Strongest Soldier King

After bidding farewell to the elder, the two of them flew back to the base by helicopter overnight. Their accommodations had already been arranged, sharing a dormitory with Ghost Hand and the others. The four-person dormitory had one bed vacant since there were only three people, so Ghost Hand's trio brought over some drinks and dishes, holding a welcome ceremony for Luo Zheng. Nursing an injury, Luo Zheng didn't drink much, with most of the alcohol ending up in the bellies of Ghost Hand's trio, while a sober Luo Zheng took care of cleaning up.

In the middle of the night, Luo Zheng lay in bed, thinking fondly of Lan Xue and the military order, contemplating the endless revenge to come from the Song family; his eyelids slowly grew heavy, and he drifted to sleep. The next morning, Luo Zheng didn't hear the wake-up call but felt many people outside on the training field and got up to take a look. Seeing that Ghost Hand and the others had left, he walked to the window and noticed that a lot of people had already gathered outside, each engaged in their own activities without any unified training.

Luo Zheng was momentarily startled but quickly realized that they were all Soldier Kings, who had experienced every kind of training; now was the time to consolidate and target specific improvements. There was no need for systematic training or to train together; everyone could arrange activities based on their personal situation, which could yield better results.

Still recovering from his injuries and not suited for vigorous exercise, Luo Zheng took a walk around the base to familiarize himself with the surroundings. It was similar to where he had previously been stationed, also located in a valley, but there was a faint stench in the air, which made him pause. Looking into the wind, all he could see were peaks blocking the view.

The base was large, with many people, and the equipment was noticeably superior. Luo Zheng glanced around; there were helicopters, armored vehicles, even tanks, and people were free to use them. Some were training in parachuting—a bustling scene that could get one's blood pumping. Luo Zheng knew he couldn't rush things and, after casually walking around for a while, heard someone calling from behind. Turning to look, he saw a colonel who looked somewhat familiar, which made him pause and ask, "You are?"

The newcomer had a square face and a tall, robust figure; his presence was restrained, with bright, spirited eyes and a faint smile on his face. He calmly said, "My last name is Wu. I'm the person in charge here. You can call me Captain Wu. That's how everyone here addresses me. Welcome."

"Captain Wu?" Luo Zheng had already heard of this figure and looked at the man with some perplexity, saying, "Thank you. Once my injuries are healed, I'll leave immediately, or you can arrange to send me back to my unit."

"There's no need for that. This will be your home from now on," Captain Wu replied.

"Hmm? I don't quite understand," said a surprised Luo Zheng.

"You failed to carry out the order to ambush the drug traffickers and even let the helicopter get attacked; with your merits offset by your faults, you have been discharged from military service. Of course, these are the official reasons given, as everyone needs to save face, right? I think you can understand. As for you, you're now enlisted in my team and still hold the rank of lieutenant. Any problems?" the captain explained.

"Ah?" Luo Zheng was taken aback, deep in thought; he quickly grasped the intricate implications of the situation. The Song family had made such a big move, and they couldn't explain everything, could they? Being discharged from military service and joining here must be the result of a compromise between different parties. Thinking that he could join the most mysterious army composed of Soldier Kings, any displeasure in Luo Zheng's heart evaporated. This was a good opportunity to train here and take another step towards becoming the Strongest Soldier King. He immediately expressed his stance, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Lan Xue. Actually, I should be thanking you. If not for you, the Wild Wolf Mercenary Group wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses, and our vendetta wouldn't have been avenged so swiftly. Come with me," Captain Wu said, then turned and walked away, with Luo Zheng following him towards the office building.

Soon, the two arrived at Captain Wu's office. After closing the door, Captain Wu handed Luo a certificate. Opening it, Luo saw his own information, his military rank as lieutenant. He looked at the service number and was startled, puzzled, he turned to Captain Wu waiting for an explanation.

"Now, what I'm about to tell you must not reach the ears of anyone outside this place," the Captain said seriously, "We are the National Blade Special Team, officially a regiment-level unit, but this is known only internally. To confuse the enemy and facilitate our operations, we use the designation of the Central Guard Corps to the public, under the direct command of the top leadership, both overt and covert. We are the nation's most secretive force. Remember this: Like the blade of the nation, we fight for our country and unsheathe our swords for our people. We only die in battle, never surrender on our knees. When the National Blade strikes, it is invincible, and in death we have no regrets."

"Yes, we fight for our country and unsheathe our swords for our people, invincible in all directions," Luo Zheng felt a surge of heroism, the tremendous will to fight was uncomfortably bottled up in his heart; he almost wanted to shout out loud, his eyes burning with zeal. This was where a man should be; this was the ultimate pursuit a man should strive for: to fight for the country, to unsheathe the sword for the people, without any regrets!

"Good, you should recover from your wounds first. After you have healed, we will decide your assignment. If you encounter any difficulties, come directly to me. You have seen the training here; it's all voluntary. We operate on an elimination system. Regardless of who it is, if the regular assessments show a decrease in strength, they will be kicked out of the base. We also have a competitive system, any position is up for grabs if you have the strength, if not, you step down. We do not factor in personal feelings; it's all based on strength. Understand?" the Captain instructed.

"Understood. What about the training equipment?" Luo Zheng asked, expressing the doubts in his mind.

"All equipment, materials, and ammunition are provided openly for everyone to use as they please. The instructors here are always at the ready. If you have any questions, you can directly ask them, and they will teach you unconditionally. I'm aware of your situation, you have a basic foundation in close combat and sniping, but you're lacking in other areas. I hope you make an effort, because in six months, if you can't pass the assessment to become an Ordinary Soldier King, you will be kicked out of the base," the Captain said somberly.

"Understood," Luo Zheng replied without hesitation, his chest puffed out, his eyes showing a hint of determination.

"Alright, off you go. Someone will bring your personal belongings later," the Captain said.

"Yes," Luo Zheng stood tall, brought his feet together, saluted, and left.

With nothing else to do, Luo Zheng went to the training field to observe, hoping to learn something new. The trio from Ghost Hand came over enthusiastically, with Snow Leopard speaking warmly, "We saw you coming out of the Captain's office just now, what's the situation?"

"Are you asking about this?" Luo Zheng pulled out his ID, and everyone smiled upon seeing it. Feeling relieved, Mountain Eagle said, "That's great. From now on, we can fight side by side. If there's anything you don't know, just ask us brothers. Come on, let's go train."

"Hold on," Luo Zheng called out, everyone looked at him questioningly, and Luo Zheng smiled faintly, asking, "I feel like we're not far from the ocean, are we?"

"Hmm, if you go straight in that direction, it's a kilometer to the ocean. Oh, you might not know this, but this is the primitive forest of the northeast. What are you planning?" Snow Leopard asked.

"It's nothing, let's go, to training," Luo Zheng looked towards the direction of the ocean, his mind brimming with ideas for training, but he didn't elaborate and walked with the others towards the training area.