Chapter 2: Make Sure He Gets Sent Back

Words : 2286 Updated : Sep 24th, 2025

"Get down right now!" A knot of veterans rushed over, urgency written all over their faces. Sensing trouble, Daniel vaulted down immediately. "Rookie!" the grim-faced squad leader barked. "Who told you to climb up there? Get over there and form up!" Daniel gave a sheepish shrug and fell in with the others. Oscar stormed up, fuming. "Who told you to get up there? Do you have any idea what this main battle tank stands for? It stands for courage, grit, and honor. It's the symbol of our 602 Division." Daniel straightened up. "Company Commander, since it's a symbol, that's all the more reason to climb up and take it in for myself. Honestly, the moment I got up there, I could feel it, like the wind was howling and the horses were whinnying." "I suppose the Yellow River was roaring too. Give it a rest," Adriel said, rolling his eyes. Daniel pressed on, undeterred. "Sir, I have a request. I'd like to take a photo with the tank and tape it up over my bunk, so I can feel that honor every day." "Me too, me too!" Vincent shot his hand up. "Company Commander, I want a few more to mail back to my village." "Enough!" Oscar cut him off with a glare sharp enough to slice paper. The new recruits, who'd been giggling a moment ago, fell silent at once. Anyone could tell the company commander was genuinely angry. Oscar fixed his eyes on Daniel. "Name?" Daniel barked, voice ringing out, "Reporting, sir! Daniel Lyson!" In the army, you're expected to speak from the gut, basically to shout yourself hoarse. His old man had drilled that into him years ago. In the army, however loud you could go, that's how loud you shouted. No need to ask why; everyone did it. Daniel Lyson? The name rang a bell for Oscar. The recruiter from his hometown had mentioned some kid who got in without even taking the medical exam. Wasn't that Daniel? Damn. So it was you, you little punk. He let out a cold, mirthless laugh, took two steps back, and raised his voice for all to hear. "This is the army, not civilian life. This isn't the place to do whatever you want. Here, you follow discipline, period. To make sure this sticks, everyone's running five kilometers around the parade ground." Their faces fell. Every head turned toward Daniel. Why should they pay for his mistake? Adriel called out, "That's not fair!" "Not fair about what?" "It's clearly his mistake. What's that got to do with us?" Before Oscar could reply, Zeke smiled. "The army is a collective, a family of sorts. From the moment you walked through the gate, you became comrades. If your comrade makes a mistake, shouldn't you shoulder it together?" "That's called unit pride. It's your first lesson." Oscar's voice dropped, cold. "One man messes up, the group pays the price. That's the rule. If you don't want to run, you can head back right now." Daniel's expression shifted. He knew this was a power play. Even if he hadn't slipped up, the five kilometers would have come sooner or later. The trouble was, his body had been wrecked by booze and late nights. Five hundred meters would've been rough, let alone five kilometers. If he collapsed and got sent home his first day, would his old man ever let him live it down? Right then, a mechanical voice chimed in his head. "Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully binding to the Study-to-Power System." "Your learning capacity is a hundred times that of an ordinary person. As long as you keep studying, you'll reach the top." "Initial binding reward: physical enhancement. Fitness boosted to veteran level." Warmth surged through Daniel's limbs. His once-scrawny body suddenly felt vigorous, brimming with power. "What are you standing around for? You all want to go home?" Oscar roared, and only then did the recruits shuffle off, grumbling as they broke into a run. "This is all your fault. If not for you, we wouldn't be doing this," Adriel snapped, glaring at Daniel. Daniel couldn't be bothered to answer. The five kilometers were happening regardless. Oscar just needed someone to make an example of. The more Daniel thought about it, the more annoyed he got. He'd planned to keep his head down for two quiet years, and now the company commander had zeroed in on him from day one. Still, with the System on his side, it wouldn't be so easy to mess with him. He chuckled under his breath and sprinted after the pack toward the track. Not far off, Oscar watched the recruits straggle into motion and let a smile curl his lip. Zeke frowned. "Oz, aren't we pushing it a bit?" He used Oscar's nickname, as only an old colleague would. "These new recruits were pampered at home. Their stamina's poor. You start them off with five kilometers; some won't be able to handle it. Shouldn't we build up gradually and let them adapt?" Oscar's face stayed firm. "The army doesn't have that kind of time. If you chose to serve, you'd better be ready to suffer." "If war breaks out, there's no time to adapt. They're thrown straight into battle." Zeke smiled faintly. "You're not, by any chance, aiming this at that kid, Daniel Lyson?" Oscar feigned surprise. "Oh? You saw through my little plan." He snorted, ice-cold. "You're right. I am targeting the kid. I hate it most when someone pulls strings to get in." "No wonder he looked sickly, like a breeze could knock him over. I was wondering how he passed the medical." "What are you going to do with him?" Zeke asked. "Send him packing." "We hold all the cards. He got in through connections. If he comes up short in enough areas, I'll have grounds to send him home. The army's for fighting, not backdoor deals. 602 can't let one bad apple spoil the bunch." Zeke looked toward the track and sighed. "Shouldn't we give him a chance? Maybe…" Oscar lifted a hand to cut him off. "We're not babysitters or his mom. Why should we indulge him?" Zeke sighed again, helpless. Looked like the company commander was set on getting rid of the kid. On the track, the formation was already stretched thin. After two laps, plenty were puffing hard, breathing ragged. Daniel, though, ran easily. His body had been boosted to veteran level; five kilometers was nothing. With a foolish grin, he thought, "With a body like this, once I'm discharged, life's gonna be a breeze." He had strength, but he wasn't stupid. His goal was to keep a low profile for two years. Even with the System, he couldn't afford to stand out. He'd grown up in a military family; he knew being the golden boy in a unit just brought trouble. Better to conserve his strength, bide his time, and spend it all later on pretty girls. Two laps, three laps. One by one, people started falling behind, legs heavy, lungs burning. Daniel kept himself buried in the middle, dabbing sweat off his forehead from time to time, acting like he was running on fumes. Yet he never actually dropped from the group. When the five kilometers were nearly done and Daniel was still going, Oscar's brow furrowed. Zeke chuckled. "Oz, your perfect plan isn't working. The kid looks frail, but his willpower's solid. He stuck it out." Oscar's mouth twitched. It didn't make sense. That kind of body should've folded at five hundred meters. Had he misjudged? He dismissed the thought instantly. "He's just gritting his teeth. Even if he gets through this one, he can't fake it forever." Zeke shrugged, letting it go. Soon, the recruits finished the five kilometers and straggled back, gasping for breath. "Man, that killed me. Half my life's gone…" Daniel played it up, but there was barely a bead of sweat on his forehead. Oscar's mood soured, but there was nothing he could do. He mused, "Next time you slip up, I'll still find a way to get you out." He gave them a minute to catch their breath, then formed them up. "Introductions. I'm Oscar, your company commander for this recruit training company. Beside me is your instructor, Zeke." "Hello," Zeke said, saluting the recruits. Oscar raised his voice. "First, on behalf of the 602 Division, welcome. I don't care what you did in civilian life or what your family background is. Here, you're one thing: a soldier. In this unit, you obey orders without question." "If anyone wants to play the rebel, break rules, or if your performance lags badly, I'll send you home on the spot." Vincent snapped ramrod straight, spooked. Good grief, sent home? He couldn't afford that. Daniel caught Vincent's reaction and found it almost endearing. He knew full well Oscar was really talking to him. Nothing was more despised in a unit than getting in through connections. He'd been at a bar last night, and today he'd shown up to enlist. Oscar's fixation made it clear he knew Daniel was the one who'd pulled strings. Daniel snorted softly. "Even if Jesus shows up, you're not getting rid of me. Mark my words." Oscar shouted, "Now, barracks assignments, then square away your quarters and gear! Everyone, right face…"

Chapter 2: Make Sure He Gets Sent Back

Comments (0)