"Forward, forward!"
The radiance of the crimson sun shone upon the earth, pouring endless heat over this parched Gobi. Winds hot enough to cook an egg swept past, whipping up countless clouds of sand and dust.
The surface temperature had already exceeded 70°C!
Yet under such blazing heat, groups of young men and women in reserve military uniforms ran forward in neat formation, shouting slogans as they went.
Their faces were covered in salt crystals left behind by dried sweat, mixed with sand, making them look thoroughly filthy.
Yet not a single one dared wipe their face with a sleeve!
That was because fully armed supervising instructors holding long whips stood at the front, back, left, and right of the formation.
Anyone who slacked off, disrupted their movements or pace, or failed to keep up with the rhythm of the group would get a lash.
The whips used by these supervising instructors were specially made. They could extend over thirty meters when cracked, thin yet tough, precise and vicious. A strike could make someone wish they were dead.
And their eyes were sharp as hawks. Even if someone hid in the middle of the formation, they could not escape!
The targets under the watchful gaze of these supervising instructors were the freshmen who had entered the First Imperial Higher Military Academy only a week ago.
According to academy regulations, every freshman had to undergo three months of basic military training.
During that period, everyone's identity was that of a new Imperial Army recruit.
The training included long-distance running, equipment drills, combat, shooting, tactics, military literacy, and more, with particular emphasis on cultivating discipline and willpower in the freshmen.
In this interstellar age, where light-years were no longer distant, such an "ancient" method of training still held practical significance and value.