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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Five Hundred Ninety-Seven: The Gap
The September night was hot yet carried a cool breeze, occasionally accompanied by the chirping of autumn cicadas, adding a touch of life to the otherwise quiet training camp.
Due to the rigorous training led by Bai, most students collapsed into their tents and fell asleep as soon as they returned, lacking even the energy to chat.
Outside, however, two figures stood straight under the moonlight.
"Well, your foundation is indeed solid; that's quite rare," said the instructor in charge of watching over them, finally revealing a rare smile on his otherwise stern face.
Their demeanor was strict, but the ultimate goal was to complete the Military Training. Below them were excellent students; although they could be a bit prickly, they were usually easy to get along with.
Yang Xiaoyou didn't lose his temper and followed the arranged rhythm obediently. This was mainly because, while he could sometimes be quite irritable, he preferred not to act unreasonably. Moreover, this Military Training would eventually be handed over to Hive Security Company, so it was best not to make things too tense unless absolutely necessary.
Of course, understanding was one thing; dinner would not be shortchanged in any way.
"Haha, our Culinary Team's chef specially prepared a meal for you. Since Yang Xiaoyou won this time, he gets to eat first. After he's full, it will be Zhao Xinglong's turn. How does that sound? Or you can discuss it among yourselves, but keep it private; otherwise, it won't be so easy next time."
Leading the two into the now-empty cafeteria, the instructor with a dark complexion and a burn scar at the corner of his eye smiled at them.
In his view, although there was competition between the two, they should theoretically resonate with each other's struggles. The meal prepared was plentiful enough for both; surely the winning student would extend a gesture of goodwill at such a moment.
After all, their purpose was to train, not to torment anyone.
The two initial rivals shook hands and reconciled in the atmosphere of Military Training, becoming partners in adversity—a story that could later be recounted fondly. With that thought in mind, he turned and left the cafeteria to give them some space to communicate.
However, "It's all mine," Yang Xiaoyou kept dragging the food towards her bowl, stuffing her mouth while keeping a wary eye on the fellow who was about to collapse from training.
Zhao Xinglong now lacked even the strength to be angry as he watched Yang Xiaoyou greedily shoving food into her mouth.
Heart was truly speechless. After running, he was immediately caught by the instructor for standing posture training. Although it couldn't compare to the corporal punishment of Five O'Clock, it was no easy task either. He had no energy left to dwell on that humiliation or to analyze that freak; he just wanted to rest as soon as possible.
Initially, Heart felt a bit anxious. With such physical consumption, if he didn't replenish his energy, the night would be tough. It was only after hearing the instructor's words that he finally relaxed.
But—
The instructor had just left! Damn it, this was a disaster!
Zhao Xinglong also had his pride. Although he was unwilling to accept defeat, he indeed lost. He had no intention of forcibly taking anything; if others wouldn't give it to him, he couldn't bring himself to ask. With a cold snort, he prepared to get up and leave.
However, just as he turned around, he caught sight of a beautiful figure at the door. The enchanting woman who took his breath away was now walking in with a plate of rice balls.
In an instant, all his suffering, all his torment, and all his grievances vanished without a trace!
Was running tiring? Did losing matter?
Perhaps he should be grateful for not winning!
If he had won, wouldn't he just be eating the cafeteria's food?
How could he then earn her gratitude? How could he receive the food she offered?
It was serious now, standing here as a failure, cold and hungry, starkly contrasting with that gluttonous fellow who was devouring food. Surely, this would elicit the sympathy of the beautiful girl, bringing them closer together.
What was the point of putting on a brave front?
Wasn't that the main goal?
As for that shortsighted foodie? Hmph, how shallow.
He stumbled slightly before sitting back down, as if his strength had given out. He cradled his forehead in his hands, leaning on the table, exuding an air of exhaustion and displaying a melancholic expression.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes filled with sorrow, gazing at a 45-degree angle.
Listening to the footsteps drawing nearer, he could already smell the aroma of rice balls wafting through the air. Zhao Xinglong couldn't help but secretly curve his lips into a faint smile.
The contrast between both sides was too great! That foodie was still gorging himself even before anyone else arrived. This first impression was enough to completely erase any advantage he might have gained by stepping forward!
Estimating the approaching footsteps behind him, Zhao Xinglong prepared to 'accidentally' make eye contact with the ethereal beauty when she got closest.
Three
Two
One
Now!
However, just as he turned to seize the perfect opportunity, he only caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.
"Ah?" Zhao Xinglong stiffly turned his neck, feeling uncertain about what Heart was experiencing. Well, it seemed he had missed the right moment.
Struggling to turn his head back, he saw her—the ethereal figure who seemed not of this world—standing gracefully beside Foodie.
"Oh, Lin, you arrived just in time! I'm getting a bit tired of the cafeteria food here," Yang Xiaoyou said, her eyes lighting up as she caught a whiff of the familiar aroma. She looked at the rice balls with a hint of envy, wondering where this girl had found such ingredients.
Without hesitation, she grabbed one and stuffed it into her mouth.
Meanwhile, Feng Lin quietly sat to the side, watching Yang Xiaoyou in a daze. After she finished one rice ball, he promptly offered her another.
Zhao Xinglong, who had completely turned to stone beside them, felt a whirlwind of emotions.
"So, you really know each other? Heh, at first I thought he was just eager to help," he said awkwardly, forcing a couple of chuckles.
Gathering what seemed like great courage, he continued, "Um, I haven't eaten anything yet. I can't—"
It was only then that Feng Lin, who had been treating Zhao Xinglong like air, seemed to finally notice him.
He blinked his clear eyes and quickened his pace, continuously shoving rice balls into Yang Xiaoyou's mouth, leaving both boys with a sense of bewilderment.
Zhao Xinglong even felt a pang in his nose and a twitch in his tear ducts as if he might cry.
A sudden urge to snatch the rice balls away surged within him. However, at that very moment, he felt an overwhelming chill run through him and instinctively let go of the thought. He kept telling himself he wasn't that kind of person.
Yet he couldn't bear to stay in this scene any longer. Covering his face, he walked away, leaving behind Feng Lin who was still feeding Yang Xiaoyou at an increasingly rapid pace.
"Uh," Yang Xiaoyou said after letting out a satisfied burp. Just after finishing her meal, she headed towards the campsite, having first seen off the girl who seemed eager to follow her.
To embody the atmosphere of the military camp, the students were arranged in rows, each assigned to a tent. In Yang Xiaoyou's tent, aside from the three roommates, there were also other twenty-six students.
However, when Yang Xiaoyou entered the tent, everyone had already fallen into a deep sleep, with Fang Jinke rhythmically snoring away.
After casually tidying up a bit, Yang Xiaoyou climbed onto his bed. Lying there, he swung his feet playfully, a hint of amusement on his face.
“Tsk tsk, the atmosphere is quite something. Judging by the situation, it seems that group of fellows doesn’t want to embarrass themselves in front of Hive Security Company. Moreover,”
It seemed that their strange military training was also a subtle way to test Hive Security Company.
Of course, this probing didn’t appear to be malicious. Perhaps to some extent, while the students were learning how to respond to the Virus Incident, their own soldiers would be taking notes on the side.
If I’m not mistaken, the fall of Kanpur, India must have prompted the Chinese Empire to adopt a policy of external relaxation and internal tightening. Directly asking Hive Security Company to train their military would indeed feel somewhat inappropriate in terms of both expenses and face. However, this military training arrangement served as a suitable means of testing.
As dawn broke and everyone was still slightly dazed, the sound of assembly began to ring out. Due to yesterday's intimidation and the show of force,
all those who were accustomed to sleeping in would jump up as if their behinds were on fire, quickly tidying their clothes.
At this moment, the students in the same tent finally noticed Yang Xiaoyou.
Even though they were frantically busy with their own preparations, they still found time to chatter and ask questions.
Some inquired about what had happened afterward and whether it was true that there was no food available. Others asked Yang Xiaoyou if he really knew those two girls; various questions poured out.
At this point, Fang Jinke began to show off again.
“Yang, just a reminder—Zhao Xinglong isn’t exactly a broad-minded fellow. Winning against him once will definitely leave him resentful. Be mentally prepared.”
Although his tone wasn't particularly pleasant, it was still a form of advice. Of course, to Yang Xiaoyou, this advice seemed more like an attempt to cover up his initial judgment.
At first, he had boasted about Zhao Xinglong's physical qualities for quite a while, but now he didn't mention it at all.
It was as if overnight, the seemingly sunny and handsome Zhao Xinglong had transformed into a Despicable Person, whose outward brightness concealed a dark essence.
"Actually, his family's circumstances aren't necessarily better than mine. I could have found a way to help smooth things over, but his family's connections are quite influential. Although they face some setbacks at the top level, dealing with ordinary forces is completely within their grasp. Hmm, the Zhao Family is a vassal family of the royal family, serving them for generations."
Seemingly worried that Yang Xiaoyou might seek help after hearing this, Fang Jinke hesitated for a moment before adding some substantial information.
Ah, duty calls; updates depend on luck.
Chapter Five Hundred Ninety-Seven: The Gap
Chapter Five Hundred Ninety-Seven: The Gap is typed by a member.
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