SWNOVELXO Chapter 94 - Warning
“You’ve lost your mind!” Noah once again whispered sharply at Hess as he snatched the laser-guided spear from his hands. He regretted not having fought harder to take it from him earlier, allowing him to really aim it at that new student.
The new students may not be aware, but they understood the rules when they accepted this task assigned by the school.
Not to mention whether they were violating the original intent of the mission, Hess’s actions were tantamount to openly disobeying a superior’s order.
Their class instructor, Marlene, was not the kind of delicate person her appearance suggested; she was a formidable force with an extreme contrast in demeanor.
What she hated most was people who didn’t follow orders. The students who initially underestimated her due to her looks quickly learned their lesson, ending up on the receiving end of a harsh reprimand, nearly crying as they clung to her legs begging for mercy. Of course, Instructor Marlene would never actually allow them to cling to her legs; if they dared to beg, the consequences would be far worse.
Hess was also one of the instructor’s favored students; he had always been diligent and humble, following orders closely. No matter how tough the tasks assigned by the instructor were, he would cooperate fully to complete them. So why did he go off the rails this time?
Don’t think that the instructor isn’t aware of how they’re carrying out their mission. Their actions here would eventually be captured in three-dimensional footage and sent back to the observation center. By now, Instructor Marlene must have already seen everything.
Oh God, he’s right next to this guy—will he get punished together with him? Given the instructor’s temperament, it’s indeed a possibility.
Sure enough, the group of new students had not left for long when the officer in charge gathered the ten or so students who were hiding behind the boulders acting as shooters. Their expressions were far from good.
“What’s going on with you guys? Not only were your actions chaotic, but you also made such a ruckus. You’ve wasted a whole year of shooting practice! Do you even realize that with your level, if you went to the battlefield, you wouldn’t even get the chance to shoot the enemy before being surrounded and wiped out? By the time you die, you wouldn’t even know how it happened!”
“I told you that shooting must integrate with the environment; your spirit, body, and respiratory system must blend into the surrounding ecosystem. The moment you shoot, you must not make any unnecessary noise; you need to control your movements to the smallest possible sound, almost to the point of silence. Only then do you have a chance to hit the enemy!”
“Do you really think that the enemies on the battlefield are like the targets simulated in the training room? Or that they have as many flaws as these completely untrained new students?”
“You! Yes, I’m talking to you, Chald. Don’t act like it has nothing to do with you. What was that nonchalant attitude during shooting? Didn’t you want to carry out this mission? If you didn’t want to, then don’t show up next time and leave the opportunity for other students—there are plenty of people who want to step up!”
“And you! This is the first time I’ve seen someone as stupid as you. The targets of the shooting task are the enemies; what are you doing? Are you shooting your own people? If you want to be bold, just shift your aim a bit and shoot down your companion across from you. That example could be posted on the school’s public website and would be enough to make you the laughingstock of the entire grade.”
“And you too, Li. Don’t try to act innocent. You pick on the easiest targets during the mission, right? Is it really that easy to earn task points? Why not teach your classmates a thing or two and share some points with them, so they aren’t stuck with negative scores all year long?”
The instructor had called out nearly a dozen students by name, mercilessly berating them until none of them could hold their heads high.
Noah was also reprimanded, with the reason being that he had the audacity to chat with his companion during such a critical and serious moment, showing that he wasn’t taking the task seriously at all. Additionally, some of his mistakes or unreasonable actions during the shooting process were pointed out, which left him feeling somewhat ashamed.
However, he felt even more sweating for the people next to him.
Instructor Luo’s style was like this; he wouldn’t tolerate any nonsense and treated every student equally with extreme severity. Very few people could receive even a slightly positive comment from him. But he was genuinely serious about guiding students rather than just nitpicking. They had all gotten used to his sharp tongue and soft heart.
But the fact that he had named and shamed over a dozen people and remembered each name clearly, even pointing out all the mistakes they made during the shooting process—some of which the individuals themselves might not have even realized—was truly impressive.
So he could never forget someone as significant as Hess. Besides, Hess was considered one of the top students in their grade; the instructors basically all knew him, and there was no way they could forget him.
Leaving Hess until last wouldn’t mean he was receiving special treatment, would it…
As it turned out, his intuition was correct. Instructor Luo looked sternly at the boy, who stood with his head bowed, and said, “Hess, you have truly disappointed me.”
Without paying attention to the sudden change in the boy’s expression, Instructor Luo continued, “Ask yourself honestly whether you took this task seriously. I’ve explained everything to you before we set out. Everyone needs to remember that even if your execution isn’t perfect, at the very least, you should know to obey orders. But what about you? What were you doing?”
Acting recklessly out of personal desire—this was a serious taboo in the military.
“You have committed two mistakes. First, you disobeyed the orders of your superior. Second, you disregarded the consequences and harmed your classmates. I don’t need to say much; your actions have likely already been reported to Captain Marlene. I’m not your class instructor and I won’t intervene in your punishment. You should return and await your consequences.”
Instructor Luo’s words were not harsh, but their meaning was different. The expressions of the dozen or so students present also changed dramatically at his words.
Everyone knew who Instructor Luo was. He was known as the most enthusiastic officer in the grade when it came to guiding and mentoring students, regardless of which class or grade they belonged to, or whether they were his students. As long as someone was willing to learn and sincerely asked for advice, they could receive his guidance. Yet, for someone like him to tell Hess that he was disappointed showed that he was genuinely angry.
Moreover, when he mentioned punishment, it was clear that it wouldn’t be a simple, ordinary reprimand or a straightforward deduction of points.
Upon hearing that he might face punishment, the boy didn’t flinch or show any emotion; he simply stood in silence with his eyes lowered. In the end, he took off his hat and saluted, indicating his acceptance of the outcome.
The officer understood this boy’s stubbornness and guessed he might be in a state of shock, so he decided not to continue the lecture. With a sigh, he proceeded to give instructions to the rest of the group and led the team out of the training area.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, at the temporary resting place, Jiang Hui, who was supposed to be unconscious, suddenly jolted awake in her mental space.