Before long, all the new recruits had assembled at the foot of Jinnan Mountain.
Instructor Hong stood before them with his hands behind his back. After sweeping his gaze across the group, he slowly said:
"Next, we begin Extreme Training! See that mountain range behind me? In a moment, each of you will be equipped with thirty-five kilograms of weight. Your task is to cross that mountain range before dawn tomorrow!"
"Report!" Zheng Zhong shouted.
"Speak!"
"Is it just an ordinary weighted cross-country run?"
"It's not that simple..." Instructor Hong smiled faintly and beckoned. Dense swarms of drones suddenly flew out of the last bus, each fitted with a miniature gun barrel underneath.
"The weights you carry come with tracking functions. Once training begins, these drones will enter the mountains and pursue every one of you. If you are hit by the paint guns mounted on them, it means failure... And failure comes with very cruel, very cruel... very cruel punishments!"
The corners of Instructor Hong's mouth rose uncontrollably, as though he had thought of something interesting. He emphasized the word "cruel" three times in succession, making the new recruits' scalps tingle.
"There are several rules I need to stress." Instructor Hong raised three fingers.
"First, you may exchange the weights you are carrying. For example, if one of you can't run anymore, you may hand part of your weight to someone else, and take it back whenever you wish. But remember, you must not discard your weights on your own. If you are caught, you fail immediately!"
"Second, you may not attack or even touch the drones by any means. You may not carry anything on your bodies to obstruct the paint guns' fire, and you may not hide motionless in some blind spot in the terrain. There is