83: Chapter 83: Gas Baptism, the Female Soldiers' Nightmare

Inside the female soldiers' dormitory, Su Qingcheng had just applied the Golden Sore Ointment to the wound on her shoulder. The cooling sensation allowed her tense nerves to relax slightly.

"Chengzi, how effective is this medicine?" Lin Yu leaned over and asked curiously.

Su Qingcheng nodded: "It's much better; it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

"Tsk tsk, having a Great-grandfather to look out for you really makes a difference!" Li Xue pushed up her glasses and teased.

The other female soldiers joined in the banter:

"Exactly! We don't get this kind of treatment!"

"Chengzi, can you help us ask for some medicine too?"

"You guys can just take it and use it; it's not like I'm refusing to share."

As she spoke, Su Qingcheng handed the medicine to them.

But at that moment, suddenly—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several round objects were thrown in through the window and the crack in the door. After bouncing a few times on the floor, they began to emit thick white smoke.

"What is that?!"

"Smoke grenades?!"

Before the female soldiers could react, a pungent odor had already spread through the air.

Cough, cough, cough!

"My eyes!"

"It's tear gas!"

In an instant, the dormitory fell into chaos.

The female soldiers covered their mouths and noses, tears and snot flowing uncontrollably, as violent coughing sounds rose and fell.

"Open the door! Cough cough... get out!" Lin Yu struggled to rush toward the entrance.

"It won't open! The door is locked tight!" Several female soldiers pulled desperately at the door handle, but it wouldn't budge an inch.

"The windows too!"

Cough cough... Help!"

In the thick smoke, the female soldiers scrambled around like headless flies. Some lay on the ground trying to find fresh air, others covered their faces with wet towels, but it was all in vain.

————

Outside the dormitory, Su Han held a megaphone and leaned leisurely against the wall.

Zhou Mo and the others were also fully armed, standing to the side.

"Isn't this... a bit too harsh?" Da Xiong said, feeling a bit sympathetic.

Houzi shrugged: "We played like this during the male soldiers' selection too, though not this early."

Shanmao frowned: "But it's only their first day..."

Su Han raised the megaphone, his voice carrying through the cracks in the door: "Ladies, I'm sorry! This is also part of the selection training!"

His tone was as relaxed as if he were discussing today's weather: "If you can't hold on, you can shout 'I quit,' and we'll let you out immediately!"

"Of course, shouting 'I quit' means elimination!"

Hearing that familiar voice, the female soldiers inside the dormitory were instantly filled with rage.

"Su Han! You... cough cough... bastard!" Zhang Meng roared, followed by another fit of violent coughing.

"Chief Instructor! Cough cough... I curse you to never find a wife!!"

"Let us out!"

Su Han didn't mind and continued to add fuel to the fire: "Oh, don't be so angry! This is just the beginning!"

"Think about what you said this morning—anything male soldiers can do, you can do too!"

"The male soldiers of Falcon have to stay in this environment for a full 15 minutes! If you can't handle it, you can give up now!"

Hearing this, although the female soldiers were choking to the point of death, the stubbornness in their bones was ignited.

"Sisters... cough cough... hold on!" Lin Yu lay on the ground, pressing her sleeve tightly over her mouth and nose.

"No... not quitting!" Li Xue curled up in a corner, her face smeared with tears and snot.

Su Han endured the burning sensation in her eyes, fumbled to find her canteen, and poured water onto a towel to share with the comrades around her: "Use... a wet towel... it will be a bit better..."

————

Time passed minute by minute, and the tragic state inside the dormitory became increasingly shocking.

The female soldiers lay scattered on the floor, the sounds of coughing and dry heaving never-ending.

Someone had already started banging their head against the wall, trying to use pain to distract themselves.

"Five minutes have passed," Zhou Mo said, checking his watch. "They've held out longer than expected."

Su Han nodded: "Wait another two minutes before letting them out."

Just then, a heart-wrenching scream came from inside the dormitory: "I quit! Let me out! Cough cough... I can't take it anymore!"

A female soldier stumbled and crawled to the door, pounding desperately on the door panel.

Su Han signaled Zhou Mo to open the door. The female soldier was immediately dragged out, collapsing on the ground and gasping for fresh air, her face as pale as paper.

"Does anyone else want to quit?" Su Han shouted into the megaphone. "Giving up now is not shameful!"

His response was a period of silence, followed by the rising and falling sounds of coughing and dry heaving.

"Very good!" Su Han nodded with satisfaction. "One minute left!"

To the female soldiers, these 60 seconds felt like years.

When Su Han finally announced that time was up, the dormitory door was thrown open. The moment fresh air rushed in, the female soldiers breathed greedily like drowning victims being rescued.

However, before they could catch their breath, Su Han's voice rang out again:

"Fall in! Form up within 30 seconds! Those who exceed the time limit will be eliminated!"

The female soldiers could hardly believe their ears, but the instinct for survival drove them to struggle to their feet and stumble toward the training ground.

————

On the training ground, the female soldiers barely managed to stand in formation, but their condition was a sorry sight—

Their eyes were swollen like peaches, their faces were covered in tear tracks and snot, their uniforms were soaked with sweat, and many were still uncontrollably dry coughing.

Su Han paced back and forth in front of the formation with his hands behind his back, a harmless smile on his face: "Not bad, just a tiny bit better than I imagined."

"However..." He suddenly pulled a long face, "Look at yourselves now! What a disgrace!"

"If you can't even handle this little test, you still want to be Special Forces Soldiers?!"

The female soldiers glared at him, but they couldn't speak because of the burning in their throats.

"I know what you're thinking."

Su Han smiled slightly, "Think I'm too cruel? Too inhumane?"

He suddenly raised his volume: "But this is the daily life of a Special Forces Soldier! The enemy won't talk to you about humanity!"

"Remember! On the training ground, you have only one identity—my soldiers!"

"I will not give you special treatment for any reason! On the contrary, I will demand the strictest standards from you!"

His gaze swept across every pained yet stubborn face: "Because this was your own choice. You believe you're not inferior to male soldiers, and I'm willing to believe you can do it too."

"But just saying you can do it isn't enough."

"You have to prove it with actions."

"I've told you many times, female soldiers are not suited for the special operations battlefield."

"Because if you want to conduct special operations like male soldiers, you must first possess special operations strength that is not inferior to theirs!"

"You all say you're capable, so I want to see just how capable you really are!"

The looks in the female soldiers' eyes gradually changed, from anger to indignation, and then to determination.

"Report!" Zhang Meng suddenly shouted, her voice hoarse but firm, "We can do it!"

"Report! We will not give up!"

"Report! Chief Instructor, please continue the training!"

The corners of Su Han's mouth curled up imperceptibly: "Very good! You said it yourselves; from beginning to end, I never forced you!"

"On the contrary, I have always supported you quitting."

"Because in my view, it's impossible for any female soldier to endure these brutal selection drills."

"But since you're willing to waste time with me, I'm more than happy to accompany you!"

"Now, I'll give you one minute to go back and get dressed."

"Come out fully armed and fall in!"

"Dismissed!"