Chapter 7: Something Wasn't Right!
"Get moving now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Like a heavenly order, everyone dared not disobey.
Senko removed his glasses and put them away while holding his backpack and running alongside Chindu and Ji Shen.
Chindu, Ji Shen... What do you think about this matter?"
Ji Shen calmly looked around while thinking of all the information about how brutal this place was.
"I think we still have more tests to complete."
Chindu opened his eyes wide from shock.
Eh?
Didn't they already have several tests before getting in?
So what other tests could there be?
Senko smiled and nodded back at Ji Shen: "Shen. So you've guessed it too?"
"Yes. But I'm afraid that not many know of this yet. Of course, we might be wrong… but I highly doubt it."
Instantly, the trio looked around and observed the expressions of many.
Some were secretly grumbling about how wicked the Federation army was, while others were still talking playfully and bragging about how they would be the best soldier in future.
Of course, only a handful of people stayed calm, vigilante observing things.
The trio secretly noted down these calm people in their minds.
Chindu borrowed his brows: "Senko, Shen... It seems very likely that what you two just said is true. But, how did you come to this conclusion?"
Senko and Shen looked at each other and smiled.
"Why are you two looking at each other like that?
Can you guys speak?
Hey! If you don't share it, then I'll kick your asses after we get in."
"You mean IF we get in."
"Eh?"
Chindu was once again lost.
What the hell were these two talking about?
Senko, who had been running while reading a little better, calmly placed it away.
"This place is too suspicious. From now on, we all have to stay alert at all times and constantly treat this place as a battlefield."
Ji Shen nodded and squinted his eyes dangerously: "HmHm. Senko is right. As for how we came to this conclusion, there were a few subtle hints that seemed overly suspicious."
Chindu perked up his ears attentively.
What hints?
"First hint! Did you notice that the area we are in is somewhat further than the other military buildings and grounds?
It all looks overly suspicious.
Again, look at the structures around us.
What do you see?"
Chindu looked around, and soon, his eyes lit up in understanding.
So that's it!
.
All around them, one could see a single towering building that was built in a circular manner.
No. It should be as if one had placed a giant ring on the ground.
The building was a circular ground scraper.
The ring-shaped building was 8 stories high, and they still felt like they might be underground areas.
And when talking about how wide buildings were, if they had to guess just from the tunnel-like space they used to get in, they would say that it was as wide as half a street block.
Damn.
It was like a giant wall encircling an open space.
And when speaking about the open space, it wasn't just a simple lawn or something.
Nope!
It was like they built the giant ring, enclosing a mini-jungle inside.
That was how big the space was.
There were also hills, different terrains and even a massive lake too.
The trio had a hunch that the entry points and exit points where the lake left or came into the space were probably heavily guarded 24 hours a day.
F***!
One would need buses, vehicles and bikes to commute from place to place in here.
But they had a bunch that they would be given none.
Chindu thinned his lips: "It's designed to keep us in."
"Exactly. But that wasn't the only clue.
The instructor also said that we are unqualified to know his name. Sure. One could think that maybe he said this because we haven't proven ourselves yet. But thinking in that manner would be wrong. The instructor specifically said that while we are here, we won't be qualified enough to know his rank or name. Remember, we will be soldiers till the day we die or retire. If so, then wouldn't knowing his name be a matter of time? Chindu... you're getting it now, right?"
"Yes! So at that time, he was indirectly saying that as long as we are in here, we will never get to be real soldiers, hence knowing his name?"
Ji Shen smiled broadly: "Correct. Because now, we are still being tested. But the question is, for how long?"
.
Everyone fell into deep silence as the question echoed within their minds.
How long...How long... How long?
Senko rolled his tongue to relieve his built-up tension.
"From this moment, we are sworn brothers... Allies to get to the top.
I don't know how long we'll stay here, but I do have a hunch that it should be a very long time.
After all, we came here with our bags.
Statistically, looking at the testing period for any jobs, be it accounting or even being a salesperson, the probationary period is typically 3 months or 90 days."
"Wait! So unlike other jobs, the military might send people back?"
Ji Shen nodded: "Hmhm. Chindu, don't get excited. That's just an estimation. It could end shorter than expected or stay longer."
"Shen is right.
We don't know if they'll send people home or do something else to them here.
But we have to be ready at all times. This place is a battlefield!
We should always stay vigilant and play by their rules while secretly taking clues.
Who knows... Our information could be our biggest asset to leaving and becoming official soldiers.
For now, we should focus on our run and keep up.
Even though the field we're running is too damn big, at least they didn't tell us to run through the entire space.
Because with all the rugged terrain, rocks, hills, and other regions around, that would probably take 4~5 hours to do one run up and down through the place before getting back here."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
From here, they could already see how deadly this place was.
For pity's sake! There was even an entire region filled with nothing but sand, which was on one of the hills.
.
Looking at the hill, even though it wasn't too clear from here, they could tell that it was filled with nothing but sand.
The other regions, they couldn't take too well because some areas looked like deep jungle regions, while some were just open Plains.
They wouldn't be too shocked if there were cliffs in here at this point.
It was as if they trapped a jungle in here.
Who the hell designed this place?
The trio stayed in silence, conserving their energy and thanking their lucky stars that they didn't have to run throughout the entire place for 5 while laps.
That would take an entire day and even part of the night to do.
Now, they thoroughly understood that they were in Hell!
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