Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Wei Zhuang glanced at him and snorted. ”Being on time is expected. Not being late is the highest honor you can hope for!”

”Instructor, what are we training today?”

Han Ruoxi asked from her spot in the formation, tilting her head.

”What are we training? Your survival skills!”

Wei Zhuang raised the long staff in his hand and slammed it on the ground. ”Team-based combat. Three-on-three. The odd one out will observe and take notes. You’ll rotate!”

”Whoa, Instructor. Is it that simple?”

The moment Sun Yang heard this, a relaxed expression spread across his face. ”For us, won’t that be a piece of cake?”

”Simple?”

Wei Zhuang sneered and pointed to a corner of the training ground. ”There’s a pile of sandbags over there. All combat will be done while carrying them.

”If you think it’s simple, feel free to carry a few extra!”

Sun Yang’s smile froze instantly. He turned to Li Chang’an. ”Captain, isn’t this a little unfair? We’re new recruits. Fighting with sandbags on our backs doesn’t seem reasonable, does it?”

Li Chang’an ignored him, walked straight over, picked up a few sandbags, and hoisted them onto his shoulders. ”Alright, enough nonsense. Let’s start!”

On the sandy training ground, things had just begun, but Sun Yang was already panting, his face drenched in sweat as he carried two sandbags.

”Ugh, come on, Captain! This is such a setup! How are we supposed to fight carrying sandbags this heavy? Are you training us to be warriors or movers?”

Li Chang’an stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, his expression calm. ”Didn’t you say it was simple? You can carry one more.”

”No, no, no! I give up, alright?!” Sun Yang nearly jumped. He hitched the sandbags on his back higher, barely keeping his balance. ”Um, Instructor, are there any perks for this competition? If we win, can we carry fewer bags?”

Wei Zhuang stood nearby. His eyes swept over them, and the corner of his mouth twitched. ”You want to carry fewer sandbags for winning? Sure. The winning team gets double the sandbags. What do you say? Dare to try?”

”Double?” Hearing this, Han Ruoxi’s eyes went wide as saucers. ”Are you serious, Instructor? This isn’t a fair competition!”

”Fair?” Wei Zhuang snorted. ”Is there such a thing as ’fair’ on the battlefield? You think these sandbags are heavy, but your enemies won’t think you’re light work.

”Get moving! Less talk!”

’Damn it, isn’t this just bullying!’ Sun Yang grumbled, but he didn’t dare complain further. After all, Wei Zhuang’s staff wasn’t just for show.

For the first round of team combat, Li Chang’an, Han Ruoxi, and Bai Lin were on one team, facing off against Shen Qiuyue, Sun Yang, and a new recruit codenamed Xiaohai.

Everyone took their positions with sandbags on their backs, and the atmosphere instantly tensed up.

”Captain, how about we make a deal? Go easy on me?” Sun Yang, shouldering his sandbags, winked at Li Chang’an. ”Look at my build. I’m not cut out for this high-intensity training. I’m more the spectator type...”

”Shut up!” Li Chang’an snapped, drawing his Saw Chain Sword and slamming the tip into the ground. ”If you’re going to fight, then hurry up. Don’t waste time!”

Sun Yang immediately threw his hands up. ”Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you! But if you’re too rough, we’re not brothers anymore!”

”Brothers fight to the death. Stop dawdling!” With a wave from Li Chang’an, Han Ruoxi shot out from behind him, electricity crackling in her palm as she headed straight for Sun Yang.

”Whoa! Are you serious?!” Sun Yang hastily retreated, stumbling and nearly falling. ”Han Ruoxi, you’ve got no honor! Using your Superpower right from the start!”

”If you want to talk about honor, go talk to the Insect Race!” Han Ruoxi completely ignored him, raising her hand and sending a bolt of electricity that struck the sand right at Sun Yang’s feet, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Shen Qiuyue watched the scene and snorted. ”So we’re really playing for keeps. Don’t blame me, then!” She drew her Dueling Sword and charged straight at Bai Lin.

Bai Lin was prepared. He dodged with a side step and quickly used the mini-terminal in his hand to scan Shen Qiuyue’s movements, muttering, ”Speed increased by twenty percent, angle of approach... ahem, looks like she’s not holding back!”

”Bai Lin! Stop analyzing and fight!” Li Chang’an barked. Bai Lin shuddered and barely managed to raise his hand to block Shen Qiuyue’s next strike.

”Captain, can you give me a hand over here! I can’t hold on!” Bai Lin shouted.

Li Chang’an didn’t respond. He just held his Saw Chain Sword, standing steadily in the center of the field, his gaze locked on Sun Yang. ”Weren’t you the fast talker? Let’s hear some of it now!”

Sun Yang had a pained expression, looking left and right. ”Captain, can I surrender? Don’t use the sword on me, can you use your fists instead?”

”Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle!” The moment the words left Li Chang’an’s mouth, he had already dashed in front of Sun Yang and swung his sword.

Terrified, Sun Yang rolled on the ground. The sandbags slipped from his shoulders as he lay there shouting, ”I surrender! I surrender! Stop swinging!”

”Get up and keep going!” Li Chang’an didn’t let him off, turning his blade to force a scrambling Sun Yang back to his feet.

On the other side, Han Ruoxi’s electricity had immobilized Xiaohai. He was kneeling on the ground, his body stiff from the shocks. ”I’m not fighting anymore! I really can’t take it!”

Shen Qiuyue was tied up by Bai Lin, unable to break through his defense. A hint of impatience crossed her face. ”Bai Lin, is defending all you know how to do? Fight back if you’ve got the guts!”

Bai Lin shook his head. ”If you’ve got the guts, then stop chasing me around! I’m not a combat type!”

”Can you all just shut up for a second!” Li Chang’an kicked away Sun Yang, who was trying for a sneak attack. ”At this level, a single member of the Insect Race could wipe out your entire team!”

When the mock battle ended, Li Chang’an had his team line up. Wei Zhuang walked over, cradling his staff, and swept a cold gaze over each of them.

”Not a bad performance. However, all of you will now run five kilometers with your sandbags on!” Wei Zhuang smiled, then turned and walked away.

”You can’t be serious, Instructor!” Sun Yang’s face was a mask of Despair. ”We’re already dead tired, and now we have to run?”

”If you’re tired, you can lie down. The Insect Race won’t spare you just because you’re lying on the ground!” Wei Zhuang’s voice echoed from a distance.

”It’s over, it’s over! This life is impossible!” Sun Yang muttered as he started running laps with the team. The others resignedly dragged their feet and followed.

Li Chang’an fell to the back of the group, a slight smile on his lips. ”Anyone who can’t run can look forward to half a dinner!”

After the five-kilometer sandbag run, every member of the Insect Hunter Squad was completely spent, collapsed at the edge of the training ground.

”I never want to carry a sandbag again!”

Sun Yang lay flat on the ground, panting as he stared at the sky. ”Captain, I don’t get it. We’re here to fight the Insect Race, so why are we training to be movers? Are we in the wrong line of work?”

”Then you can apply for a transfer to the logistics department. You won’t have to run there!”

Li Chang’an leaned nearby, a bottle of water in his hand. He twisted off the cap, took a sip, and gave Sun Yang a cool glance.

”Logistics? Don’t they have to carry stuff too? My back is about to break!”

Sun Yang looked aggrieved and pointed at his own back. ”Look, you guys! The sandbags chafed my skin raw!”

”You’re thick-skinned, it’s fine if it’s broken!”

Shen Qiuyue chimed in impatiently while organizing her gear. ”No one else has a problem. You’re the one with the most complaints!”

”I’m just being expressive, aren’t I? Otherwise, the atmosphere would be so dull!”

Sun Yang rolled over onto his stomach, poking the sand with his finger. ”Han Ruoxi, tell me, aren’t I the one who works the hardest on this team? You be the judge!”

Han Ruoxi, sitting nearby and wiping the sweat from her forehead, glanced at him. ”If you were really working so hard, you’d talk less and save some energy for yourself!”

”This is reality... life is hard enough, don’t rub it in!”

Sun Yang sighed, then suddenly remembered something and shot up. ”Captain, are we getting extra food for dinner? I feel like after running all those laps, we should get some kind of reward, right?”

Li Chang’an looked at him and replied unhurriedly, ”For dinner, you’ll get extra Nutrition Paste. One extra tube, just for you.”

”No! That’s not what I meant!”