“Of course, trash should be aware that they’re trash,” Li Hong shrugged. “Everyone in the Guardian Beast Co-operation Preparatory Camp has only one chance to participate in their lifetime. If you choose to be trash, then you might as well completely sever your ties with the Guardian Beast Co-operation in battle.” “Now, does anyone still have doubts about going to battle?”
Silence completely enveloped the carriage.
At this point, the surge of anger and dissatisfaction that everyone had felt seemed to vanish into thin air.
It had been made very clear: if you don’t want to face danger on the battlefield, just slack off during the preparatory camp.
Lin Su frowned slightly.
Recalling what Li Hong had just said, Lin Su had to admit that indeed, as the other had said, he had never mentioned that they would go to the battlefield right after getting off the transport vehicle, nor that everyone was required to go to the battlefield.
But Li Hong’s words clearly carried a suggestive tone. Even though he hadn’t spelled it out, he had intended to lead them to that conclusion, even purposely stirring up everyone’s anger.
Was this a demonstration of power? Or some sort of special test?
A glint flashed across Lin Su’s eyes as he suddenly spoke up, “Report to Instructor Li, I want to ask, the part where you said dark and ice types should be at the forefront, is that true or not?”
“When have I ever spoken falsely?” Li Hong responded without hesitation. “Of course, it’s true.”
“Neither the combat missions in the preparatory camp nor the final assessment tasks are solo missions. In the military, individual bravery is always the least desirable trait,” Li Hong said lightly, glancing at Lin Su. “Your strength is probably among the strongest in this session of the preparatory camp, but if the others in your team don’t complete the mission, you’ll still fail the assessment.”
“Dark and ice types have terrain advantages on the border battlefield and can play a greater role. Isn’t it only natural for them to be at the forefront of the rest of the team members? Of course…” Li Hong spread his hands. “You are free to hide at the back and watch your teammates fail their mission, which will just lead to your own failure as well.”
Lin Su silently clenched the gun barrel in his hand.
I really want to punch a couple of holes in this guy!
If he had been directly told that team combat required him to help the team members complete the mission together, he could have accepted it.
Yet when Li Hong had spoken the same line, it felt as though he was being forced to be a sacrificial pawn.
This guy was doing it on purpose!
Clearing things up would kill him, huh?!
The same sentence can mean two different things; this guy shouldn’t be in the military, he should be teaching language arts!
Lin Su gritted his teeth.
Discover stories with empire
Li Hong, huh? I’ll remember you!
Playing with ambiguity, right?
Playing word games, right?
“Any other questions?” Without paying attention to Lin Su, Li Hong looked at the others.
Soon, a bespectacled male student stood up. It was the same student who had accused Li Hong of fraud. He pushed his glasses up, still looking quite displeased, “Report to Instructor Li, this kind of information could have been made clear in advance. Why the secrecy? Since we’ve joined the assessment, we ought to know in advance.”
“Guardian Beast Co-operation in combat was discovered twenty-six years ago by researcher Qin Yunzhang,” Li Hong began to explain without directly answering the student’s question. “Since then, the Guardian Beast Co-operation Preparatory Camp was established, recruiting qualified Beast Tamers across the regions. This is the twenty-sixth session.”
“In the early days, there were no secrecy rules in place. We would specify all the cautions and the exact location of the preparatory camp in the invitation notice.” He sneered. “That’s probably what you want… no secrecy, warning in advance, right?”
As everyone subconsciously nodded, Li Hong sneered again, a look of anguish and hatred flickering in his eyes, “During the fifteenth session of the preparatory camp, the floating transport vehicles responsible for carrying the members were ambushed by the Beastian Cult in collusion with numerous flying beasts.”
The Beastian Cult?
Lin Su’s heart tightened abruptly.
He was all too familiar with this evil organization that had once attempted to murder him. He never expected they would be so audacious as to attack military transport vehicles.
“At that time, unlike now, freshmen from different Beast Tamer Universities would set off at different times to different locations, and the locations varied for every session. Back then, all university freshmen departed together,” Li Hong’s gaze swept over the astounded new recruits as he said somberly.
“During that incident, nearly thirty percent of the thousands of military floating transport vehicles were shot down, and the casualties among the university’s new recruits were severe.”
“Since then, the rules of the preparatory camp were thoroughly revised and strictly kept confidential. Only after boarding the floating transport vehicles would the instructor inform you of the specifics, and when departing, you would need to sign a confidentiality agreement, promising never to disclose any details about the preparatory camp.”
His gaze returned to the bespectacled student, “Are you satisfied with this answer?”
The student pressed his lips together and sat down without hesitation.
What he had perceived as deception was actually a reluctant choice made to ensure their safety.
This left him utterly speechless.
“Any other questions? Please bring them all up now.” After looking at the others and confirming there were no more doubts, Li Hong continued, “In the preparatory camp, you will be treated as new recruits. Since you are soldiers, you must abide by all military regulations.”
“Moreover, any military exploits and beasts slain during the camp will be rewarded with corresponding contribution points as per normal protocol.”
“In the military, the contribution points for slaying beasts can be increased by an additional fifty percent,” Li Hong’s eyes swept over the crowd as he spoke softly. “This is a benefit provided by the alliance to military personnel, and you will enjoy the same during the preparatory camp.”
“Furthermore, if you fall in battle, compensation and various benefits enjoyed by the relatives of the fallen soldiers will be available to you too, of course…” Li Hong gave a cold smile. “If possible, it’s best not to have to enjoy these.”
“Next, I will discuss the regulations within the preparatory camp…”
After roughly ten minutes of explaining the camp’s regulations, Li Hong glanced at the time and then spoke indifferently, “In five minutes, the floating transport vehicle will descend into the training camp area specifically designated for you at the command headquarters. Cherish your last five minutes of relative peace.”
Leaving them with those words, Li Hong turned and passed through the aisle into the control cabin at the front.
The new recruits were left looking at each other.