Chapter 10

The following week passed without much incident. At school, Zhang Tie gradually got to know the other members of the Airplane Brotherhood better. Whether it was out of a promise to Zhang Tie or because they truly realized that engaging in manual single-cylinder piston activities at school was too risky, the Airplane Brotherhood did not engage in any similar outrageous behavior again. This made Zhang Tie feel relieved. Although his current strength was still weak, he felt satisfied that he could protect Teacher Daina in this way. At school, Gris was as arrogant and domineering as ever, bullying the weak in the school cafeteria every day. However, he had the capital to be arrogant. In the several tests organized by the school last week, Gris achieved outstanding results, almost breaking the school records in every project. Gris's records made all the male students in the school feel hopeless. The stark difference between a second-level professional warrior and an ordinary person was laid bare before everyone. For Gris, Zhang Tie felt lucky that he had never been cut in line by that guy in the cafeteria. On the other hand, Gris brought immense pressure to everyone, including Zhang Tie. Every day in the school cafeteria, Zhang Tie would think about what he would do if one day someone, relying on their stronger fists, tried to infringe on what he was protecting. Would he fight, and if he couldn't win, would he just watch helplessly? The immense pressure gave Zhang Tie immense motivation. Besides training and studying hard at school, he also seized every possible moment at home to enhance his strength. For Zhang Tie, being able to ignite the divine flame in the Shinto shrine a day earlier meant having a bit more self-preservation ability in this era. In fact, not just Zhang Tie, but all the male students in the graduating class of the Seventh National Middle School in Black Flame City had started to work hard. This was their last semester at school, and the second half of the year would be spent on internships, not at school. The mines around Black Flame City, the city guard, and the farms and key transportation routes outside the city were the internship sites for all the graduating students. While the city was relatively safe, accidents could happen at the other internship sites, and once you left the protection of Black Flame City's tall walls, it was hard to find a place in the wild that could be called safe. Dangerous mutated creatures and dark races from the underground could end your life at any moment. The legend of the perverted gay men in the city guard who liked fresh interns had been circulating among the graduating students for many years. "If you don't work hard, you'll die" was Captain Collin's catchphrase and a true reflection of the era. "Draw your gun, use force, did you all skip lunch? Draw your gun, use force..." The gun instructor's shouts echoed on the afternoon training ground. "Damn it, even if you're holding a red-hot iron rod, you can't let the gun slide forward when you thrust it. Do you have no strength in your hands? You're even worse than women..." Under the scorching sun, Zhang Tie was drenched in sweat, repeatedly practicing the tedious bayonet thrusts. After two hours, the hollow steel gun body had been rubbed to a scorching heat, and the blisters on his palms burst and burned, constantly irritated by sweat and the hot gun body. Holding the gun, which was as hot as burning charcoal, felt like being pierced by needles. However, looking at the gun instructor standing on the training platform, his body as straight as a spear, and the stern expression on his face, Zhang Tie could only grit his teeth and transform his pain into a roar of "kill," then thrust, step forward, and draw his gun, like a machine that never tired. In the eyes of all the students, what motivated them even more than the gun instructor was the record of the person they hated the most, written on the high platform behind the gun instructor. This was a school tradition. The data of the strongest student in each graduating class would be written in large red letters on the high platform in the middle of the training ground for everyone to admire. For some, it was an honor; for more, it was an incentive, or more accurately, a challenge... Gris — 100 meters — 10.3 seconds. Bench press — 150 kilograms. Squat — 310 kilograms. Explosive punch force — right hand 510 kilograms, left hand 340 kilograms. Maximum explosive kicking force — 780 kilograms. Maximum continuous armor-piercing bayonet thrusts — 137. Endurance — 13. Endurance, also known as the three-standard indicator, refers to the maximum effective combat force delivery distance in standard conditions, measured in kilometers, under standard combat equipment. This may sound a bit complicated, but it is the most accurate explanation. If placed in a certain level of a gun squad, this would be the maximum tactical movement radius of the gun squad on the battlefield. The maximum effective combat force means that after a rapid march, one can still retain more than half of their maximum combat power after a three-minute rest. Gris's endurance value of 13 means that after a rapid march of 13 kilometers under standard combat equipment, he can still complete more than 69 armor-piercing bayonet thrusts or deliver an attack with his right hand of more than 255 kilograms... This is the strength of a second-level warrior! The characters on the high platform were still fresh, the bright red letters looking down as if mocking everyone who was beneath them. Since the school wrote Gris's name and these data on the platform two weeks ago, the atmosphere on the training ground had become increasingly tense. No one wanted to be the one to back down. On the day Gris's name appeared on the platform, the cold gun instructor told Zhang Tie and the others that on the battlefield, there were only the living and the dead, not good and bad people. Everyone understood, and Zhang Tie's interpretation was that those who could survive the battlefield were good people. After more than two hours of gun training, there was a 10-kilometer armed medium-speed march. When he completed this final task of the day, Zhang Tie's legs felt like cotton. He found a shady spot, sat down, and panted like a dog, unable to stand up for a long time. Everyone in the Airplane Brotherhood was sprawled out, except for Doug and Baghdad. Baghdad was the strongest among the Airplane Brotherhood and could rank among the top students in the school. Doug's situation was a bit special. This guy was abnormally excited today, drooling and grinning foolishly during class. During the gun training, Zhang Tie accidentally saw him, and although he was exhausted, there was a noticeable bulge in his pants. This sight left Zhang Tie speechless. Damn, practicing gun skills could make his little brother so excited. Zhang Tie really admired this guy in the Airplane Brotherhood. After the run, Gris and his few followers strutted past Zhang Tie, their heads held high and looking down on the others who were sprawled out. "Worthless!" Gris's lips seemed to form this word, and Zhang Tie had no heart to argue, only gritting his teeth. After resting for about ten minutes and recovering a bit of strength, Zhang Tie saw the fat Balin trembling as he approached and squatted down, whispering, "Do you have any plans after school?" "Twice a week, I have to work at the grocery store today!" "Are you still a virgin?" Hearing this, Zhang Tie became angry, "Damn, what's wrong with being a virgin? You're no different!" "Wrong, after today, you'll be the only virgin left in the Airplane Brotherhood!" Balin said calmly, his eyes filled with pity, which left Zhang Tie momentarily speechless. "What do you mean?" Zhang Tie didn't understand. "You'll see after school. This is a benefit of being in the Airplane Brotherhood. It's Doug's turn today. Once I get some more money, I'll arrange it for you next time..." Balin patted Zhang Tie's shoulder and walked away, leaving Zhang Tie sitting there, puzzled. Today's dismissal felt a bit different. As they walked out of the school gate together, Zhang Tie noticed that Baghdad and the others were solemnly saying goodbye to Doug at the school gate. Each time they said goodbye, they would put their arms around Doug and whisper something, followed by a lecherous laugh. Doug was very excited, his ears red. Zhang Tie could only vaguely hear some of the content, something about rinsing your mouth and being clean for a surprise. When it was Baghdad's turn, his voice was loud enough for Zhang Tie to hear clearly, "The first time is quick, don't be discouraged. The next times will be longer, and you can do it many times. I did it seven times in a row..." Then there were shoulder pats and hugs, and a bunch of guys winked at Doug as they said goodbye. Cista wanted to follow, but Baghdad and Light dragged him away by the arms. Zhang Tie was puzzled. Balin said it was an activity of the Airplane Brotherhood, and if Zhang Tie had time, he could join. Zhang Tie asked and found out that Balin and Doug were going to the train station, which was on the way, so he followed. On the way, Doug was both excited and nervous, constantly asking Balin strange questions. "I took a shower last night, but I sweated a lot during training today. Is it okay?" "Did you change your underwear and boxers?" "Yes, I changed them after the shower last night!" "Then it's fine!" "But Cista said rinsing your mouth before would bring a surprise!" "Don't worry, I've already prepared it for you!" Balin said, taking out a small paper packet from his pocket, which was wrapped in layers, making Doug and Zhang Tie very curious. Balin opened the packet, revealing a few thin leaves. "What is this?" Doug asked curiously. "This is very precious, it's tea. I stole it from my dad. Someone gave it to him, and he usually doesn't use it. It's only found in the Eastern Continent. Here, put them in your mouth, hold them, don't chew or swallow, just hold them. It's better than rinsing your mouth!" Balin carefully took the leaves and put them in his mouth, holding them tightly, not speaking for fear they would fall out. "How many times can we do it?" After a while, Doug asked another question. "For three hours, you can do it as many times as you want!" "Can we do the back hole?" A few minutes later, Doug asked another curious question. "The back...?" Balin was really surprised, "Who told you that?" "My brother..." "This... should, I don't think it's allowed. Cista and the others haven't tried it!" "Oh!" Holding the tea leaves in his mouth, Doug became obedient again. It seemed that he felt his previous question had affected his authority. After a few seconds of silence, Balin explained seriously, "Doing the back is very expensive, yes, very expensive, and it's not hygienic..." Zhang Tie had a vague idea, but his curiosity and the rising male hormones made him follow Balin and Doug from the school to the train station area, a dilapidated residential area. They walked through a low alley for about three to five minutes, and finally, the three of them stood in front of a vermilion door, which was much cleaner than the other obviously old doors around it. As the three stood at the door, and Balin knocked, a few passersby glanced at them with some strange looks. Zhang Tie felt as if there were fleas crawling on his face, making it slightly itchy. Not knowing what was behind the door, but sensing that it would be very exciting, Zhang Tie became nervous. Doug was already sweating profusely. Hearing a gurgle from someone's throat, Zhang Tie turned to see Doug looking like he was about to vomit, trying to swallow something. Balin was also startled, "What's wrong!" "I was nervous... and swallowed the leaves when I swallowed saliva. Now they're stuck in my throat, and it's uncomfortable..." "Idiot..." Balin cursed, hitting his head in pain, "That's embarrassing. Don't try to get them out. Wait until we go in and drink some water to flush them down!" "Ugh..." Zhang Tie's eyes widened as he saw Doug's face turn red, his neck veins bulge, and something seemed to surge from his throat, making his mouth bulge. He then closed his mouth tightly, covered it with his hand, and finally swallowed everything back. "It's fine now, I swallowed them all. I reacted quickly!" Doug patted his chest, looking like he had survived a disaster, and then gave a shy smile, revealing a half-digested leaf of vegetables from the school cafeteria stuck in his teeth. Zhang Tie's face turned pale, and his stomach churned. The smell of the leaves mixed with stomach acid was overwhelming, and Balin was also stunned, not expecting someone to be so strong. Zhang Tie's curiosity and hormones subsided, "You guys play, I'm leaving!" Balin quickly took out four silver coins from his pocket and put them in Doug's hand, "Go in by yourself. Remember, don't say I brought you here, and don't say you know me!" The two quickly ran away and hid, leaving Doug standing at the door, scratching his head. The vermilion door opened, and Zhang Tie didn't see who was inside, only seeing Doug's eyes widen, then he gave a "shy" smile, "Hello..." The person who opened the door almost fainted from the smell. As soon as the words were out, "Bang," the door closed again. Doug was puzzled, thought for a moment, and then turned to look at Balin and Zhang Tie. Balin gave him a thumbs-up, and Doug straightened his chest and knocked again. The door opened, and Doug still gave a "shy" smile, holding out the four silver coins in his hand. Seeing this, Balin hit his head in pain again. The door closed without hesitation, and this time, it was louder and more forceful, indicating the owner's mood. When Doug knocked for the third time, Zhang Tie saw a bucket of water poured out from the door, drenching Doug, and his "shy" smile froze... Poor guy!