Like a nimble ape, Lei Zhengyang scaled the tree, vanishing into the canopy with a few swift leaps. He'd devised his escape. The sprawling branches formed a natural ladder, interwoven with thick, sturdy vines that served as perfect ziplines.
Yanking a robust vine, he launched himself through the foliage. A sniper's bullet whizzed beneath his feet, but Lei didn't falter. Grabbing another branch, he used its spring to propel himself forward. Three bounds later, he'd covered over fifty meters, disappearing into the dense thicket.
Moments later, seven burly figures in camouflage converged on his former hiding spot, clutching long-range rifles. They scoured the area with predatory caution, but Lei was long gone.
This time, he'd been caught off guard, his compass skewed in the disorienting jungle. He'd thought clearing 36 traps and 24 snipers would earn him a breather, only to nearly stumble into an ambush.
Fishing the broken bracelet from his pocket, he tied it carefully. If he hadn't bent to pick it up, a bullet would've shattered his skull. For the first time, gratitude for Instructor Two stirred in his chest—not attraction, of course. She was still a freak.
If I make it out alive, I'll return this and thank her.
Inspecting his leg wound, he saw it had reopened, blood streaming. No time for proper care—he grabbed a handful of herbs, slapped them on, and bound the gash haphazardly. Whether they worked, he didn't care. For once, he was grateful for the survival skills the instructors had drilled into him.
Calming his mind, Lei strategized. These new snipers were a mystery—unknown in number, gear, and traps lying in wait. The odds were brutal, and help wasn't coming. It was him against the world.
Half a day lost, only two and a half days remained. Panic would only dull his edge, handing his enemies an opening. He wouldn't make that mistake.
He felt different, like the old Lei Zhengyang—carefree and reckless—was a stranger. The man he was now thought in ways the old him never could.
His wound throbbed, stamina waned, and the hunters wouldn't relent. Chewing spicy beef jerky, he racked his brain for a way to survive.
For days, he'd avoided fire to evade detection. Now, he saw its potential as a weapon. During dart and archery training, he'd learned to spark flames by friction—a skill he'd scoffed at then but now wielded like a lifeline. Igniting a pile of ancient, dry leaves, he watched thick smoke billow, flames licking the sky.
The blaze betrayed his position, but Lei didn't linger. Torch in hand, he sprinted, igniting every flammable patch along his path. Behind him, a roaring fire dragon stretched, merging into a wall of flame that forced his pursuers to redirect their hunt.
Never had arson felt so exhilarating. Forget escaping—he wanted to torch the entire forest. Screw the environment! Survival trumped all.
The inferno and choking smoke turned the forest into a boiling cauldron. Beyond the snipers, stampeding beasts—driven mad by the flames—surged through the trees, a tidal wave of claws and fangs. The chaos wasn't just Lei's burden; it hampered his pursuers too.
In the jungle, beasts ruled. Their frantic exodus signaled an exit. Trailing a herd of wild buffalo, Lei broke through his own fire ring. At the forest's edge, a stream appeared. Ten miles upstream, he spotted it—the red flag.
Ecstasy flooded him. Days in this death-trap forest felt like years, his body battered and ragged. He'd burned through nearly all his strength in this desperate flight.
Yet, danger still loomed. Months of life-or-death training had honed his instincts, and they screamed now. The flag stood on a flat clearing, beside a military tent, in a space half the size of a football field. Crossing those exposed meters was suicide—one hidden sniper could end him.
Better safe than sorry. His life was on the line.
Tying dry grass to the tails of two buffalo, he set it ablaze. The panicked herd charged the clearing, their fiery rears driving them wild. Drawn to the red flag's vivid hue, they stormed toward it—and the tent.
Lei crouched behind a boulder, watching. Boom! The lead buffalo were hurled skyward as landmines detonated. His gut twisted, cold sweat beading on his brow. That bastard instructor went too far. If he'd rushed the flag, he'd be a mangled corpse like those cows.
The explosions sent the herd into chaos, shredding the tent. Gunfire erupted, felling buffalo left and right. A cacophony of shots revealed ambushers hidden all around. Lei cursed—there were more enemies than he'd imagined.
He wasn't about to sit idle. If the instructor wanted a final trap, Lei would meet it head-on. Grabbing a looted grenade, he darted from cover. The blast was pinpoint, screams echoing from the enemy's firing positions. Like a leopard, he sprinted to the flag's base, snatching it as bullets tore the air behind him, kicking up clouds of dirt.
BOOM! Another deafening explosion rocked the clearing, the tent obliterated by a cache of hidden explosives.
In the base's control room, the old man watched Lei's triumph, issuing a command. "End the sniper training. Next week, initiate submarine assault drills."
Instructor One responded coolly, "Yes, sir," pressing a button on his virtual wrist device. Instantly, the smoke and chaos vanished, and Lei found himself back at the training base.
Instructor Two rushed out, calling, "I'm checking 001's health. I'll deliver a detailed report to the General."
The old man said nothing, ignoring Instructor One's jealous glare. Compared to the trials Lei would face in the future, these covert ambushes were essential. If he survived, he'd learn the truth: behind the world's facade lay not beauty, but blood-soaked cruelty.
Official training was training. Unofficial training was tempering.
At Instructor Two's arrival, Lei knew the forest ordeal was over. Relief hit, and his body gave out, collapsing to the ground.
She hoisted him up, chuckling. "What happened to the hero out there? Back here, you're a wimp? Come on, let's check your vitals."
During the exam, Lei was out cold, snoring like a thunderstorm. Even if someone carved him up, he wouldn't stir.
The detailed results rolled in, revealing a shocking truth: Lei's body wasn't just healthy—it was thriving. The frail frame from their first meeting had transformed, brimming with primal, explosive potential. He was already shaping into a super-soldier.
As his thunderous snores filled the room, Instructor Two smirked, her charm radiant. Pinching his nose with two fingers, she teased, "This guy… anyone sharing a bed with you would be up all night."
Her cheeks flushed as the words slipped out, hinting at thoughts she shouldn't entertain.
Lei, oblivious, swatted her hand away and sank deeper into his dreamless sleep.