Soon, the new recruits gathered at the foot of Jinnan Mountain.

Instructor Hong stood with his hands behind his back in front of them, scanning the group before slowly speaking, “Next, we are going to start extreme training! Do you see the mountain range behind me? I will equip each of you with a 35-kilogram load, and your task is to cross this mountain range before dawn tomorrow!”

“Report!” Zheng Zhong shouted.

“Speak!”

“Is it just a normal cross-country with a load?”

“It’s not that simple…” Instructor Hong smiled slightly, waved his hand, and suddenly a dense swarm of drones flew out from the last bus, each equipped with a miniature paintball gun underneath.

“The load on you has a built-in positioning function. Once the training starts, these drones will enter the mountain range and chase all of you. Once hit by the paintball, it means failure… And failure will have a very cruel, very cruel… very cruel punishment!”

Instructor Hong couldn’t help but smirk, seemingly thinking of something interesting, emphasizing the word “cruel” three times in a row, making the new recruits’ scalps tingle.

“I want to emphasize a few rules,” Instructor Hong held up three fingers, “First, you can exchange the load with each other. For example, if someone among you can’t run, you can transfer part of the load to others, or take it back at any time. But you must be aware that you cannot discard the load privately. If discovered, it’s an immediate failure!”

“Second, you cannot attack in any way, not even touch the drones. You cannot carry any items on your body to obstruct the paintball shots, and you cannot hide in a dead angle of the terrain. When facing the drones, the only thing you can do is… run!”

“Third, you can stick together, but you cannot attack each other or interfere with each other’s actions.”

After Instructor Hong finished these three points, he shouted loudly, “Understand?!”

“Understood!”

“Everyone, take your load and head into the mountains!”

After the order was given, the new recruits began to take turns carrying the load and were each given a tactical knife.

“This knife is for you to overcome the terrain, not for you to kill each other, remember that!” the instructor who handed out the knives, Han Li, earnestly reminded them.

When it was Cao Yuan’s turn to receive the knife, Instructor Han Li silently put down the knife in his hand and took out a… spoon from behind.

“Instructor, this…” Cao Yuan was dumbfounded.

“You can’t use a knife, and now you can’t find any other weapons. Just make do with this for now,” Instructor Han Li patted his shoulder.

Cao Yuan:…

Others can cut through the underbrush with a knife, what can I do with this spoon? Dig a hole for myself?

“Oh, and you, the chubby one over there!” Instructor Hong, who was standing nearby, seemed to remember something and called out to Baili Pangpang, who was preparing to enter the mountain.

“Yes?”

“Take off the Spatial Pouch and all the necklaces and bracelets you’re wearing, and hand them over to me,” Instructor Hong reached out his hand.

Baili Pangpang’s body trembled, and he crossed his arms protectively over his chest, “Instructor… these things are very valuable!”

“…I’m not taking them from you. I’ll keep them for now, understand? If you go in and lose the Forbidden Artifacts everywhere, what’s the point of the training?”

“…Alright.”

Baili Pangpang reluctantly took out another small white pouch from his pocket and handed it to Instructor Hong, along with all the scattered pendants on his body.

“Mm, go ahead.” Instructor Hong solemnly put away these things and waved his hand at Baili Pangpang.

After all the new recruits entered the mountain, Instructor Hong leisurely sat down in the newly set up tactical tent and yawned.

“Instructor Hong, is it necessary to make a simple cross-country with a load so complicated?” Instructor Han Li walked over with a puzzled look on his face and sat down next to him.

“Hehe, this is not just a simple cross-country with a load,” Instructor Hong smiled, “Do you really think they can run out of this mountain range?”

“Hmm?” Instructor Han Li was stunned, seemingly not understanding his meaning.

“We have used the Forbidden Artifacts to block off this entire mountain range. Within this range, the original terrain has been completely altered.”

“Are you saying…”

Instructor Hong looked in the direction where the new recruits had left and revealed a sinister smile, “The entire mountain range has become an impossible maze. No matter how they run, they won’t be able to get out. So, they can only be endlessly chased by the drones in this complex maze, until every one of them is exhausted… This effect is much better than a normal cross-country with a load.”

Instructor Han Li pondered for a moment, “You want to create a desperate environment, but also allow them to exchange loads, test their mentality, drain their physical strength, and cultivate a sense of trust between each other?””Instructor Hong is indeed insightful,” Instructor Hong said, giving a thumbs up.

“But, can we really put that much pressure on them with just drones and paintball guns?” Instructor Han Li couldn’t help but ask.

A mysterious smile appeared on Instructor Hong’s face. “You’ll see when the time comes. The punishment for failure… is far more terrifying than you can imagine.”

…

Jinnan Mountain.

Lin Qiye and Cao Yuan, carrying their weights, agilely made their way through the forest. The trees of Jinnan Mountain were ancient, tall, and dense, with mottled sunlight scattering on the ground, as if they were in a primeval jungle.

“Wait… wait for me!” Baili Pangpang, due to his round figure, found it extremely difficult to move forward in the deep forest filled with vegetation.

“How can this thing be so heavy… Can you two help me carry some of it?” Baili Pangpang looked up, his face full of hope, at the two ahead of him.

“No way,” Lin Qiye decisively refused.

“Scram,” Cao Yuan coldly responded, then turned to Lin Qiye with puppy eyes, “Qi Ye, how about I carry some for you?”

“…No need.”

Baili Pangpang: …

Buzz buzz buzz—!!

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of dense drones flying approached from behind, and Lin Qiye’s expression changed slightly.

“The drones are here; we need to speed up, or they’ll definitely catch up to us.”

Cao Yuan looked around; the new recruits who had entered Jinnan Mountain in the same direction began to scatter. After all, clustering together would only increase the chances of being hit by the random fire from the drones.

“Pant, pant, pant… Why don’t you go ahead? This thing is too heavy; I don’t think I can outrun the drones!” Baili Pangpang, hearing the buzzing sound getting closer, said with a mournful face.

“Aren’t you afraid of being hit and then facing the punishment?”

“Let the punishment come… It can’t be that terrifying, right?” Baili Pangpang said, somewhat uncertainly.