Chang Hao was in a foul mood, glaring at Li Qiang, thinking, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this state." However, there was no ti to complain. The roommates hurriedly dressed and headed downstairs for the assembly.
By 7 AM, the school's athletic field was packed with students in camouflage uniforms. Under the clear blue sky, the massive field had turned into a bustling marketplace, filled with students chatting away.
At 7:00, the school leaders, including one with gold-rimd glasses and a protruding belly, finally arrived. After so pleasantries, the leader delivered a speech to the students, filled with clichéd motivational quotes about enduring hardships to achieve success.
Many students, who thought college would be a ti of freedom and relaxation, were now realizing how wrong they were. The leader passionately emphasized that college was just the beginning of their lives.
Down below, half the students, who hadn't slept well and were woken up at 6 AM from their dreams, listened with dark circles under their eyes, feeling miserable.
September was one of the hottest months. By 7:30, the sun was already up. Chang Hao muttered, "How long is this speech going to last?" But as soon as he spoke, a nearby instructor scolded him, "No talking!"
Seeing the strict discipline, Chang Hao felt even more frustrated. This military training was going to be tough.
The school leader spoke for about forty minutes. Then the chief instructor took the stage. Following the leader’s instructions, the chief instructor gave a brief, efficient speech, and they began organizing the students into training groups.
In past years, students from several schools in Jinling University City were grouped together for military training at a nearby camp, with the first task being a fifty-kiloter hike to the camp. However, due to nurous incidents of students fainting in the heat, the schools had since canceled this activity and switched to on-campus training.
As a result, military training quality varied between schools. So maintained strict standards, while others took a more relaxed approach. Zhou Yuwen's school was one of the stricter ones, requiring not only training but also spotless dorms and neatly folded blankets, with random inspections by instructors. Students were not allowed to leave campus without permission, and al tis were strictly enforced.
The school had isolated a section of the field and a nearby cafeteria for the freshn's military training. While this approach had its rits, the students were facing a grueling twenty days ahead.
As the instructors divided the students, the young male instructors eagerly competed to lead the female groups. Life in the military was tough, and leading a training group was an opportunity to et female students, which many young soldiers looked forward to.
Unfortunately, the male students, seeing the instructors' enthusiasm for leading female groups, felt disdainful. So even thought, "What's so great about these uneducated soldiers?"
Zhou Yuwen’s group, which included students from Landscape Engineering classes one and two, was assigned to a short instructor who was initially supposed to lead a female group. However, due to a last-minute change, he was reassigned, much to his displeasure.
"Attention!" The instructor, annoyed by the change, decided to assert his authority.
At 8 AM, the sun was already intense. Other groups had started training, but Zhou Yuwen's group was still standing at attention. The first day's task was to stand at attention for thirty minutes.
As the sun climbed higher, the students began to waver, and their formation loosened. Seeing this, the instructor sneered, "Look at you now. Can’t even stand still for twenty minutes?"
"Didn’t you have breakfast?" he shouted, adding to the students' frustration. Many thought, "We were up at 6:30. Who had ti for breakfast?"
"Damn it, Zhou, this guy is so annoying," Chang Hao whispered to Zhou Yuwen, who ignored him and continued standing straight, having eaten breakfast and prepared well for his second round of military training.
"You, third boy in the second row! Step out!" the instructor called, startling Chang Hao. He nervously stepped forward, fearing he had been caught talking.
"Kneel down!"
"What?"
"I said kneel down!"
Half-squatting for ten minutes was a common punishnt in military training. Though unusual in so schools, it was standard here. Zhou Yuwen, familiar with this from his previous training, wasn’t surprised.
Relieved it was only a ten-minute punishnt, Chang Hao replied, "Alright!"
"Make that twenty minutes!"
"?" Chang Hao was stunned.
"Want to make it thirty?"
"No, twenty is fine!" Chang Hao quickly agreed, trying to sound friendly, but the instructor ignored him.
"Don't cause trouble during training! If you do, I won’t cover for you!" the instructor warned. "If you’re not feeling well, speak up early. Don’t wait until you’re fainting!"
Chang Hao, squatting in front of the instructor, snickered, "He underestimates us."
"Make that thirty minutes," the instructor snapped.
"..."
"Move further away to squat!" the instructor ordered, finding Chang Hao annoying.
Helpless, Chang Hao obeyed and moved aside.
"Anyone else feeling unwell?" the instructor asked. Seeing no response, he was about to start the training.
"Report!" Zhou Yuwen called out.
"Speak!"
"I'm not feeling well. I need to leave."
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