The night gradually brightened.
A faint dark blue light illuminated the land and tents. The clear sky had no clouds, and hanging there was not the sun, but a round, bright moon.
The breeze was silent, the bonfires burned quietly, no one walked or talked, and the distance was also asleep.
What a peaceful and good time.
Tens of thousands of new recruits were still deeply asleep, recovering the strength and spirit they had expended yesterday.
But a figure walked to the center of the camp, raised the long, slender shadow in his hand towards the dim morning light, and the mournful horn sound immediately blew.
One sound after another, like a sharp shriek, like an urgent call.
Wake up, fight. The horn sound said.
Pairs of eyes suddenly opened, pairs of hands immediately skillfully picked up clothes, pants, and belts on the dim beds, pairs of legs quickly put on pants and boots, and then rushed to the tent entrance, charging out without looking back.
Clang~ Clang~
More piercing gong sounds rang out at the entrance of each tent. The soldiers who were roused used long gong sticks to lift the thick cloth curtains of the tent doors. "Lazy bones! Hurry up and crawl out of your warm dung piles. Haven't you had enough enjoyment last night?"
"You're so unenthusiastic about morning exercises. You're useless in this life. What's the point of living!"
"Warriors, please continue to sleep, and then pray that your instructor suddenly died outside last night, and pray that all the adults have gone mad and given you a day off."
"..."
The reprimands heard by the new recruits who were slow or slept more soundly were almost different every day.
In their spare time, the new recruits would even compare which tent was scolded the worst and the most interestingly, and they even selected the two most popular rousing people: the "Needle Tongue" for the most hurtful words, and the "Mute" for expressing the deepest contempt with their eyes.
In any case, no one dared to truly slack off at this time.
The terror of the Dark Room was already well-known, and if one was completely abandoned, it was said they would be sent to the Research Department. The instructors always told the new recruits under them with a terrifying smile that everyone had an irreplaceable role in the Research Department, everyone.
Vague rumors were the easiest to penetrate people's hearts. Under the constraints of ordinances and punishments, the new recruits quickly transformed and grew.
Fortunately, today's performance was better than before.
It only took a quarter of an hour. The Training Ground was already quiet. All the new recruits were dressed in neat armor, assembled in front of their instructors according to their squads and affiliations.
Only a quarter of an hour.
The new recruits dared not show any expression on their faces, but they couldn't help but feel a little proud in their hearts.
The instructors, however, remained unmoved.
"Attention!" The instructor's first command never changed.
The new recruits under his command straightened their bodies with a snap. "Long live King Joffrey I, Your Majesty!"
"Justice Will Prevail!!"
The full-strength shouts of a hundred people clenching their teeth echoed throughout the entire Training Ground, reaching the ears of ten to twenty thousand people, still clearly audible.
Everyone felt that their shouts were enough to spread throughout the city, but what was the actual situation?
They looked at the instructor.
The instructor nodded slightly. This was already the greatest praise.
Immediately after, the slogans on the Training Ground rose and fell, each squad trying its best to surpass the volume of all the preceding squads.
"Long live King Joffrey I, Your Majesty!"
"Justice Will Prevail!"
Again and again, again and again. The sound came from the front, from behind, from the side.
What enthusiastic cheers, so full of emotion.
The hearts of all the new recruits were completely calm, only calmly judging which squad's sound was the loudest and most stable, and which squad had someone whose voice broke.
After all, they had to listen to it hundreds of times a day, and even heard their comrades shouting slogans in their sleep. In just a few days, all fresh and interesting feelings were guaranteed to be completely worn away.
But to say they were tired of it, that wasn't really the case. It had just become a familiar habit, something taken for granted, returning to the ordinary.
Just like air, bread, and water, bland and tasteless, but an essential part of life.
Dong!
A huge drum sound rang out.
All the new recruits stood quietly, waiting for the music that followed.
A melodious tune gradually began from somewhere, a little sad, a little calm, a little cheerful, and with some indescribable feeling.
In short, it was completely different from a minstrel's harp.
This song was called "Mother Westeros".
The prelude was over.
Everyone sang in unison:
"Summer has ended, summer has ended
Winter Is Coming, Light will cease"
We have finally overcome the obstacles ahead.
As for glory and splendor, let it belong to heaven.
Let the golden years we had remain in the songs.
Let them remain in the victorious wind that blows in our faces.
To make you stand proudly at the peak of the world,
For you, great Mother!
We will persevere.
For you, great Mother!
We will finally return in triumph.
For you, great Mother!
We will cheer for you three times, 'Long live!'
For you, great Mother!
Westeros, I will always be your child.
...
Summer is gone, summer is gone.
Winter is coming, Light will fade.
Fighting on your battered body, I still remember
The rushing black river bringing fish,
The dancing golden grain scattering fragrance,
The swaying red apples oozing honey.
Lying on your battered body, I still remember
Winterfell with its flowing hot springs, your outpost guarding the North.
The Eyrie soaring into the clouds, your watchtower overlooking the East.
Riverrun with its deep, turbulent waters, the tip of your trident.
The never-falling Casterly Rock, the gold mine you bestowed.
Storm's End that calms the storms, your toy by the sea.
Highgarden, rich in flowers and fruit, the land where you feed your children.
Sunspear built of sand and stone, the resilient fortress on your broken arm.
And your cherished jewel, King's Landing surrounded by the black river waters.
Westeros, I will always be your child.
...
Summer is gone, summer is gone.
Winter is coming, Light will fade.
We have already set off.
For you, Mother!
Walking in the vast fields, I can't help but
'I deeply love you...'
Strolling along the endless coastline, I softly whisper
'I deeply love you...'
Trekking through the vast snow and ice, I silently pour out
'I deeply love you...'
Westeros, I will always be your child.
No matter where I am, you are always in my heart.
Until death."
It is said that the lyrics were written by the King himself.
After the singing ended, the instructor's emotions only lingered for a few breaths, and then he still gave orders without hesitation, "Right face!"
"Running posture!"
The first team of New Recruits was the first to enter the outermost track. This lap required a thousand steps, and they had to run ten laps in a row to finish. No one could fall behind, and the team with the worst performance would have their breakfast canceled.
For the New Recruits who trained hard all day, a breakfast was absolutely their lifeline, so everyone had to fiercely compete because of this.
At the end, Hot Pie collapsed onto Gendry as usual, drooling.
Compared to before, Hot Pie was much thinner now and considerably sturdier, but still below average. The training remained difficult.
"I can see it now," Hot Pie panted constantly, still finding time to complain, "The Security Bureau really is nothing. They just threw us here with you guys. There's no extra benefit at all."
Gendry handed Hot Pie a breakfast box. "Just hold on a little longer. You won't be this tired tomorrow. We all have outside missions."
He had already been granted Divine Grace and would even be leading the team on tomorrow's mission.
Hot Pie looked hopeful. "What about today's training then?"
Gendry calmly shook his head. "Military Stance in the morning, Practice Skills in the afternoon. No change."
Hot Pie sighed repeatedly.
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