This is the bizarre moment students crawl on their knees through clouds of red smoke during a Squid Game-style training drill.
Crowds of freshers dropped to the ground on a college parade square as coloured flares filled the area with smoke.
Footage shows students dressed in camouflage crawling in lines across the ground while navigating obstacles laid across their path.
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Instructors can be seen walking alongside them as thick red smoke drifts over the square.
The unusual exercise took place during freshman military training at Hebei Software Vocational and Technical College in Hebei Province, China, on 20 September, as reported by Whats The Jam.
Footage quickly spread online, with baffled viewers comparing the scenes to an obedience exercise and even a TV death game.
One local said it looked like “animals crawling”.
Another person said: “So military training now doubles as obedience training.”
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A third person added: “This is basically herding antelope.”
Others said the combination of red smoke, camouflage and obstacles reminded them of hit Netflix series Squid Game.
Military training, known as junxun, is compulsory for many new university students in China.
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Freshers typically wear military-style uniforms and take part in activities including marching, drills, physical exercises and classes designed to promote discipline and patriotism.
Instructors can include soldiers, reservists or staff from campus military departments.
Courses commonly conclude with a parade or performance showcasing what students have learned.
The intensity and activities involved can vary between institutions, with some campuses also incorporating performances and dance routines into the programme.
Hebei Software Vocational and Technical College has yet to publicly comment on the exercise.
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