Chapter 2: He Must Be Sent Back

"Get down! Get down right now!"

A group of veteran soldiers came rushing over in a panic.

Lin Hui saw that things were going south and immediately jumped down.

"Rookie!" the dark-faced squad leader roared. "Who told you to climb up there? Get your ass over to formation!"

Lin Hui shrugged and joined the others at the assembly point.

Zhang Jiantao stormed up to Lin Hui, fuming. "Who gave you permission to climb up there? Do you have any idea what that Main Battle Tank behind you represents? It represents courage, tenacity, and glory — it's the symbol of our 602nd Division!"

Lin Hui said with a perfectly straight face, "Company Commander, since it's a symbol, that's exactly why I had to go up and experience it for myself. Honestly, the moment I climbed up there, I felt it — the wind howling, the horses crying out..."

"Oh sure, and I suppose the Yellow River was roaring too. Look at you, so full of yourself."

Wang Yong rolled his eyes hard.

Lin Hui continued, "Sir, I have one request — I'd like to take a photo with the tank and stick it by my bunk, so I can feel that glory every single day!"

"Me too, me too!"

Chen Erhu quickly raised his hand. "Company Commander, I want to take a few extra shots to send back to my village — for my dad, my mom, my uncle, my second uncle..."

"Shut up!"

Zhang Jiantao shot him a furious glare.

The recruits who had been laughing and joking a moment ago instantly fell silent.

Anyone could see that the Company Commander was genuinely angry.

Zhang Jiantao fixed his gaze on Lin Hui. "What's your name?"

Lin Hui bellowed, "Reporting — my name is Lin Hui!"

In the military, you had to speak with full force from your gut — ideally loud enough to go hoarse.

His father had taught him that when he was little.

Don't ask why. Everyone just did it that way.

Lin Hui?

Zhang Jiantao felt like the name rang a bell.

Wasn't the kid his fellow townsman at the recruitment office had mentioned — the one who'd been stuffed in without even taking the physical exam — named Lin Hui?

Damn it, so it really is you, you little bastard!

He gave a cold laugh, stepped back two paces, and shouted to everyone, "This is the military, not civilian society — not a place where you can do whatever you please! Here, everything runs on discipline! So to make sure you all remember this lesson, everyone give me five kilometers around the track!"

The recruits' faces immediately fell, and every pair of eyes turned toward Lin Hui.

Why should they all pay for his mistake?

"I refuse!" Wang Yong said loudly.

"Refuse what?"

"He's the one who made the mistake — what does that have to do with us?"

Before Zhang Jiantao could respond, Political Instructor Wang Hai smiled and said, "The military is a collective — a big family. From the moment you walked through that gate, you became comrades. Now your comrade has made a mistake. Shouldn't you help share the burden?"

"This is what we call collective honor — and it's your very first lesson here."

Zhang Jiantao said coldly, "One person makes a mistake, the whole unit takes the punishment. That's the rule. Anyone who doesn't want to run is free to leave right now."

Lin Hui's expression shifted slightly.

He knew this was a show of force — a warning shot.

Even if he hadn't made a mistake, these five kilometers would have come anyway.

The problem was, the body he was now in had been hollowed out by booze and women. Five kilometers? He'd struggle to run five hundred meters.

If he couldn't finish the run, he'd be sent home on his very first day — and then his father would never let him hear the end of it.

Just then, a mechanical voice suddenly rang out in Lin Hui's mind.

"Ding — congratulations, Host, on successfully binding to the Learn-to-Grow-Stronger System."

"Regardless of the military skill or theoretical knowledge involved, the Host's learning capacity is one hundred times that of an ordinary person. As long as you keep learning, you will stand at the pinnacle."

"As a first-time binding reward, your physical functions have been enhanced — your physical condition now meets veteran soldier standards."

Lin Hui instantly felt a warm current surge through his body.

Then he suddenly realized that his previously frail body now felt bursting with energy, as though he had boundless strength to spare.

"What are you all standing around for? Want to get sent home?" Zhang Jiantao bellowed.

At that, everyone reluctantly and half-heartedly began jogging toward the track.

"It's all your damn fault — if it weren't for you, none of this would be happening!" Wang Yong glared at Lin Hui and grumbled.

Lin Hui couldn't be bothered to respond.

The five kilometers were unavoidable regardless — he'd just been used as the example to warn the rest.

The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got. Damn it, I just wanted to lay low for two years, and right off the bat this guy has his eye on me!

But with the System in hand, making trouble for me won't be so easy.

He chuckled to himself and charged toward the track with the crowd.

Not far away, Zhang Jiantao watched the sorry state of the new recruits and let a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

Wang Hai furrowed his brow. "Old Zhang, aren't we going a bit overboard? These recruits have been pampered at home — their stamina is terrible. Throwing five kilometers at them right off the bat... a lot of them probably can't handle it physically. Shouldn't we ease them in gradually and give them time to adjust?"

Zhang Jiantao said seriously, "The military doesn't have time to let them adjust. If you choose to be a soldier, you'd better be ready to endure hardship!"

"If war broke out right now, they wouldn't have any time to adjust — they'd be sent straight to the battlefield!"

Wang Hai suddenly smiled slightly. "You're not doing this specifically to target that soldier named Lin Hui, are you?"

Zhang Jiantao feigned surprise. "Oh, look at that — you've seen right through my little scheme."

He snorted. "That's right, I'm targeting this kid. I can't stand people who get in through the back door!"

"No wonder he looked sickly — like a gust of wind could knock him over. I was wondering how he even passed the physical."

Wang Hai looked at Zhang Jiantao and asked, "So what are you planning to do?"

"Get him kicked out!"

"The evidence is in our hands — the fact that he got in through the back door is undeniable!"

"As long as he fails multiple assessments, I'll have grounds to send him back to civilian life. The military exists to fight wars, not to accommodate people who pull strings and use connections. The 602nd Division absolutely cannot allow one rat to spoil the whole pot of soup!"

Wang Hai looked out at the track and sighed. "Shouldn't we at least give him a chance? Maybe..."

Zhang Jiantao raised a hand to cut him off. "We're not babysitters, and we're certainly not his mother. Why should we coddle him?"

Wang Hai sighed again, a look of helplessness on his face.

It seemed the Company Commander had made up his mind to get rid of this kid.

Out on the track, the formation was ragged and scattered.

After two laps, many recruits were already gasping for breath.

Lin Hui, however, was running with ease.

His physical condition had been boosted to veteran soldier level — five kilometers was a walk in the park for him.

He grinned to himself. "With a body like this, once I'm discharged, won't every day be a blast?"

Even with his newfound ability, Lin Hui was no fool.

His goal was to keep a low profile and lay low for two years.

Even with the System, he absolutely could not stick his neck out.

Growing up in a military family, he knew all too well how much grief being the top performer in the unit could bring.

Better to conserve his strength, build up his reserves, and spend it all on charming Young Ladies once he got out.

Two laps, three laps...

Gradually, some recruits ran out of steam and began falling behind.

Lin Hui blended in among them, occasionally wiping his brow and putting on a show of struggling — but he never actually fell behind the group.

As the five-kilometer mark drew near and Lin Hui was still running, Zhang Jiantao's brow had creased into a deep frown.

Wang Hai laughed. "Old Zhang, your plan isn't working out so well. This kid may look like a stiff breeze could knock him over, but his willpower is something else — he's gutted it out to the end."

Zhang Jiantao's mouth twitched.

That shouldn't be possible.

With a body like that, by all appearances he should have collapsed at five hundred meters.

Had he really misjudged the kid?

But he quickly dismissed the thought. "He's just forcing himself through it. He can tough it out this once — but can he keep it up forever?"

Wang Hai shrugged and said nothing more.

Soon, the recruits finished the five kilometers and came back panting heavily.

"Oh man, I'm dead — I've lost half my life..."

Lin Hui put on a convincing act, yet somehow there was barely a drop of sweat on his forehead.

Zhang Jiantao was displeased, but there was nothing he could do.

Next time you slip up, I'll still find a way to get rid of you!

He gave the recruits a one-minute rest, then called the formation together. "Let me introduce myself — my name is Zhang Jiantao, and I am the Recruit Company Commander for this training cycle. The officer beside me is your Political Instructor, Wang Hai!"

"Hello, everyone."

Wang Hai saluted the recruits.

Zhang Jiantao called out loudly, "First of all, on behalf of the 602nd Division, I welcome you. I don't care what you did in civilian life or what kind of background your family has. Here, you have one identity and one identity only — soldier. In the military, all actions follow orders. You will obey commands without question!"

"If anyone wants to be a troublemaker, refuses to follow orders, or falls seriously behind in multiple training assessments, I will send you back at any time!"

Chen Erhu was so startled he immediately snapped to attention.

Good grief — they can actually send you back?

He absolutely could not get sent back!

Lin Hui watched Chen Erhu's reaction and found the guy hilariously clueless.

Because he knew — those words were meant for him.

The military had zero tolerance for people who got in through the back door.

Just last night he'd been at a bar, and today he'd shown up to enlist.

The fact that Zhang Jiantao was targeting him so specifically made it obvious — the Company Commander already knew he was the one who'd snuck in through connections.

Lin Hui chuckled to himself. "I'm staying in this army no matter what. Even if the King of Heaven himself showed up, nobody's chasing me out!"

"Now — dormitory assignments! Everyone, right face..."