The next morning did not feel like training anymore. It felt like escalation. The atmosphere on the field was heavier, quieter, like everyone knew something worse was coming but no one knew what it was yet. Squads stood in formation while instructors spoke in low voices near the command platform. Lin Chen felt it in the way people were standing straighter, the way no one was joking. Whatever today was, it was not routine.
Zhao Wei's ankle was still wrapped, but he was back in line. He tested his weight carefully, trying not to show discomfort. Han Rui noticed anyway. He leaned slightly closer and muttered, "If it slows you, say it." Zhao Wei shook his head. "I'm fine." Lin Chen did not comment, but he adjusted his own position in the formation, already compensating without saying anything.
Captain Luo walked forward, his presence pulling attention without effort. He did not waste time with speeches. He told them that today's drills would be conducted under compressed schedules and overlapping objectives. In real operations, he said, stress did not arrive one problem at a time. It stacked. If they could not think while already exhausted, they would not survive long enough to matter. Then he ordered the squads to move.
The first sequence was a moving suppression drill across uneven terrain. Not complex, but fast. They were forced to maintain spacing while advancing uphill under constant target exposure. Zhao Wei's steps were shorter than usual, his movements careful, but he did not fall behind. Han Rui kept rotating forward and back, checking angles too aggressively, burning stamina faster than he should. Lin Chen stayed in the center, watching both of them, adjusting pace so neither had to overextend to keep formation.
By the time they reached the final marker, sweat was running into their eyes and breathing was no longer controlled. They were not given rest. The next drill started immediately, a timed retrieval exercise through narrow corridors with simulated explosions shaking the floor. Noise filled the space, sharp and disorienting. Zhao Wei's ankle slowed him on turns. Lin Chen took point without announcing it, setting a pace that Zhao Wei could hold while still keeping them moving fast enough to stay within time.
They completed the run, barely inside the limit. Before anyone could even straighten up, new targets activated and the drill shifted again, this time forcing them into defensive positions while under visual interference. Han Rui took a hit on his vest and started to push forward to compensate, to make up for it, but Lin Chen grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back into cover. Han Rui's jaw tightened, but he stayed.
Across the field, other squads were already breaking down. Shouting started. One squad missed a timing gate and was ordered to restart. Another failed a coordination sequence and was pulled aside for corrective drills that looked more like punishment. No one was cruising through this. Everyone was being squeezed.
Captain Luo watched Squad 4 more closely now. Not because they were the best, but because they were not falling apart. Their movements were not impressive, but they were consistent. They adjusted to each other instead of trying to outshine one another. When Zhao Wei lagged, the formation shifted. When Han Rui rushed, Lin Chen pulled him back. When Lin Chen slowed, Han Rui covered more aggressively. It was not clean, but it held.
Eventually, the drills ended and the squads were ordered to stand down. No praise followed. No feedback. Just instructions to prepare for afternoon assessments. As they walked toward the equipment racks, Zhao Wei finally exhaled like he had been holding his breath for an hour. "Okay," he muttered, "that was worse than yesterday." Han Rui wiped sweat off his face. "And it's not over."
Lin Chen checked Zhao Wei's ankle quickly while no one was looking. The swelling had not gone down. If anything, it looked worse. "You're pushing too hard," he said quietly. Zhao Wei shrugged. "If I stop, they'll replace me. You know that." Han Rui didn't argue this time. He knew it too.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, conserving energy, watching other squads move around them. Some people were angry. Some were shaken. Some looked completely blank, like they were already detaching just to get through the day. Lin Chen felt something tightening in his chest that had nothing to do with fatigue. This was not about passing anymore. This was about whether they could survive the system long enough to matter.
When the call came to reform, Lin Chen stood without hesitation. Han Rui followed immediately. Zhao Wei pushed himself up more slowly, but he did not stay behind. Whatever came next, Squad 4 would face it together, even if none of them said it out loud.
They had barely reformed when Captain Luo walked straight toward Squad 4. Not past them. Not beside them. Directly in front of them. The moment his shadow fell over them, Zhao Wei muttered, "Yeah… we're cooked," and Han Rui shot him a warning look like, shut up right now.
Captain Luo studied them in silence, eyes moving from Zhao Wei's wrapped ankle to Han Rui's clenched fists, then finally to Lin Chen's steady posture. "You three look tired," he said calmly. "Good. That means you're finally training at the right level." Han Rui's jaw tightened, but he didn't speak. Zhao Wei swallowed and forced a crooked grin. "Sir, with respect, I think my legs would prefer the wrong level."
Captain Luo did not react to the joke. "You will run the next drill alone," he said. "No rotation. No recovery window. If your formation collapses, you restart." Han Rui couldn't hold it in. "Sir, we just finished three back-to-back sequences. At least give him..." he jerked his chin toward Zhao Wei "five minutes, he's injured." Captain Luo turned his eyes on him slowly. "And if he is injured in combat, do you ask the enemy for five minutes?"
Han Rui opened his mouth, then closed it hard, breathing through his nose. Lin Chen spoke before things got worse. "We'll run it," he said simply. Zhao Wei glanced at him and muttered, "Bro, you didn't even hesitate. At least pretend to think about my suffering." Lin Chen answered quietly, "If we argue, it gets worse."
They moved into position. The drill began immediately, forcing them through a rotating engagement pattern that demanded constant movement and rapid position changes. Zhao Wei's breathing became rough within the first minute. Han Rui kept pushing the pace anyway, snapping, "Don't lag, don't lag, don't lag," like he was daring Zhao Wei's leg to betray him. Lin Chen stayed between them, constantly shifting, correcting angles, pulling them back when they overextended and pushing them forward when they hesitated.
Halfway through, Zhao Wei stumbled. Not a full fall, but enough to break rhythm. Han Rui spun on him instantly. "Hey! Focus, man, this isn't the time to nap!" Zhao Wei snapped back, breathless but angry, "Then stop sprinting like we're chasing medals, you psycho, my ankle isn't decorative!" Han Rui stepped forward like he was about to say something worse, but Lin Chen cut in, voice low and sharp. "Both of you, shut up and move. Talking won't fix it."
They moved again, but the formation was shaking now. Targets popped up too fast. Han Rui took another hit. Zhao Wei missed a timing window and nearly ran into Lin Chen. "Sorry, sorry, I'm trying," he said through clenched teeth. Han Rui barked, "Try harder!" and Lin Chen snapped, "Enough. Rui, cover left. Wei, stay with me. Don't argue."
Captain Luo's voice cut through the noise. "Restart."
Han Rui slammed his hand against the barrier. "You've gotta be kidding me." Zhao Wei bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard. "Sir… at this rate I'm actually gonna drop." Captain Luo looked directly at him. "Then drop. And your squad fails with you."
Han Rui stepped forward again, anger burning in his eyes. "That's messed up and you know it." Captain Luo didn't even raise his voice. "Control your tone, trainee." Han Rui looked like he wanted to punch something. Lin Chen grabbed his sleeve hard this time and said quietly, "Rui. Not now. You fight him, we're done."
They reset.
Zhao Wei whispered, half laughing, half gasping, "If I die, delete my browser history." Han Rui huffed despite himself. "You're not dying, you idiot, you're just dramatic." Lin Chen said, "Save the jokes. Move when I move."
This time, Lin Chen set the pace. Slower, steadier, forcing the drill to bend around them instead of letting it break them. Han Rui adjusted, grumbling but following. Zhao Wei stayed close, leaning on momentum instead of strength. When targets appeared, Han Rui covered aggressively. When Zhao Wei hesitated, Lin Chen physically shifted him into position. They were not fast, but they were stable.
They finished the sequence.
Captain Luo watched them for a long moment. Then he said, "Acceptable."
Han Rui exhaled sharply like he'd been holding his breath for ten minutes. Zhao Wei dropped onto the ground, lying flat, staring at the sky. "Bro… if this is acceptable, I don't wanna see impressive." Han Rui sat down hard beside him. "You better heal fast, because I'm not carrying you every day." Zhao Wei smirked weakly. "Wow, touching concern, really felt the love."
Lin Chen stayed standing, chest rising and falling steadily. He looked at Captain Luo, who was already turning away. No approval. No disapproval. Just another test survived.
Han Rui looked up at Lin Chen. "You okay?" Lin Chen nodded. "You?" Han Rui cracked his neck. "Annoyed. But yeah." Zhao Wei lifted his head slightly. "Next time, remind me why we signed up for this again?" Lin Chen answered, "Because we didn't want to run when it started."
Zhao Wei let his head fall back again. "Yeah… figures."
They sat there for a moment, exhausted, irritated, and still very much together. Whatever the academy was trying to break, it hadn't been their squad. Not yet.