Chapter 1272: DAY ONE OF MILITARY TRAINING (II)

WHEN Luo Yan and Zhen Yihan arrived at the vast sports field, they found it organized with large signs bearing the names of different departments and students streaming towards their designated areas. The two of them said a quick goodbye to each other. Then they turned and walked toward the gathering areas for their respective departments.

Once all the freshmen were assembled in their departmental groups, a university official stepped onto a raised platform at the front. He introduced himself as the Vice President of Student Affairs. After adjusting the microphone, he began his speech.

"Good morning, freshmen. Welcome to your university life. The military training you begin today is an important tradition. It is not just about physical exercise. It is about building discipline, fostering unity, and learning to work as one. This training will push you, but it will also help you grow. I expect every one of you to take it seriously, to support your classmates, and to represent your university with pride."

Following the speech, uniformed men, who were most likely soldiers, took command of each departmental group. The man assigned to Luo Yan's group immediately began calling the Computer Science students to order.

He wore a standard military uniform and stood rigidly before the students with a stern expression.

"My name is Sergeant Wang," he announced, his voice cutting through the morning air. "I am an active-duty non-commissioned officer assigned to your training unit. For the next three weeks, you will listen to my commands and learn basic military discipline."

He immediately gave them the first order.

"Stand at attention!"

Luo Yan almost immediately straightened his back, pulled his shoulders, and looked straight ahead. It's like his body just remembered the military training he did in his previous life.

The sergeant walked slowly down the rows of students, stopping frequently to adjust someone's posture. He pushed a student's chin up and tapped another's knee to lock it straight. The morning sun was already getting warm, and Luo Yan could feel a line of sweat forming on his brow. But he held the difficult position, he didn't want the sergeant to correct his posture.

His back and leg muscles began to ache as everyone continued to hold this position. He felt a trickle of sweat run down his temple but he resisted the urge to wipe it away. It felt like if he did, his posture would certainly break. He didn't really want to be the center of attention, so he endured.

After some time, Sergeant Wang finally gave a new command. "We will now practice marching in place. This drill teaches coordination and unit cohesion."

He showed how the movement was done, lifting his knees high and stamping his feet down firmly. "Watch the precision. Your movements must be sharp and uniform."

Then he began calling the rhythm. "Left, right, left, right! Lift those knees! Higher! I want to hear your feet hit the ground together!"

As they practiced the marching, Luo Yan's legs started to feel heavy and uncoordinated. But he persevered. The physical effort under the climbing sun made Luo Yan's uniform shirt stick to his back with sweat. The constant exertion left his throat feeling dry and scratchy. He almost had forgotten how hard military training could be. And they were only on the first day.

They practiced marching in place for another long stretch. The constant repetition was tiring, and the heat made it even harder. Just as Luo Yan felt his body about to give in, a loud whistle suddenly blew across the field.

"Company, attention!" Sergeant Wang called after the whistle.

The students immediately snapped back to a rigid posture.

"The morning session is over. You are dismissed for lunch. Return to this spot at 13:30. Do not be late."

The students relaxed their bodies. Luo Yan let out a long breath. His body felt sore and tired from everything they did. His throat was painfully dry, and all he could think about was getting water. He looked around and saw a couple of student volunteers giving out water bottles.

His body moved automatically toward the student volunteers handing out water. But before he could reach them, he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Yan Yan!"

Luo Yan turned to the direction of the voice and saw Shen Ji Yun waving at him. He felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't know where he got the strength, but he found himself running to the other.

Perhaps it was not surprising at all that Shen Ji Yun ran toward him at the same time. They met halfway between their starting points. Shen Ji Yun then opened an umbrella that Luo Yan had not noticed him carrying. It immediately shielded them both from the bright sun.

"What are you doing here, Brother Ji Yun?" Luo Yan asked with a bright smile.

Shen Ji Yun looked at Luo Yan, taking in the sweat pouring down his face. His heart ached. Even though the other was smiling, he knew Luo Yan must be sore and tired all over. He quickly pulled a towel from the bag he carried and gently wiped the sweat from Luo Yan's forehead and neck. Then he took a thermal flask from the same bag and handed it to him.

"Here, drink this. You must be very thirsty," he said, his voice full of concern.

Luo Yan felt deeply touched by Shen Ji Yun's attentive care. He opened the flask and took several large swallows. The cold water felt incredibly refreshing as it soothed his dry throat. When he finished drinking, he had consumed about half of the flask's contents.

"Thank you, Brother Ji Yun."

"You never need to thank me. I'll do this for you, anytime," Shen Ji Yun replied. "I prepared lunch for you. Come with me, I know a quiet place where we can eat."

"Is it far from here?" Luo Yan asked with a helpless smile. "I'm not sure my legs can handle a long walk right now."

"I can carry you there, if you'd like," Shen Ji Yun offered without hesitation.

Luo Yan chuckled. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

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