?Chapter 1321:


    As they talked, something gnawed at Moss from the inside out. Guilt twisted in his gut. He couldn’t believe he had let down a captain like Ellis, who—despite being strict—was fair and even kind.


    From that moment on, he swore to train more seriously.


    Ellis waited until the mood had softened, then asked, “You rested enough?”


    “Yes, sir.” Moss nodded, still catching his breath.


    “Then punishment continues. You’ve got forty-five minutes to finish a ten-kilometer run. Weighted,” Ellis said after checking his watch. “If you’re not back by 14:50, training’s getting doubled tomorrow.”


    Moss’s face froze. He was stunned. They had just been having a nice heart-to-heart—and now it was back to dragging weights across a battlefield?


    “You’ve got forty-four minutes and fifty seconds left,” Ellis reminded him, tone smooth as ever.


    Moss looked like he might cry. He handed the water bottle back and took off running again, his legs heavy, heart heavier.


    It was just one bottle of water. Just twenty lousy minutes of peace. Why did it cost him ten kilometers? He was nearly in tears on the inside.


    Ellis watched him jog off with heavy feet, then turned to check on the other one. The poor guy hadn’t eaten properly at lunch—looked like it was finally time for him to grab a bite.


    Cade, who had been staggering through hisps, noticed Moss was gone. He approached Ellis, panting, “Captain, I’m outta gas. I seriously can’t run anymore.”


    “Follow me,” Ellis said, calm and direct.


    Cade blinked, confused. “Huh?”


    “You’re low on energy, right?” Ellis asked without missing a beat. “Let me treat you to something.”


    “For real?” Cade asked, like he couldn’t believe his ears. His eyes lit up, the spark of hope flickering in his exhausted face.


    “Yes.”<fnce26> Checktest chapters at F?nd-Novel</fnce26>


    Let your imagination soar with g?lnσν???s


    “Thank you! You’re the best!”


    “Next time, follow the rules,” Ellis advised as he led him toward the cafeteria. “Eat whatever’s put in front of you.”


    “Yes, I will.” Cade nodded eagerly.


    As he ate, he took a bite, chewed, swallowed, and then hesitantly asked, “Well… is there more punishmentingter?”


    “What punishment?” Ellis looked at him, expression unreadable.


    “For, you know, sneaking off without reporting,” Cade said honestly, starting to see Ellis less like a captain and more like a friend.


    Ellis raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”


    Cade’s grin vanished like a puff of smoke.


    So… there was more?


    “Afternoon training’s tripled,” Ellis said casually, noting the shift in Cade’s face.


    Cade looked like he’d just been told to climb a mountain barefoot. “I’m already dead tired.”


    .


    .


    .