Chapter 34: The Final Lesson

All beginnings are difficult.

The first day of the intensive training proved hard for many to adapt to, but in the end, seventeen people gritted their teeth and persevered.

“Hey Hai, looking at you, aren’t you tired?” In the training camp dormitory, Leng Feng asked the man beside him.

His name was Bo Dehai. He was a bit older than the others and knew more, so he had naturally become their leader.

“I’m used to it. When I took part in the Sirius training, the intensity was much higher than this!” Bo Dehai replied. “It’s just that I was eliminated back then because I didn’t have enough education.”

There was regret in Bo Dehai’s eyes. He had overcome countless hardships, only to be rejected at the very last hurdle.

“What? You have to pass a written test to join Sirius?” Leng Feng asked, surprised.

“Our army isn’t the same as it used to be,” Bo Dehai explained. “In Sirius, you don’t just learn about military matters—there’s a lot more to study. Without education, you’ll never make it! Take snipers, for instance. Without knowledge, you’ll never become an elite sniper.”

“How’s that? Isn’t being a sniper just about shooting well?” Leng Feng asked, puzzled.

“Shooting well only makes you a marksman, not a sniper,” Bo Dehai replied. “The terror of an elite sniper is beyond our imagination. We didn’t believe it at first, either. Later, we had a competition: over a hundred of us in training, all eliminated in the jungle by a single elite sniper from Sirius. From beginning to end, none of us even caught a glimpse of him.”

Bo Dehai shook his head with a wry smile. “Honestly, I used to be arrogant, thought I was something special, until I went through the Sirius selection. Then I realized how laughable my ideas were. An elite sniper has to master advanced sniping tactics—parabolic trajectories, humidity, wind speed—all these factors are closely tied to the art of sniping.”

“So, without a certain level of education, none of that can be learned,” Bo Dehai continued. “I always thought snipers just needed to shoot well. Never realized there was so much more to it. No wonder you always have a few books in your bag,” Leng Feng said.

“One must truly keep learning throughout life,” Bo Dehai reflected. “The army’s developing far faster than we can imagine. If you don’t want to be left behind, you must constantly improve yourself. Come on, get some rest. Today was just an appetizer. In the days ahead, we’ll really suffer.”

With that, Bo Dehai closed his book and prepared to sleep.

All of this was observed by Gu Jianfeng.

Unbeknownst to them, surveillance had long since been installed here. Gu Jianfeng pulled up Bo Dehai’s file and reviewed it in detail.

Lack of education isn’t frightening, but refusing to learn and being proud of ignorance is unforgivable. Such people would never make it onto Gu Jianfeng’s team, no matter how strong they were.

With the Military Dog Skills Competition fast approaching, Gu Jianfeng had to swiftly select the very best among them, otherwise, time would run out.

In the days that followed, Gu Jianfeng unleashed a series of grueling training methods, leaving the group miserable. Some couldn’t withstand the ordeal and quit.

Of the thirty who began the training, twenty had been eliminated in just six days. Now, only ten remained.

Seventh day of training.

“I didn’t expect so many of you to last this long. You’ve exceeded my expectations,” Gu Jianfeng said with a smile. “Seeing how hard you’ve worked, today I’ve prepared a feast to reward you.”

“Sir, didn’t we just have breakfast?” Qi Maocai asked.

“Given your recent physical exertion, I thought you could use an extra meal,” Gu Jianfeng replied. With that, he walked over to a large black cloth at the back of the room, gripped its edge, and yanked it off.

In an instant, the contents were revealed.

“What…”

“We’re supposed to eat that?”

“I suddenly feel sick…”

What lay before them were insects, rats, and snakes.

“A sniper often has to operate alone behind enemy lines, so they must be able to survive under the harshest conditions,” Gu Jianfeng explained. “These creatures are everywhere. Even in the most inhospitable environments, you’ll find them. So, if you want to be a qualified sniper, these might become your daily fare.”

As he finished speaking, Gu Jianfeng picked up a wriggling insect, slowly placed it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. Smacking his lips as if savoring the taste, he exclaimed, “Hmm, not bad! Haven’t had these in a while—the flavor really lingers.”

The remains of the insect stuck to his front teeth, startlingly evident as he grinned.

“Ugh…”

“Blegh…”

Except for Bo Dehai and one other, everyone else began to retch violently. Even so, the faces of Bo Dehai and his companion were far from pleasant. When they had attended the Sirius and Black Tiger trainings, there had been nothing like this.

“Come on now, don’t waste them—I went to great lengths to gather these,” Gu Jianfeng said. “If you really can’t stomach it, that’s fine—you can quit. There are fruits, drinks, fried chicken legs and wings in the lounge. If you choose to withdraw, you can enjoy those instead of these disgusting creatures.”

“Sir, I quit!” one person declared.

“Sir, I quit too! I’ll do anything, but I’ve been afraid of bugs and rats since I was a child,” another admitted after a struggle.

“Very well, go get some rest. I’ll arrange for your return to your original units,” Gu Jianfeng said kindly to the two, then turned to the remaining eight. “And what about you eight? Why not follow their example? Why punish yourselves like this? Are you out of your minds?”