The cicadas! The constant sound of cicadas came from outside the window, with the sun hanging high in the sky, releasing its energy. However, in this training ground deep in the mountains, it remained pleasantly cool, perhaps the only benefit here. At this moment, within the vast base, there was not a soul to be seen moving around. It was nap time.
Suddenly, in the deep and quiet corridor, light footsteps were heard, intentionally slowed as if to avoid disturbing someone's sweet dreams. But those in the know understood that Benjamin Blake was up to his mischief again. Many had left in the past few days, not scared off by the heavy training, but rather tortured to the brink of madness by Benjamin Blake's relentless tactics. The biggest issue was the lack of food, and the need to hunt for themselves, resulting in over a hundred injuries and over twenty deaths. Yet Benjamin Blake remained unyielding.
Just as they were falling asleep, a shrill alarm suddenly rang out. Benjamin Blake waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him no longer held back, rushing into the dormitory and throwing smoke bombs inside, then slamming the door shut.
This sneaky move immediately caused a panic among countless people, especially when the smoke entered their eyes, causing great discomfort and a flood of tears and mucus. Barrett Walker looked at the smoke under his bed, being closest to the window and able to jump out directly, but he kicked the smoke bomb out the window first. His reputation had soared in the past few days, with doubled training and doubled prey caught. But what made him even more famous was the day he ran back naked, his clothes a mystery.
Despite kicking the smoke bomb out, the room was filled with a piercing odor. Barrett Walker looked at the doors that wouldn't budge. Instead of going to the window, he took a running start and kicked the door with such force that it broke off the frame, sending one person flying far away.
Benjamin Blake watched his underling get kicked away and knew that Barrett Walker was deliberately provoking them. Passing by him, he simply gave him a placid look, as if to say, "You know what's coming next, don't you?" Barrett Walker ignored him, shook his head, and went back to sleep. Benjamin Blake watched his retreating figure and nodded slightly. The space behind the dormitory building was now crowded with people, some jumping from the fourth or fifth floor, or even higher. The scene was spectacular, like dumplings falling down. Next to the male dormitory was the female dormitory, and now it too was filled with smoke bombs. Luckily, most of the girls were in their nightgowns, as it was quite cool in the mountains. However, this also led to many wolves licking their lips, wishing for hotter weather. Some boys naturally liked to sleep naked, and now they were whistling and acting like hooligans.
Benjamin Blake looked at the crowd and then at the buildings shrouded in smoke, shaking his head slightly. He blew his whistle and left, followed by the silent soldiers. As the smoke gradually dissipated, the dormitory building was no longer fit for sleeping. The morning exercise had left some people so exhausted that they lay on the ground and fell into a deep slumber, but when the smoke wafted their way, the smell made it unbearable.
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As some people drifted back to sleep, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and they knew it was almost time to gather. Many hurried back to their dormitories to change into proper clothing, getting ready for the 2:30 assembly.
Watching the remaining four thousand in the lineup, Benjamin Blake smiled faintly and remained silent, just gazing at them. The people below felt a sense of frustration, wondering if there would be another sneaky trick. Suddenly, Benjamin Blake's smile grew even more pronounced. "I have good news to tell you!"
"Damn, I wanted to hear bad news!"
"Yeah! We want to hear bad news! We don't want to hear good news."
"We deeply disdain the bad news," murmured the crowd. Benjamin Blake's announcements were never truly good, and they would rather hear bad news instead!
"Silence! What manner of behavior is this?" Benjamin Blake's stern expression silenced the crowd, and he declared, "After days of adaptive training, we will begin formal military training starting tomorrow, coupled with stimulating exercises in the God's Region."
"Truly a piece of bad news!" The crowd's groans filled the air, expressing their discontent and frustration.
"Therefore, I have granted you all an afternoon off today, and those who do not wish to participate are free to leave. I will not force anyone, and the War God Academy will not expel those who choose to leave today. This means that you have officially become students of the War God Academy," Benjamin Blake announced, taking a sense of achievement in the face of their complaints.
But as soon as the back half of the announcement was heard, a wave of relief washed over the crowd. To be able to skip the upcoming training, and to have the afternoon off, was met with excitement and joy throughout the group.
"Now that we are students of the War God Academy, I must ask, what harm is there in leaving?" one person inquired.
"Yes! You must be up to something. We will not be easily deceived," another added.
"You must explain the consequences of leaving, or we will not go. We have endured for so long already, haven't we, brothers?" another voice chimed in.
"Right! If you do not give us an explanation, we will not leave easily," echoed yet another.
"Get lost. Believe it or not, I don't have the time to waste with you. I'm tired and need to go to sleep. Oh, by the way, starting today, access to these buildings is open, and you can go online or enter the Second World. But I must warn you, be careful! Those who want to leave had better do so now, or you'll regret it later! Hahaha!" Benjamin Blake's sinister laughter sent shivers down their spines, cautioning themselves to be careful. This smiling demon surely couldn't have anything good in store for them.
Barrett Walk stood on the outskirts of the crowd, never having participated in military drills or formations with them. He remained carefree, but under the intense pressure, he was making extraordinary progress. In addition to his virus-modified foundation, he thrived in an environment devoid of anything other than pressure. In just a few days, he felt that he had already reached the level of a major general. Apart from his physical vitality being not fully restored, he was on the verge of a breakthrough whenever the opportunity arose.
If anyone knew of Barrett Walk's terrifying speed of advancement, going from a lieutenant colonel to a major general in just a few days due to the intense pressure, no one seemed to be aware. This was a path chosen by Barrett Walk himself. He had to constantly transcend in order to protect the women by his side and allow them to follow him without appearing to be aggrieved.
Suddenly, Barrett Walk looked towards the isolated building, the Sword Mound. It exuded a daunting sense of power, but his powerful spiritual force seemed to indicate that an invisible hand was pushing his courageous heart, urging him to enter. Perhaps this afternoon was the perfect opportunity!