Cosmic Demon

Chapter 249 The Course of War, Exploring the Contaminated Zone!
Fu Lei, an instructor at the Yellow Springs Training Camp, scanned the pitiful lambs like a predator, speaking the cruel truth in a mocking tone.

His words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing an uproar and commotion.

"Instructor! What does 'losing one's recruit status' mean?"

Someone mustered up the courage to ask a question.

“You came here as volunteers for the Great Pioneer Movement, but the battlefield does not need cannon fodder to die.”

With his hands behind his back, Fu Lei's muscular physique bulged out of his camouflage uniform, exuding an explosive sense of power.

Those who fail the training camp's assessment will not be sent to the battlefield to carry out missions.

However, supplies at the White Poplar Fortress were limited, and priority could only be given to the soldiers at the front lines.

Fu Lei walked through the ranks, as strong as a giant bear living in an extremely cold region.

Its vitality radiates outwards without restraint, like wave after wave crashing against the shore, suffocating the senses.

"Simply put, Bai Yang doesn't care about the feelings of a good-for-nothing, understand?"

If you are eliminated from the Yellow Springs Training Camp, you will have to rely on your own hands to make a living.

For example, those working in logistics would collect trash after each advance on the position, or serve as support soldiers or maintenance personnel.

Instructor Fu Lei's every word was like a sharp knife, piercing deep into everyone's hearts, making them tense and feeling heavy pressure.

"My nickname is 'The Butcher' because I used to be an instructor at the Yellow Springs Training Camp. I loved sending rookies to the battlefield so they could experience death firsthand and temper their will."

Of course, this violated the regulations of the Eastern Xia Military Command and the spirit of humanitarianism, so I was repeatedly demoted, from two gold and two stars to one silver and one star.

Qin Shi's eyelids twitched. The Eastern Xia Army's battle group used "Golden Branch" and "Star Emblem" as shoulder insignia patterns.

The former represents glory and honor, while the latter symbolizes light and justice.

The Golden Bough was usually awarded only to officers of the field grade, while the star insignia was divided into "gold" and "silver".

The former also represents field officers, while the latter represents lieutenant officers.

Two gold bars and two stars represent the rank of lieutenant colonel, who can be appointed to a regimental headquarters. One bar and one star is no higher than second lieutenant, requiring at least ten years of hard work and dedication from a veteran.

It must be said that Instructor Lin of the Yellow Springs Training Camp is indeed quite unconventional.

It should be noted that a full-time lieutenant colonel with frontal combat capabilities can easily command a battalion-level force.

This is the best way to establish outstanding achievements more quickly.

As long as you have participated in several major battles and achieved outstanding results.

With time and experience, it's not impossible for him to rise to the rank of senior colonel and eventually reach the prestigious position of corps commander.

"I hate that academic stuff the most. Sure, the young men who graduate from military academies are taught in class that 'war depends on supplies and equipment.'"

But this idea doesn't apply to Hengzhou's rising stars! Veterans who participated in the past great expansion understand that battlefield supplies are never plentiful, and equipment can be completely depleted by the terrifying black tides formed by summoned creatures.

Fu Lei's voice carried immense weight, perhaps propelled by a surging, vibrant life force. Each word he uttered was like a sledgehammer striking an anvil, sparking forth!
"Willpower! Human willpower is the ultimate weapon of the first order! In the early stages of the Great Expedition, what did humanity rely on to fight against the Star Gods? To contend with other powerful civilizations?"

Bloodline? Babies of the Holy Blood Clan possess 'twenty points of vitality', and upon reaching adulthood and undergoing the 'Embracing Ritual', they have a 70% chance of advancing to the professional level.

Talent? Weavers are born psionicists; in their youth, they can open their sea of ​​consciousness, exploring and roaming the boundless realms of darkness. Their spiritual light shines like a bright torch, piercing through the deepest darkness.

Fu Lei's tone was calm, but under the influence of Qin Shi's life magnetic field, the other party's emotions were like a raging sea, surging and turbulent.

"Newbies, the battlefield never cares about the feelings of any individual. If you want to survive, you have to bleed and cry."

The new recruits who arrived late have all their supplies canceled for today. Go and experience hunger!

Next, we'll begin physical training..."

As the setting sun sank into the vast wilderness, its orange-red rays gradually fell from the city walls to the base of the ramparts. Nearly six hours of resistance training had pushed most of the new recruits to their limits.

Even the most basic tactical loads were enough to make everyone suffer.

Especially those who didn't receive any energy replenishment, they endured hunger and muscle soreness, barely managing to hold on until Fu Lei announced "the queue is disbanded".

Qin Shi remained calm and continued to work alone. He finished his supply ration at the cafeteria, ate all the nutritious food, and then returned to his dormitory to continue his cultivation.

The "Art of War" governs the other inheritances, and that perfect core becomes brighter and brighter, its rotation speed increasing, continuously absorbing energy factors.

The training efficiency in fortified cities is indeed higher than that in metropolitan areas.

This place is extremely close to the contaminated area. Due to the unstable space, the Netherworld Rift resembles spiderweb cracks, allowing energy factors to seep in.

Qin Shi could feel that every cell in his body was leaping with joy. With each alternation of the rhythm of his breath, the circulation of life force made his mortal body make subtle progress.

"Indeed, the rear area was not suitable for me; it was the right decision to join the Great Expedition."

Even the richest energy liquids and nutritional pastes only replenish what the body consumes. To increase cultivation speed, you need purer energy.

Before leaving the Tai'an metropolitan area, Qin Shi made a special trip to see Lao Liang and learned a little trick from him.

Once you reach the professional level, you can dedicate 70% to 80% of your vitality to your 'characteristics' and build your own domain.

According to Lao Liang, this was taught to him by one of his superiors, which allowed him to better strengthen his foundation at the professional level.

Moreover, since 70% to 80% of the life force is absorbed by the 'characteristics' and used to solidify the field.

One's own aura will also drop to a very low level, probably less than half of normal strength.

This is why several professional-level experts in Baiyang Fortress City failed to discern Qin Shi's true strength.

"Qin Shi. He should be the most outstanding one among this batch of new recruits."

Back in his office, Fu Lei received a "scoreboard" from his adjutant.

There was something he hadn't told everyone: from the moment they stepped into the Yellow Springs Training Camp, all the new recruits started with a perfect score, and then their scores were either reduced or remained the same based on their individual performance.

Currently, the recruit named "Qin Shi" is in first place, without losing a single point.

"This kid is quite interesting. He chose the Fourth Battle Group's 'Strategic Art of War.' His vitality fluctuation is the highest of everyone; I estimate it's over sixty points?"

Fu Lei stared at the scoring board that the adjutant was holding.

"I asked you to investigate his background. Did you find anything? He doesn't seem like someone who came from a normal background."

The adjutant laughed:

"He was transferred from the central city, and it seems he is a direct descendant of the Qin family, the pioneers, a true 'young master'."

I don't know why I went to Baiyang. Logically, if I wanted to gain experience and prestige, I should have gone to the eastern front; the advance there is going smoothly, and it would be easier to get by.

Fu Lei's fingers, which were tapping on the table, paused, and he squinted.

“This kid doesn’t seem like a pampered young master. I have a keen sense of smell, and I can tell. I’ll give him extra training to see how he fares.”

If their performance is satisfactory, we will consider including them in the training program.

Fu Lei confessed.

He was the chief instructor of the Yellow Springs Training Camp, and he made decisions on almost everything, big or small, with no one able to suppress him.

After all, in terms of seniority, military achievements, and even strength, this former lieutenant colonel was definitely among the top ranks of the Poplar Fortress.

"By the way, in three days, give me a piece of 'black medicine'. This stuff is perfect for cultivating the 'Art of War'."

Fu Lei said in a deep voice.

"Black medicine... is practically a contraband. Qin Shi is not yet twenty, and his vitality is below the passing grade of seventy points. Taking it would be risky," the adjutant said hesitantly.

He had been working with Fu Lei's leadership team for a while and was familiar with each other's working styles.

To put it positively, it's called "having an adventurous spirit and being willing to try new things."

But to put it bluntly, it's not wrong to label them as "disregarding the safety of new recruits and ignoring life".

"Trust me, he can handle it."

Fu Lei didn't look up, burying himself in compiling statistics.

"He completed a set of resistance training and weight-bearing exercises today without even breaking a sweat."

What does this mean? Either he has a very solid foundation, or he has an outstanding physique.

In every respect, he could withstand the potent effects of the black medicine.

The adjutant looked conflicted. The Yellow Springs Training Camp had always been criticized for its high casualty rate, and the higher-ups were facing great pressure to hold them accountable.

That's why he was asked to "keep an eye on" Fu Lei, lest the other party go too far and cause serious trouble that can't be controlled.

"Huang Quan voluntarily accepted the mission to advance the three training camps in exchange for access to various military supplies."

Upon noticing that his adjutant had not left, Fu Lei raised his head expressionlessly, his tiger-like eyes remaining completely calm.

"The White Poplar Fortress City only accounts for seven percent of the total allocation on the entire western front."

Is 7% enough to supply nearly 30,000 soldiers, plus logistics departments, maintenance personnel, etc., totaling around 80,000?

It's definitely not enough! Right now, the heavy responsibility of advancing hasn't fully taken hold yet. Once the first batch of advance troops can't hold out, we'll need to replenish a large number of troops to launch a coordinated offensive.

How long do you think the poplar tree can hold on?

The adjutant was stunned.

The instructors at the Yellow Springs Training Camp do not participate in strategy formulation.

Why was Fu Lei so clear about this?

"A month and a half. The dependent creatures are not just small monsters that stay in one place waiting for the pioneer army to clear them out."

As usual, they initially deployed in small groups, roaming the wilderness and harassing transport convoys, before gradually escalating the intensity to cut off key routes between the major fortified cities.

Fu Lei's expression turned serious as he pointed to the tactical map lying on the table.

"And there's one more thing! As we all know, the death of familiar creatures will increase the number of Netherworld Rifts, thereby weakening our firepower. In that case, we'll inevitably have to fight hand-to-hand!"

The more the adjutant listened, the more his heart sank, as if a dark cloud was looming over the city.

“I have checked the major expansions of previous years, and even in the one with the greatest advantage, nine fortified cities fell.”

Fu Lei's eyebrows twitched. Although he kept his tone calm, his adjutant could sense the intense emotions he was suppressing to the extreme. This change was reflected in the fluctuations in his vitality.

The air in the entire office seemed to have been sucked out. Fu Lei slowly stood up and placed his hands on the table.

Do you think Baiyang will fall? If it does, to what extent will the casualties escalate?
I've said it many times: the academic theories don't apply to the pioneering spirit of Hengzhou New Star.

The equipment and supplies sent to the front lines by the Governor's Office were woefully inadequate in the face of the almost inexhaustible number of dependent creatures.

What do you think "big development" means? Is it just weeding your own backyard? Just plowing it twice with a lawnmower?

The outsiders on this planet are not our relatives, but us.

As long as the Star God exists, his retinue will never be extinguished, and the pollution will continue.

We're fighting a war of attrition with no end in sight!

The adjutant fell completely silent.

Fu Lei's assessment of the battlefield situation left him speechless.

"Instructor, you shouldn't be in the underworld. You could have gone to the regimental headquarters..."

Fu Lei shook his head:
"It's meaningless. The Great Expedition is a large-scale war. If we sacrifice Bai Yang in exchange for a huge advance on the western front, do you think it's worth it?"
In war, the least valuable thing is life. My vision only extends to this fortified city beneath my feet.

The adjutant silently brought his heels together, gave Fu Lei a military salute, and then left the office.

"Why is the Governor's Office opening up two battlefields, one on the east and one on the west? With the current capabilities of Hengzhou Rising Star, it can only support one front."

Fu Lei frowned deeply, completely bewildered. He believed that with "Tai Jun" as a think tank analyzing the situation, the governor should have a clearer understanding than he did.

The advancement of these two lines will not only increase casualties on the human side, but will also gradually increase the number of rifts in the Netherworld, eventually bringing them closer to the material world and causing a vast area to sink deeply.

"If the two battlefields on the eastern and western fronts are stalled, and the duration is extended to six months or even a year, our chances of winning will be less than 40%."

This is what Fu Lei doesn't understand the most, and it's also the reason why he didn't choose to go to the regimental headquarters and become a commander.

"The governor comes from a war zone background. Doesn't he understand that family members are like weeds that can't be burned out by wildfire? It's not worth it to use the lives of the people of Hengzhou to fill the gap... unless!"

A chill ran down Fu Lei's spine.

Immediately afterwards, he subconsciously rejected it, as if he desperately wanted to shake off the nightmare that was clinging to him.

If that scenario were true, the sacrifices of all the soldiers on both the Eastern and Western fronts would have been meaningless.

"More than 100,000 people..."

Even though Fu Lei once said that the least valuable thing in war is life, it is also the most precious thing.

……

……

On the third day at the Yellow Springs Training Camp, Qin Shi maintained his top performance, which gradually won over the other recruits.

Qin Shi was always the first to complete those high-intensity training sessions that were enough to drain everyone to their limits, leaving no room for any extra stamina.

Even the most defiant and self-important Gao Pao had to admit that this guy was like an older student going back to kindergarten.

Soon, the first batch of recruits were "eliminated".

Mediocre people who choose advanced textbooks have finally discovered the bitter consequences.

Advanced teaching materials require greater nutritional supplementation and are more energy-consuming to cultivate.

It would be almost impossible to withstand such high-intensity training.

Unless you achieve the same level of excellence as Qin Shi Huang, with unparalleled results in all areas and always having the most abundant supplies, you'll be left behind.

"It takes three days to eliminate twelve 'trash', which shows that my training is gentle enough."

Fu Lei stood on the playground with his hands behind his back, like an iron tower.

"Since you've adapted so quickly, let's increase the intensity."

I have a batch of 'black medicine' here. It's a prohibited resource, but in the underworld, no one can control it.

If someone manages to complete the contaminated zone exploration mission, he will enjoy a 'black drug' that stimulates his potential.

Friendly reminder: this stuff is very potent, but if you're lucky enough, it can double your lifespan at the amateur level.

(End of this chapter)