Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Briar jumped straight down from the top bunk and strolled lazily outside.
The moment she stepped out of the dormitory, she nearly collided with Imani, who was emerging from the room
room next door.
Boot camp had been running for several days, but this was Iman’s first appearance in the required camouflage fatigues.
Her uniform, however, had clearly been tailored to accentuate her figure. With a narrow waist and long legs on full display, she stood in stark contrast to everyone else.
Mar blinked in confusion. “Inani’s uniform doesn’t look like ours.”
Briar let out a soft chuckle. Begging to look ridiculous
Was Imani truly this clueless, or had her brain melted in the heat? Briarwondered. Did she really not understand why training uniforms were supposed to be loose–fitting!”
“Briar” Imani called softly.
The bandages on her head were still there, and her long hair was pulled into a low ponytail to complete her picture of fragility.
It was obvious she cared more about appearances than practicality. She only had two minor bumps, yet she wrapped her head like she’d survived a
Looking at her, Briar thought. In this heat, was she hoping the wounds would never heal!
Under Briar’s calm and direct gaze, Imani looked away, visibly flustered.
“Briar, no matter what happens, I won’t hold it against you,” Imani said sofily.
Briar almost laughed. “So? What exactly are you trying to say?”
Imani took a breath, her expression faltering. “Nothing. As long as you’re happy”
“Sure.” Briar said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with mockery. “You said it yoursel
Before Imani could answer, a few of her friends rushed over, stepping protectively in front of her while casting wary glances at Briar
“What do you want this time?” one snapped, puffing up like a guard dog. “Imant’s been more than patient with you. Don’t push your luck”
“Is that so Briar stepped forward and gently tapped Imani’s cheek, her touch deceptively soft. “Then maybe you should stop letting me get away with it”
“You” Imani’s delicate features contorted with a mix of humiliation and fury.
Betar didn’t even glance back. She turned and walked off, unbothered.
Out on the field, several instructors we
were carrying wooden crases. Ethan stood at the front, watching the disorganized students shuffle into position.
“Line up!” Ethan yelled, looking over the students as they scrambled into formation
“Starting today, the base will begin issuing firearms. The rifles in these crates are standard–issue X–95 assault rifles. Handle them with care,” he continued
He explained safety rules and training expectations, then called out, “Forma line to receive your rifles and sandbags”
Mar perked up at the word sandbag. Briar had told her earlier that most of the rille’s use in training was to hang sandbags off the barrel for posture
“Straight arms. Back upright. Arms at a ninety–degree angle. No swaying. Drop your sandbag, and you’ll eam five extra minutes,” Erluan shouted.
Short and stuck in the front row, Mar wobbled as she held her rifle and stole glances at Briar.
Wow, Mar thought. “Hetur really did seem to know everything!
While the other struggled. Iniur stood firm. Her posture wasn’t textbook perfect, but she appeared steady and confident.
Ethan’s gaze landed on her. “Back straight. Square y
Square your shoulders”
Brar smiled. “Sir, this kind of drill is more suited to large–scale combat, Hut modern warfare emphasizes high mobility and squid tactics. Isn’t this
Chapter 42
a line oundated?”
“You thank you know better!”
* Ethan barked.
Briar nodded, “I know a thing or two!
One minute later, two additional sandbags dangled from her rifle.
Standing beside her, Rhea whispered. “One day, your mouth is going to get you killed.”
There had been no issue until Briar spoke up, and now she was suffering from it
The rifle alone weighed around seven pounds, and rach sandbag tacked on another sis. Briar was holding over twenty pounds with one arm–yet somehow, she still managed to lift her free hand and flash Rhea an “all good” sign.
“This is nothing” she said.
Rhea gave her a look, clearly at a
at a loss for words.
The sun beat down relentlessly. Bring looked out of place among the swaying students. Not long ago, she had been the one barking orders. Now, she was one of the rookies, baking in the sam
Nearby, under the shade, a few instructors watched her closely. “She’s small, but tough one of them said. “Out of everyone here, she’s the only one who actually looks like she knows what she’s doing”
Ethan nodded. “She’s definitely had training. Solid potential”
The other insinuator raised an eyebrow. “You thinking what I’m thinking?“
even. “We were told to keep an eye out for promising recruits. She might be one of them.
Ethan’s cone was even.
The younger instructor hesitated. “She’s good, yeah. But she’s a girl, and a beautiful one. She could do anything with her life. Would she really choose this path”
He didn’t mean to underestimate her. Most students couldn’t handle the heat, and girls even less so.
Ethan took a slow swig from his water bottle, his gaze steady. Doesn’t matter what we think. It’s not our call
Just then another instructor sprinted over, urgency written all over his face. “Someone from the Supervision Department is here!”
The Supervision Department?” Ethan echoed, frowning as the group stiffened in surprise.
What would they want with us? he wondered. Did something happen at the Wikato Prison nearby?
Before they could speculate further, two figures emerged from the far end of the train
training field.
One wore simple black closes and moved silently in a wheelchair. His face was pale and expressionless, radiating an air of ley detachment.
The instructors snapped to attention the moment they recognized him.
“Good afternoon, sir” the soldiers barked in unison, snapping to a salute,
Cyrus pave a cunt nod and rolled himself beneath a patch of shade, his eyes immediately locking onto a girl standing rigid in formation.
Walking just behind, Enzo offered a casual smile. “No need to be tense. We’re just here to observe, Carry on.”
The instructors traded wary glances, then quickly returned to their squads, now sharper and more alert.
Two of Briar’s three sandbags slipped off her rifle and hit the ground with a dull thud.
She stared in disbelief at the man in the wheelchair. What the hell is he doing here?‘ she thought.
want as if she thought he had come for her. She wasn’t that full of herself.
Big with Wikato Prison just next door, if Fox decided to make a move today and someone from the Supervision Department was already on–site, he would be walking straight into a trap.
Exlun raught the dip and strode over. “You Thiny extra minutes?
Briar frowned. “Seriously! Others drop one bag and get five. I drop two and it’s thirty!”
You dropped two, so that’s ten extra minutes. And since you’re clearly stronger than the others, I’m tripling it,” Eihan barked.
briar blinked at him, speechless. “Alright, so be it, she thought,
4:08 PM d
Chapter 12
As a trained mercenary, Briar knew strength always spoke louder than logic in the military. No one cared why you failed, only that you did.
When the drill ended, the other recruits were dismissed for a break, but Briar stayed behind, rifle still in hand, standing alone beneath the unforgiving sin.
From the shade, Enzo gave a low chuckle. “Cyrus, look at her. Poor little thing. Doesn’t she look like she’s about to cry!”
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