To encourage the students to participate actively, the Military Academy had put up more rewards than ever before this time.
A bottle of Bitter Essence Pills and a bottle of Lucid Pills—rewards that had originally been reserved for the top student in the monthly assessment—were now available to the top three. As long as they received a Rank A+ evaluation, they could obtain these precious resources.
There were also seven remaining Grade A evaluation slots, and those students would likewise receive pills capable of changing their aptitude! The students present were all somewhat stirred.
In the past, there had only been three slots, and they had nearly all been monopolized by members of the Tiger Sabre Gang. The others had no chance of competing.
Now, with the number of slots increased to ten and the monthly assessment method changed, everyone saw hope and was eager to give it a try.
"Those willing to participate in this operation, stay behind. Those unwilling may leave, but before today's operation ends, you may not leave the Military Academy or have contact with the outside world."
Vice Hall Master Wang spoke at the end.
In the end, not one of the eighty-three Rank A Students left. They all chose to participate.
"Move out!"
This time, the Military Academy sent more than a dozen senior instructors with the strength of formal martial artists to accompany them.
More than a hundred people gathered on the training field. After waiting for over ten minutes, a series of vans from the Overseeing Bureau drove into the Military Academy and stopped on the field.
"Everyone, get in."
After briefly handing things over to the people from the Overseeing Bureau, the senior instructor leading the group waved and called out.
The students filed into the rear compartments of the vans. Each vehicle could seat more than a dozen people, and Li Fei boarded one together with Lu Changwu and the others.
A uniformed, fully armed Overseeing Bureau Inspector sat inside the compartment. Once everyone had boarded, he said in a cold, hard voice, "There's equipment on your seats. Put it on yourselves in the vehicle."
"Brother, do you know who's leading this operation for the Overseeing Bureau?"
As soon as Lu Changwu boarded, he asked impatiently.
The inspector sitting at the very back froze and looked at Lu Changwu. "Why are you asking?"
"I'm the son of Lu Sheng, the captain of your First Brigade. Everyone here is also a child of someone from the Overseeing Bureau."
Lu Changwu said this.
When the inspector in the vehicle heard that, his attitude immediately changed, and a smile appeared on his face.
"So you're Captain Lu's son! What a coincidence—the one leading this operation is Captain Lu himself!"
"My father is leading it personally?"
The delight on Lu Changwu's face could no longer be concealed. The corners of his mouth kept turning upward.
"Hahaha, congratulations, Brother Lu."
"Brother Lu, we'll be counting on you this time."
"Your uncle Lu is leading the operation personally. That Rank A+ evaluation is definitely yours this time, Brother Lu."
Everyone in the compartment began flattering him.
Li Fei looked at the inspector and asked, "Brother, I'd like to ask—has anyone from the Second Brigade come this time?"
After learning that everyone present was a child of someone from the Overseeing Bureau, the inspector treated everyone warmly. What if the father of the person before him happened to be his direct superior? He smiled at Li Fei and said, "Only the First Brigade is participating in this operation. The other two brigades haven't sent anyone."
Li Fei nodded and thanked him.
When he heard that Li Lei was not participating in the operation, he instead breathed a sigh of relief.
Although martial artists countered spellcraft, it was still highly threatening to ordinary people. Who knew what methods the Tranquil God Sect might have hidden? So, Li Fei felt it was a good thing that Li Lei had not participated.
"Xiao Fei, don't worry. I'll be looking after everyone this time. Nothing will happen."
Lu Changwu patted Li Fei on the shoulder and smiled.
He thought Li Fei was disappointed that Li Lei had not come.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Brother Lu."
Li Fei smiled in response.
The group then began putting on their equipment.
Only Overseeing Bureau Inspectors and some armed personnel certified by the imperial court were permitted to use firearms. Since the number of firearms was limited, the Overseeing Bureau had not issued guns to the students.
Each person received a Stab-Proof Vest, a helmet, and a saber. That was the equipment the Overseeing Bureau had prepared for the students.
Li Fei weighed the saber in his hand. It was a standard weapon of the Overseeing Bureau, one point three meters long and weighing four jin and two liang. Its weight and length were close to those of the specially made wooden saber he had used to practice saber techniques over the past few days, so it should feel fairly natural in his hands.
After changing into the equipment, all that remained was to wait.
The convoy soon left the city, and the road became bumpy. Inside the compartments, everyone was jolted around violently.
"Fuck, this is torture."
"No, I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"How much longer until we arrive?"
The group had never suffered like this in their daily lives, and they were all finding it difficult to endure.
Li Fei silently gripped the handrail above him, looking extremely composed.
The inspector in the vehicle was somewhat surprised as he watched Li Fei remain calm and collected without uttering a single complaint.
"We should be heading to Mount Luo Stronghold in this direction. It'll probably take another twenty or so minutes to arrive. Hang in there, everyone."
The inspector spoke.
More than twenty Overseeing Bureau vans stopped at the foot of a narrow slope.
Above the slope stood a stronghold built against the mountain. Several dozen households lived inside. This was Mount Luo Stronghold.
Once the vehicle doors opened, some of the Military Academy students scrambled out of the compartments and immediately bent over to vomit.
At the foot of the slope, a middle-aged man in a black robe embroidered with white fish patterns on the sleeves and chest glanced at the vomiting students and frowned.
"The Military Academy's students are really getting worse and worse."
Several people in identical uniforms stood beside him. Holsters hung from their waists, and each carried a pistol.
Lu Sheng, dressed in an Overseeing Bureau uniform, was standing there as well.
Lu Sheng found Lu Changwu's figure in the crowd, then shifted his gaze away without revealing anything. Turning to the man who had spoken, he asked, "Lord Wang, can we head up the mountain?"
"Up the mountain!"
At the man's command, there was no time to rest. The Military Academy students who had just gotten out of the vehicles began climbing the mountain in their heavy Stab Proof Vests.
Fortunately, everyone practiced martial arts, so their stamina was not a problem.
A dozen minutes later, more than two hundred people arrived outside a stronghold.
This stronghold was Mount Luo Stronghold. The Overseeing Bureau had already taken control of the place in advance, sealing off the entire stronghold and preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
"The guide is reliable, isn't he?"
The Lord Wang who had issued the order earlier asked Lu Sheng.
He was a Registered Martial Master of the Cessation of Hostilities Bureau and the highest commander of this operation.
"His entire family has been taken under control by our people. There won't be any problems."
Lu Sheng replied.
"Then let's enter the mountains."
Lord Wang gave the order.
Lu Sheng turned and summoned an Overseeing Bureau Inspector. "Tell everyone that we're about to enter the mountains. Everyone needs to stay alert. We could be ambushed at any moment from here on."
Soon, more than two hundred people passed through Mount Luo Stronghold and advanced toward the great mountains behind it.
Just as they were about to enter the mountains, an Overseeing Bureau Inspector suddenly walked toward Li Fei and the others.
The man approached Lu Changwu, whispered a few words, then discreetly handed him something.
From where Li Fei stood, he had a clear view. What the man handed Lu Changwu was a pistol! Seeing this, Li Fei tightened his grip on the saber at his waist without revealing anything.