Punch

Perhaps out of a sense of conscience, the instructors didn't make any noise that night and quickly assigned the dormitories. It was like a dream - single rooms for each person... But in reality, there were thirty to fifty people in one room, managed in a centralized manner.

The instructors just gave each person a military training manual; everything one needed to know was in there. Not reading it? Fine, but don't make mistakes.

Entering Yalang, the students finally set aside all their joy and excitement. Now, they had to learn how to survive.

No one chatted; they were too tired. By the time they finished bustling around, it was almost ten o'clock. Who knew what kind of hellish training awaited them tomorrow? Resting well was essential for the battle ahead.

A night of heavy sleep...

At five o'clock in the morning, the urgent call to assemble echoed. Many of the students, who were used to such torment, struggled to recall the blaring call but reluctantly got up anyway. "Assembly! Five minutes to the playground. One minute late, run one kilometer," the loudspeaker on the roof roared.

No need to say, it must be Xiong Tou.

But even with the threat of running a kilometer as punishment, countless students quickly got up, dressed, and rushed out. It probably broke many girls' records for leaving the dorm without putting on makeup.

Alex and the other three were already standing on the playground early. They didn't look at each other, but they were secretly comparing themselves. Unexpectedly, the fifth person to come out was Tang Ling, which surprised everyone. The GAD's Miss was showing such performance, truly unexpected. It had long been thought that she was a weak princess, but reality denied that speculation.

When Alex's gaze fell on Tang Ling, it softened. The two didn't need to speak; their eyes conveyed countless meanings. The little beauty naturally had the taste of inviting praise from Alex, as if to say, "See, I'm amazing."

Tang Ling arrived shortly before the instructors. Although the top student didn't want to be inferior to anyone, she was also very hardworking. It was obvious that this girl had already anticipated such a situation. She hadn't even taken off her clothes at night. When the bell rang, she took about ten seconds to wake herself up and then rushed out. She thought she would be the first, but there were already five people on the playground.

As students continued to arrive, the four sergeants stood in front of the line of students, looking coldly at the students rushing like ducks. Their gaze quickly shifted to the few people standing at the front, and Alex and his friends were also very interested in these soldiers, especially Salta, whose eyes were full of provocation. He didn't mind teaching a lesson to the pretentious guys in front of him.

"Time's up!"

Immediately, soldiers blocked the students who were rushing to catch up, and these poor kids could only start their circle running careers around the playground. This was a futile exercise, as the rest of the training couldn't be skipped either; those who didn't complete it naturally received low scores.

"Today's assembly was very poor. Look at what each of you looks like. Go back and reflect on it. You, you, you, and you, you four are the team leaders. Lead your teams to run three kilometers and then come back for breakfast!"

The four were Alex, Li Lankalos, Salta, and Grin. On the female side, it was Tang Ling, Suzume, Nimo, and Matsushima Lu. The students were evenly distributed.

A large group of people started running around, and the instructors were still quite lenient, although strict, not to the point of making them miserable.

Alex and the others were the team leaders, and then every fifty people, a deputy leader was selected, and every tenth person, a squad leader was selected. Free choice, but if not chosen, someone would be chosen anyway. The instructors didn't care about the process; they only looked at the results.

Simple morning exercises were quite tough for them. Fortunately, most of the new students had made some preparations for military training. The second day began before it was over.

The training on the second day was the most boring and tasteless queue training. The queue itself wasn't significant, but it could cultivate a sense of collective cohesion and discipline. Four hours in the morning, four hours in the afternoon, with a ten-minute break in between. The instructors also wanted to show these clueless young people who's in charge and give them a real toughening up.

By the weekend, when they gathered again, they were completely different from the motley crew they were when they first arrived. The chaotic way of standing in line had been replaced by neat formations, and the playground was quiet, with absolutely no whispers.

This was the basics of being a soldier!

Lieutenant Taiga came to inspect the results of the first week, which also went smoothly. Lieutenant Kuma submitted a file, and there were specialized warriors to take care of these matters. "Salta." "Present!" Salta stepped forward, stood at attention, and saluted. "Li Lankalos." "Present!" "Grin." "Present!" "...Alex." Alex's performance was good, but not the best among the four. Salta was the most outstanding, but the instructors' comments were that he was on vacation. Taiga assessed the four individuals. After a week of training, they remained excellent. However, there was a difference compared to before; they now had a special aura about them. Genius was proud and unruly, but that wasn't suitable for a soldier. Soldiers must have the appropriate demeanor. They should be serious and disciplined when necessary. The four remained equally unruly, but they were very obedient to their superiors' commands, indicating significant self-control. "I declare that Alex and the other three have achieved an A+ for the first week. You have the next two days off to relax and prepare for next week's training." When Lieutenant Taiga announced this, the students could hardly believe their ears. They didn't notice the other four sergeants smirking; sweetness was indeed a trap! "Alright, at ease. Attention! Alex and Salta stay, the rest are dismissed!" As soon as the dismissal order was given, chaos ensued. These five days were unbearable; it was a miracle to have two days off. They had never realized how wonderful a two-day vacation could be. "You two, follow me." The four instructors looked at the two with interest. These two students were going to duel, and it was approved by the school, which was quite unexpected. Alex and Salta also realized something and followed the instructors towards the base. The students usually used the outer facilities, but this area belonged to the metropolitan guard district. Although the rank was not high, the authority was significant. Moreover, the instructors were selected from the elites, and having them teach these students was somewhat of a waste of talent. Of course, only Taiga had such face. "Boss, who do you think will win? I'm betting on Salta." "Monkey, you're too cunning. No wonder the students call you Monkey, haha!" "Hmph, Kuma, from now on, you might as well be called Bear Head instead of Iron Hero." "You two, stop quarreling. Wait and see; these two are not simple. Alex may be inconspicuous, but Salta cannot be underestimated. You know about the Loki family, right?" Taiga said. "Salta Loki... Loki, is that his father?" "That's right!" "Darn! It's a small world! Lieutenant, let Iron Hero train with him. These simple tests are useless for someone from the Loki family." "That's right. When it comes to our turf, we can't have no explanation at all!" "Don't cause trouble. Major has pleaded for you four. Once you complete this training mission, you can return to your units. If you cause trouble again, hmph, even if Major forgives you, I'll skin you myself!" "Haha, I knew Major has the kindest heart!" The four of them had killed a few too many during their mission, made mistakes, and were demoted. They were put under Taiga's command to prevent further trouble. In front of their former boss, the four naturally dared not cause trouble. "Kind? You have to pass all eight levels this time to return to your units. Don't blame me for not reminding you!" Taiga said without much patience. As soon as these eight levels were mentioned, the expressions of the four became serious. TIN was their home; even if they died, they would die in TIN. Although their strength was only enough to reach the seventh level, they would strive. And this was definitely what Major had fought hard for them. If they couldn't pass, they deserved to die. Alex and Salta followed behind. Suddenly, the two became vigilant. The four in front were initially normal, but suddenly emitted a strong killing intent, completely different... Normal instructors couldn't possibly have such strength. "In a military restricted area, please present your ID... Beep beep beep Verification complete. Entry allowed." The gate slowly opened. "Come in!" This was the real military camp. Some real soldiers were training. Now the military is divided into two types: mobile warrior units and regular forces. In space, regular forces have been abolished, but on the ground, regular forces still exist, and their numbers are not small. After all, the cost of mobile warriors is high, and the requirements for pilots are relatively high. It's impossible for all of them to be mechs. In the guard district, as it mainly deals with emergencies and terrorist activities, there are few regular forces, mostly mobile warrior units. In important cities like Shangjing, the standard configuration is five hundred mobile warriors. In other words, there are about six hundred regular mobile warrior pilots and over five hundred reserve students. Mobile warriors are naturally the top troops on the ground, but to those senior interstellar warship soldiers, they are still cannon fodder. So there is still some estrangement between mobile warriors and warship soldiers; they disdain each other. Mobile warriors also regard the other side as cowards relying on large warships. Of course, these are internal matters of the military, and the disputes between branches have existed since the day of war. "Haha, you two can relax here; everyone here is a brother. Come, let me introduce you. These two guys are this year's special recruits of Aran. They are both from the Mech Warfare Department, our future comrades!" Taiga clapped his hands and called the soldiers training over. The soldiers were training bare-chested and stopped when they heard him, gathering around. "Welcome! A real man must be a mobile warrior. You two have vision!" When the soldiers heard that the two were from the Mech Warfare Department, they immediately developed a good impression. They were not very interested in those commanders outside; they would definitely get promoted quickly in the future. If they could enter the interstellar warship, they might become lieutenants as soon as they came out. This was something they couldn't compare with. Both sides had no connection; the Mech Warfare Department's special recruits were indeed rarely seen. In terms of factions, there would naturally be a sense of closeness. "Salta, a man from the Loki family, our pride in UA. Let's give him a round of applause!" The Loki family, both men and women, were elite mobile warriors. Taiga had fought against Salta's father before. Although he lost, he was impressed. This person was well-known in the military, especially among mobile warriors. The MN mobile warrior may look down on UA during battles, always winning by numbers, but the Loki family was an exception. They were very strong, exceptionally powerful. The response was enthusiastic applause and cheers. Salta's blood was boiling; this was what he had always longed for: the recognition of a real man. The blood flowing in him was that of the Loki family, the blood of a warrior, the honor of a soldier! Taiga waved his hand to quiet everyone down. "Brothers, clear a space; these two are going to have a man-to-man fight. Let's hear it, hand-to-hand combat or mobile warrior, both are allowed!" Of course, they were not real mobile warriors; damaging one would cost a fortune in repairs. There were also simulated training similar to interstellar battles in the military, but this was not a game. The cockpit was identical to the real one in terms of simulation. The physical exertion was the same as in actual combat, only reflected through virtual screens. While personal training of mobile warriors could be done through real mechs, most battles were simulated. Of course, some military district battles also used real mech bodies, and at that time, there would generally be sponsorship from companies like GAD. Moreover, when testing some new models, experimental mechs were definitely used. Increasing the usage of mechs through battles enhanced the effectiveness of mech armor. This couldn't be simulated; it had to be tested. "Either way." Alex shrugged casually. "Both!" There was no shortage of challengers, and Salta didn't want to miss the opportunity. After dealing with Alex, he also wanted to challenge these instructors. From the killing intent earlier, these people were not ordinary. "Good! Brothers, get ready!" As soon as there was a fight, the soldiers were also very excited. Although the two young students didn't quite believe it, one of them was from the Loki family, and Lieutenant would definitely not waste their time. In fact, Taiga himself had doubts because Major instructed him to pay attention not to Salta but to this unknown Alex. This kid looked good, but his skin was normal, not like someone who had undergone brutal training. In contrast, Salta, after taking off his clothes, had scars everywhere and calluses in places where he had been injured. This was the result of rigorous training.

Compared to Salta's explosive muscles and rugged body, Alex could only be considered sturdy, showing little indication of how much strength his body contained.

However, this was just a sparring match, and they couldn't afford any accidents. So protective gear was also necessary; vital areas couldn't be attacked, that was a principle. No one wanted any incidents to occur.

Alex and Salta had no objections. Amidst the cheers of the crowd, the two stepped onto the stage. Though they were meeting these soldiers for the first time, they felt an instant connection, seamlessly blending in.

"Alex, once the fight starts, I won't hold back. Though we have protective gear, fractures are still possible, so you better be mentally prepared," Salta's gaze began to intensify.

Alex casually waved his hand, signaling that his opponent could attack.

"Begin!"

Taiga acted as the referee himself, needing to closely observe this Alex. After all, the tasks entrusted by the Colonel must be taken seriously.

Salta moved agilely, not immediately launching a fierce attack, even though it was clear that he was much stronger than this person named Alex. In such a situation, standing still like this was inappropriate; after all, he wasn't some martial arts master from novels. The continuous movements seemed to give the opponent a cautious feeling, but that wasn't Salta's style. His character had only one trait: to attack fiercely until the opponent was defeated!

Like a bullet, Salta suddenly rushed towards Alex. His right fist shot out with unstoppable momentum, aiming directly for Alex's face, suppressing his opponent with an overwhelming force. Then, choosing the swiftest straight punch, he wasn't afraid of his opponent's defense; he was confident he could knock him down with a single punch. And this wasn't the first time.

...

Time seemed to freeze; the cheers of the soldiers all strangely halted, and there was a peculiar gleam in Taiga's eyes... after all, he was still a Major!

Alex stood there as if he hadn't moved, but Salta couldn't move at all. He gritted his teeth, beads of sweat as big as beans dripping down, his will beginning to blur, blood flowing from the corners of his mouth. He tried to keep himself alert, but his body was increasingly unresponsive.

Plop...

Salta, the new pride of the Losha family, was defeated... and it was quite a miserable defeat, somewhat inexplicable.

Even until the moment of fainting, Salta couldn't believe it was true, while Alex felt somewhat apologetic. He had gotten too excited, influenced by the surrounding environment. Although Salta was quite good, how could he compare to Alex's reconstructed body?