Chapter 55

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Chapter 55: A Friendly Spar

Da Li twitched his facial muscles, feeling shaken. Although he hadn’t intended to hurt anyone and had only used fifty percent of his strength, that was still more than an ordinary person could handle. The fact that Lin Mo effortlessly blocked his punch with just one hand proved something significant. It meant that even at half strength, in terms of both power and speed, Lin Mo far surpassed him.

“Again!” Da Li suddenly felt excited and threw another punch, this time using ninety percent of his strength.

Boom! Still the same! No change at all.

The others stared wide-eyed, shocked. Da Li was considered the strongest around, with a natural strength from hard training; he was not just brawn without brains.

Yet today, he suddenly faced someone who completely dominated him without any effort, shattering the image others had of him as a brute. This newcomer, Lin Mo, instantly earned labels like "mysterious" and "strong," and if they knew that Lin Mo was just a pilot with less than a year of military service, they would probably also call him a "genius."

“What incredible strength!” Da Li exclaimed in awe, while Lin Mo maintained a relaxed expression. Da Li found both his fists gripped tightly, like being caught in a tiger’s claw; the disparity between his large fists and Lin Mo’s small palms looked utterly mismatched.

Before Da Li could say anything else, he suddenly felt an overwhelming force surging from Lin Mo’s grip, and his body became uncontrollable. He flew into the air and crashed into the wall with a loud bang, hitting the ground like a pancake, groaning in pain.

In just one round, he was knocked out!

What kind of monster had joined the team?

The playful atmosphere in the room vanished instantly, leaving only gasps and wide eyes.

“This guy is truly something else!” the young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes couldn’t help but mutter softly, feeling a surge of admiration.

In this military environment, seniority and rank meant little; it was all about strength. Lin Mo’s performance would surely change many people’s perceptions of him.

In a world with cold weapons, Dragon Knights not only excelled at aerial battles riding their Giant Dragons but were also skilled in close combat.

“Hey, hey, what are you all doing crowding in here? Go wash up and sleep!” Old Hu’s voice suddenly interrupted from outside the room. “What? Bullying the newcomers again? You all are completely disorganized and lacking in discipline! Get ready to write self-reflections when we return! Move aside, let me see if anyone got hurt. Captain Lin, are you alright? Uh, you?!” He squeezed through the crowd and was surprised to see Lin Mo unharmed, not a wrinkle on his clothes. In contrast, Da Li was struggling to get up from the corner, groaning in pain.

It seemed fighting was just an ordinary affair here. Old Hu should have been surprised, but he was still astonished. The newly arrived Captain Lin Mo appeared fine while the tall Da Li looked utterly defeated.

“Da Li, how did you manage to crash into the wall for fun?” Old Hu didn’t even consider that they had been practicing with the new guy.

“Ugh! Old Hu, where did you find this monster? His strength just flipped me over!” Da Li knew exactly how much force was needed to throw someone out like that, and the impact on the wall had exceeded his wildest imagination.

“What happened? You really did spar!” Old Hu glanced at Da Li, then turned to scrutinize Lin Mo from head to toe, his mouth twitching slightly.

“Hey, Captain Lin, don’t be mad. These rascals have that kind of temperament. It’s an unwritten rule around here; every newcomer goes through this. But don’t worry, we’ll all be brothers from now on,” Old Hu finally understood the type of person he had brought back.

“It’s fine!” Lin Mo shrugged, showing that he wasn’t upset. After all, he had easily gained the upper hand and hadn’t been hurt. In a display of generosity, he looked at everyone in the room and said, “Since I’ll be eating from the same pot as all of you, let’s get to know each other!”

The first to step forward was the young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He saluted Lin Mo and, after a nervous chuckle, said, “Hey! I’m Huang Sheng, a sniper, code name ‘Field Frog’!”

“Nice to meet you!” Lin Mo returned the salute, feeling that the members of this unit were finally starting to accept him.

A short-haired female soldier followed Huang Sheng, also saluting smartly and introducing herself confidently, “I’m Fang Xiaoyan, responsible for communications and electronic warfare, code name ‘Potato’!”

“I’m Yuan Jingxing, an assault soldier, code name ‘Toothbrush’!”

“I’m Qin Baosong, a sniper and observer, code name ‘Spanner’!”

Lastly, the tall man who had fought Lin Mo stepped forward to introduce himself: “Li Xiuwen, machine gunner, code name?” He scratched his head, “I don’t have one! They all call me Da Li; just call me Da Li too!” Da Li didn’t seem to harbor any resentment towards Lin Mo for the earlier incident.

One by one, the others introduced themselves to Lin Mo as well. Old Hu felt relieved. This bunch of tough soldiers had finally acknowledged the newcomer, Lin Mo. To put it bluntly, bullying newcomers was a reality check for them; the ‘Night’ Special Forces Team was not a place just anyone could join. Ordinary special forces rarely qualified, and all members here were elite. In the regular military, they would be called “kings of soldiers.”

In a way, the special forces team was a haven for these kings of soldiers. Without real talent, there was no chance of joining peacefully. Here, it was all about strength and capability; ranking by military rank was pointless.

“Exactly! It’s all about harmony!” Old Hu played the mediator and continued, “I’m Hu Shu, the pilot, in charge of logistics, code name ‘Driver’!” This guy was truly proficient; his code name very much aligned with his role, but he was far more than just a simple driver. Lin Mo guessed he must also be skilled in various types of vehicle operation and repair. Building an elite combat team demanded that each member’s role and position were critically important; each one was essential.

“Look at the time; you all know each other now, right? Go on, scatter! Go on!” Driver Hu remembered the main task and began to usher everyone out, calling towards the exit, “Come on, help Little Lin with his registration and get his food. This young man should not be playing on an empty stomach! You heartless bunch.” He pretended to shake his head.

“Captain Lin, you should eat first. We’ll see each other tomorrow!” Sniper Huang Sheng quickly stepped out.

“Captain Lin, see you tomorrow!”

“See you tomorrow! Gold Coin! What a prosperous code name, so auspicious!” They didn’t forget to tease a bit as they left.

The group dispersed, leaving only Old Hu, a few guards, and a food basket in the room.

Through a quick process of biometric fingerprint scanning, eye scans, infrared facial recognition, and completing a registration form, Lin Mo finished his registration in just over ten minutes.

The dinner Old Hu brought for Lin Mo was quite plentiful, with several small plates of dishes and a bowl of soup, along with a large box of rice. The quantity and quality were generous; the food in ‘Night’ was just as good as what Lin Mo had at his former air force base—fish, meat, vegetables—full of color, aroma, and flavor, more like dishes from a high-end restaurant than a basic army meal.

“Here, this is your tactical board; the underground map of this base is all in here. The restricted zones are clearly marked, so don’t wander about. And here’s your identity wristband, which will also serve as your room key and pay card. Your room is 709; the first digit does not represent the floor but the order number. You can find it on the tactical board, and there’s no need to worry about getting lost. After a few walks, you won’t need to look.” Watching Lin Mo swiftly devour his food, Old Hu cheerfully handed over an envelope.

Inside the envelope was an ultra-thin tablet sized like an A4 sheet. Lin Mo raised his eyebrows; the equipment here was impressive indeed. No wonder people said military technology always outpaced civilian tech. It wasn’t until technology was nearing obsolescence that it transitioned to civilian use. Lin Mo recalled reading an internal military document that indicated the military had completed the basic applications of laser technology back in the ’80s. They had moved from integrated optical paths to laser weapons. Yet, everyday people still excitedly awaited the arrival of the laser age without realizing that the laser technology on the market was approaching upgrades and transitions from military to civilian use.

“I want, I want!” Lin Mo’s mind echoed with thoughts as the gold giant dragon Gold Coin screamed like a spurned lover. The moment he laid eyes on the advanced electronic product, he was captivated; it felt like this would mean his life.

Lin Mo suddenly felt he had seized on a way to keep Gold Coin in line.

“Thank you!” Lin Mo accepted the folder with a grateful smile, but he didn’t show it on his face. The Gold Coin, reduced to a wrist watch, remained in his left hand. Despite the chaos echoing in Lin Mo’s mind, he didn’t bother responding to it.

“Your aircraft will probably arrive in about two weeks. As for the takeoff area, you should go familiarize yourself with it. There’s an army aviation team in the unit, and logistics personnel can assist you,” Old Hu finished handing over the items, then watched the courier soldiers clear their things. He added, “You should rest early; you’ll meet with Captain Feng and the special team members from ‘Night’ tomorrow.”

“Thank you!” Lin Mo saluted, clearly respecting Old Hu, who was a careful and meticulous soldier. Though he was not a combat soldier, he held an important position in ‘Night.’

Using the tablet’s navigation system, Lin Mo quickly found his room. It was a two-bedroom, one-living room format: one bedroom, a study, a living room, and a bathroom, totaling about ninety square meters.