Strongest Soldier King

After paying their respects to their fallen brother, the three of them walked back, with Elder Chang and Elder Liu appearing somewhat excited. With their great enemy avenged, the obsessions in their hearts dissipated, naturally lifting their spirits. The two tacitly refrained from asking about the details of Blood Wolf's death, which secretly relieved Luo Zheng. Along the way, the trio chatted and laughed, and without realizing it, they arrived at the cookhouse to see the captain's guard looking anxious at the door.

"What's the matter? Has the sky fallen?" Elder Liu asked with a chuckle.

"You've finally arrived. The captain has requested to see the three of you," the guard quickly said.

"Oh? Then let's go," Elder Liu said without further questions, tossing back the items used for the memorial into the kitchen, and the three followed the guard toward the office building. The guard, aware of the trio's close relationship with the captain, left after leading them to the door.

Knocking on the door, Luo Zheng saw the captain, sitting on the sofa deep in thought, looking at a document. Upon their arrival, he stood up to greet them. Luo Zheng could tell that the captain held great respect for Elder Liu and Elder Chang. After a few polite exchanges, they sat down. Aware of his own lower status, Luo Zheng felt it inappropriate to sit and so stood by the side, but the captain, looking displeased, insisted Luo Zheng sit and join the conversation. After briefly resisting out of politeness, Luo Zheng conceded.

"Did you call us here because something happened?" Elder Liu asked in surprise.

"It's about the national competition," the captain casually replied, then sized up Luo Zheng before turning to Elder Liu and Elder Chang with an inquiring look.

Elder Liu and Elder Chang smiled knowingly. Elder Liu said, "Don't worry, he has already completed his training. There's nothing more we can teach him; the rest is up to you."

"Really? That's wonderful," the captain said joyfully, turning to Luo Zheng with a satisfied smile. At that moment, Luo Zheng realized Elder Liu and Elder Chang's intentions, along with the captain's. Just as he was about to express his gratitude, he heard the captain say with satisfaction, "The two elders mentioned you've mastered their skills?"

"I dare not say that. I've only learned a little, and I am far from their level," Luo Zheng said modestly.

"You don't need to be modest. If they say you've learned it, then you surely have. I trust them. You have a month until the national competition, and you'll spend these two months studying knife fighting and close combat. You've fallen behind in shooting, which I can't teach you, and you don't need anyone else's help. You can practice on your own. For this coming month, you'll train with me in reconnaissance and demolition. You must master it within the month," the captain firmly directed, his expression growing serious.

"Yes, sir. I promise to complete the mission," Luo Zheng said warmly, promptly standing up and saluting the captain, his gaze firm and his youthful face filled with determination.

"I'm not looking for mission completion, I want you to win a position. I won't hide it from you; every time we participate in the national Special Forces competition, our Special Forces team ends up in the last place. It's a disgrace. I hope you can help us wash away this shame. My expectation isn't high; with seven military regions and the Guardian Capital Army participating—eight teams in total—getting into the top three is ideal, but at least don't end up last," the captain said earnestly, his eyes full of hope.

"I will give it my all; it's my goal as well," replied Luo Zheng resolutely. Winning honors for the team also fulfilled the first step of his two-year agreement with Lan Xue, leaving no room for negligence.

The captain didn't know about Luo Zheng's two-year pledge but, hearing Luo Zheng speak with firm resolve, he did not overthink it. Instead, he explained, "Our army district has only one spot, which I'm entrusting to you. You must understand, we're a small army district, under us are three similar small districts, each with their own spot. The Large Group Army District's direct Special Warfare Team has two spots, making up a total of five people, all representing the Large Group Army District in the competition. The contest awards both individual and team prizes. What you get depends on you."

"Yes," Luo Zheng said eagerly, "having the chance to team up and compete with strong contestants from other military districts is an honor and a challenge. If I succeed, I believe the path with Lan Xue will become much smoother. Thinking of Lan Xue, Luo Zheng secretly vowed to secure a noteworthy position."

"By the way, I heard the other competitors have been announced already. Could you gather their information for Zhengzi to study, to help him understand and coordinate?" Elder Liu asked from the side.

"I'll figure out a way. I've heard the competition for spots in other military districts is very fierce. Our district suffers from a lack of talented successors. Initially, with Team One, we had a competitive edge, but now that Team One is gone, Zhengzi is the only one left. Other military districts simply don't regard our contestants highly. In other words, Zhengzi is a dark horse unnoticed by anyone; how far he can go depends solely on himself," the captain replied.

"Please rest assured, Captain, I won't bring shame to Team One or our Special Forces," Zhengzi said, not realizing the extent of the situation until then, his tone resolute.

"I trust you. The three of us have done what we could; the rest is up to you. Ultimately, you have to walk your own path," the captain said, exchanging a glance with Elder Liu and Elder Chang before adding, "You continue to stay in the cookhouse. It's routine to gather intelligence on other competitors, and we won't reveal our participant until the last moment, creating an illusion that we're unable to field any contestants to prevent others from learning about your situation. Starting tomorrow, you'll train with me," the captain stated seriously.

"Thank you, Captain. May I ask what the rules of the competition are?" Luo Zheng asked.

"There's only one rule: survive," the captain replied sternly, noticing Luo Zheng's somewhat puzzled expression, he explained, "The rules are the same every time: all competitors enter a primitive forest as teams and must reach a designated point within a set timeframe. Whoever arrives first wins, ranked by order of arrival."

"Uh?" Luo Zheng thought it over and asked, "Are there dangers along the way?"

"Exactly," the captain explained with satisfaction, "the entire competition is broadcast live, with various pursuits occurring throughout. All competitors use competition rifles, and hitting someone triggers a signal on their clothing, making it known to the competition center. No one can cheat. The one who eliminates the most pursuers wins the individual title, and teams shoot at each other too. Pursuers are not ordinary soldiers; they are typically drawn from various Special Forces, and eliminating competitors is a highly visible act that also earns rewards. Nobody will go easy, and with satellite monitoring overhead, anyone found cheating is immediately discharged from military service."

"This is interesting. Facing dangers of the forest and constant pursuers, while also needing to guard against ambushes from other teams, it indeed won't be easy, but it sounds thrilling. I like it," Luo Zheng laughed, his laughter filled with confidence and brightness.

ps: Three updates today—how about three recommendation tickets too?