The cold wind is rising, and winter is coming.

On the training ground of the training camp, more than two hundred new recruits are wearing thin black short sleeves, running around the perimeter of the training ground.

From the beginning of the training to now, it has been five months. Strictly speaking, they are no longer new recruits. But for the training camp that only happens once a year, as long as they haven’t stepped out of that door, they will always be new recruits.

The January sky is very cold, and the morning dew has turned into frost. The cold air seeps into the skin like tiny snakes, making people shiver involuntarily.

Baili Pangpang rubbed his cheeks with his hands, exhaling a white mist, and sighed softly, “It’s so early in the winter, and we still have to train. It’s really torturous… I’ve lost more than ten pounds recently.”

Lin Qiye ran with a straight posture, his exposed skin turning slightly red from the cold air, but his expression remained unchanged.

“Baili Tuming! Are you rubbing your face while running? Are you cold?!” A sharp-eyed instructor shouted when he saw this scene.

Baili Pangpang’s face changed, and he shouted with a brave face, “Report! I… I’m a little cold!”

“Cold means you’re not running enough! After everyone finishes running, you stay behind and run five more laps!”

“Yes!”

Baili Pangpang shouted helplessly.

After five months of grueling training, Baili Pangpang had lost a lot of weight. If his original body shape was roughly the size of a soccer ball, it was now more like a rugby ball.

Not only him, but this long period of physical training has brought about tremendous changes to everyone, not only in physical fitness but also in their mental state.

In the midst of winter, the laziness and dullness in their eyes have disappeared, replaced by unprecedented determination and clarity. In this full and vigorous spirit, their growth is visible to the naked eye.

They are like finely polished blades, from the rough and unrefined at the beginning to the sharp and distinct now… They now have the appearance of soldiers!

“Dismissed, go eat!” the instructor’s voice came.

The orderly formation did not immediately disperse, but with a silent understanding, they moved to the entrance of the cafeteria before breaking into separate groups and entering the cafeteria.

On the frost-covered training ground, only Baili Pangpang was running with a mournful face, running as fast as he could.

“Do we need to wait for him?” Cao Yuan asked as he watched Baili Pangpang running desperately.

Lin Qiye shook his head, “No need. The better the food looks to him, the faster he’ll run.”

“Good point.”

Since winter began, the food in the cafeteria has been getting better and better. Every time they entered the cafeteria, the smell of meat filled the room, making their mouths water.

As the physical fitness of the new recruits improved, their appetites naturally grew. But the cafeteria’s meals seemed to be perfectly calculated, always enough to fill them up without overeating. It can be said that the portion sizes were just right!

After Lin Qiye and Cao Yuan had eaten for a while, Baili Pangpang, sweating profusely, hurriedly ran in. “Steamed buns, where are my steamed buns?”

Lin Qiye pushed a steaming tray on the table towards him, “There are four more, specially reserved for you.”

“Qiye, you really understand me.” Baili Pangpang exclaimed with joy, grabbing a steamed bun and taking big bites.

Cao Yuan rolled his eyes silently.

“By the way, it’s almost Chinese New Year. Are we going to get a break?” Baili Pangpang suddenly asked.

Lin Qiye was taken aback.

Since coming to the training camp, he seemed to have completely forgotten the concept of time. Five months had passed in the blink of an eye, and if it weren’t for Baili Pangpang’s reminder, he wouldn’t have realized that it was already February…

“We are in a closed training camp, so how could we get a break? You’re thinking too much,” Cao Yuan shook his head.

Baili Pangpang sighed in disappointment, “Sigh… I thought we could have a few days off. To be honest, after being away for so long, I still miss my family’s big villa, the soft bed, and the beautiful housekeeper sisters…”

“…” Cao Yuan silently took a big bite of his bun.

“By the way, Qiye, after the training is over, come with me to Guangzhou and Shenzhen to play, okay? I’m the king of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and I guarantee you won’t want to go back to Cangnan!” Baili Pangpang said excitedly.

Cao Yuan blinked, “What about me?”

“You? Go with your own group.”

“…”

“Guangzhou and Shenzhen…” Lin Qiye murmured to himself, “I’ve never left Cangnan City since I was little. It wouldn’t be bad to go and see if I have the chance.”

“If we get a break for Chinese New Year, I can take you immediately!”

“Forget it. If I can’t go home for the New Year, it’s also good to eat with the team leader and the others.”

“The Night Watchman Team in Cangnan City, right? I heard that the team leader is called… Chen Muye?” Baili Pangpang thought for a moment, “There have always been many mysterious events in Cangnan City. I wonder what they’re up to now… They should be dealing with the mysteries, right?”

…

Training camp, instructor’s office.

Chen Muye sat across from Yuan Gang and spoke seriously, “You guys need to take a break.”

“…” Yuan Gang massaged his forehead, “Captain Chen, I’ve already said that we are in a closed training camp, and we don’t get a break for Chinese New Year… You also came out of here, so you should know.”

“Then just give Lin Qiye a leave of absence and let him come with me to have the New Year’s Eve dinner.” Chen Muye didn’t back down.

“This is against the rules…”

“I don’t care.” Chen Muye leaned back in his chair, calmly saying, “You might not believe it, but two of our team members are currently lurking outside your training camp. If you don’t agree, they might start abducting people.”

“…” Yuan Gang took a deep breath, “Captain Chen… please don’t put me in a difficult position.”

“Alright, if you don’t want to let him out, then let us come in to deliver the food during Chinese New Year.”

“This…” Yuan Gang frowned.

“Captain Chen, can you tell me what you’re trying to do? As far as I know, your 136 team has always been very low-key. Why are you doing this now…”

Chen Muye fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking up:

“This time it’s different.”

“Why?”

“…Someone’s going to make a move on the new recruits.”

Hearing this, Yuan Gang’s expression shifted slightly, “What do you mean?”

Chen Muye looked into Yuan Gang’s eyes and said calmly, “Lately, things have been unsettled in Cangnan City… A lot of rats have sneaked in.”

“Rats?”

“I don’t know which power they belong to, but after tracking them for so long, we can almost be certain…”

Chen Muye’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he spoke with deliberate emphasis:

“Their target is this Training Camp.”