Du Peng, trailing right behind Qin Fen, was staring at the leader with disbelief. This guy was a monster! Didn't he know how to get tired?

Qin Fen, swimming ahead, also felt something peculiar. He hadn't practiced the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art for just a day or two, and he'd certainly performed it in the water thousands of times, yet nothing like this had ever happened before.

Activating the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art once submerged, it ran smoother and faster than on land. The energy within him truly felt like a dragon soaring through the water.

Could this be an effect triggered upon reaching the third stage of the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art? Qin Fen quickly dismissed this thought, beginning to suspect that the convoluted Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art possessed unique properties specifically in water.

If practicing it in water yielded such results, would cultivating it while submerged have the same fluidity? Qin Fen recalled that during the cultivation of the third stage, the energy flowing through him felt like pushing a massive boulder slowly forward; a single cycle took a full two hours—far more exhausting than his usual work at construction sites.

Based on the officially published method for the third stage, Qin Fen calculated he could complete sixty cycles in those two hours.

If the opportunity arose, he absolutely had to try cultivating the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art in the ocean! Qin Fen made a silent resolution, diverting all his focus back to swimming.

Two thousand meters, two thousand three hundred...

Squad Leader Huang Hao’s expression also began to shift. Qin Fen maintained that unbelievable speed, and he even looked like he intended to pick up the pace.

Camp Commander Zhang Jianshan, however, gradually revealed a smile. The company commander directly overseeing Qin Fen’s unit also had a pleased curve on his lips.

"Squad Leader Hao," Zhang Jianshan murmured as he walked over to him, "it seems like our East Asia New Recruit Training Camp hasn't won any of the military skill competitions for quite some time, has it?"

Squad Leader Hao's usual simple honesty had vanished; he nodded like a seasoned fox. "Indeed. The quality of recruits from Europe, America, and Africa has significantly surpassed ours in East Asia over the years."

"And what about this batch?" Camp Commander Zhang inquired casually.

Squad Leader Hao responded just as easily, "This batch? I'm very expectant."

The other company commanders, platoon leaders, and squad leaders also started to laugh. Sometimes, soldiers prioritized honor above their own lives. Back when the discovery of the 'Atlantis Ruins' and the subsequent popularization of martial arts occurred, the East Asian Army Group enjoyed boundless prestige in the Federation’s military competitions. Whether it was marksmanship, close combat, aerial warfare, or anything else, they held an absolutely dominant position.

The ranking within the Federation used to be East Asia first-tier, Europe/America second-tier, Africa third-tier, and West Asia at the bottom.

As Europe, America, and Africa gradually grasped the essence of these martial arts and developed their own new techniques, East Asia’s performance in successive competitions had declined. Even the weakest West Asian Army Group claimed they would escape their last-place status.

Now, there was a clear trend emerging: Europe/America first-tier, Africa second-tier, with East and West Asia bunched together at the bottom.

"Squad Leader Hao, I concede."

Huang Hao pulled a hundred U.S. dollars from his pocket, wearing a genuinely happy smile. Discovering such an outstanding new recruit for a mere hundred dollars felt well worth the investment.

Qin Fen collapsed onto the sand, gasping for breath. Swimming the entire distance at full speed had taken its toll; his steps on the beach became sluggish, and his body began to sway slightly.

He quickly settled into a cross-legged position, ready to employ the Life Reversal Art to recover his strength, when he suddenly recalled the words spoken by the luminous figure in his dream: Persisting in practice when one is most exhausted is the best time for growth.

Should he cultivate the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art? Qin Fen swiftly dismissed the idea. No matter how low the standard of a new recruit, reaching the shore should not take two hours of swimming.

Practicing the Dragon-Elephant Prajñā Art for two hours required uninterrupted internal circulation—time he clearly didn't have now. A slight disturbance or accidental touch carried the risk of disordering his cultivation at best.

The Life Reversal Art quickly circulated throughout his body, alleviating some of the fatigue.

The last recruit, under the gaze of a thousand eyes, staggered onto the sand. Just as Qin Fen expected, it was Jin Kui from his own squad.

Swimming over five kilometers at speed was by no means an easy feat for this slightly overweight recruit.

The landing craft soon pulled up to the shore. A harsh "Assemble!" echoed, and the exhausted new recruits scrambled quickly to form ranks.

After several days, everyone knew that joining the army was not a vacation; any slight delay in action could instantly bring punishment.

"Rest in place for half an hour! Then, a seven-kilometer forced march!" Camp Commander Zhang’s voice, along with those of the other camp commanders, reached Qin Fen’s ears. "The entire squad of the last person gets no dinner!"

The new recruits of Second Squad, First Platoon, Third Company, Second Battalion, all looked toward Jin Kui, who was still panting heavily. Jin Kui, already trailing, wore a look of utter despair.

The two thousand new recruits began their rest, and the atmosphere within Second Squad, First Platoon, Third Company, Second Battalion, plunged to rock bottom. Du Peng, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly stood up and walked to Qin Fen. "If he can't run, I'll carry him. If I get tired, you carry me. How about that?"

Carrying him? The other comrades in the squad nearly stared out of their sockets. Jin Kui was rather heavy, and a seven-kilometer march was no joke.

Qin Fen smiled. He had initially planned to carry Jin Kui if he couldn't manage, ensuring they wouldn't finish last, even if he didn't secure first place himself—a plan he wasn't entirely confident about until Du Peng offered his help. With Du Peng involved, they might actually avoid being at the very bottom.

"You guys... I..." Jin Kui was visibly moved.

Du Peng cut in coolly, "Soldiers are not individuals; our squad is a collective."

Qin Fen was slightly surprised. This cold new recruit was undoubtedly superior to everyone else in the contingent when it came to military aptitude.

The half-hour rest ended quickly. In order to avoid starving at dinner, the new recruits set off at a brisk pace, following their squad leaders toward the new recruit camp five kilometers away.

Qin Fen shot forward, passing Jin Kui, and said, "Keep close to me."

Du Peng’s eyes immediately lit up—a designated pacer!

Many people find solitary running exceptionally grueling and struggle to persevere, yet if someone sets the pace in front of them, they often manage to perform beyond their normal capabilities.

ps: Time flies; it’s Saturday again. Thank you all for your votes this week, and please continue to summon those recommendation tickets. Tomorrow is Sunday. At midnight between Sunday and Monday, Gao Lou will update as usual...

Furthermore, thanks to the enthusiastic recommendation votes this week, Gao Lou will have many, many, many highlights next week. Between midnight and 1 AM on Sunday leading into Monday, Gao Lou will host a 'Highlight Granting Session'; everyone who comments will receive a highlight. Those who are still awake and wish to claim a highlight, remember to show up!