The canteen in summer was as hot as a steamer. Not to mention that there was no air conditioning, even electric fans were impossible to have; a squad shared a table, each person with an enamel bowl.

On top was the dish, below was the rice, meals were served on schedule and in fixed amounts; meat was rarely seen, the food was just that much, you ate it you finished. As for any food grabbing, Zhang Guoqing had truly not witnessed it.

In the aisle of the canteen, there were several barrels of soup. This soup was a pale soy sauce color, having a pleasing name "broth" — clear to the bottom, with a few amaranth leaves floating on top.

A long queue was lined up by the barrel, everyone’s uniform soaked through, all sweating profusely, holding an enamel bowl in their hands.

No one paid any mind to whether it tasted good, filling the stomach to endure the upcoming training was the primary concern.

Zhang Guoqing listened to Yi Jiefang and a few others joking around while drinking the broth imagining it as meat soup. If his wife saw this life, she’d probably cry her eyes out.

During this period, all the meat sauce and other delicacies his wife either entrusted others with or left at the reception room were confiscated. To prevent her from worrying, Zhang Guoqing dared not let slip any hint.

This was just three months, for a long time, what awaited him would surely be tears and sorrow. Thinking that he dreamt of his wife giving him meat again last night, Zhang Guoqing sighed secretly.

Among the eight people, apart from brother Yi Jiefang, the other six came from various places.

Opposite him was the dark-skinned, square-faced, broad-eared Guanshi man "Square" Zhuang Aijun, who laughed foolishly all day long. His parents were local government employees, his family having six brothers and sisters. According to the other party, his father was a soldier before, and when he, the oldest, reached the age, he was sent to become a soldier. This time, he was picked from the troops.

The silent Jiangbei man "Sha Gen" Wang Maogen, with an honest-looking face seemingly obedient but actually wise beyond appearance. He joked that since his father had no brothers, from a young age he saw his father bullied in the village.

When his uncle enrolled him for military service, he felt that their family was backed by the entire troop from then on, and no one would dare bully his family anymore. This reason prompted what he humorously claimed, "Strengthen the body, hone strong skills, make a great achievement in the force."

Skilled at telling humorous gray jokes, slightly older among the eight, speaking with strong dialect, tall and sturdy Northeasterner fellow "Da Pao." Allegedly joined as a conscript, had three second-class merits, one collective first-class merit.

Sleeping on Zhang Guoqing’s upper bunk in the adjacent city was "Young Master Li" Li Guangming, whose father was a vice president at a military management academy. Under the vice president’s strong recommendation and facilitating, "Mr. Li" effortlessly joined their unit.

Of course, this information was provided by Zhou Xiaozheng. He was also a national defense student, personally having the advantage of being a national martial arts champion.

So, according to him, he was "in the right field." Naturally, Mr. Li’s official remark was, "Be a true soldier, making parents proud, and bringing glory to the nation."

The one closest in height to Zhang Guoqing, a 1.9 meters tall burly Northwest man "Big Guy" Wu Kui from the Northwest Military Region. He had an uncle who was a political commissar of a certain city district.

Can be said to come from a military family. Using his official statement at a class meeting, "Serve the motherland, contribute to national defense construction." This guy was also a national defense student.

And the remaining "Fake South" like Northwest "Big Guy," they could also be said to come from military families. Unlike "Big Guy," this person was genuinely selected from the troop.

According to him, he often fought classmates in school when he was young. His father, to prevent "the kid" from going astray, forced him into service under strict discipline.

In his father’s words, "I don’t have the ability to keep my son properly in line, let the people’s dictatorship tool solve him." The kid’s official statement was, "Gain oneself a breath of relief, give father a breath of relief, strive to earn glory for the country."

"Square," "Sha Gen," "Da Pao," "Young Master Li," "Big Guy," "Fake South," plus Zhang Guoqing and Yi Jiefang eight people, half defense students and half trainees.

In just over a month of interaction, these eight had forged a bond comparable to attracting each other through bad smells. At this moment, they were muttering about tasting various flavors from imagining the broth.

Zhang Guoqing glanced at the time, noticing the talk was growing increasingly extravagant, remarkably fantasizing the soy-colored broth into various meat soups, giving a glance and standing up.

Queueing to wash the enamel cups clean at the faucet, a few people accompanied each other back to the dormitory. Quickly rinsing, changing into dried uniforms, they gathered again for some idle chat.

As far as Zhang Guoqing was concerned, when men gossip, they’re not any less than old women.

Right now, they were talking about the newly arrived hand-to-hand combat instructor.

Allegedly, this wasn’t an ordinary character, the person came from the battlefield, genuinely seen blood. Though now a bit older, he was strong, very skilled, and few dared challenge him.

It’s said, haha... just how formidable is he?

It’s said people often comment on his tiger-like strength, imposing manner, incredible explosiveness. The explosive power was immense, when attacking, fast and fierce, movements small, hitting the target swiftly, most wouldn’t notice before falling.

Concerning this master’s legendary explosive force.

— Still, as they’d mention, once a few supervising leaders tested his skill using the airborne stab paper strip project.

This was something Zhang Guoqing tried with a few others. They used various sharp knives to stab hanging paper strips, which was extremely difficult, near impossible.

Since the strip was too light, one stab it’d fly away. No matter how sharp or fast the knife, couldn’t pierce. Even if occasionally one or two times managed, an unsteady retrieve or slow hand would rip the strip.

This indicates apart from having tremendous explosive force, hands, eyes, and mind coordination needed to be steady, accurate, and fierce. Such aptitude naturally commanded admiration.

However, in the upcoming time, they were indeed set for similar combat training. For Zhang Guoqing, on top of maintaining his champion level in other subjects, his weakness, tactics, was also prompted.

Throughout this month plus, though he wore a smile every day, he secretly tested many little friends on shooting and physical strengths. To avoid their retribution, he truly needed to seek wisdom.

Finished with gossip, Zhang Guoqing stood in the corridor, watching the resting quasi soldiers walking back and forth, he pursed his lips, put on his hat, adjusted his uniform intending to find the instructor for "extra training."

He clearly understood in comparison with many, his Qi Dian had just begun. How would the future unfold? Everything depended on training and enhancing one’s ability while others rested.

Tired, he’d think more of his wife; sleepy, contemplating her more too. More tired and exhausted himself could reduce some pressure for his caring little wife.

One day, Zhang Guoqing would build a safe haven for the woman he loved, sheltering her from the wind and rain, allowing her to freely live the life she loved.