Morning came with noise.
Boots on concrete.
Shouted cadence.
Metal striking metal.
Li Chen woke before any of it reached him.
His body already aligned to the base's rhythm.
He reported to the line without escort.
That had been deliberate.
A test.
Eyes followed him from every angle.
Cameras.
Instructors.
Men who could sense when something in their environment did not belong.
He stood among other candidates.
Same uniform.
Same shaved head.
Different gravity.
No one spoke to him.
Not out of hostility.
Out of instinct.
"Listen up!" the instructor barked.
No hesitation.
No pause for the anomaly in formation.
"We're not changing standards for anyone."
His gaze lingered on Li Chen for half a second longer than necessary.
"Fail, and you're gone."
Li Chen nodded once.
That was enough.
The first run began at pace.
Then faster.
Then punishing.
Sand clawed at lungs.
Sweat blurred vision.
Li Chen matched the slowest man beside him.
Not because he had to.
Because deviation would be noticed.
The System monitored silently.
[SYSTEM PHASE II — OBSERVATION ONLY]
[Intervention threshold: NOT MET]
Li Chen felt the leash—and appreciated it.
Obstacle courses followed.
Walls.
Ropes.
Balance beams slick with mist.
Li Chen let himself slip once.
Skin tore.
Blood fell.
Pain registered.
Accepted.
The instructors relaxed minutely.
During a timed swim, a candidate cramped.
Panic spiked.
Li Chen adjusted course by inches.
Just enough.
A hand under an elbow.
No one noticed.
The System did.
[SYSTEM NOTE]
[Micro-intervention logged]
Grant watched from afar.
Arms crossed.
Jaw tight.
"He's holding back," someone murmured.
Grant replied, "He's learning restraint in public."
At lunch, silence followed Li Chen.
Not exclusion.
Evaluation.
One candidate finally spoke.
"Where you from?"
Li Chen answered honestly.
"Here."
That was enough.
The day ended with cold water.
Shock.
Breath stolen.
Men broke.
Li Chen shivered convincingly.
His teeth chattered.
No one questioned it.
That night, reports circulated.
Performance: within expected parameters.
Psych profile: stable.
No anomalies observed.
Command did not like that.
The System updated privately.
[SYSTEM PHASE II — LEARNING]
[Human camouflage efficiency: IMPROVING]
Li Chen lay in his bunk.
Muscles sore.
Mind clear.
For the first time, the battlefield was not terrain or enemies.
It was perception.
And tomorrow—
—the line would get thinner.