Lin Chen opened the trainee portal.
A list loaded.
Green lines.
Yellow lines.
Red lines.
Names were marked with status.
He scrolled.
Fast.
Then he saw it.
Status: ADVANCED, Reserve Track Continues
He stared at the words.
Not relief.
Not excitement.
Just confirmation.
He scrolled again.
Searching for two names.
Han Rui, ADVANCED
Good.
Then the tall guy's ID number appeared.
Zhao Wei, ADVANCED
So that was his name.
Lin Chen closed the portal.
No celebration.
Just a quiet breath out.
From the living room, his mother called, "Chen?"
"I passed," he said.
There was a pause.
Then, quietly, "Alham..."
She stopped herself, then corrected, "I mean… I'm glad."
Lin Chen understood what she meant.
Lin Tao ran in.
"You passed?!"
"Yeah."
Lin Tao smiled for the first time in days.
"Then you're not leaving?"
"Not yet."
That answer was enough.
[ Next Day, Back at the Academy ]
Not everyone returned.
The training field looked emptier.
Same instructors.
Same cold tone.
Different group.
The scar-faced instructor walked in front of them.
"Congratulations. You survived evaluation."
No smile.
"That means nothing. It only means you earned the right to be worked harder."
A few people shifted uncomfortably.
"You are now assigned into provisional squads. You will train, fail, and be judged as units, not individuals."
He pointed at the screen behind him.
Squad lists appeared.
Lin Chen scanned quickly.
Squad 4:
Lin Chen
Han Rui
Zhao Wei
Han Rui glanced over.
Zhao Wei stood two rows ahead, tall and broad-shouldered, looking confused.
The instructor said, "Squad Four. Step forward."
The three of them moved.
They stood in a short line.
Awkward silence.
No one spoke.
The instructor looked at them.
"Your survival will depend on coordination. If you can't work together, you will be reassigned or removed."
Then he walked away.
Just like that.
[ First Squad Drill ]
They were given basic formation exercises.
Movement synchronization.
Cover rotation.
Simple, but strict.
Zhao Wei kept overshooting positions.
Han Rui moved too aggressively, leaving gaps.
Lin Chen stayed where he was told, but the formation kept breaking.
Whistle.
Instructor shouted, "SquAD FOUR, WHAT IS THIS?"
No one answered.
"Again."
They reset.
Same problem.
Whistle again.
"Again."
After the third reset, Zhao Wei finally spoke under his breath.
"Alright, this isn't working."
Han Rui shot him a look. "You're the one running ahead every time."
"Because standing still gets you shot," Zhao Wei replied.
"This is training formation, not street brawling," Han Rui snapped.
Lin Chen cut in, calm but firm.
"Both of you are right, but not at the same time."
They looked at him.
"When we're moving, Wei leads. When we're holding, Rui covers forward. I'll anchor center."
Zhao Wei frowned. "You sure?"
"No," Lin Chen said. "But this isn't working either."
They tried again.
This time, Zhao Wei slowed his advance.
Han Rui checked his angles.
Lin Chen adjusted spacing between them.
Not perfect.
But stable.
They completed the drill.
The instructor didn't praise them.
But he didn't blow the whistle either.
Which counted as progress.
[ Short Break ]
They sat on the edge of the field, drinking water.
Zhao Wei wiped sweat off his neck.
"…Guess I should actually introduce myself," he said. "Zhao Wei. Former street runner league. Not military."
Han Rui nodded. "Han Rui. Combat sports. Mostly striking."
They both looked at Lin Chen.
"Lin Chen," he said. "Family training. No formal background."
Zhao Wei studied him.
"So you're the guy who ran solo in the sim yesterday."
Lin Chen didn't deny it.
Zhao Wei laughed quietly. "That was stupid."
Han Rui nodded. "Yeah."
Then Zhao Wei added, "But it worked."
Han Rui smirked. "Yeah… that part too."
Lin Chen shrugged slightly.
"We're a squad now," he said. "So don't do that again."
Zhao Wei blinked. "You telling us or yourself?"
Lin Chen didn't answer.
Which made both of them snort.
For the first time, the tension eased.
Just a little.
[ Afternoon, Squad Combat Drills ]
Now they were tested as a unit.
Moving through obstacle lanes.
Covering angles.
Protecting each other's blind spots.
Zhao Wei was strong but loud.
Han Rui was fast but impatient.
Lin Chen was accurate but slower.
They failed the first run badly.
Han Rui took a hit.
Zhao Wei got flanked.
Lin Chen was forced into cover, useless.
Instructor shook his head.
"Dead squad."
Second run.
They adjusted.
Zhao Wei blocked choke points.
Han Rui flanked more carefully.
Lin Chen coordinated movement timing.
Still took hits.
But not wiped out.
Third run.
They moved like they had practiced.
Not smooth.
But connected.
They cleared the lane.
Instructor finally spoke.
"Better."
Just one word.
But it meant they weren't trash anymore.
Zhao Wei leaned over afterward.
"Okay… I get why squads matter now."
Han Rui cracked his neck. "Yeah. Alone doesn't work here."
Lin Chen just nodded.
[ End of Training Day ]
They were dismissed near sunset.
Zhao Wei stretched his back.
"So… same time tomorrow, huh."
Han Rui looked at Lin Chen. "You going straight home or staying for extra drills?"
Lin Chen hesitated.
Then remembered.
Come home every night.
"I'm heading back," he said. "But I'll be early tomorrow."
Zhao Wei grinned. "Responsible type, huh."
Han Rui shrugged. "Better than collapsing in the hallway."
They started walking toward the gate together.
Not close.
Not friendly yet.
But not strangers anymore.
At the gate, Zhao Wei stopped.
"Hey. Since we're stuck together… if you see me messing up, say it."
Han Rui nodded. "Same."
Lin Chen met their eyes.
"Then you do the same to me."
Zhao Wei smirked. "Deal."
They went their separate ways.
But the squad had formed.
Not officially.
But in practice.
[ That Night ]
Lin Chen lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
His body hurt.
But now there was something else.
Expectation.
Not just from instructors.
From teammates.
If he failed, they failed.
His comm device buzzed.
Squad Group Channel Created: Squad 4
Han Rui sent the first message.
Tomorrow, I'm not letting you carry drills alone again.
Zhao Wei replied.
Yeah. No hero stuff.
Lin Chen typed:
Then keep up.
A few seconds later:
Zhao Wei: Wow, calm down, commander.
Han Rui sent:
Shut up and sleep. We're dead tomorrow.
Lin Chen set the device down.
And for the first time since the invasion…
He wasn't carrying everything alone.
[ Day Two, Pressure Ramps Up ]
Morning came too fast.
Lin Chen arrived at the academy before most squads had fully assembled.
Squad 4 gathered near the equipment racks.
Zhao Wei was stretching his legs.
Han Rui was already shadowboxing, light on his feet.
No jokes today.
Everyone looked more serious.
The scar-faced instructor arrived with another officer.
Older.
Sharper eyes.
Different insignia.
"This is Captain Luo," the scar-faced instructor said. "He will be observing squad performance this week."
Captain Luo scanned the trainees.
His gaze paused briefly on Squad 4.
Then moved on.
"Today's focus," the scar-faced instructor continued, "is stress coordination. You will operate under continuous engagement and physical fatigue."
No one liked the sound of that.
"Fall in by squads."
[ Continuous Engagement Drill ]
The training ground had been rearranged overnight.
Barricades.
Elevated platforms.
Blind corners.
Smoke generators.
This was not a short course.
This was a loop.
Once you started, you did not stop until time expired.
"Squads enter at thirty-second intervals," Captain Luo said. "You break formation, you fail. You abandon a teammate, you fail."
Squad 4 stepped up when their signal lit.
Zhao Wei inhaled once.
"Alright… let's not screw this up."
Han Rui rolled his shoulders.
Lin Chen adjusted his grip.
Horn sounded.
They moved.
First zone, light resistance.
Moving targets.
Basic suppression.
They cleared it clean.
Second zone, smoke.
Visibility dropped instantly.
Zhao Wei slowed.
"Can't see anything."
"Follow my voice," Lin Chen said. "Three steps left, now forward."
Han Rui covered rear angles automatically.
A target popped out of smoke.
Zhao Wei fired.
Hit.
They pushed through.
Third zone, elevated crossfire.
Training rounds snapped past them.
Han Rui took cover behind a low barrier.
"I'll draw fire," he said.
Before Lin Chen could answer, Han Rui burst forward.
Rounds followed him.
Zhao Wei moved immediately, firing from the flank.
Lin Chen advanced center.
They cleared the platform.
But Han Rui was breathing hard now.
Too hard.
"Rui, pace yourself," Lin Chen said.
"Worry about yourself," Han Rui replied, but he slowed.
Fourth zone, obstacle corridor.
Tight turns.
Low ceilings.
Zhao Wei's size worked against him here.
He clipped his shoulder and stumbled.
Lin Chen grabbed his vest and pulled him upright.
"Move."
They kept going.
No time to argue.
Halfway through the loop, fatigue was obvious.
Legs heavier.
Breathing louder.
Focus slipping.
Then it happened.
Zhao Wei landed wrong coming off a platform.
His foot twisted.
He went down hard.
"Damn...!"
Han Rui turned instantly.
"We keep moving or we fail!" he shouted.
Lin Chen looked at Zhao Wei's ankle.
Already swelling.
Decision in less than a second.
"We don't leave him."
"Chen, rules..."
"I said we don't leave him."
Lin Chen pulled Zhao Wei's arm over his shoulder.
Han Rui cursed under his breath, then moved to support the other side.
They moved slower now.
Targets still coming.
Han Rui took point.
Lin Chen and Zhao Wei stayed behind him.
Rounds hit their vests.
One clipped Lin Chen's side.
He ignored it.
Time alarm sounded.
Drill ended.
They were still standing.
Barely.
Med staff rushed over.
Zhao Wei was taken to the side.
Instructor glared at Squad 4.
"You compromised your run by carrying dead weight."
Zhao Wei tried to speak.
Captain Luo raised a hand.
"Silence."
He looked at Lin Chen.
"Why did you slow your squad?"
"Because leaving him would guarantee failure in real conditions," Lin Chen said.
Captain Luo stared at him.
"And what if he got you all killed?"
"Then we die together," Lin Chen replied.
Silence.
Captain Luo turned to Han Rui.
"You could have finished the run."
Han Rui clenched his fists.
"Then it wouldn't be a squad."
Captain Luo studied them for several seconds.
Then said, "Med unit, record injury. Squad Four, fall back."
No praise.
No punishment.
Which made everyone uneasy.
[ Later, Training Continues Without Zhao Wei ]
Zhao Wei's ankle was wrapped.
He was benched for the next drill.
Squad 4 became Squad 2-and-a-half.
Han Rui was restless.
"This is bad. If he's out too long, they'll split us."
Lin Chen knew that was true.
Academy didn't care about feelings.
Only performance.
Next drill was tactical coordination against other squads.
Squad 4 was short one member.
They were paired against Squad 2.
Full team.
Stronger formation.
They got overwhelmed fast.
Han Rui took multiple hits.
Lin Chen was cornered.
"Dead squad," instructor called.
Han Rui slammed his fist into the barrier.
"This is bullshit."
"Control yourself," Lin Chen said quietly.
But he felt it too.
Without Zhao Wei, their formation collapsed.
[ Evening, Squad 4 Reunites ]
Zhao Wei was sitting on a bench when they found him.
Ankle elevated.
Ice pack strapped on.
"So… we suck without me, huh?" he said weakly.
Han Rui snorted. "Don't flatter yourself."
Lin Chen said, "Instructor says you're back tomorrow if swelling goes down."
Zhao Wei exhaled in relief.
"Good. I hate sitting."
Han Rui leaned against the wall.
"You better not get cut, man."
Zhao Wei looked at him.
"…You guys didn't leave me today."
Lin Chen didn't respond.
Han Rui crossed his arms.
"That's kind of the point."
Zhao Wei stared at the ground for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Alright. Then I won't slow you down again."
Lin Chen said, "Just don't be stupid."
Zhao Wei smiled slightly. "No promises."
But his voice was steady.
From a distance, Captain Luo watched Squad 4.
He spoke quietly to the scar-faced instructor.
"They sacrifice efficiency for cohesion."
"That's a weakness," the instructor said.
Captain Luo shook his head.
"Not always."
He turned away.
"Push them harder tomorrow."
[ That Night ]
Lin Chen got home late again.
His mother looked tired.
But she still waited.
"You're hurt," she said.
"Just bruises."
She handed him food.
"You don't have to destroy yourself to prove something."
Lin Chen paused.
"I know."
But they both knew it wasn't that simple.
Later, in bed, his comm device buzzed.
Squad Channel.
Zhao Wei:
I'll be fine tomorrow. Don't go soft on me.
Han Rui:
If you're slow, I'm dragging you.
Lin Chen typed:
Then keep up.
Same words as before.
But now they meant more.
Tomorrow wasn't about passing drills anymore.
It was about staying together.