Chapter Fifteen: The Arrival of the Dean

“What kind of place is this, really?” In the darkness, Lei Dong let out a gentle sigh, his eyes reflecting a mix of excitement and thrill, yet tinged with confusion and unease. “What will I encounter at tomorrow’s welcoming ceremony?”

After arranging Lei Dong’s dormitory, Wu Yun took his leave, pausing at the door to inform Lei Dong that, as a new recruit, he would not need to join the academy’s daily training the next morning. At half past six, the academy would hold a welcoming ceremony for him, after which a specialist would be assigned to tailor his training according to his unique abilities.

Though the explanation was vague, Lei Dong could sense, from Wu Yun’s barely concealed excitement, the hint of some hidden scheme.

This so-called Recon Academy was shrouded in mystery.

Have you ever heard of a military academy built beneath the nation’s most infamous prison?

Have you ever heard of an academy equipped with nearly half of the country’s ultimate nuclear arsenal?

...

No doubt, these facts were enough to astound, to excite, to lure, to confuse—and to unsettle!

Who could guess what surprises this secretive and powerful academy would conjure at tomorrow’s welcoming ceremony? Lei Dong felt that even if the Republic’s top leader appeared, he would not be surprised.

And look at the scheduled time of the ceremony: six-thirty in the morning! Clearly, the regular morning drills—the daily training Wu Yun mentioned—would already be finished by then.

Even by the standards of specialized forces, to finish morning training before six-thirty, these cadets must rise around four o’clock!

The darkness of a military base is absolute. Here, hundreds of meters underground, silence reigns, broken only by the cold light falling from the ceiling dozens of meters above, reflecting off the uneven surfaces of buildings and floors, refracting through windows to cast chilly, shifting shadows.

In such an environment, sleeplessness breeds an unbearable quiet—a rigorous test of one’s resistance to solitude. Yet how could Lei Dong possibly sleep tonight?

“Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo—”

Just as Lei Dong was lost in restless thoughts, at four o’clock sharp, a piercing, urgent whistle unique to the Republic’s forces echoed through the base. Instantly, the base came alive—the sound of doors opening, soft footsteps, hurried boarding, engines roaring...

No voices, no chaotic footsteps, none of the usual shouts exchanged during morning drills. It was as if a gust swept across the earth, stirring leaves, and in an instant, the barely revived base slipped once more into suffocating silence as the vehicles’ sounds faded away.

“Twenty-nine! Fifteen seconds! That’s it?” Lei Dong exclaimed.

Thanks to his sharp senses, Lei Dong heard clearly: only twenty-nine people participated in the morning drill, and within fifteen seconds, they had all departed!

But in a military academy, unless on assignment or seriously ill, attendance is mandatory. And training cannot proceed without instructors. So, this so-called pinnacle of the Republic’s institutions—the most elite, advanced, and mysterious Recon Academy—had only twenty-nine trainees!

Lei Dong realized, within the range of his perception, including Wu Yun whom he’d met the night before, there were only these twenty-nine active individuals in the entire base!

Yet even with so few, their assembly speed was astonishing. Fifteen seconds—from whistle to roaring departure, including waking, dressing, equipment, boarding—fifteen seconds! What kind of speed was this? How was it achieved? By this alone, this unit deserved the title of “most elite.”

“Damn, I thought I was impressive, but these guys...” Lei Dong sighed, but his eyes betrayed a fierce competitiveness now fully ignited. “Looks like I’ve come to the right place...”

As the engine noise returned and the base regained its vitality, Lei Dong checked his watch—it was precisely six o’clock. He knew the day’s main event was imminent. The ever-mysterious Recon Academy would finally reveal a glimpse of its true nature; many questions would find their answers today.

The hall was modest, less than a hundred meters in length and width. The central stage, about twenty meters wide, bore no tables, chairs, microphones, or decorations—none of the flags or flashy embellishments found in ordinary auditoriums. Instead, on the backdrop wall behind the stage, a crimson dragon was depicted in a fierce, domineering pose.

The red dragon’s aggressive, majestic form imbued the simple hall with a sense of boundless energy, stirring the blood.

Below the stage, three neat columns stood—two of ten, one of nine—totaling twenty-nine people.

“Attention—”

Lei Dong had barely joined the ranks when an exceptionally clear command echoed through the hall.

At the sound of “Attention,” and as thirty soldiers snapped their heels together with a crisp “pa,” a burly, dark-faced, stern-looking lieutenant general strode onto the stage.

Lei Dong, staring intently at the stage, almost cried out in shock the moment his eyes met the general’s. “This doesn’t make sense!”

“Comrade Principal, Recon Academy, all trainees assembled. Expected: thirty, present: thirty. Awaiting instructions! Duty officer Luo Haoran!”

“At ease.”

“At ease!”

...

The voices of the duty officer and the principal rang out. Lei Dong followed the commands mechanically, but his eyes remained locked on the severe black face atop the stage, his mind repeating, “How is this possible—this isn’t scientific…”

That face was so familiar to Lei Dong that he could never mistake it, even in a dream. In his nineteen years of life, he had spent eighteen under the “shadow” of this man.

“Kid, go—one thousand meters!”

“Kid, three thousand meters!”

“Five kilometers!”

“Go climbing!”

“Into the mountains! Follow for field survival!”

“Join the army! Leave tomorrow!”

...

On the training field, his small, frail, tear-stained figure ran laps; on the solo course, he repeatedly crawled through tactical drills; in the mountains, he hunted rabbits and caught snakes alongside special forces...

Upon returning from “training,” his gentle, elegant mother would embrace him, reprimanding his father’s “harshness” while tenderly soothing his wounds.

In the quiet of night, that black face with furrowed brow and a hint of confusion would gaze at him.

...

Eighteen years’ worth of memories spun through Lei Dong’s mind like a disjointed film reel.

Lei Tiangang!

How could this be?

Wasn’t he a major general just yesterday? When did he get promoted to lieutenant general?

Wasn’t he deputy minister of Division Two? How did he become the principal of this secret Recon Academy?

Why had he brought Lei Dong here? What was the purpose?

Countless thoughts and questions surged through Lei Dong’s mind. He scarcely heard a word of Lei Tiangang’s speech until his own name suddenly rang out, snapping him back to attention.

“This new recruit is called Lei Dong,” Lei Tiangang declared loudly. “No need to hide it—Lei Dong is my son!”

Lei Dong’s first words were met with a bitter smile: “Still true to form—even as a lieutenant general, he speaks like a bandit.”

“No need to go easy on him,” Lei Tiangang continued, waving his broad hand from the stage. “Just as I demand of all of you—train him to the bone. As long as you don’t cripple or kill him, do as you please! Only by forging him can he become a qualified warrior. Are you confident?”

“Yes!” The twenty-nine men below roared, a few casting sidelong glances at Lei Dong, their expressions like wolves eyeing a trembling lamb—excited, eager, and barely restrained.

Lei Dong was certain that, had this not been an official ceremony, these men would have swarmed him, employing every method to make him beg for mercy.

So, you’ve all been “trained to the bone” by my father, and now you’re eager for payback—or just for sport. But, hmm, who’s the wolf and who’s the lamb is yet to be decided! Do you really think I’m easy prey? Lei Dong grumbled inwardly, shooting several defiant glares at the most enthusiastic faces around him.

Lei Tiangang’s expression grew stern. Pointing at Lei Dong, then at everyone present, he declared, “Don’t think my words apply only to Lei Dong—they’re for Wu Yun, for Lang Tianyu, for Bei Shiliang, for everyone here. I expect you all to train to the bone! Because you are the world’s strongest warriors. We are the country’s sharpest, most powerful, most invincible blade!”

This was a building over twenty meters high, about a hundred meters in length and width. The deep gray dome, walls, and floors lent an intense sense of oppression. The crimson dragon on the wall radiated an aggressive arrogance.

At the center, thirty-four men stood tall, listening silently to the magnetic voice that echoed around them, their blood stirring and rising with every word.

“Our nation is descended from dragons. What is a dragon? What is the spirit of the dragon?” Lei Tiangang’s expression grew passionate, his voice steady, giving him a mysterious, compelling aura. His words carried a peculiar rhythm. “A dragon can be large or small, rise or hide. When large, it stirs clouds and breathes mist; when small, it conceals itself. Rising, it soars through the universe; hiding, it lurks beneath the waves. The dragon can be likened to a hero—ambitious, wise, containing the secrets of the cosmos, with a will to swallow heaven and earth. It can bend or stretch, be strong or gentle. When hidden, it dwells in seclusion; when stretching, it achieves greatness. When strong, it dominates the seas; when gentle, it subdues powerful foes.”

Lei Tiangang’s voice grew faster and louder, so robust that even the thick reinforced concrete ceiling seemed to vibrate.

“We are the dragon’s claws! We are the dragon’s flames! We swear to guard our nation, our land, our people’s dignity and interests. We uphold our faith, dedicate our lives. We vow—those who betray the country—”

“Kill!” the men below shouted as one, their voices like thunder.

“Those who betray the nation—”

“Kill!”

“Those who betray the people—”

“Kill!”

“Those who invade our land—”

“Kill!”

“Those who harm our people—”

“Kill!”

“When the dragon is enraged, the world trembles!” Beneath the red dragon, Lei Tiangang thrust his finger skyward. “We are the Furious Dragon Squadron!”

“Kill—” Every person felt a surge of blood rush to their heads, a thrilling, tingling sensation from feet to crown, making their hearts pound!

ps: Damn, speaking of recon training, back in the day we got up at six-thirty in winter to run laps on the big lawn, and those bastards across the field had already finished a ten-kilometer cross-country run!