Chapter 17

The Silver Wing Training Camp was no longer unfamiliar territory to Justice and her team, who remained relaxed. Colfax Base was willing to offer further guidance during a second round of sparring with the Merris Base team.

As gunfire echoed through the simulated rainforest, Justice and her companions sipped cold drinks. Avery stood before the monitors, his gaze unwavering. The Colfax team displayed exceptional coordination and comprehensive skills, with no apparent weaknesses. Major Arthur, a stern middle-aged man, watched the skirmish while keeping an eye on the clock. When Colfax secured victory within two hours, Arthur allowed himself a smile.

After the two teams returned, Justice offered them cold drinks to help them recover. The Colfax team, refreshed and invigorated, grew more willing to take the next round seriously. After a thirty-minute break, the second round commenced. Justice set aside her relaxed demeanor, sitting before the screens and missing nothing. With their energy depleted, the opposition’s effectiveness had inevitably waned.

In the grassy marsh, only a few scattered trees provided cover; everyone lay prone, hiding themselves. Arthur frowned when he saw Arks leading his team forward in ghillie suits, then slipping into the water—his own men hadn't noticed them. Avery and his team watched intently, observing that the Merris unit had improved significantly. When intermittent birdcalls signaled their movements, Arthur’s brow furrowed even deeper; his team was already being encircled while still searching for the enemy in the distance.

A decoy appeared. Remy’s helmet had not been properly coated in mud, causing it to glint in the sunlight. Gunfire erupted, startling the waterbirds, but Remy remained motionless. The monitoring room was silent. Remy lay just inches from his helmet, using a twig to nudge it. Once the enemy assumed he was dead, he slowly crawled over, wiped the glare from the helmet with mud, and put it on. The "dead man" remained in position.

Eric said to Justice, "Commander, you'll have to pay the tuition fee."
Justice replied, "The lunch wasn't free, after all."
Avery chimed in, "You’re paying for lunch today, too."
"If I win, I'll pay," she countered.
"That’s a bold claim," Arthur remarked.

After failing to find the enemy for a long time, the third-ranked team grew cautious, scanning their surroundings and finally detecting movement. Heavy gunfire broke out as the men in ghillie suits abandoned concealment and charged forward. While the main force drew fire to take the enemy down with them, the "dead men" crawled forward, waiting to deliver a lethal blow once the opposition lowered their guard. Twenty minutes later, Remy waved a flag on the screen, his mud-caked face revealing a grin of white teeth.

The top-ten individual elites, unable to accept being defeated by "nobodies," were furious upon returning and nearly resorted to violence before Arthur barked a command to stop. Arthur reprimanded them for their arrogance, pointing out that the opposing team’s plan had been precise and their coordination seamless; it was no stroke of luck. They remained unconvinced and demanded another match that afternoon.

Justice looked at Arthur. "Major, the team is hungry."
Arthur, determined to win back a round, said, "I’ll pay for your lunch, and we continue this afternoon."
Avery interjected, "Then you’re paying for us, too."
Arthur glared, "Losers don't get a free meal. You can leave."
Avery, fuming, paid for his own lunch, determined to see if Colfax would lose again.

At the White Elephant restaurant, Justice and Avery’s teams sat together to discuss strategies. At another table, Arthur pointed out his team's lapses in judgment to his core members—Baki, Dant, and Jasper—who glared at the team that had beaten them while aggressively devouring their meat. They were determined to wash away the humiliation; this obscure, remote base hadn't even dared to participate in the past.

Eric shared his insights, particularly his analysis of the three core members' capabilities. Before finishing, he added, "Those three will stop at nothing to win. Be careful."

In the afternoon match, facing a strong team that was now well-rested and prepared, the Colfax members—all physically imposing—discarded their earlier condescending "mentoring" attitude, replacing it with open disdain and provocation. Arks led the way, laughing off their insults and simply brandishing his rifle. Having undergone psychological training, he knew their taunts would only incite further rage. The hot-headed third-ranked team fell silent, their anger rising, and they resolved to strike fear into their opponents.

The randomly selected terrain was a forest of giant redwoods. Light was obstructed, creating a patchwork of bright and dark, making the men look minuscule beneath the trees. The simulation was highly realistic, with animals interfering and bears lurking behind trunks. Both teams had to contend with both the enemy and the dangers of the environment. In this forest, visibility was poor, and the trees were too tall to climb easily—and even if one did, there were no intersecting branches to provide a foothold. However, there were exceptions; both teams began stripping bark to weave ropes.

Arthur said to Justice, "This is your first time competing, right? Not a bad team; you might be able to squeeze into tenth place."
Avery’s face darkened, but Justice laughed. "It is my first time, but I don't intend to take tenth."

The ropes were sturdy; they wound them around their waists and used them to scale the trees. Sand and Lacra climbed to the top, securing themselves to the trunks, while the others dug pits. The other team used the same strategy, hoping to lure their opponents into traps. No one made a reckless move; everyone waited for the forest to grow darker, to leave the enemy disoriented.

The control room dimmed the overhead lights, accelerating the onset of twilight. Though it was only three in the afternoon, the forest felt as though it were six. In the gloom, only faint moonlight remained, and the sounds of animals filled the air, masking the rustle of footsteps. On the screens, silent figures infiltrated the enemy zone.

Baki had a snake in his hand. Before long, Remy let out a scream as a snake crawled over him, causing him to roll on the ground. Baki fired repeatedly at his helmet, a cruel amusement playing on his face in the darkness. Remy cowered, the vibration of the bullets rattling his head. A bullet grazed him, and Baki dodged with quick reflexes. Remy shook on the ground; the snake had been scared off by the gunfire, but he was still paralyzed by the terror of the moment. Baki was exacting a malicious revenge. Remy slammed his hand into the dirt. "Damn it!"

There were all kinds of people in the military; as long as they didn't violate the rules, they went unpunished. Neither side managed to lure the other into a trap, so Willian turned his attention to the bears, hoping to use them to drive the enemy toward their position. Bears were highly intelligent, and even simulated ones were terrifyingly realistic. Since bears only appeared in dense forests, Willian and a few villagers searched for the sweet fruits they favored.

The Colfax team began making smoke to flush the enemy out, finding a water source, soaking branches, and gathering leaves and wood shavings. Their method was certainly more scientific and controllable. Bears were unpredictable, but smoke was guaranteed to force someone out.

Baki and his men were struck by handfuls of sticky mud, and soon the others were caught as well. The ambushers were beaten mercilessly before being "shot." Five men were left unable to rise. Just as the others were cursing them for walking into a death trap, the bears crept up behind them, merging with the shadows, unseen. In the monitoring room, a chill ran down everyone’s spines as the screens captured five bears watching from the periphery.

As sparks flew from the friction fire, the team prepared to smoke their opponents out. Suddenly, a scream rang out. Baki turned, his eyes widening—a bear. The simulator’s bears were so realistic that the force of their strikes and the pain of their attacks were felt tangibly. They aimed their guns and opened fire, taking the bear down, but more screams followed. In the darkness, there was more than one bear.

Panic was instinctive. By the time they realized they’d been outmaneuvered, they were pursued by bears from behind, fired upon from the front, and ambushed from the sides. Baki immediately called for Dant and Jasper to climb down and provide support. Only Baki survived, and the three retreated. Sand and Lacra climbed down, preparing to finish them off. Eight against three—the advantage was clear. But those three were ranked ninth, eighth, and fifth, respectively.

Surrounded in the dark, they moved with the agility of leopards. Avery’s team gasped; their nimbleness in the narrow gaps between the trees was incredible. Ten minutes later, Sand shot Dant, Toran slit Jasper’s throat with a blade, and six men surrounded Baki, beating him before firing at his protective helmet.

The match ended, and Major Arthur left, clearly displeased. Avery said to Justice, "You’re going to have trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"They’ll find a way to team up during the competition to eliminate you first."
"You couldn't have told me that earlier?"
Avery smiled slyly. "We’re competitors. Warning you now is generous enough."
Justice chuckled. "Are you saying this because you want to form an alliance with me?"
"We have the experience, you have the strength. Let’s work together."
Avery’s expression turned serious. "Alright."

Justice walked away before Avery could attempt a friendly hug, leaving him to be mocked by his team. Avery’s face flushed red. "No laughing!"
"Yes, Commander," they replied, stifling their grins.

It was evening, and the sunset stretched their shadows. As Justice led her team back to the base, two teams approached from the opposite direction: Damian from the Second Base and Berud from the Fourth. They ignored the bottom-ranked Merris Base entirely as they passed. The word "Merris" on the team’s training uniforms was stained with mud and sweat. In the fading light, their earlier joy was dampened; Arks stopped smiling as the others intentionally shoulder-checked them to force them off the path.

Justice, remembering Avery’s warning, signaled her team to show weakness and step aside. The tall, imposing members of the other teams looked satisfied with their compliance. On the way back, Justice told them that being underestimated by the enemy would be an advantage; there was no need to fight for pride in the moment. The fifteen members felt better; the urge to prove themselves was strong, but since it was a strategy, they could suppress their emotions.

Arthur’s Third Base team was mocked by the others, who refused to believe his warnings. They were unwilling to lower themselves by targeting a bottom-ranked team in front of everyone.

When the group returned to the base, it was past dinner time, and only cold food remained. No one cared; they ate regardless. Today’s victory against the third-ranked team had given them immense confidence. Training was canceled for the night, and everyone was allowed to rest.

Three nights later, a night terror broke out in the dorms. Remy went into a frenzy, screaming about snakes and throwing everyone’s blankets to the floor. No one knew Baki had thrown a snake at Remy until his trauma manifested. In the brightly lit dorm, Justice had Remy stand by the door while workers in hazmat suits sprayed chemicals to eliminate snakes and insects. The visceral fear of the snake crawling on him kept him awake at night; sleep deprivation led to hallucinations, which in turn deepened his fear.

After three rounds of pest control over the course of a week, Remy’s symptoms finally subsided. Yet, half a month later, Remy requested to withdraw. He wasn't a soldier; he was terrified of people like Baki, and he knew the competition would be full of them. Louis and Makum tried to persuade him to reconsider, saying he couldn't give up after putting in so much effort.

Justice, however, agreed, coldly telling him to leave. Remy changed into his civilian clothes. Soldiers searched him to ensure he had no base property, then let him go. Louis and Makum didn't see him off; desertion was infuriating, especially with the competition only six months away—if he was going to leave, he should have done it sooner.

Remy walked out of the base with his head down, met by his family. He looked back once, took a deep breath, and got into the car. Inside, he covered his face with his hands and wept. He was just an ordinary person, and an ordinary person was allowed to retreat.

The team was one man short. Justice felt a surge of irritation, but Arks mentioned that someone else in the base wanted to join.