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At this point, the argument began to gradually subside. Over there, Yang Jiao wore a smug expression as he sat on the leather sofa. Ever since his psychological tactics took effect, he no longer had to deal with Old Ba, who had been wearing an extremely unpleasant and sycophantic smile. This time, Yang Jiao resembled a true victor. Old Ba touched his face thoughtfully but couldn't come up with a suitable point to regain his dignity.
With authority comes pressure, and besides, the temperament of the Star Marshal was not something anyone could easily handle. If one truly wished to cultivate talent, it would be beneficial for humanity as a whole. However, Old Ba knew that when he returned, he would undoubtedly face the general's wrath.
He couldn't possibly outmaneuver Yang Jiao. Yang Jiao was known for his sharp tongue and strong demeanor. At the drinking table, he feigned weakness to appear strong, waiting for the moment when his opponent felt secure before striking back fiercely, targeting their vulnerabilities without giving them a chance to retaliate. If Old Ba insisted on holding his ground and emphasizing his stance, he would be the only one left embarrassed.
Old Ba nodded thoughtfully, seemingly coming up with a strategy: to appeal to emotions. This was a lethal technique that the general had instructed him to utilize before leaving. He carefully considered his speech and reflected on his first impressions of Freyr over the past few months. The spirit of a passionate soldier could be ignited by him; he didn't believe his eloquence would lose to anyone. After all, if he hardened his heart and chose to leave, their feelings would likely be warmer than those with others when they met again.
Suddenly, the smile on Yang Jiao's face darkened as he noticed Old Ba's repeatedly rising smile. A bad thought slowly surfaced in his mind: "This old man isn't finished yet; he must have some hidden trump card left. Earlier, while chatting with me, I could tell that he wasn't lying about this significant matter. So why do I feel so uneasy inside?" Yang Jiao awkwardly twisted his neck and took a deep breath.
As he pondered this, the door creaked open, revealing a group of boisterous individuals entering. Each of them bore thick casts and bandages, looking less like soldiers returning from drills and more like martyrs who had participated in real battles and were now wounded—arms and legs broken and encased in casts, appearing as if they had just recovered from something serious.
Seeing the warriors he had personally trained in such a state made Old Ba's heart sink; anger surged within him, but curiosity got the better of him as he asked, "What happened? Was it just a drill? Did you go into battle? How did you get these injuries? Duan Shuai, tell me the truth."
Duan Shuai's injury was on his neck; at that moment, he couldn't speak too loudly because it would only exacerbate his pain. When Duan Shuai heard himself being called out, someone behind him patted his shoulder gently and said softly, "Duan Shuai, you don't need to speak; I'll handle this."
"You finally showed up!" Upon hearing the voice of the newcomer, Old Ba didn't even have time to look up; his lips twitched slightly as he caught sight of Freyr out of the corner of his eye and immediately shouted angrily, "Huh! Freyr! What happened to you? Why do you need someone to support you? How old are you? Don't embarrass yourself in front of others; walk on your own!"
"His injuries are a side effect of Gene Chain overload. If we don't do this, he might collapse right here; rather than that being embarrassing, at least this way he can save some face." A calm voice echoed from the dark corner as Dute supported Freyr. The muscles on Dute's face twitched slightly as he noticed the man sitting next to Yang Jiao glaring at him menacingly.
After a moment of silence, Old Ba nodded slightly—perhaps in tacit approval.
At that moment, Freyr stood under the sunlight with an air of stubbornness about him, seemingly unwilling to let anyone see his vulnerable side. He waved his hand dismissively and brushed off Dute's touch on his shoulder.
Dute withdrew his hand, and surprisingly, he almost knelt down, struggling to maintain his posture before finally straightening his back to meet the gazes of the two individuals confronting him.
Yang Jiao observed this action with keen interest, his eyes shining brightly as if they could pierce through bone. He scrutinized every detail, feeling that the man standing before him was brimming with inspiration. His temperament and character indicated that a remarkable future awaited him.
Old Ba secretly approved of this. Upon closer inspection, he realized that Dute was indeed a good rogue suited for military life, albeit a bit stubborn—much like himself. He imagined that if he returned to the army, there might be arguments between them, and just the thought of it felt thrilling.
Old Ba exchanged glances with Yang Jiao. Yang Jiao raised an eyebrow, while Old Ba shot him an angry glare but ignored him. "You!"
Freyr cleared his throat seriously and said calmly, "I sensed I was being followed on my way back to the camp. At that moment, I even thought that if I could ensure my companions' safe escape at the cost of my own life, it would be worth it. However, I miscalculated; they were monsters, astonishingly fast, quickly catching up to us and capturing us all. To extract information about the Crimson Dragon Army, they resorted to interrogation methods. My Gene Chain went out of control again, and I paid the price for it."
"Nonsense!" Old Ba's anger surged at this point. He scolded, "How can you think you have the ability to defeat your opponents? You are too full of yourself! This is why you ended up in this situation. Perhaps others see your concern for your teammates as commendable leadership, but when it comes to life and death, you risked everything without saving anyone else! To protect the weak requires great strength; this is where your judgment failed. When we return, I will discipline you."
"Mm." Freyr nodded slightly, remaining silent.
"Old Ba, you're being unreasonable," Yang Jiao interjected. "The war exercises are meant to simulate all possible emergencies in future battles. I believe that sacrificing one for many is not wrong, especially in such situations where one bears the lives of others on their shoulders. You're being too strict."
"In comparison," he continued, "if you don't like it here, I have a suitable position for him. The Hunter Association has been established under the recommendation of Star Marshal; its first President is Hilbert and Vice President is Clinton. The association is just starting out now; humanity has only one goal—to exterminate the Zerg."
"Moreover," he added, "we can retain your application for citizenship submitted during your time in the army. After three years of work in your future role, you will be granted honorary citizenship. During this team-building phase, you can even make decisions independently; no one will interfere with how you organize your team. The main objective is to combat the Zerg and gather true like-minded hunters. You may worry about scores affecting things, but that won't hinder your unity. Scores can be exchanged for powerful weapons; this is similar to the requirements for large-scale teams in the army. As hunters, you'll also need to undertake a series of civic maintenance tasks—serving the people by eliminating pests will be announced weekly on the hunter bulletin board."
"During your time in the army, you must serve for two years before being eligible for frontline deployment or forming large-scale teams; now your opportunity has come." Yang Jiao rested his hands on his head and looked at the young man standing before him with a smirk that conveyed both admiration and amusement.
Old Ba probably didn't expect Yang Jiao to speak up suddenly; it disrupted his earlier plans entirely. Old Ba intended to give Freyr a stern warning so he would fully understand the grave mistakes made during this exercise. While sacrificing oneself for others might seem heroic in some respects, if one person could significantly alter the course of a war, then such self-sacrifice would be foolish. Furthermore, if Freyr felt he had erred, he would adopt a different mindset—one conducive to an open-hearted discussion until he was persuaded to return to duty.
The so-called Hunter Association was now offering enticing and attractive conditions, aiming to remove him from his own preconceived notions. It wasn't that Old Ba thought the Hunter Association was inherently bad; after all, it was another organization controlled by the Star Marshal, distinct from the military in its operational mechanisms, even if their methods differed.
Yet, they shared the same goal of attracting skilled individuals to join their ranks. From the perspective of the Zerg, their focus was purely on interests and power. They were professional exterminators, employing different tactics than the military forces dealing with the Zerg. The military primarily focused on defensive measures and would not deploy troops into the wilderness to exterminate insects unless they were directly attacked, as this could potentially affect humanity's future.
The existence of the association precisely filled the gaps left by years of struggle, shifting from defense to offense. They could deploy teams ranging from a few individuals to dozens, enhancing secrecy and controllability while maintaining economic objectivity. Their operations included assassination, scouting, and intercepting insects, effectively managing the population of the Zerg and truly controlling their reproductive rate.
"Yang Jiao, I’m reprimanding my subordinates; what are you interrupting for?" Old Ba snapped, turning his head sharply. His fierce glare seemed to ignite flames in his eyes, as if a lion were about to leap out from the depths of his pupils. At that moment, Old Ba felt an overwhelming urge to kill.
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