Time flew like an arrow, and soon a month had passed.
Suddenly, a heavy rumble echoed outside an unremarkable valley. A massive military truck, spewing thick black smoke, sped from the distance. The land beyond the valley was a vast plain, crisscrossed with natural gullies. But under the truck’s enormous tires, each nearly as tall as a man, these obstacles were insignificant.
The truck roared to the mouth of the valley, then screeched to a halt. The colossal beast shuddered violently, skidding sideways and carving a deep arc in the ground before coming to a stop. From the engine compartment, a cacophony of clatters could be heard, and the black smoke from the tailpipes ceased, replaced by a burst of steam from a valve.
The door of the truck’s cabin swung open, and a soldier in his thirties looked out. He leaped from the two-meter-high cabin and placed a small boy he was carrying on the ground.
The little boy, with clear and delicate features, had soft, black hair that stuck to his forehead, damp with sweat. His face was pale, and he was struggling to hold back nausea, clearly having been jolted by the wild ride in the truck. He swayed, then steadied himself, pulling his black cloak tighter to fend off the howling cold wind.
Standing at the mouth of the valley was a one-eyed man.
In the biting wind, he stood bare-chested, hands behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart. This most basic of military stances, when executed by him, was exceptionally domineering.
He alone blocked the way into the valley.
The middle-aged soldier, carrying Qian Ye, stopped just a few meters from the one-eyed man and said, “Long Hai, you’re still the same.”
Long Hai grinned, revealing a mouthful of gold and silver teeth, and replied, “Shi Yan, you’re three minutes late.”
Shi Yan said, “I ran into a squad of the dark race on the way. It took some time to kill them all.”
Long Hai sneered, “A dark squad made you late? Seems your strength hasn’t improved much over the years. Or have you forgotten your skills after serving as Lin’s lapdog for too long?”
But Shi Yan did not get angry. Instead, he said calmly, “General Lin is a pillar of the Empire. I am content to serve as his close attendant. This is something you wouldn’t understand.”
Long Hai snorted, not engaging in further argument. His gaze fell on Qian Ye, and he asked, “Is this the child they were talking about? He looks like a girl! Is he even useful?”
Shi Yan smiled and said, “Anyway, he’ll be under your training. If you don’t like him, you can deal with him however you want. Who would dare to stop you?”
Long Hai snorted again, “You should know that in this place, no matter who comes, no matter their background, everyone is treated the same.”
“I’m well aware.”
“Then don’t waste time. Let him come over!”
Shi Yan crouched in front of Qian Ye, a hint of a smile barely visible on his stony face. He patted Qian Ye’s head and said, “Go, follow Instructor Long. Remember, first, do whatever he tells you to do immediately. Second, I hope to see you alive here in a few years.”
Though Qian Ye was somewhat bewildered, he nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of his words.
Shi Yan smiled; he had grown fond of this little guy on the journey.
Qian Ye was a mostly quiet child, stubborn to the point of being obstinate. But once he promised something, he would keep it.
Long Hai’s face showed a hint of surprise, “In twenty years, I’ve never seen you smile so much!”
When he stood up, Shi Yan’s face was stern again, expressionless, “Seeing you, how could I possibly smile?”
A vein throbbed on Long Hai’s temple.
Soon, the heavy truck rumbled away, and Qian Ye followed Long Hai into the valley. The mountain path was rugged and narrow, and it felt endless, even after walking for almost two hours.
Qian Ye looked around and suddenly saw a line of blood-red characters on the side of the cliff: Welcome to Hell!
Qian Ye couldn’t read all the characters, but his gaze was fixed on them, unable to move. As he walked, he gradually turned his head until the characters were out of sight. Though no longer visible, those characters were etched deeply in his young heart, each stroke dripping with blood!
The sky darkened, and the valley loomed like the open maw of a monstrous beast, waiting for Qian Ye.
Late into the night, Qian Ye realized he was in a place more terrifying than hell: the Huang Quan Training Camp.
As the clock struck midnight, while most people were asleep, the children of the Huang Quan Training Camp were just beginning their daily descent into hell.
In a frigid hall, Qian Ye and over a hundred children of similar age huddled together, listening to Long Hai’s lecture.
Long Hai paced in front of the children, occasionally stopping to cast a sinister gaze over the crowd. “Here, you only need to remember three things. First, obey. Second, obey. Third, obey! Orders will only be given once, and you will only have one chance! Now, all of you stand against the wall. No one is to move or speak until given a new order!”
The children scrambled to stand against the wall, but no further orders came.
Long Hai walked out, his hands behind his back, and slammed the iron door shut.
The hall was silent for the first ten minutes. But after another ten, some of the more restless children couldn’t bear it any longer.
A little boy to Qian Ye’s right glanced at him and whispered, “My name is Liu Kai. My family trades in the Jian Zhang province. I heard this place is terrible. Let’s be friends. My father said two people are easier to survive than one.”
But Qian Ye remembered Shi Yan’s parting words: always listen to Long Hai.
Long Hai had just ordered them not to move or speak.
Seeing Qian Ye didn’t respond, Liu Kai persisted, “Hey! No one is watching us now! At least tell me your name?”
Seeing Qian Ye standing like a statue, Liu Kai muttered in frustration.
Half an hour later, some children began whispering, others fidgeting, and some shifting their aching legs.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in one corner of the hall. Several children quarreled, quickly breaking into a scuffle, rolling and tumbling.
With no instructor appearing to stop them, the children grew bolder. After a while, the fighting children separated and returned to their spots. More children began chatting, and the hall gradually filled with noise.
At 1:00 AM, the iron door suddenly opened, and Long Hai strode in, followed by a group of fierce men, each wielding a whip.
The temperature in the hall plummeted, and the previously lively children paled, shivering.
Long Hai’s one eye swept over the hall, nodding, “Good! Very good! There are fighters and talkers. I was worried the impression wasn’t deep enough, but now I see my worry was unnecessary!”
His face suddenly darkened, pointing to the children who had fought, “Bring them out and show the others what happens when you defy orders!”
The strange command left many children confused, but the smart ones understood, quaking with fear.
Six fighting children were dragged to the center of the hall, lined up.
Long Hai grinned wickedly, “Here, there is only one consequence for defying orders… death!”
One of the men raised a peculiar gun, aimed at one of the children. The barrel was large enough to fit a child’s fist!
A thick red light flashed from the gun, and a deafening shot echoed through the closed hall.
The red light faded, and the upper half of one little boy was gone, only his legs remaining. Blood splattered ten meters, even hitting the opposite wall.
The man grinned sadistically, turning the gun to the next child.
The once arrogant little boy panicked, screaming, “No! I don’t want to die! My uncle is a general of the Empire! He…”
The gun roared again, cutting off his plea.
“An Empire general? Heh, even the son of the Imperial Marshal, if he breaks the rules here, the end is the same!” the man sneered.
The gun fired six times, and the center of the hall was stained red with blood and flesh.
Long Hai then said, “Now, anyone who spoke, step forward, strip, and lie down! You’re lucky, only three lashes. But if anyone tries to deceive me, the outcome will be the same as those six brats!”
The children looked at each other, many trembling as they moved to the center, stripped, and lay down. Only about twenty remained by the wall.
“Is that everyone?” Long Hai asked again.
Two more children, originally by the wall, stepped forward hesitantly.
Long Hai nodded, “Five lashes each.”
Their faces went pale, but it was too late for regret.
Long Hai pointed to four more children by the wall, his voice chilling, “Since you dare to deceive me, you will die.”
Four crying children were dragged to the center, and four deafening shots rang out.
On his first night at the Huang Quan Training Camp, Qian Ye learned the harsh consequences of defying orders. By the end of the night, one-tenth of the new recruits were gone.
At 3:00 AM, Qian Ye and the other children were herded into a large room.
Beds were arranged in rows, and each child silently chose a bed and lay down. No one spoke, no one cried.
Qian Ye, lying on his back as usual, was jolted upright by a sharp pain in his back.
In the darkness, the children’s painful groans were heard, though they tried to muffle them.
Qian Ye turned, carefully lying on his stomach to avoid aggravating the whip marks on his back.
Qian Ye, too, had received a lash.
Only eleven children who strictly followed the orders were spared. These eleven received special treatment: they were only lashed once.
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