บท 14: After dinner, the Duel
Instructor Weir's calm voice echoed, "This is merely a minor lesson. Should you remain unsatisfied, I could very well end your life and cast your remains aside to become a zombie!" The Wolf King seemed particularly sensitive to the notion of becoming a zombie, displaying no rage at the instructor's words. Jack effortlessly sidled past the Wolf King, offering a deeply respectful bow to Instructor Weir, then stood obediently before him.
"New recruit Jack, reporting for duty!"
"New recruit Wang Lin, reporting!" I dragged Baijing Zhenfu alongside me, aligning with the more prudent course of action—I had no desire to be deemed a fool.
"Very well, I grant you a day to adjust your mindset and physique. Tomorrow morning, training begins. You two will share a barrack; as for you, the one at your back, proceed to bunk twenty-nine!"
As I realized he referred to me, I noticed Instructor Weir gesturing towards the barracks. With no other option, I dragged Baijing Zhenfu directly toward the tent.
The barrack was a rudimentary military tent, a far cry from the lavish accommodations of the Demon Island Hotel. I unceremoniously tossed Baijing Zhenfu onto the camp bed and quickly began to circulate my unnamed mental technique.
In a realm where strength was paramount, I knew that wasting precious time would jeopardize my survival. When I regained consciousness, it was already afternoon, and Baijing Zhenfu was no longer in the tent.
Seizing the opportunity, I summoned my Demon Book, gazing at the two newly acquired abilities with a sigh, murmuring, "When will I ever grow strong?"
**Unnamed Martial Arts Attribute**:
- Level 1 of the Fierce Inner Strength Eight Meridians: Progress 2
- Fierce Inner Strength: 48/316
- Basic Sword Technique: Progress 0
Though it comprised only eighteen simple movements, it encapsulated all the essential techniques for wielding a sword. Mastery demanded repeated practice.
Gently caressing these two cards, I reflected, "I owe my gratitude to Fang Lingxue for providing the inner strength card; my fierce inner strength is now sufficient. I should focus on refining the basic sword technique to quickly master the Flying Sand and Moving Stones. Afterward, I will seek more formidable techniques."
As I retrieved the silver long sword I had carelessly acquired from Baijing Zhenfu, a surge of vitality coursed through me. The moment the sword was in my grasp, I felt a transformation within my body. Cards must be placed in the Demon Book to function, while treasures, in contrast, need to be worn to be effective.
That is why the Ice Mountain Beauty Tianhong was always seen wielding her sword. The Long Sword Guyue, a tier three treasure, granted the wielder triple speed, quintuple jumping power, and an eighty-point enhancement to basic sword techniques. It was extraordinarily sharp and resilient.
"Unbelievable! Baijing Zhenfu's sword is remarkably responsive. This enhancement to the basic sword technique feels tailor-made for me!" Excitedly, I caressed the silver long sword, vowing to keep it despite any objections from Baijing Zhenfu. I practiced a few sword flourishes in the barrack, repeating the basic sword techniques several times.
Although the basic sword techniques comprised merely eighteen movements, they encompassed all the nuances of swordplay. During my initial attempts, I noticed incremental progress with each practice session, but as I grew more familiar with the movements, my advancement began to wane, and the improvement stagnated.
When the basic sword technique reached ninety-four points, after practicing more than ten times, I only achieved minimal progress. Further attempts—twenty or thirty repetitions—yielded no advancement; my swordsmanship remained at ninety-five points.
At that moment, I sensed someone approaching outside the tent, quickly stowing away the Long Sword Guyue. After hours of practice, I was drenched in sweat, my muscles quivering with exertion, a clear sign of fatigue.
"Wang Lin, the training camp is about to serve dinner. Would you like to join?" Baijing Zhenfu's gentle voice floated from outside the tent. I hurriedly responded and stepped outside.
"I noticed you were training during lunch, so I refrained from interrupting. However, if you skip dinner, you'll lack the strength for tomorrow's training." He didn't inquire about the Long Sword Guyue, and I certainly had no intention of bringing it up. Though a tinge of guilt crept in, I maintained a composed demeanor, thanking him as we walked side by side towards the training camp's dining hall.
Fang Lingxue mentioned that the novice training camp housed one hundred eighty-five recruits, and with our four added, it totalled over two hundred. As I entered the dining hall, filled with towering men, my spirits sank.
"Is there truly no one here of a similar age or stature to me? Why is everyone built like the Wolf King?" I spotted Jack, whose height of just over one hundred seventy centimeters seemed quite tall, but here, he appeared diminutive beside the Wolf King, who occupied a table with him.
As Baijing Zhenfu led me over, I noticed some unfriendly faces deliberately provoking us. Yet, Instructor Weir's management proved effective; the taunts were merely verbal, and no one intended to escalate to violence.
The dining table was already laden with an array of sumptuous food, blending Eastern and Western cuisine, featuring rice rolls and bread as staples, accompanied by roasted, grease-laden turkey and sautéed lentils. After a day without food and extensive sword training, my energy reserves were depleted, and I felt as if I might collapse.
I hastily grabbed food before devouring it ravenously. The Wolf King laughed heartily at my appetite before declaring, "Wang! I have exciting news. I just arranged a duel with another team. The victor will claim all cards and treasures from the defeated, while the loser…" He mimicked slitting his throat with a hand gesture, maintaining a sinister grin.
I nearly choked on a piece of roasted turkey. Just a few hours had passed, and this rascal was already orchestrating a duel—did he not realize I despise others making arrangements on my behalf?
As Jack's somewhat lethargic gaze settled upon me, the familiar chill returned. Fearing he might perceive my façade as a paper tiger, I could only stiffen my neck and slowly nod in acquiescence.
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