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墨書 Inktalez
Shuanzi was momentarily stunned.
How could an ordinary person have seen such a handsome young man? If it weren't for the fact that the surrounding Tian Qian showed no signs of unrest, he might have thought this young man was a Kun Ze.
He opened his mouth and cleared his throat, just about to greet Ye Chen.
However, Ye Chen spoke first, “Hey, can you stop looking at me like that? It’s kind of creepy.”
Ye Chen's lips twitched awkwardly. What was wrong with these people? They looked at him as if he were a pig in a pen during the New Year.
“I... I didn’t mean it like that. You’re just too good-looking,” Shuanzi stammered.
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow in confusion. What nonsense was this? He was just handsome.
Feeling that Ye Chen's gaze was strange, Shuanzi quickly changed his words.
“Um, what I meant is that you look so different from us. You’re way better looking than our town’s Kun Ze. His eyes aren’t as nice as yours,” Shuanzi added, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
With a goofy grin revealing his big front teeth, Shuanzi made Ye Chen wonder if this guy was a bit slow.
Nearby, the two groups of Tian Qian and Zhong Yong noticed Shuanzi's silly expression, and someone couldn't help but burst out laughing.
“What kind of eyes do you have? This skinny guy who looks like he has no meat on him is better looking than Kun Ze?” one Tian Qian mocked, grinning widely and becoming increasingly sarcastic. “Then your town’s Kun Ze must be really ugly; he’s not even as good-looking as this little bean sprout.”
The Tian Qian who spoke with such blatant discrimination and verbal attacks was the same person who had been in line in front of Ye Chen earlier and had taken a dislike to him.
He had been assigned to the Charge Army, which was typically the front line in the military. Most of those selected were the strongest Tian Qian, and they even received more silver than other units.
Because of this, the members of the Charge Army have always looked down on those from other teams, seizing every opportunity to mock them. After all, the Charge Army is known for their bravery and combat skills, and most teams wouldn't dare to provoke them.
Now, the entire Huo Tou Jun had only recruited three people, making them the prime targets compared to other teams.
When someone started mocking Ye Chen, it was as if a Pandora's box had been opened; soon everyone around began to join in the ridicule.
"Wow, I guess people from their town have such poor taste. They must like that skinny little Kun Ze."
"Hahaha! So does that mean everyone in their town is starving? How else could they find such an ugly Kun Ze appealing?"
"…"
Ye Chen was speechless.
Back in college, a group of boys would often gather to discuss which girl in their class was the prettiest. While most might think boys prefer slim and slender girls, anyone who has had a girlfriend or knows a bit about women understands that they often prefer girls with a bit more flesh. Why? Because girls with some curves feel nice to hold.
Though it sounds crude, this was indeed a quote from Ye Chen's roommate who had experience with relationships.
But when all these comments were directed at him, Ye Chen found it hard to accept.
What the hell? Comparing me to that? Is there something wrong? I'm a grown man being treated like this.
After enduring all this for too long, Ye Chen finally reached his breaking point.
"You guys—"
His rising anger was quickly interrupted.
The Drummer, who had been organizing discipline during the enlistment process, approached again. He scanned the crowd before his gaze landed on Ye Chen for just two seconds before quickly shifting away.
"What are you doing? You’re already in line; you’re soldiers now. Is there no organization or discipline? You come in here and start making noise," he bellowed.
His voice was loud and commanding, leaving no room for resistance. The group of new recruits quickly straightened up and returned to their places, puffing out their chests, completely shedding the demeanor they had when they were bullying Ye Chen moments earlier.
Ye Chen found himself unable to voice his thoughts and swallowed hard instead.
The enlistment process concluded for the day, with a total of fifty or sixty new recruits—neither too many nor too few. They followed a group of armored individuals as they began their march toward the stationed army.
"Military Officer, how long do we have to walk to reach the army?" one of them asked.
"Only five miles down, and there’s still another five to go. Look at you all, acting so timid; you don’t look like soldiers at all," came the reply.
Not long into their journey, some of the Zhong Yong began to struggle.
At the border between Lan Prefecture and the Wolf Tribe, smoke rose in the air, and the terrain was rugged and uneven, mostly consisting of dry grass and desert-like areas with scarce water sources. The temperature drop at night made it unbearable for those unprepared.
Ye Chen had felt the harshness of nature deeply on his first day in Lan Prefecture. Therefore, every evening at dusk over the past few days, he would put on two layers of clothing to keep warm.
This scene puzzled Shuanzi. "Ye Chen, it’s not even dark yet, and you’re wearing so much. Don’t you feel hot?"
"I’ve been here a few days; Lan Prefecture has a significant temperature difference between day and night. Brother Shuanzi, you Submissive ld wear more layers too to avoid catching a cold."
"Oh, I see. Then I’ll put on another layer." With that, Shuanzi pulled an outer coat from his pack and put it on for warmth.
After experiencing verbal bullying together a few hours earlier, Ye Chen and Shuanzi had grown closer, exchanging more words and opening up to each other.
Aside from Ye Chen and Shuanzi, there was another person named Li Yun. The three of them had been recruited into the Huo Tou Jun. Perhaps due to their less impressive physiques compared to some of the Tian Qian and robust Zhong Yong, they were assigned to the Huo Tou Jun by the recruitment office.
Li Yun had come to the Military Camp to earn some silver because his family had not been doing well in recent years. He was determined to make money to buy food for his twin brother so that their family could survive.
Listening to Li Yun recount his family's tragic circumstances, vividly describing them while occasionally wiping away tears, Shuanzi beside him was inexplicably moved and began to cry uncontrollably.
This left Ye Chen feeling somewhat at a loss. Submissive ld he also shed a few tears?
He had only entered the Military Camp to deliver a message for Xiao Feng; once he informed General He, he would leave. He wouldn’t be going to the battlefield, facing any danger, but they certainly would…
Ye Chen looked up at the vast starry sky at the edge of the desert. The scenery here was breathtaking and boundless, with constellations shining far brighter than the polluted modern skies he was used to, appearing dazzling and intoxicating.
Yet, no matter how beautiful this world’s scenery was, it could not compare to his original world.
In that place, he had family, friends, and his favorite Egg Tarts, fries, and Happy Water. Moreover, his country was free from war, and no one starved; it was a land worth longing for.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you so quiet?” Shuanzi said as he patted Ye Chen on the Submissive lder with one hand while wiping away his still-damp tears with the other, feeling rather sentimental.
Ye Chen pressed his lips together and lowered his head as he continued on their path. “It’s nothing. I just miss home.”
Seeing Ye Chen lower his head and say no more, Li Yun and Shuanzi immediately felt that Ye Chen was young and had come out to join the army alone; he must also be someone who had faced hardships. They decided not to pry further.
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