21: Five people you met for the first time

492nd Regiment, Recruit Camp.

There were no elaborate ceremonies; in just three short sentences, the recruits were led into the base.

Nearly thirty special vehicles passed through the thick city walls, entered the recruit camp base, and drove directly to the training ground.

Thump thump thump thump!!!

Above the dark blue night sky, several Falcon Helicopters slowly descended, their rotors kicking up all the dust on the field.

In a hazy tarmac, a man in military uniform, carrying a slender Battle Blade on his back, stepped out of the cabin.

Swish!!

The soldiers waiting nearby immediately saluted.

The man in military uniform strode forward, his expression solemn, his sharp, hawk-like eyes scanning the recruits present.

Stared at by such piercing eyes, almost all the recruits felt a little timid.

Only Chen Fan met the military man's gaze, calm and composed.

Very good!

The officer nodded, a fleeting look of satisfaction seemingly appearing on his face.

"Fledglings, as your chief instructor for recruit training, I'm delighted to meet you all in the 492nd Regiment.

In the coming month, I will train you alongside the other instructors!"

"Please remember, my name is Qin Xianzhen, commander of the Ninth Army's Assault Regiment, and your chief instructor!"

"It's getting late. Go eat first, then get your dorms assigned and tidy up your internal affairs. Training starts tomorrow morning."

Just like that, Qin Xianzhen concluded his first speech as chief instructor.

At this moment, Chen Fan noticed three figures, wrapped in white bandages, sneaking out of the cabin.

Under the cover of night, they limped along behind Qin Xianzhen, trying to refuse the soldiers who came to help them, looking a bit comical.

Seeing this scene, some recruits wanted to snicker.

But when they saw Yan Xiao's single arm and the War General-level emblem on his chest, all the recruit's smiles were swallowed back, replaced by solemn expressions.

If a War General-level martial artist's injuries were so severe, how much more so for these recruits who had only just passed the quasi-martial artist assessment?

What right did they have to mock veterans?

It turned out to be Yan Xiao, Battalion Commander Chen Chu, and Major Yuan Ye.

Perhaps sensing Chen Fan's gaze, the three of them quickened their pace without looking back, as if they didn't know Chen Fan at all.

492nd Regiment, cafeteria.

Following the Ninth Army's tradition, it was dumplings before departure and noodles upon arrival.

And so, these soldiers' recruit period began with a hearty meal of noodles.

After eating, Chen Fan, like the other recruits, received his dorm card at the cafeteria entrance.

Random assignment, all dependent on luck.

The Jingji Garrison, unlike other China forces, is based on regional squads, with five people per squad.

Upwards, four squads can form a platoon; downwards, five people can break up and act individually.

It was the same during the recruit period; five people in a dorm formed a temporary squad.

In the dorm, all four roommates were present, but the atmosphere was a bit silent; they were all tidying up their beds.

After the lights went out, Chen Fan lay silently on his bed, not sleeping, thinking for a long time before he finally spoke:

"Looking at the atmosphere in our dorm, are you all perhaps joining the army because of social anxiety?"

"By the way, I'm Chen Fan. It's great to become comrades with everyone. I joined the army to fight monsters and defend our country."

"I'm Fang Paopao, no, Fang Yan, from Kyoto First Military Academy, a sophomore. I run really fast."

"Ling Chen, Kyoto Base City First Military Academy, a senior graduate."

"Yun Feng, from the Yun family in Magic City, graduated from Kyoto Base City First Military Academy."

"Xiao Han, also from the First Military Academy."

"..."

Chen Fan was a bit speechless. All four roommates, one after another, reported being university students from the First Military Academy. He was the one with the lowest education.

Just an ordinary high school student, and not even graduated yet.

"So you're all university students, and I'm just a little brother who hasn't even graduated high school yet."

Chen Fan scoffed.

Faint laughter echoed in the darkness.

A moment later, the entire Dorm 648 fell silent again.

Perhaps it was their first time joining the army, and everyone had their own thoughts.

On the bunk by the window, Chen Fan turned his head and quietly looked out the window.

Night deepened, and silence spread.

The Wilderness Area was like a monster with its jaws wide open, constantly wanting to devour the Ninth Army Base.

I wonder if Base 0231 has been rebuilt?

Suddenly, an image of the scorched earth, with black smoke drifting, appeared in Chen Fan's mind.

According to information revealed by Yan Xiao, Base 0231 should be rebuilt, and new martial artist squads dispatched to guard it.

"Hey, has anyone here been through the martial artist combat assessment before coming here?"

Fang Yan, near the door, turned over in the darkness and suddenly asked.

At first, no one answered.

"No!"

"No!"

"No!"

After a unanimous shaking of heads, Chen Fan nodded and blurted out, "I have."

Swish swish swish!!

The four immediately sat up, and the rustling sound of them getting out of bed filled the room as they gathered around Chen Fan's window.

"Buddy, can you tell us what the martial artist combat assessment is like... and how to pass it?"

"The martial artist combat assessment, huh?"

At this point, Chen Fan also sat up and meticulously explained everything about Monster Town to his roommates.

"Oh, so you just need to kill three beast soldiers to pass the assessment."

Fang Yan's words were full of anticipation.

"Then you must know how to cultivate the Five Hearts to the Sky Cultivation Method."

Chen Fan didn't answer, stepping directly out of bed.

Without turning on the lights, everyone tacitly gathered together.

Moonlight streamed through the window into the dorm, illuminating five young figures sitting on the cold corridor floor.

Without any reservations, Chen Fan directly shared his insights.

They were roommates now, and they would be comrades on the battlefield later.

No matter the reason, Chen Fan hoped they would be as strong as possible.

"Everyone knows that the Five Hearts to the Sky Cultivation Method first requires perceiving the existence of cosmic energy."

Everyone nodded solemnly, their attention fully focused on Chen Fan.

"In the dark, everyone's attention is most concentrated, and it's the best time to perceive cosmic energy."

As he spoke, Chen Fan demonstrated.

As the Five Hearts to the Sky Cultivation Method was performed, wisps of cosmic energy slowly gathered towards Chen Fan.

"Close your eyes, calm your mind, and perceive this mysterious power."

Chen Fan's voice sounded, and Fang Yan and the other three all followed suit.

They were only military academy students who had passed the quasi-martial artist assessment; they needed military training before participating in the martial artist combat assessment.

And the results of the combat assessment would also affect their classification and military rank.

The other four listened very carefully to Chen Fan's words.

At the same time, they all followed Chen Fan's instructions, with both palms and soles of their feet facing the ceiling, a very peculiar posture.

"Concentrate your spirit and qi, guarding your Dantian."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Fan immediately intensified his absorption of cosmic energy, becoming like a large vortex.

At the same time,

A continuous stream of cosmic energy gathered from outside the window; even the faint moonlight seemed to be pulled off course.

The dorm was silent, with only faint, synchronized breathing.

Five minutes, ten minutes... half an hour, an hour... As cosmic energy continuously gathered, a faint layer of white mist was already subtly floating around the five people's bodies.

By now, the four were almost falling asleep.

In a daze, Fang Yan vaguely felt a trace of energy entering his body through his palm.

"Is this cosmic energy?"

Fang Yan woke up with a start, and at the same time, the other three also felt the cosmic energy.

"Concentrate fully on absorbing this energy, don't get distracted!"

Chen Fan's reminder sounded at the right time, and everyone obediently followed.

Immediately after, wisps of cosmic energy, like a babbling brook, flowed into Fang Yan, Ling Chen, and Xiao Han's bodies, slowly altering their genetic blueprints and improving their physical fitness.

This transformation process was lengthy, so Chen Fan did not disturb them further, but instead cultivated alongside them.

"Physique +1"

"Physique +1"

"..."

...