Chapter Nineteen: Look, a Beauty!

In the classroom of the Reconnaissance Academy, a tall, white-haired elder was delivering a lecture with eloquent enthusiasm. Beneath the podium, twenty-nine cadets sat upright, listening with keen interest.

It had been a full week since enrollment, and for Lei Dong, the days had been nothing short of torturous.

The Reconnaissance Academy, which combined the roles of academic research and elite combat training, had a curriculum that far exceeded Lei Dong’s expectations. The most vital courses, naturally, were military skills and specialized training. The Academy required every soldier to master every battlefield terrain, all climate conditions, every season, and all special operations disciplines. The veterans, who had spent years at the Academy, had already completed and passed their specialized courses. Now, their training was about daily repetition, consolidation, and improvement—transforming combat skills into instincts, so they could perform at their highest level in battle.

Lei Dong, however, was the unlucky newcomer. His time with the Tiger Squad had barely begun, and true special operations training hadn’t even started before he was transferred to the Reconnaissance Academy by order. The sheer volume of material he had to study made his scalp tingle at the thought.

His trainers, Wu Yun and his associates, showed Lei Dong, their so-called mentor, no courtesy whatsoever. It was just as Lei Tiangang had declared at the welcome ceremony: “Train him to the brink!” Lei Dong grumbled daily, “This is blatant revenge!” He secretly vowed, “One day, when you break through, you’ll know what suffering truly means!” But as a special forces elite, there was no escaping this training. He had no choice but to steel himself and endure.

Yet, these trainees progressed at remarkable speed. With almost no prior foundation—not even the internal energy from martial arts—they had begun to sense qi. At this rate, they’d soon break through the initial stage of qi training. Wu Yun, who had already inadvertently broken through, advanced rapidly after acquiring authentic cultivation techniques. His progress was astonishing, stabilizing his realm, and it wouldn’t be long before he could attempt the mid-stage of qi refinement.

This development filled Lei Dong with pride, but the endless array of “academic courses” left him overwhelmed. The curriculum was staggering: mechanical engineering, psychology, international relations, political behavior, even classical literature—a bizarre list that made him despair. A Reconnaissance Academy teaching classical literature? Was memorizing poetry supposed to topple enemies on the battlefield?

Even more peculiar were the instructors—mechanical engineering was taught by top experts from the Northern Military Industrial Group, psychology by a senior professor from Hanjing University, and some obscure subjects by convicts serving time at Yandu Prison!

Today’s international relations class was taught by a former member of the Supreme Council, the illustrious Hou Shanchuan. A decade ago, he was a force to be reckoned with, until he was toppled in a political upheaval and sentenced to life imprisonment. Yet, in court, he did not falter, recanted his confession, and nearly cornered the prosecution—a true mastermind.

Despite the years, this nearly two-meter-tall man, with white hair and impeccable attire, retained his elegance, looking every bit the refined scholar. But, when he spoke, flashes of sharpness in his eyes recalled the commanding presence of his former days.

Having overseen foreign affairs for years, his expertise in international relations was profound, and his eloquence captivating. The class listened, enthralled.

When the period ended, the distinguished gentleman straightened his clothes and departed with measured grace. Most veterans left the classroom as well, for the next period—a dreaded session of classical literature.

After several academic classes, Lei Dong realized that every course required passing grades; fail one, and you’d retake it next term. So, aside from himself, the new recruit, every session saw a different retaker among the seasoned students. He wondered which unfortunate soul would join for classical literature next.

Lei Dong’s concern wasn’t about retaking courses—it was that, no matter how many academic classes he attended daily, his military training hours were never reduced. When time ran short, his relentless trainers simply cut into his rest periods. The veterans might rotate their drills, but Lei Dong, the greenest of rookies, had to practice every subject, one after another.

Rest periods were brief to begin with—now, squeezed even further, Lei Dong rarely got more than two hours of rest a day. His physical endurance wasn’t the problem, but the frustration and stifled resentment gnawed at him.

“They really want to break me…” Lei Dong groaned in misery, burying his head in his arms, wishing he could disappear beneath the desk.

Suddenly, a teammate chuckled, “Hey, looks like Old Wu is here—”

Lei Dong looked up to see Wu Yun sneaking into the classroom. Amused, Lei Dong laughed, “Ha! What’s up, failed a class?”

Wu Yun’s face fell, and he barked, “Mind your own business!” He slammed his book onto a desk.

Seeing Wu Yun’s sour expression, Lei Dong was delighted. He peppered him with questions, “How come? Wu Yun, you’re so wise and mighty—how could you fail? Was it because you got sent to logistics for flunking this course?”

That hit a nerve. Wu Yun rolled his eyes and ignored him.

Lei Dong was even more gleeful, disregarding Wu Yun’s mood, and kept teasing, “Was the teacher a beautiful woman, and you just couldn’t help yourself? If so, then it's the teacher’s fault. After all, she’s a lady, and a gentleman should—how does that saying go, Wu Yun?” He eyed Wu Yun up and down, as if doubting he could do such a thing.

Wu Yun finally snapped. Over the past days, Lei Dong had become familiar with everyone, disregarding seniority, always ready with sarcastic jibes, never giving Wu Yun, an “old hand,” any respect.

“Cut it out!” Wu Yun felt utterly defeated—how had he ended up with Lei Dong? He even regretted last term’s mishap that led to his transfer to logistics and left him suffering Lei Dong's mockery. But it was clear Lei Dong wouldn’t let up unless he explained. Seeing Lei Dong ready to speak again, Wu Yun waved him off, “Enough—I’m just unlucky. If it had been a beauty, I would’ve been fine. But last term’s teacher was a short, chubby, nearly bald old man…”

“An old man? That’s some taste…” Lei Dong quipped instantly, his face full of mock admiration. Wu Yun nearly fainted from indignation and snapped, “Are you going to listen or not? If you want to hear, shut up!”

Lei Dong immediately closed his mouth, covering it with his hand and nodding for Wu Yun to continue. Wu Yun cursed, “Useless rookie,” then explained, “The old guy’s surname was Chu. His first lecture was on the Book of Songs; reading ‘Picking Vetch,’ he quoted, ‘Once I set out, willows swayed; Now I return, snowflakes fall.’ Then he blurts out, ‘Damn good!’ I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing…”

Whether Wu Yun’s storytelling was too vivid or Professor Chu too comical, everyone in the classroom couldn’t help but laugh. Lei Dong clutched his stomach and exclaimed, “So that’s why you failed?”

“Exactly!” Wu Yun spat bitterly, “All I did was laugh a bit too loudly. The old man bore a grudge, gave me dirty looks all term, flunked me at finals, and reported to the dean that I lacked respect for my teachers…” Wu Yun gasped, glaring at Lei Dong, “Who knows what your father was thinking—one order and I was sent to logistics. I was wronged!”

The group laughed uproariously. Suddenly, Lei Dong remembered something, his expression changing as he stammered, “Wait… Is Professor Chu teaching this term?”

Lei Dong knew himself well; in school, he was always the mischievous student who couldn’t resist a quip. If he encountered a petty teacher, he’d be doomed.

Wu Yun rolled his eyes, “Relax, the old guy retired after last term. The Academy hired a new female PhD as the instructor…”

“Tch—” Lei Dong, hearing it wasn’t the vindictive Professor Chu, perked up, but scoffed at Wu Yun’s last remark, shaking his head, “A beauty? Where would you find one? Besides, are there beautiful PhDs?”

Wu Yun was about to retort, but his head froze in place, his narrow eyes widening until his eyeballs seemed ready to pop out. He blurted, “Wow, look! A beauty—”

Following Wu Yun’s gaze, Lei Dong glanced over, indifferent at first, but that single look struck him like lightning, leaving him frozen in place, unable to move.

A graceful figure entered, heels clicking rhythmically against the floor.

Beneath her military cap, short, silky black hair framed a fair, delicate oval face. Her brows were fine as ink, her nose exquisitely shaped, lips cherry-red and glowing with gentle luster. Long lashes shaded a pair of deep, black eyes that shone with tranquility, wisdom, and calm, as if peering into one’s soul, drawing people into a serene reverie.

Her olive-green uniform, tailored to perfection, hugged a shapely figure—high, curving chest, long legs, and black half-heeled shoes tapping the polished floor with musical notes.

But what captivated most was her serene, composed demeanor—gentle, yet commanding, like a breath of fresh air, a crystal-clear spring, or the depths of the ocean. She drew people in, but inspired awe. Her presence made everyone feel she was not an ordinary woman, but a fairy stepping out of a masterpiece or drifting down from the clouds.

Tranquility.

It was truly Tranquility.

How could she be here?

“You don’t need to react so strongly, do you?” Wu Yun’s voice echoed distantly, ethereal and unreal.

After all he’d seen—the Academy’s myriad quirks, its ultimate weapons and extraordinary warriors, the revelation that the dean was his own father, the selection of a cultivation-special forces squad from thirty trainees, the bizarre courses and eccentric faculty—Lei Dong had sworn never again to be surprised. Yet now, he was once more utterly stunned.

How could she be here? How could she possibly be here? What was she doing here?