Chapter 61: Devil Instructor

Although Zhang Shaocheng's offer was tempting, Song Qingge did not carry the Wisdom Cube on him, so when the actual transaction took place, they still had to wait until after the afternoon class.

Thus, while the three were talking, the Instructor of the Hand-to-Hand Physical Training class, Ma Lilan, appeared on the training field.

"The Devil Instructor is here, I'm leaving first; we'll meet at the hall under construction at 6 p. m." Seeing Ma Lilan appear, Zhang Shaocheng hurriedly turned and ran, shouting to Qin Ge and Li Chenming as he ran.

"Huh? Is it really that scary?" Qin Ge wondered.

"After you finish class, you'll know what a Devil Instructor is!" Seeing Qin Ge's puzzled expression, the already-running-away Zhang Shaocheng said to him.

Thus, Qin Ge and Li Chenming immediately understood what a Devil Instructor was.

"What are you doing here? Holding a meeting? Hurry up and line up properly!"

With Ma Lilan's loud shout, everyone sprang into action and formed a long line.

"First, let me introduce myself: I am Ma Lilan, the White Eagle battleship, one of the Bigseven. Starting today, I am your Hand-to-Hand Physical Training instructor, and I will spend this year training you into true soldiers."

After seeing everyone line up, Ma Lilan shouted at them, his voice full of vigor.

"But every formation needs a leader; I cannot be your leader, so today's first lesson is also an evaluation—survival of the fittest. First, run ten laps around the training field—ten kilometers—and whoever finishes first will be the leader. Any objections?"

"None!"

The batch of new commanders shouted in unison.

"Good, a man can't say he can't, especially a commander!" Ma Lilan nodded, pointing toward the training field, "Ten kilometers, start now."

As soon as those words were spoken, all the new commanders surged forward in a rush, but Qin Ge did not rush to the front like they did.

Ten kilometers—he had run it countless times before; this kind of long-distance race tests endurance and will, not speed.

One must follow one's own rhythm, adjust breathing, and only then can enter the true state.

Yet, despite Qin Ge adjusting his breathing and stride, he did not fall far behind the vanguard, because his daily morning and evening drills had given him a strong physique.

After the first kilometer, the fastest people in the vanguard gradually slowed, but Qin Ge continued at his own pace and began to overtake them.

Huff… inhale… huff… inhale…

The method of regulating breathing to adjust pace was first taught by his instructor when they first took the physical training class; once mastered, even someone who had never run long distance could relatively easily complete three or even five kilometers.

One, two, three—gradually, the people ahead of Qin Ge fell behind him one by one. It wasn't that he sped up; rather, they slowed down.

When he had run over two kilometers, Qin Ge had already taken first place, so he adjusted his breathing and gradually increased his pace.

Three kilometers, four kilometers, five kilometers… When he again passed Ma Lilan, he had already run five kilometers.

At that moment, the others were still wandering between three and four kilometers, and some hadn't even finished three kilometers.

But what greeted Qin Ge was not praise from Ma Lilan, but a reprimand: "Qin Ge, run faster—you're jogging so leisurely, can you dodge the Sirens' shells? Pick it up, run faster!"

Qin Ge instantly broke into a sweat; he had never imagined outrunning shells by running… although that's what was said, he involuntarily sped up.

And when Qin Ge ran past Ma Lilan, she nodded. Then she cracked a smile, turned around, and addressed the commanders desperately running.

A blue light flashed, and ship equipment appeared on Ma Lilan; the anti-aircraft gun's muzzle gradually lowered, aiming beside the last commander running.

"Papapa…"

When that familiar anti-aircraft gunfire sounded, everyone on the training field halted, including Qin Ge, who had just begun his second lap.

Because they all saw a series of dust clouds rise behind the last commander, clinging tightly to his back, appearing utterly shocking.

"Did I tell you to stop? Ah!

I tell you, every year's training has a death quota, especially in my class. If you don't run fast enough, my anti-aircraft gun shells don't discriminate; if they hit you, it's not like pistol bullets—your very person would be blown apart. Understand?

Ma Lilan shouted while pointing at her anti-aircraft gun, and the last new commander hurriedly sped up, exerting all his strength to run forward.

"Looks like you still have the strength to run fast—hurry up and run!"

Ma Lilan spoke while occasionally firing her anti-aircraft gun at the ground behind the last commander.

This sense of death made the lagging commanders involuntarily speed up.

Before, when they asked second-year students, whenever they mentioned the Hand-to-Hand Physical Training class, their common reaction was to shiver. Now these new commanders finally understood what that shiver meant.

Seeing this, Qin Ge also couldn't help recalling the special forces' training before. Such gun drills are also fairly common in the unit, because gunfire easily stimulates everyone's mindset, especially the shell craters falling behind oneself.

Even knowing those shells wouldn't hit him, a person still feels dread, fearing the shells might strike him, so he involuntarily speeds up, involuntarily surpassing himself.

Thinking of this, Qin Ge again sped up; he too needed to stimulate himself, to push himself further.

Finally, Qin Ge came before Ma Lilan for the second time, having completed his ten kilometers. Although his breathing was now ragged, he did not stop; instead, he continued in place, stepping, adjusting his breathing, adjusting his heartbeat's rhythm.

Ma Lilan looked at Qin Ge's performance, involuntarily smiling and nodding. But then, when she turned to look at the commanders lagging behind, that appreciative smile turned into a cruel sneer.

"Papapa…"

The anti-aircraft gun's sound rang out again on the training field, along with Ma Lilan's shout: "Hurry up, give me speed—are you even men? Give me speed!"