Chapter 11: The Exercise

Chapter 11: The Exercise

Perhaps noticing that Xu Qiao showed no signs of nervousness—and was even, in fact, excited—Yin Li couldn't help but lean in closer.

Xu Qiao looked up at him. "What do you want to say?"

"I’m worried you don’t understand the situation with this exercise and might be caught off guard," Yin Li explained immediately. "To be honest, we’re already very lucky. To encounter such a large-scale exercise in our first year of service—many veterans are experiencing this for the first time too!"

Xu Qiao nodded. "I know that, of course, but you don’t have to be as nervous as you are, do you?"

"I’m not nervous! How could I be?" Yin Li instinctively retorted.

Xu Qiao patted his shoulder. "Then stop shaking!"

Yin Li’s face turned bright red instantly.

The veterans walking ahead turned to look, though no one looked down on him. After all, they were first-year recruits, and it was inevitable to be nervous when facing such a major event. Everyone had been there once.

Feeling their gazes, anyone would have felt awkward. Xu Qiao felt a pang of regret for her teasing.

She remembered they hadn't even left the city before she fell asleep. How long had she been out for it to reach this point?

Seeing her look outside in surprise, Bei Chuanchuan laughed. "We left the city a long time ago."

Xu Qiao stared at the grenade, her mind suddenly filled with a chaotic blur—the sound of ragged gunfire, confused enemies, and a deafening explosion.

To the Miss Xu Qiao of the past, this might have been hardship she had never endured, but for her, it was nothing. After all, in her previous life, there were no highways, and navigating such terrain was a daily occurrence.

"Once we depart, it will take several hours to reach the exercise site. Since you’ve never ridden in a military truck, you won’t rest well, so I left you here to get some proper sleep before the exercise begins."

Xu Qiao nodded instinctively, finally understanding why the road felt so bumpy.

"What can I do as a cook? I’m not going to the front lines anyway." Xu Qiao didn't take it to heart. Besides, she hadn't touched an assault rifle before, but it didn't mean she didn't know how to use a gun.

Even Sergeant Wu couldn't help but laugh at her. "Staying behind is no problem, but you won't need to peel potatoes anymore. Go learn how to operate the mobile kitchen from Bei Chuanchuan."

Although these skills weren't needed in the barracks, as the weapon of the cooking squad, training and adaptation were routine. Even Yin Li and Xu Qiao could operate it.

But Xu Qiao just smiled and shook her head. "I’m participating in the exercise regardless of where I am. Besides, I’ve only been training my physical fitness for the past month. I’m not familiar with the communications squad's work, so I’d just be an idler if I went back."

She had once given up the chance to flee abroad, choosing to remain in a war-torn country. She had abandoned a life of luxury to pick up a weapon, don a uniform, and do her part for the nation.

"Of course it isn't real. This is an exercise, not a real war, and our opponents aren't real enemies." As he spoke, he picked up some bullets. "These are just simulated live rounds; they are actually sensor-based training ammunition."

The convoy left the military camp. At first, the ride was relatively smooth, as they were still on the highway.

Seeing Xu Qiao ask about the exercise, Bei Chuanchuan sighed helplessly. "I have participated in a few exercises, but our cooking squad..."

He pointed to the grenade beside him. "These are all training rounds, too."

Xu Qiao immediately understood his meaning. As the logistics of the logistics, even in the largest exercises, the cooking squad rarely had much of a role to play.

When the kitchen truck departed, one could still see the female soldiers of the communications company squeezed into the back of the military trucks just like the men, receiving no special treatment.

Xu Qiao nodded blankly, then thought of something and shook her head.

Sergeant Wu felt a surge of frustration, glaring at her, but he didn't leave. "Ask me whatever you don’t understand now. I’ll explain it to you so you don’t make a fool of yourself later."

"You don't even know how to fire a gun?" Sergeant Wu walked over and frowned upon seeing her clumsy technique in checking the rifle.

"It’s better than being in the cooking squad. I might not be good at other things, but I’m a pro at peeling potatoes now."

"Huh?" Yin Li looked at her in surprise. "You’ve never touched a gun? What will you do during the exercise?"

Xu Qiao paused for a long moment. "As a soldier, aren't we born for the battlefield? I don't want war because I know its cruelty, but I hope it’s real, because only in war can a soldier’s value be truly realized."

The visual impact was indeed stunning, especially for someone seeing such a scene for the first time.

"Do you intend to stay in the cooking squad and participate in the exercise with us?" Sergeant Wu asked, looking over with surprise.

In this life, however, she didn't know what it meant to be a "true" soldier, or what a soldier should actually do.

"Grenades are different from bullets, though. If the distance is too close, they can still be lethal."

"Xu Qiao?" Sergeant Wu’s voice came through.

Xu Qiao collected her firearm and ammunition, packed her other gear, and brought it to the cooking squad, ready to depart at any moment.

But after such a road, she couldn't fall back asleep. She sat up and chatted with Bei Chuanchuan.

She didn't know much about exercises, especially large-scale ones, as they were rarely discussed, leaving her with even less information.

Bei Chuanchuan didn't dwell on whether she had seen one before or not; her silly expression was enough to keep him laughing for a while.

She only knew that when the country was in danger, she had to step forward.

Seeing their expressions, it was clear that everyone assumed she would return to the Third Squad. After all, that was a real combat unit, and after today’s events, returning shouldn't have been difficult.

The entire regiment entered a state of combat readiness. The weapons and ammunition required for the exercise were distributed to everyone, including the logistics and cooking squads.

She opened her eyes to find it was pitch black outside. She didn't know where they were; there were no streetlights, not even a scattered house in sight.

The Blue Force troops set out, entering the exercise zone almost simultaneously. There was only one road into the mountains, and all routes converged there.

She couldn't help but sigh. "It seems I thought too much; I actually thought I could really participate!"

When the vehicle began to bump violently, Xu Qiao was finally jolted awake.

Even if she did participate, it would only be to handle logistics.

"Since it’s a simulation of real combat, it must be as close to real war as possible." Sergeant Wu finished, then seemingly afraid she might worry, added, "But you don't need to fear. Our cooking squad... rarely has a chance to reach the front lines."

Only because... this was her home. If she left... she would have no home.

But the words were already out and couldn't be taken back. She could only offer comfort. "Even if you’re a recruit, you’re better than me. I’m not afraid, so why are you worrying? Hurry up and take me to get a gun. I’ve never touched an assault rifle before!"

"The destination is the mountain range next to S City. The terrain is complex and sparsely populated, which is perfect for a group army to spread out and fight. We’ve just left the highway and haven't entered the mountains yet; the road ahead will likely be even harder."

Xu Qiao quickly drifted off to sleep. She slept remarkably well in the truck, falling into an increasingly deep slumber.

She then said, "Actually, my marksmanship is quite good. I hit those targets poorly in the recruit company on purpose."

Over the past few days, Xu Qiao had become familiar with his temperament, so she didn't stand on ceremony, picking up the ammunition to show him. "These aren't live rounds, are they?"

She had never seen this type of assault rifle in her previous life, and she hadn't trained with it in the recruit company, so she felt a lingering curiosity about this new model.

"It will sync with the sensors you wear on your body. Once you're hit, the sensor will detect where you were struck and determine if you are wounded or dead."

The entire regiment prepared for battle, the cooking squad included. Aside from preparing weapons, they also had to calibrate the kitchen truck. The remaining time was spent entirely in combat preparation.

Moreover, she had a ride, so she didn't have to measure the road with her feet.

Seeing this, Xu Qiao suddenly laughed. "It seems I’m being pampered. Riding here is much more comfortable than being in the back of a military truck."

Xu Qiao nodded in understanding. "I really must thank the Sergeant; otherwise, once the exercise starts, there won't be any time to rest at all."

Once everything was ready, she finally had time to inspect her weapon.

Sergeant Wu didn't answer her, but looking at her, he remarked with emotion, "You finally look like a soldier."

"How could I?" Xu Qiao smiled, glancing at Yin Li in the distance to ensure he couldn't hear. "I only said that to keep him from being nervous."

"Sigh, never mind."

Xu Qiao smiled awkwardly. "I’m fine, Sergeant. I was just surprised that the training rounds could still cause injury. What if someone really gets hurt?"

Xu Qiao didn't understand what a "soldier" looked like. Having lived a second life, she still didn't know what their so-called "look" of a soldier really was.

Xu Qiao realized her current identity and felt a surge of disappointment in her heart.

Bei Chuanchuan was also a veteran. He had participated in several exercises, large and small, and lacked nothing but experience.

But as he turned, he saw the scene in the rearview mirror. He paused, quickly rolled down the window to look back, and was stunned by the sight.

She considered herself a good soldier, a qualified military person, in her previous life.

Yes, it was spectacular.

"You hope it’s real?" Sergeant Wu suddenly looked at her.

"Sergeant, I don't believe you haven't had that thought. Otherwise, why would you have the cooking squad train every single day?"

The people in the squad were quite attentive to her, leaving her in the co-pilot seat of the kitchen truck, while the others had to sit in the back of the military truck with the rest of the company.

Bei Chuanchuan, who was driving, laughed too. "Don't let the Sergeant's cold face fool you. He thinks about more than anyone else and cares deeply for everyone in the squad."

"Oh?" Xu Qiao realized then that the cooking squad was treated differently when going into combat.

"After this exercise is over, if you manage to fire even one or two rounds, you’ll be doing well."

Seeing his disappointment, Xu Qiao tactfully stopped asking and looked outside.

Seeing Xu Qiao’s startled expression, Bei Chuanchuan burst into loud laughter. "Never seen it before?"

The kitchen truck was now halfway up the mountain, followed by a long convoy. From here, it looked like a long, winding dragon of light, spiraling up to the summit.

By now, the sky was pitch black, and they could only move forward by the light of the vehicle's headlamps.

Looking up, she caught his worried gaze. It seemed he had misunderstood.

Although she knew how to drive, it wasn't her turn, and she couldn't help with anything else. Not wanting to waste Sergeant Wu's kindness, she leaned back against the seat to rest.

He said to her, "I was scared when I saw this scene for the first time, too. It’s simply spectacular."

The order to depart came suddenly. Military orders are like mountains; regardless of whether they were ready, they had to move immediately.

Looking at the long dragon behind them and hearing the roar of the engines, a scene from her past flashed through her mind.

A group of people carrying equipment on their shoulders and backs, wearing crude military uniforms, walking on rugged mountain roads.

It was bitter and exhausting back then, but everyone had dreams and hope in their hearts.

Thinking of those smiling faces, the corners of her mouth slowly curled up. What was before her was exactly the dream and hope they once held!