Added an eighty-kilogram load.

Even with their bodies close to Tier One, they ended up exhausted like dead dogs.

Moreover, the sandstorm added a significant challenge, with the coarse sand hitting their faces like sandpaper. The sharp pain made them want to scream, but even then, there was no relief. They could only keep running against the wind.

By the time they finished the first lap, some people were unable to hold on.

Forcing themselves onward, dragging heavy legs as if filled with lead, by the second lap more than half of the people had puked.

The dinner from last night mixed with the alcohol was thoroughly vomited out.

After somewhat recovering, they continued onto the third lap.

But after just a few steps, except for the "Defenders," most Evolvers were running until their vision went black, legs trembling, unable to stand without leaning on the nearby train.

The veterans who had undergone He Jie’s special training didn’t think of bargaining with Mountain Goat and the others.

They simply huddled together, letting the "Defenders" in the team share the load of their teammates, continuing forward.

By the time they finished the fourth lap, aside from those close to Tier One "Defenders," everyone else had collapsed around the train.

Carrying three large packs, Meerkat felt like she was about to die from exhaustion. Her mouth was wide open, yet she could only breathe in a mouthful of sand rather than any air. Her chest felt as if it was being squeezed by a giant hand, and it took every ounce of effort to get a small amount of oxygen with each breath.

The lv2 "Environmental Mimicry" silently ascended to lv3.

This skill allows her to passively adapt to the environment, to emit interference pheromones, lower metabolism and presence, and reduce some environmental impacts. However, due to excessive physical exhaustion, she was forcibly withdrawn from it.

Meerkat instantly felt as if she was walking through the sandstorm naked, with the once-tolerable wind and sand suddenly becoming unbearably harsh.

"Hey, isn’t that Old Wu? Ranked over 320 back in the training camp, right?"

"What a pity, just over twenty spots away from entering the top 300. Fall behind by one step, and you’re behind every step. Now you can’t even outrun a rookie. How are you managing?"

Mountain Goat’s annoying voice came from the car roof.

Meerkat turned around, just in time to see a stocky man with a blackened face, carrying two large packs, jogging slowly toward her.

Although the matters between the two had been long resolved.

But these veterans from the Armed Corps naturally couldn’t stand him. If he had stayed in the combat squad, it might have been fine, but now that he was transferred under their command, they frequently picked on him.

Old Wu could only endure it, planning to deal with it once his rank was higher.

But he himself knew the hope was slim.

Among three thousand elite veterans, those who could rank in the top 300 were either monsters or beasts.

A pure reliance on military skills wouldn’t work, so he could only bank on evolving to take a shortcut.

But he would never lose to this cat girl in front of him!

Old Wu adjusted his breathing rhythm, using his peripheral vision to track Meerkat’s heels, steadily trailing behind.

Meerkat saw him catching up, gritted her teeth, and pushed her speed a bit more.

But she could never shake him off.

The two of them were locked in a struggle, she advanced a bit, he’d follow a bit, gradually inching forward like sharpening an eagle.

Just then, a rumble came from behind.

Their unfocused eyes turned backward, and they were instantly stunned.

A small mountain appeared vaguely in the sandstorm. As it drew closer, they saw clearly that it was a mountain of equipment and soldiers stacked on a flatbed cart, the rumbling sound coming from the wheels grinding against the ground.

Their gaze shifted downward, and a small figure stood at the forefront of the large cart.

Wearing a thin metal helmet, through the gap, shimmering sweat could be seen gathering on the short hair.

Almost at the moment they saw him, the two of them recognized him.

"Master Eight..."

Xiaoba paused, pulling soldiers who had collapsed by the roadside onto the cart behind him, then dragging the massive cart forward step by step.

With each step, the exoskeleton motor on his legs shrieked under the strain.

His speed had nothing to do with running anymore, but the massive cart left even Mountain Goat speechless.

"Do you need me to take some of the load?"

As he passed by the two, Xiaoba, helmeted with only a thin slit, asked.

His somewhat youthful voice buzzed inside the helmet.

Looking at the cart behind, with at least thirty-some packets, Meerkat’s voice was strained, "No... no need, thank you, Master Eight."

"Alright, then you guys carry on running slowly, I’ll head back first."

Mountain Goat called down from the roof, "Master Eight, where did you get this cart?"

Xiaoba looked up, "I created it with my ability, is it against the rules? If it is, I’ll take it apart."

Mountain Goat waved with a chuckle, "Of course, it’s not against the rules, take it easy, Master Eight."

Once the massive cart disappeared from view, Old Wu mumbled, "Can you use tools in armed cross-country?"

Mountain Goat sneered, "As long as both the gear and people get to the location, who the hell cares how you get there? Even if you fly, it’s fine. Each of you Evolvers doesn’t know how to utilize your abilities—dumb as hell!"

Old Wu: "..."

Meerkat: "..."

Fortunately, neither of their abilities allowed for shortcuts, so they didn’t get scolded.

After a hard fight to the finish line, only three to five people could stand up. Pang Tu took out some kind of herb and dabbed it under the noses of the fallen.

Soon, they were barely able to stand up.

"Next, group training. Veterans guide the newbies. Senior Privates and above, step forward!"

...

Due to the severe sandstorm, on the second day, they only traveled twenty kilometers at a slow pace. The train attempted to move around the city’s edge but found the now desertified wasteland could not support the train’s weight, requiring further retrofitting.

So they backed off again, seeking a sheltered square, flanked by densely packed high-rise buildings over twenty stories tall.