bookrandom Chapter 36 Sparring
Chapter 36 Sparring
"Who wants to see me?"
Wang Xing looked at the two teachers with a puzzled expression, wondering what was going on.
"They are leaders from the Eastern and Western Theater Commands. They had already seen our school's academic records before the presentation and were particularly impressed with your performance in the September entrance exams, so they wanted to meet with you privately."
Shen Shuang patted his shoulder and instructed him, "Don't be nervous when you meet them later. They'll probably want to have a real spar with you. Just show your true skill level."
Lu Yun, standing beside him, nodded solemnly, his eyes filled with expectation: "Wang Xing, since you really want to serve two years of compulsory military service after entering university, then you must perform well and not hold back. This is the best stepping stone for you to strive for the highest level of treatment."
"I see."
Wang Xing was not surprised by the private meetings between the various military regions.
The strong receive special treatment; this is a truth that remains unchanged across all eras.
Wang Xing took a deep breath.
The initial fervor fueled by the desire for benefits cooled slightly, replaced by calm and focus.
……
Then.
Wang Xing then followed the two to a small indoor training ground on the second floor of the gymnasium.
Shen Shuang and Lü Yun walked ahead and pushed open the door of the training room made of special alloy. Wang Xing immediately saw several figures inside.
Standing at the entrance was a burly boy, dressed in the Yuanpei Class uniform, a large, mountain-like figure with broad shoulders and a thick back. He was Raymond, Wang Xing's classmate, ranked third on the leaderboard, and wielding the Bear-type mecha.
He was standing straight by the door, his figure serious and honest, and he seemed to have just arrived.
"Uh, what an old face..." This was actually the first time Wang Xing had seen Raymond up close.
The latter was not only tall, but also looked very old. His forehead wrinkles were clearly visible, his thick eyebrows pressed down on his small eyes, his nose was flat and wide, and his lips were thick. His whole person exuded a ruggedness and clumsiness like a brown bear.
No wonder his classmates call him Big Wild Bear.
Upon seeing Wang Xing, Raymond nodded slightly as a greeting.
In the center of the venue, Principal Li Zhengyuan stood with his hands behind his back, accompanied by a female assistant wearing black-rimmed glasses.
But what attracted Wang Xing's attention the most were the four figures wearing camouflage or dark green military uniforms. Clearly, they were from the military.
Their uniforms and insignia were different, representing that they belonged to different war zones of the Dragon Kingdom.
The four of them exuded a steely aura, a quality that had been cultivated through countless brushes with death.
"So strong..."
Wang Xing felt an invisible pressure coming from him, a feeling that was much stronger than the aura emanating from Teacher Lü Yun.
Especially the two majors, the man and woman leading the group. They were just standing there casually, but the powerful aura they exuded made Wang Xing's breathing catch in his throat slightly.
Wang Xing's muscles tensed up instinctively.
He had only experienced this sense of danger, teetering on the edge of life and death, during his last encounter with that Level 5 Bone-Splitter. But these two war zone examiners were many times more terrifying than that Bone-Splitter.
"Principal, I've brought Wang Xing with me," Shen Shuang said respectfully as she stepped forward.
Li Zhengyuan smiled and nodded, then turned to introduce him to the four officers: "Sirs, this is Wang Xing, a top student in the senior year of Rongcheng No. 2 High School."
"The one next to him is Raymond. They are both top prospects in this year's class of Hangzhou No. 2 High School."
The voice just fell.
The short-haired female instructor stepped forward first, extending her hand with a crisp and efficient motion: "Wang Xing, Raymond, hello. I am Major Lu Ling, an instructor from the Eastern Theater Command. Just call me Instructor Lu."
"My surname is Lin, just call me Instructor Lin," Lin Xishan said.
"Instructor Lu, Instructor Lin," Wang Xing and Raymond shook hands politely.
After exchanging greetings, Lu Ling withdrew his hand and got straight to the point: "Wang Xing, Raymond, you don't need to be nervous. You should have heard clearly what I said about national policies at the briefing... To be honest, you are both promising candidates for the military."
"Since you've stayed today, it means you're interested in joining the military. So, have you considered signing a 'pre-enlistment' agreement?"
"Sir, enlisting has always been my ambition!"
Raymond the Great Bear immediately straightened up and eagerly stated his position:
"My original goal was to get into a military academy, but later I awakened the power of the Void Element, and my academic and combat scores were high enough to qualify mecha university... So, I want to get into mecha university first, and then serve in the military for two years."
Raymond paused, his voice deep and honest: "My dad always tells me, 'You'll regret joining the army for two years, but you'll regret not joining for a lifetime.' I don't want to regret it!"
Wang Xing listened from the side, understanding the situation perfectly.
Raymond has consistently ranked among the top three on the leaderboard, boasting high health and powerful mecha, making him incredibly strong.
Moreover, Raymond's father is Lei Zhen, the captain of the second field team of the Abyss Defense Bureau whom Wang Xing only met by chance during the Bone-Splitting Dog incident.
It's not surprising that Raymond, influenced by his father and exposed to the mecha force, has this kind of awareness.
The instructors were very satisfied with Raymond's answer and nodded in approval.
Then, everyone's eyes fell on Wang Xing.
Facing the gazes of several powerful figures, Wang Xing spoke calmly:
"Sir, I do have reservations about the two-year mandatory military service system. In that case, following the principle of maximizing benefits, I am certainly willing to sign a contract and schedule my enlistment."
"only……"
Wang Xing changed the subject: "Before signing, I'd like to confirm more precisely how much of the enlistment benefits are actually true?"
"A high-level enlistment appointment must mean more than just money, right?"
Upon hearing this, the large training room fell silent for a moment.
Li Zhengyuan and Lü Yun were both stunned.
Good guy.
This kid actually dared to bargain with the commander of the war zone to his face?
"Hahaha!"
After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Xishan led the laughter.
"Your personality is really interesting! Unpretentious and genuine!"
Lu Ling smiled, her admiration deepening.
"Let me tell you the truth, Wang Xing."
Lin Xishan suppressed his smile and said seriously, "The allowances and benefits mentioned at the recruitment conference are absolutely real... but not entirely real either."
"That's just the 'basic salary' for those who have made a preliminary enlistment appointment. For truly top-tier talents, in addition to money, the military will also provide special resource support based on their blood and qi characteristics and mecha type!"
"For example, you are characterized by strong blood and qi, and your mecha is the Tiger type. If you are qualified to obtain the highest level of reservation quota, the war zone may provide you with special blood and qi purification pills such as the Tiger Soul Blood Tempering Pill or Blood Tempering Pill."
"At the same time, we will also provide you with exclusive enhancement parts for the Tiger-type mech, such as [Tiger Stripe Steel], a special alloy used for forging mechs and weapons... or various [Mech Transmission Kits] to enhance your mech's burst damage."
He then turned to look at Raymond.
"As for Raymond, your Bear Mech has strong defense. We might provide you with [Heavy Rock Vein Elixir] to solidify your blood and energy defense layer... plus the [Super Instinct Repulsion Shield] module for mech modification, so that your Bear Mech will not budge when subjected to impact."
"Is it really that good!"
Raymond is an honest and simple man who is not good at hiding his emotions.
Upon hearing this, his lips involuntarily parted into a grin, and even his breathing became heavy.
These are military-specially supplied resources that you might not be able to buy even if you spent a lot of money on the market.
"certainly……"
Lin Xishan changed the subject, his eyes becoming sharp, "All of this is predicated on—you need to schedule your enlistment."
"Furthermore, the level of resources provided depends on your own potential. If you want good things, you have to earn them with real skills!"
Wang Xing nodded in deep agreement.
For those who enlist without prior appointment, expecting extra rewards is simply wishful thinking.
Only by making advance reservations will the military invest resources before the college entrance examination to help students get into better universities.
The level of potential directly determines the level of reward... The difference between A-level and B-level enlistment appointments is like the difference between "Tiger Soul Blood Tempering Pill" and ordinary "Qi and Blood Pill"—they are not comparable.
Resources will always gravitate towards the strong; it is only natural.
"Alright, enough talk!"
Lin Xishan clapped his hands. "One by one, Raymond, you go first."
"it is good."
Raymond took a deep breath and walked to the military-grade high-precision scanner in the center of the field.
A pale blue beam of light swept across, and clear data appeared on the screen:
[Health and Vitality Level: 7.5]
[Mech Level: 8.0]
Wang Xing was secretly alarmed.
Raymond had clearly not let his guard down during this time. His blood energy was even 0.1 levels higher than mine, and his mecha fusion level had reached an astonishing 8.0. No wonder he was a top-three powerhouse on the leaderboard.
"Not bad, I'll be at level 8 in both areas soon, reaching the standard for a mecha pilot."
Lu Ling glanced at the screen, nodded, and instructed, "Go to the electronic stance training device and practice a set of Qi and Blood Stance Training that you are best at."
Raymond walked up to the instrument, planted his legs firmly, and assumed a fighting stance.
He practiced the "Xuanwu Stance," which originated from the same stance as Sun Donglai. However, Raymond's qi and blood were more robust, and when his arms were crossed, he resembled a majestic bear crouching in place, as immovable as a mountain.
Twenty minutes later, Raymond finished driving.
"The Xuanwu Stake is for sustaining vital energy and is primarily focused on defense. While your 'Berserker Bear Mech' also possesses powerful burst damage, it is still a top-tier mech in the defensive tier."
Lin Xishan stroked his chin and commented incisively, "Your foundation in stance training is very solid, but the flow of your qi and blood... is too forceful and excessive, a bit off-track?"
"Sir..."
Raymond scratched his head sheepishly and answered truthfully:
"Actually, besides the Xuanwu stance, I also secretly practiced the Vajra stance in order to enhance the strength and power of my Qi and blood."
"I still prefer the visceral, impactful feel of the Vajra stance... It's all because my dad forced me to focus on the Xuanwu stance."
Upon hearing this, the adults present smiled knowingly.
Young people don't like defense; they prefer the thrill of aggressive attacks and the joy of striking straight at the heart of the enemy. That's perfectly normal.
"Now that we've tested the stance training, it's time to see how it goes in actual combat."
Suddenly, a cunning glint flashed in Lin Xishan's eyes.
He then turned to Lu Ling beside him and said, "Instructor Lu, the Bear Mech is primarily defensive. Why don't you test its combat resilience?"
"no problem."
Lu Ling didn't think much of it and strode into the arena.
A cyan light and shadow appeared, accompanied by a sudden mechanical sound, and she was covered with a light and highly streamlined "Feathered Eagle Spirit Mech".
On the other side, Raymond roared, and the heavy "Bear-type Mech" instantly took over, making him look like a gray-brown steel behemoth.
The battle erupted instantly!
Lu Ling launched the first attack, but as a high-level expert whose blood and mecha both exceeded level 25, Lu Ling naturally would not go all out.
"Boom—Clang!"
Raymond's Bear-type mech was like a mobile fortress, its thick armor withstanding several fierce attacks from the Eagle Spirit mech.
But Raymond was unwilling to remain on the defensive and launched a fierce charge...
However, Lu Ling's movements were extremely agile, like a falcon darting through a gale, easily avoiding all the heavy blows.
Three minutes later, Raymond's attacks failed to break through, and Lu Ling no longer held back. The Eagle Eye Mech locked onto an opening and transformed into a blur as it cut in from the side.
With its five fingers spread, the mecha's claws precisely tore through Raymond's chest armor.
"Sizzle—!!"
Raymond's breastplate ripped open, and he crashed to the ground.
"That's too powerful..."
Raymond collapsed to the ground, removed his mecha, wincing in pain, his forehead covered in sweat.
Wang Xing, who was watching from the sidelines, silently shook his head in his heart.
Raymond's fight was very problematic.
He wanted to win too much, he wanted to show off too much...
The defense is indeed solid, but the ability to lie low is insufficient... The Bear Mech's final blow requires patient accumulation of power, rather than a reckless attack.
A true bear hibernates and prepares for battle, only revealing its ferocious side when its prey is most vulnerable.
as predicted.
Lu Ling deactivated the mecha and commented with slight disappointment, "It's still the problem with your stance training... Your mecha is primarily defensive, but you're too focused on proactive offense."
"The Bear Mech's defining characteristic is its extremely ferocious finishing power... but before that, you should prioritize 'lying dormant,' luring the enemy in deep, and then striking decisively when the opportunity arises! Instead of wasting your energy on prolonged combat like you are doing!"
"I...I've learned something!"
Raymond struggled to his feet, gave a military salute, and was completely convinced of his superiority.
He was actually aware of this, but he wanted to show his superiors that he also had offensive capabilities... He just didn't expect that his plan would backfire.
"I'll give you the medical supplies to repair your mech later. Alright, next, Wang Xing."
Lu Ling turned to look at Wang Xing, a glimmer of excitement flashing in her previously disappointed eyes.
Wang Xing, who ranked first in actual combat, was the prospect she was most interested in.
however.
She had only taken half a step when Lin Xishan stepped in front of her, blocking her way, and said with a smile:
"Instructor Lu, you've already sparred with Raymond."
"Wang Xing, leave it to me."