"You want me to join the army with you?" Liu Ping'er's eyes widened in shock within the Han Palace.
Since the club was sealed and Xu Tianyou died, she had no choice but to reside in the Han Palace.
These past few days, her mind had been in turmoil, and she felt that her future was shrouded in darkness. Despair would well up in her heart every day.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Li Chonglou arrived, he dropped a bombshell on her. Although shocked, some of her confusion was dispelled.
"I've asked Zeng Wang to look after Xu Ling'er. With Ning Lang around, she won't be at a disadvantage," Li Chonglou nodded. "The others from the club have also been dismissed by you."
"You are alone now, is there anything you can't let go of?"
Although they hadn't interacted much, Li Chonglou had a grasp of Liu Ping'er's character. She was outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, with a stubborn streak. If he were to tell her the truth – that it was to save her life – she likely wouldn't agree.
"Let go of... not really, but why would I join the army? I'm a woman." Liu Ping'er was very perplexed.
She was grateful to Li Chonglou, as he had saved her several times. Therefore, she was willing to listen to him. However, the idea of joining the army was too sudden.
"It's special forces, the Eagle Brigade." Li Chonglou chuckled. "Although you're a woman, running a water gun club shows your love for the military."
"You must have longed to be a special forces soldier, right?"
As expected, as soon as he finished speaking, Liu Ping'er's eyes lit up. As Li Chonglou had said, she was different from ordinary girls. Having grown up in an orphanage, she yearned for strength, and she especially admired soldiers, particularly special forces. She had once dreamed of dating a soldier. Now, she had such an opportunity.
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Liu Ping'er agreed without further thought.
Li Chonglou then visited Yinzuo, checked on Xu Ling'er, and informed Lin Weiwei that everything at the store was under her command. He then had Xiao Yun's people handle the equity transfer, giving Lin Weiwei twenty percent. The girl had never imagined such good fortune falling into her lap and secretly vowed not to let Li Chonglou down.
"Don't be so sad, I'll be in Wuning County and can visit from time to time," Li Chonglou said with a smile.
After arranging matters in Yongan, he personally drove Liu Ping'er to the Eagle Brigade military base in the mountains of Wuning County. This time, someone else was there to greet him. Zhou Jiao was still in Yongan commanding.
In the office, Fan Lei sized up Liu Ping'er, his eyes showing unconcealed disdain.
"It's not that I'm looking down on you, but you, a girl, want to join the special forces? Do you think this Eagle Brigade is a chicken coop?" His words were extremely impolite.
Liu Ping'er's face flushed red, and her beautiful eyes showed a hint of indignation. "Why do you look down on people!"
"Women can hold up half the sky. From what I see, you're not much better."
"You truly disgrace the image of a soldier in my heart!" At this moment, Liu Ping'er was unyielding, displaying a temperament completely different from her usual gentleness. She glared at Fan Lei, her eyes unblinking.
Fan Lei was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter after a few seconds. "Hahaha, good, good! A woman who rivals a man."
"You have courage, worthy of someone brought by Li Chonglou. But courage alone is not enough."
"If you want to be a soldier under me, you must have extraordinary strength!" With that, he called out loudly, "Zhuzi."
Immediately, a guard outside the door entered. "Major Fan, please instruct!"
"Take this girl, Liu Ping'er, and test her individual combat capability. Don't hold back," Fan Lei's eyes glinted with a cunning light.
"Yes!" Zhuzi gave a standard salute. He then gestured for Liu Ping'er to follow him.
Liu Ping'er glanced at Li Chonglou. Seeing him nod, she gritted her teeth and followed him out of the office.
"You brat, you're not introducing talent to me, you're trying to get me to protect her, aren't you?" As soon as they left, Fan Lei's face hardened, and he pointed at Li Chonglou, shouting, "You have a lot of nerve, trying to use me before even joining the army!"
"You're the first one to treat me, Fan Lei, as a tool!"
"How should I reward you?" His words conveyed extreme displeasure. If it were anyone else, even Zhou Jiao, their scalp would have gone numb, and their hair would have stood on end by now. No one remembered how long it had been since Fan Lei had displayed such an expression.
Li Chonglou's heart skipped a beat, and he felt an extreme sense of danger. At this moment, Fan Lei's eyes turned into those of an eagle, locked onto him. Any slight movement would result in him being hunted by this eagle. That was an aura accumulated from prolonged combat, and even Li Chonglou felt a cold sweat break out and his heart falter.
He quickly explained, "Major Fan, I wouldn't dare treat you as a tool. It's just mutually beneficial."
"I know you are very protective of your own. I really had no choice, so I came to you."
"Otherwise, to watch a beautiful young woman be killed like this, how could I bear it?" Trying to be tough or show off with Fan Lei would be seeking his own demise. Li Chonglou was not that foolish and immediately softened his stance, appearing to bow his head in apology.
This caused the fierce light in Fan Lei's eyes to gradually recede. He said grumpily, "Brat, let this be the last time."
"If I find you playing tricks again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Report to Chen Yong!" Actually, he was just trying to scare Li Chonglou. He was well aware of the nature of that matter; even he couldn't easily shake that person. Liu Ping'er, a mere woman, would undoubtedly die if she didn't come to the Eagle Brigade. But being used by Li Chonglou without his knowledge did indeed displease him. The anger had to be vented somewhere.
Who knew that this brat Li Chonglou had such keen insight, which immediately eased his anger considerably.
"Yes!" Li Chonglou gave a less-than-perfect military salute and weakly asked, "What about Liu Ping'er?"
"Get out! If you babble any more, I'll chop you up!" Fan Lei feigned great anger. Li Chonglou could see his true intentions and obediently rolled out of the room. Chen Yong was already waiting outside with two subordinates. He was the leader of the fourth team in the Eagle Brigade, a burly man, one meter eighty tall, and as strong as a bronze statue. His skin was dark, and his eyes shone brightly. He sized up Li Chonglou, his eyes showing dissatisfaction. He openly revealed his contempt, saying, "You're too thin. How could Major Fan fancy a weakling like you?"
Li Chonglou was already on the thinner side, and after three days of confinement without eating or drinking, he was practically skin and bones. He looked frail, as if he would fall over with a gust of wind. Even though their fourth team's overall performance was at the bottom of the Eagle Brigade, they shouldn't have to take in such a sickly person. He dared not object to Major Fan's decision. But he didn't care about Li Chonglou.
"Have you heard of judging a book by its cover?" Li Chonglou met Chen Yong's gaze, his eyes flashing like lightning, showing no weakness.
"You? You think you're worthy!" Chen Yong sneered and stepped forward, reaching out to pat Li Chonglou's shoulder. The two squad members behind him exchanged glances, their faces showing schadenfreude. Chen Yong's action seemed normal, like an old soldier welcoming a new recruit by putting an arm around his shoulder to show camaraderie. But they knew their team leader's methods and intentions all too well. Chen Yong's hand was imbued with immense strength, clearly intending to humiliate Li Chonglou. After all, no one wanted to remain at the bottom forever. If they accepted a weakling like Li Chonglou, they might never have a chance to rise again.
*Crack!*
Chen Yong's large hand landed heavily on Li Chonglou's left shoulder. Flesh met flesh, emitting a crisp crackling sound. Normally, Li Chonglou should have faltered, his legs giving way, forcing him to his knees, pinned down and unable to rise. Then, he could use the excuse of his overzealous welcome injuring Li Chonglou to have Major Fan retract his decision. This way, he could avoid taking in this sickly person without angering Major Fan. Killing two birds with one stone.
However, the moment his hand touched Li Chonglou's shoulder, Chen Yong realized something was wrong. There was no softness as expected, allowing him to yield. Instead, it felt like striking steel, incredibly solid. It made his palm go numb. Li Chonglou, however, remained perfectly still, his expression unchanged, as if the blow hadn't landed on him.
"You... how is that possible?" Chen Yong's pupils contracted sharply, and he asked in disbelief. The two squad members' eyes widened in shock. They knew their team leader's strength well. Forget Li Chonglou's scrawny frame; even a hundred-and-eighty-pound strong man would stumble after taking that blow. How could he remain motionless? How did he do it?
"Team Leader Chen, haven't you eaten?" Li Chonglou, seeing through Chen Yong's intention, chuckled. "If this is a welcome ceremony for my joining the team, it's too childish."
"No wonder the fourth team is at the bottom in the entire Eagle Brigade. Now I understand."
"If I were Major Fan, you wouldn't even have the chance to be at the bottom!" Since he was here, he would accept it. Li Chonglou was not someone who would feign politeness and try to curry favor with others when they showed him rudeness. He was like a mirror; he reflected back whatever others did to him. His words made Chen Yong's face turn green, and fire blazed in his eyes. He could no longer bother guessing how Li Chonglou managed to withstand his palm. He roared in anger, "Brat, you dare to insult me!"
"If I don't take you down today, I'll change my name to yours."
"Don't think I won't deal with you just because you got in through the back door. This is the Eagle Brigade, not a chicken coop!" As expected, they were birds of a feather. Fan Lei had just mentioned a chicken coop, and now Chen Yong was saying it too. However, for Li Chonglou, it held no destructive power. Instead, it played right into his hands. If he joined the Eagle Brigade, a little training and promotion would be too slow. This was a time of peace, with few missions for merit. The only way was to let go of his reservations, showcase himself, and display his strength without any hesitation.
"Just you? I'd have to consider it even if I were to take your name," Li Chonglou deliberately provoked Chen Yong.
"You're seeking death!" As expected, rage flared in Chen Yong's eyes, and he raised his fist to punch Li Chonglou's face. But the next second, his subordinates grabbed his waist.
"Brother Yong, you can't fight! Have you forgotten the brigade's rules?"
"Private fights are forbidden, and offenders will be court-martialed..." Another person added in a low voice, "Besides, this is in front of Major Fan's office. Winning or losing will cause big trouble."
These two sentences were like two basins of cold water, instantly dousing Chen Yong's anger. But his face remained ashen. He had been ridiculed by a sickly person who looked like he could be blown over by a gust of wind. If he didn't fight back, how could he live in the Eagle Brigade in the future? He would surely be a laughingstock.
"Brat, your mouth is tough. I hope your fists are as tough as your mouth," Chen Yong gritted his teeth and yelled. "The team competition is the day after tomorrow. Do you dare to face me on the ring?"
"Let's compete in all-around individual skills?"
"Whoever loses is out of the Eagle Brigade!"