Chapter 23: The First Day of Training

Early on Monday morning, Qiong Hua was already standing at the entrance of the infirmary, watching the others stroll in leisurely without a trace of urgency.

“Move it! Assemble immediately!” her angry voice echoed.

She turned to Captain Song and taunted, “Captain Song, is this relaxed pace how your infirmary squad usually operates?”

Captain Song’s face flushed as he smiled apologetically, “Lieutenant Qiong, it’s my fault for not managing them well enough. Please, don’t take it to heart.”

He then called into the infirmary, “Assemble!”

The infirmary team quickly gathered. Qiong Hua moved down the line, stopping when she reached Lin You, whose carefully applied sunscreen and refined features caught her eye. She looked at Lin You with a mixture of disdain and mockery, wondering what the captain saw in her beyond her pretty face.

Lin You disliked the contempt in Qiong Hua’s gaze but remained silent.

“Starting today, for the next half month, I’ll be overseeing your training. Forget your previous schedule now you’ll be following the base routine. Roll call at 5:30 a.m., breakfast at 6:00, training begins at 7:00, and additional evening drills as needed,” Qiong Hua announced.

The team murmured among themselves, worried about the early hours and extended training.

Captain Song took Qiong Hua aside and carefully suggested, “Lieutenant Qiong, they’re not combat soldiers. Perhaps we could skip the evening drills?”

The team looked at Captain Song gratefully, but Qiong Hua turned to him coldly, “If you think I’m unfit, why don’t you take over?”

Captain Song awkwardly retreated, telling the team, “Just do your best.”

Qiong Hua resumed command, “Today’s task is mountain climbing with a weighted pack. Lunch is packed, so get ready and assemble in two minutes.”

During the break, Lin You whispered to Xiao Nan, “Which mountain are we climbing?”

“I don’t know. We never had this training before, we usually take a vehicle to assist the injured soldiers,” Xiao Nan replied.

Lin You thought it was unreasonable to start with such intense training on day one, but there was no avoiding it. After assembling, Qiong Hua led them toward the mountain, setting a brisk pace.

At the base, the squad was already gasping for air, some even sitting down to rest. Across the way, Qin Lang was demonstrating rifle assembly and shooting to his team. He noticed Lin You watching him, a look of admiration in her eyes despite her apparent exhaustion.

Concerned, Qin Lang raised his fist in a gesture of encouragement toward Lin You. She smiled back, mirroring his gesture, drawing chuckles from onlookers.

Qiong Hua, irritated by the exchange, ordered them to continue moving up the mountain. Qin Lang, now worried, wondered if Qiong Hua was pushing the infirmary team too hard and tried calling Wen Xin, the squad’s female instructor. He resolved to check on the situation after training.

Meanwhile, he also noticed that Lu Li, another squad member, was pleased rather than jealous, confirming Qin Lang’s previous hunch that Lu Li harbored no romantic interest in Lin You.

As the team climbed, Lin You could feel her feet blistering and her energy depleting. Qiong Hua seemed to intentionally lead them through sunny, uneven terrain rather than shaded paths.

Finally, they reached a flat area midway up the mountain where Qiong Hua allowed a break but insisted everyone stay in the sun. Lin You, exhausted, walked over to a shaded spot. The others followed her lead, but Qiong Hua snapped, “Return to your spots.”

Lin You ignored her, staring off to the side. Angered, Qiong Hua shouted, “Dr. Lin, are you planning to disobey an order?”

Lin You stood up and retorted, “Lieutenant Qiong, have you heard of gradual conditioning? We’re not your special forces.”

“Our physical limits differ. You should start with something lighter, instead of jumping straight into high intensity training,” Lin You argued.

Dr. Liu chimed in, “If we’re all exhausted, who’s going to manage the infirmary? Even during physical training, we have to be ready for emergencies.”

Seeing the point, Qiong Hua reluctantly conceded, “One hour of rest here, then we head back.”

Lin You’s colleague Xiao Nan noticed her reddened ears and whispered, “Dr. Lin, your ears are sunburned!”

Lin You felt them and smiled sheepishly, “I know, but it’s okay.”

As they began the descent, Qiong Hua sarcastically remarked, “Out here, we’re all equal, and so is the sun. As long as you’re here, you’ll endure everything like the rest of us.”