Chapter 5-The Sky Academy
The Sky Academy was located between the Wudong New Area and Chongguang Island of Huating. A few decades ago, when the international situation was still stable and peaceful, and the Sky Academy had not been built, there was already an official name for the place it was located—Changqing Island. It was a place with the best natural environment and it was also one of the places with the most developed tourism industry.
However, all these had become history with the outbreak of the continuous secret warfares within Zhongzhou State.
Zhongzhou State, once in the mire of wars, was particularly sensitive to the turbulent international situation. In the early years of the outbreak of the secret warfares between different nations, the higher-ups decided to establish the Sky Academy after careful consideration, and they chose Changqing Island as the location of the academy.
120,000 residents on the island were relocated within a month and compensation was paid to them immediately. The whole 160 square kilometers of Changqing Island almost immediately became the first Special Warfare Academy in Zhongzhou State. To be precise, it was a heavily fortified military base with great military strength.
The Sky Academy was in a delicate position on the map of Zhongzhou State. The higher-ups of this country choosing the entire Changqing Island as the site of the academy was not just because of Huating’s political status but also Changqing Island’s strategic importance.
The academy enabled them to attack Dongdao State and Gaoshan State in the west and deter the Treasure Island that was ready to separate itself from Zhongzhou State all the time. It was also possible for them to enter the South Sea directly from the most convenient route and fight there.
And in terms of defense, the academy could protect several important provinces, namely, Huating, Wuyue, Jiangzhe, Minnan, Beihu, Jiangnan, and Zhongyuan.
The academy was a sharp sword in the southeast of Zhongzhou State. It was a place that was suitable to both advance and retreat and was almost inborn invincible.
Li Tianlan had been longing for the Sky Academy for a long time and had imagined how magnificent this Special Warfare Academy would be countless times. But after landing on this island and seeing a small part of the academy personally, he lost his concentration.
The Sky Academy had no gate. Every inch of the land on the entire Changqing Island was the territory of this academy.
Now there were only less than 3,000 students and teachers on the land where more than 100,000 people could live happily in the past. It could be seen how much importance the higher-ups of Zhongzhou State had attached to this Special Warfare Academy whose history predated the Deep-sea Academy by five years.
The teaching buildings and dormitories on the island only occupied a small part of the land because most of the land had been built into training grounds of various uses. In addition, there were two military airports and a military port on the island. Everything was available from fighter jets and warships to speedboats and parachutes.
Fighter jets and helicopters could be seen taking off or landing with noises from time to time. The vague outline of warships became clearer and clearer on the sea in the distance. More than a dozen figures fell from the sky at an amazing speed and parachutes were opened in the air. The fall suddenly slowed down and more than a dozen skydiving trainees slowly landed in the depths of the island.
“The curriculums of the Sky Academy are very plentiful and complex, but they are quite simple as well. Firstly, proficiency in driving a variety of vehicles is a must here. Secondly, students should be skilled at shooting, disguising his look, tracking, lurking, assassination, protection, and other skills. These skills cover almost 90% of the curriculums of the academy. And the other 10% is the core. They are curriculums about the improvement of combat effectiveness.”
Standing beside Li Tianlan, Qin Weibai said softly, “This is a place that can control and even change your destiny. It’s a place full of miracles but also somewhere brutal. Every student here is at risk of death during training. The casualty index that our country set is 30%. You will never understand how shocking the scene behind this index is before you have become one of the students here.”
“There is always a price to be paid for changing your fate.”
Li Tianlan said in a low voice. With his well-cut hair, white shirt, black tailored trousers, and leather shoes, he had become quite a different person when compared with the bumpkin he looked like yesterday when he just arrived at Huating. It was true that the tailor made the man. Li Tianlan was still clean and gentle after taking off his coarse clothes, but that made his emaciated body carry an air of straightness and toughness.
Standing in the Sky Academy, he just swept over the fighter jets in the air and the warships in the distance. His gaze was fixed on a giant stone in front of him most of the time.
This rock was the first thing he saw after landing on the island.
It was a 100-meter-high oblong stone that stood on the ground like a monument. Since the Sky Academy had no gate, it was almost equivalent to the facade of the academy.
The stone tablet was inscribed with numerous names among which six big blood-red characters shining in the sunshine appeared more heroic and desolate.
The place where heroes come from!
“In the ninth month since the establishment of the Sky Academy, a key figure in the Special Warfare System of Zhongzhou State committed treason and fled to Heng State with a large number of confidential information. The Sky Academy secretly dispatched 60 students to Heng State to pursue him and it took them a week to kill the escaped Major General and destroy all the files. They fought a bloody battle with the elites of special warfare in Heng State in the process of evacuation and killed nearly 300 enemies. Of the 60 cadets, only five made it back to Zhongzhou State alive. Of the five survivors, two retired due to serious injuries and the other three were all promoted to Major Generals after that war.”
“In the fifth year since the establishment of the Sky Academy, a total of 600 students graduated. Colonel Gao Changfeng got a first as he graduated and created a Special Warfare Organization named Stormwind personally. The third month after the establishment of the Stormwind, a mysterious armed force sneaked into the border of Zhongzhou State. All the 102 elites from the Stormwind went out to battle and wiped out nearly 500 foreign fighters. Then the Stormwind pursued the enemies all the way and were deep in the enemy’s rear. They rushed into the headquarters of a foreign militant group codenamed Giant Rock and annihilated more than 1,300 enemies overnight. In the end, the Stormwind was besieged by the local elites of special warfare and the members of this organization were completely annihilated!”
“In the eight years since the establishment of the Sky Academy, five excellent agents from the Sky Academy who lurked in Annan State risked danger in desperation for a critical piece of military information and successfully assassinated Ruan Jingsheng, the key figure in the Special Warfare System of Annan State. Later, their identities were exposed and they were trapped in Annan State. In three days, the Sky Academy dispatched four teams of elites, a total of 260 people, to rescue them, but only three people returned to Zhongzhou State with the information at last! All the other soldiers died on the alien land and some even left nothing such as bones!”
“At that time, the President of Zhongzhou State came to the Sky Academy to build this stone tablet and personally inscribed the six words.”
“Since then, every soldier and agent who graduated from the Sky Academy would have their name engraved on it by the academy president after their death. Look, boy, the stone tablet in front of you is inscribed with the names of almost all the victims of the Sky Academy. For decades, the name of only one student who graduated from the academy did not appear on it after his death. On the contrary, that student became the shame of the academy. Do you know who he is?”
Yu Donglai, who followed Qin Weibai and Li Tianlan here, suddenly asked.
The old man was accompanied by a girl of the same age as or even younger than Li Tianlan. Clothed in a pure white dress, she looked gentle and quiet. Added with her bright eyes and white teeth, she resembled a pure and spotless white lotus flower.
She stretched out her small hand to pull Yu Donglai’s cuff gently after sensing his stridency. However, Yu Donglai remained unmoved and just looked at Li Tianlan calmly.
Qin Weibai’s facial expression slightly changed, but she did not speak in the end.
“I know.”
Li Tianlan replied calmly. But he did not say anything else after that.
His father was a student from the Sky Academy who had graduated from here with the most perfect grades. The man who would have emerged as one of the giants of the dark world and bought the academy its greatest glory unless something unexpected happened, had accidentally become the only traitor of the academy since its establishment. This was a shame for Zhongzhou State and also the most hidden scar for the Sky Academy.
If only one name was missing from the stone tablet that was inscribed with the words “the place where heroes come from”, Li Tianlan could figure out the missing name even without thinking.
“If the case of treason with many inside stories happened in those days had not caused too much damage to Zhongzhou State, the Sky Academy would surely be much more glorious today. At least it will not be overshadowed by the Deep-sea Academy and the six words ‘the place where heroes come from’ will be more authentic.”
Yu Donglai glanced at Li Tianlan and said disconsolately.
He paused for a while and continued, “And someone else will not be so rampant.”
Li Tianlan suddenly turned around. His eyes, which were calm as the still water, suddenly became as sharp as swords. He shot a glance at Yu Donglai and asked, “Senior Yu, who are you talking about?”
Yu Donglai waved his hand with a deadpan expression and said to the girl next to him, “Qingyan, go and register at the academy with your Brother Li. I’m going to visit your Grandpa Zhuang with your Little Sister Bai and we’ll find you in the dormitory later.”
Dressed in a white dress, Yu Qingyan agreed obediently. She looked at Li Tianlan and called him Brother Li.
Like Li Tianlan, she was one of this year’s students of the Sky Academy as well. She had a pure and kind character and had the constitution that was suitable for practicing Martial Arts. After lunch at Yu’s Restaurant yesterday, Qin Weibai intentionally mentioned Yu Qingyan to Li Tianlan and commented her as someone with enormous potential. Moreover, Qin Weibai said that if her personality could be changed a bit and she was used properly, she was definitely a capable assistant of her whose effect was not inferior to that of Flaming Fire.
Li Tianlan attached great importance to Qin Weibai’s words instinctively. He did not belittle Yu Qingyan even though they just met each other for the first time. Again, he did not think about trying to take her as his own pawn. At least for now, he didn’t think that he was qualified to do so.
However, he never minded building good relations with anyone else because he had just arrived at Huating. He didn’t want to offend Yu Qingyan for no reason even if she was an ordinary person, not to mention that her grandpa Yu Donglai was so influential.
“One day, my light will cover the shame my father brought on the Sky Academy. Then I will personally carve his name on this stone tablet, on the highest place.”
Li Tianlan no longer looked at Yu Donglai. He took a deep breath, looked at the stone tablet in front of him, and said those words suddenly.
“You are really ambitious.”
Yu Donglai grinned and added, “I have no intention of discouraging you, but boy, why don’t you talk about it when you reach the Four Realms of Martial Arts? It’s too early to talk about that.”
Li Tianlan smiled gently and directly said to Yu Qingyan, “Let’s go.”
He didn’t want to explain anything to Yu Donglai.
An explanation was only needed when someone was not confident enough. Li Tianlan looked calm and gentle, but his underlying pride was no worse than anyone else. Some things, especially those that required faithful implementation, required actions only. What was all that crap for?
Yu Qingyan nodded hurriedly for fear that her Brother Li should quarrel with her grandfather. The two walked past the tall stone tablet one after another and headed toward the freshman reception desk not far from them.
“Old man, Tianlan is not as simple as you think. I can assure you that you misjudged him this time.”
Qin Weibai said in a cold tone of voice as she saw Li Tianlan and Yu Qingyan walking further and further away with a calm look in her eyes.
“No matter how remarkable he is, he’s just a 19-year-old guy who has not reached the Four Realms of Martial Arts! Is he more terrifying than His Highness Honghe in those days?”
Yu Donglai’s eyes flickered, but he had a look of disapproval on his face.
“Well, perhaps. If I were you, I’d take a gamble. When you went out to battle together with Li Honghe, your name of poison doctor was well-known in the whole dark world. Now, what’s wrong with your granddaughter, the little poison doctor who you taught yourself, continuing to conquer the world with Li Honghe’s grandson?”
Qin Weibai smiled gently.
Yu Donglai remained silent as his eyes glittered with uncertainty.
“And you know that some people are getting audacious and rampant over the years. Don’t you want to do something about it?”
Qin Weibai continued to tempt him. Her voice sounded soft and sweet, but surprisingly, it was penetrating and aggressive at the same time. Added with her dreamy appearance, this kind of woman was able to make her hearers subconsciously think everything she said seriously, even though that might be nonsense.
“They are powerful and influential, so what can I do about it?”
Yu Donglai mocked at himself and replied in an indifferent way.
“You can’t help it, but that doesn’t mean Tianlan can’t. Old man, when we meet the headmaster Zhuang Huayang a short while later, I hope you can help Tianlan once, just for my sake.”
Qin Weibai said as she looked at Li Tianlan’s back.
Yu Donglai remained silent again. Actually, he really did not want to do her such a favor from the depths of his heart.
He would like to help Li Tianlan. But deep in his heart, he believed keeping Li Tianlan staying in the Sky Academy quietly until he graduated was the only way to protect him.
If Li Tianlan was really outstanding, he would risk his life to use all his available resources to help him to become an illustrious person with high position. It was no big deal for him to ask the headmaster Zhuang Huayang to take good care of Li Tianlan.
As it turned out, Li Tianlan had no such potential because he had not yet touched the threshold of Martial Arts when he was nearly 20 years old. His talent was simply too ordinary. At least in a place like the Sky Academy, he didn’t stand out at all. In this case, it was better to let him study safely until graduation. It was definitely not a good thing for him if he was presented to the headmaster of the Sky Academy when he newly attended school.
Yu Donglai had promised that he would not let Li Tianlan die. That didn’t seem like something unrealizable at first glance, but in light of the academy’s 30% death rate, his promise did carry great weight.
And after Li Tianlan graduated, Yu Donglai would surely arrange him a new road as long as he was still alive. He had the confidence to make Li Tianlan live smoothly without becoming a magnate of the dark world or a top agent. At the very least, it was perfectly possible for him to help Li Tianlan to serve as an officer at the grassroots level in conventional forces with his power.
“Don’t think that I don’t know what’s going on in your mind, old man. I can tell you for sure that you don’t know Tianlan. Some of your intentions may aim at protecting him, but you really belittled him. Anyhow, Li Honghe was a peerless expert who had once reached the Invincible Realm. If he didn’t have faith in his grandson, how would he let him come to the Sky Academy? You don’t trust Tianlan, but I assume you must believe in Li Honghe. Don’t let your kindness mess up his plans.”
Yu Donglai froze with astonishment.
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Yu Donglai turned his head to look at Qin Weibai and asked her in a deep voice after a long while.
“It’s very simple.”
Qin Weibai said calmly, “I hope that Tianlan can get an opportunity to fight on behalf of the Sky Academy in the next year’s joint maneuver of Deep-sea Academy and Sky Academy.”
“Do you know what you’re talking about?”
Yu Donglai smiled due to extreme anger. “Don’t you know where the joint maneuver spot is located? Over the years, the conflict between the two Special Warfare Academies has continuously escalated and every one of the maneuvers was ended with a bloody scene! Those who are qualified to go to battle on behalf of their academies are elites. However, Li Tianlan has not yet entered the first realm of Martial Arts. Are you asking him to dig his own grave by letting him take part in the manoeuvre?”
“Besides, don’t think I don’t know what you want to do with your visit to Bili State. Come back if you can, and if you can’t, you’ll never come back. What do you mean by saying ‘temporarily’? Do you think you can live twice?”
Qin Weibai nodded her head and said, “I’m not lying to you. I mean what I said and I will come back, sooner or later. Rest assured, I will not die in Bili State. I’ll definitely be back in a year.”
“Damn.”
Yu Donglai cursed exasperatedly. “I cannot figure out how would you fall in love with a weak young man. Why do you take such a big risk for him?”
“I don’t like him.”
Qin Weibai replied coldly and she continued before Yu Donglai could speak, “Old man, go find the headmaster Zhuang Huayang. Tianlan has to take part in the next year’s maneuver. It’s very important to him.”
“He will die.”
Yu Donglai said calmly, “His strength cannot be improved too much within a year. He’s merely an ant in that place.”
“He won’t die.”
Qin Weibai laughed coldly and her eyes chilled anyone who looked at her. “I have already come back from Bili State at that time. I will personally go to the spot of the maneuver and kill whoever dares to kill him!”