EM Chapter 23. The Camp

Xiao Mingxuan was the chief instructor for the training program. Normally, he would not appear before the first elimination round, but this time, two very specific individuals had joined the team. He had no choice but to personally come and drag them away.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Song Feng and Wei Xiaoyan silently followed the officer out. Not a word was spoken on the way. Only after they stepped into the office did Song Feng suddenly lunge forward. Xiao Mingxuan sensed the rush of wind behind him and dodged aside just in time to avoid the incoming punch. Xiao Mingxuan twisted away from the punch, then lifted his arm to block the kick cleanly with his elbow. Their arms and legs connected with a solid thud. Both of them felt the impact buzz through their limbs.

Song Feng took half a step back and attacked again. Xiao Mingxuan remained calm, countering each move as it came. They moved with such speed that no one could tell how many strikes had already passed between them. Xiao Mingxuan was a little surprised. He had known this man was skilled, but he had not expected this kind of explosive power.

“Reporting in!”

A loud voice called from outside. Wei Xiaoyan glanced at the chaos in the room, then slowly slid over to the doorway.

“I don’t think your officer has time to respond right now. You need something?”

The man at the door looked inside and froze. His mouth fell open in shock. He could hardly believe someone was holding his own against the vice-captain of the special forces. Wei Xiaoyan gave him a once-over. The man was holding scissors and a comb.

“You… you’re logistics? You came to give haircuts?”

The man assumed he had been informed and nodded.

“Someone told me two recruits had hair that was too long and not up to standard. I was sent to clean them up.” He paused. “Don’t tell me it’s you two?”

“You’ve got the wrong room,” Wei Xiaoyan said sincerely. He waved the man off and closed the door in his face, then turned around, sat down in a chair, and poured himself a glass of water, sipping it leisurely.

The man outside was left speechless.

Inside, the fight continued. Xiao Mingxuan spotted his opening. He ignored the hand locked around his throat, caught the rising knee with his arm, and slammed Song Feng hard against the wall.

“Cut it out.”

Song Feng pulled back just in time, making sure not to actually break the man’s neck. He took a deep breath, then gave a crooked grin.

“Not bad at all. You’ve got solid technique. And look at that rank insignia. Two bars and two stars. Lieutenant Colonel, and now you’re out here playing special forces?”

“I like it,” Xiao Mingxuan replied, eyes fixed on him. From the moment they had parted until now, so much time had passed. Yet this man was exactly the same. Time had not left a single mark on him. He was still just as shameless, just as irreverent, as if he would never change.

Xiao Mingxuan had imagined this reunion countless times. From selection to his first mission, it had always been on his mind. He had thought he would meet him calmly, face to face. But now that it was actually happening, he realized he was nowhere near as composed as he had hoped. He was standing in front of him again, and that alone was enough to stir up a storm inside him. Still, all the effort he had put in these past months had not been in vain. His gaze was steady and calm. No one could tell what he was truly thinking.

“Yeah, you like it,” Song Feng said with a cheerful smile. His eyes suddenly turned sharp.

“So just because you like it, you dragged me into this shit too? Huh? I was wondering why the higher-ups suddenly decided to let mercenaries join special forces training. The moment I saw you, I got it.”

“Yes. I wrote that proposal. I never forgot the things we talked about in Thailand,” Xiao Mingxuan said. “You were right. That’s why I started making changes. The proposal was approved by command, including your grandfather, Commander Song. You should already know that.”

Song Feng gritted his teeth.

“But that doesn’t mean you had to drag me into it.”

“You weren’t the only one.”

Wei Xiaoyan looked like he was about to cry.

“Yeah, and then there’s me. I’m just collateral damage…”

Song Feng shoved Xiao Mingxuan off and threw himself into a chair.

“I told you more than that back then. I also told you to lay low once you got back. What part of that did you not understand? Fuck. Every time I run into you, nothing good ever happens.”

Xiao Mingxuan walked over calmly, his expression unchanged. To say he had no personal motives would be a lie. He knew that this man liked being a mercenary, but it was a dangerous profession. He did not want to see Song Feng fall again in that kind of role, and he could not bear the thought of him getting hurt, or worse, dying somewhere beyond his reach. So he had done everything he could to bring him close. That was the only way he could feel at ease.

“Reporting,” came the voice again from outside the door.

Xiao Mingxuan glanced in that direction.
“Come in.”

“Yes, sir.” The man stepped inside. “I’m here to cut hair.”

Song Feng took one silent second to process that, then sprang to his feet to escape. Xiao Mingxuan reacted quickly and pressed him down with one hand, speaking gently.

“This is regulation.”

“Fuck your regulation. How the hell am I supposed to pick up girls after this!” Song Feng struggled fiercely. “Let go of me, Xiao Mingxuan! I swear I’ll never forgive you for this!”

Xiao Mingxuan was losing his grip, so he changed his stance and dragged Song Feng into a firm hold. The man was thinner than he remembered. He could easily trap him in his arms.

“It won’t necessarily look bad after a cut.”

“And what if it does?”

Xiao Mingxuan remained perfectly calm.
“Hair grows back.”

“……”

“Go ahead. Cut it.”

No matter how much he thrashed, Song Feng couldn’t break free. His eyes welled up as he stared at Xiao Mingxuan, full of silent grief. Xiao Mingxuan almost felt guilty. He patted his head and added, “You can grow it back later. Keep it long or short, however you like.”

Song Feng thought about it and had to admit that made sense. In the end, he accepted his fate.

Xiao Mingxuan stepped back and sat down in the chair. He understood Song Feng well. No matter how much he complained, once it was a mission, this man would always give it his full effort. Unless something unexpected happened, Song Feng would almost certainly pass the training. Xiao Mingxuan had waited for this day for a long time. Just the thought of having him close from now on filled him with satisfaction. He steadied his thoughts and asked,

“Do you have uniforms?”

“Yes. Xiaoyan.”

Wei Xiaoyan obediently opened his travel bag and pulled out two brand new sets of military uniform. “Should we put them on now?”

Xiao Mingxuan nodded. He glanced at the insignia. One bar, one star. “Second lieutenant?”

Song Feng responded with a grunt.
“We weren’t from the military to begin with. Getting second lieutenant already counts as generous.”

Xiao Mingxuan frowned slightly. With all this man had done, his merits were worth far more than that.

Song Feng ignored him and sat down to get his hair cut. Military hair was easy to handle. The logistics soldier finished quickly and turned to Wei Xiaoyan. Then he looked back and asked,

“Sir, his hair is dyed. What should I do?”

Xiao Mingxuan took one look. Wei Xiaoyan had streaks of blond in his hair. The base had no dye remover.

“Leave it. Just cut it.”

He turned back to look at Song Feng. The fringe was now shorter, and his features looked even cleaner and more refined than before. His face stood out more clearly, sharper, more alive.

Song Feng looked at him with dry resentment, ready to speak. But Xiao Mingxuan understood and replied first.

“It doesn’t look bad. I mean it.”

Song Feng finally relaxed a little. He turned around, took off his clothes, and changed into the uniform. Xiao Mingxuan’s eyes briefly landed on his smooth chest. The doctor under Song Zhe was rumored to be a genius. It was likely that man’s medicine had removed the scars. Xiao Mingxuan could not help but think of that scene in Thailand again. He silently reminded himself that this man was now under his command. From now on, he had to keep a close eye on him.

Song Feng buttoned up the uniform quickly and looked at him with a grin.

“How’s it look?”

Xiao Mingxuan snapped out of his thoughts and raised an eyebrow slightly. The uniform was tailored perfectly, sitting snug and clean against his frame. His posture was upright and sharp. Paired with that face, the whole look was disarmingly handsome.

“Looks very good,” he said.

“Of course it does. I look good in anything.” Song Feng looked smug. Noticing that Wei Xiaoyan was almost done, he walked a few steps forward and stopped in front of Xiao Mingxuan.

“Fu Shanming asked me to pass on a message.”

Xiao Mingxuan froze slightly. “Him?”

“That’s right. You have no idea what I’ve been through these past months.” Song Feng let out a long sigh. “I got kidnapped by him.”

Xiao Mingxuan’s pupils contracted sharply. Right then, Song Feng seized the moment and threw a punch. They were standing too close, and Xiao Mingxuan had been caught completely off guard. He tried to dodge, but only managed to turn slightly. A sharp pain immediately bloomed at the corner of his eye. He could already tell it was going to bruise.

“You’ll believe anything, won’t you?” Song Feng withdrew his hand, still smiling. Then he turned to the soldier behind him and said, “What are you staring at? Keep cutting.”

The logistics soldier was stunned. In the military, discipline and hierarchy were strict. A lower rank striking a superior could mean being locked up or even demoted. And this man had just punched an officer? Was this some kind of joke?

Xiao Mingxuan, however, was unfazed.
“Finish your haircut,” he instructed. Then he looked back at Song Feng.

“Feel better?”

“I don’t. Let me hit you again.”

“In your dreams.”

Song Feng muttered under his breath while waiting for Wei Xiaoyan’s haircut to finish. Then the two of them returned to the temporary barracks that had been set up. The training camp covered a vast area, with living quarters and training grounds clearly separated. The barracks were located in one corner of the camp, in stark contrast to the dormitories on the far side of the field. The difference was obvious at a glance.

They picked up their assigned field packs, each containing standard military gear.

The new recruits in the barracks were chatting in small groups. When Song Feng and Wei Xiaoyan walked in, everyone fell silent. Most of them had assumed these two were kitchen staff here to help wash vegetables, or maybe some logistics techs sent to fix something. No one had expected them to be trainees like the rest of them. These two didn’t even look like proper soldiers. What was with the second lieutenant insignias on their shoulders?

They had been told this was an elite training course to improve individual capabilities, a kind of advanced program. Most of them had felt proud to be selected. But the moment they saw these two, that pride vanished. This so-called elite course couldn’t be that intense… right?

Under the weight of all those strange looks, Song Feng and Wei Xiaoyan walked to the two remaining empty bunks and began unpacking. Song Feng glanced around and copied the way the others arranged their beds. After he was done, he stood there motionless.

Wei Xiaoyan looked surprised. “Boss, what’s wrong with you?”

Song Feng glanced at his own blanket, then looked over at the one on the bed next to his. He scooted over and poked it with a finger. Wei Xiaoyan quickly dragged him back before the owner of the bed could get angry.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I just wanted to see if we got issued the same kind of blanket. Did you see that tofu block? It actually has corners.”

“That’s easy enough. Watch this.” Wei Xiaoyan marched heroically back to his own bed. He had served in the military before. Though just after enlisting, he had been spotted by the higher-ups and shipped off to the United States, where he was dumped on Song Feng for training. From there, he had gone further and further down the path of a mercenary.

He began folding the blanket. Two seconds later, he slumped onto the floor in defeat and started drawing circles with his finger.

“I’ve fallen. I can’t even fold a tofu block anymore. My life is over…”

Before Song Feng could respond, someone entered the barracks to distribute number tags. When the person reached their side of the room, he stopped and pointed at the bed.

“What is that supposed to be?”

Song Feng looked slightly guilty. “Tofu… block?”

“You can drop the last word.”

“……”

Song Feng quietly curled up next to Wei Xiaoyan.

The man gave them one more look, tossed down the number tags, and turned to leave. He seemed entirely unconcerned. The others in the room exchanged glances. This training course really could not be all that elite, could it? Seriously, who the hell were these two?

Notes

Tofu Block – A military slang term for a perfectly folded blanket with sharp edges, resembling a block of tofu. Commonly used as a symbol of discipline in Chinese barracks.