?Chapter 1309:


    And so, their seven-member crew took shape, bound by sweat and ambition.


    Ellis had stepped in as their trainer, his presence loomingrge from day one. He strode toward them alongside Michael, his military fatigues crisp, his boots thudding against the gravel.


    Seven pairs of eyes snapped to him, sizing up the man who would forge them into something sharper. Greta, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Freya, nudged her with a sharp elbow. Her whisper was barely audible,ced with disbelief. “No way. This guy is our instructor?”


    “Looks like it,” Riley murmured, casting another sideways nce.


    Freya scrunched her brow, puzzled, that odd feeling of familiarity creeping in. “Have we met him before?”


    Greta, Riley, and Trent were caughtpletely off guard. All their eyes snapped to her at once.


    Freya blinked, thrown by their sudden attention. “What is it?”


    “I thought you were all books and brains—no time for anything else,” Greta teased, her voice light. “Turns out you paid more attention than I did.”


    Freya’s confusion only deepened. “What?”<fn16bd> This update is avable on Find★Novel</fn16bd>


    “Don’t you think he’s good-looking? Don’t you want to get to know him?” Greta quirked an eyebrow, yful and amused.


    Freya shot back a t “No.”


    In her view, he just looked oddly familiar, that was all—though she was pretty sure they had never actually met. Still, she had to admit, he was definitely attractive.


    “This is Ellis Lambert,” Michael said as he walked up to them with his usual firm tone. “From now on, he’ll be your instructor, in charge of everything concerning you.”


    The seven of them immediately straightened up and greeted him in sync.


    Ellis gave them a brief nod, then shifted his gaze toward Michael.


    Michael raised a brow, confused. Why was he staring at him like that?


    “You nning to stay and train with them?” Ellis’s voice carried that calm, youthful charm.


    Michael didn’t waste time slipping away, but not before tossing them a warning. “Don’t let that face fool you—he’s a real hardass.”


    No one looked convinced.


    “We’re not starting today,” Ellis said once Michael was gone. “Let’s just talk for a bit.”


    Everyone was momentarily stunned. Talk? Seriously?


    Ellis scanned their faces, one after the other. “You can share your hobbies, whatever you’re into.”


    “No training, really?” Cade asked, eyeing him with suspicion.


    Ellis gave him a quiet nod.


    Cade nced at Moss, and the two of them began asking questions, cautiously dipping their toes into the conversation.


    At first, everyone held back, but once Moss and Cade warmed up, chatting with ease, the rest of them gradually joined in.


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