In the dense mountain forest, a woman in her early twenties was navigating a difficult path.
The mountain road was tough to travel. The miasma and mosquitoes in the forest ant she would often feel a tightness in her chest and discomfort after walking for only a short ti.
But she had not a single complaint. Instead, she constantly cheered herself on, "Li Linglong, you are his disciple now. You must persevere!"
The journey to Southern Sky was long. At her pace, it would take more than a month to reach her destination on foot. However, her master had only given her one month.
So, in that month, Li Qiran had to overco nurous challenges.
Fortunately, she had never been a pampered girl and had suffered more hardships than most people.
Few knew that she also had another identity. She was a well-known blogger known as the "Oriental Culinary Lifestyle Expert." In the world of food and traditional crafts, she had even been appointed as an ambassador for the promotion of intangible cultural heritage in Sichuan-Shu, among other titles.
However, from the mont her master renad her, Li Qiran knew that was all in the past.
Her na was Li Linglong now!
It was only when her master had rescued her that Li Linglong realized that deities truly did exist in this world.
Many thoughts had crossed her mind, but a single sentence from her master had cut them all off.
Now, she was an ordinary person walking the path to the Great Way.
But everything she had experienced would beco her greatest treasure.
"Luo Li, I'm so envious of you."
Wiping the sweat from her brow, a determined resilience showed on Li Linglong's strikingly ethereal face. "Master, don't worry. I will definitely work hard to catch up to you!"
No. It's impossible for anyone to catch up to Master. But it's enough to follow behind him, just watching his silhouette from a distance.
...
「Three days later, at Suzhou Airport.」
A man with a crew cut was sizing up the airport exit from an SUV parked at the entrance.
The man stood tall and straight, exuding a stern military air. Impatience tinged his angular face.
"Teacher Zhang, how many tis have we gone to pick up a Divine Machine Camp Instructor now?"
The Divine Machine Camp Instructor had been replaced several tis, and it was always him and Teacher Zhang who did the pickup.
"I wonder how long our new instructor will last," the young man chuckled, a hint of mockery on his face.
"Xiao Du, shut your mouth!" Instructor Zhang said coldly. "This ti it's different. Our new instructor was personally appointed by the military region's high command. He's also the chief instructor of the Southeast Military Academy, not just for the Divine Machine Camp. He outranks in both position and military rank."
Instructor Zhang was forty years old. At an age when many soldiers have lost their edge, he was the opposite.
His formidable aura was even more pronounced, and the scent of iron and blood seed to have seeped into his very bones.
This was a man who had truly seen battle. More than once.
"Teacher Zhang, with all due respect, I was looking at our new instructor's file. He isn't even thirty and seems to have no military background. If I didn't know he was personally appointed by the military region command, I wouldn't believe it," Xiao Du said, his lips curled in dissatisfaction. "Do you really think a kid in his twenties can keep the wolf cubs of the Divine Machine Camp in line?"
"You think he's just so rich kid with a powerful family, here to gild his resu?"
Far from shutting up, Xiao Du's words were now laden with disdain. His relationship with Instructor Zhang was so good that he never hid his thoughts.
Instructor Zhang sighed. How could I not feel the sa way? By seniority, I, Zhang Ze, am already a lieutenant colonel. I've honed my abilities in the army for decades and am skilled in many areas. In terms of capability, I'm the most qualified candidate for the Divine Machine Camp. Connections? People in the army are the ones who most despise those who climb the ranks by relying on their background. Countless people with status and connections couldn't last three days in the Divine Machine Camp before they were told to pack their bags and get out. Furthermore, this Instructor Lin is only in his twenties. Most people that age are probably just graduating from college and entering the workforce, right? Could soone like that lead the Divine Machine Camp? The Divine Machine Camp is the most powerful spearhead unit in the entire Southeast Military Region, carrying out the most top-secret missions.
Even he wasn't fully convinced, but it was an order from his superiors. What could he do?
"Teacher Zhang, I an, we're talking about a young man who's never even seen a battlefield. He'd probably scream at the sight of blood. When he gets to the Divine Machine Camp, won't he just piss his pants in fear?"
Xiao Du continued with deep concern, "It doesn't matter to us; a soldier's duty is to obey orders. But those guys in the Divine Machine Camp are a tough crowd. If he really embarrasses himself, we'll beco laughingstocks too."
Xiao Du was right. After Zhou Dalong left, the higher-ups appointed a new instructor. But as soon as he entered the Divine Machine Camp, he was so scared that he burst into tears, crying for his mommy. He beca the biggest joke in the entire military region, and people still mock him to this day.
During that ti, Zhang Ze was too ashad to even walk with his head held high. So embarrassing!
Still, Zhang Ze said, "Xiao Du, this guy is different from that last wastrel who ca to gild his resu. I've heard he's a martial arts expert, and a powerful one at that."
"A martial arts expert?" Xiao Du scoffed. "In his twenties? You believe that?"
"Alright, even if he is a martial arts expert, how good can he be? You know that any one of those beasts from the Divine Machine Camp could single-handedly thrash a whole crowd of so-called martial arts experts."
Xiao Du sighed. "Take my senior brother, for example. He was born into a martial arts family and started training at six. He later joined the army for more experience, but even he doesn't dare call himself a martial arts expert."
"So how amazing can this kid be?" Xiao Du looked at the photo in his hand and sighed listlessly.
Zhang Ze was silent for a mont before saying, "Xiao Du, there's sothing you might not know. Our commanding officer has withdrawn us from this year's army competition."
"What?" Xiao Du was stunned. "Withdrawn? Why would he withdraw? We were..."
Zhang Ze said, "I know what you're going to say, but hasn't Zhou Dalong been transferred back to Sichuan-Shu? With him in the running, what chance does our Divine Machine Camp even have?"
"That guy is a freak. No matter what unit he leads, they beco champions. Who can argue with that?" Zhang Ze said helplessly. "So, ever since Zhou Dalong spent ti with them, the guys in the Divine Machine Camp look down on everyone else."
Just as Xiao Du was about to speak, Zhang Ze suddenly grabbed him and pointed to a young man at the airport entrance. "Xiao Du, look. You think that's the guy we're here to pick up?"
Behind the young man was another tall, sturdy young man, looking around curiously.
Xiao Du glanced at him and said, "No way, right? He's in casual clothes, wearing sunglasses... He looks like a tourist here for fun. How could that be our Instructor Lin?"
"Let's go ask."
Zhang Ze got out of the car and walked toward the young man.
The man took off his glasses, revealing a handso face. He smiled and said, "You're here to pick up, right? Let's get in the car."
This person was Lin Mu. Behind him was Shi Potian.
As Lin Mu was about to get into the car, Xiao Du grabbed him. "Hey, hold on. You've got to be mistaken. Who are you?"
"My na is Lin Mu. Of course, according to protocol, you are to call Instructor Lin."
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