Chapter 073. Wilderness Training
At this moment, Caesar heard White Feather's voice sound in his mind through the mech's mental communication.
"Master, master, is it really okay for us to cheat like this?"
Caesar's facial expression is undisturbed, pretending he couldn't hear.
The possibility of drawing Lin Yuan's No. 49 out of the many student ID numbers is naturally not a simple coincidence.
Caesar reached into the paper box with his right hand, donning his mech space button. White Feather is a S-Class mech, it can even maintain mental communication with its master at all times. Caesar had it do the briefest possible full-scan of the inside of the box to find Lin Yuan's student number. White Feather excitedly completed its task immediately personally delivered the slip of paper with Lin Yuan's student ID number to Caesar's hand.
As a result, the students just saw Caesar stick his hand in and casually draw out his teammate, and to one's surprise, "fortuitously" drew out Lin Yuan.
Baker who was standing beside him couldn't hold himself back from saying: "Boss, you and Caesar are truly brought together by fate, ah. Even this can be drawn out!"
Caesar turned his head and amicably smiled at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan however could only force a bitter smile from the bottom of his heart.
He would rather be teamed up with anyone else of the 48 students in his class, he didn't want to team up with Caesar by himself!
***
Wilderness Survival Group Training is a traditional event of the St. Romia Military Academy. It is usually selected to be carried out on the weekend after the conclusion of the theoretical class. For two days, the students will be in teams of two and traverse through the large Köln Forest on foot.
This kind of training method is a compulsory course for the military school students of the ancient earth era. Although mech combats makes up for a greater portion of the battles, mastering survival skills out in the wilderness is an essential inner quality for a soldier. Just in case you come across your mech being destroyed, the power source depleted, or other such situations, if you want to make it out alive without a hitch, you can only depend on your own human strength.
The size of the Köln Forest is quite large. Looking from a high altitude point of view, this area is a very long and narrow jungle, which spans approximately tens of thousands of kilometers, and its diameter all the way around is only over one hundred kilometers. For cadets who are really physically fit, if it was just a simple long-distance run, they would only need a single day's time to finish the distance of over 100 kilometers, but the terrain in the forest is complicated and there are even various kinds of snakes that roam about hidden to human eyes. There will certainly be countless twists and turns along the side of the road, so the instructors gave them two day's time. Without much extra effort put in, they had everyone learn through experience by putting them through staying overnight in the forest.
Knox gave each person a miniature communicator, as well as some essential items for survival in the wilderness.
There were no guns handed out within the items, a long and sharp military knife has become the main weapon for survival in the forest, and there is a compressed tent parcel for use in camping out during nighttime- this can be considered to be a kind of new experience. In this current era, all mechs have resting rooms, something like a tent has nearly become forgotten by the people. Obviously this training completely disregards the existence of mechs, forcing the students to return to the oldest era, using the human race's power in it of itself to strive for survival.
Knox finished distributing the goods and then he turned to the students to brief them: "If you encounter difficulties that you are unable to resolve, you can ask for assistance through the communicator. Those who are unable to get out of the forest by 5 pm tomorrow may also request for the air rescue squadron to immediately bring you out."
Injuries and casualties of students inevitably appear during the course of training. The wilderness survival training will be equipped with an air rescue team. Students who request for help will have their coordinates immediately pinpointed to carry out assistance. But even so, a few people will not be able to get out of the forest and will ask for the rescue team to take them out. For the students of St. Romia Military Academy, that would undoubtedly be an extremely humiliating thing, the degree of humiliation is comparable to that of a deserter on a battlefield.
Seeing the students' faces raring to go, Knox went on to say: "In order to be fair during the course of the train, I request that all students come up and hand over any mech space buttons that you carry on your person."
All of the students who possessed personal mechs very cooperatively handed over their space buttons. Caesar had just removed the white bracelet-model space button on his wrist and White Feather made a huge stink in disapproval straight away: "Master, Master, don't hand me over, can't I secretly turn into a tree leaf to follow after you? I won't be found out! As an S-Class mech, I should protect Master anytime and anywhere!"
Right at this moment, next to him, Lin Yuan also undid the red space button on the chest and handed over Suzaku to be placed in Instructor Knox's hands.
White Feather immediately changed its tune, saying: "Nevermind, forget about it, I know for certain that with Master's outstanding ability, he will be safe and sound. I'd better stay behind to protect Predecessor Suzaku then!"
Caesar: "........."
With a wooden expression, Caesar set aside this chatterbox to be in Instructor Knox's care.
Knox lowered his head to look at the watch on his wrist and said and said, "The time is now 8:30 in the morning. Next, you will be thrown into different areas of the forest according to your group. Before 5 in the afternoon tomorrow, I hope that all of you can smoothly exit from the opposite side."
Everyone immediately saluted to Instructor Knox orderly: "Understood! Instructor!"
Knox waved his hand to and fro and said: "Move out!"
***
Lin Yuan and Caesar were taken to the entrance of the forest by suspension car. Looking from left to right after landing, you cannot see another person's figure in sight.
This wilderness group training mainly observed the students' grasp of the theoretical knowledge and the mutual trust and cooperation between the two people grouped together. The 25 groups of students were each sent to the different entrances at the beginning of the Köln forest. The terrain in the forest was messy and complicated. The distance between the groups was extremely far. Unless the students got lost and disorderly walked about, it would be extremely difficult for the grouped classmates to come across one another in the forest.
-In other words, Lin Yuan had no other choice but to spend time alone with Caesar for a full two days and one night.
The two were silent for a moment, Lin Yuan bowed his head and sorted out the items that were handed out. He took the military knife sheathed in its scabbard and hung it around his waist. He got the compressed tent steadily on his back and rolled up his sleeves. Only then did he raise his head and enter the forest.
The trees growing in Köln Forest are extremely tall and dense. The dried-up yellow-colored dead leaves are spread on the ground like a thick layer of carpet and stepping down on top of it made a rustling sound. The rays of light that passed through the gaps of the tree leaves was cut into mottled fragments. In the wake of the breeze's gentle swaying, the little birds melodiously trilled every now and again, and the surrounding atmosphere became more serene and pleasant.
Lin Yuan lowered his head and walked in front with Caesar following behind him. With each succeeding rise and fall of the rustling footsteps is like an amazingly tacit concerto.
After walking down this path in silence like this, Caesar suddenly said in a low voice: "Watch out!"
Almost at that same moment, Lin Yuan's body immediately turned to the side, he used his right hand to pull out the military knife from his waist, and unhesitantly swung it over to his right to the front of himself-
Only hearing the "plop", a long dark green snake was cut in half by Lin Yuan's blade and Lin Yuan's hand movement was also fast and accurate. The snake that had spit out its tongue just a moment ago was killed with one one strike by Lin Yuan.
The dark green snake has a very beautiful and complex black pattern on its body. This is the most commonly seen viper in the Köln Forest. If you were bitten, although it wouldn't be enough to kill you, it would definitely cause injury and coma, thereby slowing down the entire journey.
Caesar looked at the already dead carcass completely cut in two fallen on the ground, only then did he slightly relax the tone of his voice.
- His little monster was never a weakling.
But, as an Alpha, a desire to protect your Omega appears, which is a kind of primordial instinct derived from nature.
Just now when he noticed the snake, Caesar's heart jumped to his throat, but luckily, Lin Yuan also promptly noticed it and dealt with it without the slightest hesitation. Fearing that Lin Yuan sustained an injury, a layer of cold-sweat even tensely appeared on Caesar's palms.
The first minor accident after entering the forest was passed through being more scared than hurt and the surroundings were quiet once again.
Lin Yuan stuck the knife back to his waist- he was just about to walk forward when Caesar suddenly pulled Lin Yuan to a stop by his arm, making him turn around to face him. The two looked at each other. Lin Yuan immediately removed his gaze lowered his head downwards to look at Caesar's grip on his hand, indicating for him to let go
Caesar however did not let go of his hold, but instead softly laughed and asked: "Do you plan to ignore me for the entireity of these two days?"
Lin Yuan: "........."
After staying silent for a moment, Lin Yuan awkwardly glanced at Caesar, he spoke in all seriousness: "We shouldn't get too close. You have marked me. Your pheromones will affect me. Whenever you're close by, something about my body doesn't feel very right." As soon as he finished speaking, he shook off Caesar's hand, walking forward keeping to himself, adding in a whisper: "I had better keep a certain distance, I'll walk in front."
Looking at the youth who set out walking forward with a drooping head, Caesar could not help but stare blankly ahead for a bit-
Pheromones are affecting his body?
At that time in the Imperial Palace after completing the mark, was he not issued an inhibitor? An inhibitor plus a temporary mark, at the very least within these three months, the Omega pheromones inside Lin Yuan should be content with their lot being suppressed and the level of pheromone presently in his blood should already be brought down to nearly zero. At such a negligible level, how could it suddenly act up again?
The answer seems to be on the verge of spilling out, but Caesar is far too pleasantly surprised to dare believe it.
If his body feels odd even after being issued an inhibitor, then there is only one possibility in that case-
It's got nothing to with the mutual influence of pheremones, rather someone's heart has been moved.
Your heartbeat speeding up when I'm close, this has nothing to do with the level of your pheromones, but you are... nervous...?
Looking at Lin Yuan's retreating figure, Caesar finally couldn't help but slightly lift his lips up.
His little monster has started to understand things properly at last, but the direction he's going about understanding things seems a bit amiss. He was obviously moved, yet he still obstinately thought that it was the influence of pheromones after being marked, so he deliberately avoided Caesar, hiding from him for a whole half of a month.
However, it does not matter, Caesar is quite patient towards his Omega nature.
Since slow little guy has him in his heart, there will inevitably be a day where he can have Lin Yuan say out of his own mouth those four words "I like you."
Caesar went up to keep in pace with Lin Yuan's footsteps in quite a good mood.
The two kept a distance of approximately two meters, one in front and one in the back, but Caesar felt that their hearts seemed to gradually be getting closer.
***
This area on eta Ursae Majoris Starfield was opened up for development as a military base. In reality, the climatic conditions are not pleasant at all. The difference of the temperatures between day and night is enormous. It is like being inside a stove during the day, but it is like chilling in an icehouse at night.
There are not many wild animals on this planet. Although the Köln Forest is relatively dangerous, there are no other aggressive carnivores except for a large amount of highly venomous snakes. The beasts such as tigers, wolves, leopards and so on simply do not exist on this planet. In this group wilderness training, so long as they can cope well with the vipers, do not lose their way and accurately forge ahead, it will not be too much of a great difficulty for Lin Yuan and Caesar.
With Caesar's abnormally sensitive sense of smell and hearing, as long as the snakes approach, the subtle sounds of them slithering against the dead leaves cannot escape his ears. Plus, Lin Yuan's reactions are also extrordinarily quick. More often than not, the vipers had still not had the time to stick their tongues out before he cleanly cuts them to the ground with his blade.
Although the two of them didn't exchange many words, their compatibility however is matchlessly well-coordinated. All along the way can also be regarded as threatening, but of no danger to them.
The little Omega monster, fellow classmate Lin Yuan, has always been very gifted in fighting. Under the personal guidance of the former Battalion Commander of the Dark Night Legions Personal Guard Battalion, Zhou Yi, Lin Yuan's fighting level is very remarkable. When he walks ahead and encounters God, he kills God, when he encounters Buddha, he kills Buddha. His awe-inspiring appearance even gives the impression of a gallant warrior.
Caesar really admires the force of his Omega.
As opposed to unilateral protection, this feeling of being able to fight side by side with the person you like is actually even better.
The two men walked for more than 50 kilometers on foot, and the rays of light from the gaps of the forest were gradually dimming. At last, evening fell and the two gradually penetrated deeply into the hinterland of the forest.
Caesar has long since wordlessly kept up with Lin Yuan's footsteps and changed from one in front and one in the back to each side by side and in a row.
The Alpha who marked him getting closer made Lin Yuan's heart suddenly pound, but after all, in the middle of a forest, having too great of a distance between his companion is not at all good for looking out for each other. Plus, apart from his heartbeat speeding up, his body has no other anomalies. Lin Yuan could only bear with it for the time being.
There are still another two-thirds left of the route to be traveled, the color of the sky is darkening too. They must speed up and heighten their vigilance.
After forging ahead a short distance, the sound of running water suddenly arrived in his ears. The two walked a few steps forward and saw a river as expected.
The river is very wide and the river water is clear. Standing on the river bank, you can clearly see the stones of various colors scattered at the floorbed of the river, but the middle of the river is too deep to see the bottom, and neither of them can accurately estimate the depth there.
Caesar started to ask: "Can you swim?"
Lin Yuan started to talk saying: "Are we swimming across?"
The two men's minds acted as one as they simultaneously spoke up and also simultaneously closed their mouths.
Caesar turned his head around, he smiled and looked at Lin Yuan saying: "I don't have any problems, what about you?"
Lin Yuan avoided his gaze and said: "Me neither."
After Lin Yuan finished speaking, Caesar took off his coat and his military boots with agile movements, rolling up his trouser legs. Caesar gathered two branches and passes one over to Lin Yuan. He took Lin Yuan's field pack off with no trouble. He packed the clothes he took off and put them into a bundle. He put it back onto his back and said: "I'll scout out a path first, you follow close behind me."
"Okay." Lin Yuan did not use any unnecessary words either, he carefully nodded toward Caesar.
Caesar used the branch to explore the floor bed of the river and took the lead to walk in with bare feet. Lin Yuan immediately followed his footsteps.
At this time, it was the beginning of spring, the river water was ice-cold and biting, Lin Yuan was so freezing that he shivered, but he quickly adapted to it. He clenched his teeth and continued to move forward. The river gradually became deeper and soon his knees were submerged. Until the moment it almost reached his waist, Lin Yuan had to cast aside the branch and prepare to swim forward.
Right at this moment, a part of his calf suddenly became slightly numb-
The strange pain died out in an instant, seemingly like being bitten by something, and yet it was as if it was only some sort of hallucination.
Lin Yuan looked down with a blank gaze. The sky was getting darker, he wasn't able to see the bottom of the water clearly, he also couldn't tell what had bitten him either. Although Lin Yuan was a little uneasy, he didn't have the time to carefully think it over at the moment. Seeing that Caesar was swimming forward, Lin Yuan had to keep up with him at full speed.
The river was very wide, and Lin Yuan and Caesar spent nearly 20 minutes trying to swim with much difficulty to the river back.
Their clothes were already all wet, and the gusts of wind were so cold they shivered, and the color of the sky was completely dark too. Inside the forest, a dense layer of fog raised ip, their surroundings were dreadfully quiet. It was obviously not suitable to advance in.
Caesar soon suggested: "It is better for us to rest first, you are responsible for making a fire, I will set up the tent."
Lin Yuan couldn't think of a better option so he nodded his head in approval.
A moment ago when Caesar took the tent and both of their coats and all packed and crammed into a field pack before swimming over. The field pack he packed the tent in was made of plastic. It just happened to be waterproof. The jackets were not wet. Later on, he could take his wet clothes off to dry and put on the jacket.
Caesar quickly found an open space and prepared to set up the tent.
Seeing that there were two small tents in the parcel, Caesar gave it a thought and secretly hid one of them in a place where Lin Yuan wouldn't see it. Pretending that he only put one down, he quickly set up the tent with an undisturbed expression.
When he turned back, the sky was completely black. Lin Yuan had made a fire next to him, he can't help but further kindle the fire. He also carefully swept clean all the encompassing tree leaves.
At this moment, the boy is sitting by the bonfire is rubbing his hands gently, holding them up against the fire to get warmth. Against the backdrop of the fire, his face seems to be stained with a layer of red. His clear jet-black eyes dance in the sporadic fire light. Both of his eyes are like a canopy for the brightest stars shining in the sky.
The cold night wind in the clear forest was undoubtedly bone-chilling, but looking at the scene of his own Omega peacefully sitting there warming up by a fire, made the bottom of Caesar's heart suddenly warm up.
Camping out in the wilderness is definitely an arduous situation. Having Lin Yuan at his side, makes Caesar feels as happy as if he going on vacation with his Omega.
Caesar picked up two branches from the side, and then walked over to Lin Yuan's side. He handed both the dry and clean military jacket and branches over to him and said softly: "Wet clothes and pants all need to be taken off and dried off, if you wear wet clothes like this you'll catch a cold."
Seeing Lin Yuan slightly hesitating, Caesar walked away of his own accord and said, "I'll go get some food."
Caesar rolled up his trouser legs and turned into the river to catch fish, although as far as wilderness survival goes, he doesn't have any experience. But at this time, the keen senses his Father nurtured from a young age were of the greatest help to him. Caesar's vision, sense of smell, and sense of hearing were all extremely sharp, he quickly used a branch to fork up a few big and plump fish and walked back to beside the bonfire. After a simple treatment, he prepared to grill the fish.
The two walked all day long, and their stomachs were running on empty. They had to eat something to recover their stamina.
Caesar handled four fish and stuck them on the branch and prepared to roast them. Turning his head to the side to take a look, Lin Yuan had already taken off his drenched shirt and pants and put it up on the side to dry by the fire. He draped the thick military jacket over his body, arms wrapped around his knees as he sat down warming himself up by the fire, his fair chest was fairly discernable under the military jacket, and a portion of his calves were also exposed...
This kind of half-covered, half-exposed picture makes his heart stir even more than a fully nude one.
Caesar glanced at his slender legs and couldn't help but swallow and immediately move his gaze off to the side.
Sitting across from him on the other side of the fire, Caesar also took off his wet clothes and hung them on the branches to dry by the fire. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he imitated Lin Yuan's look and draped his military coat over his shoulders to keep warm.
This 18-year-old Alpha has developed very well, his body is strong and robust to the highest order of perfection, his chest is wide, his legs are slender and powerful, and the six abdominal muscles on his abdomen are both strong and beautiful. Lin Yuan raised his head to take a quick look at him and to his utter befuddlement as to why, his heart began to beat rapidly. Separated by the burning bonfire sharing a heart-to-heart like this, both of their eyes seems to dance in the fire light. The atmosphere seemed to be especially ambiguous.
The two did not speak, only the crackling of the branches as they burned were left in their ears.
Lin Yuan sat down for a long time and felt that his legs were getting a bit numb. He changed his position and extended his right leg out.
At this moment, Caesar suddenly stepped forward. He grabbed Lin Yuan's ankle, pulled his right leg into his arms. He pointed at the area above his ankle, and asked with concern:"Your leg is injured?"
Lin Yuan looked down and sure enough, saw a wound on the lower part of his leg.
At this moment, the skin around the wound has become clearly red and inflamed, it looks especially sinister under the light of the fire.
The author has something to say:
The protagonist's welfare [Two-People Wilderness Volume] starting up ~~
(TN: I'm editing this during class lmao. Or in other words, lightly skimmed it whilst pretending to be paying attention and taking notes on Federalism in Government class. Suffice to say, it's probably terrible but Ill give it another once over when I get home!)