The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Tiger Head withdrew his burning gaze from the arrogant playboy who had been shouting just a moment ago but was now as quiet as a chicken.

He thought to himself: What a pity.

Heaven knows, there are over six hundred other excellent students in Kansai who are eagerly waiting to be admitted.

He continued to feign a blank expression, and after a few breaths, he finally uttered four words: "Military orders are absolute!"

No negotiation!

Perhaps his expression provoked the nerves of some spoiled brats.

Immediately, someone shouted:
“We haven’t even entered the military camp yet, we’re not soldiers of Guanzhong yet, we want to see the General Who Guards the West! I’m not afraid to tell you, my father is the Earl of Loyalty and Righteousness!”

Tiger Head glanced at this person:
"You're neither a soldier nor a student at the military academy, so what right do you have to meet our General? No matter who your father is, once you come to Kansai, you'll be ranked according to your military merits!"

The group of spoiled brats: "."

Military merits?

What chance do they have of earning military merit?

Is going to school really this dangerous?

In Shangdu, having powerful connections is always an advantage.

This tactic didn't work in Kansai?

The spoiled brats instantly wilted like dehydrated cabbages, and a few of them began to whisper among themselves.

Not far from the纨绔 (wan ku, spoiled young masters) of Shangdu were two other groups of students.

A thousand students, selected from the ten guards of Kansai, have begun warming up for their long-distance march.

Most people are eager to try it out.

They didn't carry any extra luggage and were prepared to travel light.

After observing the performance of the two teams, some of the students selected from various provincial administrations have already begun to follow the example of the Kansai students.

Heavy luggage can be stored at Hepingguan first.

I quickly changed into clothes and shoes suitable for a short march.

Only a few wealthy and powerful children who got the spots through connections broke out in a cold sweat despite the freezing weather.

They're here to gain prestige.

But their bodies were not as robust and strong as those of the纨绔 (spoiled brats) who had only enjoyed a life of luxury in the capital for two years.

If they were to travel a thousand miles in ten days, it might really cost them their lives.

However, their families had already used considerable financial resources and connections to get them into the Kansai First Military Academy.

Just when we were at a loss for what to do, the temporary instructor, Tiger Head, made a final statement:
"Those who are unwilling to walk to the school will be considered to have automatically forfeited! The garrison will send someone to escort you back. Now, those students who do not wish to participate in the first entrance examination of the Kansai First Military Academy, please step forward!"

The three thousand students present remained silent.

No one answered.

No one stepped forward.

Those who cursed him in their hearts dared not speak out.

So many people are watching.

In a contest between men, courage often comes first.

Half a cup of tea had passed, and still no one stepped forward.

Tiger Head pouted, looking quite disappointed.

"Alright, then collect your supplies for today's journey at Heping Pass, and then head towards Hami City along this asphalt road that has been cleared of snow!"

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back!

Tiger Head said he didn't want to look at these weaklings who were only good at talking.

Actually, marching 100 li (50 kilometers) every day is not an easy task even for an adult.

Moreover, half of these spoiled brats are not even adults yet.

It is indeed a severe test.

Regardless of the expressions on the faces of these纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families) and their cronies from various provincial administration offices.

A thousand students from Kansai and students from ordinary families have lined up to receive enough food and water for a day.

Then, he quickly started running.

We should take advantage of the fact that our legs are at their strongest now and run as many miles as possible.

After leaving Heping Pass, the snow seemed to be falling even heavier.

The spoiled brats, trailing reluctantly at the back of the group, cursed inwardly:
There are four seasons in a year, so why choose to start school in the cold winter?
Gan Minglan:
Of course, it's to make you suffer more! Military academies are military camps too, there's no such thing as a comfortable camp.

The start of the next school year could be considered for August or September.
Hami City.

The nameplate for the First Military Academy of Guanzhong, handwritten by Emperor Qianwu, was solemnly hung a month ago, under the watchful eyes of the generals of the Ten Guards of Guanzhong.

The imperial court assigned two school administrators to the school: a fifth-rank official from the Ministry of War and a sixth-rank officer from the Imperial Arms Bureau.

They also provided one hundred elite Shenji Battalion soldiers as instructors.

One hundred and two people, carrying the imperial edict and a plaque with Emperor Qianwu's handwritten inscription, arrived before the students.

General Gan and his entourage welcomed these people with open arms.

On their first day of reporting for duty, General Gan had the 100 elite Shenji Battalion soldiers undergo a month-long firearms training and PK exercise together with the 80 instructors drawn from the Vanguard Battalion and her personal guard battalion.

What allowed these instructors of the Divine Machine Battalion to break through their defenses one after another was...

They used to be top performers in the Shenji Battalion, and their excellent marksmanship, which they were always proud of, was repeatedly humiliated by the instructors from the Kansai Vanguard Battalion.

Not only were the instructors of the vanguard battalion more accurate than them, but even the boys from the General's personal guard battalion could shoot farther than them.

The firearms used in Kansai were also far more advanced than those used by the Shenji Battalion in Shangdu.

Since acquiring the casting techniques for the Great General Cannon and the Second General Cannon from Guanzhong, the Imperial Ordnance Bureau cast 500 cannons of each type in just six months.

Because the manual provides very detailed information on the casting process, proportions, and time, the casting cost of the gun barrels was well controlled.

However, the cost of ammunition for each cannon shot is about five taels of silver.

How could the Divine Machine Battalion use such a money-devouring beast for daily practice?

The hundred elite soldiers who were sent here haven't even touched the new cannons yet.

After a month of practice and PK battles, he lost convincingly.

I've really had my fill!
Now, the only thought these instructors have is to cling tightly to the coattails of the wealthy General Zhenxi.

To show their sincerity, under the guidance of their instructors, they took the initiative to quickly compile their unique marksmanship techniques, honed over the past few years, into a lesson plan with illustrations and explanations within a month.

These lesson plans will be used in the classroom from now on.

Gan Minglan accepted their kindness and made her stance clear at the first faculty and staff meeting before the start of the semester:
"The Kansai First Military Academy focuses on firearms research and marksman training, aiming to cultivate well-rounded firearms military talents for the imperial court."

To achieve this goal, a huge investment has been made to build two outdoor firing ranges, several artillery firing bases, seven indoor firing ranges, and several firearms research and development laboratories.

The Kansai region has truly invested heavily in its finances.

All ammunition used for guns and cannons is a single-use consumable.

A loud bang meant that silver was disappearing in taels.

The firearms laboratory was a money-devouring beast.

The improvement process of the General Cannon and the Second General Cannon, which cost 100,000 taels of silver in research and development per year, can be used as a reference.

Advanced firearms are all built with silver.

Even the Shangdu Firearms Bureau, with an annual budget of only 500,000 taels of silver, admitted that it was far behind in this regard. (End of Chapter)