These four were the core members of the Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group and Lu Mingyu's most capable subordinates.
Not only were they formidable themselves, but they were also excellent at training soldiers.
Just as the training was in full swing, a military jeep, kicking up dust, pulled up beside the training ground.
The door opened, and a tall, middle-aged military officer, bearing a general's star on his shoulder, stepped out.
It was the Commander of the Special Operations Brigade.
The Commander did not interrupt the ongoing training.
He just stood quietly by the side, watching the four coaches who were like fierce tigers.
His eyes were filled with admiration and satisfaction.
After more than ten minutes, a grappling training session ended, and the soldiers got a short break.
Only then did the Commander step forward.
"Zhou Chenguang, Li Xiaoniu, Wang Yanbing, Wu Tianlong!"
The Commander loudly called out their four names.
Hearing his voice, the four immediately turned around.
They quickly straightened their uniforms and ran in neat steps to stand before the Commander.
"Here!"
Four uniform replies, filled with the unique masculine spirit of soldiers.
"Greetings, Commander!" the four saluted in unison.
"At ease." The Commander returned the salute, then waved his hand.
"You four are doing well."
The Commander first affirmed their work.
"You've trained these soldiers to be quite impressive."
"Serve the people!"
Li Xiaoniu habitually shouted the slogan.
The Commander smiled, but his smile quickly faded, becoming serious.
"I called you over to inform you of a new mission."
Hearing the word "mission," the four instantly became alert, stood up straight, and awaited orders.
They thought some urgent, unexpected event required their deployment again.
"After this Rookie selection mission is over, you four will participate in a variety show."
The Commander's words were calm, yet they exploded like a bombshell in the hearts of the four.
A variety show?
The four looked at each other, seeing deep shock and confusion in each other's eyes.
Zhou Chenguang was the first to react; he stepped forward, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Reporting, Commander, we are soldiers, special forces members, not actors."
His tone was direct, expressing his resistance.
"Yes, Commander," Li Xiaoniu also quickly said.
"How could rough guys like us participate in a variety show?"
"What if we say or do something wrong in front of the camera? Wouldn't that tarnish our unit's reputation?"
Although Wang Yanbing didn't speak.
His tightly pressed lips and serious expression already showed his attitude.
Wu Tianlong also said in a deep voice, "Commander, the Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group has a special nature."
"We must always maintain combat readiness, on standby for urgent missions."
"Participating in a variety show would severely affect our daily training and combat readiness."
"We are not suitable for public appearances."
Four individuals, four reasons, each filled with a soldier's sense of responsibility and mission.
They could not understand why their superiors would issue such an absurd order.
To make them, warriors who navigate through gunfire, perform under the spotlight.
This was simply an insult to their identity.
The Commander looked at their intense reactions, seemingly having anticipated them.
His expression remained unchanged, and his tone was still steady.
"I know all that you've said."
"However, this is an order from the higher-ups, a political mission that must be carried out."
"An order from the higher-ups?" The four's hearts sank.
They knew how much weight those words carried.
In the military, an order was absolute.
Especially an order from the higher-ups; there was no room for negotiation.
However, they still couldn't get past that hurdle in their minds.
"Why us?" Zhou Chenguang couldn't help but press.
The Commander glanced at him, then dropped an even more shocking piece of news.
"This suggestion was personally put forward by your captain, Comrade Lu Mingyu."
"What?"
"The Captain suggested it?"
"That's impossible!"
Li Xiaoniu and Wu Tianlong almost shouted in unison.
Zhou Chenguang and Wang Yanbing also looked incredulous.
In their hearts, Captain Lu Mingyu was a purer soldier than any of them, the embodiment of special operations.
How could he suggest something that would make them participate in a variety show?
This completely went against the Captain's character.
Suspicion was written all over the four's faces; they even wondered if the Commander was joking with them.
The Commander looked at their expressions, each like they had been struck by lightning, and secretly found it amusing, but his face remained stern.
He knew that without some explosive news, these stubborn soldiers would not easily accept it.
"I know you don't believe me."
The Commander paused, as if brewing something.
"Participating in this program will last one month."
"During this month, each of you will receive a remuneration of one point five million."
"One... point five million?"
Li Xiaoniu's eyes nearly popped out.
He stammered, repeating the number, thinking he had misheard.
Zhou Chenguang, Wang Yanbing, and Wu Tianlong were all stunned, their minds blank.
One point five million!
What kind of concept was that?
Their monthly salaries and allowances combined were only a few thousand yuan.
One point five million was an astronomical figure they dared not even imagine.
In an instant, the four simultaneously gasped.
The originally noisy air on the training ground seemed to freeze at that moment.
They looked at the Commander, their eyes filled with shock, confusion, and a touch of bewilderment.
An order from the higher-ups, a personal suggestion from the Captain, plus a massive remuneration of one point five million.
These three combined instantly shattered their previously firm resistance.
They knew there was no room for negotiation on this matter.
"Now, any more questions?"
The Commander looked at them and asked lightly.
The four fell silent.
What more questions could there be?
Military orders were absolute; they could only obey.
"No, Commander!"
Zhou Chenguang gritted his teeth and was the first to answer loudly.
"Mission accomplished!"
The other three immediately followed suit.
"Very good." The Commander nodded with satisfaction.
"Specific details will be communicated to you by someone after this mission is completed."
"You may all go back."
With that, the Commander turned, got into the jeep decisively, and sped away.
Leaving only Zhou Chenguang and the other three, standing like four wooden stakes, blankly stood still for a long time.
After the Commander left, the atmosphere on the training ground became somewhat strange.
The more than one hundred soldiers watched their four devil coaches from afar.
They dared not make a sound, not knowing what had happened.
And these four devil coaches, at this moment, had their minds in a complete mess.
"One point five million... I didn't mishear, did I?"
Li Xiaoniu rubbed his ears, still finding it unbelievable.
"You didn't mishear, I heard it too." Wu Tianlong's voice was a bit dry.
Zhou Chenguang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
"The Commander wouldn't joke about something like this."
"The Captain suggested it, the higher-ups ordered it, and there's such a large sum of money."
"There must be something we don't know about."
Wang Yanbing nodded in agreement.
"The Captain must have his reasons for doing this."
They had almost blind trust in Lu Mingyu.
Although they couldn't understand it.
They believed that Lu Mingyu's decision must have been carefully considered.
Just then, a tall and upright figure emerged from the shadows of a nearby barracks.
It was Lu Mingyu.
He had been standing there, watching the entire conversation between the Commander and them.
Seeing their Captain, the four immediately put away their complicated expressions and stood straight again.
Lu Mingyu walked up to them, his gaze sweeping over each of their faces.
He looked at the dust stirred up by the Commander's jeep in the distance, his silhouette appearing somewhat profound.
"This variety show matter, it cannot be avoided."
His voice was calm, showing no emotion.
"What the Commander said is true."
This sentence completely dispelled the last bit of hope they had.
Lu Mingyu turned around and looked at his four team members.
"I know you have many questions."
"But for now, I cannot tell you the reason."
"You just need to know that this is a mission that must be completed, and it must be completed well."
He looked at the four, his eyes becoming incredibly serious and sharp.
"You must take it seriously."
"Yes!"
"Understood, Captain!" The four replied in unison, their voices loud.
