153: Arrogant soldiers

As Zhang Lei's group stepped onto the slightly rough concrete ground of the Kyoto Base helipad, a squad of soldiers with sharp auras and impeccable military bearing quickly came forward to meet them.

At their head was a man with the rank of colonel, around thirty years old, with a standard military buzz cut, a handsome and resolute face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a high bridge to his nose.

He wore summer training fatigues, and his exposed arms had smooth yet thick muscle lines, showing a healthy bronze color from frequent exposure to the sun and wind. The man was like a military knife with its edge retracted, steady yet dangerous. He was about 180-plus centimeters tall, similar to Zhang Lei, and the energy fluctuations radiating from him were powerful yet restrained. Zhang Lei could sense that this was a strong individual who had reached the peak of the second stage, only a step away from the third stage.

The leading officer walked with a vigorous stride and, upon coming close, cupped his fists first with movements that were crisp and neat, carrying the frankness and sense of power unique to a soldier. His voice was loud: "Friends from Lujiang, you've come a long way. It's been hard on you! I am Yang Tian, ordered to welcome you all here!"

This person was none other than the recognized second-highest expert of Kyoto Base, hailing from the Yang Family, a lineage of generals. It was rumored that Yang Tian was the thirty-seventh generation descendant of the famous Northern Song general, Yang Yanzhao. At the beginning of the apocalypse, he was lucky enough to awaken the rare Superpower "Heroic Spirit Possession," which allowed him to summon and merge with the power of Yang Yanzhao's heroic spirit. His combat power was extremely formidable, and he had once held the position of the top expert in Kyoto until he was surpassed by Lü Yan, who possessed the even more monstrous talent of "Lü Bu's Heroic Spirit," leaving him in second place. However, his strength and prestige remained extremely high within the Kyoto military.

Seeing the other party's polite manners, Zhang Lei also took a step forward and returned the gesture with cupped fists, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Colonel Yang is too kind. I am Zhang Lei. I have long heard of the great name of Kyoto Sirius, Yang Tian. Seeing you today, it's clear your reputation is well-deserved." His attitude was gentle, but the pride and aura naturally nurtured as a top expert who had experienced countless bloody battles were like an invisible halo that could not be ignored.

"Oh?!" Hearing this, Yang Tian's sharp eyes instantly erupted with an amazing light, like an eagle discovering its prey, and a fierce fighting intent almost burst out of him. "Are you that Brother Zhang Lei who is known as the 'ice fire divine lord,' who liberated Lujiang and whose name shakes the whole country?!" His tone carried a bit of surprise, but even more excitement at meeting an opponent worthy of a fight.

"It's just a nickname my friends gave me out of affection; it shouldn't be taken seriously. Colonel Yang overpraises me." Zhang Lei smiled slightly, his tone still humble, but the confidence and pride deeply rooted in his soul were like fire beneath ice—though not burning wildly, its heat and light could be felt by any keen observer. Long-term peak strength had already shaped his unyielding pride beneath a gentle surface.

Just then, a discordant voice, whispering like a mosquito yet clearly reaching the ears of almost every Evolver present, spoke up:

"Tch... What 'ice fire divine lord'? Just a bumpkin from a small place, blowing his own horn quite loudly..."

The voice came from a soldier with an arrogant face and frivolous eyes in the squad behind Yang Tian. He seemed to want to show off in front of his companions, and his voice wasn't kept very low.

In an instant, the atmosphere on the scene seemed to freeze!

Li Xian's expression instantly became extremely strange, and the corner of his mouth even twitched. He had personally witnessed how Zhang Lei had incinerated that terrifying Cloud Top Immortal Crane like a god! Where did this reckless fool come from? How dare he speak like that? But... on second thought, he couldn't be the only one getting beaten, right? It seemed nice to have company. So, he decisively chose to look down and focus inward, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly, looking like he was waiting for a good show.

"What the hell are you farting about?! You looking for death?! If you're not convinced, come out and practice! I'll teach you what manners are!" Before Zhang Lei could speak, Gold Dragon behind him was the first to explode! He was an old soldier personally trained by Zhang Lei. This short-tempered man was like a lit powder keg, stepping forward fiercely. His bell-like eyes were wide open as he roared at the soldier's nose, his spit almost flying onto the other's face. From his posture, it looked like he would pounce and start a fight the next second.

Yang Ning and Shen Nan on the side didn't speak, but their expressions instantly turned terrifyingly dark. As soldiers of the Red Alert Legion, their superior's dignity was not to be profaned! In Jiang Xin's absence, Zhang Lei was their highest Commander. As long as Zhang Lei gave the order, they would rush forward without hesitation and use the most primitive way to teach the other person how to behave.

The smile on Zhang Lei's face remained unchanged, and he even raised his hand to gently press down, signaling Gold Dragon to stay calm. He turned his gaze to the soldier who had spoken, his tone as flat as if he were stating a fact:

"What this brother said is not wrong. My Lujiang Base is indeed a small place, incomparable to the vast scale of Kyoto."

His tone suddenly shifted. His voice remained steady, but it took on a trace of cold sharpness, like polar ice: "However—"

His gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto that soldier. An invisible pressure cut through like a precise scalpel: "What kind of thing are you? Are you even worthy of barking in front of me, Zhang Lei?"

Before his voice even faded!

"Buzz—!"

An invisible force field, heavy as a mountain and cold as ice, suddenly erupted with Zhang Lei as the center! Within a fifty-meter radius, the water elements instantly became violent and viscous, and the air seemed to turn into the heavy pressure of the deep sea! This power did not attack indiscriminately but, as if it had a life of its own, precisely concentrated and pressed down on the soldier who had spoken rudely—Luo Erniu!

"Argh—!"

Luo Erniu felt as if he had been thrown into a ten-thousand-meter deep sea in an instant! An irresistible and terrifying pressure squeezed in fiercely from all directions! He couldn't even hold out for a single second. His legs went weak, and he fell to his knees with a "thud," his hands desperately propping himself up on the ground just to barely keep from collapsing completely! The veins on his forehead and neck bulged, and bean-sized beads of sweat instantly soaked his training uniform. His face turned beet red, and even breathing became extremely difficult, only able to make labored gasping sounds from his throat!

"Erniu!"

"Damn it! This is too much!"

Seeing their companion being suppressed so publicly, the other soldiers behind Yang Tian's eyes instantly turned red! In the military, the bond between comrades is valued most; if one person is humiliated, the whole squad shares the shame! At that moment, the energy fluctuations on several people surged, and it looked like a conflict was about to break out!

"Everyone, stop!!" Yang Tian shouted, like a sudden clap of thunder, instantly suppressing the commotion in his own team! He turned around abruptly, his sharp, blade-like gaze sweeping over his restless soldiers, his face ashen:

"What are you doing?! Are you trying to rebel?! How do I usually teach you?! You haven't learned enough combat skills, but you've mastered the skill of making trouble and being loose-tongued without a teacher?! Do you really think you're the best in the world?! If anyone dares to move again, they will be dealt with by military law!" His voice was full of unquestionable authority, immediately subduing his subordinates.

After reprimanding his subordinates, Yang Tian took a deep breath, forcing down the anger in his heart, and turned to Zhang Lei. Although his soldier was in the wrong first, as a Commander, if he watched his subordinate being suppressed so publicly and remained silent, he wouldn't be able to lead troops anymore.

He said in a deep voice: "Excellency Zhang Lei, my subordinate lacks discipline and was loose-tongued. It's my, Yang Tian's, fault for not being strict enough in my command. I apologize to you on his behalf. But... for Your Excellency to use such means to humiliate my soldier over such a small matter, isn't it also a bit... excessive?" His words carried a soldier's directness and also implied a hint of dissatisfaction.

Hearing this, a faint arc curled at the corner of Zhang Lei's mouth. It was a natural, confident smile belonging to the strong. With a slight thought, the substance-like heavy pressure instantly vanished without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

"Colonel Yang speaks too seriously," Zhang Lei said calmly. "I just wanted to tell him a simple truth: those who humiliate others will be humiliated in return. In this world, only those who lack strength are easily humiliated. The dignity of the strong is not to be lightly offended." As he spoke, the soldier named Luo Erniu collapsed to the ground as if exhausted, panting heavily, his face full of lingering fear and terror as he struggled to stand up.

"Oh?" Yang Tian raised an eyebrow and took a step forward, his gaze meeting Zhang Lei's without evasion. Two powerful auras faintly collided in the air. Although they hadn't actually fought, it already made the surrounding people feel a suffocating pressure. "From Your Excellency's words, it seems you are very confident in your own strength?"

"I wouldn't say confident," Zhang Lei responded indifferently, "but I think I still have the ability to protect my own dignity and that of my subordinates."

"Good!" Yang Tian was also a straightforward person and knew this matter couldn't be easily settled. Since words weren't working, they would solve it in the most traditional military way. "Since we are both soldiers, just talking is boring. How about this: each side picks a few people to spar here on the Training Ground. The losing side will solemnly apologize for their earlier rudeness! How about it?" He referred to both Luo Erniu's arrogant words and Zhang Lei's suppression just now.

A flash of admiration crossed Zhang Lei's eyes; he liked this direct style: "Exactly what I was thinking! In the military, strength is what speaks in the end. Playing with words is the behavior of a coward."

"Splendid!" Yang Tian waved his hand. "Not far from here is the training base of our Kyoto Evolver Legion. The facilities are complete and enough for us to go all out! Please!"

"Lead the way!"

Thus, the two groups of people—one side being the rising, high-spirited Red Alert elite from the south, and the other being the established, deep-rooted official powerhouse guarding Kyoto—walked towards a nearby massive open-air Training Ground with a subtle atmosphere.

Kyoto Base truly deserved its reputation as the country's number one official base. Just this one training field was extremely vast, enough to accommodate thousands of people practicing at the same time. At this moment, there were hundreds of Evolvers with varying levels of strength performing various types of training on the field: some were controlling fire, some were tempering their bodies by striking iron posts, and some were practicing precise elemental control... The abilities were varied, and the sounds of shouting and energy collisions were constant, making it look bustling yet orderly, showcasing a powerful foundation.

Yang Tian walked straight to the center of the field and gestured to two Evolvers who were sparring. The two immediately stopped and respectfully retreated to the side. He turned his gaze to Luo Erniu, who had just recovered and whose face was still pale, and spoke sternly:

"Luo Erniu! You caused the trouble, so you go first! Let me see just how much ability you have to dare to be so arrogant outside!" His tone carried clear reprimand. This Luo Erniu had decent abilities, but he was impulsive, his mouth was faster than his hands, and his eyes were bigger than his stomach. Today was a good chance to knock some sense into him and also gauge the weight of the guests from Lujiang.

"Yes... Yes! Sir!" Luo Erniu swallowed hard, his voice still trembling slightly, and his calves were shaking even more. The abyssal, unfathomable power Zhang Lei had shown earlier had left a huge shadow in his heart. At this moment, he was only agreeing out of sheer necessity.

He also knew that this battle concerned not only his personal honor but also the face of Kyoto Base. He took a deep breath, forced down the fear in his heart, and walked to the open space in the center of the Training Ground with somewhat heavy steps. Everyone's gaze instantly focused on him.

(Filling in a gap: even with crystal cores, they must be absorbed slowly to become familiar with the abilities. Moving from the second to the third stage takes some time; otherwise, the speed of creating experts would be too fast, and the combat power balance would break. Promotions beyond the 3rd stage might not be written about for a long time to prevent power creep. Xiao Feng will focus on writing some plots about various major bases across the country, as this is, after all, an ensemble cast story.)