Before 12:30 PM, the freshmen who had completed the written assessment entered Assembly Hall No. 1 to collect their equipment and boarded spacecraft to arrive at Planet Guard 80, the dedicated new student training ground, for the practical assessment.

Rong Shi changed into a familiar combat uniform and sat in the cabin, checking the contents of his backpack.

Capsule tent, thermal night vision goggles, two days’ worth of nutrient solution, a small medical kit, satellite locator, emergency flare, and some basic tools.

In addition, he was also provided with a pheromone blocker and inhibitor to prevent any omega from accidentally going into heat and causing chaos.

He re-tied the laces on his combat boots, tightened his cuffs, and put on protective gloves. His slender fingers opened and closed a few times, adjusting to the restrictive feel of the gloves. His long military knife was secured at his lower back, and a leg pouch was strapped to his right thigh, holding two daggers.

The cabin door opened, and seven or eight students walked in from outside.

“Going into actual combat without learning anything, I’m so scared.”

“Even if you haven’t eaten pork, you’ve seen pigs run, right? All these years of star wars weren’t for nothing.”

“Can actual combat be the same as a game? I heard that every year someone breaks down at the training ground, it’s quite terrifying.”

“No way, that’s too weak. The new training ground only has a level one danger rating, meaning the wild beasts are just bigger—”

After the spacecraft lifted off, Qian Fan’s voice sounded.

【Dear students, we will arrive at the new training ground in one hour. Please carefully check the equipment in your backpacks and remember the following precautions:

1. Do not point weapons at your classmates. Anyone found maliciously harming a classmate will have their academic status immediately revoked.
2. After firing a distress flare, wait in place for ten minutes to receive rescue. Your individual assessment will end early. Do not call for help easily, nor should you stubbornly endure. The military academy will not be responsible for any accidents that truly occur.
3. Actual combat like today will be your daily routine in the future. Don’t be too nervous or too relaxed. Strive to complete the mission, especially those who are slacking off, yes, I’m talking about you, Rong Shi. You’re so perfunctory even when slacking off. Can’t you put some effort into it?!】

Qian Fan’s voice gradually became agitated.

Everyone: “…”

A group of people in the cabin secretly looked at Rong Shi, all puzzled.

Teacher Qian said he was slacking off, but where was he slacking off? Didn’t he just get first place?

Rong Shi, who was resting with his eyes closed: “…”

There was a commotion on the broadcast, and it seemed staff members were trying to calm Qian Fan down.

A moment later, they heard Qian Fan’s calm voice again.

【Alright, that’s all for today. I wish all students excellent results in the exam. See you after the assessment.】

After the spacecraft entered the atmosphere, everyone orderly boarded small helicopters, being sent to designated locations.

The corridor was noisy, with students chatting and laughing in groups of three to five.

“What do you think Teacher Qian meant by that?”

“Maybe Rong Shi’s score wasn’t satisfactory to him this time. But saying he slacked off is too much. Getting sixty on that kind of paper is already pretty awesome.”

“Ahhh, I’m at the same marked spot as Senior Lu! I’m clinging to his leg!”

“Holy cow, you’re so lucky! His dad is a major general, and practical combat is his strong suit.”

“Rong Shi might be better at theory, but Lu Ming will definitely be first in practical combat.”

Rong Shi found the corresponding helicopter number in the lineup and was about to get in when something flashed in his peripheral vision. He felt a slight pull of interest and looked in that direction.

A delicate-looking omega was chatting and laughing with the beta next to him. The two boarded that helicopter one after the other.

The omega smiled sweetly, chin slightly raised, and a clear black mole was visible on his left mandible.

Rong Shi’s hand, resting on the cabin door, suddenly tightened. His gaze had just swept across that helicopter’s number when he was blocked by someone.

“Chairman Rong, it’s not very polite to stare at an omega like that, is it?” Song Yu’s relaxed voice carried a hint of teasing.

Rong Shi withdrew his gaze: “Are you jealous?”

Song Yu stepped past him and onto the helicopter, lazily saying, “Everyone in school knows you like me, so don’t you dare cheat.”

He noticed many people around them looking and quietly discussing.

Rong Shi followed as if nothing happened: “He’s not as pretty as you.”

Qin Luo, who had followed: “…” What are these two doing?

After the three of them sat in the helicopter, two more people soon joined them: Lu Ming and his beta roommate, Zhang Yi.

The five of them were precisely the top five from the written assessment.

Although it was an individual battle, since they were all new recruits, it was assumed they would operate in small teams.

The team members in the other helicopters quickly warmed up to each other after a few words, but the air in theirs was frosty.

Each marked location would have four to five teams. After all the examinees were in place, the temporary instructors who brought them there announced the assessment mission.

“This is a simulated rescue mission. A distress flare will be fired in ten minutes. You need to reach the target location within five days.”

After the helicopters left, a group of greenhorns surrounded Lu Ming, extremely excited.

Although Rong Shi’s strength might be good, he always had a cold face and an “approach at your own risk” demeanor. In contrast, Lu Ming was much more approachable.

Zhang Yi’s father was a subordinate of Lu Youqi, and he was also Lu Ming’s roommate, so he was very upset that Lu Ming had been robbed of first place.

Seeing Lu Ming surrounded while Rong Shi was ignored, he couldn’t help but mock: “You all have good judgment, knowing who truly has strength, unlike some people who hang out with questionable individuals all day.”

One sentence insulted both Rong Shi and Song Yu.

Qin Luo didn’t mind him insulting Rong Shi, but he couldn’t ignore it when Song Yu was insulted. Just as he was about to act, he suddenly heard the sound of a flare being fired, a flash of light disappearing in the air.

Rong Shi opened the locator in his palm. After locking onto the direction and approximate distance of the flare, he walked away without a word.

Qin Luo put away his locator and followed with Song Yu.

Lu Ming, surrounded by the group, was very annoyed. His carefully crafted amiable persona had become a burden at this moment.

This was an individual battle; he didn’t care about anyone else’s life or death.

In the large classroom for second-year command students, a group of people were watching the new training satellite live broadcast—

“What are you still grinning for, locate it, you idiot! If you don’t locate it, where will you rescue?!”

“No wonder so many people last year walked further and further away from the target.”

“So that’s how the seniors used to see us, like watching monkey shows.”

The classroom was filled with constant chatter and curses.

For five days of new training every year, upperclassmen would suspend all courses to watch the live broadcast, summarizing the mistakes made by the new students. The higher the grade, the more mistakes they needed to summarize.

Chen Chen switched his screen to Rong Shi’s team, happily munching on small biscuits.

The beta sitting next to him leaned over: “Dream Team, it must be hard to find mistakes with this team, right?”

Chen Chen: “Who said I’m looking for mistakes?”

Beta: “Then what are you watching?”

Chen Chen: “My gut tells me there’s a good show coming.”

Beta: “…”

There were no roads in the rainforest, and it was covered everywhere with slippery moss. Even with combat boots, it was easy to slip, making it very difficult to walk.

Rong Shi deliberately slowed down and was soon overtaken by Lu Ming and his supporters.

Suddenly, an extremely faint “hissing” sound came to his ears. Rong Shi paused, tilted his head in that direction, and at the same time, his right hand rested on the hilt of his knife.

“Bro, be careful!” Qin Luo shouted urgently in a low voice.

Hearing his voice, everyone else looked over, and a chorus of screams erupted.

“It’s a snake! A giant python!”

“Holy crap! Run!”

On the large tree diagonally behind Song Yu, a giant python was coiled, as thick as a basin, its flicking tongue several meters long, its green eyes tightly locked on them.

Before Qin Luo noticed, Song Yu’s military knife was already in his hand. He slowly walked forward, subtly observing the python’s movements.

“Get out of the way!”

Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly heard Lu Ming yell, rushing over at an incredibly fast speed.

The rope from the launcher shot out, almost instantly trapping the python’s gaping maw. Lu Ming swung himself onto the python using a branch, then stabbed his knife repeatedly at the snake’s vulnerable point.

Song Yu was close. Even though he tried to dodge, his clothes were still splattered with snake blood.

The strong, fishy smell made his face sink.

The others were so frightened their legs turned to jelly. They only dared to approach after confirming the snake was dead, and for a moment, they looked at Lu Ming with more reverence than their own fathers.

Lu Ming struggled to pull out his knife, then walked over to Song Yu, covered in blood, and smiled: “Are you alright?”

Song Yu’s face was cold: “Do I look alright?”

Lu Ming thought he was scared and smiled even more kindly: “Don’t mind its size; it’s actually not very aggressive.”

Before departing, he had received a message from his father telling him to find an opportunity to befriend Song Yu.

Normally, trying to curry favor would seem too obvious, but help received in a crisis is more trustworthy, isn’t it?

Song Yu: “Then I really thank you.”

Just then, Rong Shi walked past. Lu Ming smiled and deliberately raised his voice: “You’re welcome. From now on, stick close to me—”

“Please stay away from me in the future. I’m afraid of getting dirty,” Song Yu put his military knife back into its sheath and followed Rong Shi.

Lu Ming was baffled by the retort.

Qin Luo walked over and looked at him like he was an idiot: “Do you know how pigs die?”

Lu Ming’s face immediately flushed red and looked awful.

Song Yu, with a foul expression, walked over to Rong Shi. Seeing that everyone else’s attention was drawn to the python, it was a good time to talk.

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Rong Shi’s flat tone, tinged with a hint of disdain: “I’m also afraid of getting dirty. You should keep your distance.”

Song Yu: “…” Damn it.