jue, deliberately took positions in the front ranks.

According to He Tie, standing in the front row made it easier to catch the squad leader's attention. If one could win favor and secure the backing of a peak second-realm martial artist on the battlefield, the chances of survival would increase significantly.

Liu Guanghan's cold gaze swept deeply across the four of them before he issued a steady command: "Take turns introducing yourselves."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than He Tie stepped eagerly forward and took the initiative. "Hello, Captain Liu. My name is He Tie, from the Vanguard Battalion's scout squad. I am at the completion of the fourth tier and excel at..."

"Mhm, next." Liu Guanghan responded with a cold expression and an indifferent tone.

Zhu Xiaohu, short and solidly built, stepped forward next. Mimicking He Tie's introduction style, he briefly stated his name, background, and specialized skills.

Then came the turn of Yu Sanmeng...

Once the three of them finished their introductions, Qin Jue stepped forward steadily. With a calm expression and a serene gaze sweeping across the crowd, he uttered merely four words: "My name is Qin Jue."

As soon as he spoke, the squad erupted into murmurs, many wearing looks of astonishment and disbelief.

After all, the name Qin Jue was practically legendary throughout the entire military camp, especially after he became the disciple of the Vanguard Battalion's commander, a feat that had drawn the envy and jealousy of countless soldiers.

Having finished his introduction, Qin Jue remained composed and returned calmly to the ranks.

From his perspective, since everyone already knew who he was, there was truly no need for a lengthy preamble.

Yet, witnessing this, Liu Guanghan flashed a clearly perceptible look of disgust in his eyes.

Naturally, he had heard of Qin Jue, but that did not mean he held him in high regard; in fact, he simply believed Qin Jue had merely been favored by luck.

This led him to harbor a strong prejudice against him!

Therefore, Liu Guanghan suddenly spoke in a harsh, stern voice, "I don't care what kind of background or history you had before. Once you enter my squad, dragons must coil and tigers must crouch! If anyone dares to lean on their status to seek special privileges or convenience, don't blame this captain for punishing them without mercy!"

The remark carried clear undertones. Upon hearing this, the assembled men stared in dumbfounded shock, their faces written with bewilderment.

Everyone knew full well that Qin Jue was the disciple of the Vanguard Battalion commander, yet Liu Guanghan dared to issue such an open threat. His audacity was truly staggering.

Qin Jue narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of imperceptible light crossing his gaze, though he chose not to retort aloud.

"Continue!" Liu Guanghan spat out the two cold words, his voice devoid of any warmth.

The remaining members stepped forward one by one...

Once everyone finished introducing themselves, Liu Guanghan's resounding voice sounded once more: "At the next assembly, everyone will reform their ranks based on their own realm. Those with higher realms will stand in the front rows, and those with lower realms further back. For those of the same realm, those with superior skills take precedence near the front!"

Hearing this, He Tie's expression shifted slightly.

He realized belatedly that his little scheme from earlier had long since been seen through by this perceptive captain.

After all, there were quite a few second-realm martial artists in the squad; with their first-realm cultivation, they simply lacked the qualifications to stand in the front ranks.

"Dismissed!" With Liu Guanghan's command, he turned and left.

The crowd scattered in all directions, heading toward their respective tents.

The tents here were identical to those in the previous recruit camp, each designed to accommodate twenty people.

"Squad Leader Qin, you mustn't let a man like that upset you. This Liu Guanghan is notorious throughout the army for his stubbornness..." On the way to the tent, He Tie carefully sidled up to Qin Jue and lowered his voice.

Liu Guanghan hailed from the Swift March Battalion, and his talent and strength were merely upper-medium.

Yet the reason he had gained such renown was that once, upon strictly enforcing military regulations, he had severely punished a middle-ranking general's disciple, mercilessly administering twenty whip lashes.

The root cause was that the disciple had shown contempt for military discipline and openly talked back to his superior.

Ordinarily, given that the opponent was a general's disciple while Liu Guanghan was merely a minor captain, he shouldn't have been so rigid, as it amounted to a direct slap to the general's face.

Moreover, that disciple had merely arrived a little late and offered a few rebellious words in argument.

Yet Liu Guanghan completely disregarded all of this, remaining impartial and resolute in upholding military law.

Sure enough, the general flew into a towering rage afterward.

However, developments took a turn unexpected by anyone.

The military strategist personally stepped forward to express his stance, praising Liu Guanghan for acting rightly and emphasizing that everyone in the army should emulate him.

Thus, the storm ultimately fizzled out into nothing.

Reflecting on the matter, He Tie curled his lips and said, "To put it nicely, this guy is just fair and treats everyone equally; to put it bluntly, he's just a stubborn blockhead who won't even give a general face. Utterly inflexible."

As everyone knew, wherever there were people, human relations and social nuances were inevitable.

Had it not been for the strategist's strong backing, someone with his temperament could never have remained so secure and carefree as he was now.

Having listened to He Tie's account, Qin Jue understood why Liu Guanghan had uttered those remarks earlier.

As it turned out, Liu Guanghan had mistakenly assumed he was putting on airs and throwing his weight around.

Yet Qin Jue privately felt that given his current reputation in the army, there was truly no need for lengthy introductions.