"But... we only moved a little bit. Do we have to be hit for that too?"
The squad leader spoke up, unconvinced.
"On my training ground, there is no such thing as 'a little bit'!"
Akomann's voice suddenly rose in volume.
"When I say don't move, I mean don't even move a single finger!"
"You, step out!"
She pointed her wooden whip at the squad leader.
"What do you want to do?"
The squad leader looked at her with some vigilance.
"Questioning your instructor and defying your superior!"
"According to the military regulations newly promulgated yesterday, what should be the punishment?"
Akomann asked sharply.
The squad leader's face turned pale.
After Wu Liang announced the formation of the Black Rock Army yesterday, Akomann had publicly promulgated over a dozen basic military regulations.
The first of these was absolute obedience to orders.
Those who disobeyed would be whipped at best, or expelled from the army at worst!
"I... I..."
The squad leader stammered, unable to speak.
"It seems you've forgotten."
Akomann sneered.
"Let me help you remember!"
Akomann suddenly raised the wooden whip in her hand and lashed it mercilessly against the squad leader's body!
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Three consecutive lashes, fast and ruthless!
Each lash hit a different spot; the squad leader screamed in pain and crouched on the ground, clutching her arms.
The surrounding Female Warriors were all pale with fright, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Was this still the Akomann they knew?
She was simply like an Asura crawling out of hell!
"Who else is unconvinced?"
Akomann held the wooden whip and scanned the field.
"No one?"
"Very good!"
"Everyone listen up! For those two just now, today's training time is doubled!"
"The rest of you, continue standing!"
"Whoever dares to move again, or whisper to each other, will end up just like her!"
After speaking, she ignored the squad leader crying on the ground and continued patrolling the ranks.
The entire training ground instantly became silent, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing and the sun scorching the ground.
Everyone kept their bodies tense; forget moving, they even breathed with caution.
They finally understood.
Akomann was serious!
This training was no joke!
On a watchtower not far away, Wu Liang took all of this in.
Wei Xian and Eliza stood beside him, and looking at the cruel scene on the training ground, both felt a bit of pity.
"Wu Liang, is Akomann... being a bit too ruthless?"
Wei Xian couldn't help but say.
"If she isn't ruthless, how can she train an army of iron?"
Wu Liang's expression didn't change at all.
"Wei Xian, you know very well that the battlefield is a hundred times more cruel than this."
"Being ruthless to them now is so that they can survive on the future battlefield."
"A compassionate person cannot lead soldiers; you understand this truth better than I do."
He looked at Akomann, who was holding the wooden whip under the scorching sun, his eyes filled with appreciation.
This woman was born to belong to the battlefield.
Putting her in this position was truly a most correct decision.
"But they are our clansmen after all... maybe you're right."
Wei Xian sighed softly, wondering if her personality had changed after becoming pregnant.
She felt like she wasn't as hot-blooded and decisive as before.
"She... she's like a completely different person."
Eliza looked at Akomann, who was currently like a female tyrant on the training ground, and couldn't help but speak.
Yesterday, she had seen Akomann carefully bringing water to Wu Liang like a little wife, but now... "Wu Liang, you didn't tame her; you let a caged tigress out."
Eliza remarked with emotion.
A smile appeared on Wu Liang's face instead.
As Eliza said, this was exactly the effect he needed.
On the training ground, screams and Akomann's roars rose and fell one after another.
She was thoroughly implementing the modern military training concepts Wu Liang had instilled in her.
Absolute obedience, following orders to the letter, and emphasis on discipline and formations were all put into practice.
Akomann had even ingeniously integrated her own set of jungle laws perfectly into it.
Standing at attention was just the most basic of basics, the appetizer of appetizers.
Next was formation training.
Advancing, retreating, turning left, turning right... these most basic movements made these Tribe members, who were used to being free and undisciplined, suffer greatly.
Those moving the same hand and foot, or unable to distinguish left from right, were everywhere.
Akomann's wooden whip almost never stopped.
On the training ground, the crisp sound of the whip and the screams of the Female Warriors echoed every day.
After the basic formation training in the morning ended, everyone immediately faced physical training in the afternoon.
"Now, everyone, run twenty laps around the training ground!"
"The last ten to finish will have no lunch!"
Akomann pointed to the training ground, which was as large as several football fields, and gave the first order.
"What? Twenty laps?"
A commotion immediately broke out in the ranks.
Running twenty laps on such a large field—wouldn't that kill someone?
A Female Warrior originally from the Black Rock Tribe couldn't help but mutter in a low voice:
"This is too ruthless..."
Just as she finished speaking, Akomann appeared in front of her.
"What? You have an objection to my order?"
Akomann stared at her and asked coldly.
"I... I don't..."
The Female Warrior felt her hair stand on end under her gaze.
"Very good."
Akomann nodded, and then, without any warning, she kicked the Female Warrior in the stomach!
Thump!
With a dull sound, the tall and strong Female Warrior was kicked flying.
She rolled several times on the ground before stopping, clutching her stomach and wailing in pain.
The entire field was dead silent.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.
Akomann walked up to the Female Warrior and looked down at her.
"On my training ground, there is only 'Yes' and 'Understood'! There is absolute obedience!"
"If I hear any more questioning or complaining, the outcome won't be as simple as a kick!"
She turned around and faced the silent, terrified ranks again.
"Execute the order!"
With one command, the eight-hundred-person team, like a herd of cattle driven by a whip, rushed out like crazy.
For the entire day, Akomann was like a tireless devil.
Using the most severe methods, she carved the words discipline and obedience into the bones of every recruit.
In the evening, Wu Liang was in his stone house, checking the newly forged repeating crossbow parts sent by the Military Workshop.
From the doorway covered by a curtain, a set of footsteps suddenly approached.
"Wu Liang, I'm finished washing up."
Akomann walked in.
She had already changed out of her sweat-soaked training clothes.
Having bathed, she wore a silk nightgown; the clinging fabric revealed her proud silhouette.
At this moment, the murderous aura Akomann had during the day had vanished, replaced by a sheep-like docility.
"Sit down."
Wu Liang pointed to the animal-skin stool beside him.
"Today's training was hard on you. Tell me, how did it go?"
"It was alright; I'm not that tired."
Akomann said while wiping the water droplets from her hair.
"The current problem is that the recruits' physical fitness and discipline are very poor; we need to increase the intensity of the training."
"However, their foundations are all very good. After a bit of tempering and restraint, I believe they will quickly form combat effectiveness."
Next, Akomann reported the details of today's training.
She summarized all the problems encountered and her next training plan, with clear logic and highlighted key points.
Wu Liang listened quietly, nodding from time to time.
He discovered that Akomann indeed had an amazing talent for military affairs.
She could not only perfectly execute his orders but also think for herself and propose many constructive suggestions.
After reporting the official business, Akomann did not leave; she just stood quietly to the side, looking at Wu Liang.
That look was like she was waiting for Wu Liang's praise.
Wu Liang watched her, put down the blueprints, stood up, walked over to her, and reached out to lift her chin.
"You did very well today."
Receiving Wu Liang's affirmation, Akomann's eyes instantly lit up, and a heartfelt joy appeared on her face.
"Wu Liang, I can do even better!"
Her eyes were burning as she looked into Wu Liang's eyes with a serious expression.
She desperately needed recognition!
"I know."
Wu Liang smiled, his fingers gently stroking her lips.
"However, now is not the time to talk about official business."
He lowered his head and kissed her.
"Mmm..."