?Chapter 959:


    Already feeling humiliated, N found Lucinda’s words made it all the more unbearable. What a fool. If Lucinda weren’t so easy to manipte—and didn’t make N look moreposed in contrast—she wouldn’t even bother keeping her around.


    Inwardly, N cursed Lucinda.


    Right then, Elenapleted anotherp and began jogging back in their direction. She had already passed tenps, her skin gleaming with sweat.


    N narrowed her eyes and lifted her hand to her nose, pretending to be disgusted.


    Lucinda picked up on the cue immediately and began fanning the air in front of her face. “Some people just don’t know how to act—walking around all sweaty like that.”


    Elena slowed her pace and turned her gaze toward them, her eyes suddenly turning cold.


    Lucinda hesitated under Elena’s cold stare but quickly snapped back into character, her voice turning mocking. “What? Why are you staring at me like that? I’m clearly talking about you. Dressed like that, running around while the base is full of men—what’s the goal here, working out or flirting with men?”


    Elena stepped forward in silence, her expression impossible to read.


    Lucinda let out a sharp, mockingugh. “What’s the matter? Did I hit a sore spot? I knew it. You’re just a brazen flirt. Catching Major General Garrett wasn’t enough for you? Now you’re after someone else? Seriously, how could you even turn out like this? You’re nothing like Ellis.”


    Thatstment slipped out quieter than the rest, as if even Lucinda wasn’t sure she should’ve said it aloud.


    Elena turned her eyes to N. Lucinda was nothing more than a mouthpiece, spouting whatever N whispered behind the scenes. The moment N gave a signal, Lucinda would react onmand. Trying to reason with Lucinda was pointless. A different approach might be more effective.


    Lucinda was still mid-rant when Elena closed the distance between them. Her words caught in her throat. “W-why are youing closer?”


    Elena shot her fist up, quick and precise, stopping just short of Lucinda’s face.


    Explore magic at g?lnσν????s．c????


    “Ah!” Lucinda yelped, her eyes squeezed shut. Her knees buckled, and she crumpled to the floor.


    A brief sh of scheming passed through N’s expression. Elena was so arrogant—daring to throw a punch in public? She’d practically giftwrapped the opportunity.


    N stepped forward quickly, cing herself between them with practiced concern. Her frown was the picture of offended virtue. “Miss Harper, yes, Lucinda might be blunt, but you can’t justsh out because you didn’t like what she said.”


    At that point, the noise had drawn attention. A few men from the training field wandered over, their faces lit with curiosity.


    A man with a close-cropped haircut and a sun-aged face stepped into view. “Dr. Vance, what’s going on? Are you hurt?”


    It was Hand Larson, a squad leader in the Azure Dragon Unit, and one of N’s more obvious admirers.


    N recognized him immediately. “Sergeant Larson, I’m fine. Lucinda’s the one who got injured.”


    At this point, Lucinda hadposed herself and realized Elena hadn’tid a hand on her. She’d panicked, fallen, and scraped her palms on the gravel. With N in her corner, she wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. Still on the ground, she pointed usingly at Elena. “It was her! She attacked me! She’s not even dressed like she’s here to train! I only told the truth, and she snapped—went totally off the rails! This is a military base, not some casual hangout! She can’t just act like the rules don’t apply to her!”


    .


    .


    .