– Strength could not be obtained by just standing doing nothing. Strength was made up of sweat, blood and tears through everyday practice. (Angus Farley)
***
Two P.M. Freshmen Training Base Number Five (Base Five)
Similar to the other four freshman training bases, Base Five was located on an area of two thousand square kilometers, including classroom blocks, dormitory, library, training ground, shooting range, swimming pools, artificial lakes, artificial forests, those to ensure full service of learning and training for the entire freshmen across the nation.
All freshmen got off the bus, gathered in a large hall. Angus followed the swarm of freshmen into the hall, walking while observing all of them. By the time sitting down on a seat, he already had an overview.
There was a total of forty freshmen. Accounting for the biggest number was Fire races, then Water, and finally Lightning. Angus estimation was based on appearance traits such as hair color, eye color and his own sense. So it was just relative. According to the color bands in books, Fire and Lightning dragons were easily mistaken as they all had yellow tones on some races.
Only when one used power or transformed that we could know exactly which specie he or she was. Otherwise, we could only know some common species via humanoids.
Eight people entered the hall, the first two looked more prominent. The former looked energetic with his orange-red hair and eyes, while the latter looked a bit lazy with yellow hair and eyes.
"Hello everyone. I'm Fred, this is Eugene. We will be your teachers and supervisors in the next six months."
The orange-red hair man named Fred started talking briefly about the rules at the base, then asked all freshmen to introduce their name and hometown.
Forty freshmen were divided into two classes. Each class had one main teacher and three teaching assistants, who took turns to teach, guide, referee, as well as arrange living activities and supervise all freshmen.
"Remember, starting from this moment till the next six months, all of your performances and results are observed and evaluated by all of us. So, try to have the best possible result."
"At 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, get assembled at the training ground. For now, go to the dormitory to get your key and arrange your room, also prepare for dinner time. Dismiss!"
It was nearly six P.M. after dinner.
Some freshmen came together to go around the base, of course, within the limited range that Fred mentioned in the afternoon.
Angus took a map and went around alone. On the way he saw some freshmen gathering at the basketball court, getting acquainted by playing together. Some others seemed to be studious students when sitting down in the library with lots of books in hand – even though this was just the first day. Angus stopped at each place for only some seconds and then went to another.
The base was really large. It took more than two hours for just strolling through!
After having identified the important locations, Angus returned to the dormitory.
Four students would be in the same "apartment" in the dormitory. Three new students in the same apartment with Angus were Neil, Iris, and Cody.
Angus was the first one to enter the apartment.
In contrast to the comfortable living room space outside, the individual bedroom was very small, only eight square meters, including a single bed, a small wardrobe, a desk and a chair. There were no other surplus items. Very true type of a soldier.
Angus stood at the door of the room, threw a glance around the room, then he walked to the window. With a simple act, the window was opened, Angus set his sights into the vast space of the base.
The next six months of his life would be spent here.
Heard that the training here would be very harsh. There were only two choice: strictly follow every orders, or you would be expelled from the course.
Heard that the students here would fight fiercely to gain benefits. Especially the ones from big families, they would do all they could do to show their power.
Heard that as long as the victim was still alive, the beater would not need to take responsibility. All teachers would not care.
Heard that... There were still some "heard that", but all was just heard. Now finally it came to the time to experience these "heard that".
Angus closed the window, and took his clothes to take a shower. After taking a shower, he started to arrange his luggage.
Angus finished tidying and arranging his room at ten P.M. He went out of the room to take some drinking water and saw the first roommate returning. That was a skinny boy with grey hair.
A mixed-blood. Angus almost asserted.
The grey-haired freshman considered himself to be the first one returning, but it turned out that there was someone returning sooner than him. Looks like that one had just finished shower as he appeared to be very comfortable. The grey-haired freshman held two books in his hands, standing still and looking at Angus. His light purple eyes clearly reflected a defensive attitude.
Angus took a step forward, dispassionately said, "Hi. You are Iris, right? I'm Angus."
Remember classmates name, or at least, roommates name, was the first rule that grandma Sienna – one of the close neighbors who had worked in the Army for a long time – taught Angus.
"In the situation you don't know each other, if you remember names of others, they would be sympathetic and feel close to you." – By Grandma Sienna.
At that time, Angus did not seem very willing, he asked: "But why do I have to be close to them? I heard that they would compete against each other so badly in the base."
Grandma Sienna smiled: "Young people always like to quarrel and figh, huh?! Little boy, competitive spirit needs to be shown in the right place at the right time. Likes to fight is just childish psychology... Life at school is a community life. Living in a community, you should have at least a few friends to support you when needed."
Thinking of the obnoxious kids in downtown Talus, Angus felt a little annoyed. But considering back, during time living in the Earth, he was helped by a lot of people. Angus reluctantly agreed that maybe he should try to find some "okay" friends. Therefore, when each freshman introduced the name, Angus was very focused in remembering their names.
Obviously the boy named Iris was a little astonished, then he quickly replied, "...Ah, hello."
Angus asked: "Need any help?"
"No, thanks." Iris replied.
Angus nodded, then took water into the bottle and returned to the room. He did not leave the room again.
***
Five A.M., Angus woke up.
He brushed teeth, washed face, changed into a set of comfortable clothes, warmed up with some simple movements, then ran slowly to the training ground.
At exactly six o'clock, two teachers and four of the six teaching assistants already stood there, however, only half of freshmen were present. The teacher group looked at the freshmen a little, then one of them talked to the walkie talkie: "Let the alarm on."
Immediately a loud siren sounded throughout the base, some students had to use their hands to cover ears. In the next fifteen minutes, the late students arrived one after another with the murmured "sorry".
Hic! Last night they were so energetic and playful, staying up till midnight, so this morning woke up late...
The teachers looked at all the students with a quiet glance. But only that much was enough to make the students coming late scared. The blonde man named Eugene who remained silent yesterday – now voiced up for the first time: "Those who are late this morning, no breakfast today."
The students coming late heaved a sigh of relief.
Thought the punishment would be very serious, but if it was just about no breakfast, then no problem!
But they had not yet finished the breath, the shocking news came.
"Running sixty kilometers?" A freshman uttered in surprise.
Fred nodded: "Yes! The track starts from this position, rounds to the shooting range, the pool, the ring, then returns to this position. We have prepared the running track so you don't worry about losing way."
All freshmen were absolutely stunned.
Fred ignored the expression on their face, continued: "As I said, today results are counted in the final results of the course. In addition, the last five people to the finish will be subject to a dish washing penalty. You guys have ten minutes to warm up. Then we will start."
For these teenage dragons, "military training" was a kind of... mysterious phrase.
Before coming here, they had heard from parents that the military training course would be extremely strict, and they had to behave very carefully and not to make mistakes. However, perhaps it was because they had not seen with their own eyes, or perhaps it was due to the teenage rebellion psychology, they thought that all were made up by adults who wanted to scare them.
But now it turned out... the adult's warning couldn't be underestimated!
Not to mention about the punishment of no breakfast for waking up a little bit late, what was the kind of training that running a sixty kilometer right on the first day?
And then washing dishes for the others if being one of the last five to the finish?
Nooooo!
Not only the students coming late, but the students coming in time also felt unwell. Sure they would have the breakfast, but the risk of dish washing was still there! They didn't want to wash dishes, either!
So... the spirit of forty freshmen quickly turned from "tragic" to intensely determined.
Each student was given a watch. In order for the disparity of starting position to be lowest, the teachers arranged forty freshmen into two horizontal rows. So there are all twenty "vertical lines", each consisting of only two students. A few students pressed upon each other. Furrowed his eyebrows, Angus took back two steps. He was able to foresee the situation after the whistle.
At half past six in the morning, Fred's whistle blew out.
A small group of freshmen shoved others to get up ahead, a few freshmen fell on the ground. But all of them reacted very quickly, who falling tried to stand up and run, who running then kept running faster.
They all rushed forward, leaving Angus and a cloud of dust.
Angus was covered in dust: "..."
The achievement pressure and dish washing pressure were indeed ...scary!
Angus started running.
He maintained a slow pace for starting, only about fifteen kilometers per hour. After running for about ten minutes, he increased the speed to thirty-five kilometers per hour.
At around seven in the morning when the sun was high, Angus overcame the first group of freshmen that were lagging behind. Subsequently, each of the students in the middle group was overtaken by Angus... Until – It's only about three kilometers left to reach the finish. Angus was currently ranked sixth. The distance between him and the five students ahead was quite far.
It was the sprint phase. The top ranking was almost determined.
At this time... Angus increased his speed!
"Look at that kid!" A teaching assistant uttered.
"Fif, fifty kilometers per hour???" From the data of the watch on student wrist, Angus speed made the tutor group sitting in the monitoring room rolling eyes.
They were not surprised at the speed itself but at Angus' ability to speed up after running more than fifty five kilometers!
"Which class? What's his name?"
"Angus Farley, Class K, class of Bro Eugene!"
"Farley? I think I don't know that family name!"
Hearing the rushing footsteps, the student ranking fifth on the track turned his head, then saw a light blue hair passed him like a wind. Things happened similarly to the students ranking fourth, third, second... Of course some of them tried to speed up chasing Angus to regain their position, but after only about twenty, thirty steps, they couldn't help slowing down the pace, even slower than before.
No one succeeded in in surpassing Angus. All the freshmen were exhausted.
About three hundred meters away from the finish line, Iris looked at the giant monitor screen showing the track map at the finish line, suddenly realized a dot was passing the fourth, third, and second students.
So fast!
Iris clenched his fists, his eyes reflected an aggression.
The primitive aggression of the predators.
He did not need to know who that was. He only knew he had to win. Win at all costs. And ranked the first. He didn't want to be looked down on anymore.
Iris took a deep breath, using all his remaining strength to run as quick as possible to the finish.
Behind him, Angus was also chasing after with an amazing speed.
Second by second went by...
In the attentive observation of the teachers and teaching assistants, the first and the second finished the race almost the same time. The moment touching the finish line ribbon, Iris tumbled to the ground, even rolling away a few laps. In contrast to the tough image of Iris, Angus reached the finish line properly. He kept running a short distance due to the inertia, then slowed down and stopped, turning his eyes looking at Iris...
Iris was lying, breathing difficultly on the hard ground. Even breathing to keep awake was really hard for him, let alone standing up.
Feeling about to faint until a hand reached out.
Iris looked up, seeing pale blue eyes calmly faced him.
No anger, no scorn, no despise, no gloating. Only calm.
Why? He wasn't...
"Stand up." The cold voice of Angus spread. "This is not what the first ranked should be!"
Iris widened his eyes.
Angus' voice is very small but therein lie some kind of invisible power. The power urged Iris to try to reach out his hand. And got pulled up by a really strong force.
Angus let go of his hand, walking to the table loaded with drinking water bottles for students. Taking a bottle and drinking it all in just one breath, Angus felt a little better.
At that moment, from the depth of his heart, Angus felt lucky to learn from Thien Minh the routine of running two hours per day and maintain it for over a year. If he still had been a sick dragon who could only rely on the sunlight to get better day by day, then... today would definitely be a catastrophic day!
Obviously, strength cannot be obtained by just standing and doing nothing. Strength is made up of sweat, blood and tears through everyday practice.
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