The military headquarters in Linhai began its 245th new recruit training of the year, and according to "Humanity's Watch Army Charter" Article Eight, recruits only have a short seventy-two hours of training after enlistment to adapt to the military environment.
Rather than calling it a training period, it's more appropriate to say it's an assessment period, because nowadays, those who come to enlist have already undergone many years of preparation, just like high school students who study for three years before college entrance exams. The situation for Cocoon Breakers who emerge from the Land of the Departed is different, though they have just arrived in this brand-new world, their talents are often better, and the moment they awaken, they face a life-and-death test that ordinary people cannot compare with. This is the quality that cannot be matched, and it is their advantage.
Within the ranks of the new recruits, Lu Bu'er and He Sai were both in smart dark green military uniforms; even their average statures seemed to be bolstered. Beside them were their recently issued new recruit supply boxes containing their living necessities, items essential for life during front-line service.
It was said that amongst the new recruits, there were two Cocoon Breakers from the Land of the Departed, and from time to time their comrades in the ranks would size up the two of them, which made the brothers feel a bit uneasy.
Because during the assessment, they both performed exceptionally well, fully reaching the level of being sent directly to the front lines for combat, and as Cocoon Breakers, they would receive special attention. Even if something really went wrong, they wouldn't die at the hands of Specter Fiends, which meant they were quite promising.
The assessment content was divided into combat and shooting, wilderness survival, and actual combat simulation, the purpose of which was to test the quality of the new recruits.
After all, if one's quality didn't pass muster, going to the front line meant risking lives.
In the new world, the new generation who came to enlist had surely made thorough preparations. In today's society, many families give birth to offspring with Evolver talents, so going to school is no longer their only path. Joining the military is the best choice. At the very least, they would gain experience from military service and return with stronger and healthier bodies at the cost of some lifespan.
The new generation had an advantage in the first three assessments.
Only the Cocoon Breakers could do nothing but suffer in silence.
It was only during the actual combat simulation training that the orphan group's performance prevailed over the rest of their class. This so-called actual combat simulation training involved wearing a virtual helmet and engaging in a primal, intense fight with Specter Fiends in a deep dream-like state.
In this assessment, the orphan group overwhelmingly dominated the new recruits of their term. For the Cocoon Breakers who had survived the Land of the Departed, facing these things was a trivial matter. Now, they could sleep in the same bed as a Specter Fiend's corpse without fear, while most of the new generation were scared to tears by this segment, crying for their parents. Even if they were prepared beforehand, when they actually faced life and death, they still broke down.
Yet it was this assessment that carried the most weight.
Compared to this, nothing else mattered.
This precisely validated what the instructors said, "The rage, the despair, the hatred, and even all that you are, is what you need to fight the Specter Fiends, not just skill!"
In these four assessments, thirty percent of people were disqualified and advised to leave because if they broke down during the last one, all the preceding efforts were null and void.
Lu Bu'er's results, on the other hand, were the best among the new recruits. It's just that these three days had exhausted him completely, with every night bringing intense agony as if from cancer. Thankfully, after hibernating in the cocoon, his physique had indeed changed from before, and he could bear it.
He Sai also persevered, ranking among the top.
"Since you've chosen to join the military, you've set foot on a path of life and death completely different from ordinary people. If you can make your way here, that's your ability. If you can't, then get lost early. We exist for the Transcendent world and are committed to peace. But it's too early to talk about contributing to peace now, because you've come to the military for resources. To put it bluntly, you're here to draw blood, but we encourage blood-drawing and competition," the officer said coldly.
Emphasize this: competition is the keynote of the military headquarters!
This is what sets the Evolvers' military apart.
"Your training and assessment have been passed. Next, you'll be dispatched to the frontline forces. As someone who has been there, I have several pieces of advice that you need to remember well."
"First, the present era is relatively peaceful. We only need to guard the major Lands of the Departed to prevent the awakening of those terrifying beings. Your main adversaries will be the Specter Fiends born within those Lands of the Departed. Some are mutated revivals of ancient creatures, while others are powerful beings whose origins are still inexplicable to this day."
"Second, all peaceful times are supported by those who shoulder the burdens for you. This world has never truly known peace; the shadowy wars have never ceased. In the future, you will face not only Specter Fiends but also your own kind! The heretics, the terrorist organizations active in South America, North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe..."
"Third, spies from heretical factions may exist within the military's ranks, so be cautious of their presence, and report any leads to the relevant departments."
The new recruits' station was Wuzhen, located on the outskirts of the city, next to the towering Jufeng Mountain Range, about one hundred and seventy kilometers away from Fengcheng City, which had fallen into the Land of the Departed. The older generations said that the mountains are often shrouded in fog, and within the fog, Specter Fiends lurk.