The third squad leader finally found Hedy slumped against the wall.
She was disheveled, clearly having tried to climb over but failed.
He clenched his teeth in fury, stomped his foot, and roared:
"Hedy! Let me tell you something! You don't even train properly, and now you can't even climb this wall to run away! Really! I've never seen anyone so shameless!"
His outburst made Hedy open her eyes abruptly.
But what flashed in those eyes was cold and razor-sharp.
A moment ago, she had been Alpha—the top assassin on the battlefield, deadly accurate, never missing a shot. In the blink of an eye, she had died ignominiously in a gutter—and by some twist of fate, been reborn as the worthless recruit Hedy.
Hedy's old memories were still there. She looked at the furious squad leader in front of her and curled her lips into a mocking smile.
She had no other choice now but to accept this new identity and start over.
"How dare you laugh!"
The third squad leader was so angry he nearly kicked her.
"Listen up, Hedy! The instructor's watching from the shooting range! If you dare come last in today's shooting contest, I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life!"
Hedy got to her feet, adjusting to her new body. She followed him to the range, listening to him rant along the way.
When they arrived, everyone else was already lined up. Hedy strolled into formation at her own pace.
The Captain, standing nearby, couldn't stand it and roared:
"Hedy! Over here!"
When she walked up, he looked her up and down and snapped:
"You look like a drowned rat. Where were you? Why are you late?"
"I tried climbing the wall, fell, and fell asleep there," she replied coolly.
The Captain was stunned.
"Climbing the wall? Were you trying to desert?"
Hedy nodded without hesitation.
The Captain exploded.
"Hedy! Unbelievable! You're timid in training, but you're bold enough to desert! Fantastic! Truly remarkable!"
He was shouting so loudly that the instructor next to him hurried to restrain him. Only then did the Captain remember the higher-ups watching from behind.
What a humiliation.
He lowered his voice but hissed with fury:
"After the competition, Come see me to process your discharge papers. You're out!"
Hedy's eyes turned cold and sharp.
"Don't you want to know why I wanted to desert?"
"Why the hell would I care!" the Captain growled. "We're not short on recruits!"
Hedy gave him another mocking smile before turning back to the line.
The shooting competition began. It used a precise scoring system: five shots, a maximum of fifty points. Results were announced on the spot by the squad. The top three squads would earn pennants.
When it was Hedy's turn, she picked up her rifle, aimed, fired once, then put it down and walked away.
"Hedy! Stop right there!"
The Captain roared after her, but Hedy didn't even look back.
Before she could leave the range, however, someone blocked her path.
He wore a camouflage uniform, tall and broad-shouldered—at least a head taller than Hedy. He stood in front of her like a wall.
Hedy looked up and saw a man in his twenties, strikingly handsome, with a rebellious glint in his eyes.
"Your Captain is calling you. Didn't you hear?" His voice was deep and magnetic.
"It has nothing to do with you. Move," she replied icily.
"Arthur! Catch her!" the Captain yelled.
Arthur frowned slightly and said,
"Well, now it does involve me."
He stepped forward to grab Hedy's arm and drag her back. But Hedy moved with lightning speed, twisting his arm with a grappling move and throwing him neatly over her shoulder.
Arthur flipped nimbly and landed on his feet. But when he turned back to look at her, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
He seemed to sense something feral about her, a scent of bloodlust, a killer's cold gaze.
"Good dogs don't block the road! If you want to stop me, you'd better be capable," she taunted arrogantly.
But before she could react, Arthur lunged forward. With shocking speed, he scooped her up by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.
"Don't move," he warned coldly.
Hedy struggled wildly.
Smack! Smack!
Her backside stung from two hard slaps.
He had actually spanked her!
"You... put me down!"
She fought furiously, but his arms were like iron bands.
Hedy was so furious she punched him in the back, roaring:
"Bastard!"
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Arthur deposited her unceremoniously in front of the Captain.
Hedy glared murderously at him.
"I'll remember this," she growled in a low voice.
Arthur smirked.
"Good. I'll be waiting for you to settle the score."
"Settle what! She's finished!" the Captain snapped. "I'm telling you, she's a deserter! I'm kicking her out as soon as we're done!"
"Deserter?"
Arthur looked surprised.
Hedy didn't deny it, just snorted dismissively.
"Hedy! Who do you think you're flirting with?" the Captain bellowed. "The competition requires five shots. Who said you could fire one and leave? Do you think there's no discipline here? Let me tell you, you're not out of the army yet!"
Hedy's eyes were cold and cutting.
"I only need one shot. One shot is life or death. In my eyes, there is no second shot."
Her words caused an uproar.
The Captain laughed mockingly.
"Oh really? One shot is life or death? With your usual scores, you're lucky to even hit the target!"
Everyone laughed.
Hedy simply stood there, calm and proud.
"Enough talk. Look at the results."
The Captain was so infuriated by her defiance that he ordered the squad leader to bring the shooting record.
The third squad leader rushed over with the report sheet. The Captain glanced at it and turned purple with rage.
"Impossible! Go verify this!"
Moments later, the squad leader returned, sweat dripping, and laid out the target paper for all to see.
A single bullet hole sat dead-center.
One shot.
A perfect ten.
The Captain looked up at Hedy. Her cold, mocking gaze felt like a series of slaps to his face.