"You don't need to envy either." Eli said to the crowd, "For today's training, the teams that perform well will all get meat soup. As for the teams with lower training scores, they'll have to make do with dry rations. What you get to eat depends entirely on your own performance!" Upon hearing this, everyone seemed to be fueled with extra motivation. Each person wanted to train well and earn an extra meal for themselves.
Jake secretly admired Eli's approach. The method of reward and punishment seems simple. It not only established Eli's authority but also stirred up the team's enthusiasm for training. After all, in this era, not everyone could frequently enjoy meat soup.
As the push-ups came to an end, Eli concluded the gathering. The group headed to breakfast, and the members of Jake's team gathered together amidst the envious gazes of others, eating steamed buns and sipping meat soup.
Brenton lifted his bowl, took a big gulp, finishing about a third of the soup, then raised his head with a satisfied expression, saying, "Delicious, really delicious!"
The meat soup was already delicious, and coupled with the envy in the eyes of those around him, Brenton felt that the aroma of the meat soup had become even richer. His face was filled with delight.
"Listening to the captain's words was indeed the right move," Adrian said as he sipped his soup.
"Yes, yes," the others echoed.
"Alright, it's just a bowl of soup," Jake chuckled.
Compared to the others, Jake's meat soup today was not only richer but also contained several pieces of meat. It was probably a special reward from Eli. However, Jake didn't pay much attention to this. He had just eaten a lot of barbecue before coming here and wasn't particularly hungry.
"Captain, your family must be well-off, right?" Adrian asked.
"Why do you say that?" Jake replied.
"Look, you didn't drink the soup yesterday and gave it to us. Today, your soup has extra meat, and you're not even that excited. Your family's circumstances must be better than ours," Adrian explained.
"You're quite observant, kid," Jake laughed, "My family isn't wealthy, but compared to your family backgrounds, it's safe to say we're doing alright."
Indeed, Jake's family wasn't wealthy. He didn't even have a stable job before, but compared to Adrian and the others, Jake felt that his life was pretty good. At least, he could eat a full meal every time now, and he wasn't lacking in meat either. On the other hand, Adrian and the others were clearly worse off.
"I've always said, Captain, you're not like an ordinary person. You're different from us common folks," Adrian remarked.
"Alright, don't be a flatterer like Brenton," Jake teased.
"Captain, when did I flatter?" Brenton protested.
"Exactly, we're speaking the truth. Captain, there's something about you that's hard to put into words. I feel like you're not like us," Adrian said.
"Is that so?" Jake neither confirmed nor denied. After all, he was a 'player,' so he was definitely different from them. "Let's eat up. Once we're done, it's time to train. You all should enjoy the meat as well. I'm full."
"Thanks, Captain." Knowing that Jake came from a well-off background, his teammates didn't hold back and happily divided the meat in Jake's bowl among themselves. This sight made those watching around even more envious, and some even drooled at the sight.
"During the training, make sure you train well, understood?" Jake said.
"Captain, you can rest assured, we definitely won't slack off. We're all looking forward to having meat soup with every meal," Brenton pledged confidently, patting his chest.
"Yes, it's all for the sake of the meat soup. We won't slack off, and we'll train seriously," Adrian added, and the others echoed his sentiments.
Jake nodded, satisfied with their attitude. For him, having the bowl of meat soup wasn't the main concern. It was more about being responsible for their training at this crucial time. After all, this wasn't a time of peace. In less than a week, they would be heading into battle, and no one knew what dangers they might face. So, being more diligent now would provide them with extra assurance later.
After breakfast, Eli indeed gathered everyone again for another round of training. The training content was quite simple: weight-bearing running and formation drills. Clearly, Eli had a purpose behind this training.
Their training time was too short, only one week. Even if Eli was a training genius, it was impossible to turn a group of people with no prior training into elite soldiers within a week. Therefore, his goal was to unite them, instill a sense of teamwork, and teach them to follow commands. This way, even if they encountered danger, they would be better equipped to handle it.
Of course, Eli didn't neglect combat skills training entirely. However, he only taught them the most basic moves: Thrust! Slash! Everyone, including Jake, was given a wooden stick to use as a spear or a large knife. They practiced thrusting and slashing repeatedly throughout the day. By the time they sat down to eat, many people's hands were trembling.
But Eli didn't go back on his word. The teams that performed well not only received plain steamed buns but also meat soup. After such tiring training, being able to drink a bowl of hot meat soup was truly a luxury. There were no complaints. Those who received the meat soup reward savored it with satisfaction, thinking about how they could maintain their performance to continue enjoying it. Those who didn't get the soup secretly vowed to train even harder next time to earn the privilege.
Jake's team performed exceptionally well. They managed to drink meat soup during both lunch and dinner, with Jake standing out even more. After a day of intense training weight-bearing running, formation drills, and thousands of thrusts and slashes—only a few of the seasoned soldiers managed to endure. Their faces were pale, their limbs weak. This was even more true for the new recruits. When the training ended, many of them lay on the ground, struggling to get up and go eat.
However, Jake seemed unusually at ease. His complexion remained unchanged, his breathing steady, and his steps firm. He appeared as if nothing had happened. This performance not only earned the admiration of many soldiers but also surprised the company and battalion commanders, including Eli.
The intensity of this training was already considerable for an ordinary person, but for the present-day Jake, it was just a routine. His physical condition was far beyond that of an average person. After a day of training, he barely broke a sweat. The idea of being so tired that he couldn't walk straight simply didn't apply to him.
Brenton was now completely in awe of Jake. He believed that even though he had started as the temporary captain of the team, by the end of the training period, Jake would undoubtedly replace him. Jake's performance was far superior to his own and even outshone everyone else on the field.