Chapter 41: The Sinister Night

A true youth must be dashing and unrestrained!
The soldiers in the military camp were also proud and strapping young men. Now that so many female university students had arrived at the camp, these soldiers naturally wanted to put on a good show.
Playing instruments, singing, performing martial arts with swords and blades!
They pushed their abilities to the absolute limit.
Such a charm of tough guys showing their tender side possessed a completely different and captivating allure for the young, innocent, and naive female students, far surpassing ordinary boys.
Of course, that would have been the likely outcome, had Zhao Rui not thrown a wrench into the works.
But now, with Zhao Rui setting such a high benchmark upfront, the so-called tough-guy tenderness lost a considerable amount of its value.

Barely halfway through the bonfire party, the girls from the School of Accounting had already started teasing and egging Zhao Rui on to perform an act.
Zhao Rui naturally tried to refuse, but he couldn't withstand even the counselor Liu Jie joining in on the teasing with high spirits. The result was therefore entirely predictable.
Left with no choice, Zhao Rui stood up helplessly, and under the gaze of numerous students and soldiers, walked over to the bonfire.
In a clear voice, he said, "I'll sing an acapella song! Please bear with me if I don't do well."
With that, he took the microphone handed to him by a soldier, cleared his throat slightly, recalled the melody from his past life, and began to chant in a slow, deep voice!

"The beacon fires rise, looking north across the rivers and mountains, the warhorses neigh long..."

The powerful and forceful melody, bolstered by his profound internal energy, roared and surged through the entire encampment like a galloping army of thousands!
Within the singing, it was as if a group of indomitable warriors charging across the battlefield on horseback were bravely pressing forward against the enemy. Even with artillery fire raining down before them and countless corpses covering the ground behind them, nothing could stop their heroic figures from charging forth to vanquish the foe.

Initially, everyone had assumed he would sing some sentimental, effeminate love songs to amuse the female college students and show off a little.
Never did they expect this young man to launch directly into a song they had never heard before, yet one filled with such mighty momentum and the power to set one's blood boiling.

"This kid just keeps getting more interesting!"
Not far away, sharing tea with Vice President Peng, the camp commander's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if piercing through the crowd to lock directly onto Zhao Rui.
"President Peng, does your school have a quota for students transferring into the military..."
Upon hearing this, Vice President Peng hurriedly laughed it off and said, "The child has just started his freshman year, his path in life has only just begun! Battalion Commander Sun..."
"I was just speaking casually!"
Battalion Commander Sun smiled indifferently, making it seem as though his previous remark had indeed been nothing more than a casual comment.

"I vow to guard our soil and reconquer our territories, the magnificent China shall make all directions pay homage!"

The final word, "homage," soared into the sky like a dragon rising through the clouds, or like the radiant sun hanging high in the heavens, illuminating the mortal world and instantly igniting the passion of everyone present.
Especially for the soldiers of the camp, who felt their very blood boiling within them, wishing they could let out a long howl to the heavens, letting this peaceful world know that it was they who guarded these magnificent rivers and mountains with their own blood.

"Another one! Another one!"
As the song ended, it was no longer just the female college students making strong demands; even the surrounding soldiers joined in the clamor.
Zhao Rui quickly waved his hands and returned to his formation amidst the piercing cheers of the girls.
Showing off once was enough; doing it too much would lead to aesthetic fatigue!

"Second Brother, you are my real brother! Too handsome!"
As soon as he sat down, Le Bin leaned over, threw his arm around Zhao Rui's neck, and shouted excitedly.
He naturally possessed delicate, feminine facial features, and in the hazy glow of the bonfire, he looked even more alluring and womanish.
This posture startled Zhao Rui so badly that he almost stumbled and used brute force to push him away.
He must definitely keep his distance from Le Bin in the future and absolutely avoid spending too much time with him.
It had nothing to do with any gender discrimination; he was purely afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself and would end up swinging both ways!
He should suggest that Le Bin grow a beard another day!

Embarrassed, Zhao Rui reached out to remove Le Bin's arm, patted his shoulder, and said, "You are also my dear sister—no, my dear brother!"
"I'll introduce you to my sister another day!"
Le Bin chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Don't tell me you have a sister who looks exactly like you?"
Zhao Rui's pupils dilated slightly in astonishment.
"What the hell, how did you know?!"
Now it was Le Bin's turn to be surprised.
"Sigh, what a bore. Why are you so smart?"
The muscles on Zhao Rui's face twitched slightly. It wasn't that he was smart; rather, TV shows in his past life had used this exact trope, and he hadn't expected to encounter it in reality.
He glanced at Le Bin's face, and immediately, a somewhat "unfavorable" image flashed through his mind.
Sin, what a sin!
It was all the fault of those Japanese comedies for being so lewd.

At the bonfire party, the lively programs continued until past eight o'clock in the evening, marking the end of the military camp experience activity.
Led by their instructors and accompanying teachers, Zhao Rui and the other students walked back to the school along the original route under the moonlight.
Along the way, things were hardly "peaceful." Either this girl sprained her ankle, or that girl suffered a leg cramp.
Not just the girls, but several boys also suffered muscle strains due to the prolonged hike.
Operating like a marching medic, Zhao Rui busied himself back and forth. Whether the injuries improved was uncertain, but his WeChat contacts gained over a dozen new girls!

By this time, he had unquestionably become the soul of the entire troop.
With a long way to go and to relieve fatigue, the lead instructor even suggested that Zhao Rui teach everyone to sing *Loyal to the Country* while marching.
Zhao Rui did not decline. He had loved this song in his past life, and being able to teach more people to sing it was a pleasure in itself.
Soon, the long column of students marched toward the brightly lit city amidst loud and resonant singing.
Under the night sky, the breeze was gentle, the singing was true, and the midsummer time carried the flavor of youth, blossoming within the melodious rhythm and converging into an unforgettable chapter of life.

...

The next day, on the large sports ground, neatly aligned platoons marched in goose-steps past the edge of the basketball court.
Although the instructors commanded the trainees to look straight ahead and forbid them from looking around, it didn't stop them from stealing sideways glances to observe this "world."
In another corner of this "world," a full five companies were sitting at ease in the cool shade of the trees, drinking mineral water, singing, and enjoying themselves in leisurely comfort.
This formed a sharp contrast with them, who were braving the scorching sun and sweating profusely while marching in goose-steps.

The issue was never about scarcity, but about inequality!
Why should they?
"Instructor, why do they never have to train?"
During a break, a curious student sneaked up to the instructor and asked the question burning in everyone's minds.
"They won it themselves. Word has it that the camp commander and your school leaders gave special approval!"
"Damn, such good fortune?"
"Don't you be anxious either. Your turn to march off is this afternoon; maybe you'll get to rest too!"
The instructor smiled somewhat mischievously. It was rumored that because of Zhao Rui's "disruption," the camp commander had issued an order: if they lost to ordinary students again, all instructors would have to run twenty kilometers with heavy loads.
"I'm actually looking forward to it. I heard we have to run five kilometers first this afternoon? Instructor, is it exhausting?"
"Not exhausting at all, not exhausting in the least!"
The instructor replied with utter nonchalance.

On the sports ground, the five college platoons, led by the School of Accounting, were leisurely enjoying the two-hour break Zhao Rui had won for them yesterday.
However, despite being allowed to rest, they still needed to remain within the sports ground's boundaries, maintain their formations, and avoid wandering around casually.

"Zhao Rui, come here for a moment!"
Just as he finished eating a tea egg handed over by a female classmate in his class, Zhao Rui was called away by counselor Liu Jie.
"I just went to ask, and Principal Hao also knows about you. With your qualifications, you can completely join the martial arts team."
Liu Jie said in a gentle voice, small beads of crystal-clear sweat dotting her delicate face and sticking a few strands of hair to her fair cheeks.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
"No need for formalities. However, since you chose our School of Accounting, you mustn't let your professional courses fall behind.
I asked on your behalf—you can't transfer majors in your freshman year; you can only do it in your sophomore year. But there has never been a precedent for transferring into the martial arts major. I'll communicate with the school regarding this matter."
Liu Jie pursed her slightly dry lips and continued.
Seeing this, Zhao Rui quickly leaned down, picked up a bottle of mineral water from the side, and handed it over.
Liu Jie didn't stand on ceremony; she took the bottle and drank from it in small sips.
The sunlight passed through the clear bottle, casting mottled light and shadow upon her face, and the faint downy fuzz on her skin resembled dandelions born in spring, gentle and delicate.
"Go back. Once military training is over, you must be my class monitor!"
After finishing the water, Liu Jie waved her hand, signaling Zhao Rui to return.
Hearing her words, Zhao Rui's face fell, and just as he wanted to retort, Liu Jie glared at him, forcing the words back down into his stomach.
Helplessly, Zhao Rui returned to his formation first.
As for whether to be the class monitor or not, that could be discussed later; he didn't want to waste his energy on such trivial matters.
Still, the counselor was so enthusiastic that it wouldn't do to refuse her too bluntly.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, the instructor blew the whistle, summoning all the resting students to reform and begin their "brand-new" daily military training routine.

...

At Lincheng No. 1 High School, Class 2, Grade 2, Zhao Ke looked at the bright-eyed, radiant female classmate before him, unable to react for a moment.
"What are you looking at? Just take it if I'm giving it to you!"
The girl slightly raised her swan-like neck, slender and fair, her tone domineering yet filled with care.
This left him completely baffled, utterly unable to recall when he had gotten so close to her.
"Well, thanks then!"
Zhao Ke took the beverage handed over by the girl and hurriedly expressed his gratitude.
"No need to be polite with me. I and your brother... we're all classmates, after all! But don't get any wrong ideas, oh."
Hearing the girl's words, Zhao Ke's brow furrowed even deeper. What did she mean by wrong ideas? He hadn't even been thinking anything at all.
Besides, we aren't even in the same social circle!
"We've been assigned to the same class from now on, so we must urge each other on and study hard. My goal is Dongqi University! You should cheer up too!"
With that, the girl brushed past him. Her graceful figure looked hazy and beautiful under the sunlight shining through the window, and as a slight breeze swept by, a scent reminiscent of hyacinths lingered at the tip of his nose.

Wait, Dongqi University? Your brother?
Zhao Ke's eyes widened instantly as he stared incredulously at the back of the girl leaving.
Do you want to be my sister-in-law?
His face dropped instantly. He hurried to catch up with her and, amid the girl's bewildered expression, shoved the beverage back into her slender palm.
"You..."
Watching Zhao Ke run away, the girl knitted her pretty brows in incomprehension: What a weird boy, nothing like Zhao Rui at all.
Humph!

...

On the final day of the first week of military training, the students had already grown accustomed to the high-intensity training.
They began to "resume" some extracurricular activities in an orderly fashion.
For instance, drinking and eating skewers, singing and playing video games.
Inviting girls out under the moonlight, delivering warmth downstairs!

Zhao Rui also had a girl inviting him out, though not one from school.
After finishing military training, taking a cold shower in the dormitory, and changing his clothes, Zhao Rui left the school alone.
Near the school gate, by the entrance of a snack street, a slender and graceful figure was lightly pinching a grilled gluten skewer with her delicate fingers, eating it with great relish.
"Do people from the demonic path eat grilled gluten too?"
Zhao Rui walked over, inhaling the alluring aroma of barbecue, and couldn't help swallowing hard.
Having been tired all day, he was right at the peak of his hunger.
"If I'm not eating grilled gluten, should I be eating grilled human flesh instead?"
The woman cast a sideways glance at Zhao Rui with her beautiful eyes and retorted crisply, "We practice orthodox saintly martial arts, not the demonic path. If you spout nonsense again, I'll castrate you!"
"This is a school, can you be a bit more civilized?"
"How come all I see outside the school gate are hotels? You college students are only allowed to do it without talking about it, aren't you?"
"Ahem!"
Zhao Rui hurriedly changed the subject. "Spit it out, what do you want with me?"
"I need a boyfriend to accompany me to meet someone."
The woman casually tossed the finished bamboo skewer aside. The skewer traced an elegant arc and landed accurately in a trash can five meters away.
"Here's a dating app, here's the contact info for a famous entertainment club in the city, and here's my classmate's contact info."
Zhao Rui swiped on his phone and lowered the screen before the woman.
"Spare me with those outdated tricks; I don't want to be your boyfriend and stir up a bunch of trouble!"
"Fine then! Pretend I never said anything. Come on, walk with me, I've never been to a university in my life!"
The woman smiled indifferently, pulled out a tissue from her exquisite small leather handbag, and gently dabbed at her bright red lips to wipe away the residue of gluten left at the corner of her mouth.
"University is pretty much like this. I'm curious, what do you usually do? Do you have a job of your own?"
Seeing the woman step forward and walk ahead, Zhao Rui paused slightly and hurried to keep pace.
"Accompanying men!"
"..."
"Besides accompanying men, what else?"
"Harvesting male energy to nourish my own!"
"..."
Zhao Rui looked at the brightly lit street, pointed ahead to the intersection, and said, "Walk forward and you'll reach the east gate of our school. Sister Youyou, care to go in and take a look around?"
"Huh? How do you know my name is Youyou?"
"Your WeChat name..."
"Oh. What's your name?"
"Zhao Rui!"
"Aren't you curious why I stopped you that day?"
Youyou gathered the hair behind her ear, her motion soft and unrestrained, completely unlike the aloofness in her speech.
"Because you were also tracking that person, right?"
Zhao Rui said calmly.
"Fine, brains from studying are certainly useful! He's a scumbag who has already bullied several girls..."
Zhao Rui quietly listened to her peppermint-cool voice recounting the past events in the night air.
Unhurried, remarkably serene.
"Ahead is the cafeteria. Care to go in and sit for a while? I'll treat you to a taste of our school's food!"
The two walked leisurely through the campus, like old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time, surprisingly devoid of any awkwardness.