Extraordinary Voyage Novel - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Training of the New Soldiers
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

His attitude was normal and he did not make things difficult for Alvin. He took some paper and pen and, without opening the wax seal, wrote a few worlds and put it into the drawer on his right.
Alvin took a look, and there seemed to be a few similar unopened letters in the drawer. He immediately understood the situation. There were more than one new recruits like him.
He took out a stamp and stamped Alvin’s form before putting it on top of the stack of paper that had only a few sheets of paper. Alvin noticed that the forms on the stack also had the same stamp.
That was probably the use of a letter of recommendation.
“Alright, I am your instructor for the next three months. You can call me ‘Instructor’ or ‘Major Eugene’.
“Remember to come here tomorrow for your fitness test. This may be a waste of time for people like you, but we have to follow procedure. Get the next person in!”
“Yes, Major Eugene!” Alvin adapted quickly and greeted his instructor formally before leaving the room.
As Alvin waited at the corridor for Gary to come out, he sighed as he realized that connections were needed in this world too.
After stepping out of the door of the recruitment center, the new sailors had been separated into various categories.
And Major Eugene had mistaken Alvin’s identity because of the letter, but Alvin was not foolish enough to reject something given to him.
Moreover, he had saved the Yellow Bird by risking his life and prevented a huge sum of loss. He deserved the letter of recommendation.
…
As there was a lack of manpower in the navy, they were recruiting all year long without fixed dates. As long as there were enough recruits to form a batch, training would start automatically.
Alvin and Gary were lucky enough to be slotted into the last few slots of that particular batch.
On the second day, Alvin easily cleared the physical test along with Gary and became one of the members of the third naval fleet.
Three months of training awaited the new recruits.
They at least had to gain some foundational knowledge and skills so that they would not create unnecessary trouble when they boarded a ship. After the purification and surviving it, they would be considered qualified sailors.
Alvin did not know how the higher-ups of the navy organized things. However, he had heard something interesting from the complaints made by the staff at the physical test and finally understood why the recruit area was so rundown.
“Everything has to be credited to Lieutenant General Snider,” said the staff.
Having come from a family of merchants, he was not only a qualified quartermaster, but also a successful merchant.
He was used to evaluating things he had and made profit thanks to the special location of the navy. That included the spacious recruitment center!
His ideology was “The buyers are our god when we earn money, we are others’ god when we spend money.”
The recruitment center, which only had expenses and no income, had reached the state it was at right now because of this. The original location had become the location for the chamber of commerce and gained rich returns every year.
With this simple but pragmatic mindset, Gabred had developed quickly and earned a huge sum of money for the third naval fleet. It was the god of wealth that everyone recognized.
The staff at the recruitment center could only talk about it. Even though their working environment was terrible, they did not dare to complain.
Alvin felt that this quartermaster was indeed an amazing person. He knew that what attracted young recruits was not the navy’s training base, but the bright future of a sailor or navy officer.
Instead, he was able to make use of the security the naval base gave the merchants to make profits for the navy. Then he increased the bonuses and welfare of the sailors. He was really wise at managing the expenses.
“I will meet this quartermaster eventually.” Alvin had this premonition.
…
In the training center, the new batch of sailors sat in a circle.
Smack!
The wooden swords used for training struck each other. The two who were in the match leaped, and after landing, they immediately jumped up and fought again.
Evidently, the two of them were much more agile than ordinary people. Their reaction times were also faster.
Moreover, although they were only training with wooden swords, the swords made loud howling sounds when swung in the air. They would definitely cause severe injuries if they hit someone.
However, the two of them did not care and were evidently very confident of their sword techniques.
“Alright, stop!”
The match paused and the dust in the air landed gradually. Two figures wearing the training suits of the navy were seen.
One of them was the instructor, Major Eugene, while the other was Alvin, who had been selected to be his training partner.
Major Eugene had figured out Alvin’s personality in a month. He ignored how Alvin was breathless and about to faint.
In terms of seriousness, perseverance, and determination, Alvin was very different from the other recruits from noble backgrounds. The only similarity was how he could not wake up early.
When Major Eugene initially said he would teach Alvin sword techniques before the others, Alvin was extremely obedient and diligent. He also volunteered to demonstrate the sword techniques.
However, after one week, whenever he was called up to demonstrate the sword techniques, he would be extremely reluctant.
Moreover, he had even complained that this kind of training and demonstration would delay his training in sailing!
“Nevermind! I am an official knight and he cannot defeat me. After all, he will need to listen to me.”
After suppressing Alvin’s attitude, they continued training as per normal.
In less than a month, the other “honorable trainees” had left the training camp one after another. Eugene knew that their parents had made arrangements for them and did not stop them from leaving.
The only person left was Alvin Garriott, who was like a sponge that continuously absorbed knowledge and skills furiously.
If he was not chosen, who else could be?
Even though the navy was a place full of talents, most of the new sailors who came from ordinary backgrounds were illiterate.
The literacy rate of Phaletis had finally reached 20 percent after many years of effort. This was high compared to the less than ten percent literacy rate of other countries that restricted the lower class of society.
If language was like that, what about extraordinary sword techniques?
Therefore, if Alvin had begun his life as an ordinary villager, he would be living a hellish life. Even if he was given a secret book of techniques, without sufficient knowledge, he would never be able to learn them!
The division of class was evident. However, it was particularly obvious in the world with extraordinary powers.
Eugene had no choice either.
“Recruits, listen up! From tomorrow onwards, Alvin will replace me and be your instructor for the sword technique you just saw…”
He was broken off by the deafening cheers from the recruits. Why had these people joined the navy? Were they really interested in protecting the country? Were they simply eyeing fame and wealth?
Yes! The ordinary villagers were simple-minded yet honest!
Any skills passed down by the upper class could allow them to transform their lives and leave the lower class. That would allow their future generations to be freed from the terrible fate of being farmers or fishermen!
Although Alvin was frustrated by the decision made by Instructor Eugene, he could not reject when he saw the fervent pairs of eyes from the recruits.