Training kicked off at six AM. Not because it was the ideal time, but precisely because it was the worst. The base wanted to see how people looked when they were totally wiped out.
Mu Chen woke up before his alarm even buzzed. He sat up, splashed some water on his face, and got dressed without making a sound. All around him, the team's floor was already buzzing with activity. Boots clacking on the polished tile, zippers zipping, hushed conversations. The day was starting up like a well-oiled machine.
He laced up his boots and double-checked his badge. Guide. C. He muttered it to himself like a mantra.
Inside the training hall, the lights felt even harsher than in the hallway. White panels overhead, stark walls, and cameras lurking in every corner. A glass-enclosed room overlooked the floor, allowing people to observe without being seen. Mu Chen noticed the glass room immediately and kept his expression completely neutral.
Zhou Xiao waved him over. "Over here."
Mu Chen joined the line where the rest of the team stood. Lin Lan was there too, hair pulled back, tablet clutched like a weapon. Ye Fan stood at the front, dressed in a plain training uniform, no gear, just a shirt that highlighted his strong arms and a face that looked carved from pure control.
Ye Fan's eyes swept across the line, pausing on Mu Chen. "Late," he stated.
Mu Chen glanced at the wall clock. He was actually early. Still, he understood. Ye Fan was setting a tone. "Yes, Major," Mu Chen replied simply.
Ye Fan's gaze intensified. "You don't agree with a lie. You correct it."
Mu Chen stood his ground. "I was early."
Ye Fan's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he disliked Mu Chen's composure under pressure. "Good," Ye Fan said. "At least you can count."
Zhou Xiao let out a tiny sound, like he stifled a laugh.
Ye Fan turned. "Warm up. Ten minutes." The team moved, and Mu Chen followed suit. Stretching, running, jumping drills – nothing out of the ordinary. But Mu Chen could feel eyes on him, not just from the team, but from the glass room. He didn't look up, keeping his breathing steady and his movements natural, neither too fluid nor too powerful. A C-level guide shouldn't move like a weapon.
After the warm-up, Ye Fan walked the line again. "Today," he announced, "we're testing your basics. Movement. Balance. Reaction." He stopped in front of Mu Chen. "Lieutenant Mu."
"Yes, Major."
"You fight."
Mu Chen hesitated. "I'm a guide."
Ye Fan's lips tightened. "You have a body. Use it."
Mu Chen kept his voice calm. "I can defend myself."
"Show me," Ye Fan commanded.
Zhou Xiao stepped forward, then paused. Lin Lan looked up from her tablet. Ye Fan pointed. "Zhou Xiao. Spar with him."
Zhou Xiao's eyes widened. "Major—"
"Light contact," Ye Fan clarified. "No broken bones. I'm not in the mood for paperwork." Zhou Xiao looked at Mu Chen with an apologetic expression. "Sorry."
Mu Chen gave a single nod. "It's fine." They moved to the mat.
Zhou Xiao adopted a basic guard stance. "Just… do your best. I'll go easy." Mu Chen didn't reply, taking his own stance – not perfect, not sloppy, just sufficient.
Zhou Xiao advanced slowly, probing. Mu Chen stepped back, turned his shoulder, and evaded the initial grab. Zhou Xiao tried again, quicker this time, but Mu Chen blocked, his palm meeting Zhou Xiao's wrist in a simple, clean, and swift move. Zhou Xiao blinked.
He came in again, a small punch aimed at Mu Chen's chest. Mu Chen shifted his weight and redirected it. The move was basic, but the timing was precise, causing Zhou Xiao to stumble a step. The room quieted, not completely, but noticeably. Mu Chen felt it – that shift when people stop thinking and start watching.
Zhou Xiao's expression turned serious, and he stopped holding back. He attacked with more force – a sweep, a grab, a shoulder shove. Mu Chen kept moving, not winning, not losing, staying just under the radar. Enough to look trained, but not enough to seem extraordinary. Still, Ye Fan's eyes remained fixed on him, sharp as a blade.
Zhou Xiao attempted a takedown. Mu Chen saw it coming a second before it happened, stepped aside, used Zhou Xiao's momentum, and gently guided him to the mat. It wasn't a forceful throw, but a controlled one. Zhou Xiao landed and stared at the ceiling before sitting up and looking at Mu Chen with a newfound caution.
Ye Fan's voice cut through the air. "Again." Zhou Xiao got up, his earlier smile gone. This time, he attacked quickly, trying to catch Mu Chen off guard. Mu Chen allowed himself to be pushed back two steps before slipping sideways and hooking Zhou Xiao's elbow, throwing him off balance. Zhou Xiao cursed softly and broke free. Mu Chen's heart remained steady, but he felt it now: Ye Fan wasn't just testing if he could fight, he was testing what Mu Chen was hiding.
The spar ended when Ye Fan raised his hand. "Enough," he declared. Zhou Xiao stepped back, breathing heavily. Mu Chen's breathing was even.
Ye Fan approached Mu Chen, his voice low, audible only to him. "Orphanage taught you that?"
Mu Chen's gaze didn't waver. "No."
Ye Fan's eyes sharpened. "Then where?"
Mu Chen gave the safest possible answer. "I learned to survive." Ye Fan stared at him for a long moment before stepping back and addressing the group. "Weapons drill."
The team moved to the next section. Mu Chen fell into line, but his skin felt tight. Ye Fan had gotten too close, not physically, but mentally. A sentinel like Ye Fan could spot gaps, not just what you showed, but what you didn't. During the weapons drill, Mu Chen again did the bare minimum. He held the training pistol correctly, hit basic targets, and deliberately missed a few, ensuring the pattern looked normal. Lin Lan watched him from the side, not with Zhou Xiao's curiosity, but like a recording device. Mu Chen kept his face blank.
After two hours, Ye Fan dismissed them. On the way out, Zhou Xiao walked beside Mu Chen, rubbing his shoulder. "You said you were C."
Mu Chen offered a small smile. "I am."
Zhou Xiao stared. "C doesn't throw me like that."
Mu Chen replied softly, "Maybe you're tired." Zhou Xiao looked as if he wanted to argue, then stopped, as if remembering where they were – cameras, the glass room, the rules. "Yeah," Zhou Xiao conceded. "Maybe."
They left the hall, and Mu Chen felt the cold light follow him down the corridor. Behind them, Ye Fan lingered in the training hall for a moment longer. Mu Chen didn't turn, but he could feel Ye Fan's gaze on his back, like an unseen hand, a promise that Ye Fan wouldn't rest until he knew the truth.