"Damn!" Upon seeing Lin Mu's handsome face, Xiao Du was stunned.

He's so handsome! He could have been a celebrity, so why become an instructor?

He wasn't the only one; even Zhang Ze was having some regrets. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come. If I bring someone like this to the military academy, won't those guys laugh themselves to death?

"Are you really Instructor Lin?" Zhang Ze asked, needing to confirm his identity.

"Xiao Tian."

At Lin Mu's command, Shi Potian hurriedly opened his backpack and began to search through it.

"You've got to be kidding me. You even brought a bodyguard?" Xiao Du was speechless. Just look at Shi Potian's build; he's clearly a bodyguard. If the documents didn't list Lin Mu as the instructor, I would've thought Shi Potian was the one from the Divine Machine Camp.

"You can take a look at this," Lin Mu said, handing over his identification.

Only after Zhang Ze and Xiao Du had verified it did they confirm Lin Mu's identity. However, a look of helplessness crossed both of their faces. Even if he is the real deal, how are we supposed to take someone who looks like this to the base? The guys at the Divine Machine Camp will probably think we brought a celebrity.

The two exchanged a resigned look and said, "Let's go."

After seeing Lin Mu in person, their attitude toward him cooled considerably.

Shi Potian, on the other hand, had made a positive impression. This kid might look young, but his vitality is robust. He's clearly of good stock. With some proper polishing in the army, he'll definitely be a diamond in the rough.

Zhang Ze was already thinking ahead. Once Lin Mu joins the Divine Machine Camp and realizes he can't last, I'll find a way to keep Shi Potian. He glanced at Lin Mu and shook his head. Is this all he's got? Can he even last three days? He might fare even worse than the last one and get kicked out within a day.

This was because the Divine Machine Camp had a special welcome ceremony for everyone, whether they were a recruit or an instructor. A slight smile touched Zhang Ze's lips at the thought. This is a matter for the Divine Machine Camp, so I won't interfere. But there's no harm in watching the show.

「An hour later.」

An off-road vehicle arrived at a coastal port. The Divine Machine Camp's training base was on a small island. After all, the grand military competition required comprehensive sea, land, and air training. Every member of the Divine Machine Camp was an all-around talent.

A yacht was waiting at the port. However, the weather seemed a bit rough today. Strong winds and big waves made it unsuitable for setting out to sea; it was too dangerous.

But it was a mission, and the two were responsible for delivering Lin Mu to the island. The boat was captained by a veteran with a weather-beaten face.

After confirming Lin Mu's identity, the veteran became much more enthusiastic and began to brief Lin Mu on some general details about the Divine Machine Camp. Zhang Ze and Xiao Du remained cold and indifferent throughout the exchange. After all, their impression of Lin Mu was abysmal. To say they were disappointed would be an understatement.

"Instructor Zhang, what do you think the higher-ups are thinking? Bringing in someone like this… isn't it a deliberate attempt to make the Divine Machine Camp lose face?" Xiao Du muttered with dissatisfaction, watching Lin Mu idly chat with the veteran in the sea breeze.

"Keep your voice down," Zhang Ze whispered. "Look, Instructor Lin is just a temporary appointment. I'm guessing it's just to get through this competition. Besides, even our commander has given up on first place. Bringing this guy in is probably to..."

"Be the scapegoat?" Xiao Du's eyes lit up as if he understood everything. I knew it! Otherwise, with our commander's wisdom and might, why would he pick this guy?

"Just know that and keep your mouth shut," Zhang Ze said. "We'll just sit back and watch the show."

"Right," Xiao Du snickered.

"Instructor Lin, the Divine Machine Camp isn't like an ordinary unit," the veteran advised. "The men are proud and direct. You'll need to show them what you're made of, or those young rascals won't respect you." He glanced at Shi Potian and added, "Of course, this lad here is brimming with powerful qi and blood. He must be a martial artist. You could have him show them a thing or two."

"Mm," Lin Mu nodded, though it was unclear if he had taken the advice to heart.

Seeing Lin Mu's reaction, the veteran grinned, revealing a mouthful of large, stained teeth, equally unsure if the new instructor was really listening.

The yacht traveled for two or three hours before an island finally came into view.

"Instructor Lin, we're almost there."

「Meanwhile, on the island.」

Nearly a hundred men stood in neat formation.

"Captain, what do you think our new instructor is like?" The question came from a towering man nearly two meters tall. He was exceptionally large and formidable, looking like an iron tower and radiating an intensely powerful aura.

His name was Ma Biao, and he had a ferocious personality. Before joining the Divine Machine Camp, he had been an outstanding member of another military unit. Furthermore, he and Zhou Dalong had carried out many dangerous missions together, even serving overseas as peacekeepers. The missions he undertook were extremely perilous. He had killed, which was why he was steeped in such a strong aura of Evil Qi.

In fact, it wasn't just him; almost all of the hundred men present were elite talents handpicked from various units, and every one of them possessed a potent Evil Qi.

The Divine Machine Camp was one of the three great military divisions of the Ming Dynasty, tasked with guarding the Forbidden City and the Three Seas, and serving as the Emperor's personal escort. Since its modern inception, although the unit was small, every member was a formidable warrior who was close to the level of a Soldier King.

Behind its name lay honor, responsibility, and the highest glory a soldier could achieve. But it also signified blood, death, and grueling, life-or-death training.

However, ever since the Divine Machine Camp began to frequently replace its instructors, its reputation had started to decline. This unit, which had once consistently won championships, hadn't secured a single title in five whole years.

Zhou Dalong's arrival had given them a glimmer of hope, but then the higher-ups transferred him away. This caused the morale in the Divine Machine Camp to plummet, and its members became even more arrogant and unruly, refusing to submit to any authority.

In the absence of an instructor, their captain led the training. No one knew the captain's real name, but he had a codename: Jiaolong. Anyone who could bear that codename and lead the Divine Machine Camp was not to be underestimated. Indeed, even Ma Biao couldn't last three moves against him. Ma Biao was close to the level of a Soldier King, yet he was no match for Jiaolong. This just went to show that Jiaolong was, without a doubt, a true Soldier King.

"We'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Jiaolong said with a faint smile. He was lean and had an unremarkable appearance, but no one dared to underestimate him. In fact, the men of the Divine Machine Camp harbored a deep-seated fear of Jiaolong—a fear born from the experience of being personally beaten to the ground by him, one by one.

"Let's get one thing straight! I'm going first later. None of you are allowed to jump the queue!" Ma Biao licked his lips and chuckled menacingly.

"Get lost! Why should it be you?" another man, as skinny as a monkey, shot back. "You have no restraint. What if you kill the guy? The last instructor ended up crying for his mommy because of you, and we were a laughingstock for ages."

The others burst out laughing.

"Monkey, you're asking for a beating, aren't you?" Ma Biao retorted, his face flushing red. "If he can't even take a single punch from me, what right does he have to be our instructor? I'm just testing his qualifications for you all."

"To hell with that!" Monkey retorted with a laugh. "This time, it's my turn, no matter what!" With that, he scrambled onto a nearby reef, ready to make his move.

But just then, the yacht's engine cut out, and it drifted to a stop. Onshore, Monkey cursed, "Damn it! That bastard Old Huang, he dared to screw me over!"

Aboard the yacht, the veteran, Old Huang, laughed heartily. "You little rascals over there won't get to lay a finger on this one!" he shouted toward the island. Then, turning to Lin Mu, he said, "Instructor Lin, I'm terribly sorry, but the yacht's out of fuel. Looks like we'll have to swim the rest of the way."

Old Huang flashed a grin, revealing his large, yellow teeth, before executing a perfect dive into the sea and swimming toward the island. His voice carried back over the water, "Instructor Lin, this is the Divine Machine Camp's welcoming ceremony! If you want the job, you'll have to swim for it!"

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