Chu Xia was making dumplings when Jiang Zhiguan approached her with news. Without thinking, she said, “Not at school, but…”

She quickly realized what Jiang Zhiguan was implying and furrowed her brow, a worried look in her eyes. “Lu Lu just started university; she shouldn’t be involved in anything too dangerous.”

Jiang Zhiguan, however, knew her daughter well.

She shook her head and replied, “Lu Lu is bold because of her skills. She’s different from the other new students—she loves showing off.”

Chu Xia also remembered that Zhang Lu was skilled in martial arts.

When An’an went through military training at Jinghua University, his martial arts skills made him stand out, earning him the title of star cadet.

Zhang Lu’s military academy training was undoubtedly more rigorous, and with her exceptional abilities, she was likely to attract attention.

“You shouldn’t worry too much,” Chu Xia reassured Jiang Zhiguan. “It’s more likely that the higher-ups recognized her talents and selected her for special training.”

This kind of selection was common in the military, and not everyone could apply for such elite training. “Besides, right now, it’s all just speculation. The school said she’s guarding the campus, so Lu Lu’s safety must be assured. If anything happened, they’d notify her family.”

Jiang Zhiguan considered Chu Xia’s words and realized she was right.

Still, even if Zhang Lu was chosen for special training, Jiang Zhiguan couldn’t help but worry.

She was well aware of the dangers associated with aviation forces.

---

Meanwhile, Zhang Lu and her classmates were undergoing special training for air force cadets.

Getting into the aviation program at a military academy was incredibly strict, requiring a series of rigorous flight physicals before even being considered.

If candidates failed any part of the physical, they wouldn’t be accepted into the program.

Zhang Lu had no issues with her health or height, and she didn’t have any large scars or a keloid-prone constitution.

After passing numerous rounds of evaluations and selections, she was finally admitted into the aviation program.

But even after entering the military academy, Zhang Lu was not yet a full-fledged pilot—just a flight cadet.

Becoming a real pilot would require her to pass many more tests and selections, a process that would sift through the best of the best.

Zhang Lu and her fellow cadets were sent to a specialized training base for pilots.

It offered a wide range of training programs and professional coaches to evaluate which flight roles suited them best.

When Zhang Lu was first brought to this base after her initial military training, she had no idea what awaited her.

As soon as they arrived, the base instructors greeted them with a challenge—pitting the cadets against the base soldiers in a fitness competition.

The cadets had barely recovered from their recent training and were exhausted from the long, bumpy ride to the base.

They hadn’t even had time for a drink of water before they were thrown onto the training grounds.

The instructor, smiling in a way that didn’t quite reach his eyes, said, “We’re going to have a little competition. Don’t be nervous; it’s just for fun. It’s no big deal if you lose. Who wants to go first?”

“Captain, I’ll go,” said one of the base soldiers.

He was average in height, with sun-darkened skin and the rough, hardened look of a soldier.

“Which one of you new cadets wants to challenge him?” the instructor asked.

Zhang Lu didn’t trust the instructor’s seemingly friendly demeanor at all.

She could sense something off in his words—this “fun” competition was probably a trap.

She was about to raise her hand when another male cadet stepped forward first.

The event was a 400-meter obstacle run, something all the cadets had trained for during their basic training.

The memory of how grueling that practice had been made most of the cadets wince in discomfort.

Only Zhang Lu and the commander from her previous training group were focused on the two participants.

The more Zhang Lu watched, the more she winced. It was brutal—the base soldier was completely dominating the cadet.

The difference between them was enormous.

By the time the soldier finished the course and was back at the starting line, the cadet was still struggling through the middle section, just starting his return lap.

The 400-meter obstacle run required completing one full lap, back and forth. When the cadet finally finished, he stood at the starting line, his head hung low in shame, feeling utterly humiliated.

The mood among the cadets shifted.

They began looking at the veterans with wary and tense eyes, the atmosphere growing increasingly confrontational.

The veterans, meanwhile, were all grinning smugly, clearly pleased with themselves.

Their glances toward the cadets were full of disdain, as if they couldn’t be bothered to take them seriously.

They were practically waiting to crush them in the next round.

“The first round goes to the veterans! Who’s up next?” The instructor’s smile remained as calm as ever, seemingly oblivious to the brewing tension between the cadets and the veterans.

In fact, this was probably the situation he had intended to create.

Zhang Lu was about to raise her hand again, but the commander, Liang Xiaofeng, stopped her. “Wait before you go.”

At this point, morale among the cadets was still high, making it the easiest time to win.

Liang Xiaofeng, knowing Zhang Lu’s abilities, wanted to save her for later, when morale was lower, to maximize her impact.

Zhang Lu shot him a frown. “Liang Xiaofeng, why are you stopping me?”

Meanwhile, another cadet stepped forward to challenge a veteran, causing Zhang Lu to miss her chance once again.

Liang Xiaofeng whispered, “Let them go first. Watch them and learn from their mistakes before you step in. The strongest veterans haven’t gone yet.”

Zhang Lu’s eyes were focused on her classmate competing at the front, and she nodded in acknowledgment.

However spirited they were, their efforts were still insufficient compared to the veterans, who had trained for much longer.

Despite their best efforts, they lost, but at least it was by only a few seconds this time.

The mood among the newcomers grew slightly disheartened, while the veterans celebrated enthusiastically, congratulating the victorious soldier.

The competition continued, with the veterans effortlessly defeating the cadets, and it felt like a relentless slaughter.

All of them had previously been the crème de la crème, proud of their accomplishments, but now that pride had all but evaporated in the face of such defeat.

When another veteran stepped forward, Zhang Lu noticed the excitement on the veterans’ side.

They all congratulated him enthusiastically, and he wore a relaxed smile as if victory were a foregone conclusion.

Zhang Lu, usually bright and cheerful, felt her smile vanish.

When the instructor asked who among the newcomers wanted to compete next, she raised her hand.

“I’ll go.”

“A girl?” The opposing veterans laughed heartily, their eyes filled with mockery and disdain. “We don’t compete with girls.”

“Yeah, let’s switch! We don’t want to bully someone!”

“Female soldiers are better suited for communications, logistics, and support roles. What’s she doing here with the pilots?”

The soldier who stepped forward glared at Zhang Lu, his eyes radiating pressure. “I won’t compete with a woman. You can’t beat me.”

Zhang Lu felt anger rising at their attitudes.

She shot back defiantly, “How do you know I can’t beat you if we don’t compete? I think you’re afraid to lose and embarrassed about it.”

The soldier gave her a dismissive glance before walking over to the starting line of the 400-meter obstacle run. “You’re asking for it.”

The instructor remained uninvolved, merely observing the standoff.

Once both were ready, he raised his hand and declared, “Begin!”

Both Zhang Lu and the soldier launched themselves forward like arrows, sprinting off with incredible speed.

Whispers of disbelief filled the air among the veterans. “That girl is surprisingly fast!”

“She hasn’t fallen behind on the first obstacle against a veteran!”

“Is she really a freshman?”

Despite their comments, many still believed the veteran would ultimately win, knowing that physical strength between genders could often make a significant difference.

Zhang Lu, being a newcomer, would likely fall behind as the race progressed.

The atmosphere among the freshmen was tense as they anxiously watched the two competitors navigate the course, their hands balled into fists.

The gap between them was incredibly narrow as they approached the ladder.

Climbing was Zhang Lu’s strength, perhaps due to her childhood love of climbing trees.

She reached the ladder first, using all her limbs like a nimble monkey, her speed creating the illusion of a blur.

The veteran struggled to keep up, falling behind as Zhang Lu expanded her lead.

This was not his strong suit, but he remained calm, knowing many obstacles still lay ahead.

Excitement surged through the newcomers’ ranks; they held their breath, eyes glued to Zhang Lu’s figure, afraid to miss a moment of the thrilling race.

However, there were still two hundred meters filled with more obstacles: a balance beam, a high wall, and a low barbed-wire crawl.

As they approached the barbed wire, the veteran closed in on Zhang Lu and began to overtake her.

This was his forte.

The veteran’s relaxed expression indicated he was just waiting for the inevitable victory over Zhang Lu, while the newcomers felt their initial joy fade, and the tension returned.

Zhang Lu gritted her teeth, pushing herself hard to crawl under the barbed wire.

Here, her speed had slowed.

She had trained for this many times before, and the effort was clearly taking its toll.

By the time she emerged from the barbed wire, the veteran was already on his way back, heading towards the finish line.

Zhang Lu exhaled, refusing to pause for breath as she pushed herself to continue running with all her might.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense among the newcomers.

Suddenly, someone shouted, “Go!”

In unison, they began to chant her name, their voices loud and filled with encouragement.

“Zhang Lu, go!”

“Keep going!”

“Zhang Lu, you can do it!”

As the shouts of support rang in her ears, Zhang Lu pushed herself harder, fueled by the faith of her classmates, determined to not let them down.