Vol Chapter 11 (1/2)
In the midday summer, the sun was like a ball of fire, hot and s.h.i.+ny. 5000 soldiers were lining up in front of the campsite. It was so hot out there that even one minute standing under the sunlight could make the soldiers sweat all over their body.
The soldiers were waiting in high spirit, but Su Ren was still a bit anxious. The appointment time almost came, but he hadn’t even seen her shadow. Big Brother really hated unpunctuality. Yesterday, Yu s.h.i.+ Jun came at Xu hour. Although he had a reason for being late, he was still given 20 flogs as punishment.
While Su Ren was still worried, Gu Yun suddenly appeared in the centre of the camp. Su Ren secretly sighed and smiled, “Big Sister-in-law.”
Su Ling stood proud and lofty in front of the troop. He coldly stared at her. Gu Yun pretended she didn’t see him and greeted Su Ren, “I am not late, am I?”
Seeing the sundial in the camp’s center, the time was just right. Su Ren was relieved and answered, “No, you came just on time.”
Gu Yun saw the back of the slightly angered Su Ling. Although Gu Yun didn’t speak a word, her face clearly showed ‘you need to cope with me’. This made Su Ling’s anger increase. Unfortunately, he couldn’t vent it out.
Gu Yun’s mood was not bad. She kept on grabbing the fabric bag that was hanging on her waist and said, “Let’s set off.”
Su Ren asked, “To where?”
Gu Yun laughed and replied, “To get familiar with the rainforest, of course. We need to enter the rainforest environment. If not, how can the soldiers know what they are going to face?”
Her words were logical. Not waiting for Su Ren to issue the order, she just directly yelled, “Target… 20 miles to the forest’s direction. Run forward!”
“Yes!” They shouted in unison. They even jogged forward in unison. Gu Yun secretly admired, they were worthy of their name, elite forces. They were really different from those bunch of rascals.
While Gu Yun silently criticised, Su Ren had already led a black horse and said, “You just ride this horse, ok?”
Gu Yun turned her head and glanced. Su Ling and Mu Yi, each of them, also led a horse beside them. Her mood slightly changed. Gu Yun shook her head and loudly said, “It is very close, we don’t need to ride a horse. Or… has the great General Su has enjoyed such a high position and lived in comfort that he can no longer run that far?”
From the beginning, she had already planned to jog there. How could she resist not pulling him into the water (means to jog with the rest)? The great general and all the soldiers jogged together. This matter, if it was spread out, would make a good story. She was helping him!
Su Ling tightened his grip on the reins. If he insisted on continuing to ride on horse, wasn’t he admitting out loud that he had enjoyed the comfort so much, hence, he was spoilt?! It was nothing. Anyway, it had been a long time since he ran on a march. Jogging was not really that bad. Su Ling let the reins go and joined the march.
Gu Yun secretly laughed and also ran to catch up to the march. Su Ren was dumbfounded for a while. At last, he also let his reins go and jogged together.
The great general was jogging, how could he still ride a horse?!
Mu Yi widened his eyes and gently stroked the back of the horse. He smiled, “It’s okay, I am more suitable with the pampered lifestyle.” Ling didn’t realise that he was being controlled by that lady. Following Su Ling’s example, Su Ren innocently jogged. Mu Yi shook his head. Indeed, the all-men household wasn’t good (complete?).
To the professional elite forces, the 20-mile distance didn’t really count as anything. However, within the last 5 miles, they had entered the forest. Their feet were covered in mud while their bodies were sticky and moist. Arriving at the place Gu Yun designated as a target, the troop arrangement was messed up. However, the five thousand soldiers quickly returned to the formation while still breathing heavily.
Gu Yun secretly adjusted her breath and then walked to Leng Xiao and Liu Xing’s side, who had been waiting beforehand. She asked, “Have you finished preparing ‘that’ thing?”
Liu Xing looked at two big bags on the ground and gulped. He nodded quickly. Leng Xiao calmly added, “They are ready.”
Gu Yun smiled brightly, “Thanks for the hard work. Both of you, go and join the others.”
“Yes.”
Gu Yun turned her back and saw the red-clothed Mu Yi looking at the bag. He looked really curious. Gu Yun was wondering. The horse couldn’t enter this dense rainforest so far, hence, he would have traveled on foot for quite a long distance. How come his red attire was very clean and neat, free of mud?! And also, Su Ling who had been running along the way didn’t lose his breath nor did he look tired. Is this so-called neigong*self-healing?! This really made one feel stuffy. Her heart was full of doubt.
However, seeing the eyes that showed firm resolution and willingness to learn in front of her, she quickly refocused her mind. She told the soldiers, “The fact that you can appear in here means that you must have understood the responsibilities you bear. Every one of you was chosen from the Su army to form an elite team. I have absolute belief in your fitness and strength. If you have an open battle with the rebels, you absolutely can defeat and subdue them. However, your biggest obstacle this time is the rainforest and then the rebels.
“The circ.u.mstances inside the rainforest are different from its outside. The humidity is high and also very stuffy. Don’t you already feel some shortness of breath?” Gu Yun asked. No one answered. All of their faces showed resolve and no emotion.
Her brows raised. Being a so-called elite was not that good. She prefered people with blood and meat (with emotion). She crossed her arms on over her chest and lightly smiled, “There are only five days left. To be honest, the training contents will not be a lot. Today is the first day, so it won’t be really hard.”
After hearing her words, the new recruits who had been training under her before gasped. We’re doomed! Last time she also smiled and said it wouldn’t be too hard, but the result…
Those elite forces who didn’t understand the real meaning of the words kept calm and remained expressionless. In their hearts, they were unhappy. They’d been picked, chosen, and harshly trained fighters. No matter how tough it was, they won’t even crease their eyebrow.
Without a.n.a.lysing their expression, Gu Yun could guess their thoughts from their manner. She kept on smiling and lightly said, “The energy to walk in here for one hour is equivalent to the energy consumed when running for 3 hours under normal circ.u.mstances. Furthermore, the bushes and trees grow wildly. The ground is also wet and slippery. In addition, you need to be mindful of poisonous insects, snakes, ants and leeches. If everyday you can walk 100 miles, in this rainforest, you can only walk… 10 miles.”
Ten miles? It was impossible! Here was already forest. They had just spent two hour walking for 5 miles, how could one day’s time only be equivalent to 10 miles!
Most of the people had heard of this madam’s actions; they were really curious. Seeing her today, she was really different from the imagination!
Regardless of whether they were listening or not, Gu Yun still used a ‘do as I say’ style of speaking, “Your objective of entering the rainforest is to look for the rebels’ lair. The rainforest is very big and s.p.a.cious. Once entered, one must prepare to stay for 8-10 days. If you cannot build a fire, it will be disaster. Without fire, you will be suffering at night. Not being able to eat warm food and cook things are small matters. The most important thing is inside rainforest, your feet will start to fester. You will be really close to dying.”
Su Ling was standing at the back the whole time, watching the skinny and weak woman who seemed almost drowned in the sea of the group. Even though she only said couple of sentences, Su Ling was already convinced. She had broad knowledge about rainforest. Or else, she wouldn’t be this relaxed and confident. However, what kind of circ.u.mstances shaped her to become the woman in front of him? This was the first time in his life, he was… interested in a woman.
Gu Yun had noticed the inquiring eyes that kept gazing at her. She wanted to ignore him, but it was not that easy. That man really had a strong presence that could not be disregarded easily.
Gu Yun no longer thought about it and continued, “Therefore, build a fire now for me to see! Who wants to be the first to try?”
Gu Yun had just finished her sentence, and many hands were already raised up. It looked like many of them were confident that they could build a fire. Gu Yun’s brow raised and randomly chose several people. She said, “Let the five of you do it.”
Gu Yun took the bag at her waist and threw it to Leng Xiao, “Leng Xiao, give them the huozhezi ( 火折子, a tool to ignite the fire).”
huozhezi ( 火折子, a tool to ignite the fire).
Leng Xiao opened the bag. The bag was full of huozhezi,which were buried in the plant ashes. He took several of them and gave it to those 5 people.
Those five took the huozhezi and tried to ignite a fire. While they were trying, Gu Yun suddenly spoke, “Wait a minute. Place the huozhezi somewhere you think it won’t get wet easily. Then from here, run to the biggest tree over there and return here. Go!”
Everyone looked to where there was. Approximately, it was 1 miles distance from their current location to that tree. The team of five didn’t understand Gu Yun’s intention, but they still didn’t dare to disobey it. They put the huozhezi in between their outerwear and innerwear and ran towards the tree.
Not too far away, their speeds were getting slower. The corner of Gu Yun’s mouth raised. As they neared the tree, the number of branches and vines increased, as did the humidity. The huozhezi would most likely be useless after returning back.
Su Ling’s eyes narrowed. The two miles journey from here to there and back again took more than half an hour. This was only the rainforest periphery, if it were the center…
Back at Gu Yun’s location, those five were full of sweat. They didn’t think the fog and mist would be that thick, that even the tree trunks were dripping water.
Gu Yun smiled, “Now, you can try to ignite the fire.”
The five quickly recovered from their thoughts and took out the houzhezi. They tried to start the fire, but it wasn’t successful. They whispered amongst themselves, “How come the huozhezis are wet?!” They had been really careful to place it on their chests, but it still got wet?!
Gu Yun secretly smiled. It looked like they didn’t understand the power of humidity. At this time, Leng Xiao finally understood the use of plant ashes inside the bag. They took away all the moisture and kept the huozhezi dry.
Those five people revealed a defeated look and went back to join others. Gu Yun smilingly continued, “Are there any of you who want to try it?”
This time, no one dare to raise their hands. Before they were too impulsive, now when they thought it again even if the huozhezi didn’t get wet, all of other things that they brought would still get wet, which meant there would be nothing to feed the fire and keep it alive. How could they build a fire then?!
After waiting for a while, as no one was speaking, Gu Yun loudly continued, “Building a fire in the rainforest needs a skill. I will teach you this skill.” After looking at the bags on the ground, Gu Yun’s eyes flashed with excitement. She laughed, “However, before this, I think there is something more important thing to learn about.”
Since they were so full of self-confidence, it wasn’t her character to not give them a ‘blow.’
Many of them still had a little hesitation in their hearts. They secretly waited for what was the important thing that Gu Yun talked about.
Gu Yun lips were crooked. With an exceptionally gentle voice, she said, “Without fire you could live for about 7-8 days. Inside the rainforest, you need to consume a lot of energy to travel. Without food, you will probably die within three days. Therefore, I think the most important lesson for today is to teach you what kinds of food you can or cannot eat inside the forest.”
Eat?!! Liu Xing had gooseb.u.mps. Boss didn’t really want them to eat the things inside the bag, right?! No way!