C8 One after Another

"Wow!" The onlookers nodded in agreement with Zhuge Yao's statement, clearly impressed.

"Fine, boss, you win," Xia Yan grumbled, plopping down on the ground, his eyes brimming with frustration.

"Not so fast. If Xia Yan is going to acknowledge you as the boss, he'll have to get through me first," a voice called out from the edge of the arena, as a young female military officer made her way in.

The female officer bore a resemblance to Xia Yan, with a similarly composed demeanor and a distinctly cool expression. As soon as she entered the plaza, she captured the attention of the male spectators, who couldn't hide their admiration. The female soldiers, too, couldn't help but show envy at the sight of her striking appearance.

"Hey, beautiful, let's be friends. I'm Lei Xun, and I'm single," Lei Xun blurted out unabashedly, his eyes practically turning into hearts.

"Step aside. I don't have time for your nonsense. You, over there, come here and take a beating," the female officer retorted boldly, demonstrating that she was as skilled with her words as she was with her powerful kicks.

Lei Xun was sent flying several meters by her kick, a significant feat considering his hefty 180-kilogram frame and the strength of a Level 1 Devil Beast. Even Zhuge Yao was taken aback, wondering if this woman might be a Devil Beast Man, contemplating whether he should test her strength.

Xia Yan was equally startled, quickly helping Lei Xun to his feet, nearly losing his own balance in the process. He tossed a piece of reinforced black gold steel to Zhuge Yao, then checked on Lei Xun to make sure he wasn't injured. Relieved, he turned to the female officer and said, "Xia Bing, stay out of this. I lost fair and square."

"Look at you, getting all bold, talking back to your sister," Xia Bing said, shooting Xia Yan a sharp glance that made him quickly back down.

Lei Xun, seemingly unfazed by the kick, approached Xia Bing with a cheeky comment, "Officer, you sure are formidable. But that's just my type—a woman as cool as an iceberg is all the more intriguing."

Xia Bing had no interest in engaging with Lei Xun this time. She clenched her fists tightly and swiftly moved to bypass him, charging toward Zhuge Yao. Unfortunately, her movements were a tad slow. Lei Xun quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her way. Had Xia Bing not reacted quickly and braked in the nick of time, they would have likely collided.

Zhuge Yao was keen to gauge Xia Bing's strength and swung a punch at her. His speed might not have matched Fatty's, but his angles were tricky. With no room to dodge, Xia Bing had no choice but to counter with her fists.

With a loud "Bang," the impact only made Xia Bing take a step back, while Zhuge Yao was sent reeling back quite a distance.

"This young lady's strength is impressive. Now, I need to test her speed," Zhuge Yao mused internally. He vaguely remembered the name Xia Bing, as if he had heard it in a past life.

The commotion drew the attention of a middle-aged man from the warehouse, who seemed to be a drunkard. He reeked of alcohol and was amusingly observing the scene in the square, a bottle of sorghum wine in hand. His shoulder bore the insignia of a double gun and two stripes, signifying his rank as a level two sergeant—a rare sight within the Recruit Company.

Tasked with training new recruits, a job considered grueling, the higher-ranking sergeants were usually reluctant. Moreover, the newly appointed Sergeant Majors often lacked experience in leading troops. This provided an excellent chance for them to sharpen their skills. Over time, this practice became a peculiar tradition, and it would be considered odd not to participate.

Back in the square, Zhuge Yao and Lei Xun joined forces, giving Xia Bing a tough fight. Despite her commendable martial arts skills, Xia Bing struggled against the combined assault. As she began to falter, Zhuge Yao considered pulling back. He had only intended to test her abilities to determine whether she was a Devil Beast Man, not to behave like a thug.

Before Zhuge Yao could retract his hand, another female recruit charged into the fray, joining the battle and loudly challenging, "You two men ganging up on a weak woman, do you even deserve to be called men?"

The newcomer was Lee Xinru, the same person who had been handling registrations at the entrance earlier. She was supposed to head back to the Female Battalion after finishing her tasks, especially since she was not one to abandon her friends, given her background. She had only just left when she heard about the competition and decided to check it out. To her surprise, upon entering, she found her Sergeant Major being picked on and quickly jumped in to assist.

"Why, it's you! Perfect timing. Fat Master will have a round with you," Lei Xun exclaimed with a grin, recognizing a familiar face. He released Xia Bing and shifted his attention to spar with Lee Xinru.

Xia Bing, seeing this hefty man daring to lay a hand on her Sergeant Major, feinted a kick at Zhuge Yao and then turned her ire towards the so-called Fat Master.

The two female soldiers were formidable fighters, but the bulky opponent was surprisingly resilient, and they struggled to take him down quickly. Zhuge Yao was not one to go easy on anyone, seizing the right moment to strike decisively—except for little Wenwen, of course. He landed punch after punch on the young ladies, knocking them down without giving them a chance to react. His approach was ruthlessly efficient.

The crowd was in an uproar, both impressed by the new recruits' abilities and sympathetic towards the fallen female soldiers. Xia Yan had newfound respect for Zhuge Yao; having sparred with his sister numerous times, he knew her prowess well. Even as a strong man, he couldn't last more than a few moves against her. Yet, Zhuge Yao had not only withstood her attacks but had also managed to take down two opponents at once. His skill was truly remarkable.

"Young Master Yao, aren't you being a bit too harsh? How can you be so rough with such delicate girls?" Lei Xun complained, even as he stepped forward to help the two women up.

Xia Bing shot a cold glare at the hefty man, causing him to retreat several steps, no longer daring to approach. She slowly stood up, gave Zhuge Yao a frosty look, and without a word, turned and walked away.

Many soldiers on the scene, who had a decent sense of emotional intelligence, could see that Zhuge Yao had made an enemy. Looking ahead, he'd likely be living on edge. They quickly distanced themselves from him to avoid getting dragged into trouble and facing unforeseen disasters.

"Just you wait. In three days, at the Mecha Competition for new recruits, you're going to get what's coming to you," Lee Xinru spat out with venom before storming off.

Actually, when Lee Xinru showed up again, Zhuge Yao recognized her right away. This female Sergeant Major was none other than Lee Xinlan's sister, which meant this young lady was also of royal blood. However, even with this knowledge, he wouldn't go easy on her. The Dusk Empire was on the brink of attack, and those merciless Devil Beast Men wouldn't care if you were royalty or not when they came killing.

Once the two women had departed, the male soldiers who had been watching dispersed, leaving only Zhuge Yao, Lei Xun, Xia Yan, and Gongsun Yan on the field. Before they could head back to their barracks, the second-class sergeant who had been drinking in the warehouse suddenly materialized before them.

They all jumped, startled. This drunk had such a low profile that even Zhuge Yao hadn't sensed his approach.

"Don't be scared. I'm not here to avenge those two young ladies. I'll have you know, I'm your squad leader. The name's Tang Hao," the inebriated giant said, eyeing the four with a hint of amusement.