Arsenal Military Academy | 烈火军校

Prologue

[Above picture is Bai Lu as Xie Xiang]

Note: I'm technically not the one who translated this since Google did it for me but I got the raws from this website - https://wenxue.iqiyi.com/book/reader-18l2hmamtd-18l0a605dn.html, i think it's where they put novels which iQIYI dramas are adapted from, not sure though. There were some minor mistakes such as switching the pronouns and stuff like that so I adjusted those BUT the thing is, since she's cross dressing as a male, there are times that I'm not sure whether it was purposely written as "he" or Google translate confused "she" for "he". He in Chinese is 他 (tā) while she in Chinese is 她 (tā), they're almost the same except for the first stroke. So I apologize in advance if there are some irregularities in the translation.

I was actually looking for the English translation of this novel on some websites but couldn't find any so I decided to search up the raws instead. Unfortunately, my signal is bad, so websites don't cooperate nicely with me lol.

I highly recommend the drama. It's really good and I'm rewatching it right now. As far as I know, Xiao Xiang Dong Er is actually the scriptwriter. They  adapted the drama into a novel with the original script and not the other way around (like Story of Yanxi Palace). Enjoy readingg❤️

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In the early morning, it started to fog, and the cold rain poured down all over the sky, connecting with the dark sea. Thick smoke emitted from the chimney of the ferry, staining the sky near and far with a layer of iron lead ash, which made people feel depressed. The captain issued a notice earlier, saying that Shunyuan is strictly forbidden and cannot get to the shore for the time being. He had no choice but to float on the open sea, waiting for the notice from the shore. This time, I waited for a full day and night, and it was only this morning that I was allowed to enter Hong Kong.[1]
　　Xie Xiang stood on the deck, wrapped in a black coat, with broken hair hanging down from her forehead, covering most of her face. The harbor was bustling with hustle and bustle, and a row of little black Austin came in, and the sharp whistle sound came from afar, penetrating the cold white fog, and piercing straight into the ears.
　　"Xiangxiang, it's windy here, wait in the advanced cabin."
　　Xiao Jun stood by, holding an umbrella in her hand. A well-dressed gentleman in his forties hurried past with a suitcase, and was about to hit her. Xie Xiang quickly pulled her with her hand.
　"Sorry, sorry."
　　The man said in a hurry, without stopping, he walked quickly towards the special box.
　　When the wind was strong, Xie Xiang turned her head, and saw a row of guards with live ammunition in the special cabin. A young figure was surrounded in the middle, wearing a brown leather coat, and wearing a pair that looked unkind. The Erbing glasses shook his neck and shoulders greatly, and twisted his waist again. There was no calmness at all, and it was very swagger.
　　"I don't know which family's prodigal son, it's not a small pomp."
　　Xiao Jun curled her lips and murmured softly.
　　The hard shell military cap, the five-pointed star cap badge, the yellow twill military uniform, and the golden epaulettes. This is the military uniform that the Southern Metropolitan Government has just revised and unified. The local epaulettes are still gray.
　　Are you from Nandu?
　　Xie Xiang thought secretly.
　　Like her, this group of people boarded a ship on Hong Kong Island. On the sixth day of last month, the Tongchang Railway was bombed, and there was a labor movement at Nanping Pass. Several railway tracks were dug up, and the railway traffic in Shunyuan was completely paralyzed. Immediately afterwards, Zuo Jiming, Liu Maoyan, Du Lu and other high-ranking officials of the Feng'an department were assassinated. Commander Zhang Zhongxun was ruthless. The whole province was under martial law, the main roads were blocked, and Shunyuan became an iron bucket that was inaccessible to water.
　　When others waited, Xie Xiang couldn't wait. She made a decisive decision, bypassed Hong Kong Island, entered the country by water, and then met this group of people.
　　Because of the arrival of this young man, the entire special chartered area was strictly prohibited on the ferry. Even the guests who had already booked the boxes were invited out. Although the words were polite, there was no room for negotiation. Then, the banquet hall on the third floor became a private sphere, singing and dancing, all night long, lively and current events are like two worlds.
　　The blockade lasted for more than an hour, and the other passengers were not allowed to disembark until the young master's convoy in the special cabin was far away. The travelers speculated about the identity of the person, but no one complained for the time wasted. Obviously, this kind of thing has long been commonplace in such turbulent years.
　　"Xiangxiang, go to my house first."
　　Xie Xiang picked up the box in Xiao Jun's hand and nodded.
　　"En..."
　　The night was extremely quiet, and even the wind outside the window had stopped. Xie Xiang sat in front of the mirror, silently thinking. The lights were warm and yellow, casting a warm shadow, and the surroundings were so quiet, the dialogue between Xiao Jun and her mother became clearer in this quietness.
　　"Xiang Xiang is coming to Shunyuan to go to school?"
　　"Yes, Xinhua Girls' School, didn't I tell you."
　　"There are so many good schools in Peking, why do you have to come to Shunyuan? Besides, her brother's incident happened here before."
　　"Shhh..."
　　The voice weakened again, Xie Xiang returned to her senses and spread her hair. The girl in the mirror has big eyes, a very tall nose, and her lips are pressed into a straight line, with a bit of seriousness. It is different from the softness of the daughter in the south of the Yangtze River. She has the heroic spirit of a northern woman in her appearance, like hanging in a cold winter. The pine cone on the branch is obviously not a flower, but it has the shape of a flower.
　　This way, it should work.
　　"Chuck", the door was pushed open, Xiao Jun walked in with a tray on which was a bowl of soup and a white towel beside her.
　　Xiao Jun sat down and looked at her with some worry.
　　"Xiangxiang, have you...really thought it over?"
　　Xie Xiang smiled, took away the towel, and picked up a pair of scissors hidden underneath.
　　"Think about it."
　　"Opening the bow without turning back the arrow. Arsenal Military Academy is not a place for fun. If you continue with this scissors, there will be no retreat."
　　Xie Xiang held a handful of hair, cut the scissors across it, and let her long hair fall to the ground with a "swish".
　　"I don't want to look back."

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Notes:
[1] abruptly, the POV changed from first person to third person

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