When she heard their words, Feng Ling kept one hand against the ground and raised her other hand to wipe her sweat away. She spoke to Qiao Fei with gratitude: “There’s no need to reduce the intensity. I can keep up. It’s fine.”
Nanheng did not seem to appreciate her words. He only gave her an indifferent glance. “You better keep up. Otherwise, you can scram back to Team One.”
The other four exhausted men immediately fell into a heavy silence. Their boss has always been harsh. In moments like this, no one dared to say a single word against him.
Qiao Fei still wanted to continue. Nanheng furrowed his brows. “Are you done with the handover work for Team Two? If you’re not, scram back and get it done. What are you standing here for? Do I keep you here for you to daydream?”
When everyone heard these words, they quickly resumed their training, fearful of being their boss’s next target.
The sniper team trained continuously through the afternoon before they were eventually given a thirty minute break. They then left for dinner when the sky turned dark but had to resume their training right after. They then paused for another thirty minutes before resuming until it was 9:00 p.m. Finally, they were released for the night.
The training hours were not decided by Boss Li but by the person-in-charge of the American Police Bureau. As snipers were a valued, but rare resource in America, they hoped to accelerate the training for these potential members.
At 9:00 p.m. sharp, the group was dismissed.
Feng Ling’s clothes were soaked with sweat. She scanned the other four trainees; no one was spared.
In fact, the sniper team was not the only one receiving this sort of hellish training. Typically, most of the teams here were trained firmly. However, compared to their previous training, this was indeed much harder. The five of them had no choice but to endure it.
It was really hard to imagine that in the base that stood behind the American Police and Army force, were a group of members that repetitively trained in this manner everyday.
However, Feng Ling had been on several missions before and she understood. The so-called XI Base did not only represent honor. Honor was but one of the returns they picked up amidst the dangers. At the core of XI Base was in fact the risks. Whenever there was an important mission, it would be accompanied by a certain level of risk. It was just that the past few years have been relatively peaceful and there weren’t much that would threaten lives.
The difficult training they were receiving right now would eventually become the foundation that would protect them in dangerous situations. If they couldn’t even endure this much, they truly did not have the rights to experience life and death with their comrades. They would also lose the most basic right to be a member of the XI Base.
Stamina was always the most basic requirement.
Although they had dinner, they really expended far too much energy. K gathered the men and called for Feng Ling to join them for another round of food.
Feng Ling glanced back. Nanheng had barely rested since the afternoon; he had stayed here the whole time to train them.
She paused for a moment before answering: “K, you guys go ahead. I ate a lot tonight. I’m not hungry right now.”
After speaking, she left in the direction Nanheng headed for with quick steps. She attempted to catch up to his silhouette.
She wanted to tell him that since she was able to endure through this afternoon’s training, she would definitely be able to hold on for the subsequent days as well. She hoped that Boss Li wouldn’t be affected by what other people said. She was capable of receiving all of the training and did not need to be trained separately.
Of course, she also did not wish to receive that special treatment.
She was a girl dressed as a boy; in everyone’s eyes, she was already an eyesore of a girly boy. If she were to receive special treatment due to her stamina, it was likely that more people would be talking behind her back. She did not wish to stand out from the crowd.
Feng Ling walked quickly but was unable to catch up to Nanheng. She could only increase her pace.
She followed him into their apartment building and saw that Boss Li had already headed upstairs.
Feng Ling quickly followed him up. However, when she was about to head upstairs, she noticed that Han Jin was waiting there. Nanheng paused when he saw Han Jin and the two of them stood on the second floor to talk.
Unavoidably, Feng Ling was able to hear their conversation clearly.
“Did you see the message I sent you?” Han Jin asked.
Li Nanheng: “En.”
“When I passed by this afternoon, I saw that you were giving Feng Ling the same intensity of training as the other four men. I’ve watched Feng Ling for the past two years and I know that he is someone who can endure hardships. But from an objective point of view, the other four men are all past twenty-five, while Feng Ling is only seventeen. This sort of training is unfair to him. He won’t give up even if he can’t endure it; he will definitely hold on. But I feel that this isn’t good for him.”
Feng Ling heard her own name and leaned against the wall. It didn’t seem right to advance or retreat.
Boss and Han Jin were both very sensitive; if she left now, they would definitely notice her movements.
Yet, if she pretended she was heading upstairs to rest, she would also disturb their conversation.
Before she could move, Nanheng spoke up: “The reason he was chosen for the sniper team is because his performance is outstanding, and not because he is fast, or because his body is agile. If you want to take an objective point of view, in order to make him improve, you have to target his weakness. I won’t discriminate between him and the other four.”
Han Jin furrowed his brows: “But this is only the first day. Even if we don’t talk about Feng Ling, the other four might not be able to endure. They lasted through today, but they may not be able to climb out of their beds tomorrow. We have to talk about pushing them past their limits—”
“Do you know where their limits lie?” Nanheng unhurriedly and indifferently cut him off.
Han Jin faltered and immediately understood his meaning.
Nanheng met his gaze calmly and spoke: “I’m aware of what is appropriate. No matter if it’s K and the rest, or Feng Ling who is still young, their limits are far beyond what we see. As a member of the sniper team, the challenges and risks they will face is much more than anyone in this base. At the very least, I hope that for the five of them, no matter what missions they will eventually have to go for, none of them will be sacrificed or injured. What is the best protection for them? Besides making them even stronger, there is no better option.”
Han Jin deliberated for a moment before answering: “When I first entered the base many years ago, my drillmaster also said the same words to me. Indeed, at the time, I was also forced to endure countless training. If it hadn’t been for then, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. At the time I was also in my early twenties.”
Nanheng did not say more.
Han Jin: “It’s good that you know what is appropriate. Since they have left Team One, they are now your people. It is your right to decide how they should be trained and nurtured. I shouldn’t have interfered. It’s just that, I’ve personally witnessed Feng Ling’s growth over the past two years. Everyone in the base has also been paying attention. He is indeed very outstanding. Special treatment won’t do him any good. It will only stir up unhappiness among the members.”
