The squad leader welcoming the new recruits was named Li Dong. He had enlisted five years ago and was now a second-class non-commissioned officer, a veteran of the second company, third battalion, in the Kyoto Military Region.
The twenty-eight people in the truck were the third batch of new recruits he was receiving that day.
Collecting their phones was the first procedure for new recruits upon entering the military region.
Li Dong put down the basin, scanned Gao Fei and the others who looked somewhat dazed, and said, "Although you weren't recruited during the enlistment season, the moment you boarded this military truck, you are no different from newly enlisted recruits.
From now on, you only need to remember four words: Obey orders."
He looked sternly at everyone in the truck and then sternly reminded them, "This is not just something you must remember, but a task you must complete during your three months in the army.
Disobeying orders will be dealt with according to military regulations!"
"One minute. You have one minute to report your safety to your families. The timer starts now!"
First came the tough talk, then the softer approach. Except for Gao Fei, everyone else was startled into silence.
Seeing Li Dong raise his watch to start the timer, everyone immediately took out their phones to report their safety to their families.
Gao Fei first sent a text message to his mother to let her know he was safe.
Then he informed his agent at Ku Ying Media that he would be undergoing military training for three months and would not be able to use his phone during this period. If anything urgent arose, they should contact lawyer Zeng.
After finishing, he turned off his phone and placed it in the plastic basin as instructed.
Observing Gao Fei, who was the quickest and most efficient, Squad Leader Li Dong nodded subtly.
Regarding this new recruit who had made waves during the college entrance exam summer break, it wasn't just Li Dong who knew about him; most people in the military were familiar with him.
As Gao Fei, the top scorer in the liberal arts for the Dragon Country, had achieved this feat.
During the period after his results were released, news about him was broadcast on every channel, from CCTV to local county and city television stations, at all hours.
With the military's current level of information technology, news was not blocked.
Military personnel in the unit paid attention to any news from the outside world.
Only ten seconds were left in the minute.
Among the twenty-eight people, more than half had not finished their calls.
Li Dong silently counted down. As soon as the second hand passed the mark, he shouted, "Hang up and hand over your phones!"
As soon as he spoke, about a dozen people, as if they hadn't yet adapted to the rhythm of new recruits enlisting, continued their phone calls.
Gao Fei glanced at Li Shuishui, who was engrossed in a conversation with a friend, and nudged his shoulder, reminding him, "Hurry up and hand over your phone, time's up!"
"Oh, don't rush, don't rush, I'll be done soon!"
Li Shuishui was very casual.
He clearly hadn't noticed Squad Leader Li Dong's expression change.
The next second, two other soldiers in the truck directly snatched the phones from the new recruits beside them, removed the batteries, and threw them into the plastic basin in the center.
"Hey, what are you doing!"
The young man whose phone was snatched was about to flare up.
However, noticing the fierce look in the soldier's eyes, his anger instantly subsided.
Soon, all the phones were collected. Li Dong picked up the plastic basin and placed it aside, saying, "Although you cannot use your mobile phones during the three-month new recruit training, you can contact your families using the military's landlines on weekends.
The military is quite understanding!"
Hearing this, the new recruits looked displeased.
In this era of information, a mobile phone was standard for everyone. Three months without playing on their phones was likely to be unbearable.
This was especially true for this group of students who had just graduated from high school and were looking forward to university life.
An hour passed. The truck had moved away from the city and entered the suburbs.
In about ten minutes, the gate of the Kyoto Military Region appeared ahead.
The military emblem above the gate and the sentries on either side.
At first glance, it was very solemn and serious.
The truck entered the military region and stopped in front of the new recruit dormitory building.
Gao Fei and his group jumped out of the truck and stood around casually.
Looking at the unfamiliar environment and listening to the shouts from the training ground, everyone's face was filled with curiosity.
Li Dong scanned the new recruits who were constantly looking around, straightened his back, and shouted, "Line up! Girls in one row, boys in one row."
Soon, thirteen girls and fifteen boys, carrying their luggage, formed two rows.
Seeing the uneven lines, Li Dong didn't say much. After all, these new recruits hadn't undergone training yet, so it was understandable.
About half a minute later, a female non-commissioned officer approached.
She glanced at the line of new recruits and called out to the girls, "All girls, take your luggage and follow me.
Attention everyone, forward march!"
The girls left, and the boys were assigned to their respective squads.
Gao Fei, Li Shuishui, and Zhang Cheng were assigned to Squad Five, led by Li Dong.
Upon arriving at the dormitory on the third floor, there were already other new recruits in the room. Including the three of them, there were a total of twenty people.
Before entering the dormitory, the new recruits were chatting and laughing.
But after Li Dong arrived, everyone immediately fell silent.
"These are the last three new recruits for our squad. Everyone, introduce yourselves!"
After speaking, Li Shuishui stepped forward first to introduce himself, followed by Zhang Cheng.
When Gao Fei stepped out last, the new recruits were stunned and exclaimed loudly upon seeing his appearance.
"It's actually Gao Fei! I didn't expect us to be in the same squad!"
"Gao Fei doesn't need an introduction. He stands there, and everyone knows him!"
"I'm so honored to be in the same squad as Gao Fei, the original author of 'Classmate,' and the top liberal arts student in the Dragon Country!"
Without needing an introduction, everyone already knew Gao Fei's identity.
However, he still smiled politely and greeted them, without any sense of superiority.
After the new recruits finished their introductions, Li Dong spoke again, "Everyone, open your suitcases and pick out your daily necessities, photos, and books. Everything else, like snacks and clothes, must be handed in. They will be returned to you uniformly after three months!"
Having already handed in their phones before coming, they didn't mind handing over snacks now.
Everyone started taking out their toiletries, photos of their girlfriends or family portraits, and some extracurricular books from their suitcases.
As for clothes and snacks, they all had to be left behind.
Li Shuishui, with a sly look, approached Gao Fei, took out a few bags of snacks, and whispered, "Have some. It's better to eat them now than hand them in. They'll all expire by the time you get them back in three months."
Gao Fei gave Li Shuishui a thumbs-up, looking at the beef jerky and potato chips in his hands.
They had been eating Li Shuishui's snacks all the way on the six-hour train ride.
Now, while sorting through their luggage, he was surprised that the guy still had a bunch of snacks left. He was definitely a loyal foodie.
Squad Leader Li Dong walked over, picked up Li Shuishui's snacks, weighed them a couple of times, and smiled, "What, reluctant to hand them in? Afraid they'll expire in three months and you want to finish them now?"
"Yes, Squad Leader!"
Li Shuishui replied with a grin.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Li Dong's expression quickly turned serious, and he sternly said, "I mentioned this to you before you came.
Once you enter the army, you are new recruits. A soldier's duty is to obey orders.
Have you forgotten all of that?"
"I, I, I..."
Li Shuishui was at a loss for words.
Li Dong continued to shout, "Everyone, after you've sorted your belongings, you will run ten laps around the training ground downstairs. If you don't finish, you won't be allowed to have dinner!"
As soon as he spoke, everyone glared resentfully at Li Shuishui.
They had just arrived at the military base and hadn't even started training, and now they had to run ten laps around the track.
For them, who had just graduated from high school, let alone ten laps, they would probably be exhausted after two or three laps.
But Li Dong didn't give them time to complain. After announcing a one-minute countdown, he walked out and downstairs.
Before leaving, he reminded them, "If you are not at the training ground within the allotted time, each of you will be penalized with an additional five laps!"
With the added condition, everyone quickly finished sorting their belongings and rushed towards the training ground as fast as they could.
"Let's run!"
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Li Dong smiled and called out, hands behind his back.
The twenty people cast resentful glances at Li Shuishui, and then, steeling themselves, stepped onto the track.
At the same time, in the dormitories of other squads where new recruits were located.
The squad leader in charge said to the new recruits who were watching the show, "Watch carefully. This is the consequence of disobeying orders.
If any of you disobey orders in the future, the price will be twenty laps around the track. Do you hear me!"
"We hear you!"
The new recruits replied in unison.
With Gao Fei and the others as examples, who would dare to disobey orders?
Ten laps, a full four kilometers, would surely exhaust them!
If they didn't violate orders, would they really not have to run laps?
Someone in their hearts raised this question, but with the squad leader's fox-like smile, they already had their answer.
On the training ground.
At first, everyone was very resentful towards Li Shuishui.
But after only three laps, their resentment had faded. Everyone ran together in pairs, cheering each other on.
"What's wrong? You can't handle just three laps? Did you skip lunch, or are you malnourished?
Even junior high school students can run three laps without getting winded. As university students, you're not even as good as junior high students, are you!"
Li Dong stood at the edge of the track, constantly demoralizing them.
He didn't want to do it at first, but seeing these future university students panting after just three laps, he couldn't help but lash out.
Although everyone felt ashamed and angry at the squad leader's words and wanted to retort, the truth was, they were indeed not as good as junior high school students.
"What the squad leader said... I have no words to refute..."
"Save your breath for complaining. Finish ten laps, then eat and rest..."
Li Shuishui and a few others gritted their teeth and persevered, their legs feeling like lead.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed past them.
"Holy cow, what was that that just ran past?"
Zhang Cheng shouted weakly.
Everyone looked up and saw that not far ahead, Gao Fei was running on the track with swift strides, at ten times their speed.
Moreover, he showed no signs of being tired, appearing quite normal.
Li Dong was also observing Gao Fei. He had now completed his fifth lap, two more than the others.
"I didn't expect the top liberal arts student of the Dragon Country to have such good stamina. He's far superior to the others."
He praised himself softly.
Afterward, Gao Fei became the target of ridicule for the others.
Li Dong shouted from the side of the track, "Look at Gao Fei, the top liberal arts student of the Dragon Country. He runs laps without getting tired or breathless.
And then look at yourselves. You can't match him in studies, and you can't match him in stamina. How disgraceful!"
Seeing Gao Fei slow down only after completing his seventh lap, the demoralized new recruits were on the verge of tears.
They had only run five laps!
At six o'clock in the evening, in front of the canteen gate.
Other squads were standing in neat formation outside, singing military songs.
But Squad Five, having just returned from their laps, stood there exhausted, except for Gao Fei, who maintained a steady posture. The others were so tired they were about to collapse.
The veterans, looking at their appearance, could already foresee the future of these new recruits in their squads.
After singing the military songs, the members of Squad Five, dragging their weary bodies, entered the canteen.
At the dinner table, everyone's hands and feet were trembling, and they no longer had the strength to hold their chopsticks.
Due to extreme fatigue, everyone had lost their appetite looking at the food on their plates.
Li Dong glanced at Gao Fei, who was eating heartily, then at the others, and cleared his throat, saying, "Remember, although this is a buffet, only take what you can eat.
You must finish the food on your plates. If you dare to leave any leftovers, you'll have to run an additional ten laps!"
As soon as he spoke, everyone's faces hardened, regretting having taken too much food when they were dishing it out.
But to avoid running more laps, everyone lowered their heads and stuffed food into their mouths, afraid of missing even a single grain of rice.
After finishing dinner.
All the new recruits first collected their training uniforms and then were gathered in the recreation room.
Just as everyone was wondering what they were going to do, a squad leader suddenly turned on the television.
The moment they saw the image on the screen, everyone was stunned.