Zombie Bodyguard-Chapter 1619 - 1616: Freshmen Military Training

Lin Tian removed the bracelet, turning it into a thin iron wire, then inserted it into the keyhole. With his super vision activated, the structure inside the lock was clearly visible. With a thought, the "iron wire" transformed again, filling the entire lock.

A gentle twist, and with a click, Lin Tian easily opened Xiao Manxuan’s room door. The room was filled with a refreshing fragrance, enchanting yet unnoticed by Lin Tian as he directly searched for the ancient zither.

Sweeping his vision, he discovered the ancient zither locked in a cabinet. Following the same method, Lin Tian used the Heavenly Tribulation Sword to transform into a key, opening the cabinet.

"Master, what are you planning to do? Put the zither away elsewhere?" the Sword Spirit asked curiously.

Lin Tian didn’t answer immediately but opened the wooden box, then used the Crescent Blade to cut his finger, letting the blood flow from the wound. He quickly drew his blood into the inconspicuous crevices of the wooden box.

Though he was quick, the tiny wound healed even faster, forcing him to cut it several times until the crevices were entirely covered with his blood.

"My blood can mask the zither’s aura, and those who smell it might hesitate, but it’s just a temporary fix. To truly resolve it, I need to find out who’s scheming over the zither," Lin Tian said solemnly.

He closed the box, locked the cabinet, and approached the windowsill, applying his blood in an inconspicuous spot on the window as well.

"Alright, this should hold for a while." Lin Tian left the room and locked the door again.

"Why only for a while?" the Sword Spirit asked, puzzled.

"The enemy is just probing. If they sense my aura again, caution will deter rash actions. But over time, they’ll see through this ruse," Lin Tian explained.

Lin Tian changed into his military training uniform and headed out, first grabbing breakfast at the canteen before going straight to the main field.

The field was bustling, everyone clad in military training uniforms, many taking selfies to commemorate this rare occasion.

"Brother Lin, over here, our class is here." Qiao Xiaoyi’s voice rang out in the distance. Lin Tian looked over and indeed saw the sign for Class One of Biological Science.

Lin Tian’s arrival drew attention from the girls in the class, even He Xiaofei gave a few glances. His upright stature was further enhanced by the uniform, and with a handsome face, his charm echoed Xiao Manxuan’s words about attracting attention.

However, Lin Tian’s gaze lingered more on Mu Binglan, whose already formidable aura seemed even more imposing in the training uniform.

"Xiaoyi, congratulations on the flute award last night." Lin Tian offered his belated congratulations earnestly, even though his performance wasn’t as good as Xiao Manxuan’s.

Qiao Xiaoyi smiled humbly, "Compared to other performances, I still have a long way to go."

"By the way, where’s our group’s instructor?" Lin Tian looked around, seeing no instructor.

Just then, a synchronized sound of footsteps, like a drumbeat, came from outside the field, drawing nearly everyone’s attention.

A team of instructors in camouflage uniforms marched onto the field, maintaining a steady formation even while walking. After the instructors arrived, they began assigning classes. It was clear that the school and instructors had pre-arranged everything, each finding their respective group’s sign.

A young instructor in his twenties approached Class One of Biological Science. Class Leader He led the applause to welcome the instructor.

Seeing more girls than boys in Class One, the instructor couldn’t hide a slight frown. This soldier likely had experience with training classes, dealing with girls who often complained about exhaustion or heat, sometimes even fainting.

Mu Binglan noticed the instructor’s reaction and shouted loudly, "Report, instructor."

The tomboyish voice was full of energy, even more resonant than most boys, surprising the young instructor who hadn’t expected such a formidable female student to ask permission before speaking.

"Speak," the instructor quickly responded, also loudly.

With a clear voice, Mu Binglan declared, "Please rest assured, instructor, though our class has more girls, we will not hold back the training."

The instructor was once again surprised, but seeing the lively students, he smiled and said, "Very good, you’ve shown me something different. I’m looking forward to your performances. Don’t cry later."

"Alright, training hasn’t started yet. Sit down, everyone, and introduce yourselves." The instructor sat down resolutely. Once everyone was seated, he said, "My name is Zhuang Yuan. For the next half month, I’ll be training with you and enduring hardships together..."

With Zhuang Yuan’s lead, a simple meet-and-greet session began. Each student introduced themselves, and while the freshmen weren’t very familiar with each other initially, this introduction deepened their impressions and reduced barriers.

Perhaps this was one of the objectives of military training—not only to hone the freshmen’s physique and willpower but also to help them quickly integrate into the group.

Once familiar, official training began: standing at attention, aligning left and right, organizing the team, and standing at ease. All students had undergone high school military training, and although it had been years, they retained enough understanding and comprehension.

However, when it came to marching in place, the differences became apparent. Particularly with the marching steps, maintaining the pose without moving posed a challenge for those with poorer coordination.

As expected, watching a group of girls practice marching in place, swaying unsteadily, was quite a scene, leaving the instructor at a loss. Girls generally had lower physical fitness and coordination than boys.

After boasting before, Mu Binglan also struggled to keep her face, yet Lin Tian was surprised by the unprecedented unity and cohesion among the girls. Even if some were panting with exhaustion, no one complained or stopped.

The day passed in basic drills. Evening came with singing; the military songs taught by the instructor were well-received. Classes competed against each other, reminiscent of a singing duel.

By day’s end, everyone was quite familiar, showcasing the charm of military training, which fosters a sense of community. At school, students had a group of lovely, approachable classmates.

Lin Tian felt as if he had returned to the days of first year, when everyone would joke and chat. Unfortunately, those days could never truly return.

After the day’s training ended, Lin Tian returned to the apartment dormitory. While entering the apartment complex, he saw Xiao Manxuan ahead, intending to catch up before noticing a man run up to her.

"Mr. Xiao, you hid it well from me. I didn’t know you lived in the apartment dormitory," the man said, feigning distress.

Lin Tian squinted slightly, recognizing the man as someone surnamed Zhao.