Chapter 285 - 199: Yulin Marshal
Zuo Qinchuan showed Yu Fei the supplies, explaining each one. Crates were stacked high all over the site. When he was done, he pulled out a sheaf of supply acceptance forms and handed them to Yu Fei, simultaneously activating his personal terminal. It looked like both the physical and digital forms required a signature.
Yu Fei took the paper forms and handed them to Jiang Nianwei without a glance.
"Verify the list!"
Jiang Nianwei took the forms and quickly handed them out.
"Squad One, confirm the ammunition. Squad Two, confirm the firearms..."
Zuo Qinchuan watched the group perform their tasks with quick, orderly precision. These prodigies wore uniform capes; only Yu Fei was different, making it obvious at a glance that he was their leader.
"May I ask your name? I have a few questions."
Zuo Qinchuan stepped forward respectfully. "You’re too kind. My surname is Zuo. Zuo Qinchuan. I’m here under orders from my superiors to deliver these supplies."
He had no choice but to be this polite. Zuo Qinchuan was in his thirties and had only just scraped by to reach the Inner Qi realm. His hopes of ever becoming a Grandmaster were exceedingly slim.
Any one of these kids in front of him might be a Grandmaster in ten years, a titan of the military. By then, he’d be lucky to even reach the fifth realm of cultivation.
’If I can leave a good impression,’ he thought, ’maybe one of them will give me a leg up down the line. It would save me years of struggle.’
Yu Fei was actually a little confused. They had received orders for a "military exercise" and knew their opponents were the sophomores—three classes corresponding to the three freshmen classes—but the specific directives were completely unclear.
"Two questions. First, when will our personal weapons be delivered? Second, do you know the specific procedures for this exercise, Mr. Zuo?"
Yu Fei asked with a friendly smile, hoping to gather more intel.
Zuo Qinchuan waved his hands dismissively. "Please, you’re too kind. I’m hardly a ’Mr. Zuo’—just a humble captain.
To answer your first question, your personal weapons are scheduled to arrive by special transport in about half an hour. As for the exercise procedures, going by previous years, a dedicated team of referees should be here shortly. You’ll just have to wait for them!"
"You mentioned previous years. What, have the military exercises always been held here?"
Zuo Qinchuan suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice. "To be honest with you, the format and location of this exercise are the same every year. Even this station behind us has never changed. They call it a station, but it’s really just an empty shell built from special materials. It’s incredibly tough; I reckon even a Grandmaster would struggle to tear it down..."
As Zuo Qinchuan spoke, Yu Fei gleaned a key piece of information: the exercise, codenamed Desperate Fortress, was an annual event.
The opposing sides were always the sophomores and the freshmen.
Zuo Qinchuan said the exercise was no secret. In fact, it was rather famous within the military. Footage of their battle would be broadcast to the entire army—or, at least, the army affiliated with Shenhan University.
Furthermore, the sophomores apparently fought this exercise at a loss. Any merit points Yu Fei and the others earned on the battlefield would be deducted from the sophomores’ own accounts. And even if the sophomores won a flawless victory, there were no rewards for them.
The university only provided the venue, the supplies, and the referees for scoring.
Despite this, every year, the newly-promoted sophomores insisted on having this battle, even if it meant taking a loss out of their own pockets. They called it upholding the fine tradition of "educating their juniors," something that simply couldn’t be abandoned.
Hearing this, it all clicked for Yu Fei. ’The aptitude and number of students are roughly the same each year. Everyone knows how much a class can grow in a year, but the freshmen have no idea. After three months of training at Shenhan, they have some basic combat skills.’
A battle between the new and the old, then, would reveal a great deal. Yu Fei figured the old-timers were probably hiding somewhere, watching in secret.
"Mr. Zuo, do you know what the win rate for this exercise has been over the years?"
Zuo Qinchuan thought for a moment before answering, "I remember back in the year 829, there was one class that managed to withstand the assault and hold the fortress. But even they were in pretty rough shape by the end."
"The success rate is that low?" Yu Fei frowned. "And here I was hoping to take down the sophomores."
Zuo Qinchuan flashed a brilliant smile. "Well, I wish you luck. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the one to set a new record."
’It was just a casual remark,’ he thought. ’I can’t afford to offend them, especially not these prodigies from the Celestial Pride Class who are about to get thoroughly thrashed.’
"Mr. Yu, the count is finished! No errors or omissions!"
"Good. Thanks for your hard work."
As he said this and moved to sign, Zuo Qinchuan promptly offered him a pen.
"Mr. Zuo, thanks for making the trip. I’m sure we’ll see each other again."
"You’re too kind!"
With the supply handover complete, the two men exchanged salutes. Zuo Qinchuan hopped onto the transport vehicle and departed. As he pulled away, he glanced back and saw the words embroidered on the back of Yu Fei’s golden battle robe. He subconsciously read aloud the five words stitched there: "Yulin Army Lord, Peerless, Unrivaled."
"A true larger-than-life figure..."
He felt an indescribable pang of envy. Shenhan University’s three Celestial Pride Classes had always been considered the reserve corps for the Martial Saint Legion. Based on past records, the likelihood of a student joining was as high as sixty percent.
The Celestial Pride Class was for the best of the best. He recalled the young man he’d just spoken with—so full of intense, soaring spirit. Even when faced with the sophomores, a challenge few had ever overcome, the confidence in his eyes never wavered. Just looking at him made you feel the battle was far from decided.
’For him to be unique even within the Celestial Pride Class, to wear a title as weighty as "Peerless, Unrivaled" with no one to object—what kind of magnificent presence must he command!’
Zuo Qinchuan sighed and let out a wry laugh. Not even in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined a future like that for himself.
These youths were still green, yet not a single one of them showed any sign of weakness or anxiety. On the contrary, a hidden killing intent radiated from each of them. He had been to war; he knew this was the ideal state of mind before a major battle. A unit like this, win or lose, was unparalleled in its aggression. You usually only saw that kind of spirit in the most elite, decorated units.