The first light of dawn broke across the camp, painting the sky in soft hues of orange and pink. The soldiers, still nestled in their blankets, snored away. Clang! Clang! Clang!
A harsh bell jolted them awake, its piercing tone reverberating across the camp like a battle cry.
Ling Yue swung the massive bronze bell she had unhooked from its wooden frame, holding the detached clapper in her other hand. The bell was nearly a third of her height. Her voice rang out just as loudly. "Rise and Shine! It's training time!" She charged through rows of tents, mercilessly banging the bell at every entrance.
"Get up! Up, up, up!" she called, cutting through the soldiers' sleepy haze. "It's time to work off that last night's feast! We're not here to nap!"
Her mask covered her face except for her devilish grin as she continued her noisy rampage. Soldiers groggily peeked their heads from beneath their blankets, exchanging bewildered glances.
"What on earth...?" one soldier muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Is it already time for battle?" another groaned, still half asleep.
"No, no! But it might as well be. Get up!" She led the confused soldiers to a clearing she had prepared the night before. As they entered, the sight ahead stopped them in their tracks.
Before them stood an obstacle course that looked more like a trial by madness than a training ground. Logs balanced precariously on tall posts, ropes swung between trees like deadly pendulums, and the path beneath was jagged stone, uneven and treacherous. At the end of the course stood a dense maze, thorn-covered and seemingly impossible to navigate.
"What is this?!" a soldier whispered in disbelief.
Ling Yue, standing proudly in front of the obstacle course, clapped her hands. "This, soldiers, is your new best friend. This is going to whip you into shape!"
The soldiers exchanged nervous glances. They had seen plenty of drills, but nothing like this before. One soldier, wide-eyed, turned to a comrade. "This isn't part of the standard military training, is it?"
"Oh, you bet it's not," came the answer, fear dripping in his voice.
Ling Yue's eyes shone with mischief. "Oh yes, it is. Today, we break you. But don't worry, there's a reward for the first to finish. And no, it's not just bragging rights." She paused, her teeth gleaming. "Well, maybe that's part of it. But the real reward? It's survival."
The soldiers gulped as she raised her hand, preparing to start the drill.
"On your marks," she called. "Get set—"
Clang! The sound of the bronze bell echoed through the camp again, signaling the start of their trials.
"Go!" She pointed to the course.
The soldiers hesitated, then charged forward, stumbling and tripping over the uneven terrain. Some gripped the ropes but couldn't swing fast enough; others toppled off the slanted logs into the dirt. One soldier tried to jump across the stones but slipped, falling face-first into the dirt.
Ling Yue gleefully directed the clapper at the soldiers who landed flat on their faces. "That's it! More effort, more falling! That's what I like to see!"
Just as the soldiers were beginning to despair, Long Fei appeared at the far side of the course. He strode toward the starting line, his usual calm demeanor unshaken by the chaos unfolding around him.
Her grin grew even wider. "Your Highness, show them how it's done."
With a raised brow, the Crown Prince glanced at the obstacle course and then at the struggling soldiers. He sped through the course, moving with a grace that stunned them. He stepped nimbly across the precarious logs, swung from rope to rope with the ease of a seasoned acrobat, and barely broke a sweat as he navigated the jagged stone path.
The soldiers, watching in awe, couldn't believe what they were seeing. The Crown Prince finished the obstacle course in minutes, standing at the end with a composed expression and not a hair out of place.
Ling Yue clapped her hands, beaming with pride. "Now that's what I call a real warrior. That's the standard I expect from all of you."
The soldiers, inspired by the Crown Prince's performance, found a new resolve. One by one, they began to push themselves harder, taking the obstacles on with renewed determination. As they began to make headway, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Again."
Shui Yi stood at the side of the course, arms crossed, her stance and expression a mirror of Long Fei's when he trained her in the transitional realm. Her gaze was focused and unyielding—not just in posture, but in presence. She carried herself as though she had always been a leader. The soldiers froze, uncertain how to respond to the Lieutenant General's sudden transformation.
Ling Yue glanced at the mermaid beneath the faux mustache and beard, then took a step back and let her second-in-command take control.
"You heard me. Again," Shui Yi barked.
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, but under Lieutenant General Shui's piercing gaze, they snapped into line. A ripple of tension stirred the morning air as they braced themselves to face the obstacle course again.
***
Zhao Bai, who had been struggling through the course himself, paused in his attempts to catch his breath. He wiped sweat from his brow, frustrated by his inability to overcome the obstacles with ease.
As Lieutenant General Shui barked the command, something clicked. His tone and authority were different. The former general hadn't expected it. Not from the pretty boy too frightened to hold a weapon. But the way he stood there, unwavering, filled him with a renewed sense of purpose.
Zhao Bai straightened his back, tightened his grip on the rope, and without a second thought, charged forward, pushing himself with all his might. He had seen many leaders, but there was something in Lieutenant General Shui's commanding presence that struck a chord in him. He didn't just knock some sense into the veteran. He inspired. And just like the soldiers around him, the former general could feel it, the fire in his chest that urged him to rise above.
As the soldiers dove back into the obstacle course, with General Ling's laughter and Lieutenant General Shui's steady commands echoing in the background, Zhao Bai knew one thing for certain. This training was about more than just physical endurance. It was about proving something much deeper that would leave a mark on everyone, including him. Losing his title as General to these two was humbling, not humiliating, after all.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Long Fei watching him. It might have gone unnoticed by the other soldiers, but having worked closely with the prince, Zhao Bai recognized that stance immediately. It was a silent signal that the Crown Prince was on high alert.