Chapter 91: Tempering into Steel

The heavy snow had just stopped, but the training ground was ablaze with activity. New and veteran members of the Flying Eagle Team were mixed into squads, training with vigor. Li Ping'an stood on a height, his sharp eyes sweeping the entire field like a searchlight.

He suddenly barked, "Team Two, are you strolling through a market? So slow! Team Three, your coordination is a mess!"

Team members panted, some dissatisfied. A fresh recruit muttered, "Instructor, this training is way too hard…"

Li Ping'an sneered, "Little Devils make you think it's easy? Everyone, pull yourselves together!"

He leapt from the platform, demonstrating himself: "Watch closely—an assault should be like a leopard: swift, precise, ruthless! A retreat should be like a fox, slipping away fast!"

Er Gazi chuckled nearby, whispering to a veteran beside him, "The Instructor's temper is really high today."

"Can it not be big?" the veteran lowered his voice, "I heard the Little Devils have called in Special Forces, specifically to deal with us."

Sure enough, after training ended, Li Ping'an gathered everyone: "We received intel—Little Devils have drawn elite troops from the Kwantung Army, forming a Hawk Hunting Team specifically to test us."

The crowd erupted in a roar.

Afraid? Li Ping'an scanned the crowd, "Alright, let's see whether they're formidable or we are the ones who are impressive!"

The next training was even harsher. Li Ping'an brought out his trump cards: Anti-Interference Shooting, Extreme Physical Fitness, Wilderness Survival, and even Anti-Interrogation Training.

"Instructor, this Anti-Interrogation Training is too torturous," a recruit collapsed, drenched.

"Torture?" Li Ping'an hauled him up, "If the Little Devils catch you, that's just an appetizer! Everyone, hold on!"

That night, deep into the early hours, the emergency assembly whistle blew. The team members assembled swiftly, only to see Li Ping'an's face grim.

Just after receiving the message, the Hawk Hunting Team had taken over one of our relay stations; all comrades there were sacrificed. His voice was low, "This is a slap in the face and a challenge!"

The recruits, for the first time, felt the cruelty of war, each clenching their fists.

"We will retaliate tooth for tooth!" Li Ping'an's eyes burned; tomorrow night, we will seize the Hawk Hunting Team's training base!

The operation plan was quickly set. Li Ping'an deliberately mixed new and veteran members, pairing old with new.

This operation is both revenge and a test. Before battle, he told the team, "Let me see the results of your training!"

Late at night, the squad silently crept toward the Japanese Soldiers' training base. The defenses were extremely tight, with searchlights sweeping back and forth.

"Instructor, the difficulty is too great," a recruit whispered.

"Because it's hard, we must fight!" Li Ping'an sneered, "Let the Little Devils know there is no target the Flying Eagle Team can't take down!"

He meticulously assigned tasks: Team One to destroy the Electric Grid, Team Two to deal with the Sentinel, Team Three to demolish the main building.

The operation started smoothly. The Electric Grid was destroyed, the Sentinel was quietly taken care of. But when the Demolition Group moved in, something went wrong.

Suddenly a blast rang out, and the whole base's alarms blared.

"We've been tricked!" Er Gazi shouted, "It's a trap!"

Immediately, gunfire crackled like frying beans, and the ambushed Japanese Soldiers poured in from all directions.

Li Ping'an made a snap decision, "Proceed with Plan Three!"

The team fought while retreating, but casualties were inevitable. A recruit was hit in the leg and fell in the snow.

"Forget me!" he shouted, "Run!"

Li Ping'an rushed back, "The Flying Eagle Team never abandons its brothers!"

He hoisted the wounded, directing teammates to provide alternating cover. Bullets whizzed past his ears; the situation was extremely critical.

"Instructor, there are Japanese Soldiers on the left! And on the right too!"

At that critical moment, the recruit who could do vocal tricks suddenly howled like a wolf, echoing back and forth as if a real pack had arrived.

The Little Devils were momentarily stunned, and the team seized the chance to break through.

"Good kid!" Li Ping'an praised, patting his shoulder, "I'll record a merit for you!"

Although they broke out successfully, the Flying Eagle Team paid the price: two were killed, three were wounded.

At the debrief, the atmosphere was heavy.

"This is my responsibility," Li Ping'an led the self‑critique, admitting they underestimated the Little Devils.

"No, Instructor!" Er Gazi stood up, "We were too complacent!"

The recruit who knew about traps suddenly said, "Instructor, I've noticed something. The Little Devils' traps are set very professionally, unlike ordinary units."

Li Ping'an frowned, "Explain in detail."

Their traps combine Japanese Samurai Mechanism Art with modern Demolition Technology; about eighty percent were designed by a Special Ops Expert.

This remark awakened Li Ping'an. He immediately sent people to investigate and indeed found that the head of the Hawk Hunting Team was a prized disciple of Shanben Special Operations Team, a famous Japanese Special Ops Expert.

Interesting. Li Ping'an's mouth twitched upward, "Finally met a worthy opponent."

He immediately revised the training plan, tailoring drills to the Hawk Hunting Team's traits. At the same time, he dispatched a Recon Team to keep a tight watch on their movements.

Three days later, the chance arrived. The Recon Group reported that a small detachment of the Hawk Hunting Team was training in a certain valley.

The time for retaliation arrived. Li Ping'an's eyes flashed coldly, "Let them taste an ambush too!"

He handpicked members to form an assault squad. This time it was all veterans, moving cleanly and efficiently.

The ambush went smoothly. When the Hawk Hunting Team's detachment entered the valley, the Flying Eagle Team burst out.

Unexpectedly, the opponent reacted extremely fast, launching an immediate counterattack. Both sides fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.

"Instructor, they're no pushover!" Er Gazi shouted while firing.

"Now that's interesting!" Li Ping'an calmly returned fire, conserving ammunition and aiming precisely!

The battle stalled. At that moment, Li Ping'an noticed the enemy commander signaling with hand gestures. He thought quickly and raised his Sniper Rifle.

One shot hit the commander's arm.

Leaderless, the Hawk Hunting Team fell into disarray. The Flying Eagle Team seized the chance, launching a fierce assault that resulted in Total Annihilation of the enemy.

"Clear the battlefield and withdraw quickly!" Li Ping'an ordered.

Back at base, the team members excitedly discussed the victory, but Li Ping'an's brow remained furrowed.

【9】 "Instructor, we won—why aren't you happy?" Er Gazi asked, puzzled.

【10】 "Too smooth," Li Ping'an mused, "The Hawk Hunting Team's skill shouldn't have been wiped out so easily."

Instructor, we won, why aren't you happy? Er Gazi asked, puzzled.

Too smooth. Li Ping'an mused, the Hawk Hunting Team's level shouldn't be subjected to Total Annihilation so easily.

Sure enough, the intelligence the next day confirmed that the unit annihilated was only a Reserve Unit of the Hawk Hunting Team, and the main force was completely unharmed.

Well, Shanben! Li Ping'an slammed his palm on the table and rose, using a Reserve Unit to probe our defenses!

That evening, he sat alone in the Command Center, staring blankly at the map. Zhou Zhengwei walked in and handed him a bowl of hot soup.

"Don't overexert yourself," Political Commissar Zhou Zhengwei said concernedly, "the war is fought battle by battle."

Li Ping'an took the bowl, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Commissar, I know what to do now!"

He pointed at the map: "Since Shanben wants to probe our defenses, we'll turn his scheme against him!"

A bold plan began to be carried out. The Flying Eagle Team deliberately showed a flaw to lure the main force of the Hawk Hunting Team onto the hook. At the same time, Li Ping'an personally led an Elite Squad to charge straight at the Hawk Hunting Team's Command Center.

It was a risky move, but Li Ping'an was determined: there is a thousand days of being a thief, but no thousand days of defending against thieves. The threat must be eliminated completely!

In the deep night, the squad silently approached the target. All the participants in this operation were the most skilled members, each possessing unique techniques.

Instructor, the Command Center is defended like an iron bucket. The reconnaissance officer reported that the force was at least a company.

"Enough," Li Ping'an sneered coldly. "The more people there are, the easier it is for chaos."

He assigned the tasks: Group One to create an Explosion to Attract Attention, Group Two to eliminate the Sentinels, Group Three to directly seize the Command Center.

The operation began. A massive explosion roared, and the Little Devils immediately fell into chaos. Seizing the moment of disorder, the squad swiftly broke through the defenses.

Just as they neared the Command Center, gunfire erupted suddenly. It turned out Shanben had already prepared, setting up a second line of defense.

"Instructor, we're surrounded!" the squad members shouted.

Li Ping'an remained calm in the crisis: "Proceed with the second plan!"

The squad quickly formed a defensive formation, fighting while retreating. Yet the Little Devils were clearly prepared, their firepower unusually fierce.

"We can't keep going like this!" Er Gazi shouted, "I'll take people to provide cover; Instructor, you all withdraw first!"

"No!" Li Ping'an firmly refused, "If we retreat, we all retreat!"

At the critical moment, the squad member who could set traps thought quickly and used the explosives he carried to trigger a Landslide Tactic, temporarily blocking the pursuers.

"Move quickly!" Li Ping'an led the squad members in a swift withdrawal.

Although the operation was not a complete success, it heavily damaged the Hawk Hunting Team's Command Center, and Shanben himself was also killed.

At the post‑war debrief, Li Ping'an wore a solemn expression: "This operation exposed many problems. Especially, our coordination still lacks tacit understanding."

He looked at the new members: "Starting tomorrow, increase the intensity of joint training. I want you to become a truly iron‑clad team!"

On the training ground, the chant rose again. New and veteran members trained together, and their cohesion grew higher and higher.

A month later, the Hawk Hunting Team returned. This time, however, the Flying Eagle Team had already prepared a strict battle formation.

During the fierce firefight, the new members stood out. The trap‑setting member cleverly arranged mechanisms, dealing heavy damage to the enemy; the member adept at vocal tricks successfully deceived the enemy, creating chaos.

In the end, the Hawk Hunting Team retreated in a disastrous defeat, no longer having the strength to threaten the Flying Eagle Team.

Standing on the training ground, watching the newly grown members thrive, Li Ping'an finally showed a satisfied smile.

"Instructor, we won!" Er Gazi said excitedly.

"No, this is just the beginning." Li Ping'an's gaze was far‑reaching; more hard battles still awaited us.

He looked into the distance, as if already seeing the future's blood‑soaked storms. Yet at this moment, his heart was full of confidence and strength.