Chapter 47: Forty-two chapters Military training began

Chang Hao was in a gloomy mood, glaring at Li Qiang, thinking to himself, "You still have the nerve to ask? Would this be happening if it weren’t for your dad?" But there was no time for complaints. Several people from the dorm hurriedly got dressed and then went downstairs to assemble. By seven o’clock, the university’s sports field was already densely packed with students dressed in camouflage uniforms. Under the blue sky, the vast field instantly turned into a noisy marketplace as students in camouflage whispered and gossiped among themselves. It wasn’t until seven o’clock that the school leader, with his gold-rimmed glasses and protruding belly, finally arrived fashionably late. After a few pleasantries, he proceeded to encourage the students below him, quoting the proverb, "The true edge of a sword comes from sharpening, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitterness of cold." Many students think that once they enter university, they are liberated, that they no longer need to study. Well, I am here to tell you that this way of thinking is wrong, very wrong indeed! University is just the beginning of your life! The school leader delivered his speech fervently, the content of his speeches all the same as always. Half of the students below had not slept well the night before, and being woken up at six in the morning from a beautiful dream, now bore dark circles under their eyes, feeling utterly miserable inside. September is one of the hottest months of the year, and by seven-thirty, the sun was already shining brightly. Chang Hao couldn’t help but complain, "When the hell is this going to end?" No sooner had he spoken a few words than he was chastised by a patrolling drill instructor, "No talking!" Seeing how strictly they were being monitored, Chang Hao’s mood sank even lower. This military training was proving to be unbearable. After about forty minutes, the head instructor took the stage. The school leader intended the head instructor to say a few words as well, but being from the military, he was all about efficiency. He got straight to the point: "Alright, if there’s nothing else, let’s start dividing into squads and begin training." A few years ago, the military training in Jinling University Town had several schools gather together and head to a nearby camp for training. The first activity of military training was a long march by foot from the university to the camp, a distance of fifty kilometers. However, under the scorching sun, these students, indulgent from a summer holiday, often fainted along the way, resulting in numerous incidents. In recent years, the universities had learned their lesson and directly canceled this activity. The camp training was also changed to self-training on campus. Because of this, the standard of military training varied greatly between schools; some maintained strict self-discipline, while others treated it as a mere formality and trained haphazardly. Zhou Yuwen’s school, however, still held high standards for military training. Not only were they required to meet training standards, but the dormitories also had to be kept tidy. The bedsheets needed to be folded into the shape of tofu blocks, and the instructors could conduct random inspections at any time. Beyond that, during the military training, students were forbidden from going out without filing a report. Everything was to emulate military life, with the cafeteria serving meals at fixed times. If you missed the mealtime, no other meals would be provided. For the freshman military training, the school had effectively cordoned off the sports field and the nearby cafeteria. In some ways, the school’s approach was justified. But from the students’ perspective, this twenty-day period was destined to be an ordeal. When it was time for the drill instructors to assign the students to squads, a group of twenty-somethings, excited like monkeys, began playing rock-paper-scissors to snatch up the chance to lead the women’s squads. What can you do? Life in the barracks is tough. Although you can’t say it’s as bad as "three years of military service turns a sow into a beauty," it’s not far off, and indeed, one could get to know some girls while leading military drills. Chang Hao was called out and became a bit panicked for a moment. Was he found out? He walked to the front with a puzzled look. "Squat down!" "What?" "I told you to squat down!" During military training, a common form of punishment is to squat for ten minutes, something you might not see at other schools, but in Zhou Yuwen’s military training, this was a distinctive feature. Zhou Yuwen was already used to such things. Chang Hao had initially thought he got caught swearing at the instructor and got a scare, but when he heard it was only a ten-minute squat punishment, he relaxed, "Alright!" "Then twenty minutes!" "?" Chang Hao was taken aback. "Thirty minutes?" "No, man, twenty minutes please!" Chang Hao was just this kind of guy, always keen to get chummy with others. But the instructor flat out ignored him. He continued to tell the students to try and stay out of trouble during the military training period! "If you do cause trouble, I’m not cleaning up your mess!" the instructor’s demeanor was fierce. "If you’re feeling unwell, speak up early. Don’t fucking tell me later that you’ve got a headache, weightless feet, or a fever!" The instructor obviously spoke from experience. Chang Hao, squatting in front of the instructor, chuckled at these words, "Bro, you’re really not giving us enough credit, are you?" "You squat for thirty minutes." "..." Chang Hao immediately fell silent. "Go squat over there, away from me!" the instructor suddenly got a little irritated with this clueless student. Chang Hao was inwardly distressed but obediently ran to the side and squatted down. "No one’s feeling unwell, right?" The instructor, seeing no one else speak up, was ready to begin training. "Reporting in!" At this time, Zhou Yuwen spoke up. "Speak!" "Feeling unwell, requesting leave."