Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Two Lessons at Chu State’s Martial Arts Academy_1
Duan Kun flicked his empty sleeves, his eyes fixed on Wang Zhan, green with hunger like a wolf that had sighted fresh at. In his mind, he had already started formulating a specialized training plan for Wang Zhan. With Liu Zhenfeng’s approval, he would imdiately whisk Wang Zhan away for hellish training. Such a promising apprentice was wasting his ti here, firing blanks with a group of novices. It was better to seize every minute and second to increase his strength.
Wei Xikai didn’t like the sound of this. Wang Zhan was the hot ticket all the ntors at Chu State’s Military Martial Arts Academy wanted. If Duan Kun managed to steal him away, the other ntors would drown him in their spit.
The reason he’d spoken to Liu Zhenfeng earlier was to prevent Wang Zhan from attracting unnecessary trouble that could affect his four years of university life. This didn’t an that he was the conflict-avoidant figure Duan Kun painted him as. If he were, the Military Martial Arts Academy would’ve kicked him out long ago.
He said imdiately, "Teacher Duan, it sounds like you’re suggesting that I, Wei Xikai, spend all my days giggling and can’t stand up to a fight? Fine, let’s duke it out in the martial arts hall. If you win, I’ll avoid you in the Academy, and I won’t dispute with you over Wang Zhan. Students like Xie Han and Lin Shiyu from my class that you’ve been eyeing for so long? All yours!"
"But if you lose, the sa applies. Wang Zhan is mine, and your prized disciple, Zhou Bingquan, will also transfer to my class."
Upon hearing Wei Xikai’s words, Duan Kun’s grin stretched from ear to ear. An invitation to fight in the martial arts hall was exactly what he craved.
Nearby, Liu Zhenfeng saw Duan Kun’s smile and knew his fighting spirit had been ignited. He had called them over to establish so rules for this batch of new students, not to have them start brawling at the slightest disagreent in front of over a thousand freshn.
Indeed, the students of Chu State’s Military Martial Arts Academy weren’t afraid to fight or sacrifice. But on the battlefield, obeying orders and adhering to prohibitions is their primary duty as soldiers. These lessons had been learned with the fresh blood and lives of soldiers. Without strict military discipline, relying only on individual martial prowess could lead to major disasters.
"You two, go to the discipline departnt and receive your punishnt!"
"One month of your material provisions will be docked!"
Liu Zhenfeng’s face was grim. Duan Kun and Wei Xikai, who had been squabbling like fighting cocks just a mont before, instantly deflated.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
After a standard military salute, the two of them scurried off the training field under the watchful eyes of the new students.
With those two troublemakers gone, Liu Zhenfeng felt slightly better, but his gaze remained stern. After sweeping his eyes over the new students, he addressed Wang Zhan, "Wang Zhan, do you know why I punished Teacher Duan and Teacher Wei?"
This was the perfect opportunity to teach these new students a lesson about rules!
"Reporting to Dean Liu, I believe the Teachers did nothing wrong!"
"Natural selection, survival of the fittest! In this harsh era, if we want to survive and thrive, we must contend with people, with beasts, and even with Heaven and Earth! Contend for resources, contend for territory, contend for outstanding students!"
"Therefore, Wang Zhan earnestly requests Dean Liu to rescind the punishnt for the two Teachers."
Duan Kun and Wei Xikai, having just reached the edge of the training field, nearly stumbled and fell flat on their faces when they heard Wang Zhan’s words.
Good heavens! Are new students these days all so fierce? How dare he speak to Old Liu like that?
"Damn it, let’s get out of here, quick!" Wei Xikai urged. If Old Liu really blows his top, we’ll get more than just a month’s provisions docked!
At this point, Wei Xikai had completely forgotten his earlier friction with Duan Kun, wanting only to leave this contentious place as quickly as possible.
The other ntors watched with envy as the two figures vanished at a speed even faster than when they charged lone beasts on the battlefield.
After all, Liu Zhenfeng’s face was now visibly darkening.
It’s over, all over. They’ve angered the Black-Faced God on the very first day. This batch of new students, and they, the ntors, are probably in for a rough ti from now on.
"Wang Zhan, step forward!"
Sure enough, Liu Zhenfeng roared. The overwhelming essence energy of a Grandmaster expert, which only they could command so freely, flooded the training field, pressing down on everyone present.
Instantly, the new students felt as if a great mountain was crashing down on them. Those with weaker constitutions were imdiately pinned to the grass. For the others, it was only a matter of ti before they too collapsed.
The new students were finding it unbearable, and the Teachers standing behind Liu Zhenfeng were also in a difficult position, though they couldn’t show it. They had to endure Liu Zhenfeng’s imnse pressure up close while maintaining an unfazed composure. If they showed any weakness, they wouldn’t just fail to pick promising students from this cohort; they’d also be ridiculed for years.
The only one who seed pleased was probably Wang Zhan.
Under the pressure from Liu Zhenfeng’s aura, although the System couldn’t trigger an attribute increase, he could feel his muscle density, internal energy circulation, and bone strength all increasing as he resisted the pressure.
Though the increase in each area was small, it was a considerable enhancent for his physical body, which had already broken its limit. Apart from continuously taking dicine, he could hardly find any other way to improve it further.
While reveling in the pleasure of his body growing stronger, Wang Zhan did not ignore what was happening externally and marched forward.
WHACK!
The next mont, under the horrified gazes of the new students, Liu Zhenfeng drew the teaching whip from his waist and swung it heavily. From over ten ters away, a lash of essence energy struck Wang Zhan.
Wang Zhan hadn’t anticipated this whip at all, and even if he had, he couldn’t possibly have dodged it. He imdiately staggered. However, thanks to his Physique and agility both exceeding 250 points, he silently and quickly regained his military posture.
Worthy of being the Chu State Top Scholar! A demon like him, with a total combat power exceeding 100,000, can even withstand Old Liu’s whip. The Teachers standing behind Liu Zhenfeng looked at Wang Zhan with unconcealed amazent.
They knew how heavy-handed Liu Zhenfeng could be. Even the President of the Military Martial Arts Academy was helpless against him and could only try to restrain him by keeping the casualty quota for new student enrollnt as low as possible each year.
"This whip is to make you rember that here in the Military Martial Arts Academy, the will and orders of your superior officer are paramount! Under any circumstances, you must first consider things from the perspective of the orders given by your superiors, not from your own personal standpoint!"
"This will be even more critical on the battlefield! A soldier’s primary duty is to obey orders! Otherwise, what falls upon you won’t be a whip, but the judgnt of a military tribunal!"
Liu Zhenfeng still wore an expression as if everyone on the training field owed him millions, quickly etching terrifying shadows over the rookies’ minds.
Hearing Liu Zhenfeng’s words, Wang Zhan glanced at the System Panel. He really wished Liu Zhenfeng would lash him a few more tis. Not for the attribute points, but mainly to hear more of Dean Liu’s teachings!
To his regret, Liu Zhenfeng did not oblige. His cold gaze fell upon Wang Zhan as he said, "Now, do you still think Teacher Duan and Teacher Wei did nothing wrong?"
Wang Zhan thought for a mont; the burning pain from his skin didn’t affect his judgnt in the slightest. "Wang Zhan still believes the two Teachers did nothing wrong!"
Brother Zhan is incredible! In the back rows of the training field, several new students, who were already being crushed by Liu Zhenfeng’s aura to the point of eating dirt, silently gave Wang Zhan a thumbs-up in their hearts.
"Even if you have to take another lashing, you still think they did nothing wrong?"
Liu Zhenfeng raised his teaching whip again, essence energy coating it, making the Teachers behind him jump in fright.
"Yes, this student still stands by his opinion. As a soldier, it is indeed our duty to obey orders. But as a mber of the Human Race, to contend is our true calling!"
"Contention is the fundantal reason why the Human Race, under the threat of beasts, has not only survived but grown ever stronger! The Human Race will never be slaves! Against beasts, we fight blood for blood, life for life! With superiors, we must argue our case with reason!"
"Those who dare not contend will only beco deserters on the battlefield when facing beasts! Off the battlefield, they can only beco cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong! The actions of both Teachers exemplify this fundantal duty of the Human Race. Therefore, this student insists that the two Teachers did nothing wrong!"
This kid...
Behind Liu Zhenfeng, the expressions of the Teachers began to change; their admiration for Wang Zhan grew.
WHACK!
But just then, Liu Zhenfeng’s whip fell once more.
Wang Zhan had prepared himself this ti, reacting with the most appropriate move: rolling on the ground. However, the lash of essence energy seed to have a tracker on it, and it viciously struck the exact sa spot he had just been hit.
Damn it! Liu, you just wait! Brother Zhan will pay you back for these two lashes sooner or later!
Wang Zhan wanted to shout this aloud, but the excruciating pain made him break out in a cold sweat. All the harsh words on the tip of his tongue turned into inarticulate groans, and he could only glare fiercely at Liu Zhenfeng.
Stared at like this by Wang Zhan, Liu Zhenfeng suddenly smiled. The Military Martial Arts Academy never lacked troublemakers. Indeed, among the powerhouses who graduated from the various Military Martial Arts Academies each year, such individuals ford the vast majority.
However, soone like Wang Zhan, who took a lashing for people unrelated to him and could still stand firm without wavering, was a rare breed.
Retracting his aura, his gaze swept over the new students’ youthful faces, and he bellowed, "Those two lashes just now were two lessons for you."
"The first lesson is to tell you that when you co to the Military Martial Arts Academy, your previous identity is irrelevant. You have only one identity now: a soldier! You are the future flesh-and-blood line of defence, standing before the two billion mbers of the Human Race! And the first thing a soldier must learn is to obey!"
"The second lesson is for you to be like Wang Zhan: to persist in what you believe is right, even if it ans taking a lashing! And over the next four years, the Teachers of the Military Martial Arts Academy will teach you what is right!"
At that mont, more than a thousand students lifted their heads to look at Liu Zhenfeng, and a fire had been lit in their eyes.
Liu Zhenfeng, however, no longer looked at them. He turned his gaze back to Wang Zhan, who was wincing in pain, and casually tossed the teaching whip to him.
"Take it. If you’re capable enough in four years, you can use it to return those two lashes."
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