(This bonus chapter is dedicated to Alliance Hierarch "DM2356"!)
Clearly, the situation here had become clear enough for both, the Ship's Second Formation and the Medical Seventh Formation, to see plainly.
"Looks like there's something going on over there."
"There's been an incident in the Ship's First Formation."
"They've got something to watch now, pity they can't hear what's being said."
A harsh shout came through, "You, and you, and you—come out here and stand at attention!"
Thus, a few miserable boys from the neighboring Second Formation were also called out.
However, as the Medical Department was almost entirely made up of girls, the instructor there unprecedentedly turned a blind eye to that group of twittering young ladies.
It just can't be helped, virile military officers simply find it difficult to be overly harsh with such a large group of beauties, and this privilege is exclusively reserved for the Medical Department—after all, who knows if one of these girls might end up treating them in the future?
In the vast training ground populated by tens of thousands, this incident did not cause much of a stir, but in the nearby clique, it had already become a focal point.
Hearing Wang Nuonuo's words, the glum-faced officer turned his head, staring at Wang Nuonuo's elfin face without any hint of compassion.
"Do you know him?"
"I know him, he's my friend!" Wang Nuonuo fearlessly met his gaze.
How dare he bully an adult—that was the same as bullying her, Wang Nuonuo!
"Good, tell me your department and name, captain of the team."
"Ship Command Department—Wang Nuonuo!"
The girl's voice was crisp and decisive, displaying Nuonuo's straightforward nature without a doubt.
The boys' formation behind her burst into an uproar.
Related majors in Ship included Combat Command, Ship Machinery, Radar Engineering, Electronic Countermeasures, Information Security, Power Engineering, and so on—various specialized majors.
One could say that as the major with the highest entry requirements and the highest starting point after graduation, the Command Department attracted the most attention among ship-related majors.
Those who were admitted into the Ship Command Department were without exception, the sons of gods, the daughters of heaven.
Moreover, almost all noble families' first choice was to send their children to this major, so much information had already leaked through various channels even before admission.
To be favored by a Heavenly Pride Girl was like a step to heaven for a commoner student.
Now this goddess they had been keeping an eye on claimed to be from the Command Department, and had even announced her name, which instantly unsettled those restless young men.
"She's a goddess from the Command Department!"
"I told you, with that kind of looks and figure, she couldn't possibly be from any other department."
"That bastard actually dared to come over and openly snatch our Command Department's goddess, I want to duel him."
This statement provoked instant resonance among the surrounding boys, who began rubbing their hands in eager anticipation.
"I'm ticked off by that guy right now, and I bet our instructor is even more irritated. I'd love to see how he gets his comeuppance."
"The goddess said her name is... Wang Nuonuo, I like that name."
As a boy finished speaking, several others kicked him in a flash while the instructor wasn't looking, "We like it too, but you're out of the running."
The words "Command Department" and "Wang Nuonuo" began to quietly circulate among the new students in this formation.
In contrast to the boys' uniform adoration and the sense of shared enmity,
The situation was not as pleasant among the girls. Some high-minded girls looked disdainfully over there and snorted coldly.
Others were staring intently at Wang Nuonuo, though what they were thinking remained completely concealed, still portraying a cool goddess demeanor.
Girls from noble families can be well-bred and kind-hearted, pretentious and arrogant, and some are spoiled at home to the point of being narrow-minded upon seeing others excel.
People are diverse as the grains are the same.
Wang Nuonuo's delicate and fair face looked straight at the officer, and her wide training uniform could not hide her graceful swan neck. The Loki Heavy Industry princess's charisma unintentionally captivated many.
The young Lieutenant Wang Cheng observed Wang Nuonuo without an ounce of pity or mercy; the beauty in front of him was irrelevant compared to his future ambitions!
"Very well, you'll be punished along with the rest."
"Why!"
"Why!?", "This is an order; I am your instructor," Wang Cheng glanced at Mu Fan, who remained silent.
Hmph!
Wang Nuonuo pursed her lips stubbornly, not uttering a word.
It was then that Mu Fan looked up and said, "No need to call me 'instructor' anymore. I accept the punishment."
He didn't explain why he hadn't participated in the training, why he was there; he merely saw how Wang Nuonuo had stepped up so selflessly and heard some of the whispers from those around them.
How could he let her suffer when Wang Nuonuo had chosen to share a friend's burden at that moment?
"Very well."
Wang Cheng's face bore a chilly air and a strange smile as he pointed out the sports field.
"This is the First Ring Body of Dingchuan Academy, each lap measuring 2000 meters, 15 laps. Only after you finish can you eat. Don't question my abuse of authority; I will apply for permission from my superiors! If you choose to give up, the instructor you call out can take the punishment for you."
"Oh, damn!"
"Thirty kilometers! Are they trying to run us to death?"
"That officer is so sinister. He still wants the kid to call his instructor. He wants to stand out in this training—MD, so crafty. But I can only say... nicely done!"
"With such cunning, how can one worry about big things not getting achieved?"
Although the remarks were ridiculous, the students who had made it into Dingchuan Academy were the cream of the crop among their peers, and beneath the banter, they managed to extract the truth of the matter bit by bit.
And those several beautiful girls, who clearly wore light makeup despite military training, laughed in others' misfortune.
Thirty kilometers, it would take a whole day to run, wouldn't it?
In the end, they'd collapse, and an officer would have to come over.
Your name is Wang Nuonuo, right? Let's see how you can live up to your friend now.
Wang Nuonuo panicked instantly upon hearing what the instructor had said.
The most she had ever run was during that incident on Purple Jade Star when they encountered the Beast Tide.
Just a few kilometers had caused several blisters on her delicate feet.
And he was talking about thirty kilometers right off the bat!
It wasn't gliding on a jet skateboard, nor riding a motorcycle, and certainly not driving a Floating Car!
This was about making Mu Fan run 15 laps around this sports field in front of over ten thousand people!
"Instructor, why are you being like this? What did he do to deserve punishment just for sitting here?"
"He disrupted my training formation. It's the most important task for me as a military officer this month. Would you say that's important to me?" Wang Cheng retorted.
Wang Nuonuo was momentarily lost for words under his fierce intensity.
"You don't need to say anything; I accept," a calm voice came from behind.
Mu Fan rolled up his sleeves; he saw the stubbornness in Wang Nuonuo's eyes.
This quirky, Elf-like girl, her innocence always managed to hit the softest spot in one's heart.
"Think carefully—fifteen laps, each lap 2 kilometers, with a time limit of 8 minutes. Finish within 2 hours, go eat. If not, for every minute over, she'll get an extra hour of training."
The young officer pointed at Wang Nuonuo, bold enough to cause a stir in his formation. He wouldn't let her off easily.
"I've thought about it," Mu Fan nodded, signaling he had heard clearly, and looked up at the officer, a head taller than him.
Regardless of whether they knew Mu Fan or not, at that moment, many felt he still retained his manhood, or at least he wasn't wishy-washy.
"Good, that's a man."
Wang Cheng turned to Wang Nuonuo, "Done talking about him, now for you. Your disturbance of the military training is a fact. So you too will be punished."
Wang Nuonuo's bright eyes filled with defiance, "Me!?"
"Yes, you. Run 5 laps. I'll grant you 30 minutes for each lap," replied Wang Cheng, his face as frosty as ever, showing no mercy.
***
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