Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

"Forward, forward!"

The radiance of the stellar sun shone upon the earth, pouring endless heat onto the arid desert, with wind hot enough to cook an egg sweeping through, stirring up countless grains of sand and dust.

The surface temperature had already exceeded 70°C!

Yet in such scorching heat, teams of young men and women in reserve military uniforms marched in unison, shouting slogans as they struggled forward.

Their faces were covered with salt crystals left behind by dried sweat, mixed with sand, looking quite filthy.

But not one dared to wipe it with their sleeves!

Because surrounding the formations were fully armed drill instructors wielding long whips.

Anyone who slacked off, lost their pace, or failed to keep up with the rhythm of the group would receive a lash.

The whips used by these drill instructors were custom-made, with a length that could extend over thirty meters, both thin and tough, accurate and fierce, striking with pain beyond endurance.

Moreover, their eyes were extremely sharp, leaving no one spared, even those in the middle of the formation!

And the targets these drill instructors were eyeing were precisely the new students who entered the Imperial First Military Academy just a week ago.

According to the academy's regulations, every new student must undergo a three-month basic military training.

During this period, everyone's identity is that of a new recruit of the Imperial Army.

The training content includes long-distance running, apparatus handling, combat, shooting, tactics, and military conduct, with a focus on developing the newcomers' discipline and willpower.

In the interstellar era where light-years are no longer distant, such "ancient" training methods still hold real significance and purpose.

However, for the tens of thousands of new students, it was nothing short of a hellish trial!

Every now and then, someone would run and suddenly collapse, unable to get back up despite the lashing, falling into complete unconsciousness.

They would soon be carried to nearby tents for treatment.

The empire's technology was extremely advanced. Not to mention fainting from dehydration and exhaustion, even broken arms and legs could be perfectly healed, so the drill instructors showed no mercy.

"F*ck!"

But in a forest, there are all types of birds; with thousands participating in military training, it was inevitable to have some real troublemakers.

One new student, after receiving a flogging for a mistake, exploded on the spot.

He dashed out from the ranks, his eyes blazing as he furiously cursed at the instructor who whipped him: "Do you know who the hell I am? Even my father hasn't hit me, and you think you're..."

Pa!

Another whip lashed out, striking harshly across his face.

The new student instantly fell back, a shocking scar appeared on his face, and blood with broken teeth sprayed from his mouth!

"Halt!"

At the same time, a robust voice suddenly rang out: "Attention, entire unit right turn!"

Under his command, the long line of new recruits came to a sudden stop.

Everyone halted and turned in unison, executing the maneuver with great precision.

Such seamless coordination was the result of five days of drill.

Just five days.

A towering drill instructor in exoskeletal combat armor stepped in front of the fallen student under everyone's gaze, pressing him back down as he tried to get up.

The new student's face ground against the rough sand and gravel, the acute pain eliciting a heartrending scream.

The witnessing recruits were petrified.

These drill instructors truly had no mercy!

The burly, rugged-faced drill instructor twisted his ankle before retracting it, then spat a mouthful of thick phlegm at the wailing new student on the ground, full of disdain.

He looked around and said in a deep voice: "I don't care what identity you had before, which family or circle you came from; here, you are under my command as new recruits. If I want you alive, you live. If I want you dead, you die!"

This gruff instructor's voice clearly reached each person's ears, full of threat: "Don't try your noble airs with me; I've put down Earls and Viscounts in double digits. If anyone wants to challenge me, feel free to try."

"Remember my name, Zhao Zhenyu!"

Right after speaking, he suddenly kicked, squarely hitting the new recruit's head on the ground.

The recruit passed out instantly.

Without a glance, Zhao Zhenyu waved his arm, roaring: "On my command, left turn, march!"

The new recruits followed his orders completely, continuing their march.

But their steps became much more mechanical and stiff, and those who were on the verge of collapse, as if given a shot of adrenaline, pressed on with cracked and bleeding lips, gritting their teeth.

At this moment, within the ranks, Wang Chen glanced deeply at Zhao Zhenyu.

In Wang Chen's perception, the life energy of this drill instructor was exceedingly vibrant, as if he was a blazing furnace, his powerful Qi-Blood aura penetrating even the exoskeletal combat armor, affecting the space around him invisibly.

He posed a great threat to Wang Chen!

And just as Wang Chen was observing Zhao Zhenyu, the latter seemed to perceive it and turned his head over.

But Wang Chen had already averted his eyes, joining the other recruits as they marched on with heavy steps, running endlessly.

Actually, for Wang Chen, this level of training was nothing significant; he could endure ten times the load.

However, he deliberately kept a low profile, neither performing too good nor too bad, avoiding the instructor's whip and without standing out, like just another grain of sand in the desert.

The reason was simple: among the new arrivals at the Imperial First Military Academy, over seventy percent were from noble and scholar families, or came from military martial families.

Among them were many outstanding talents, and with the continuous suppression from the instructors, if Wang Chen shone too brightly, he would easily become a focal point of animosity.

He wasn't foolish enough to make himself a target!

Fortunately, the basic physical training only lasted three weeks, after which the tanned new recruits began training in combat, shooting, and other disciplines.

Relatively speaking, it was less grueling.

But the three weeks of hellish training had a very apparent effect, with many recruits shedding their immature aura and unlocking their potential, vaguely taking on the appearance of true warriors.

Among them, several exceptional talents emerged during the subsequent military training, becoming the focus of immense attention!

There were twelve in total, revered as the Twelve Kings of the new generation at the First Military Academy.

Though the title sounds quite exaggerated, it was the joint recognition of tens of thousands of new recruits and drill instructors.

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First update delivered.