The morale-boosting performance grew more and more lively, with all kinds of acts taking the stage in turn. Even the soldiers who had finished their oxygen and caught their breath joined the boisterous singing contest.
In the end, Li Xingtang leaped down from the bow, brandishing his flying sword and performing a sword dance on the spot—
His sword moved like a roaming dragon, circling around him as sword light fell like raindrops. The soldiers clapped, slapped their thighs, and shouted their approval with all their strength, momentarily forgetting that the performer before them was a suit of armor rather than a warrior.
As they watched, someone suddenly lowered his voice and cried out:
"It's Instructor Li!"
"What Instructor Li?"
"It's Instructor Li! Have you forgotten? The brothers by the lake mentioned him! They said that when they were confronting India over there, the higher-ups brought in some cold-weapons instructors to work out and refine combat tactics with them. Instructor Li was one of them!"
The speaker gestured wildly, nearly beside himself.
"They said Instructor Li was incredible! He taught us so much! With the same cold weapons, he could take on an entire squad by himself!"
"Has it occurred to you that this Instructor Li might not be a 'person'?" one soldier calmly pointed out. The speaker immediately turned and glared at him.
"So what! He helps us, he teaches us—he's one of us!"
Having one of their own appear in this setting greatly eased the soldiers' nervousness over who these two visitors were. Their laughter became more relaxed and cheerful. Someone even found a mop handle, went up to Li Xingtang, and asked him for swordsmanship lessons.
"Come on, Instructor, let's trade moves—ahhh!!!"
Li Xingtang turned the flat of his sword and casually smacked him, sending him rolling