First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 131

Chapter 131: Manpower

They had been winding their way through the mountains, no longer remembering which paths they'd taken. Perhaps to increase the distance, they might have circled the mountain an extra time.

Finally, the instructors began leading them downhill.

Along the way, they encountered another ambush—the last one on their outward journey. Having learned their lesson thoroughly this time, the students guarded every step with paranoid vigilance, stubbornly refusing to advance as they wasted time scrutinizing their surroundings.

The instructors couldn't drag them forward until one finally kicked a male student's rear end while shouting "Enough!" at the front of the group, then led them onward.

Fortunately, no further mishaps occurred.

As noon approached, the instructors halted and announced a major break.

They had reached relatively flat, remote terrain near a half-built foundation where the snow was shallower.

For fifty minutes, they could remove their heavy gear. The group prepared to eat.

They carried ready-to-eat meal packs, but in this cold weather, the rice had clumped together and needed reheating to be palatable. It also provided an opportunity to warm their hands by the fire.

A group of male students was assigned to clear the area and build a stone stove. Fuel had been packed in their gear. They gathered materials and started the fire.

Lian Sheng checked her optical computer and saw they were already past the halfway point. Having departed at 6 a.m., it was now noon. Their pace had been faster near the base with no breaks initially. After ascending the mountain, their speed slowed with scheduled rests. Combined with training delays and extra weight penalties, they'd covered thirty-two kilometers.

From the map, the shortest remaining distance to base was twenty-three kilometers.

As the vanguard unit, this training march clearly exceeded fifty kilometers. Lian Sheng's instincts told her it would be significantly longer.

The instructors chatted up front while waiting for the students to finish preparations so they could join. Two medical staff moved through the group with first aid kits assessing their condition.

After prolonged mountain trekking through icy water and snow—even with waterproof boots—meltwater had seeped down their pant legs.

Some students' feet looked waterlogged, with peeling skin from either friction or moisture. The medics distributed ointment. Once treated, they'd be ready to march again.

Lian Sheng had deliberately limited her water intake, the first ambush leaving too vivid an impression about the lack of bathroom facilities. Her suspicions proved correct—the route planners had been utterly inconsiderate.

Relieving oneself in this wilderness was deeply awkward.

A row of male students lined up against a wall, whistling cheerfully as they urinated in unison—a spectacular sight.

Lian Sheng gazed skyward, contemplating life's cruel ironies.

An instructor approached, arms crossed: "Well? Need to go? Our hundred-plus men can stand guard for you! How does it feel being loved by so many men?"

Lian Sheng: "..."

Being cherished by a horde of macho men—she'd rather die.

"Thanks," Lian Sheng nodded. "I can hold it a while longer."

As the meal packs began steaming, she carefully lifted hers, using the snow-filled bag as insulation, then ate with deep satisfaction.

The hot food sliding down her throat warmed her entire body. Flavor didn't matter—her mouth was nearly numb from cold. Comfort alone dictated her enjoyment.

After resting, standing up became its own challenge.

The students huddled by the dying fire until their fuel ran out and break time ended.

The instructors rose mercilessly: "Everyone up! Clean the area and prepare to return!"

Fang Jianchen exhaled a white breath, hugging himself motionless: "Never realized standing could be so difficult. Seriously."

Brief rest had allowed exhaustion to settle in. As their legs thawed and sensation returned, discomfort surged through them.

What they wanted most was sleep—even in this exposed wilderness.

Lian Sheng rubbed her hands vigorously, eyes closed. Sometimes forcing oneself was the hardest battle.

"Hurry up!" an instructor urged. "You've got afternoon objectives! Fail those and the consequences will be severe! Waste time now and you'll regret it!"

Lian Sheng looked up: "What objectives? Another morning-style ambush?"

"No, different," the instructor said. "Our base's mountain area is vast. We took the left path initially before shifting center. Other students took the central route directly."

He stroked his chin: "By schedule, they've covered about twenty-five kilometers. We traveled farther but are now closer to base—positioned along their return path."

The students grasped his implication but remained stiff with resistance.

Sure enough: "Your return mission is intercepting them! Whatever we did to you, do to them. Five hundred successful shots completes the mission, after which you may return. We'll reduce your load to ten kilograms starting now."

"But!" the instructor raised a finger. "Note—if shot, you'll play dead until teammates complete the five hundred shots. Fail to reach base by 6 p.m. and you'll count as training failures. The consequences... you know."

Despite his dramatic delivery, the group remained unenthused. Yet being assigned another absurd task brought perverse reassurance.

"Why?" a male student protested. "Leave the dirty work to you guys."

"Finding base isn't that simple."

"We're innocent angels—can't we just walk back peacefully?"

"This was supposed to be endurance training, not combat drills. Changing formats now?"

"Seriously, why don't you handle this? Pitting us against each other near the end seems unfair."

"We would," the instructor said, "but we're understaffed! Can't pull everyone from base—we're not that idle! Limited instructors must supervise your group while running ambushes. Too few of us makes it meaningless." He pointed at them. "We believe in you—that's why you're chosen!"

A student raised his hand: "Reporting, sir! You said endurance training is collective—no stragglers allowed. Thus it's not elimination-based but about mutual progress toward societal betterment!"

The group nodded emphatically, fists clenched in shared idealism.

The instructor smiled: "Endurance training isn't, but this intensive training is. Intensive training isn't pleasant—got a problem? Fight it. Now get up! No more dawdling—where's your fighting spirit?"

With collective sighs, they stood to clean the area. After adjusting their loads to ten kilograms, they prepared to ascend again.

Reaching the mountainside, they found chaotic footprints confirming the main group's path. They stopped to await their targets.

A male student clutched his chest: "Instructor... I'm getting altitude sickness."

The instructor scoffed, poking him: "At this elevation? Were you dug out of some fossil pit?"

"Not high, but the suffering's real."

"My heart bleeds."

The instructor shook his leg: "Fifty kilometers in one day—what's there to whine about? Even our female soldiers complain less!"

A student raised his hand: "Our squad has female soldiers too! Don't ignore Lian Sheng!"

"Exactly! She's keeping up—what's your excuse?"

Fang Jianchen glanced at Lian Sheng: "She hasn't fallen behind, but her soul's halfway gone."

"Incorrect." Lian Sheng leaned against a tree, raising a hand. "Being a walking corpse is its own form of tempering."

The group: "..."

The instructor said emotionally: "If you all had her awareness, I'd never worry again."

They dispersed, finding cover while leaving some conspicuously visible to misdirect.

This intensive training involved over a thousand participants—Lian Sheng estimated fifteen hundred. Against their hundred-plus group including instructors, the numerical disadvantage was severe. With no respawns for them but unlimited lives for opponents, their numbers would only dwindle further.

Five hundred hits meant nearly five per student—against elite military academy peers.

The odds were daunting but not hopeless. Surprise attacks could yield early gains. Their targets, conditioned by morning traps, might hesitate before counterattacking. Plus, their hundred represented the absolute fittest.

After minutes of waiting motionless, the main force appeared.

"Hi~" the decoy students waved. "How's it going?"

The front line halted warily, weapons raised.

"More instructor imposters?"

"No, actual students. Don't they look familiar?"

"They're from our school."

"Wait—who? First squad? Did we catch up?"

"Different routes—we never saw their tracks despite their earlier start."

The decoys stepped forward, spinning their tale: "We took a side route, got led in circles to extend distance. Fell behind near here and got abandoned." One gestured ahead. "We're lost—saw your tracks and hoped to join you."

The main group remained suspicious: "You'd accept falling behind?"

First batch students willingly failing training while acting so calm?

"Our opinions don't matter—we're just students. But those instructors treated us like idiots. We argued until they kicked us out." They glanced at the main group's instructors. "Take us in? Maybe rest here while we explain?"

For once, the instructors were aligned with them—eager to humble their own students.

The instructors smiled broadly and announced: "All rest here temporarily. Let's assess the situation!"

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