Chapter 144 : Chapter 144

Chapter 144. I’m Exempt from Training, So Asking for a Carry Service Isn’t Too Much, Right?

That night, the recruits returned to their military district dormitories to rest.

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, on making a Slacker Choice. You have obtained a High-level Slacker Gift Pack. Would you like to open it? ]

Jiang Yichen had only just lain down on the soft, comfortable bed when the System reward arrived.

A happy, comfortable life, with the occasional gift pack to open on the side—this really was not bad at all.

“Open it.”

[ Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Running Cultivation Array, Intelligent Carry Service. ]

Hmm?

Looking at the increasingly absurd rewards, Jiang Yichen could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth.

He slowly opened the descriptions.

[ Running Cultivation Array: Centered on the user, this array can be deployed to affect martial artists within its range. For every hour they run inside the array, they gain 2% Blood Qi and 2% Spiritual Power for their current realm. (Consumable. Can only be used once.) ]

Jiang Yichen’s eyes lit up slightly.

Tomorrow was the first day of group training, and also the beginning of the “Eastern Desert March Training.”

The eastern desert stretched for 1,600 kilometers. Even a Fifth-Realm Grandmaster martial artist could only move at one-tenth the speed of sound. To cross it would take at least ten hours.

And that was only possible if they did not slow down for the entire journey. It was an extremely harsh test of both stamina and willpower.

This Running Cultivation Array was perfectly suited for it. After all, running for ten hours could increase Blood Qi and Spiritual Power by 20%. For a Fourth-Realm Martial Master, breaking through three minor realms would be no problem at all.

Even a Fifth-Realm martial artist advancing by two minor realms would be easy.

And Su Linyu, after her talent had improved, was currently stuck at the peak of the Fifth Realm. Did this not solve that problem perfectly?

Jiang Yichen smiled faintly.

This was useless to him, since the System’s automatic cultivation was already close to perfection.

But it was just right for pampering his wife, while also letting his brothers get a share of the benefits.

He nodded slightly, then looked at the other reward.

[ Intelligent Carry Service: Provides the Host with robotic carrying service. Can be used for mountain climbing, long-distance travel, and similar situations, ensuring an even better slacking experience for the Host. ]

Huh?

That one made Jiang Yichen laugh.

This system really was considerate.

Tomorrow’s Eastern Desert March Training would be group training. Even though he, as the group leader, was exempt from training, it would look a little inappropriate if he did not go at all.

But if he were expected to actually march across 1,600 kilometers of desert on foot, Jiang Yichen refused.

He had personally experienced that suffering in his previous life—walking through desert sand under the blazing sun, each step sinking into the ground.

Because he had been weak back then, he had nearly fainted several times. At the same time, the group leader’s insults and constant urging had rung in his ears. It had been a double blow, both physical and psychological.

Jiang Yichen truly did not want to go through that again.

This Intelligent Carry Service had arrived at exactly the right time.

Just imagining the recruits making their way across the desert step by step while he himself was carried along by intelligent robots made the corners of Jiang Yichen’s lips rise.

In an excellent mood, he went into the bathroom, took a leisurely and comfortable shower, then climbed into bed and fell asleep.

...

Late at night, the East China Military District was still brightly lit.

“Chief Instructor, isn’t the group assignment for Formation One a little unreasonable?”

In the office, Instructor Huang held the group assignment list and asked Zhou Yu.

But Zhou Yu merely gave the list a bland glance, without the slightest change in expression.

“I know you want to split them up so they can help more people pass the Recruit Wilderness Mission.”

“But that kind of method does not produce elite soldiers. On the battlefield, you may fight side by side with your comrades, but you cannot rely on them.”

Zhou Yu’s words sounded completely official.

For a moment, Instructor Huang had no way to refute him and could only sigh and nod.

“Go back. I know what I’m doing.”

Instructor Huang looked as though he wanted to say more. As the instructor responsible for the formation, he naturally hoped that every recruit in it would pass the wilderness mission.

He lingered for a moment before turning and leaving.

Zhou Yu straightened his military uniform, and a cold gleam flickered in his eyes.

Over the past week, he had watched every move Jiang Yichen and Su Linyu made. If not for the restrictions of his position, he would have gone over long ago and forcibly separated the two of them.

But he was the Chief Instructor. If people found out he was entangled with recruits in some unclear way, he would be punished.

“Jiang Yichen, in half a month, your path as a genius will come to an end.”

A chill of killing intent laced Zhou Yu’s voice. He refused to believe Jiang Yichen could survive an S-Rank Beast Tide controlled by three peak eighth-rank demonic beasts.

“Still, this Jiang Feng seems a little shaky inside. Another day, I’ll need to work on his thinking.”

Zhou Yu stroked his chin thoughtfully, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

...

The next morning, the red sun rose in the east.

While the other recruits were still busy preparing for assembly, Jiang Yichen moved at an unhurried pace—getting dressed, washing up, eating breakfast—living his slow-paced life to the fullest.

By the time he arrived at the training grounds, everyone had already assembled. He was the only one missing.

Instructor Huang looked displeased, but he did not say anything.

Jiang Yichen did not care in the least and simply went to stand in his place.

“Brother Yichen, today’s Eastern Desert March Training is a group activity. Brother Yichen, lead us to first place.”

Su Linyu propped her cheeks up in both hands and looked at Jiang Yichen with bright, lively eyes.

Jiang Yichen froze for a moment and felt a little awkward. “Well... as the group leader, I will definitely stay with all of you until the very end.”

His tone was full of collective honor and responsibility.

As for how he would stay with them, that was another matter entirely.

Su Linyu’s eyes lit up. “Brother Yichen wants to train too?”

“No, no. I’m just accompanying your training,” Jiang Yichen corrected her.

“Brother Yichen, you’re really going to march through the eastern desert with us? Good brother, let’s advance together all the way!” Tang Long was astonished when he heard Jiang Yichen say he would accompany them.

After all, he had watched Brother Yichen spend the entire past week enjoying himself. Now that Jiang Yichen was finally joining them in training, Tang Long felt a bit more balanced inside.

Jiang Yichen smiled knowingly and nodded. “As the group leader, isn’t it only right that I accompany you?”

When the surrounding recruits in the formation heard that, they all looked surprised.

None of them had expected Young Master Jiang to volunteer for training of his own accord.

“Silence!” At that moment, Instructor Huang’s booming voice rang out.

“Today’s training subject is marching across the eastern desert on foot. Each of you will have only one bottle of water and one compressed biscuit.”

Instructor Huang pointed toward the rising sun in the east. “Any group that fails to reach the destination before sunset will be punished. I trust you all understand how painful punishment can be?”

At those words, the entire formation drew in a sharp breath.

“Of course, if your whole group completes the training, there will naturally be a reward.”

Then Instructor Huang changed his tone and emphasized once again, “Let me remind you, this is group training, not individual training.”

“Every group must have all of its members cross the finish line for the training to count as completed. Even if only one person falls behind, the entire group will be punished.”

“Do you understand?”

“Understood!” everyone shouted in unison.

Instructor Huang nodded slightly and handed out communication wristbands to everyone in the formation. “The wristbands contain the route map and tracking. If you cannot continue, you may call for rescue—but that will also mean your entire group has failed the training.”

“Now begin. Run forward!”

The formation turned right as one, then split into groups of five or six and set out from the military district, following the route on their wristbands toward the airport of the Third Military District.

“Brother Yichen, let’s run too and fight for first place.” Tang Long was eager to begin.

Jiang Feng, however, wore a look of disdain. “Fat man, you get out of breath just running ten kilometers normally, and you still want first place?”

Tang Long’s face immediately fell, and he swung his plump arm up at once. “Who are you calling fat? Tell me, who are you calling fat?!”

Chu Xingchen hurriedly stopped him. “Calm down. We’re in the same group now. Don’t start infighting before training has even begun.”

Tang Long shot Jiang Feng a fierce glare, while Jiang Feng haughtily turned his head away.

Su Linyu sighed softly and could not help looking toward Jiang Yichen.

Jiang Yichen merely smiled. “Little brother, you’re quite something. Just make sure you don’t fall behind. I’m not asking anything else of you.”

Jiang Feng’s cold eyes shifted slightly, and he said with confidence, “There has never been anything in this world that I could not do. If there were, then there would have to be something wrong with the world itself.”

“...”

The corner of Jiang Yichen’s mouth twitched. What an idiot.

“Forget about him. Start running.”

Su Linyu and the other two nodded slightly and began running forward, with Jiang Feng close behind them.

Jiang Yichen, however, did not move. Instead, he had the System activate the Running Cultivation Array and apply it to Su Linyu and the other two.

As for Jiang Feng, he could keep dreaming.

“Jiang Yichen, why aren’t you, as the group leader, keeping up with your team?”

Hmm?

Jiang Yichen looked at Instructor Huang and smiled slightly. “Instructor Huang, I’m exempt from training.”

Instructor Huang’s face darkened.

“But as the group leader, I will definitely accompany my group all the way to the end.”

Jiang Yichen’s tone was resolute.

Hearing that, Instructor Huang’s expression eased a little. At least this brat still had some sense of collective honor—

But in the very next second, Jiang Yichen summoned four robots carrying a futuristic platform.

He stepped onto the platform and waved grandly. “Follow them.”

The four white robots immediately began running forward, carrying him as they chased after Su Linyu and the others ahead.

Instructor Huang: “...”