191: Chapter 191 Psionic Test

Zhang Xiaochuan was a recruit who had just enlisted in a certain army group of Dongda this year. His youthful face still carried a hint of childishness, yet his eyes held the unique resoluteness of a soldier.

Recently, the Great Lizard incident that swept across the country had already become common knowledge in the military camps. Those cruel and tragic battlefield images, even after layers of blurring, still caused a huge stir in the army. Whether it was battle-hardened veterans or recruits who had just stepped into the barracks, looking at the alien monsters in the footage that were hard to injure with blades or guns and slaughtered at will, and seeing the scenes of their comrades risking their lives to stop them with their flesh and blood, a deep sense of powerlessness surged uncontrollably in their hearts. As high-level orders were passed down level by level, the entire army finally understood that the enemies they would face in the future were no longer conventional combat targets, but these eerie creatures from beyond the heavens.

Fortunately, as morale wavered, the higher-ups issued a timely announcement, claiming that they had found an effective means to combat the alien creatures. This gradually restored order to the panicked barracks, and the anxiety and unease permeating the air dissipated slightly.

After training, the setting sun cast the soldiers' shadows very long. Zhang Xiaochuan and his squadmate, Fei Dong, slumped by the training ground, their training uniforms soaked in sweat. Fei Dong sighed and spoke with a face full of worry, "Xiaochuan, what kind of method do you think the higher-ups found to deal with those monsters? Why haven't they announced it yet? I've seen all those videos on Douyin. Bullets can't pierce them, and shells can't blow them up. Our comrades are almost using their lives to fill the gap, stubbornly blocking those monsters' advance. Tell me, when we go to the battlefield, will we end up like them, becoming meaningless cannon fodder?"

These words struck a chord with every soldier in the barracks.

Enlisting to protect the country meant they had long since put life and death aside; to a soldier, death was never the most terrifying thing. They truly feared dying without value, exhausting everything without achieving any results. The spirit of martyrdom etched into the bones of Easterners always made them hold the resolve of "killing one is no loss, killing two is a profit" when facing enemies. However, when faced with such a crushing, powerless situation, even the most steadfast soldier would inevitably fall into confusion and hesitation.

Zhang Xiaochuan patted Fei Dong's shoulder and comforted him with a certain tone, "Dong-zi, don't overthink it. The higher-ups would never use something like this to deceive us; it would be meaningless. Besides, didn't you see the second half of the video? We clearly have the confidence to keep those monsters in check. Those people in suits, standing with blades in hand—didn't they easily slay those invulnerable alien creatures?"

He paused, his gaze firm. "I think these people, whom netizens call 'Suit Thugs,' are the country's hidden trump card!"

At the mention of those suited figures, Fei Dong's previously dim eyes instantly lit up, and his tone became excited. "Exactly! Those suited big shots are just too powerful. Monsters that even artillery shells couldn't touch were like cutting melons and vegetables in their hands, one slash for each. If only I could have that kind of strength! I've said it before, there must be cultivators and superhumans in this world, usually hidden in the shadows, where we ordinary people can't reach them at all!"

"Beep—beep beep beep—!"

The rapid and sharp emergency assembly whistle suddenly rang out outside the barracks, piercing the tranquility of the camp.

The two didn't dare delay for a moment. They immediately got up, quickly put on their gear, and rushed to the designated assembly point at top speed along with their other comrades. The company and platoon leaders quickly stepped forward to count heads. All the soldiers stood tall and lined up neatly. The vast camp instantly fell silent, with only the sound of synchronized breathing remaining.

Not long after, several division-level officers surrounded a lean, muscular man in a black suit, walking slowly to the front of the formation.

"Holy crap! It's a Suit Thug!"

A soldier in the ranks recognized that familiar figure at a glance and instinctively blurted out in surprise. As soon as he finished speaking, he was glared at fiercely by the squad leader next to him and immediately shut up. But even so, an irrepressible excitement surged in the squad leader's eyes. In the discussions among all the soldiers, these suited men were the secret combat force painstakingly cultivated by the country, the ultimate power against the alien monsters. Now that they had personally come to the barracks, no one wasn't curious about their purpose, and everyone envied their world-destroying individual combat power.

The suited man stood still, surrounded by the crowd, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his entire body exuding a calm yet sharp aura.

A regiment-level commander stepped forward quickly, stood at attention, and saluted, reporting in a loud voice, "Reporting to Comrade Division Commander! The First Regiment expects 1,457 people, 1,457 are present. The formation is complete. Please give your instructions!"

"At ease!" the Division Commander ordered in a deep voice.

"Yes!"

The commander turned around and barked orders at the formation, "Everyone, at ease! Attention! At ease! Please, Comrade Division Commander, address us!"

The Division Commander's gaze swept across the field as he spoke, "Today, the higher-ups have dispatched a comrade to conduct a special test. All personnel must cooperate fully without fail. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Over a thousand soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the sky.

The Division Commander then looked at the suited man beside him and said with a hint of respect, "Comrade Lu Yu, I'll leave the rest to you."

The man named Lu Yu nodded slightly. Without any superfluous words, he asked directly, "Is there a spacious barracks here?"

"Yes, just a short distance ahead. A single barracks can accommodate a platoon of soldiers," an officer immediately stepped forward to respond.

"That's enough. I'll enter the barracks first to set things up. Then, by platoon, let the soldiers enter in turn," Lu Yu said in a low voice.

"Alright, please follow me." A division-level officer immediately led the way, taking Lu Yu toward the designated barracks.

After entering the barracks, Lu Yu gently placed the black briefcase he had been carrying on the table and slowly opened it. Inside the box, a stone shimmering with a faint ethereal blue luster lay quietly. It was a phantom energy stone!

This phantom energy stone was as large as a football. Even if it was only the lowest-grade raw stone, it was clear that the Blue Star Defense Department had invested a huge amount of resources this time. One should know that the Captain-level Warrior who had tracked Li Huaishan's trio before only carried a phantom energy stone the size of a walnut. A raw stone of this specification must be from the Defense Department's reserves.

With everything ready, according to Lu Yu's prior arrangement, a platoon of soldiers walked into the barracks in an orderly fashion. Under his instructions, they sat on the floor one after another, closed their eyes, and devoted themselves entirely to sensing the rhythm of Ethereal Energy slowly flowing in the air.

This testing method was a core technique developed by the Blue Star Defense Department through years of research: people with a talent for Ethereal Energy could sense its existence in five minutes at the earliest. The more outstanding the talent, the shorter the time required, and the clearer the perception of Ethereal Energy. The Blue Star Defense Department still held an unbroken record—sixty years ago, a War God-level Warrior had clearly sensed Ethereal Energy in only thirty seconds. Over the years, although geniuses had frequently approached the record, no one had ever been able to surpass it.