66: Chapter 66 Emergency Conscription! Global Military Training Begins

The central square was packed with a dense crowd of people.

All freshmen, all instructors, and all logistics personnel were present.

The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive; no one spoke, and there was only the sound of heavy breathing and the lingering echoes of sirens from afar.

Everyone had a foreboding that a storm was about to break.

Directly in front of the square, the massive electronic screen used for playing mobilization videos was lit up.

On the screen was the emblem of the Long Country Military High Command, solemn and grave.

Qin Feng stood in the ranks, his brows tightly furrowed.

Beside him, Zhao Hu and Li Lang also looked nervous.

"Brother Feng, what... what is this for? We aren't going to war, are we?" Li Lang muttered in a low voice.

"Shut up!" the instructor nearby barked in a low voice.

Li Lang immediately shrank his neck, not daring to make another sound.

Just then, the emblem on the screen vanished, replaced by an old man wearing the uniform of a General, with a resolute face and an imposing, dignified aura.

"It's the Supreme Commander of the Long Country Military, Marshal Ye!" an instructor exclaimed involuntarily.

Even the Supreme Commander had personally come forward to issue an announcement; everyone's heart sank to the bottom.

Marshal Ye's expression was incomparably grave.

He scanned the camera, as if gazing into every corner of the country.

"All fellow citizens of Long Country, all soldiers."

His voice, amplified by loudspeakers, spread across the square and throughout the entire Long Country.

"In view of the increasingly tense international situation, some small countries, under the guise of joint military exercises, have frequently provoked conflicts along our borders, which has seriously threatened our territorial integrity and the safety of our people."

"To cope with a potential full-scale war, following a decision by the highest military council, I am hereby issuing an emergency announcement."

"Effective immediately, student holidays at all universities across the country are ended early."

"All current university students, regardless of grade or major, must report to the designated Military Region of their household registration within seventy-two hours for formal military training!"

"Accept at least one month of militarized training and combat readiness deployment!"

Boom!

These words were like detonating a nuclear bomb on a calm lake.

The entire square instantly erupted in chaos!

"What? All university students have to enlist?"

"Did I hear that right? How is this any different from forced conscription!"

"Are you kidding me! We are students, not soldiers!"

Emotions of fear, confusion, and anger spread through the crowd like a plague.

Many freshmen with poor mental fortitude had already turned pale, their legs trembling.

On the screen, Marshal Ye's voice continued, every word landing like a heavy hammer on everyone's heart.

"Furthermore, to adapt to wartime needs, the national higher education system will undergo comprehensive reform."

"Over half of the higher education institutions will be renamed Military-Affiliated Universities, directly under the jurisdiction of the various Military Regions."

"Future university education will focus on practical subjects such as military technology, strategic command, and logistics support."

"Long Country will enter a state of full national combat readiness!"

If the previous news was a nuclear bomb, then the following words were a continuous barrage of asteroids hitting the Earth.

Full national combat readiness? University restructuring?

This meant that the world they were familiar with had changed completely overnight.

Future universities would no longer be ivory towers, but petri dishes for reserve officers!

"I cannot accept this! I worked so hard to get into university, not to become a soldier!"

A freshman had an emotional breakdown and started shouting.

His shouting was like a fuse, instantly igniting everyone's emotions.

"Right! We are the pride of heaven, we are the future of the country, how can they push us into a pit of fire!"

"I want to go home! I don't want to die!"

Cries and protests rose one after another.

The instructors tried desperately to maintain order, but with little effect.

Panic is contagious.

Just then, Marshal Ye's expression on the screen suddenly turned stern.

"I know that some will be confused, some will be afraid, and some may even protest."

"But I want to tell you, if the country does not exist, how can there be a home?"

"In a time of national crisis, everyone is responsible for the rise or fall of the world!"

His voice rose abruptly, carrying an irresistible majesty and an aura of slaughter.

"This announcement is a supreme combat readiness directive! Anyone who does not comply, regardless of identity or background, will be treated as guilty of treason in wartime!"

"Severely punished without leniency!"

The three words "treason" were like three great mountains, crashing down.

All sounds of protest came to an abrupt halt.

The entire square once again fell into a deathly silence.

Only heavy breathing remained.

No one dared to say another word.

In the face of the thunderous power of the state apparatus, any individual's emotions seemed so insignificant and powerless.

Meanwhile, the entire internet in Long Country was completely paralyzed.

[Emergency Announcement! All University Students Nationwide Enlist Immediately!]

[Long Country Enters State of Full National Combat Readiness!]

[University Restructuring! Over Three Hundred Higher Education Institutions to be Renamed Military-Affiliated Universities!]

Shocking headlines instantly dominated the trending searches on all platforms.

The comment sections exceeded tens of millions of entries in just a few minutes.

"They're crazy! This world is completely crazy! My son is about to graduate! How can they send him to the battlefield!"

"Boycott! Resolutely boycott! This is playing with our children's lives!"

"All the bleeding hearts above, get lost! Don't you see that war is about to break out at the border? If we don't fight now, are we going to wait until the enemy is at our doorstep?"

"Exactly! I'm tired of playing mahjong at home every day! If the country needs me, I'll be the first to sign up! Isn't it just war? Twenty years later, I'll be a hero again!"

"Well said! Our generation is called the 'lost generation' every day. Now, it's time to show those who look down on us! My family tree was broken at my grandfather's generation; today, it's my turn to continue it!"

"Damn, working like an ox or horse in the factory every day, screwing in bolts. Since I'm working anyway, I might as well pick up a gun and fight. Let's do something big! Count me in!"

...

At first, the internet was filled with opposition and cries of lamentation.

But soon, a completely different voice began to emerge, and with the momentum of a prairie fire, it quickly became the mainstream.

Countless young people crushed by reality, countless ordinary people with hot blood still flowing in their bones, were completely ignited by this announcement.

Following this, the various Military Regions also issued announcements one after another.

[Five Major Military Regions Issue Recall Order for Veterans!]

[Five Major Military Regions Open Emergency Enlistment Channels for Conscript Soldiers Under 40!]

Long Country!

This sleeping lion, at this moment, completely opened its eyes, baring its sharp fangs to the whole world.

What was even more unexpected was that within just a few days after Long Country issued the announcement.

Eagle Country, Bear Country, the Alliance... eventually spread to more than two hundred countries across the entire Blue Planet.

Major powers around the globe, as if they had discussed it beforehand, followed suit and copied Long Country's "homework."

The world entered the era of military training.