A Fierce Man

"Squad Leader, I'm done."

Ji Baichang rubbed his arm.

Three hundred reps weren't too bad for someone with a fitness background; the intensity was moderate. Maybe the sit-ups would be a bit challenging, as he didn't usually focus much on his abs.

"Okay, go wash up."

"Come back after you're done and supervise the others."

Chen Ting nodded, indicating that Ji Baichang was dismissed.

"Okay, Squad Leader."

Ji Baichang replied, picking up his yellow basin, which contained his toiletries, and ambled out of the room.

When he reached the washroom, he was stunned.

At a glance, it was packed with people, all bare-chested, crammed together.

It was like...

a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix!

"This can't be right! When I went to the Squad Office to drop off my phone, there was no one here?"

"How could the washroom be packed in less than ten minutes?"

Ji Baichang was utterly confused. This scene of a sea of muscular men, men upon men, was already overwhelming him.

"Baichang!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from within the washroom. Ji Baichang instinctively looked up.

Wow! Such powerful muscles!

What a fierce, strapping man!

Upon closer inspection, it was Lü Qinglong!

He exuded a powerful aura all over.

Every muscle on his body seemed to have been tempered through countless trials, full and perfectly proportioned.

His chest was broad and solid, his abdomen boasted eight-pack abs like the most perfect sculptures in the world, and the serratus anterior muscles on his sides added a fierce touch.

His arms were thick and strong, as if capable of easily lifting thousands of pounds, and his hands were covered in a thick layer of calluses.

His legs were like two iron pillars, supporting his tall frame, with veins faintly visible beneath his skin, glowing with a bluish light.

"Come over here, I'm almost done washing!"

Lü Qinglong called out. Ji Baichang immediately pushed aside the surrounding New Recruits and finally squeezed his way to Lü Qinglong's side.

Strangely enough, despite the crowded washroom, Ji Baichang felt a sense of spaciousness next to Lü Qinglong.

"What's going on? When I put my phone down, the washroom was empty. In the blink of an eye, so many people appeared."

Ji Baichang asked, rinsing himself under the showerhead.

"It's probably because the entire Company only has this one washroom on the first floor. With the Veterans included, there are over a hundred people, only five showerheads, and everyone's trying to wash at the same time, so it's crowded."

Lü Qinglong explained while applying body wash to himself.

"I see."

"Qinglong, what are those scars on you?"

"Hiss~ They look like knife wounds!"

Ji Baichang's eyes narrowed, and he pointed to Lü Qinglong's waist and chest in surprise.

He hadn't seen clearly from a distance, but now up close, he saw dense scars. Although the color had faded, it was clear they were likely from knife wounds.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"These are wounds I got when I was eight years old, fighting off twelve armed thugs."

"It was a shame, though. I only took down eleven, and one managed to escape. But luckily, the police caught the one who ran away later."

Lü Qinglong's face clearly showed a hint of regret and reminiscence as he spoke.

If his body hadn't given out then, he probably could have caught up to that guy.

???

Ji Baichang froze, thinking he must have misheard.

What was that? Eight years old, fighting off over a dozen armed thugs?

Was that look of regret on his face genuine?

Regret for not chasing down the guy and beating him up again?

"Ahem! Qinglong, you're amazing now! You were a very righteous little boy."

Ji Baichang chuckled awkwardly.

This guy was as fierce as a monster.

What Astartes.

"If I encountered these knife-wielding thugs now, I could put them to sleep forcefully within a minute, completely unharmed."

"After all, knives don't affect me much."

Lü Qinglong spoke as if discussing a trivial matter.

"Alright, I'm done washing, you can go next."

Lü Qinglong patted Ji Baichang's shoulder, walking out while drying himself with his towel. The crowded New Recruits immediately made way, watching him leave the Washroom.

"Too exaggerated."

"Huh? Xu Gou, you got the showerhead, I'll wash with you."

"Down-to-earth Daoist? You're taking so long with your three hundred reps?"

"Phew! A hard bed is still more comfortable."

Lü Qinglong lay down on the bunk made by joining two beds, comfortably pulling two blankets over himself.

As soon as his mind cleared, a wave of sleepiness washed over him.

It was only a little past 8:30, and the duty officer hadn't even blown the lights-out whistle yet.

In contrast, the other New Recruits in the squad were miserable.

They were still toiling away at their three hundred reps.

Some New Recruits didn't finish even after the duty officer outside called for lights out and the entire Barracks went dark.

Ji Baichang returned after his shower and strictly watched over these New Recruits, not allowing them to wash until they were all finished.

The last New Recruit finished his three hundred reps and lay down on his bed, it was already ten o'clock at night.

Exhausted from the day, the New Recruit had barely been in bed for two minutes before snores filled the air.

Today was too tiring.

It was a trial for them, both physically and mentally.

However, they didn't know that this was just the beginning. Ahead of them lay at least seven hundred more repetitive days and nights, just like today.

Specks of light twinkled in the distant sky, the entire heavens still immersed in a deep blue-black hue.

The entire camp was silent, with only the occasional chirping of insects accompanied by the sound of the wind.

"Beep beep~"

A phone vibrated. The Squad Leader Chen Ting, lying on the bed, opened his eyes and reached behind his pillow to turn off the alarm.

As he got up after putting on his camouflage uniform, he noticed Lü Qinglong was already up and dressed in his camouflage uniform, standing in the squad's area.

"You're up?"

Chen Ting was slightly surprised. Lü Qinglong was up before he had even called them, appearing much more self-disciplined than he had imagined.

"Squad Leader, I wake up at this time at home too. My routine is very healthy, I can't sleep in."

Lü Qinglong explained.

"Good, very good."

Chen Ting turned and switched on the lights in the squad area. A blinding light instantly tore through the darkness of the dormitory.

The sudden brightness made it impossible for the New Recruits to adjust. Many were jolted awake from their deep sleep.

Their eyes stung from the intense light. Some rubbed their eyes, others shielded their faces with their hands, and a few grumbled in dissatisfaction:

"Who is it? Who turned on the lights? What time is it?"