Chapter 265.2: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 265.2: Meeting the Chief Instructor
Such a phenomenon—where everyone seemed roughly equal, yet the opposing side suddenly transforms as if guided by an immortal, becoming untouchably formidable—inevitably delivers a shock of the unknown.
It was as if the battle had not even begun, yet they were already pierced by the enemy’s sharp morale.
And this shock only surged further in the ensuing “battle.”
As Chang Suining lowered her command flag, the soldiers under her saw the signal and advanced.
Chief Instructor Fang shouted: “Meet them head-on!”
He dared not slacken for even a moment, closely monitoring the battlefield and issuing commands.
Yet he quickly realized the gap between the two sides. Although the opposing soldiers attacked and responded, their formation continually shifted under the girl’s flag—sometimes surging like a long serpent, sometimes tightly packed like a wolf pack, aggressive and coordinated, leaving no opening to exploit.
Throughout the battle, they maintained perfect cohesion. No soldier left formation; no formation faltered; each man, each formation, every person, all moved in unison as if fused into a single entity.
In contrast, the girl only commanded with her flag. Apart from the initial call of “Form ranks,” she gave no other orders. Her flag rippled and swayed with the night wind in the firelight, yet every movement was orderly and precise.
Though the exercise forbade harming fellow soldiers with sharp weapons, his formation quickly fractured under their relentless assault.
Soon, they could no longer advance or capture the flag—they were forced steadily backward!
The observing instructors grew increasingly anxious.
“Left flank, watch the side!” Chief Instructor Fang shouted continuously, yet under the girl’s command, his troops’ key positions fell one by one.
Soldiers were knocked down, and formations grew chaotic.
Sweating profusely, Chief Instructor Fang patched and reassembled, to no avail.
He could immediately sense his side resembled a patched, broken net riddled with gaps, while the opposing formation seemed an unbreakable bronze wall.
As the girl waved her flag again, he saw those few women appearing within his broken ranks.
One woman stepped on a soldier’s back, struck down a flag guard with the hilt of her sword, then leapt to seize their flag.
“Girl!”
Yujie, holding a sword in one hand and the enemy’s flag in the other, eyes sparkling, shouted to Chang Suining: “We’ve won! We’ve won!”
Chang Suining nodded.
Chief Instructor Fang froze. His flag dropped. In his mind echoed that earlier voice: “These 170,000 troops, under your training, are like withered trees and rotted timber—useless.”
At the time, they had been angry, they had laughed.
Now, all those voices had vanished.
He watched the girl step down from the platform. Her figure still seemed slight, easy to underestimate, yet amidst the roaring cheers, her aura emanated silent, unshakable authority.
After this, she would certainly become famous in the army.
And he…
He had not won a single round, utterly defeated, unable to lift his head.
After this event, no one would need to remove him from his post—his reputation destroyed, he could no longer continue as chief instructor.
He had underestimated her, unaware there were stronger people, overreaching…
“I, Fang, have lost.” Chief Instructor Fang’s face was pale. He raised his hand toward the girl, about to turn and leave.
“Wait.”
The girl’s voice came from behind him as she approached.
Chief Instructor Fang turned to look.
“Chief Instructor Fang, there is still one matter we have not yet contested,” she said, hands behind her back. “A test of grappling and strength.”
Chief Instructor Fang frowned. “Young Miss Chang still wants to compete?”
Three bouts, two wins—the opponent had already won and established her prestige. Why insist on one more?
Before he could ponder, she smiled and answered: “I want to win one more round for completeness.”
Chief Instructor Fang felt a surge of humiliated anger. She had clearly already won, yet she demanded this “completeness.” Did she intend to utterly crush his pride?
The audacious girl smiled faintly: “Are you afraid to fight me again?”
Chief Instructor Fang suddenly bowed, voice firm: “Then we shall humbly request Young Miss Chang’s instruction!”
Chang Suining stepped back two paces, raising both hands like a swift hare, and lunged at him without hesitation.
The battalion captain about to announce Chang Suining’s victory froze—why attack again?
“Why are you standing there? Beat the drum!” Deputy General Jin said, shoving aside the stunned soldiers and personally striking the drum.
The drumming intensified. Some instructors, annoyed by Chang Suining’s insistence even after winning, were stirred; others were fired up.
Though the girl moved swiftly, she had not yet gained the upper hand. Xiao Min, calm and experienced, knew Young Miss Chang must have a finishing move.
Indeed, he had now fully understood Chang Suining, even surpassing General Chang himself.
Strictly speaking, he had already surpassed General Chang.
After all, the general himself did not possess this confidence regarding his daughter.
“Ah, trouble,” Chang Kuo muttered, seeing his daughter’s arm captured, looking away.
But with a thud, Chang Suining was thrown shoulder-over by Chief Instructor Fang, hitting the ground.
The surroundings went silent, everyone caught off guard.
Chief Instructor Fang stood over her: “?”
Had he… won?
Strength was his specialty; he knew this well.
But all the previous defeats? Were they not in his domain of expertise?
Repeated blows beyond comprehension can gradually shatter one’s sense of order.
Just as every boast of hers had become reality, he assumed he must lose this one as well.
His actions now were reckless, provoked by her, by the humiliation.
Chief Instructor Fang stood dazed until the girl rose, brushed grass and dust off her robe, and smiled, raising her hand: “I am grateful, Chief Instructor Fang, for granting me this defeat as I wished.”
Fang’s eyes trembled at her words, recalling her phrase: “I only wish for a defeat.”
Only wish for a defeat…
So she had known this would happen?
Every word of hers became truth. She knew her limits and always adhered to them.
In grappling and strength, she knew she would lose.
She could have avoided defeat; she only allowed it to ensure today’s test was complete, achieving true “perfection.”
The night wind blew, and Fang’s last anger dissipated. Awaking as if from a dream, he suddenly bowed to the girl, ashamed:
“I, Fang Chao… pay respects to Head Instructor Chang!”
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