SBWAN CH15
In the morning, at the high-level military meeting.
The military had always placed great importance on the cultivation of new recruits, especially their training, which was equivalent to the enlightenment education for their actual combat.
This was also the reason why a batch of general-rank officers was sent down to train new recruits every year.
“Jing Xi is simply too disorganized and undisciplined!” Chen Bingfeng said angrily at the meeting. “He clearly knew the other party was Extreme Shadow, yet he stopped his subordinates from reporting it. If something happens to the new recruits, can he take responsibility?!”
Once he spoke, other officers began to chime in.
“That’s right, the other party isn’t an ordinary star pirate crew.”
“I suggest we recall him immediately, give him a demerit, and prohibit the Flying Dragon Legion from going on expeditions in the short term.”
“The Flying Dragon and Extreme Shadow have a long-standing grudge. Even Chi Yao went personally. I’m now worried that Extreme Shadow will target the new recruits to retaliate against Jing Xi.”
“I suggest headquarters send reinforcements and change the training mineral star for the new recruits.”
Zhao Hongyi and Pei Zhenyue sat side by side at the head of the table.
Seeing that Pei Zhenyue hadn’t spoken, Zhao Hongyi asked, “Old Pei, what do you think?”
Pei Zhenyue was so angry he didn’t want to say anything.
Taking the weakest new recruits to a second-level mineral star, and that’s not all. Encountering Extreme Shadow and not reporting it immediately, instead competing with them in slogans and songs?
He’s already in his late twenties, isn’t this rebellious phase coming a bit too late?
“Old Pei?” Seeing his grim face, Zhao Hongyi asked with a smile, “Why don’t we recall him first? Whether to give him a demerit or not can be decided after we see his explanation.”
The new recruit section had always been under Pei Zhenyue’s supervision, but other generals also had an obligation to assist.
Pei Zhenyue looked up, at the virtual screen showing the star pirate crew and the new recruit group, which hadn’t moved for a long time. After a long while, he said, “Let’s observe a little longer.”
The many officers present were stunned.
What’s there to observe?
What’s the background of Extreme Shadow? Let alone in the circle of ordinary people, even in the star pirate circle, they were notorious. Who wouldn’t turn and run at the sight of them?
Especially this new leader, Chi Yao, who had appeared out of nowhere. The information department had tried to build a big data model based on his movements. After a year of intensive recording, they could only barely conclude—this guy does things purely based on his mood!
A person whose next move even AI couldn’t predict was extremely dangerous.
Chen Bingfeng gritted his teeth, “Then at least a team should be sent over, just in case.”
“No need,” Pei Zhenyue said coldly. “No reinforcements unless it’s an emergency. I don’t think the current situation endangers the new recruits’ lives. On the contrary, this is a very good training opportunity.”
The smile on Zhao Hongyi’s lips faded, “Opportunity?”
Pei Zhenyue: “If Extreme Shadow wanted to make a move, they would have done so long ago. They can’t be unaware that this training is being live-streamed and monitored. Even if there’s an accident, I believe Jing Xi will handle it well.”
Chen Bingfeng: “Pei—”
Pei Zhenyue raised his hand to interrupt, “This matter is decided.”
After the meeting, the officers contacted each other privately, all feeling that today’s meeting was not quite right.
Pei Zhenyue had never shown such favoritism to anyone, and it happened to be right when Chen Bingfeng and Jing Xi had fallen out. It might be a secret signal.
On X30, Li Yuan felt like he was about to melt from the sun.
His peripheral vision caught the brother next to him scratching his butt. His fingers twitched, wanting to scratch too.
Jing Xi: “First row, eighth one, step out!”
Li Yuan was startled, his fingers frozen, not daring to move.
The brother next to him had a pained face, “Boss, I was just itchy—”
Jing Xi: “Step out.”
The brother next to him: “Oh.”
He walked out silently and squatted down with the other few.
The moment he squatted, he couldn’t help but sigh softly, “Ah, so good.”
The members of the star pirate crew: “…”
Are you looking for a beating?
Li Yuan glanced at the countdown on the virtual screen. Only five minutes left. If he gave up now, he would have to stand for another three hours in the afternoon.
Absolutely not!
His body couldn’t move, so he could only keep rolling his eyes.
Everyone in the crew was sweating profusely, their expressions pained. Only Fang Liang looked as if nothing was wrong, looking like he could stand for another day.
Was Brother Liang a security guard in a residential complex before?
When the countdown had only ten seconds left, everyone in the star pirate crew held their breath.
Nine… eight… seven…
Li Yuan glanced at the new recruits next to him again.
That was a gathering place for collagen. Even standing there, they looked better than them.
Their looks couldn’t compare, and they hadn’t stood as long as them. Weren’t they completely outmatched?
Three… two… one…
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to lie on the ground and roll around, Li Yuan suddenly shouted, “Don’t move!”
Everyone froze.
Li Yuan: “Wait for them to move first.”
The star pirates: “…”
Can’t we have a different kind of solo match?
The situation in the new recruit group was better than that of the star pirate crew. After all, they were from military academies and were already used to this kind of regular endurance training.
When the countdown ended, the round-faced instructor was about to let them rest on the spot, but he found that no one moved.
He glanced at the star pirate crew next door and understood.
In order to win against Extreme Shadow, this group of new recruits was incredibly united, even saving the trouble of an ice-breaker.
The star pirate crew thought it would be over at three and a half hours, but they didn’t expect the other side to still not move.
Li Yuan: “…”
His legs were already numb. But if he gave up now, wouldn’t it make them look very incompetent?
Chi Yao was catching up on sleep in the shade under the tent, enjoying the warm breeze and the fresh air of the valley. He slept until noon.
When he opened his eyes, both sides were still standing there like candles.
Chi Yao beckoned for Little Black to come over.
“It’s noon. Let them eat first.”
The dark-skinned instructor was a little hesitant.
They had been at a stalemate for so long. Resting now would mean all their previous efforts were wasted.
“Sir, why don’t we let them stand a little longer?”
Chi Yao’s face turned cold, “Any training should be moderate. Too much is as bad as not enough.”
The dark-skinned instructor pursed his lips and nodded in agreement.
“Rest on the spot!”
“Rest on the spot.”
The two voices sounded almost at the same time.
Chi Yao turned his head to look at Jing Xi, who happened to be looking over as well.
Chi Yao: “…”
Childish.
And he dared to say he was older than him?
The star pirate crew wailed. It was more tiring than a big battle.
Li Yuan held a water bottle and poured it over his head, saying to his boss, “Boss, let’s play something else next time. This is too deadly.”
Jing Xi retracted his gaze and said calmly, “It will be changed in the afternoon.”
The members of the star pirate crew almost cried with joy.
“Anything is fine as long as it’s not standing at attention!”
An hour later, they looked at the mattresses and quilts spread at their feet, standing there dumbfounded, thinking they had misheard.
Chen Sheng raised his hand, “Boss, wh-what are we practicing this afternoon?”
Jing Xi: “Folding quilts.”
He opened a video and enlarged it. “The steps are very simple. Follow the video to learn. After you’re done, I’ll check them. You’ll keep folding until they are up to standard.”
The star pirates: “…”
Holy crap! If we had known, we wouldn’t have brought quilts!
In the new recruit group, seeing the other side practicing folding quilts, they laughed first.
This was simple. They would definitely win!
Chi Yao walked over, “In the wild, just knowing how to fold quilts is useless. The first thing we need to consider is how to survive. So, the training item for this afternoon is—roasting wild game.”
The new recruits: “…”
This is beyond the syllabus!
In the star pirate group, quilts were flying.
Li Yuan had folded his several times, but Jing Xi kept sending them back for him to re-fold. His mentality had already exploded.
“You’re so damn stupid,” Tie Xiong said, licking a lollipop bigger than his face, standing beside him. “Just like this, then that, then this, and it’s done, isn’t it?”
Li Yuan: “If it’s so simple, why don’t you fold it?”
Tie Xiong looked up at him, “I’m using the boss’s quilt.”
Li Yuan: “…”
Half an hour later, Chen Sheng screamed in frustration and threw his quilt on the ground.
“Can’t I just not use a quilt anymore?!”
Jing Xi passed by, “Pick it up.”
“Ye-yes.” Chen Sheng immediately became cowardly, squatting down to pick up the quilt and continuing to fold.
The new recruit group followed the two instructors to a nearby stream to spear fish.
Besides second-level mutated species, a second-level mineral star also had a considerable number of first-level mutated species. These animals and plants had a low degree of mutation and could be eaten after being processed.
They were good at spearing fish, but how do you roast a fish?!
“I’ve seen it in TV shows. You just need to find a branch, spear it, and roast it by the fire.”
“Eww—just hearing it sounds so fishy.”
“I don’t know how to kill a fish. Do the scales need to be removed? What about the innards?”
“We’re doomed. This is a knowledge blind spot.”
The two instructors were also very confused.
Generally, they didn’t advocate eating the meat of mutated beasts. But the officer’s combat experience was richer than theirs. Maybe he was considering more issues?
On the afternoon of the first day of formal training, the star pirate crew was folding quilts, smelling the burnt smell drifting from afar, their patience rapidly running out.
A group of them rolled up their sleeves and rushed over, “You can’t even roast a fish. Are you trying to poison us on purpose?!”
The new recruit group was stumped by a fish and was already very impatient.
Faced with the star pirates’ provocation, many of them stood up.
“You can’t even fold a quilt. How dare you say that about us!”
Star Pirate: “Aren’t you top students from a military academy? Is this all you’ve got?”
New Recruit: “Aren’t you supposedly the strongest star pirate crew? You’re pretty average too.”
More and more people joined the verbal sparring.
No one knew who started it, but the two sides began a singing battle again.
Chi Yao couldn’t be bothered to manage it anyway and sat in his chair, eating and watching the fun.
Jing Xi frowned as he watched the chaotic scene.
If this continued, instead of correcting the star pirates, the new recruits would be led astray.
“Wait! I want to sing too!”
“Awoo!”
Tie Xiong and the dog suddenly rushed out of the tent, running quickly towards them.
Jing Xi grabbed Tie Xiong with a big sweep of his hand.
“Children can’t participate.”
Tie Xiong was stunned and unconvinced, “I’m a star pirate, not a child.”
Jing Xi: “Then do you know what 11 plus 12 is?”
Tie Xiong thought for a moment, then held up his hands and started counting, muttering to himself.
“One times one is one, one times two is two…”
The big dog ran over and barked a few times. Seeing that the area was crowded with people, with only one person sitting far away, who looked quite familiar, it rushed in front of Chi Yao, bared its teeth, and roared, “Awoo awoo awoo!”
Chi Yao glanced at it casually, “Sit.”
The big dog bent its hind legs and sat down obediently.
After reacting, it looked at its own posture, “?”
As night fell, the aroma of roasted meat gradually filled the valley.
Li Yuan and the others sat together roasting fish, giving the new recruit group a thumbs-down. “What’s the use of folding quilts well? You can’t eat them. Roasted fish is still better.”
Faced with the blatant provocation, the new recruit group glared at the star pirate crew, the dry rations in their hands suddenly losing their appeal.
Seeing Chi Yao walk out of his tent from afar, Li Yuan beckoned to him, “Boss, come eat roasted fish.”
Jing Xi sat down in an empty spot and took the roasted fish.
Seeing a few of them on the opposite side shaking their legs and eating with evil smiles, he suddenly lost his appetite.
“Are your legs cramping?”
Jing Xi’s face was expressionless, his voice cold. “Either eat, or eat after you’re done laughing.”
Meeting his gaze, the few of them stiffened their backs and silently brought their legs together.
In the middle of the night, Jing Xi once again secretly slipped into Chi Yao’s tent.
“The Major General is getting more and more skilled at night raids.”
Just as he entered, he heard Chi Yao’s teasing voice.
Chi Yao rolled over to look at him, his voice lazy and deliberate, “What’s the hurry? It’s so much fun to use someone else’s body.”
Jing Xi opened the capsule and threw it on the ground. “I’ve played with everything that needs to be played with.”
Chi Yao: “…”
Jing Xi: “Let’s have a real battle tomorrow.”
Chi Yao: “Real battle?”
Jing Xi lay down on the floor. “Extreme Shadow versus the new recruit group, but no real weapons can be used.”
“You want to use my people to train your soldiers?” Chi Yao propped up his head and sneered. “Extreme Shadow doesn’t play along.”
Jing Xi looked at him calmly, “Do you want to hear them sing military songs every day?”
Chi Yao: “If you participate too, I might consider it.”
__
Author’s Note:
Chi Yao: What exactly did you play with?
Jing Xi: Guess?
Chi Yao: QwQ