Zhang Lei stared at the striking man on stage, his chest feeling stifled.
But soon, he would make him understand how formidable their island troops were.
Qian Chunjiang had also heard of Zhou Yunting’s reputation, but he didn’t believe it was true.
In the eyes of Zhang Lei and Qian Chunjiang, Zhou Yunting was just someone parachuted in through connections.
Whether he truly had ability was unknown—but the fact remained that he had taken the deputy regiment position that should have belonged to Qian Chunjiang.
Qian Chunjiang, who had always admired Zhang Lei, felt deeply indignant on his behalf.
That was how today’s scene came to be.
On the surface it was a friendly sparring match, but in reality it was meant to embarrass him on stage.
Liu Zhixia quietly watched the calm man stepping onto the stage.
Steady as a mountain.
She had never doubted Zhou Yunting’s strength.
The two men on stage both had steady auras, but compared to Zhou Yunting, they were still far behind.
The three stood side by side, and the crowd below quickly grew excited.
Admiration for strength was something no one could avoid.
Soon, the sparring on stage changed in nature.
After a few exchanges, Zhang Lei and Qian Chunjiang both changed expression slightly.
Zhang Lei rubbed his knee, which had just been kicked, while Qian Chunjiang held his abdomen.
In contrast, Zhou Yunting remained calm and unmoved.
He still hadn’t used his full strength.
Their eyes met again, and the two opponents immediately launched a coordinated attack from both sides.
Qian Chunjiang felt that losing two-on-one would be humiliating.
So, while Zhang Lei was engaged with Zhou Yunting, he attempted a sudden sneak attack.
Zhou Yunting was too strong—if they didn’t go all out, they wouldn’t win.
But reality didn’t match expectation.
It was as if the man had eyes on his back.
No matter how Qian Chunjiang moved, he couldn’t find an opening.
The battle became tense.
Zhang Lei saw his kick about to land on Zhou Yunting’s chest, and a flash of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
He had been suppressed the entire time—this was finally his chance.
But before his strike could land, Qian Chunjiang was suddenly forced by Zhou Yunting’s movement into the trajectory of Zhang Lei’s leg.
Too late to withdraw force.
Qian Chunjiang was kicked back three steps.
Realizing he was outmatched, he stepped down in frustration.
He even suspected Zhou Yunting had intentionally countered his earlier sneak attack—but he had no proof.
Zhang Lei looked at the man whose clothes were still perfectly neat, not a single crease disturbed, and for the first time felt powerless.
Only then did he realize the commander’s words were not exaggerated at all.
Zhou Yunting was truly strong.
The soldiers below were even more awed now, and the subtle distance between them seemed to fade.
Zhou Yunting, as he wished, caught sight of the girl’s bright, excited expression in the crowd. His gaze softened.
Next came the female soldiers’ dance performance.
Liu Zhixia watched happily and instinctively reached beside her—only to remember she had no sunflower seeds.
She paused awkwardly.
And at that moment, the attention shifted toward her.
After the performance ended, some military wives began calling for Liu Zhixia to perform something as well.
Then someone from the female soldiers’ side spoke up.
Qian Yunyun’s close friend, Gong Xinyue, ignored Qian Yunyun’s attempt to stop her and directly challenged Liu Zhixia to a sparring match.
“I’m sure a woman married to a regiment commander like Zhou must be no ordinary person.”
Afraid she would refuse, she immediately blocked any retreat.
“We’ve long heard that the sister-in-law is no less capable than the female soldiers…”
Qian Yunyun quietly tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to stop.
She knew Liu Zhixia was not simple—she might not even be a match.
But at this moment, Liu Zhixia wasn’t just standing up for her friend.
She was also driven by a surge of jealousy and emotion.
The image of Zhou Yunting’s tall, commanding figure on stage wouldn’t leave her mind.
She stood up casually.
“Don’t cry if you lose later.”
The crowd erupted instantly.
For some reason, the moment she stepped onto the stage, her presence completely overshadowed Gong Xinyue, who had been trained in the military.
Liu Zhixia didn’t even spare her a glance.
Instead, she looked toward the military wives’ section and said helplessly,
“I wonder if everyone can treat this sparring match as just a performance?”
Zhou Yunting looked at her on stage.
Her expression carried a hint of helplessness, and her tone was soft and slightly playful—so gentle it almost made one unable to refuse.
If one ignored the sharp intelligence flashing in her eyes.
Gong Xinyue looked down on someone who relied on beauty.
So many eyes were on Liu Zhixia that she herself had been completely ignored.
Even that cold, composed man—though he showed no expression—his gaze was impossible to ignore.
Zhou Yunting sat upright in the front row, his eyes fixed only on the glowing girl on stage.
Everything else—the admiration, the praise—was automatically filtered out.
Gong Xinyue, despite being one of the most beautiful women in the military compound, could not compare.
On stage, Liu Zhixia looked like a blooming, fiery rose—radiant and dominant.
Gong Xinyue, by contrast, looked dull and pale.
Even her features seemed lacking something in comparison.
Qian Yunyun grew increasingly worried for her friend.
If not for her, Gong Xinyue wouldn’t even be on stage.
Before the match even began, the outcome already seemed decided.
Frustrated at being ignored, Gong Xinyue suddenly struck.
Her fist aimed straight at Liu Zhixia’s beautiful face—she wanted to see if a swollen face would still be so captivating.
Liu Zhixia was also angered now.
They say not to hit the face—she hadn’t even intended to take things seriously.
Why insist on being beaten?
Internal energy surged as she used force against force.
The opponent’s punch was redirected cleanly onto Gong Xinyue’s fair face.
A visible bruise appeared instantly—beauty shattered.
Gong Xinyue’s pupils shook violently.
Liu Zhixia’s speed was far too fast; she hadn’t even reacted before she was struck.
The officers below seemed to notice what happened and stood up in excitement, their admiration ignited.
At that moment, everyone saw Gong Xinyue’s confusion clearly.
She was no match for Liu Zhixia.
Even if her strength was unknown, just her speed alone placed her among the few in the entire army who could rival her.
She was clearly a rare talent for the military—such a person becoming only a military wife was a waste.
Many people sighed inwardly that talent was being buried.
Gong Xinyue, however, couldn’t accept it.
The crowd’s gaze toward Liu Zhixia was not shock—but pity.
She thought the previous hit was just luck.
This time, she would end it in one strike and reclaim her dignity.
But Liu Zhixia noticed the officers standing up below the stage and realized she had drawn too much attention.
She needed to tone it down.
So in the following exchanges, the two appeared evenly matched—trading blows back and forth.
But anyone with sharp eyes could see it clearly.
Liu Zhixia was holding back.
Even Qian Yunyun could tell.
Only Gong Xinyue, the person involved, remained oblivious—still shouting in defiance.