After all, no one these days has become a billionaire just from the Sky Combat Network. Qin Fen certainly didn't think he could strike it rich there; he just needed to earn some extra money while he was in the military and didn't have to worry about living expenses.

Urged by everyone, Qin Fen returned to the Sky Combat Network and offered his comrades a twenty percent discount to bring them all into the Dragon Hall. Only then did he realize that more than a dozen strangers had already joined.

Seeing the sudden influx of wealth in his accounts, Qin Fen couldn't help but secretly rejoice, whispering to himself, "I've hit the jackpot!"

With the Dragon Hall established, Qin Fen immediately handed the Vice Hall Master position to Zhang Xiangyang. This mysterious young man possessed considerable capability and didn't exude any sense of malicious scheming. Entrusting him with all responsibilities except collecting funds felt entirely natural.

With everything settled quickly and properly, Qin Fen didn't linger in the Sky Combat Network. Tomorrow’s training still demanded peak physical stamina, and necessary rest and sleep were non-negotiable.

The other new recruits, following Qin Fen’s example, logged off to rest. They had been pushing their workouts based on Qin Fen’s routine, leaving them even more physically drained than he was.

****In the midst of his deep sleep, the army bugle sounded, and Qin Fen blinked open his hazy eyes.

After over a month of rigorous military training, the new recruits had improved immensely since their arrival. In a remarkably short time, they had all assembled on the training ground.

Due to the previous brawl, many squads were incomplete. Squad Leader Hao’s squad was record-breakingly small, with only three members, so they were temporarily merged with another squad for training.

Because of this, Squad Leader Hao rarely appeared on the morning training grounds.

His sudden presence today made many recruits feel a touch of unease. Was the smiling tiger in a foul mood, perhaps planning some mischief?

Standing before the new recruits, Squad Leader Hao swept his gaze over them with a grin. Even Du Peng felt a chill deep in his bones under that look, his body hair standing on end.

“Qin Fen. Come with me.”

Squad Leader Hao hooked a finger and turned, walking off to the side. The new recruits watched Qin Fen leave the formation with looks of infinite sympathy. Being singled out by the smiling tiger was truly the greatest tragedy in life.

Qin Fen was also somewhat puzzled. Usually, he was taken to the secret training area after the main session. What was happening today? The direction Squad Leader Hao was heading seemed to be the location of the secret training ground.

“Qin Fen has some matters to attend to for the next few days and will not be participating in the training.”

Company Commander Yan, long known among the recruits as the very embodiment of brutality, made this declaration with a fierce look. Instantly, the recruits became intensely curious about what business Qin Fen could possibly have that required him to skip training for several days.

These questions had to stay bottled up in the new recruits’ bellies, only to be asked when they next saw Qin Fen. Anyone who dared to question Company Commander Yan before then would likely receive his personal, ‘friendly’ instruction to complete a ten-kilometer forced march.

“Alright! Alright! Stop staring at Qin Fen!” Company Commander Yan raised both hands high above his head and clapped. “In a little while, there will be the new recruit wilderness survival exercise. I hear this time we’re heading to a newly discovered planet for survival training. Put some fire in your belly, train hard! Don't lose to those recruits from Xi’a when the time comes! Don’t bring shame upon us!”

New recruit exercise? Hearing those words, the recruits were instantly galvanized. This was effectively the preliminary selection for the New Recruit Military Skills Competition. Performing outstandingly during the exercise could draw attention from higher-ups, leading to individual small-scale training camps, followed by internal elimination rounds, and so on.

Even if eliminated during the internal cuts, one could still secure a promising future within the army. Every soldier dreams of becoming a general; every man harbors a competitive, fiery heart. Given even a sliver of opportunity, no one would easily let it go.

Company Commander Yan wore a faint, satisfied smile. The quality of this batch of recruits was good; at least their fighting spirit was much better than the previous two contingents. They had been slightly timid moments ago, but hearing about the exercise hadn't scared them; instead, they were all brimming with ambition.

Qin Fen followed Squad Leader Hao through a series of turns within the barracks. The further they walked, the stranger he felt. They had clearly passed the secret training area, yet there was no indication of stopping.

They passed several barracks Qin Fen had never seen before. Qin Fen’s ears twitched slightly—an armed supersonic attack helicopter?

Although he had never seen a real attack helicopter in reality, having studied under the Useless Captain for so long, Qin Fen had encountered far more types of aircraft in the simulated aerial combat network than most regular air force personnel had seen.

Without needing to look, just by listening, he knew it was a Harrier supersonic attack helicopter.

With the rapid pace of technological development, as waves of space fighters joined the military and mobile armor replaced ancient tanks, the status of the armed helicopter had become somewhat more awkward than that of ground forces.

Currently, attack helicopters were almost on the verge of obsolescence, mostly relegated to use as aerial support for special police units.

Qin Fen felt a degree of surprise seeing a supersonic attack helicopter on the base.

Entering the supersonic attack helicopter airfield, Butcher sat swaggering inside the rumbling aircraft, clad in a full set of designer suits.

Fire Phoenix, wearing a female business suit that emphasized her curves—a beauty distinct from the female soldiers—took the seat in the front cockpit.

Squad Leader Hao slapped Qin Fen’s backside. “Kid, get on the chopper.”

“The plane?” Qin Fen asked, slightly confused.

“Get on,” Squad Leader Hao urged, pushing Qin Fen’s back forward. “The standard military training here is a waste of time for you. What we’ve taught you needs to be supplemented with more opportunities for real combat. Without truly stepping onto the battlefield, seeing blood spray and limbs fly, without experiencing a life that was vibrant a second ago vanishing in the next, one can never become a true powerhouse.”

“Of course, this is all predicated on you surviving,” Gun King added, walking over and clapping Qin Fen on the shoulder. “Go on! Don’t disgrace us! Butcher will tell you the specifics of the mission.”

Waking from a nap only to be told he was executing a mission felt jarring to Qin Fen.

Stepping onto the attack helicopter, Butcher handed Qin Fen a map. “The place marked with a red ‘X’ is your destination. Someone will meet you there.”

Qin Fen blinked. The phrasing suggested Butcher wouldn't be accompanying him.

“We will rendezvous here,” Butcher continued. “Traveling alone to the meeting point is also part of the mission.”

Qin Fen didn't press further, lowering his gaze to the mission location: Seoul, the Special Administrative City of Hanzhou.

Seeing the destination, Qin Fen immediately began mapping the streets near the rendezvous point in his mind. Beside him, Butcher silently passed him a firearm.

Without looking down, Qin Fen knew the moment his hand grasped the weapon that it was an HK45 series pistol, a standard, unmodified HK45 Compact.

HK45C Compact, chambered in .45 ACP, with a shorter barrel for easier carry. Data from Gun King’s intensive training immediately surfaced in Qin Fen’s mind.

He carefully checked the firearm in his hand before tucking the HK45C away with caution.

Butcher’s eyes held a faint, satisfied smile. Caution and prudence were essential for mission execution. Inspecting the weapon wasn't a sign of distrust toward his comrade, but a necessary protocol.

“Nervous?” Butcher asked faintly, staring straight ahead.

“Yes, a little,” Qin Fen nodded slightly, feeling a surge of excitement coursing through his blood.

Butcher was pleased with Qin Fen’s answer. For a recruit who was a student just two months ago, receiving a mission while still in basic training, even someone with Qin Fen’s composure would find it hard to remain completely calm. Had Qin Fen claimed to be unworried, Butcher might have found it suspect; pretending composure was a common trait among the young, a mindset completely unacceptable on a mission. Being clearly aware of and admitting one's physical and mental state was the mark of a qualified soldier.

The pilot, overhearing their exchange from the front, seemed slightly surprised. This young man, still bearing the air of a new recruit, answered with such composure—a rare sight. He wondered which military family lineage the youth belonged to, otherwise, such calm resolve would be hard to achieve.

The aircraft flew at high speed. Qin Fen turned to look out the window at the scenery. He had never been on a plane before; he intended to savor the experience of looking down from such a high altitude.

Compared to Song Jia’s maglev sports car, the armed helicopter flew considerably higher, offering a completely different vista.

His first mission, and he was already on a plane he’d never ridden before—this was great. A smile, which he himself didn't notice, touched Qin Fen's lips.

Butcher glanced at Qin Fen with his peripheral vision. On his first mission, he still had the leisure to watch the scenery. Was his psychological fortitude truly outstanding, or was he just thick-skinned?

After watching the view for a while, Qin Fen slowly closed his eyes to rest. Even this high-performance armed helicopter would take six hours to reach Seoul in Hanzhou. Sitting idly and wasting that time would be far too extravagant.

Eyes closed, chest drawn in, the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique flowed slowly within him. The Bull Demon King from the last encounter didn't appear very old yet showed signs of breaking through the Four-Star barrier into the Meteor level during their fight. This deeply spurred Qin Fen’s desire to advance.

Seizing every moment to improve himself—excellent! Sitting in the front, Phoenix turned and gave Qin Fen an encouraging smile.

Seoul, the largest city on the Hanzhou Peninsula, was hailed as the world's seventh-largest metropolis, serving as the political, economic, cultural, and educational nexus of Hanzhou, as well as its primary air, sea, and land transport hub.