Su Tang had just finished a set of obstacle courses, landing lightly from a 2.5-meter-high wall, as steady as a feather. She walked to the side, leaned against the equipment rack, and began to do systematic stretching to relieve muscle tension.
Chen Xiaocao and Liu Landi practically tumbled and crawled after them, supporting themselves on their knees, panting heavily, sweat streaming down their faces, leaving small watermarks on the ground.
"Su... Su An, did you... did you see Squad Leader Gao Kai just now? He brought you water again." Chen Xiaocao caught her breath, wiping her sweat with her sleeve, and whispered in Su Tang's ear, her tone filled with barely concealed gossip and excitement.
Liu Landi straightened up and leaned closer: "Yes, everyone in the training field saw that look in his eyes. It was like he was afraid others wouldn't see what he was thinking."
Su Tang paused slightly in her stretching movements before resuming her natural rhythm. Without turning around, she calmly looked at the male soldiers undergoing combat training ahead, her voice indifferent, revealing no emotion: "Don't talk nonsense. There are rules in the camp; romantic relationships are not allowed. Our friendship is purely platonic."
She knew it perfectly well.
Gao Kai's intentions were practically broadcast over the loudspeaker throughout the entire camp.
After that incident at the gun workshop, the way this once arrogant and overbearing man looked at her completely changed. From initial provocation and disdain, to later shock and admiration, and now... a burning passion mixed with fanatical worship and clumsy possessiveness.
For her, who was focused solely on completing her mission discreetly and avenging Wang Xiaoya, this kind of emotion was a nuisance, a burden, a spotlight, and a potential danger that could attract countless prying eyes and jealousy.
She had explicitly refused, drawing clear lines more than once. But Gao Kai seemed to take this as a woman's unique reserve, not only not backing down, but pursuing her even more relentlessly. Every day he would bring her water or food, and during training he would always be nearby "protecting" her. His persistence gave her a headache.
"Comradeship, my foot! What comrade looks at someone like that?" Chen Xiaocao stuck out her tongue dismissively and muttered under her breath, "That look is just like how Big Black in our village looks at that spotted hen, as if he wants to take her back to his own nest every day."
This metaphor made Liu Landi, who is usually serious, burst out laughing, and then quickly covered her mouth.
Chen Xiaocao ignored her and continued to "earnestly persuade" her: "But Sister Su An, don't worry, we're all on your side! Although Squad Leader Gao Kai was a bit arrogant before, he's really capable, and he's sincere towards you now. Although you can't get too close in the army now, you can't stay single after you leave the military, right? I think he's a good match!"
As Su Tang listened to her two best friends earnestly worrying about her "life's most important matter," she felt a mix of helplessness and indescribable warmth.
She knew that Wang Xiaoya's death was like the sharpest knife, cutting open the world of these two originally simple and timid girls, forcing them to grow up a lot overnight.
They began to protect her in their own clumsy yet steadfast way, fighting against everything and everyone that might be detrimental to her. Like two little animals that had just learned to bare their teeth, they diligently guarded their companion.
"Alright, enough of this nonsense." Su Tang stood up, dusted off her pants, and glanced at the two of them. "Instead of wasting your time, you should think about how to keep your positions in the next assessment. The elimination rate during Devil Week is so high, I don't want you two to be eliminated and sent home because you're not focused on training."
"Don't worry, Sister Su An! We definitely won't let you down!" Chen Xiaocao immediately straightened her back and loudly promised, as if she had been injected with chicken blood.
Just then, a small commotion arose not far away.
Zhuoyue walked over with several male soldiers. He glanced at Su Tang, then at Gao Kai, who was still "on guard" not far away, and said to Su Tang with a mischievous smile, "Comrade Su An, Squad Leader Jiang Yan is waiting for you over there. He said he has something to discuss."
The "over there" that Zhuoyue mentioned was under the large banyan tree at the other end of the training field. Jiang Yan was standing with Xu Gaogui, seemingly discussing something. He wasn't looking this way, but Su Tang could sense that part of his attention was still focused on this area.
Now, the atmosphere became even more delicate.
One Gao Kai wasn't enough, so Jiang Yan came along too.
One was a recognized firearms genius in the Third Battalion, and the other was a well-rounded warrior with the best overall strength. These two men, who had been overshadowed by Su Tang's brilliance during the exercise, now focused their attention on her without prior agreement.
On the training field, everyone's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, drifted toward the center of this small vortex. Envy, jealousy, and mere spectators were all present.
Su Tang frowned almost imperceptibly.
What she hates most is the feeling of being the center of attention.
...
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