Strongest Soldier King

The canteen was fairly spacious, with a dining hall for eating and a kitchen for cooking, but it was rather simple, lacking even basic fans. There were plenty of pots and pans, as well as a storeroom filled with various kinds of food. Luo Zheng observed briefly, thinking about having to live here for three months; he was so angry he felt like his lungs would explode, but when he thought of Lan Xue, he forced down his rage. "A canteen is a canteen," he thought to himself. "Now that I'm here, I may as well accept it."

Children from poor families learn to manage households early. Luo Zheng, born into a family of hunters, was no stranger to cooking. Realizing that he had to start serving meals within an hour and that cooking for thirty people was no easy task without any preparation, he knew he wouldn't be able to do well within just an hour. Wanting to stay on here, he knew he must endure, so he quickly got to work.

Soldiers usually have big appetites, with each able to down half a jin of rice without an issue. Luo Zheng estimated the quantity and started washing the rice. There was no electric rice cooker, so he had to steam the rice in an outdated wooden barrel. Lucky for him, he knew how to handle this, so he made a strong fire, boiled a large pot of water, cooked the rice until done, then lifted it out to drain. He placed the rice in a wooden barrel with a base, scooped out the watery rice soup, washed the pot, then placed the barrel inside. With water underneath and the lid tightly covered, he used high heat to steam it.

While the rice was steaming, Luo Zheng went to the storeroom to take a look. There was meat, potatoes, cabbage, eggs, and more. He thought that two dishes and a soup would be about right—this was how it had been back in the new recruit company. Having made up his mind, he quickly picked up a potato, drew his Army-issued Type 65 dagger, and began peeling at a rapid speed.

Soon, he had a large basin of peeled potatoes. Next, he cut the meat, washed the vegetables, and Luo Zheng adeptly handled all the tasks. Within half an hour, everything was ready, and the rice was steamed. He served it out, washed the pot, and began cooking the dishes. The firewood was burning vigorously, and in no time, a big basin of braised potatoes with meat and stir-fried cabbage with pork fat was ready, followed by a tomato and egg soup.

Just as he finished, a voice came from outside, "Is the food ready yet?" Soon, a soldier walked in, saw the two dishes and soup along with the steamed rice, did not even glance at Luo Zheng, turned around, and left quickly. He hurried to the training field, saluted the instructor, and reported the situation.

The instructor hadn't expected Luo Zheng to finish cooking in just an hour and was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure. Remembering the instructions from the old superior in Beijing, he said icily, "This piece of trash is actually of some use. Good, saves everyone a lot of trouble. Issue my command, let's eat."

"Yes," the soldier responded.

After the troop was dismissed, they rushed towards the kitchen. Everyone saw that the meals were already laid out on the dining tables in the canteen. No one said thanks; they simply took their bowls to serve themselves and left. Luo Zheng watched this scene coldly, remaining silent. Since everyone had already pegged him as a Connection Soldier, he decided he might as well accept the role. There was no point in explaining; nobody would believe him, anyway. He too started to eat, having been hungry since the journey began.

The soldiers left after eating, leaving the canteen in disarray. Luo Zheng quietly cleaned up the dining area, washing the dishes and mopping the floors. By the time he finished, it was already 7 p.m. With the soldiers outside performing their night drills, Luo Zheng went out and saw everyone preparing for a weighted field run. Since he didn't have a marching pack, he went to the storeroom.

The storeroom keeper didn't make things difficult for Luo Zheng. He gave him everything that was due: clothes, gear, weapons. Luo Zheng took the issued items back to the kitchen, pushed open the door of a storeroom. The room was tiny, barely big enough for a bed, and covered in dust everywhere. Luo Zheng had no choice but to start cleaning it up.

A few minutes later, Luo Zheng made his bed and lay on it with his clothes on, his heart full of enthusiasm, yet what he received in return was injustice, neglect, and ridicule. Why was all of this happening? Why did the instructor have to be so ruthless? And why didn't he just outright reject him? What was the hidden meaning behind all of this?

After thinking for a long while and getting nowhere, Luo Zheng simply stopped thinking. The most pressing matter was to become stronger. As long as he could become stronger, what was a little humiliation? Luo Zheng quickly came to terms with his situation and began to recall the combat skills taught by Lan Xue. Since the instructor was unwilling to teach, he would practice on his own.

With his mind made up, Luo Zheng smiled determinedly. He thought about his schedule: aside from an hour for each of the three meals a day, he still had twenty-one hours left. With the family's Breathing Skill, he only needed three hours of sleep, leaving him eighteen hours to train.

Training, of course, should not be aimless. Having seen Lan Xue's formidable strength and the combat prowess of the enemy, Luo Zheng acknowledged his own shortcomings. After some thought, he decided to focus on strength and speed during the day and practice with a gun at night. If there was an opportunity, he would observe how others practiced Fighting Skill. If not, it didn't matter. He had learned military boxing during his time in the new recruits' unit, and he had also practiced some unsystematic combat skills at home. Picking them up and practicing them again would suffice.

With a decision made and a direction set, Luo Zheng felt as though a light had suddenly shone on his path. The unjust treatment and insults he had endured seemed inconsequential. He immediately stood up, changed into his camouflage suit, picked up an empty gun without issued bullets, and set out. According to regulations, firearms could be distributed for familiarization, but bullets were only issued during training to prevent accidents.

Leaving the cafeteria, Luo Zheng looked around and walked towards the back mountain. Under the moonlight, he plunged into the forest and stopped on a hillside. Surrounded by shrubs, he recalled Lan Xue's advice. He gathered shrubs quickly, camouflaging them over his body, covering his head, and leaving only his eyes exposed. Then he lurked in the bushes, blending seamlessly with the surroundings to the extent that at first glance, one would not detect him at all.

Once concealed, Luo Zheng immediately began to breathe using the family's Breathing Skill, quickly entering a transcendent state. Gradually, the nearby crickets, startled at first, began to chirp again, frogs croaked in harmony, and the gentle moonlight shimmered over the bushes. The breeze blew softly. Amidst the tranquility and serenity, who would imagine that a person was hidden there?

At that moment, Luo Zheng was acutely aware of his surroundings, not missing a single sound. He imagined the locations of the crickets and frogs. Time passed, and he vaguely sensed impending danger approaching. Startled, he focused intently, perceiving the subtle rustling sounds of something drawing near. Surprised, but motionless, he patiently waited with his body tensed, holding his breath.

Before long, Luo Zheng could feel the entity coming closer to him, and he gently turned his head to look. He saw a snake, about three meters long, raising its head and flicking its Tongue. He couldn't help but smile as the Army dagger in his hand remained motionless, ready for action.

The snake, perhaps feeling it couldn't swallow Luo Zheng whole, turned and slithered away. Luo Zheng sprang up, leaping high towards the snake. As the snake raised its head to counterattack, Luo Zheng's Army dagger moved like lightning, striking the snake's head clean off.

"What a catch, it will be a nourishing meal tonight." Luo Zheng picked up the snake, grinning proudly. He suddenly thought about how guarding the cafeteria wasn't bad either, as at least he could find food at night without being discovered—making it much more convenient to cook something extra. His previous frustrations were swept away.