Chapter 20: Beyond the Rules

“Report! Exactly half an hour has passed since the whistle!”

Twenty-five minutes later, in front of the Iron Fist Regiment’s dormitory building.

Old Hei and nine other squad leaders saluted Xu Guoqing in unison and reported.

Veterans from the regiment’s two battalions stood behind them, fully prepared and alert!

Clearly, these veterans were determined to give the new recruits a harsh lesson.

“Go ahead and teach these greenhorns a proper lesson. Let them understand just how powerless they are in front of the veterans!”

Xu Guoqing’s face darkened slightly as he spoke, then slowly turned to look at a nearby hill.

“Qi Tian, you’ve always been so capable, haven’t you? Let me see how much strength you really have when you’re on the battlefield!”

...

Meanwhile, Qi Tian led over twenty outstanding new recruits to a position halfway up Cang Mountain.

The once massive and unified group that had charged out of the Iron Fist Regiment had now completely fractured.

Those with better stamina hid themselves on the mountain, doing everything possible to evade the veterans’ “hunt.”

The less fit were left behind, many failing even to reach Cang Mountain.

There was no other choice—the spicy tofu soup at dinner had wreaked havoc on their stomachs.

When sprinting at full speed, the churning in their guts was an experience none of these soldiers wanted to endure again in their lives!

“Qi Tian, thank goodness for you. Otherwise, our Second Squad would have been wiped out halfway tonight!”

Zhang Meng had also eaten a bowl of tofu soup earlier, but in a smaller quantity, so it didn’t affect him much.

The two hid together quietly, watching the time on their watches.

“We’re comrades; no need to be so formal,” Qi Tian waved his hand and replied to Zhang Meng:

“The veterans have already set off. Those who didn’t make it to the mountain can only be caught halfway by the old cats. There’s nowhere to run. These veterans really play dirty!”

“Hah, it’s only natural. They’re seasoned veterans who’ve fought and crawled through countless battles. We’re just a bunch of green recruits.

In numbers, stamina, equipment, even personal condition—we’re no match for them.

Let’s just see how many rats survive to report back tomorrow morning. Hopefully, it won’t be a total massacre—that would be too embarrassing!”

After saying this, Zhang Meng lay back on the ground, staring silently at the sky.

A top student in traditional martial arts at the Sports Academy, Zhang Meng had never been so humiliated.

Being chased and beaten without the ability to fight back was unbearable—truly infuriating!

The same feelings stirred in the hearts of other new recruits hiding nearby.

Perched atop a towering tree, Jiang Chong from the Third Squad looked down at the dense shadows gathering at the foot of the mountain and shouted to those below:

“The veterans are coming fast. I estimate less than half the new recruits even made it onto Cang Mountain.

Fewer than fifty without weapons, facing two battalions of veterans—this isn’t even a fight!”

【Ding Dong!】

As Jiang Chong’s words fell, a crisp notification sounded in Qi Tian’s mind.

【Congratulations, host, you have unlocked the third mission: Cat and Mouse Game.

Please lead at least thirty individuals to complete the Cat and Mouse Game and break the Iron Fist Regiment’s record for this challenge.

Due to the high difficulty, the reward is issued early.

Congratulations, you have received Elite-Level Fighting Technique (limited to 8 hours).

If the mission is successful, the reward will become permanent.

If the mission fails, you will lose this skill and the chance for future upgrades. Please proceed cautiously!】

As the system voice echoed, Qi Tian felt a sharp pain suddenly pierce his mind, just like when he had previously acquired the elite-level domestic skills.

A flood of unfamiliar memories forcibly merged with his own.

Unlike before, this time the fighting technique’s memory imprint was far larger, and the pain far more intense!

Even though Qi Tian had prepared himself to absorb the reward immediately, he still gasped for breath several times.

At the same time, his understanding of combat deepened.

The free fighting maneuvers he had seen before could now be countered instantly in his mind, followed by seamless transitions to subdue opponents in an instant.

With this strength, within the Iron Fist Regiment, he could at least hold his own against veterans like Xu Guoqing without falling behind!

Zhang Meng, standing beside Qi Tian, noticed his unusual behavior and instinctively thought something was wrong.

Just as he was about to ask, he saw Qi Tian vigorously shake his head.

Then his expression changed suddenly, as if remembering something important.

Somewhat excited, he asked, “I remember the company commander said before we left that as long as we aren’t caught or hit by veterans, it doesn’t count as elimination, right?”

Hearing this, Zhang Meng nodded instinctively and blurted out, “Exactly. The commander’s words were, ‘You don’t even have time to dodge, let alone use your weapon.’ It’s ridiculous.”

“If I’m not mistaken, those veterans will use their numbers to surround Cang Mountain completely, forming a ring of encirclement, gradually pushing toward the summit,” Qi Tian said, glancing up at Jiang Chong hidden in the tree.

“But what if... we actually revolt?!”

Jiang Chong immediately understood Qi Tian’s intention and quickly scanned the mountain below.

After a few breaths, he responded excitedly, “You’re right. After gathering, the veterans haven’t started searching the mountain yet.

Instead, they’re spreading out around the base of Cang Mountain in a gathering formation. They don’t intend to let a single recruit escape, but their forces are also dispersed!”

“Excellent! That’s our chance!”

Qi Tian’s eyes lit up. Facing two battalions of veterans unarmed, they were doomed to lose.

But now, the veterans were not moving as a single unit; they were spread out in a ring.

This meant that if the recruits on the mountain banded together to fight back at one point,

those dispersed veterans might not all manage to escape unscathed!

“Qi Tian, you’re thinking... that’s too bold!”

Qi Tian and Jiang Chong’s conversation made the surrounding recruits realize exactly what he intended.

Their faces instantly flushed with excitement, but quickly turned to disappointment.

“That’s impossible. They have guns. Even if they’re using blanks, getting hit still means elimination!”

“Then let’s take the initiative—take them out before they make a move!”

At this, Qi Tian gave up any pretense and stood up, gathering everyone.

A headcount showed thirty-seven recruits guarding their position, with roughly a dozen more scattered across Cang Mountain.

This number just met the system’s mission requirement.

To preserve so many through the training, rebellion was the only path before Qi Tian.

If they continued to scatter, fighting alone and waiting to die,

the mission would inevitably fail.

“Jiang Chong, observe and find the route with the fewest veterans. Everyone else who refuses to be captured, follow me!”

Qi Tian issued the order, assembling his forces while Jiang Chong scanned the mountain below.

Zhang Meng and Lin Mang rose almost simultaneously and followed Qi Tian out.

Other soldiers from the First and Second Squads hesitated briefly before stepping forward to support Qi Tian’s plan.

Not for any other reason—tonight had been unbearably humiliating.

The veterans had tricked them at dinner, and now they had to endure such bullying.

With Qi Tian as their example, everyone wanted to end this game by breaking the rules.

And show the veterans that these new recruits were no pushovers!

“I’ve finally realized, standing still means certain death. I’m going to fight back!”

“Exactly. We can’t keep letting the veterans lead us by the nose. Once they complete their encirclement, we’re done for.”

“Before departure, the commander said dispersing increases survival chances, but that’s obviously to weaken our combat power. We can’t let that happen!”

“Qi Tian, just say the word. Brothers trust you. Tonight, we’ll show the veterans who the real cats on this mountain are!”

A single statement stirred a tidal wave of resolve.

Shortly after Qi Tian’s decision, every nearby recruit stood up, no longer pretending.

Even Song Wei, who often clashed with Qi Tian, stood behind him now.

His gaze burned fiercely toward the veterans below, filled with fighting spirit!