Chapter 249

Instructor Fu Lei of the Huangquan Training Camp scanned the recruits like a predator eyeing pitiful lambs, speaking cruel facts in a mocking tone.

His words were like a giant stone crashing into a calm lake, triggering an uproar and commotion.

"Instructor! What do you mean by 'losing recruit status'?"

Someone mustered the courage to ask.

"You came here as volunteers for the Great Expansion movement, but the battlefield doesn't need cannon fodder sent to die."

Fu Lei stood with hands behind his back, his robust muscles stretching his camouflage uniform taut, exuding an explosive sense of power.

"Those who cannot pass the training camp's assessment will not be dispatched to the battlefield to carry out missions.

But Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng's material supplies are limited, and can only be prioritized for frontline warriors."

Fu Lei walked between the ranks, built like a giant bear living in a frigid polar region.

His Qi Life Force radiated outward without concealment, like wave after wave crashing against them, suffocating.

"Simply put, Baiyang doesn't care about the feelings of scrap. Understand?

If you are eliminated by the Huangquan Training Camp, from then on you can only rely on your own two hands to make a living.

For example, doing logistics — after every advance, going to pick up garbage, or serving as servant soldiers, working as maintenance personnel."

Every word from Instructor Fu Lei was like a sharp knife, piercing deep into everyone's hearts, leaving their nerves taut and feeling heavy pressure.

"My nickname is 'Butcher', because when I previously served as a Huangquan Training Camp instructor, I most liked sending rookies to the battlefield to let them experience death most directly, tempering their will.

Of course, this violates Dongxia Military Department regulations and the spirit of humanitarianism, so I was demoted again and again, from two gold two stars to one silver one star."

Qin Shi's eyelid twitched; the Dongxia Military Department's war corps used "gold branches" and "star emblems" as shoulder epaulet patterns.

The former represented glory and nobility, the latter symbolized light and justice.

Gold branches were often only granted to field-grade officers, while star emblems were divided into "gold" and "silver".

The former likewise represented field-grade officers, the latter were company-grade officers.

Two gold two stars was a lieutenant colonel rank, eligible to serve at regimental headquarters. One bar one star was merely a second lieutenant, with at least a decade of a veteran's struggle separating them.

One must say, this Huangquan Training Camp Instructor Lin was indeed quite unconventional.

You should know, a professional-grade lieutenant colonel with frontline combat capability commanding a battalion-sized force was no problem at all.

This was the optimal path to establish meritorious service more quickly.

As long as one participated in several major campaigns and achieved outstanding performance.

After accumulating seniority, it wasn't impossible to reach senior colonel, even touching the glorious corps commander seat.

"I hate that academic-style talk the most. That's right, the education those military academy graduate young masters receive in classrooms is 'war relies on logistics and equipment'.

But that thinking doesn't apply to Hengzhou New Star! Veterans who participated in past Great Expansions understand — battlefield supplies will never be forever sufficient, and equipment will also be consumed to nothing under the terrifying black tide formed by vassal creatures."

Fu Lei's voice carried immense weight, perhaps driven by his surging Qi Life Force — every word struck like a great hammer on an anvil, throwing sparks!

"Will! Human will is the First Sequence's ultimate weapon! In the early period of the Great Expedition, what did humans rely on to fight Star Gods? To contend with other strong civilizations?

Bloodline? Holy Blood Clan infants possess 'twenty points of Qi Life Force', and upon reaching adulthood through the 'Initial Embrace Ritual', have a seventy percent chance of entering professional-grade.

Talent? Weavers are born Espers; in their youth they can open their Consciousness Sea, explore and roam the Infinite Dark Realm, their Spiritual Field Light like bright torches piercing the profound darkness."

Fu Lei's tone was calm, but reflected in Qin Shi's Life Magnetic Field, the other's emotions were like a raging sea, surging violently.

"Rookies, the battlefield never cares about any individual's feelings. To survive, you must bleed and shed tears.

The late arrivals just now — today's entire supply quota is cancelled. Experience hunger well!

Next, we begin physical training..."

The setting sun sank into the vast wilderness; orange-red light gradually descended from the ramparts to the wall base. Nearly six hours of resistance training pushed most recruits to their limits.

Even the most basic tactical load-bearing already left everyone suffering terribly.

Especially those who received no energy replenishment — enduring hunger pangs on one hand, resisting sore muscles on the other, barely holding on until Fu Lei announced "dismiss formation".

Qin Shi's breathing was steady; he still kept to himself. He went to the mess hall, used his supply quota, ate clean the food containing nutrients, then returned to the dormitory to continue cultivating.

The "Bing Fa Jue" governed the other inheritances; that perfect core grew brighter and brighter, its rotation speed faster and faster, continuously absorbing energy factors.

The fortress city's cultivation efficiency was indeed higher than the urban circle's.

Here, extremely close to the Pollution Zone, under spatial instability, Netherworld rifts spread like spiderweb cracks, letting energy factors seep through.

【43】 Qin Shi could feel every cell in his body leaping with joy; every alternation of breathing rhythm, every operation of the Life Circulation Great Cycle, brought minute improvements to his mortal body's hundred bones.

Qin Shi could feel that every single Cell in his body was leaping with joy, and with each alternation of Breathing rhythm, each Operation of the Life Circulation Great Cycle, his Mortal Body's Bai Gu produced Trace upon trace of subtle progress.

"As expected, the deep rear doesn't suit me. Joining the Great Expansion movement was right.

No matter how rich the energy liquid and nutrient paste, they only replenish bodily consumption. To increase cultivation speed, it must be purer energy."

Before leaving the Taian Metropolitan Area, Qin Shi specially visited Lao Liang and learned a small trick from him.

After entering professional-grade, one can pour seventy to eighty percent of Qi Life Force into "Traits", constructing one's own domain.

According to Lao Liang, this was passed down by one of his superiors, able to better strengthen the foundation at the professional-grade stage.

Moreover, because seventy to eighty percent of Qi Life Force is completely absorbed by "Traits" to solidify the domain.

One's own aura also drops to a very low level, roughly less than half of normal strength.

This is the reason why several professional-grade experts in Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng couldn't see through Qin Shi's details.

"Qin Shi. He should be the most outstanding one in this batch of recruits."

Back in the office, Fu Lei received the "scoreboard" handed over by his deputy.

There was one thing he hadn't told everyone: from the moment they stepped into the Huangquan Training Camp, all recruits started at one hundred points, then points were deducted or maintained based on individual performance.

Currently, that recruit named "Qin Shi" ranked first, not a single point lost.

"This kid is quite interesting. He chose the Fourth War Corps' 'Bing Fa Jue'. His Qi Life Force fluctuation is the highest among everyone; I estimate it probably exceeds sixty points?"

Fu Lei stared at the scoreboard held in the deputy's hand.

"I had you investigate his background — what did you find? He doesn't feel like someone from a normal path."

The deputy smiled and said:

"Central City sent him down — seems he's a direct descendant of the Pioneer Qin Family, a proper 'Young Master'."

"Don't know why he ran off to Baiyang. Logically, if he wanted to gild his record, he should've gone to the Eastern Front — progress is smooth there, easier to muddle through."

The fingers drumming on the tabletop froze; Fu Lei narrowed his eyes:

"This kid doesn't look like a silver-spoon Young Master — my nose is sharp, I can sniff it out. From now on, give him extra training, feel out his bottom."

"If his performance checks out, consider putting him on the cultivation list."

Fu Lei instructed.

He was the Huangquan Training Camp's chief instructor; matters big or small were almost decided by his word alone — no one could suppress him.

After all, whether by seniority, military merit, or even strength, this former Lieutenant Colonel fully ranked among Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng's top tier.

"Right, three days from now, issue one piece of 'Black Medicine'. Cultivating the 'Bing Fa Jue', it's most suitable to take this stuff."

Fu Lei said in a deep voice.

"Black Medicine... counts as half a prohibited item. Qin Shi is under twenty, and his life force hasn't reached the seventy-point passing line either — taking it carries risk."

The deputy hesitated.

He and Fu Lei had been partners in the leadership team for a while now, familiar with the other's working style.

Put charitably, it's called "rich in adventurous spirit, brave to try".

Put harshly, pinning a hat of "disregarding recruit safety, indifferent to life" is no problem.

"Trust me, he can take it."

Fu Lei didn't raise his head, simply burying himself in tallying data.

"Today's resistance training, weighted physical ability — he ran through a full set without even panting."

"What does that show? Either his foundation is exceptionally solid, or his constitution is outstanding."

"Whichever it is, he can withstand the Black Medicine's fierce effects."

The deputy's expression was conflicted; Huangquan Training Camp has long been criticized for its high mortality rate, and the higher-ups face enormous accountability pressure.

That's why they had him "keep an eye on" Fu Lei, to prevent the other from going too far and stirring up irreparable serious trouble.

"Among the Three Major Training Camps, Huangquan voluntarily took on the advance mission, in exchange for open permit authority over various military supplies."

Seeing the deputy linger without leaving, Fu Lei lifted his head expressionlessly; those tiger eyes were a stretch of calm.

"Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng accounts for only seven percent of the quota on the entire Western Front Battlefield."

"Seven percent — can it supply nearly thirty thousand soldiers, plus the Logistics Department, maintenance personnel, etc., a total consumption of around eighty thousand?"

"Definitely not enough! Right now the heavy burden of the advance hasn't fully pressed down yet; wait until the first batch of the Vanguard Army can't hold, needing to replenish massive troop sources and launch a coordinated offensive."

"How long do you think Baiyang can hold?"

The deputy froze.

Huangquan Training Camp's instructors do not participate in strategy formulation.

Why would Fu Lei be so clear on it?

"One and a half months. Vassal Creatures aren't little monsters that stay put waiting for the Pioneer Army to clear them."

"Following the usual rhythm, they start with small-scale sorties roaming the Wilderness, harassing transport convoys, then gradually ramp up intensity, cutting off the vital routes between the major Fortress Cities."

Fu Lei's expression turned grave; he pointed at the tactical map pressed on the tabletop.

"And one more thing! It's common knowledge that the death of Vassal Creatures leads to an increase in Netherworld Rifts, which in turn weakens firepower strikes — when that happens, bayonet fighting is inevitable!"

The more the deputy listened, the more his heart sank, a feeling of dark clouds pressing down on the city.

"I've checked past Great Expansions — even the most advantageous one saw nine Fortress Cities fall."

Fu Lei's eyebrows twitched; though his tone remained calm, the deputy detected intense emotions repressed to the limit, this reaction manifesting on the life force fluctuation.

The airflow in the entire office seemed sucked dry; Fu Lei slowly stood, both hands bracing on the desk.

"Do you think Baiyang will fall? If it falls, to what scale will casualties expand?"

"I've said it many times — the academy faction's theories don't apply to Hengzhou New Star's Great Expansion."

"The equipment and supplies the Governor's Mansion transports to the front, facing Vassal Creatures that can almost never be killed off, are fundamentally a drop in the bucket."

"You think the Great Expansion is what? Weed removal in your own backyard? Run a lawnmower over it twice and you're done?"

"The outsiders on this planet are not the Vassals — we are."

"As long as the Star God still exists, the Vassals can never be exterminated, and the Contamination will persist."

"We're fighting a war of attrition with no end!"

The deputy fell completely silent.

Fu Lei's judgment of the battlefield situation left him with nothing to say.

"Instructor, you shouldn't stay at Huangquan — you could completely go to the Regimental Headquarters..."

Fu Lei shook his head:

"No meaning. The Great Expansion is a macro war; if sacrificing Baiyang buys a massive advance on the Western Front Battlefield, do you think it's worth it?"

"In war, the most worthless thing is life. My vision only lets me see this Bi Lei Cheng under my feet."

The deputy silently clicked his heels together, gave Fu Lei a military salute, then left the office.

"Why did the Governor's Mansion open two battlefields, Eastern and Western? With Hengzhou New Star's current capability, it can only support one line."

Fu Lei frowned tightly, utterly unable to understand; he believed that with "Tai Jun" as a think tank analyzing the situation, Governor Tai should see more clearly than himself.

Pushing two lines not only expands casualties on the human side, but also causes Netherworld Rifts to increase step by step, drawing closer to the Material World and forming a large-scale deep subsidence.

"If both Eastern and Western Fronts are stalled, dragging the duration to half a year, or even a year, our win rate is under forty percent."

This is what Fu Lei understands least, and also why he didn't choose to go to the Regimental Headquarters and become a commander, a strategist.

"The Governor comes from a War Regiment background — could he not understand that Vassals are weeds that wildfire can't burn clean, that filling the gap with Hengzhou civilians' lives is fundamentally not worth it... unless!"

A thought rose in Fu Lei's heart that made his whole body turn cold.

Immediately afterward, he subconsciously rejected it, as if urgently shaking off a nightmare clinging to him.

If that assumption were true, then for all the soldiers on both battlefields of the Dong Xi Xian, their sacrifices would be meaningless.

"Over a hundred thousand……"

Even if Fu Lei had said that life was the most worthless thing in war, it was also equally the most precious.

……

……

On the third day of arriving at the Huangquan Training Camp, Qin Shi consistently maintained his best performance, which gradually made the other new recruits submit to him.

For those high-intensity training sessions that could squeeze everyone dry to the limit, leaving not a trace of extra stamina, Qin Shi was always the first to finish.

Even Gao Pao, the most unconvinced and self-important one, had to admit that this guy was like an upper-year student repeating kindergarten.

Soon, the first batch of new recruits "eliminated" appeared.

The mediocre ones who chose advanced textbooks finally discovered the bitter consequences.

Advanced textbooks required greater nutritional replenishment, and cultivation consumed more.

Under such high-intensity training, it was almost impossible to sustain oneself.

Unless one did like Qin Shi, ranking first by a wide margin in every result, and always had the most sufficient supplies.

"Eliminating only twelve 'scraps' in three days shows my training is gentle enough."

Fu Lei stood with his hands behind his back on the playground, like an Iron Tower.

"Since you've adapted so quickly, then we'll increase the intensity a bit."

"I have a batch of 'Black Medicine' here; it's a contraband resource, but in Huangquan, no one can control it."

"If anyone can complete the Contaminated Zone Exploration Mission, he will enjoy the 'Black Medicine' that stimulates potential."

"Friendly reminder, this stuff is very potent, but if you're lucky enough, it can double your Qi Life Force during the Amateur Stage."

(Chapter End)