14: Chapter 14: Su Han is mocked and looked down upon! Arrival at the duel venue!

The military jeep jolted along the rugged mountain road, the dust kicked up by the wheels trailing behind like a long yellow dragon.

“Drive steady!” Monkey, the deputy captain of the War Eagle Squad, shouted to the driver. “There are people sitting in the back!”

After speaking, he didn't forget to give him a wink.

The driver, Xiao Zhang, was a veteran driver for the Falcon Special Forces Brigade. Hearing this, a wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth. “Captain Zhou, the mountain road is just like this. I can't help it.”

As he spoke, he jerked the steering wheel. The jeep took a sharp turn, the tires screeching as they rubbed against the ground.

In the back seat, Su Han's body swayed with the inertia, yet he remained as steady as Mount Tai.

“Tsk, he's quite enduring.” The lean soldier, Monkey, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back and gave Xiao Zhang a look.

Xiao Zhang understood and stepped on the gas. The jeep suddenly bolted down the mountain road like a wild horse that had broken its reins.

Sudden braking, tail-flicking, drifting... all sorts of high-difficulty maneuvers were performed in turn.

Monkey stole glances to observe Su Han's reaction.

To his disappointment, this green recruit didn't even change his expression; he was even leisurely admiring the scenery outside the window.

“What the hell...” Monkey muttered under his breath. “Is this kid's stomach made of iron?”

Just then, the jeep suddenly made a strange noise, and then the engine sputtered and died.

“What happened?” Zhou Mo asked with a frown.

Xiao Zhang’s forehead was sweating as he tried to start the ignition several times with no response. “It seems... we've broken down.”

“Damn it!” Monkey jumped out of the car. “Check it quickly. It'll be trouble if we miss the train!”

The six of them busied themselves around the engine compartment for a long time but couldn't find the problem.

Zhou Mo looked at his watch, his expression becoming more and more unsightly. “There's only an hour and a half left before the train leaves. It's definitely too late to call for recovery.”

“Let me try?”

A calm voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone turned around to see that Su Han was already standing by the engine at some point.

“You?” Monkey sneered. “What the hell does a green recruit know about fixing cars? Don't mess around!”

Da Xiong also said in a booming voice, “Exactly. This is a military vehicle modified by the Special Forces. The structure is very complex!”

Su Han wasn't annoyed; he just looked at Zhou Mo. “Captain, there's no other way right now anyway. Why not let me take a look?”

Zhou Mo stared at him for two seconds before suddenly stepping aside. “I'll give you five minutes.”

Then he said to the others, “Contact the recovery vehicle and have them get here as fast as possible. If we really can't make it, have them send a helicopter.”

“Yes, sir!”

Su Han smiled and leaned over to inspect it. His movements were incredibly fast; his fingers wove through the dense wiring, occasionally tightening a screw or adjusting a line.

“Just putting on a show...” Monkey muttered.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Su Han straightened up. “Alright, try it.”

Xiao Zhang sat back in the driver's seat skeptically and turned the key—

“Vroom!”

The engine roared to life instantly, running even smoother than before.

“Holy crap?!” Monkey's eyes widened. “He actually fixed it?”

Xiao Zhang was also shocked. “How... how did you do it? Even I couldn't find that fault...”

“Just good luck.” Su Han wiped the grease off his hands. “However, I suggest I drive for the rest of the way. You don't know where the problem was, so you won't know when to hit the gas or brake to avoid stalling again.”

“You're driving?” Da Xiong looked suspicious. “Do you even have a license?”

“I got it before enlisting,” Su Han said calmly. “And I've driven on many mountain roads. I'm very familiar with how to drive on them.”

Zhou Mo pondered for a moment and actually nodded in agreement. “Fine, you drive.”

“Captain!” Monkey was anxious. “What if he...”

“Shut up.” Zhou Mo said coldly. “If it weren't for him just now, we'd still be stuck here.”

After swapping seats, Su Han adjusted the rearview mirror and started off steadily.

The jeep drove smoothly along the mountain road, a world of difference compared to Xiao Zhang's previous wild style.

“Too slow!” Monkey tapped the seat impatiently. “At this speed, we'll definitely miss the train!”

Da Xiong also chimed in, “Exactly, drive faster! Don't be like an old lady!”

Su Han glanced at them through the rearview mirror. “Are you sure?”

“Nonsense!” Monkey shouted. “As long as you don't drive the car into a ditch, the faster the better!”

“Fine.”

The corners of Su Han's mouth lifted slightly, and his right foot suddenly floored the accelerator.

“Vroom——”

The jeep shot out like an arrow from a bow, the intense G-force pinning everyone firmly to their seats.

“Holy shit!” Monkey grabbed the handle in terror. “You motherf—”

Before he could finish, a sharp turn appeared ahead.

Su Han's hands spun the steering wheel rapidly, his feet coordinating the brake and accelerator perfectly—

“Screech——”

A perfect drift around the corner!

The tires screeched against the ground as the tail of the car swung past, almost grazing the edge of the cliff.

“Blech——” Da Xiong's face was pale. “Slow... slow down...”

But Su Han acted as if he hadn't heard, his speed not decreasing in the slightest.

The mountain road ahead became his personal stage: continuous S-curve drifts, sudden braking and direction changes on cliff edges, steep slope dives... all sorts of high-difficulty maneuvers were executed flawlessly.

“Screech——”

Another nearly 90-degree sharp turn. The jeep tilted at a startling angle, the right wheels almost leaving the ground.

“It's going to flip! It's going to flip!” Monkey screamed, closing his eyes.

However, the jeep miraculously regained its balance and continued to speed forward.

In the driver's seat, Su Han was focused, his hands dancing on the steering wheel like a pianist.

Every movement was precise to the millimeter, and every gear shift was perfectly timed.

“This kid...” The professional driver Xiao Zhang was already dazed. “This driving skill... is even better than our Special Forces driving instructor...”

Although Zhou Mo was trying to remain calm, his knuckles gripping the handle had turned white.

He stole a glance at the speedometer—120 kilometers per hour! On this rugged mountain road!

“How much... longer...” Da Xiong asked weakly.

“Ten minutes,” Su Han said without looking back.

“Ten minutes?!” Monkey couldn't believe his ears. “We've only been driving for... fifty minutes?”

At normal speed, this stretch of road would take two hours!

When the train station finally appeared in sight, the jeep made a beautiful tail-flick and stopped steadily in front of the platform.

“We're here.” Su Han calmly turned off the engine. “Five minutes early.”

There was dead silence inside the car.

And then—

“Blech!”

Except for Zhou Mo, the other five scrambled out of the car and leaned over the edge of the platform, vomiting violently.

Even the experienced Xiao Zhang was not spared.

Zhou Mo suppressed the churning in his stomach and took a deep look at Su Han. “What did you do... before you enlisted?”

Su Han blinked. “I was a high school student.”

“...”

On the platform, passing travelers all looked over.

Several burly men in combat uniforms vomiting their guts out was truly a shocking sight.

...

The train traveled smoothly on the tracks, the scenery outside the window retreating rapidly.

The six members of the War Eagle Squad sat on both sides of the sleeper bunks, while Su Han sat alone in a seat by the corridor window. The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Monkey fiddled with his dagger out of boredom, occasionally glancing at Su Han, who was quietly reading a book.

This green recruit's composure made him very uncomfortable—normally, a recruit who had been in the army for less than a year, suddenly stuffed into a Special Forces team and looked down upon and ridiculed by them, shouldn't he be so nervous he wouldn't know what to do with himself?

“Ahem...” Zhou Mo cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Su Han, do you know about the All-Army Special Forces Competition?”

Su Han closed his book and smiled slightly. “I'm a first-year soldier and not even a Special Forces Soldier. How would I know?”

His answer made the members of the War Eagle Squad frown—he dared to come without even knowing the rules of the competition?

Zhou Mo patiently explained, “Let me give you a simple rundown first. Since you've joined our team, you're one of us. We won't kick you out. But I also hope you'll do your best. Even if you hold us back, at least don't hold us back too much.”

Su Han smiled and said, “Don't worry, I won't hold you back.”

Everyone rolled their eyes.

You're a green recruit going to compete against a bunch of Special Forces Soldiers. If you don't hold us back, do you actually think you can win against them?

Kid, don't let a little kindness go to your head and make you arrogant, okay?

Zhou Mo also suppressed the frustration in his heart and began explaining to Su Han:

“The All-Army Special Forces Competition is a top-tier national event involving both Army Special Forces and Navy Amphibious Special Operations teams. A total of twelve teams participate—eight Army Special Forces teams and four Navy Amphibious Special Operations teams.”

“Each team can only send seven people,” Da Xiong added. “In previous years, we Falcon members have always been at the bottom. This time...”

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, but the meaning was clear—with you as dead weight this time, there's even less hope for our results.

Su Han acted as if he didn't hear the underlying meaning and continued to ask, “What are the events?”

“Comprehensive combat skills, parachute infiltration reconnaissance operations, urban counter-terrorism operations, sniper combat operations...”

Zhou Mo listed them off like he was counting his family treasures. “Maritime sniping, mountain sniping, equipped fixed-point parachuting, vehicle-mounted shooting, specialized shooting, indoor counter-terrorism combat skills...”

He rattled off over twenty events in one breath, making Su Han raise an eyebrow slightly. “So many? With only seven people per team, doesn't that mean each person has to participate in at least three events?”

“More than that,” Monkey sneered. “The rules state that at least one person from each team must participate in every event.”

“With seven of us, each person has to sign up for at least four events on average.”

Seeing Su Han's thoughtful expression, the lean soldier mocked, “What, scared? It's not too late to back out now.”

Su Han smiled indifferently.

Silence fell over the carriage again.

A moment later, Zhou Mo suddenly asked, “What events are you good at? As long as there's no conflict, I'll sign you up for four. Otherwise, the six of us won't be able to cover the extra events. It's too draining.”

Su Han looked up, his gaze calm. “I'm fine with anything. Just give me whatever you guys aren't good at.”

“Also, if you don't want to participate in so many, you can sign me up for a few more. I don't mind a dozen, and I don't mind seven or eight either, haha...”

After speaking, Su Han grinned, revealing a harmless smile.

“Pfft——” Monkey spat out a mouthful of water. “What did you say?”

The six members of the War Eagle Squad looked at each other, their faces written with 'is this guy crazy?'

“Fine with anything? That means you're good at nothing!” Da Xiong couldn't help but mock. “Do you think this is playing house?”

“Kid, are you sure you're coming to the competition with us and not here to be a comedian?”

“Participating in over a dozen events? Who do you think you are, Nezha with three heads and six arms?”

Su Han: “...”

Nowadays, why does no one believe the truth?

Sometimes the truth is indeed held by the minority!

Zhou Mo rubbed his temples. “Forget it, we'll decide after we arrive.”

He changed the subject. “Have you played those military games online? The kind where a group of people parachutes onto an island, finds weapons, and then fights each other until the last one standing is the champion.”

Su Han nodded. “I've played them.”

“In addition to individual events, the competition also has a confrontation match.”

Zhou Mo said seriously, “It follows that exact model—all participants will be dropped onto an unknown island for a three-day survival confrontation.”

“The rules are simple: the last person standing wins. You can team up or go solo; there are no restrictions.”

Monkey added sinisterly, “Live ammunition will be used on the island. Although they're training rounds, they still hurt a lot when they hit you—last year, some poor bastard was ‘killed’ seven times and cried like a baby from the pain.”

“So, if you're afraid of pain, it's still not too late to back out now.”

“And...” Zhou Mo looked at Su Han meaningfully, “In previous confrontation matches, the ones with the highest ‘casualty rate’ are people with connections like you.”

Su Han acted as if he hadn't heard and instead asked with interest, “What are the dangers on the island? Besides the participants.”

“Poisonous snakes, wild beasts, swamps...” Zhou Mo listed them. “The most dangerous thing is the terrain—that island is specifically used by the military for training and is full of traps and booby traps.”

“Sounds interesting.” A flash of excitement crossed Su Han's eyes.

The members of the War Eagle Squad were speechless again—is there something wrong with this guy's head? He actually called such a dangerous competition “interesting”?

“Right.” Su Han suddenly asked, “Which unit won the previous championships?”

The atmosphere in the carriage instantly froze.

Zhou Mo's face darkened. “The Divine Sword Commando Unit from the Beijing Military Region. They've been champions for five consecutive years.”

“Divine Sword?” Su Han was thoughtful. “Are they very strong?”

“Heh...” Monkey sneered repeatedly. “Their captain, Long Bao, is the universally recognized ‘Soldier King’ of the entire army. His personal record remains unbroken to this day.”

Da Xiong crossed his legs, toying with a shell casing as he said leisurely, “In last year's confrontation match, Long Bao's team alone took out a joint ambush by three of our Special Forces units.”

“Interesting.” Su Han lightly rubbed his chin. “It shouldn't be boring this time.”

War Eagle Squad: “...”

Where on earth did this guy get his confidence from?!

Do you think it's appropriate for those words to come out of the mouth of a green recruit like you, who isn't even a Special Forces Soldier?

...

When night fell, the train finally reached its destination.

Military vehicles that had been waiting at the platform for a long time picked up the group and took them to the base.

Through the car window, Su Han saw the continuous mountain ranges and faint military facilities in the distance.

This was the venue for the All-Army Special Forces Competition—the “Purgatory” Training Base.

“We're here,” Zhou Mo said solemnly. “Remember, from now on, your every word and action represents the Falcon Special Forces Brigade. Don't embarrass us!”

Su Han smiled and didn't answer.

The military vehicle drove through the base gates, and fully armed Special Forces Soldiers could be seen training everywhere along the way.

Rock climbing, fighting, shooting... various high-difficulty training projects were dazzling.

“Look over there.” Monkey suddenly pointed to the center of the training ground. “It's the people from Divine Sword!”

Su Han looked in that direction and saw seven burly Special Forces Soldiers practicing close-quarters combat.

Their movements were fast, accurate, and ruthless; every move was lethal.

The leader was nearly 1.9 meters tall with knotted muscles, his movements to neutralize an opponent clean and efficient—he was the captain of the Divine Sword Commando Unit, the Soldier King, Long Bao.

As if sensing the gaze, Long Bao suddenly turned his head toward the military vehicle.

Their eyes met in the air.

Long Bao frowned slightly—who was that unfamiliar face sitting in the Falcon vehicle? Why had he never seen him before?

“Eh? Why is there still a green recruit?”

“Letting a newcomer participate in the competition?”

“Has Falcon given up on themselves?”

Su Han responded with a faint smile and then looked away.

“He noticed you,” Zhou Mo said in a low voice. “You'd better pray you don't run into him during the confrontation match.”

“Why?” Su Han asked curiously.

“Because...” Zhou Mo's voice carried a hint of playfulness, “Long Bao likes to ‘take care’ of newcomers during the competition the most, especially... those with connections.”

Su Han nodded thoughtfully. “Then I'll have to ‘thank’ him properly.”

Zhou Mo: “...”

Does this guy not understand human speech?!

The military vehicle finally stopped in front of a barracks building.

“Get out!” Zhou Mo ordered. “Rest well tonight. We start adaptation training tomorrow. The official competition is the day after!”

The members of the War Eagle Squad filed out, with Su Han being the last to get off.

He stood in front of the barracks, looking around at this new environment full of challenges, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly:

“The Special Forces Competition... this is getting interesting.”