Qin Fen watched another recruit step up to challenge Squad Leader Hao, shaking his head repeatedly. That idea of trying to snag an easy win was misguided; Squad Leader Hao was certainly no pushover.

Qin Fen was finishing his twelfth lap when the second recruit challenging Squad Leader Hao was finally taken down.

The recruits were inexperienced, but not fools. After Squad Leader Hao huffed and puffed his way through two challengers, some began to suspect he was deliberately hiding his true strength—playing the pig to eat the tiger.

"Your turn, Jin Kui," Squad Leader Hao said with a slight smile, gesturing toward another recruit.

In this society, where martial prowess reigned supreme, most who enlisted had trained their bodies well, looking nearly as sturdy as bears. Jin Kui, however, was an exception. His physique wasn't exactly ruined, but he was definitely overweight. Standing at 175 centimeters, he weighed in at 175 jin [roughly 87.5 kg or 193 lbs].

"Report, Officer, I... I think I'll just stick to the standard first set of drills," Jin Kui replied, lacking conviction.

Squad Leader Hao looked at Jin Kui with obvious disappointment. "You disappoint me. Being a soldier means your word is iron. If you make a challenge, you must see it through. If you insist on the first set of drills, as punishment for breaking your promise, I will have to double your training volume."

Double? The fat on Jin Kui's face jiggled. Doubling that already extensive training schedule felt worse than being tossed overboard to the sharks.

The other recruits from Class Two who had issued challenges suddenly felt as if they had collectively boarded a pirate ship. The amiable, slightly winded Squad Leader Hao seemed far more terrifying than the fierce-looking squad leaders in other classes.

"Hahahaha..."

The squad leaders of Class One and Class Three simultaneously clutched their stomachs and burst into loud laughter.

"Old Squad Leader, you’re still as wicked as ever."

"Old Squad Leader, did you request reassignment several times just to torment the new recruits?"

"Fledglings, you've all been tricked! Don't let the old squad leader’s kind face fool you. He played us terribly back in our day."

"That's right! His kindness is just a trap so you think he’s easy to bully. You’re doomed!"

A smiling tiger? The same phrase flashed through the minds of every recruit in Class Two.

Deng Biao, currently doing push-ups on the ground, looked with envy at Qin Fen, who was nearly finished with his running laps. Perhaps being timid had its advantages; at least one wasn't so easily deceived.

————

As evening approached, the lingering sunset painted the sea surface with shimmering, golden scales.

Many recruits were still working to complete their training for the day. Qin Fen, having already eaten dinner, stood by the ship's railing, gazing toward the horizon where the ocean seemed to end.

Being among the first to finish dinner was rare for a recruit; usually, only one person per squad managed it. Today, however, two recruits from Platoon Two, Squad Two, of Third Company, Second Battalion, were dining first, which caused a small surprise among the supervising officers.

The recruit who finished running at the same time as Qin Fen, Du Peng, stood nearby at the railing. They were both waiting for Squad Leader Hao to appear.

This summons had been delivered during dinner by a cook who was filling their trays, relaying Squad Leader Hao’s message.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

Squad Leader Hao’s voice was as gentle and benevolent as ever, but to Qin Fen’s ears, it sounded like a weasel paying respects to a chicken—utterly insincere.

"Good evening, Squad Leader," both replied.

Du Peng’s military posture was more precise than Qin Fen’s, resembling a seasoned veteran of over a decade.

"Good," Squad Leader Hao returned a salute. "Du Peng, are you from a military family?"

"Report, Officer. Ancestors served in the military," Du Peng’s response was mechanical and concise, radiating the air of an outstanding soldier.

Just as expected. Squad Leader Hao smiled. This one was likely from a military lineage; there was no need for further conversation. He waved his hand. "You may go."

"Yes, Officer!" Du Peng marched away from the railing.

"You are Qin Fen, correct?" Squad Leader Hao's smile became even warmer, but Qin Fen strongly felt the need to place a long tail behind this squad leader, as it would better suit his overall demeanor.

"Yes, Officer!"

Qin Fen couldn't match Du Peng’s posture, but he tried his best to emulate the bearing required of a soldier. These details would eventually be recorded in his file for assessment; higher scores meant better benefits upon discharge, so he had to optimize every detail.

"No need to be so tense," Squad Leader Hao lightly hopped onto the railing and sat down, smiling. "I have high hopes for you."

"Thank you, Officer!" Qin Fen secretly tried to decipher the squad leader’s intentions. A man referred to as 'Old Squad Leader' by others wouldn't seek out a mere recruit just to say he thought highly of him.

"Relax. Think of this as a friendly chat." Squad Leader Hao clapped the railing beside him. "Come on, sit up here. Let’s talk properly."

Qin Fen found it difficult to refuse and sat on the railing, waiting for the questions.

"In my assessment, you are probably the strongest fighter among the new recruits in our squad," Squad Leader Hao suddenly waved his hand forcefully. "Stop addressing me in the subordinate manner; we are genuinely chatting now."

"Officer flatters me," Qin Fen quickly shook his head. Talking with a squad leader who resembled a smiling tiger required constant vigilance.

Squad Leader Hao smiled but didn't argue. In his mind, Du Peng was the strongest among the new recruits, and he had only said that to Qin Fen to gauge his limits—to understand why Qin Fen chose drills over challenges during the day.

"I give special care to the recruits I favor," Squad Leader Hao chuckled. "Starting tomorrow, during training, all recruits are strictly forbidden from using the power of Ancient Martial Arts or New Martial Arts. You will train using only your physical body."

"Oh, understood." Qin Fen’s expression remained unchanged. The training regimen today, even without using the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, wouldn't be overly difficult to complete.

A flicker of surprise crossed Squad Leader Hao’s eyes. Qin Fen’s wooden response was somewhat beyond his expectations. Was this man’s reaction time slow, or was he simply supremely confident? Seeing Qin Fen remain silent, Squad Leader Hao decided to prod further. "To take care of you, I intend to give you a handicap and accept your challenge. If you can only..."

Squad Leader Hao stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Qin Fen looking at him strangely. He hastily halted his provocation and asked with slight confusion, "What’s wrong? Is there an issue?"

Qin Fen paused for a moment, carefully choosing words that wouldn't offend his superior. "Does a Meteor-level master have a chance of winning against a Comet-level master who has one arm tied behind their back?"

"No chance at all," Squad Leader Hao replied, but his expression immediately shifted. He sized Qin Fen up with a strange look.

He was quick-witted. Qin Fen mentioning Meteor and Comet levels clearly indicated he had seen through the squad leader's own Meteor-level cultivation.

"Exactly," Qin Fen said, hopping down from the railing. "How can a Three-Star Martial Artist possibly defeat a Meteor-level master with one arm bound?"