First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Results

Lian Sheng pushed open the infirmary door to find the doctor sitting before his optical computer.

A male student sat in the outer area, applying medicated oil to his leg.

Watching him rub the same spot over and over with lingering reluctance, Lian Sheng sighed as she began what must have been his twentieth application.

The doctor finished browsing his screen and turned to see the student still there. Finally losing patience, he snapped, "Haven't you had enough? You'll rub your thick hide raw at this rate!"

The student looked up and said, "Report, I'm rubbing my leg."

The doctor's face darkened as he sneered, "Shall I break it for you so you can stay here permanently?"

The student's buttocks clenched in alarm. He set down the medicine bottle, sprang to attention, saluted, then fled.

Lian Sheng watched his retreating back and remarked, "Oh~"

The doctor turned to her, hands in pockets, chin lifted. "What's wrong with you?"

"I have a cold," Lian Sheng said.

The doctor beckoned her over for a blood draw.

Ten minutes later, reviewing the results, the doctor said, "You're perfectly healthy. Just slightly dehydrated. Everyone coming in from drills is dehydrated—that's normal."

Lian Sheng sat astride the chair, insisting seriously, "I have a cold."

"You may leave," the doctor replied coldly.

Lian Sheng met his gaze firmly. "I really do have a cold. If I don't have one now, I'll catch one the moment I step outside. I need a warm bed, a gentle doctor, and dry blankets."

The doctor: "..."

The doctor placed a hand on her chair. At his full height of 1.9 meters standing over her, Lian Sheng had to crane her neck to see his face.

"There are principles here," the doctor said. "Anyone who can walk doesn't stay."

"Oh." Lian Sheng suddenly remembered. "I have heat rash."

Doctor: "..."

That expression—was she talking about heat rash or some priceless treasure?!

As they spoke, Instructor Fu strode in, hands on hips. Spotting Lian Sheng, his expression instantly darkened. Turning to the doctor, he asked with forced politeness, "How is she?"

The doctor replied without batting an eye, "She has a cold."

Instructor Fu: "Uh..."

Doctor: "Something else?"

"No, nothing." Instructor Fu said. "Just wondering when she'll recover?"

Lian Sheng quickly interjected, "Ten days to half a month."

Doctor: "By evening, fit for training."

Instructor Fu nodded hastily. "Good! Remember to notify her later, Doctor Lin. Everyone must participate."

The doctor nodded. Instructor Fu retreated, closing the door behind him.

Lian Sheng sighed, went to the farthest bed, pulled back the covers, and climbed in.

The doctor glanced at her before returning to his optical computer.

At this hour, with everyone either training or sleeping, the infirmary was quiet.

Doctor Lin's strict standards meant students knew better than to overstay.

Half an hour later, as Lian Sheng drifted into sleep, the infirmary door opened again.

Seeing someone in bed, Zhao Zhuoluo entered quietly. The doctor turned. "Problem?"

Zhao Zhuoluo: "Took a fall earlier. Might have injured my spine."

Lian Sheng threw off the covers, lifting her head from the pillow. "Here to catch a cold too?"

Zhao Zhuoluo started, looking at her in confusion.

The doctor motioned for him to wait, walked to Lian Sheng's bed, grabbed the blanket's edge, and yanked it over her head, bundling her completely.

"Shut up!" the doctor barked.

Zhao Zhuoluo: "..."

Zhao Zhuoluo stared, wide-eyed. "Uh... her?"

The doctor said, "The wicked live a thousand years. Over here."

They went to an examination room. Spinal and nerve injuries were unpredictable—sometimes a small oversight led to irreversible consequences. Caution never hurt.

After reviewing Zhao's scans, Doctor Lin nodded. "No major issues."

Noting Zhao's excessive sweating, the doctor advised more electrolyte fluids and prescribed vitamins. They returned to the main room.

As Zhao left, the doctor checked on Lian Sheng—still motionless under the covers.

Frowning, a sudden concern struck him—had she suffocated in there?

He pulled back the blanket to find Lian Sheng dead to the world, drooling.

As light hit her face, she stirred slightly. The doctor's expression darkened as he re-covered her.

Lian Sheng: "..."

By evening, the rain had eased. All students assembled for the debriefing.

Lian Sheng was likewise ejected by the doctor. Putting on her shoes, she walked out with uncoordinated limbs.

Instead of feeling refreshed after resting, the muscle strain left her increasingly drained.

The ranks formed as they awaited the lieutenant's arrival.

Instructor Fu paced before them, shooting Lian Sheng several pointed glares before stopping to address the group. Pointing skyward, he demanded, "Know why it rained today?"

The students shook their heads innocently.

Meng Jiangwu: "Because it hadn't rained in nearly two weeks."

Instructor Fu declared, "Because heaven was furious at your insolence and took pity!" Beating instructors was unforgivable!

Lian Sheng: "..."

This was truly shameless.

Several zero-scoring students clutched their chests sincerely. "We agree completely!" Their own hearts ached!

While their instructor berated them, the neighboring squad's students were protesting to their own instructor.

A male student at the front shouted, "Instructor, giving us zero points is too harsh!"

The chorus echoed: "Too harsh!"

Student: "Can you justify this result?"

Chorus: "No justification!"

Student: "Our morale is shattered!"

The group wailed dramatically: "Instructor—!"

The instructor covered his ears, pained, and turned away, walking to the front to escape.

Onlookers quieted to watch the spectacle.

The instructor raised a hand. "Enough!"

The group subsided with exaggerated sighs.

"Don't blame instructors for your own shortcomings," the instructor said, adjusting his cap. "Other students scored—why couldn't you?"

The student countered, "Instructors who don't go easy aren't good instructors! You've crushed our combat motivation!"

Another added, "Exactly! Which 'other students' scored? Look at the Command Department next door—nearly wiped out! Majority experience proves this true!"

The instructor clicked his tongue, kicking the ground. "Any easier and we'd be handing out points. Your instructors nearly got court-martialed."

Pointing at Instructor Fu, he said, "Look at Instructor Fu's expression—why can't you learn from them?"

Instructor Fu turned away with an icy expression, coughing. "That's too much. Is this how you treat old comrades?"

The other instructor cracked, laughing. "Ah, everyone needs balance. Sacrifice yourself so others can feel spring's warmth."

Instructor Fu sighed. Of all his student cohorts, this was his deepest regret.

Nearby instructors laughed together, their humor lost on the students.

A student beside Meng Jiangwu turned. "Lucky you, teamed with Zhao Zhuoluo. Scored big, huh?"

Meng Jiangwu smiled mysteriously. "Not bad."

The student waggled his eyebrows. "Oho—!"

Lu Mingyuan's group was also discussing. A teammate asked, "How did you four Command students last so long up there?"

Lu Mingyuan adjusted his glasses matter-of-factly. "Point farming."

Teammate: "That impressive?"

Lu Mingyuan: "Haha, extremely."

Their chatter soon ceased as the lieutenant arrived. Instant silence fell as everyone straightened ranks.

The lieutenant reviewed the exercise results.

In the end, three instructors remained standing when student numbers became insufficient—a truly regrettable outcome.

Performance-wise, students showed extreme polarization.

"I must particularly commend the top two squads for outstanding performance!" The lieutenant read from his optical computer. "This exercise's first-place team: Lian Sheng, Lu Mingyuan, Zheng Lei, Shen Yu..."

Lian Sheng's squad scored 22 points; Zhao Zhuoluo's team 21. Together they accounted for over one-sixth of the total team score—a dominating lead.

Ji Fangxiao's team scored 15, commendable on its own but paling in comparison.

Ji Fangxiao's team started strong but faltered after attempting to recruit Zhao Zhuoluo—only to be crippled by Lian Sheng, losing their sniper. After regrouping, night fell. Just as they regained momentum, they encountered Lian Sheng's team again, harassed into exhaustion.

Their ordeal was so tortuous it moved listeners to tears.

Despite high-risk battles, all-nighters, and lasting the full duration, they couldn't escape Lian Sheng's shadow.

Though Lian Sheng couldn't see Ji Fangxiao, she imagined his grief.

The score announcement caused an uproar.

This explained why over half the participants hovered near zero—a near-monopolistic outcome. Disorganized teams struggled to score, most managing only one or two points.

No threes. Absolutely no threes.

Look at this bloodbath! How could they be so cruel!

An instructor pointed at them, laughing. "See clearly now—it wasn't instructors who gave you zeros, but them."

Exactly them! With only 240 total points, they'd claimed entire sectors?

The dam broke as accusations flew.

"Twenty-two points?! Why not just bomb the whole mountain?"

"Aha! I know her! She's the one who eliminated me!" A student pointed accusingly. "A girl!"

Another joined: "Me too!"

"Instructor-killer or student-killer? I barely started before she got me—also a girl! Must be her!"

"She took us to loot supplies too!"

"Same person?"

"How many girls were even out there? Twenty-two points! Our two squads combined didn't hit twenty-two!"

The crowd lamented: "Pathetic." To be stir-fried by one girl.

Despite the complaints, admiration lingered.

Fang Jianchen recalled his tragic demise, nearly weeping. "You think you're pitiful? I got killed by a ricocheting rock!"

Their instructor reprimanded sharply: "No excuses. Stray rounds are valid—poor positioning is your fault."

Another instructor scowled. "Using 'male' or 'female' to describe opponents now? No wonder you failed. Deserved."

He continued earnestly: "Learn from them. Four Command students—physically inferior—dominated this exercise. Analyze why. Start recognizing your deficiencies—warfare isn't about brute strength."

This jolted realization.

Indeed, Lian Sheng's team were all Command students.

Moreover, Lian Sheng was the first female in a decade to win an instructor combat challenge.

(Though her eight-member mass elimination was equally legendary.)

Luck couldn't explain consecutive successes. Lian Sheng's name featured throughout the exercise, yet they'd instinctively overlooked her.

Because she was female? Or her usual training penalties?

Undeniably, she possessed remarkable qualities to achieve such results.

Amid the uproar, Lian Sheng stood composed, as if unrelated.

Zheng Lei and others grew sheepish under scrutiny, grinning awkwardly. This time, they'd truly been carried.

"Having reviewed footage, I confirm our MVP is Comrade Lian Sheng," an instructor announced hands behind back. "Masterclass in using others to eliminate threats before discarding them. Flawless coordination exploiting conflicts for gain. Textbook Command Department execution—though don't emulate her."

Two extra points would be disastrous.

Lian Sheng snorted.

There could only be one Lian Sheng in this world.

---

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